House Speaker Martin Romualdez yesterday assured stakeholders of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) of continued funding from Congress in the years ahead, saying this would represent the legislature’s investment in the country’s future.
He issued the statement after leading the capsule-laying and groundbreaking rites of the PCMC’s 20-story Advanced Pediatric Services building at the hospital compound in Quezon City, which is part of President Marcos’ Legacy Specialty Hospitals.
“This facility is a tremendous help because of how much we value the life and health of the youth, for the nation’s future,” Romualdez said in Filipino.
“The project we are starting today is not just a matter of course. Our goal is to build a multi-specialty center to treat the most serious diseases, such as pediatric cancer, brain and spine diseases, and other diseases that require thorough care,” he added.
The Speaker told hospital doctors, nurses, administrators, staff, patients, their families, and other stakeholders that last year, upon the guidance of the President, Congress allocated funds for PCMC specifically for the Advanced Comprehensive Center for Pediatric Brain and Spine and the Pediatric Cancer Center.
The 20-story building will have a 500-bed capacity and be equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology.
The soon-to-rise facility will also feature a Modern Cancer Center and subspecialty services that include infectious diseases, nephrology (kidney-related care), cardiology (heart-related care), pulmonology (respiratory system care), endocrinology (treatment for hormonal disorders), neurology (neuro-developmental pediatrics), and surgical services.
The PCMC is a government-owned and controlled corporation under the Department of Health.
It is a 200-bed capacity tertiary hospital with a mandate to provide pediatric care, offer training programs for medical and allied health care providers, and be a center for clinical research.
On June 23, 1980, under then the Minister of Human Settlements, First Lady Imelda Marcos, the hospital first opened its doors to commence delivering expert healthcare to children.