Marcos inspects New Clark Children’s Hospital

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday inspected the newly inaugurated Department of Health–Jose B. Lingad Children’s Medical Center in Clark, describing the facility as another milestone in the administration’s drive to bring specialized healthcare closer to Filipinos outside Metro Manila.

Accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, the President toured the hospital’s pediatric ward, respiratory unit and laboratory before leading the unveiling of the facility’s marker. The First Couple also met briefly with patients, their families and hospital personnel.

Joining the inspection were Department of Health Secretary Dr. Jose Brittanio Pujalte Jr., Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman and CEO Alejandro H. Tengco, Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc. Chairman and CEO Enrique Razon, and local government officials.

Clark Development Corporation President and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera described the children’s hospital as a “generational legacy project” and the first of several specialty hospitals planned within the Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center.

She said future facilities will include the Philippine Heart Center and the Philippine Cancer Center, with the CDC donating nearly five hectares of land and planning to construct a medical arts building to support the complex.

Razon said the hospital was completed in less than two years after President Marcos identified the need for a children’s specialty hospital in Central Luzon and led its groundbreaking in July 2024.

“This is not a business venture; it is a contribution to a nation’s development and, more importantly, a worthwhile investment in the future,” he said.

Tengco said the hospital serves as the first phase of the Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center, which will eventually offer specialized services in pediatrics, kidney care, cardiovascular medicine and oncology.

He added that the project fulfills the President’s commitment to expand access to specialized healthcare and demonstrates what government and the private sector can achieve through close collaboration.

The children’s hospital was built through a partnership among the national government, PAGCOR, Bloomberry Resorts Foundation, Clark Development Corporation and other stakeholders. Officials said it is expected to serve children across Central Luzon while laying the foundation for a world-class medical complex in Clark.