CLARK FREEPORT ZONE (PIA) — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. inaugurated the Department of Health–Jose B. Lingad Children’s Medical Center in Clark Freeport Zone, bringing specialized healthcare services closer to children in Central Luzon and nearby areas.
In his message, Marcos highlighted that with its 120-bed capacity, the facility will cater to more patients needing specialized pediatric care.
“This state-of-the-art pediatric facility will provide free, high-quality care for children and families from Regions I, II, and III, and other neighboring areas as well.
Next week, on the 1st of August, this hospital will open its doors to patients, making specialized pediatric services accessible to more communities,” he disclosed.
The hospital is seen to bring hope and relief for countless Filipino families.
In addition, Marcos emphasized that through the medical center, parents seeking specialized treatment for their children will no longer have to make difficult trips to Metro Manila or abroad.
“They will be spared the financial and emotional toll of a long journey, of lost income, and time away from home, all while caring for a sick child. Instead, they can focus on their child’s healing, recovery, and well-being,” he stated.
The Chief Executive pledged that the government will continue doing its best to lift the burdens from the people’s shoulders and give them opportunities to live healthier and more secure lives.
Marcos also shared that the hospital will implement the Zero Balance Billing to ensure that no individual will be denied care simply because they do not have the capacity to pay.
“The Zero Balance Billing is also complemented by the Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients Program and the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program, which have served millions of Filipinos in need of medical assistance,” the president furthered.
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation benefits will also be expanded including the newborn care package, which covers screening tests, vaccinations, and treatment for premature and small newborns.
The Children’s Medical Center is the first facility to open under the Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center complex project which aims to establish a comprehensive, world-class specialty healthcare hub within the Clark Freeport Zone.
“Three years ago, in July 2023, we gathered together here in Clark to mark the beginning of what was then an ambitious vision called the Clark Multi-Specialty Medical Center. On what was once an empty lot, we built something for our children that can help them grow into healthy adults strong enough to carry our country forward,” Marcos pressed.
More medical facilities will rise within the more than five-hectare complex including the Renal Center, Cardiovascular Center, and the Cancer Center.
The Children’s Medical Center was realized through partnership with the private sector wherein Bloomberry Cultural Foundation Inc. (BCFI) contributed P1 billion in seed funding for the hospital’s construction and another P50 million for the procurement of a generator set.
For its part, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation allocated P360 million for the project and authorized BCFI to allocate funding for the project while Clark Development Corporation donated the land where the medical complex stands.
The Children’s Medical Center will provide a wide array of specialized outpatient, inpatient, urgent care, and emergency room services including Adolescent Care, High-Risk Pregnancy Clinic, different Pediatric medical services such as Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Ophthalmology, Neurology, Nephrology, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, Hematology and Oncology, Cardiology, and Pulmonology.
It also has an Immunization Clinic, Growth and Development Monitoring Clinic, Newborn Screening Referral, and Nutrition Counselling Clinic. (CLJD/JLDC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
