Ayala Corporation subsidiary AC Health has formally opened the Healthway Cancer Care Hospital (HCCH), the first specialty hospital for cancer in the country, in Taguig as it aims to increase the total value of its healthcare businesses to $2 billion.
In a press briefing, AC Health President and CEO Paolo Borromeo said they are now gradually starting operations and the hospital should be fully operational by January next year.
“We will be the most cost-competitive private sector cancer facility offering at least 10 to 20 percent lower (cost of services),” he noted.
Borromeo pointed out that they are able to offer cheaper rates despite their top-of-the-line equipment and the “A-Team” of oncologists from all sub-specialties.
This is because of the efficient and cost-effective construction of the facility and through partnerships with leading equipment providers and pharmaceutical companies.
HCCH’s partners include Siemens which invested five percent of the hospital’s capital and this means the hospital gets the best possible service and pricing from their machines.
Borromeo said “that’s how we are able to lower the cost of diagnostics."
Meanwhile, he said partnerships with pharmaceutical firms “allow us to carry their cancer medication at affordable rates” adding that, since AC Health has its own pharma group, it can import its own generics that it can offer to HCCH’s patients “and that is unique to this hospital.”
The hospital, spanning five floors, includes 100 beds, four specialized operating theaters, and two advanced endoscopy rooms. The facility also boasts of an expanded outpatient chemotherapy unit, and an integrated outpatient department with a specialized women’s health center.
“Our vision is to be the leading private cancer care institution, providing world class treatment but at lower cost, so we can extend the best value, private cancer treatment to a broader base of Filipinos,” said Borromeo, adding that Filipinos no longer have to go to Singapore or New York to get the best cancer care.
The launch of HCCH is a direct response to various healthcare challenges the Philippines. Among them is the pressing need for affordable and accessible cancer care services to Filipinos.
“We saw that over 100,000 cases a year were diagnosed, and estimated that at least another 100,000 were undiagnosed. Of those that were diagnosed, many diagnosed late stage, many left untreated due to the hopelessness and the massive financial burden,” explained Borromeo.
Thus, HCCH seeks to provide more affordable rates for diagnostics, radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery, ultimately providing private cancer care access to a broader base of Filipino patients.
What sets HCCH apart are the various forms of stakeholder collaboration and partnership that have contributed to the establishment of the facility. This includes Siemens Healthineers, Varian, and Cancer Treatment Services International (CTSI), as well as leading global drug manufacturers such as Roche, MSD, and AstraZeneca—all of which enable the country’s first cancer care specialty hospital to offer world-class expertise.
Overall, Ayala envisions AC Health as its next core business, having invested over P10 billion since AC Health’s establishment in 2015. This initiative aims to address healthcare gaps, reinforcing AC Health’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines.
HCCH will be the central point for oncology for the Healthway Medical Network and the broader AC Health ecosystem. With over P3 billion worth of investment in HCCH, AC Health further showcases their dedication to societal value.