Manilans rejoiced as the highly awaited Bagong Ospital ng Maynila was inaugurated on Manila's 451st founding anniversary on Friday, June 24.
Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Congressman Yul Servo, and Dr. Willie Ong led the ceremonial rites.
Situated beside the Manila Zoo and overlooking Manila Bay in Malate, Manila, the 10-storey, modern, tertiary hospital was built "to meet the continuous health challenges of the contemporary batang Maynila."
It has a 384-bed capacity with 52 ward rooms, a total of 25 beds in 12 intensive care units (ICU), 19 private rooms, and six operating rooms. It features four bed elevators, two regular elevators, and two escalators.
It also includes three levels of parking space and a helipad at the roof deck.
It is equipped with state-of-the art technology and equipment such as high-quality magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, and some for computerized tomography (CT) scans.
The new hospital will be "manned by competent medical personnel where services will be continued to be given to the people for free and be a center of excellence for local government in healthcare provision."
The P2.3-billion worth project was part of Domagoso's plans to build infrastructure projects for public use and service, which the local government considers an investment for further development of the city in the future.
The hospital will provide equal access and opportunity for Manilans in all levels of society to receive high-quality healthcare in terms of patient care, diagnostic, and treatment services akin to private hospitals such as St. Luke's Medical Hospital and the Makati Medical Center.
In his speech during the event, Domagoso said he wants the public to fully utilize the services the hospital has to offer.
He said he was happy for the more than 800 employees of the old Ospital ng Maynila who will be transferred to the new building. Hopefully, the renovation will boost the productivity and efficiency of their health services, as well as increase the cases of full recovery and treatment for patients, given they are aided with better, complete medical supplies and equipment.
Further, Domagoso noted that there are plans to buy more equipment as needed, and that the hospital is continuing to hire more doctors, nurses, and midwives.
The outgoing mayor encouraged citizens and city officials alike to continue working together and help the next administration to successfully govern and fulfill the needs of the city.
With the new hospital building, Lacuna-Pangan said she hoped the new hospital will encourage medical health workers to further their devotion to their vocation.
The soon-to-be mayor shared her experiences as a medical practitioner at the old Ospital ng Maynila, where she honed her skills and specialization in the Department of Dermatology.
She praised the doctors of the Ospital ng Maynila as some of the best the country has to offer as their training was geared towards a service-oriented practice despite dealing with a lack of equipment decades prior.
Domagoso led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bagong Ospital ng Maynila on June 24, 2020.
During the 55th anniversary of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) on June 20, Domagoso and PLM President Emmanuel Leyco signed a deed of donation to formally give the old Ospital ng Maynila to PLM.
The old building will be transformed into a new PLM campus that will house the College of Medicine and Allied Health Services.
Through this, a greater number of students may be enrolled in any field within the medical program in the college, which will be able to produce more healthcare workers.
Meanwhile, construction is ongoing for the new hospital building in Baseco, Manila, which is estimated to be completed by September or October.