Quezon Medical Center opens expanded emergency room to ease patient overcrowding

By Engr. Jay B. Laurino Governor Angelina “Doktora Helen” Tan and Senator JV Ejercito lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Quezon Medica...

By Engr. Jay B. Laurino

Governor Angelina “Doktora Helen” Tan and Senator JV Ejercito lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Quezon Medical Center’s expanded 75-bed emergency room in Lucena City on October 19, 2026. (JV Ejercito)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon - Patient overcrowding pushed Quezon Medical Center's 35-bed temporary emergency room to twice its intended capacity, leaving some patients on stretchers and benches as treatment space ran out. To address the capacity crisis, the provincial government formally inaugurated and blessed a new 75-bed emergency department in Lucena City on October 19, 2026, expanding treatment space for patients across Quezon Province.


The opening followed repeated hospital advisories on October 2, 9 and 11, warning that QMC's emergency department and inpatient wards had exceeded their capacity. With the hospital regularly handling hundreds of patients daily, the expansion provides additional space for emergency treatment amid sustained demand for public healthcare services.

The multiyear project, financed through the provincial government's 20 percent Development Fund, forms part of the hospital modernization program under Governor Angelina “Doktora Helen” Tan. Senator JV Ejercito, PhilHealth Acting President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, provincial officials and medical personnel attended the inauguration at the Quezon Provincial Hospital Network–Quezon Medical Center (QPHN-QMC).

Spanning 1,698.75 square meters, the expanded emergency department features isolation rooms, a minor operating room, specialized ear, nose and throat and ophthalmology treatment areas, a behavioral care section, laboratory facilities and an in-house pharmacy. The improvements are designed to accommodate more patients, support critical interventions and strengthen the hospital's capacity to manage medical emergencies.

The inauguration also included the turnover of automated chest compressors, multiparameter patient monitors, infant incubators, syringe pumps and mechanical ventilators for emergency and specialized care. These additions are intended to improve patient monitoring, emergency treatment and medical support for critically ill patients and newborns.

Tan recalled the difficult conditions at the former emergency room, where limited space forced medical personnel to accommodate patients in temporary areas during periods of high occupancy. She explained that the expansion required several years of phased construction, including the relocation of diagnostic and laboratory services, as the provincial government balanced healthcare investments with other public service priorities.

Beyond addressing overcrowding, the governor emphasized that improved infrastructure must be accompanied by compassionate treatment, particularly for patients and families experiencing medical emergencies. She reminded hospital personnel that the quality of care should remain their priority despite staffing shortages, limited resources and increasing patient demand.

“Ang ipakita pa rin natin ay maging mabuti tayo sa lahat ng napasok dito, kasi walang kwenta ang ganda ng gusali kung ang kalidad ng serbisyo ay pangit. At lagi kong paalala sa inyo, sa kabila ng ating mga pagkukulang, maiparamdam lang natin yung pagmalasakit, pakikinig, tender loving care.”

QMC chief Dr. Jeff Villanueva acknowledged the contributions of hospital specialists, the Provincial Engineering Office and medical personnel involved in designing and developing the expanded emergency department. He challenged healthcare workers to ensure that the improvements in infrastructure and equipment translate into greater efficiency, accountability and compassion in treating patients.

The facility also consolidates registration, admitting, billing, medical social services and PhilHealth assistance within the emergency department to simplify hospital transactions and improve access to essential support. During the inspection, provincial officials presented the integrated service areas as part of efforts to streamline patient processing and reduce difficulties encountered by families seeking medical assistance.

Meanwhile, Ejercito pledged to pursue at least ₱150 million to ₱200 million in national funding for healthcare facilities across Quezon in 2027, subject to the national budget process. The proposed allocation would support further hospital improvements, including the development of San Francisco District Hospital in Bondoc Peninsula, where additional facilities are needed to serve geographically isolated communities.

Ejercito, a principal author and sponsor of the Universal Health Care Act, stressed that investments in provincial and locally managed hospitals are necessary to ease congestion in major national referral institutions. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, he reaffirmed his commitment to prioritizing healthcare infrastructure and expanding treatment capacity outside major urban centers.

“Be rest assured that under Yours truly, as chairman of the Committee on Finance, we will prioritize improvement of the healthcare facilities. Ang mga DOH-run hospitals, the Apex hospitals are well-funded, kaya lang napupuno po na-overwhelm po sila.”

Ho, meanwhile, reaffirmed PhilHealth's commitment to supporting provincial healthcare systems through faster payments to accredited providers and financing arrangements intended to strengthen service delivery. She explained that the Universal Health Care Act places provincial and citywide health systems at the center of healthcare integration, with national government financing intended to support their implementation.

The PhilHealth chief also announced plans to expand an advance-payment initiative from four pilot sites in 2024 to 15 participating sites nationwide in 2027, allowing local health systems to receive funding earlier. Quezon was among the original pilot provinces, and Ho expressed hope that the provincial government would continue participating in the expanded financing program.

The developments form part of broader efforts to strengthen the Quezon Provincial Hospital Network, which comprises QMC and 14 other provincial hospitals serving communities across the province. Tan said the provincial government would continue upgrading medical facilities while coordinating with national health agencies to address infrastructure limitations and improve healthcare access in underserved areas.

Further projects identified for QMC include a planned obstetric intensive care unit, expanded surgical facilities and additional equipment for premature infants requiring specialized treatment. The provincial government also intends to pursue long-term infrastructure improvements at the medical center while continuing the development of district hospitals throughout Quezon.