Lucena City residents to benefit from new apex hospital partnership

By Rowena T. Cruz Lucena City Government representatives and Batangas Medical Center officials pose after the signing of a referral partners...

By Rowena T. Cruz

Lucena City Government representatives and Batangas Medical Center officials pose after the signing of a referral partnership agreement on Tuesday. (Lucena City Health Office)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — Access to specialized medical care for residents of Lucena City is set to improve following a new healthcare partnership with Batangas Medical Center. Formalization of the partnership took place on Tuesday, January 28, 2026 through a Memorandum of Agreement signed by the City Health Office.

Under the agreement, Batangas Medical Center is designated as Lucena City’s Apex or End Referral Hospital. It will serve as the primary destination for patients whose medical needs exceed the capacity of local health facilities.



Batangas Medical Center is a government-run tertiary hospital with specialized services and modern medical facilities. Led by Dr. Maritess Teresita M. Torio, the hospital is expected to bring advanced medical services and equipment to support specialized care.

Lucena City is served by several public and private hospitals and clinics that provide primary and secondary healthcare services. Patients with complex or highly specialized conditions are typically referred to facilities outside the city.

Before the agreement, referrals were handled through coordination between facilities and depended largely on hospital availability. This setup sometimes resulted in delays for patients requiring higher-level care due to the absence of a formally designated referral hospital.

Details on the operational aspects of the agreement, including referral protocols, service coverage, and implementation timelines, have not been made public. Implementation of the partnership is expected to proceed following the completion of administrative and coordination arrangements.