Manila: The Manila city government will redevelop a historic Tondo landmark into a modern healthcare facility, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Tuesday. The DOF announced that the Privatization Council (PrC) and Privatization Management Office (PMO) have approved the redevelopment of Emmanuel Community Hospital, Inc. (ECHI) on Jose Abad Santos Avenue.

According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Francisco Moreno and PMO Chief Privatization Officer Michael Peter Alejandro signed the conditional sale deed Tuesday at Manila City Hall. The signing was witnessed by Finance Secretary and PrC Chair Frederick Go and Vice Mayor Angela Lei Atienza. In a social media post, Moreno revealed that a seven-story Ospital ng Tondo will be constructed on the site.

ECHI, once a key medical center in Tondo, was foreclosed in 1980 and subsequently transferred to the national government. Its acquisition by Manila aims to put the idle property to productive use, marking a significant step toward improving healthcare services in the area.

'Napakaimportanteng araw ito dahil ito ang simula ng pagpapatayo ng bagong ospital na makakatulong sa napakaraming tao ng Tondo (This is a very important day because it marks the construction of a new hospital that will help the people of Tondo). It is the start of improving health services to the people of Manila,' Frederick Go stated.

The DOF further emphasized its commitment to managing and optimizing state assets for economic and social gains, underscoring the importance of this redevelopment project for the community.