By Brian Campued
As part of government efforts to strengthen the public health care system and bring medical services closer to Filipinos, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led a tour and inspection of the newly completed Pampanga Provincial Hospital – Clark (PPH-Clark) on Thursday.
Funded through the combined support of the Provincial Government of Pampanga and national government agencies, the PPH-Clark is the first government hospital established within the Clark Freeport Zone.
As a Level II hospital, the three-storey facility has a total bed capacity of 143—consisting of 17 private rooms, 16 semi-private rooms, and 110 ward beds—and is equipped with modern medical technology and advanced diagnostic capabilities, including X-ray machines, CT scans, endoscopy systems, and mammogram equipment.
Once fully operational, the hospital will offer comprehensive health care services not only for Kapampangans but also for residents in the neighboring provinces within Central Luzon.
These specialized services will include Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYNE), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), as well as radiology, laboratory, pulmonary, cardiovascular, dental, and dietary services.
The hospital is also expected to become an accredited facility of the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
Under YAKAP, members will receive free essential medicines and primary health care services, including medical checkups, cancer screenings, and laboratory tests—all aimed at promoting prevention and early detection of illnesses.
Marcos was joined by Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda, Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda, members of the House of Representatives, and mayors from various local government units in Pampanga.
Several officials from key government agencies were also present during the inspection, including those from the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, Clark Development Corporation, Department of Health, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Department of Social Welfare and Development, PhilHealth, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
In an interview posted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)–Region 3, Gov. Pineda thanked President Marcos Jr. and his administration for their support to Pampanga’s public health initiatives and likewise assured that Kapampangans would benefit from the Zero Balance Billing program implemented in the PPH-Clark.
“Para yung mga mahihirap na hindi kayang bayaran yung mga private hospital saka hindi kaya yung professional’s fee, ike-cater namin dito,” she said. (with report from Mark Anthony Pangan / PIA 3)
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