Balay Biliranon as Half-way House for Biliranon Patients

“In times of need, our home is always our best refuge. Thus, we extend our home beyond the shores of our island. We conceptualized the Balay Biliranon as a temporary home for patients referred to Tacloban. It is the very first for our province, probably the first in the region as well” says Gov. Gerard Espina during his Ulat sa Bayan last Oct 18.

From July 21 when the Balay Biliranon was opened until 4th week of December, the facility has extended assistance to 447 families/patients, broken down into by LGUs: Almeria – 29, Biliran – 39, Cabucgayan – 73,  Caibiran – 57, Culaba – 34, Kawayan – 46, Maripipi – 2, and Naval  – 164. 

The Balay Biliranon program needed to rent  a low-cost residential/office space to be used as temporary shelter or halfway house for patients and families seeking medical Treatment at the Eastern Visayas Medical Center. In the future, the Balay will also serve as Liaison Office of the Provincial Government of Biliran in its numerous transactions with national government agencies in Tacloban City.

The program aims to (1) to alleviate the suffering of patients and their families being referred to the EVRMC for advance medical treatment by providing a temporary place to stay; (2) To address the perennial concern of travelling back and forth from the work station to the regional center to follow-up transactions with national government agencies and entities, saving a lot of time, money and effort; and (3) To help provide assistance amongst Biliranon patients and at the same time improve services of the provincial government.