Newly appointed Provincial Health Officer (PHO) II Sheila Faciol has announced her priorities for enhancing Cebu province's healthcare system, focusing on upgrading hospital facilities, completing manpower requirements, and strengthening coordination with rural health units (RHUs).
Oath-Taking and New Role
Faciol took her oath on Monday, May 4, 2026, and will oversee the province's 16 hospitals under Governor Pamela Baricuatro's healthcare agenda. She emphasized that the Provincial Government is currently reviewing staffing and facility needs while upgrading equipment and increasing medical personnel in Capitol-run hospitals.
Strengthening Primary Healthcare
The Provincial Health Office will strengthen primary healthcare by working with approximately 50 RHUs. Faciol stated, "Our rural health units need to be capacitated." The office will provide local government units with more logistics support, medicines, and training.
Background and Collaboration
A former municipal health officer of Pinamungajan town and assistant city health officer of Bogo City during the Covid-19 pandemic, Faciol will collaborate with Provincial Health Officer I for hospitals, Jenina Canoy, to improve coordination and service delivery across the province. She also noted that residency training programs at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center will continue to help general practitioners specialize while remaining within Cebu's healthcare system.
Increase in Medical Staff
Capitol public health consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan reported a 71 percent increase in the number of doctors in Cebu's provincial hospitals, from 177 in July 2025 to 303 as of April 15, 2026, with 126 doctors added to the healthcare system.
