The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board has approved the University of the Philippines (UP)-Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Cancer Center - Public Private Partnership (PPP), which costs Php 6 billion with a 300-bed capacity.

Through this, the Marcos administration showed its dedication to meeting the healthcare needs of Filipinos, a socioeconomic planning official said.

In a media forum, NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said that the first agenda approved by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. was the UP-PGH Cancer Center PPP wherein it conveys a message that health is first and that this will be the start of more to come.

She explained that they wanted to put Regional Specialty Hospitals in the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) so that Filipinos who are in the province do not need to travel to Manila.

During the third meeting in Malacañang, the President approved seven projects of the PDP.

The administration's aim for the transformation of social and economy in the medium term will be attained, with the help of these projects, according to NEDA.

With the establishment of the UP-PGH Cancer Center PPP, a bigger and more vast facility can be provided to cancer patients, according to Dr. Jose Rafael Marfori, the PGH Special Assistant to the Director.

New and advanced medical equipment to detect cancer and treatment can be used by medical professionals when the center becomes up and running, Marfori added.