Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, joined by Vice Mayor John Marvin "Yul Servo" Nieto and 2nd District Congressman Rolan "CRV" Valeriano, led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Bagong Ospital ng Tondo (OsTon), a modern, eight-story hospital with improved healthcare access and expanded services for residents of Tondo’s second district.

The new facility will replace the current three-decade-old, three-story hospital with a significantly larger and more advanced structure. 

It will feature essential medical services such as an operating room, male and female wards, a pediatric ward, and a hemodialysis room, according to City Engineer Moises Alcantara.

Mayor Lacuna-Pangan emphasized that the construction of the new OsTon stands as a testament to what can be achieved through strong collaboration between local and national leaders, and notably, without incurring any new debt.

“Mas malaki, mas maraming maibibigay na serbisyo, at mas maraming tao ang matutulungan ng ating itatayong bagong ospital (Bigger, with more services to offer, and more people will benefit from this new hospital we are building)," she said.

She credited Congressman Valeriano for securing the necessary funding and for his consistent support of her administration’s health-centered agenda.

Congressman Valeriano echoed the mayor's optimism and expressed confidence that in two years’ time, once construction is complete, it will be he, Lacuna-Servo tandem who will return to formally open the new hospital.

The event was attended by local officials, residents, and health sector representatives, including Dr. Alvin Baetiong, officer-in-charge of OsTon; second district councilors, and barangay leaders.

Mayor Lacuna-Pangan, herself a medical doctor, shared her strong belief that access to quality healthcare is one of the most fundamental expectations of any citizen of their local government.

“Isa sa mga pangunahing inaasahan ng ating mamamayan sa ating pamahalaan ang mapangalagaan ang kanilang kalusugan—na mayroon silang madaling matakbuhan sa oras ng kanilang karamdaman, may mga doktor na makokonsulta, at libreng gamot na maibibigay sa kanila (One of the most basic expectations of our people from the government is to take care of their health—that there’s a place they can easily go to in times of illness, doctors they can consult, and free medicine available to them)," she said.

She highlighted her administration’s efforts to prioritize public health from day one, ensuring that all six city hospitals and 44 health centers are well-equipped. 

The local executive also said the city's health centers are now being upgraded into “Super Health Centers,” capable of offering laboratory services, X-rays, ECGs, and ultrasounds, with the goal of decongesting the city's hospitals.

Despite the temporary disruption at OsTon due to construction, the mayor reassured the public that healthcare services will continue uninterrupted through strategic referrals.

“Mayroon tayong mga alternatibong options para sa mga regular na pasyente ng OsTon habang ginagawa ang bagong ospital. Mula sa Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center sa Zaragosa/Del Pan, Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital sa Numancia, hanggang sa Ospital ng Sampaloc sa Geronimo, sisiguraduhin nating may malalapitan ang ating mga kababayan (We have alternative options for regular OsTon patients while the new hospital is under construction. We’ll make sure they have nearby facilities they can go to—like the Gat Andres Bonifacio Medical Center in Zaragosa/Del Pan, Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital in Numancia, or the Ospital ng Sampaloc in Geronimo)," she explained.

The Bagong Ospital ng Tondo is a major milestone in Manila's broader healthcare modernization initiative, and according to Lacuna-Pangan, a heartfelt offering to the people of District 2.

“Sandali lang ito. Hindi lilipas ang dalawang taon, mayroon na tayong bagong ospital. Ito ay alay namin nila Congressman CRV Valeriano sa mga taga-Distrito Dos. Kaya muli, maraming salamat, Cong. CRV, sa inisyatibo mong mapaglaanan ng pondo ang pagpapatayo nitong ospital dito sa iyong distrito (This won’t take long. In less than two years, we’ll have a new hospital. This is our gift—mine and Congressman CRV Valeriano’s—to the people of District 2. So once again, thank you, Cong. CRV, for your initiative to allocate funds for this hospital in your district,”) she said.