Ayala to spend P2 billion for cancer hospital

MANILA, Philippines — The Ayala Group, the country’s oldest conglomerate, is pouring in at least P2 billion for the construction and development of the country’s first specialty cancer hospital as it makes its foray into the cancer care industry.

Healthway Cancer Care Center, to be constructed in Taguig, will be a 100-bed complex which is targeted for completion in July 2023 and which will be the first comprehensive, dedicated cancer hospital in the country, offering a complete range of cancer services from screening, diagnosis, treatment to post-cancer care.

Ayala Corp. president and CEO Fernando Zobel de Ayala said cancer is a critical public health problem with an enormous impact on patients, families and the healthcare system at large.

“We need to increase awareness of the disease through patient education, improve the timeliness of diagnosis through rigorous screening programs, and minimize out-of-pocket cancer expenses through affordable cancer care,” Zobel said.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the Philippines, according to government data. In 2020 alone, over 150,000 cancer cases were recorded in the country. In the same year, 90,000 Filipinos succumbed to the disease.

AC Health has partnered with Varian-CTSI, which provides clinical services and solutions to over 100 hospitals, clinics, and physician groups worldwide, in ensuring delivery of affordable yet high standards of cancer care in the country.

With the addition of Healthway Cancer Care Center, AC Health expands its healthcare portfolio alongside Healthway Clinics, Qualimed Hospitals, Generika Drugstores, IE Medica and MedEthix, and the HealthNow mobile app.

Zobel led the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Healthway Cancer Care Center inside the FTI Complex in Taguig.

During the ceremony, Ayala Corp. together with AC Health, turned over 1,000 doses of flu vaccine to the local government of Taguig.

AC Health has been leading the Ayala Group’s COVID-19 response initiative.

As of July 13, AC Health had already administered more than 193,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to priority groups across LGUs, the Ayala Group, and partner companies.