President Ferdinand Marcos on Tuesday visited the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) to show solidarity with pediatric cancer patients and their families. During the visit, he commended the young patients’ resilience and courage in battling their illness.
“We come here thinking we need to be strong for them, but it’s their strength that lifts us,” Mr. Marcos said. He also announced an additional P150 million for new diagnostic equipment at the PCMC to improve the hospital’s capabilities in saving lives.
The PCMC, founded by Mr. Marcos’ parents, has a long history of providing specialized care for children, particularly those with cancer.
The President expressed his gratitude to the hospital staff for their dedication and reassured families of the government’s continued support.
In a separate event, President Marcos inaugurated the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service Center (BUCAS) at the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) in Quezon City.
He also donated a total of P520 million to support medical projects at the PHC, the Lung Center of the Philippines, and the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
The BUCAS Center, part of the Department of Health’s modernization efforts, aims to provide urgent care services and bridge the gap between primary care facilities and higher-level hospitals. President Marcos praised the PHC for its longstanding commitment to healthcare excellence and its role in saving lives.
He also toured the PHC’s new Education, Training, and Research Simulation Facility, a state-of-the-art center that uses virtual and augmented reality to train healthcare workers.
The BUCAS Center initiative is part of the Department of Health’s “28 for 28 by 28” plan, which aims to build 28 primary health facilities for 28 million underserved Filipinos by 2028.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Marcos opens BUCAS center, announces P520M in medical grants.”
