In a push for swift action, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday ordered the Marawi City General Hospital (MCGH) to open a month ahead of schedule—moving the target from September to August—to urgently restore long-delayed healthcare services and ensure residents can benefit from them without further delay.

“We are giving the contractors and all of the government agencies a deadline of August na mabuksan na ‘yung hospital para makapag-serbisyo na sa taumbayan,” President Marcos pronounced during his visit.

The President was briefed by Dr. Sulpicio Henry M. Legaspi Jr., Director IV of the Department of Health (DOH), on the hospital’s capabilities, ongoing construction projects, and the remaining steps needed before the facility becomes fully operational.

A flagship project under the Marcos administration’s rehabilitation program, the MCGH is a Level I public healthcare facility established in Marawi City following the 2017 siege, aimed at restoring essential services in the most affected areas.

Dr. Legazpi said that the hospital’s construction is scheduled to be completed by September 2025, followed by the hiring and training of medical staff.

The project was implemented in two phases. A budget of PhP51.98 million from the Office of the President was used to fund Phase 1, which focused on land development, and it was finished in September 2022.

Phase 2, which covers the construction of the hospital itself, began in June 2022 with a budget of PhP293.6 million.

Construction is in its final stages, with painting, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical works in progress on all three floors and ancillary facilities.

Constructed by the Department of Health–Center for Health Development Northern Mindanao (DOH-CHDNM), the hospital is designed to provide accessible medical care to over 207,000 residents of Marawi and nearby municipalities in Lanao del Sur.

The MCGH aims to alleviate the pressure on Amai Pakpak Medical Center, which has been operating beyond its authorized capacity for a long time. | PND