MANILA, Philippines -- Metro Pacific Investments Corp. said Tuesday it is in talks to acquire a government-owned hospital as part of plans to operate a chain of medical facilities across the Philippines.

One of the company's targets is Cebu City Medical Center in the country's number-two city. The others were not disclosed.

Metro Pacific, a unit of Hong Kong-listed First Pacific Co. Ltd., said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that it is "in various discussions with a number of parties in line with its corporate strategy of forming the first network of premiere hospitals in the Philippines.

"While these discussions are underway, no definitive agreement as of this date has been signed nor completed."

Last month, Metro Pacific signed a six-month agreement to manage the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, which is owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila.