President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. honored the late Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Susan V. Ople during the groundbreaking of the OFW Hospital–Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center in San Fernando, Pampanga on Tuesday.
“This endeavor is inspired by the vision of the late Susan Ople, who was our DMW Secretary and who dedicated her entire life to working for the rights of our workers and eventually also our migrant workers. ‘Til the day she died, I know this for a fact, ‘til the day that she died, she was still working for our OFWs,” President Marcos said.
“And that is why we have to honor her memory and honor her legacy, and we do so today with this hospital. Her legacy reminds us to approach every patient with compassion and care, assuring them that they are not alone in their fight,” he added.
The President said the construction of the facility would not have been possible without the support of the Department of Health (DOH) through its Health Facility Enhancement Program.
He said the realization of this project will require the collective efforts of the DMW, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Health (DOH), other government agencies and private partners.
“I look forward to the completion of this facility and the procurement of the necessary medical equipment. And we once again show, nothing is impossible when we unite together for a shared purpose,” the President said.
President Marcos also honored the OFWs during the event. “It is with great pride and anticipation that I stand before you today to mark the beginning of a new chapter in our nation’s commitment to our modern-day heroes–our Overseas Filipino Workers.”
“When I think about OFWs, I think about their extraordinary strength, their determination, their dedication, the sacrifice and love that they have for their family. They embody what it means to sacrifice and persevere. It is only fitting that we give them the care and support they deserve in return,” he said.
Since its inauguration in 2022, the OFW Hospital in Pampanga stood as a testament of the government’s commitment to care for and support the modern-day heroes and their families, he said.
The hospital’s daily outpatient capacity exceeds 160 patients. Vital areas like reception and admitting sections have been repurposed as triage zones.
The President said the challenges present an opportunity to reaffirm the government’s dedication to the health and dignity of the OFWs and their families.
From January to May of this year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) ranked cancer as the second leading cause of death in the country.
“Aggressive as this terrible disease is, we need to be equally aggressive in providing treatment for our patients—to give them hope, to provide them with care, make them feel at home, at the time when they need it the most,” President Marcos said.
This is why the hospital’s second floor will be dedicated to the Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center, he said.
During the inauguration, the President mentioned two other cancer hospitals. One is the UP-PGH Cancer Center in Manila and the Philippine Cancer Center in Quezon City.
“Together, we will build a Bagong Pilipinas that is strong, that is prosperous, that is compassionate. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat at mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas!,” the President said. | PND
