Metro Pacific acquires Lucena United Doctors Hospital

MANILA  -Manuel V. Pangilinan-led infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is taking over the Lucena United Doctors Hospital and Medical Center in Quezon province, expanding its hospital group to 23 facilities nationwide.

Metro Pacific, through Metro Pacific Health Corp., announced the acquisition of nearly 61 percent of Lucena United Doctors Inc. (LUDI), which owns and operate the 95-bed medical facility.

Metro Pacific Health corporate development director Jose Noel de la Paz said the deal, which will involve expanding the healthcare facility and upgrading its medical services, was almost a decade in the making.

“It is our goal that residents of Quezon no longer need to go to Metro Manila for more advanced care,” he said in a statement.

Metro Pacific Health CEO Dr. Harish Pillai said the deal was also in step with their goal to make quality healthcare more accessible in the country.

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“With the size and scale of our group, we will be able to leverage on shared resources and best practices that will bring the MPH standard of care to more communities outside of greater Metro Manila,” he said.

Lucena United Doctors Hospital, established in 1981 by a group of nine doctor-families, serves Lucena and neighboring towns and municipalities in Quezon.

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“We are confident that this will help perpetuate the legacies of our founders and bring [Lucena United Doctors Hospital] closer to their dream of becoming a completely equipped, tertiary medical center serving the Quezon Province,” said Dr. Gerardo Carmelo Salazar, the hospital’s president.