Realizing a vision of a healthier Philippines

More than a businessman, Manuel “Manny” V. Pangilinan has been a pioneer in several key industries in the Philippines, including utilities, technology, manufacturing, and even sports. As the chairman, president, and chief executive officer of one of the leading investment firms in the country, Metro Pacific Investment Corp. (MPIC), Mr. Pangilinan has been part of changing the lives of millions of Filipinos while being proactively involved in improving various sectors in the Philippines.

Three years ago, the MPIC reintroduced its healthcare arm, Metro Pacific Hospitals, as Metro Pacific Health (MPH), with the goal of making healthcare more accessible and affordable to Filipinos on its way to becoming one of Asia’s most innovative and trusted healthcare providers. According to the group, the “Metro Pacific” brand boasts the hospital group’s pride in being associated with one of Asia’s most esteemed investment firms, while “Health” shows its willingness to integrate hospital care with virtual care, mobile care, and home care.

For Mr. Pangilinan, the rebrand symbolizes “not only a wider spectrum of investments in health services, but also our enhanced mission of responding to the most pressing concern of our people.”

The group’s mission

With a thrust to make healthcare more affordable and accessible in the Philippines, Mr. Pangilinan and the MPH ensure that their facilities combine world-class medical excellence with the hospitality and compassion Filipinos are known for all around the globe.

The hospital group anchors its services on the foundations of heart, connectedness, innovation, and nation-building.

As part of its promise to become “The Heart of Filipino Healthcare,” MPH offers high-quality, yet compassionate patient-centric care. The group also prides itself on delivering integrated healthcare services that are sustainable, accessible, and affordable, such as virtual, mobile, hospital, and home care as well as wellness-oriented programs and projects.

Additionally, MPH’s commitment to medical excellence has led to upgrades in medical equipment, cutting-edge technologies, and clinical services, making it one of the most innovative and trusted healthcare providers in Asia. Contributing to nation-building, the group’s doctors and nurses displayed efficiency and selfless service, especially during the pandemic, as a testament to Filipino camaraderie and resilience.

Aligned with these foundations, the hospital group has conducted several projects as well as formed strategic partnerships with the goal of improving the health and well-being of Filipinos nationwide. An example of this is the recently formed venture between MPH, Intellicare/Asalus Corp. (Intellicare), and Avega Managed Care, Inc. (Avega). The partnership combines MPH’s extensive network, Intellicare’s expertise in managed healthcare, and Avega’s commitment to quality care to ultimately make healthcare more accessible, especially when Filipinos need it most.

MPH’s hospital network

Under Mr. Pangilinan’s leadership, MPH has grown to be the largest group of private hospitals and other healthcare facilities in the Philippines, with 27 hospitals, 33 outpatient care centers, six cancer care centers, two allied health colleges, and a centralized laboratory.

Currently, the group’s network of care facilities employs nearly 10,000 doctors and close to 17,000 nurses, staff, and other employees. Additionally, MPH’s hospital chain services 3,800,000 patients per year, conducts almost 60,000 surgeries per year, and accommodates patients with greater needs with its 4,500 hospital beds.

MPH began building its network of healthcare facilities when it first invested in the country’s premier hospital, Makati Medical Center, in 2007. Since then, the group has grown its hospital chain across the Philippine archipelago, investing in the Davao Doctors Hospital in Mindanao in 2008, and in the Dr. Pablo O. Torre Memorial Hospital, also known as the Riverside Medical Hospital, in Negros Island in Visayas.

Other health facilities controlled by the group are the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, De Los Santos Medical Center, and the Central Luzon Doctors’ Hospital.

Last year, the group added four new hospitals to its roster, including the Parañaque Doctors’ Hospital, San Francisco Doctors Hospital, Diliman Doctors Hospital, Inc., and General Trias Doctors Hospital.

Awards and achievements

Recently, the hospital group celebrated the recognition of three of its facilities in the 2025 Healthcare Asia Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Asian Hospital and Medical Center was recognized with the Workforce Transformation Initiative of the Year award for its Shared Leadership Development Program, which focused on developing future healthcare leaders within the institution.

Meanwhile, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital earned the Marketing Initiative of the Year-Philippines award for its BIDA Lourdes: Sci-Tech Champs campaign that aimed to promote health and STEM education among students through a variety of interactive activities. Furthermore, Medi Linx received the Laboratory Initiative of the Year-Philippines award for its Hospital Laboratory Management (HLM) service, which has significantly enhanced laboratory operations, improving diagnostic efficiency and patient care across partner hospitals.

Hospitals from the MPH network were also honored during the annual recognition ceremony organized by the Office of the Vice-President, Pasidungog 2025, held at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City. Led by Vice-President Sara Z. Duterte, the event paid tribute to over 1,000 public and private partners who have supported the OVP’s efforts in healthcare, disaster response, and community development.

Included in the recognized MPH hospitals were: Davao Doctors Hospital; Riverside Medical Center, Marikina Valley Medical Center, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, St. Elizabeth Hospital, Central Luzon Doctors’ Hospital, West Metro Medical Center, and Howard Hubbard Memorial Hospital.

Similarly, several hospitals in the MPH network have been recognized in the Department of Health (DoH) Hospital Star Awards in recent years. In 2023, the Cardinal Santos Medical Center was included among the “level three” hospital recipients of the award, while Lucena United Doctors Hospital and Medical Center was recognized among the “level two” hospital recipients of the award. Moreover, the Makati Medical Center was inducted into the department’s Hospital Star Awards Hall of Fame for consistently surpassing the highest standards set by the DoH.

With Mr. Pangilinan’s investments ranging from one sector to the next, his reputation as a transformative force precedes him in every industry and endeavor that he pursues. As he continues his quest in expanding and upgrading MPH’s nationwide hospital network, quality healthcare will become more and more accessible and affordable to Filipinos in generations to come. — Jomarc Angelo M. Corpuz