Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan lauded House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez for his full commitment to the construction of the new Manila Cancer Center building.

The mayor described Romualdez as "a true gentleman, having a heart for the poor and  a man of his word."

Lacuna-Pangan and Romualdez recently held the groundbreaking of the building of the Manila Cancer Center in the premises of the city government's flagship hospital, the Ospital ng Maynila, on Wednesday, June 27.

The building was named Governor Benjamin Romualdez Cancer Center in honor of the father of House Speaker Romualdez.

Read more: https://mb.com.ph/2024/06/26/manila-lgu-house-speaker-romualdez-break-ground-for-manila-cancer-center

She thanked him for broaching the idea of having President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. grace the inauguration of the planned Governor Benjamin Romualdez Cancer Center in Manila.

The house speaker also recalled the hardships that his family went through when his father was diagnosed with cancer.

The mayor said she was impressed at how Romualdez acted so swiftly on a promise he made just a couple of days before they met again at the groundbreaking ceremony.

In his speech Romualdez said that he brought with him no less than House Appropriations Committee chair Rep. Zaldy Co and Majority Floorleader Manuel Dalipe to ensure that all of the mayor's requests and the commitments that Romualdez made will be fulfilled without hitches.

Romualdez suggested to invite President Marcos, Jr. to the inauguration once the center is done, as he recounted that the late Governor Benjamin "Kokoy" Romualdez also happens to be the president's favorite uncle. 

She thanked Romualdez and Fifth District Congressman Irwin Tieng for supporting her administration's programs meant to provide free healthcare services to the poor, noting what the center would mean for those who are stricken with cancer whose costs of treatment range from P120,000 to over a million.

"We assure you Speaker, that this edifice will be maintained and sustained by our city government. Pero mas maganda po sana, kung hindi man kalabisan, maglalambing na rin kami na sana ay itodo n'yo na, kumpletohin n'yo na po sana pati mga equipment at logistical requirement nitong ating Cancer Center," Lacuna-Pangan said.

Romualdez praised Lacuna-Pangan as an outstanding and diligent mayor of the capital city.

He also mentioned that he has his roots in Manila, having spent years of his childhood bathing in the waters of the Manila Bay where his mother Juliet would usually bring him, having an ancestral home in Pandacan and having been closely related to former Manila Mayor Miguel Romualdez whom he addressed as “Papa Miguel.”

The speaker assured that the center will have his support in terms of funding, all throughout his term and said his family is willing to underwrite whatever else would be needed to complete the services and equipment that would be needed in the project.

The cancer center, he said, is very much aligned with the priority programs of President Marcos, Jr. that focus on specialty health centers, housing, and food security.