Admissions began in early November this year, marking a new milestone when a premier private hospital opens its doors beyond the paying market.
Same hospital, same doctors
Unlike most charity units, this ward sits inside the main hospital itself, using the same specialists, equipment, and systems that serve private rooms.
Rooted in the Sanskrit word dāna (selfless giving), the project was built through St. Luke’s Medical Center Foundation, Inc. (SLMCFI), the family of Philip Ang, and other donors.
The intention is straightforward: care should not downgrade just because a patient cannot pay.
“Excellence and compassion can coexist”
“The Evelyn D. Ang/Dāna Charity Ward represents the very heart of St. Luke’s mission: to bring world-class healthcare to every Filipino, regardless of background or circumstance,” said St. Luke’s president and CEO Dr. Dennis Serrano.
“By fully integrating charity care into our hospital system, we are proving that excellence and compassion can coexist. This initiative is not just about access to healthcare. It’s also about giving dignity, equity, and hope to our patients in need,” he added.
Charity as structure, not token support
To SLMCFI president Dr. Benjamin S.A. Campomanes Jr., the event was more than a feel-good ribbon-cutting.
“Evelyn D. Ang/Dāna Charity Ward is more than a facility. It’s really a movement of collective generosity,” he said.
“Each donation represents a life changed. It’s a model of how generosity can be institutionalized to create systemic impact, helping families find hope and healing when they need it most.”
The facility expands St. Luke’s long-running charity program, which has funded high-cost surgeries including transplants and cancer care.
Care should not discriminate
According to Dr. Campomanes, the ward is “fully woven into our daily operations,” staffed by the same clinical teams handling private admissions, a preview of St. Luke’s “One Healthcare System” vision.
With indigent patients now receiving top-tier treatment inside the same environment, the hospital is shaping a model others may eventually copy. As Dr. Serrano reflects, “Dāna reminds us that the true measure of healthcare is not just in the lives we save, but in the compassion we share.”
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
