President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday led the turnover of check donations amounting to a total of PhP520 million, which will fund more medical projects for Filipinos.
In his speech at the inauguration of the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service Center (BUCAS), the Chief Executive acknowledged that the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) has long been a symbol of hope and excellence in healthcare.
“So, despite the challenges, you continue to persevere and to innovate, showing both passion and compassion. This is the reason why we granted the PHC 200.5 million pesos that it can use to fund more projects that will benefit the Filipino people,” the President said.
The PHC was established in 1975 under Presidential Decree No. 673.
“It was my father’s vision to create a place where top-notch medical care was delivered with dignity and with compassion. It was my mother’s driving force behind the specialty centers in the country,” the President said.
President Marcos noted that for years, the PHC has remained steadfast in its commitment to saving lives and alleviating the suffering of people with cardiovascular diseases.
“Today, we honor that vision as we expand it. With 31 BUCAS Centers nationwide as of September this year, we are not just keeping that promise within the walls of one building but we are spreading it to various places around the country. We are ready to respond, ready to care wherever and whenever needed,” the President said.
In his speech, the Chief Executive highlighted his administration’s vision of a future where “every Filipino, no matter where they live, has access to the urgent care that they need. A future where our healthcare system is proactive, not just reactive.”
“That future was made more possible by the PHC’s Education, Training and Research Simulation Facility, which is a first in the Philippines. It mimics realistic clinical scenarios for teaching and learning, allowing for better training for our healthcare workers,” the President said.
The President inspected the Education, Training, and Research Services (ETRS) Simulation Facility on Tuesday. This state-of-the-art learning environment, the first of its kind in the Philippines, is designed to provide trainees and mentors with hands-on, experiential learning. It integrates advanced simulation tools, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and interactive environments that mimic realistic clinical scenarios for teaching and learning.
The President also granted PhP185.2 million to the Lung Center of the Philippines and PhP134 million to the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
“These grants aim to further their excellence in disease prevention, diagnostics, and treatments that is the record of those specialty hospitals,” he said.
The donation from the Office of the President will fund the procurement of essential medical equipment, thus enhancing medical services for the benefit of patients. PND
