President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service Center (BUCAS) on Tuesday. The intermediate health facility is designed to offer urgent care services to Filipinos.
“So today, as we open the doors [to] Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service Center or BUCAS, we are not just inaugurating a new building. We are transforming how we handle critical moments when time is both our greatest enemy and our most valuable ally,” Marcos said in his speech at the ceremony at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City.
BUCAS Center aims to bridge the gap between primary care facilities and hospitals by offering urgent care for minor surgeries and other ancillary services.
The president stated that this will ensure special attention for patients requiring advanced care while still delivering appropriate medical services for those with less complex cases.
BUCAS Center will provide services every day of the week, including weekends. As of this month, there are 31 BUCAS Centers across the nation.
Marcos pointed out that the network of care promises every Filipino, whether living in city centers or isolated provinces, that they are noticed, appreciated, and given the care they need.
Notably, the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) is among the first government specialty hospitals to establish a BUCAS Center on its premises.
BUCAS Center is an initiative under the Department of Health's (DOH) Modernization for Health Equity and "28 for 28 by 28" program, which aims to build 28 primary health facilities by 2028 to serve 28 million Filipinos in need of quality and accessible healthcare.
