US Healthcare Firm Endows $500-M On Phl Tertiary Hospital

GOOD NEWS FROM the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs (OSAPIEA)! It confirmed the other day that American Healthcare firm Bon Secours Mercy Health (BSMH) has expressed its intent to expand its existing Global Business Services (GBS) operations in the Philippines and invest up to $500 million to develop a premium, state-of-the-art tertiary hospital in the country. 

According to OSAPIEA, BSMH will be expanding its GBS operations in Manila to approximately 1,200 professionals from its current team of 170 even as its subsidiaries in the Philippines, namely Nordic and BSMH Philippines will provide information technology systems and back-end support services to the company’s global operations covering over 50 hospitals, 1,200 care sites across the United States and Ireland.
 
BSMH’s investment plans was conveyed during a pre-conference with US investors and trading partners prior to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (PBBM)’s meeting with US President Donald Trump to discuss trade agreements between Manila and Washington and a reduction in the imposed tariffs on Philippine imports that begins on August 1 this year. 

OSAPIEA likewise disclosed that BSMH is also set to invest between $300 million to $500 million to develop a tertiary hospital that would somehow upgrade healthcare services in the country. 

“As a $13-billion integrated Catholic health delivery system based in the United States, we’re proud to expand our global reach and deepen our existing commitment in the Philippines,” BSMH president and chief-executive-officer John Starcher enthused.

“(W)e are excited to begin the aggressive exploration of developing state-of-the-art healthcare delivery services to provide unique, premium access to Filipinos and our own associates. That said, I couldn’t be more bullish on bringing new, premium healthcare services to the Philippines,” Starcher added.

BIGGEST INVESTMENT
In reaction, special assistant to the president (SAP) Frederick Go asserted that should the investment be realized, it would make one of the biggest private-sector healthcare investments by a US-based system in the Philippines.

“This is a strong vote of confidence in the Philippines and a transformative opportunity for our healthcare and services sectors,” Go pointed out. 

“We will work closely with BSMH to help turn their plans into reality. Their investment will generate meaningful jobs and help deliver world-class facilities, advanced medical equipment, and high-quality healthcare for the Filipino people,” he further noted.