MPIC vows to reclaim health 'baby' after past divestment
Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is committed to regaining majority control over Metro Pacific Hospitals Corp. (MPHC) six years after it had decided to trim down its interest to 20 percent to raise funds for its other ventures.
In an interview, MPIC Chief Finance, Risk, and Sustainability Officer and MPHC Directors Chaye Cabal-Revilla said they have already submitted their offer to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), which is divesting after six years of growth for MPHC.
“Yes, we made the offer with our co-investors (in MPHC)...and the ball is in their court,” she said, noting that MPIC is just waiting for the outcome of the evaluation of their offer.
She noted that regaining control over MPHC has always been the mandate of MPIC Chairman, President, and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan because that is his “baby,” starting with the acquisition of Makati Medical Center.
Cabal-Revilla said MPIC is looking at MPHC as the anchor for the Metro Pacific Health Group, which also includes digital healthcare platform mWell, “because we have bigger plans.
KKR and Singapore’s wealth fund GIC currently own 80 percent of MPHC, with KKR owning slightly more than half of the combined stake. MPIC needs a stake of just a little over 30 percent of MPHC to regain control.
It was earlier reported that KKR has been evaluating bids from TPG Capital and Blackstone that may value the company at about $3 billion, as reported by Merger Market. It was also reported that MPIC has teamed up with a Japanese partner and has tapped JP Morgan as adviser.
MPHC currently controls 28 hospitals with a total of 4,569 beds as well as 36 outpatient centers. The company continues to be in an aggressive acquisition mode.