PILAR, Bataan — During the 84th anniversary of the Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced a major healthcare expansion for the nation’s heroes, pledging to establish dedicated veterans’ hospitals in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Speaking at the Mount Samat National Shrine on Thursday, April 9, 2026, the President emphasized that honoring the legacy of Bataan requires ensuring that surviving veterans and retirees receive accessible and high-quality medical support.
Currently, the country’s primary facility for former service members is the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City.
- The Load: The VMMC manages approximately 260,000 outpatient visits annually.
- The Solution: Marcos stated that the government is working closely with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) to build regional hospitals, reducing the need for elderly veterans in distant provinces to travel to the capital for specialized care.
The hospital expansion is part of a broader strategy to serve over 400,000 veterans and retirees.
- Veterans Access to Lifetime Optimized Healthcare (Valor): Following the inauguration of the first Valor Clinic in Batangas last year, the program is scheduled for a three-phase rollout through 2027.
- Specialized Wards: PVAO is also collaborating with the Department of Health (DOH) to establish dedicated veterans’ wards in existing regional hospitals. So far, six out of 36 planned wards have been set up, each with a budget of ₱25 million.
In his address, President Marcos described the story of Bataan as a “cornerstone of our national identity.” He noted that modern-day healthcare for veterans is a tangible way to fulfill the nation’s debt of gratitude.
The announcement also aligns with pending legislative efforts, such as the Veterans Hospital Act, which seeks to codify the establishment of these regional facilities into law.