FORMER Gov. Juan N. Babauta and Division of Youth Services Child Protective Services intervention specialist Mariah M. Barcinas on Wednesday shared their ideas regarding public health issues.
The two appeared before the Senate Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations which conducted a hearing on their nominations to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board of trustees.
Babauta of Saipan and Barcinas of Rota expressed their interest and willingness to serve on the board.
Babauta, who served as CHCC’s first CEO, shared some “areas of interest” he vowed to focus on. One of them is the development of a Medicaid State Plan that would allow the CNMI to “refer Medicaid patients to hospitals, other than those in Hawaii or the U.S. mainland.”
Barcinas, for her part, said one of the ways to help CNMI patients is to make the most of what CHCC has.
“We see firsthand our families having to travel outside the CNMI to receive the healthcare treatment they need. Then we read the news about the medical referral dilemma,” she added.
She said she understands the islands’ demand for scarce healthcare resources.
“So it is for this very reason that I vow to be a steward to ensure the most efficient utilization of CHCC’s facilities and resources,” Barcinas added.
Among those who expressed support for Babauta’s confirmation were Pacific Engineering Group & Services President/CEO Gregorio Q. Castro, CHCC’s Emergency Preparedness Program Director Warren Villagomez and Tom A. Tebuteb, who served as Department of Community and Cultural Affairs secretary under the Babauta administration.
Castro said Babauta “does not hesitate to challenge anyone as long as it benefits the public interest. He has strong family values and ethical foundation and he would do what is right. He is intelligent, dedicated and impartial.”
According to Villagomez, the former governor has “integrity, great leadership skills and is passionate about public health.”
Tebuteb noted Babauta’s “vast experience” which “says it all,” he added.
DYS Child Protective Services Supervisor Julian Camacho, for his part, urged the senators to confirm Barcinas. He said he has been her immediate supervisor for the past five years and “she’s always ready to tackle any challenges that come her way, every day.”
“I highly recommend her to the CHCC board, and I know that she will be a great asset for the people of Rota [as she will] ensure that their health and wellness will be her utmost priority,” Camacho said.
CNMI resident Margie S. Mendiola said she has witnessed Barcinas’ true commitment to the community’s well-being. “She is one of the most smart, driven and positive persons I know. She is very interested and compassionate about our community’s healthcare system. I believe that she will work tirelessly to ensure that every patient and their families will be valued and supported throughout their medical journey by developing an environment of trust and responsiveness within CHCC,” she said.
Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board nominees Mariah M. Barcinas and Juan N. Babauta swear that they will testify truthfully during a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.
