Ang Pahayagan

By Marie Joy S. Carbungco

PAMPANGA  — First Lady Marie Louise ‘Liza’ Araneta-Marcos led the launch of a three-day surgical, medical, and optical mission for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the OFW Hospital in the City of San Fernando.  

The medical mission is spearheaded by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in partnership with the OFW Hospital, Makati Medical Center Foundation, Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. (PPPI), NANAY Partylist, and the Provincial Government of Pampanga. 

Also present during the launch were DMW Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, NANAY Partylist Representative Florabel Yatco, Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda, and Vice Governor Dennis Pineda. 

📸 Medical professionals carry out surgical procedures and check-ups during the OFW Hospital’s three-day medical mission at the OFW Hospital in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. This aims to expand access to quality healthcare services for OFWs and their dependents. (OFW Hospital)

The February 18–20 mission provides free minor and selected elective major surgical procedures, including thyroidectomy, cholecystectomy, excision, varicocelectomy, and selected OB cases. 

Beneficiaries also receive general medical consultations, basic laboratory services, essential medicines, vision screening, refraction, and prescription eyeglasses.

The OFW Hospital implemented strict patient screening, diagnostic clearance, and operating room scheduling to ensure safe and efficient service delivery.

PPPI President and CEO Maria Blanca Kim B. Lokin thanked the DMW for allowing their participation in the initiative.

“Nagpapasalamat po kami kay DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac na kami po ay nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na makatulong sa ating mga kababayang OFW dahil kami po ay nagbibigay ng mura at dekalidad na gamot. Dito po sa OFW Hospital, libre po ang lahat ng gamot courtesy of DMW,” she said.  

Lokin also expressed hope that similar initiatives can be replicated in partnership with other government agencies and local government units. 

Yatco highlighted the strong inter-agency coordination behind the mission.

“Buong suporta sina DMW Sec. Hans Cacdac, DOH Sec. Ted Herbosa, at First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, kaya nabuo itong medical mission,” she said.

Yatco also shared that the initiative stemmed from a request to the Makati Medical Center Foundation and was made possible through collaboration with provincial officials and the OFW Hospital.

For his part, OFW Hospital Medical Center Chief Dr. Servando Sergio DC Simangan underscored the hospital’s commitment to serve with its expansion and zero-billing policy. 

“We have progressed steadily, from no level to Level 1 to Level 2. Now we are going to offer a pre-employment medical exam, and we keep on adding services. If we don’t have [the services], we try to get them from someone else, but always without cost or cashout from the patients, or OFWs and their dependents… But definitely, we will still deliver whatever services we have, we will still deliver them for free. Walang charge,” he said.

The OFW Hospital served more than 124,000 patients in 2025 and has secured a DOH License to Operate Level 2 and DOH MFOWS Accreditation.

Construction of the OFW Hospital–Bagong Pilipinas Cancer Care Center, which began in October 2025, is ongoing. The project supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to expand access to specialized and quality healthcare services for OFWs and their families. 

The medical mission reflects the government’s continuing effort to strengthen healthcare access for migrant workers through coordinated national and local action. (PIA-3)

TOP 📸: First Lady Marie Louise ‘Liza’ Araneta-Marcos leads the launch of a three-day surgical, medical, and optical mission for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) at the OFW Hospital in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga from February 18 to 20. (OFW Hospital)