President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. has recently issued Executive Order (EO) No. 19, establishing the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) annex inside this Freeport with a proposed area of 5.7 hectares.
CDC President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera expressed elation on the approval of the specialty hospital in Clark as Marcos recognized the strategic importance of Clark as the perfect venue to provide accessible and quality healthcare services to the people of Central and Northern Luzon, including to more than 160,000 Clark workers.
“With the world class highways and international airport, the Clark Freeport Zone is a gateway to Central Luzon. As such, establishing a specialty hospital annex in Clark will bring quality healthcare closer to the people,” Marcos said in his executive order.
In the directive of the president, the hospital will be established, managed, and administered by PHC and shall amend the existing development plan to include the proposed programs and initiatives for PHC Clark.
It also identified the source of funding to come from the existing appropriation of the Department of Health (DOH) and the approved budget of PHC. Subsequently, DOH and PHC shall coordinate with the Department of Budget and Management to ensure the continuous funding of the Clark Annex.
“The PHC, which is the sole specialty hospital in the Philippines that provides specialized medical services to Filipinos suffering from cardiovascular diseases. As an institution, it is committed to upholding the highest standards of cardiovascular care that is responsive to the health needs of Filipinos,” the EO stated.
The EO also stated that the establishment of the said health center “will primarily render specialized medical services for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases”
According to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), cardiovascular disorders were the leading cause of death in the country as of October 30, 2022. With this, PHC Clark is seen to help bring the medical facility closer to the residents of Central and Northern Luzon which will also lead to save more lives.
