City solon seeks to establish Naga therapy, rehab center

By Jason B. Neola NAGA CITY --- Pursuing his desire to provide Nagueños with better health and medical services, City Councilor Jose “Sonny” C. Rañola on Tuesday proposed to establish a therapy and rehabilitation center that will be operated by the city government of Naga. Ranola, a medical doctor by profession, in a privilege speech during the Sangguniang Panlungsod regular session, formally endorsed his proposed measure to create the Naga City Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Committee that will see the coming into reality of the therapy and rehab center. The proposed facility, once established, will provide, among others, the following: a. A gym and exercise equipment to help promote mobility and function for individuals who are suffering from injuries or movement conditions; b. Physical Therapists that will treat people using therapeutic exercise regimens and techniques, radiant and superficial heating, therapeutic ultrasound, and patient education and training; c. Occupation Therapist to help people achieve their highest capacity in performing activities of daily living; d. Speech Therapist to help people with language-related learning issues, such as speaking, listening and writing. The proposed center, Rañola said, will take care of patients who are suffering from the afoementioned problems. “I know that our counterpart from the Naga City Senior Citizens Federation who are seated beside us now (who acts as senior city councilors in observance of the Senior Citizens Month) will be very happy with this proposal. This city-operated Center will be very important to them, and to us future senior citizens, who intermittently, if not always, complain about low back pain, cervical or neck pain, scoliosis, arthritis, frozen shoulders, myofascial syndrome, and other musculoskeletal disorders,” the city councilor said in his speech. Rañola said that the proposed ordinance will also cater related services to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) “although we can see that the City Government of Naga, under that able leadership of Mayor John G. Bongat has been doing great service and assistance to our PWDs. It started with the opening and operation of the Persons with Disability Affairs Office, which is now the most dynamic and responsive office of its kind throughout Bicol, if not in the entire country.” Mayor John Bongat, in preliminary talk with the proponent, said that he finds the proposed ordinance wise and necessary, as it will be very beneficial to all, especially to constituents with disabilities and those who can’t afford such services and facilities in private institutions, particularly those located in Manila and outside of the city. The proposed Naga City Therapy and Rehabilitation Center will also cater to patients who need to undergo post-fracture management and amputations and prosthetics replacement of joints and other neurological, medical and surgical, and physical fitness and sports training services. Rañola in his sponsorship speech also extended his gratitude to Dr. Greg Diaz for assuring him that he is more than willing to share his knowledge and expertise and help in expediting the establishment and operation of the proposed physical therapy and rehabilitation center. Dr. Diaz, being a physiatrist, is currently working at the NICC Doctors Hospital as chairman of the hospital’s physical therapy and rehabilitation committee. A physiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in special medicine, rehabilitation, and pain medicine. He treats a wide variety of medical condition affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons and helps to maximize what a patient can do and assist him/her in adapting to what he or she cannot do. In concluding his speech, the city councilor said that it is his fervent prayer that his colleagues in this august body will support him in having his proposal passed and its eventual approval, for the greater interest of the Nagueños.