A THREE-DAY surgical, medical and optical missions for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) took place at the OFW Hospital in the City of San Fernando in Pampanga.

First lady Liza Araneta-Marcos led the launching of the mission on the last day on Friday, wherein free minor and selected elective major surgical procedures, including thyroidectomy, cholecystectomy, excision, varicocelectomy and selected OB cases were provided.

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

CARING FOR PATIENTS First lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (2nd from right), Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda (left) and other proponents of the medical mission take time out to personally see the plight of patients during a medical mission in San Fernando, Pampanga, on Feb. 20, 2026. PHOTO COURTESY OF OFW HOSPITAL
CARING FOR PATIENTS First lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (2nd from right), Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda (left) and other proponents of the medical mission take time out to personally see the plight of patients during a medical mission in San Fernando, Pampanga, on Feb. 20, 2026. PHOTO COURTESY OF OFW HOSPITAL

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

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Philippine Pharma Procurement Inc. President and CEO Maria Blanca Kim Lokin thanked the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) for allowing their participation in the initiative. Other partners in the mission were Makati Medical Center Foundation, Nanay Partylist and the provincial government of Pampanga.

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

Nanay Partylist Rep. Florabel Yatco cited the strong interagency coordination behind the mission.

She added 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.

Meanwhile, OFW Hospital Medical Center chief 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 preemployment 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,” he said.

“But definitely, we will still deliver whatever services we have, we will still deliver them for free. Walang charge,” stressed Simangan.

The OFW Hospital served more than 124,000 patients in 2025 and has secured a Department of Health (DOH) License to Operate Level 2 and DOH Medical Facilities for Overseas Workers and Seafarers Accreditation.

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

The mission reflects the government’s continuing effort to strengthen health care access for migrant workers through coordinated national and local action.

Present during the launch were Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan, Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda and Vice Gov. Dennis Pineda.