CLARK FREEPORT — Central Luzon’s first public specialty hospital for children has been inaugurated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on July 24, the first completed facility under the Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center development that aims to expand access to specialized healthcare services in Northern and Central Luzon.
Located within the Clark medical complex, the seven-storey DOH–Jose B. Lingad Children’s Medical Center has a 120-bed capacity and is scheduled to begin operations on Aug. 1 with outpatient, inpatient, urgent care, and emergency services for children from Regions 1, 2, and 3, and nearby provinces.
“Today, we are not just inaugurating a [legacy] project. We are inaugurating a generational legacy project,” said Clark Development Corp. president and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera during the inauguration, citing parallels between the specialty medical institutions established in Quezon City during the administration of President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. and the specialty healthcare facilities now being developed in Clark under President Marcos Jr.
Devanadera noted that the specialty hospitals established in the Quezon City government complex decades ago helped shape the country’s public healthcare system and said the Clark medical hub reflects a continuing effort to expand specialized healthcare services to more Filipinos outside Metro Manila.
The Children’s Medical Center is the first completed facility in the Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center development. During the event, officials also highlighted the planned expansion of the healthcare complex, which includes specialty facilities focused on cardiovascular and cancer care.
“The healthcare of our people should be foremost in our minds. Without taking care of our human resources, investments will not matter at all,” furthered Devanadera, underscoring the role of healthcare infrastructure in national development whereby investments in health services complement efforts to attract investments and create economic opportunities.
The project was made possible through a collaboration among government, private sector, and philanthropic partners. Construction of the facility was funded by the Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc., medical equipment was provided through the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., while the Provincial Government of Pampanga extended support for the project. The hospital will be operated by the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital under the Department of Health.
CDC contributed the project site within Clark, covering nearly 4.8 hectares, as part of the government’s effort to establish a dedicated healthcare district within the Freeport.
The Children’s Medical Center serves as the initial phase of the broader Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center development, reinforcing Clark’s growing role as a location for strategic public infrastructure serving communities across Northern and Central Luzon. CDC-PR/Photos: PIA-3, CDC,Pampanga PIO
