DAVAO CITY(July 29) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has pledged to modernize the Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital (DDOPH) in Montevista after a recent magnitude 6 earthquake left the facility with major structural damage, saying the upgrade is part of his administration’s push to make quality health care more accessible in the provinces.
During Tuesday’s Bawat Bayan Makikinabang program in Davao de Oro, Marcos said strengthening public hospitals and investing in preventive health care remain among his administration’s top priorities.
Before the event, the President inspected the damaged hospital and met with patients, including beneficiaries of the government’s Zero Balance Billing Program, who received their discharge papers during the visit.
The national government also released ₱147.95 million through the Socio-Civic Projects Fund to support the hospital’s rehabilitation and continuing improvement.
Upgrading care
Marcos said the government aims to upgrade DDOPH-Montevista to Level 2 hospital status by 2027, allowing it to provide a wider range of medical services and better serve residents of Davao de Oro and neighboring provinces.
The need for expansion is evident.
Although the provincial hospital has an authorized capacity of 160 beds, it currently handles an average of 263 admitted patients, 205 outpatients, and 105 emergency room patients every day—well beyond its intended capacity.
The planned modernization seeks to ease overcrowding while improving the quality and speed of medical services available to patients.
Focus on prevention
Marcos said the government’s health agenda extends beyond treating illnesses, placing equal importance on preventing disease before it becomes life-threatening.
“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,” the President said, citing the administration’s efforts to expand childhood immunization, regular medical consultations, nutrition programs and diagnostic testing.
“Health care is a very big priority in this administration,” he added.
The President also emphasized that improving health services requires close coordination between the national government and local government units to ensure that programs and assistance reach communities that need them most.
For residents of Davao de Oro, the rehabilitation of the quake-damaged hospital is expected to restore critical services in the short term while laying the groundwork for a larger, more capable provincial medical center in the years ahead.
