MANILA – The 13-story hemodialysis center that will soon rise at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) will be fully operational by early 2028, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Friday.
After inspecting the ongoing construction of the Mega Hemodialysis Legacy Building at the NKTI compound in Diliman, Quezon City, Marcos noted the project's steady progress, stressing that the timeline for its full operation is designed to ensure the facility is ready to serve patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).
Marcos said the facility is designed to address the prevalence of CKD in the Philippines, which affects over 11 percent of the population.
“By the beginning of 2027 ay magsisimula na ‘yung pagdadala, dadalhin ‘yung mga gamit dito (we will start bringing in the equipment here). And when will you think it will start operation? A year after that, matatapos na, pwede nang tumanggap ng pasyente ito (it will be completed and will be ready to accept patients),” Marcos said.
“Nandito ‘yung mga picture kung ano ‘yung magiging pasilidad kapag tapos na, at siguro ‘yun na nga ang ating tinitingnan na schedule, early 2028 makapag-operate na itong dialysis center (Here are the images showing what the facility will look like once it is completed, and that is likely the timeline we are looking at—that this dialysis center will be operational by early 2028),” he added.
Marcos said funding and processes have been optimized to ensure the facility’s structural integrity and operational readiness when the center becomes fully functional.
The 13-story facility will house 200 state-of-the-art hemodialysis machines and provide comprehensive services to CKD patients.
The first phase of the project was completed on July 26, 2025, covering construction from the ground to the fourth floor and establishing the foundation and structural framework.
As of June 24, 2026, the second phase of the project, covering the fifth and sixth floors, was 70.5 percent complete, further enhancing the facility’s capacity to deliver quality healthcare.
The project’s full completion is targeted for March 2028.
Marcos said the project is poised to become the largest dialysis center in Southeast Asia.
He also cited key advancements in healthcare services, including the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) expanded benefits, which increased the allowable number of dialysis sessions from 90 to 150 annually and raised the dialysis benefit package for both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
“Napag-uusapan namin kung paano ang maaari nating gawin upang maiwas, na makaiwas ang ating mga kababayan sa chronic kidney disease. Kaya’t marami pa tayong kailangan gawin (We have been discussing what more we can do to help our fellow Filipinos prevent chronic kidney disease. That is why we still have much work to do),” Marcos said.
Currently, there are 904 dialysis centers nationwide. (PNA)
