METRO Pacific Health Corp. (MPH) has added four hospitals to its network last year as part of its expansion across the country, a company official said.
“For 2024, our battle cry was four more hospitals. We had 23 hospitals in 2023,” Metro Pacific Health Corp. Vice-Chairman and President Augusto P. Palisoc, Jr. said. “We continue to always look for hospital investments. There are still many places in the Philippines,” he added. MPH’s nationwide portfolio of healthcare facilities comprises 24 hospitals.
Last quarter of 2024, Mr. Palisoc said that MPH is nearing the completion of an investment agreement with San Francisco Doctors Hospital, Inc. in Agusan del Sur, which will become the 25th hospital in its network.
The deal completed last October 2024, gave MPH We will end up with about 72% ownership of that hospital,” he added.
After its completion, San Francisco Doctors Hospital has become MPH’s second hospital acquisition last year, alongside the purchase of a majority stake in UHBI-Parañaque Doctors Hospital, Inc. (PDH) in May also for 2024.
Mr. Palisoc said that MPH remains focused on acquiring hospitals instead of building new ones to increase its network. “Our success has been on the back of investing in existing hospitals and either turning them around if they’re not doing well, or growing them even if they’re doing well. That will remain our preferred thrust,” he said.
However, MPH is not ruling out the possibility of establishing its own hospitals, he added.
“This is not to say that we’re closing our doors on greenfield hospitals. I think that will come in due course. Maybe when we run out of hospitals to buy, then we’ll consider building some greenfield hospitals,” Mr. Palisoc said.
Some of MPH’s other hospitals within its network include Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Manila Doctors Hospital, Davao Doctors Hospital, and Riverside Medical Center.
MPH is the healthcare arm of Pangilinan-led conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC).
With additional report: Business World, Earl John Alfaro
