For many families in Central Luzon, specialized treatment for a sick child has long meant traveling to Metro Manila. That journey is expected to become less common after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Friday inaugurated the DOH-JBL Children’s Medical Center, the first completed facility under the Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center (CMSMC).
Officially turned over to the Department of Health (DOH), the DOH-JBL Children’s Medical Center is a 100-bed Level 2 government hospital. The facility expands and eases access to specialized pediatric care in Central Luzon and will reduce the need for patients to seek treatment in Metro Manila.
It will provide emergency and urgent care, outpatient specialty clinics, inpatient pediatric subspecialty services, diagnostic imaging, laboratory services and other essential support services.
The hospital was developed through a collaboration among the Department of Health (DOH), Clark Development Corporation (CDC), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. (BCFI), Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH), and the Provincial Government of Pampanga.
Actual construction was completed in only two years through a P1-billion donation from the BCFI led by Enrique K. Razon Jr., Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc. Chairman and CEO. PAGCOR funded the procurement of major hospital equipment, while CDC provided the project site and technical support. The DOH, through JBLMGH, will oversee hospital operations until the CMSMC is established as a separate institution.
Razon said the project grew out of President Marcos’ call to establish regional specialty hospitals outside Metro Manila, enabling more families to have access to specialized pediatric care closer to home. “This is not a business venture. It is a contribution to our nation’s development and, more importantly, a worthwhile investment in the future,” he said.
Alejandro H. Tengco, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO, said the project reflects what government and the private sector can achieve when they work together. He reaffirmed PAGCOR’s commitment to supporting initiatives that expand access to quality healthcare for Filipinos.
The DOH-JBL Children’s Medical Center is the first of four specialty hospitals planned under the CMSMC, an integrated healthcare complex envisioned to serve Northern and Central Luzon. The remaining phases include dedicated renal, cardiovascular and cancer centers.
Once completed, the CMSMC is expected to service about 1,200 beds, strengthening the region’s capacity to provide specialized medical services while helping ease patient demand in Metro Manila’s major referral hospitals.
The DOH-JBL Children’s Medical Center adds to the Bloomberry Cultural Foundation’s growing portfolio of public service initiatives. The foundation, the social responsibility arm of BRC, operator of Solaire Resort, has worked with PAGCOR and other government agencies to support healthcare, disaster relief and education programs, including assistance to the Philippine Military Academy.
