President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday announced an aggressive healthcare expansion, promising to establish at least 349 specialty centers across the country before his term concludes.
The President unveiled the timeline during the inauguration of the Brain and Spine Center at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in Tuguegarao City, where he lamented the nation’s current lack of specialized regional care.
“We are targeting 349 specialty centers by the time I leave office in 2028.”
Marcos explained that the lack of specialized health services routinely delays urgent medical attention for provincial patients.
He noted that this critical vulnerability was laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic, which served as the primary catalyst for his administration’s healthcare policy.
“Ito yung polisiya na tinaguyod natin nung ako ay umupo bilang Pangulo dahil hindi ko makalimutan yung kahirapan na dinala ng buong Pilipinas, lahat ng Pilipino, lahat ng buong mundo, nung nandito ‘yung pandemic, ‘yung COVID.”
Reflecting on the crisis, the President recalled how patients died because nearby facilities were overwhelmed and unable to provide advanced, life-saving interventions.
“At ang marami tayong nakikita ng mga kaso na hindi na umabot sa ospital. At dahil walang specialty hospital na kagaya nito, walang malaking ospital, at kung meron mga ospital na malapit, puno na. At meron mga namatay na kung may ospital lang sana ay baka nabuhay pa.”
The expansion is legally backed by Republic Act 11959, or the Regional Specialty Centers Act, which Marcos signed into law.
The legislation mandates the Department of Health to integrate specialized care—including cancer, cardiovascular, lung, renal, brain, spine, trauma, and burn care—into state-controlled regional hospitals to ensure Filipinos no longer have to travel to Manila for critical treatment.