The Department of Health (DOH) Region IV-A showcased the Northern Tagalog Regional Hospital (NTRH) as CALABARZON’s first hospital equipped with AI-assisted diagnostic machines and advanced digital health technologies during the RDC’s Sectoral Committee on Social Development/Social Protection (SCSD/SP) First Quarter 2026 meeting held on February 13, 2026.
The Northern Tagalog Regional Hospital (NTRH) in San Mateo, Rizal, established under Republic Act No. 12112, is Rizal’s first national government-funded hospital. DOH Region IV-A Director Voltaire S. Guadalupe underscored its role in setting new standards for precision diagnostics, patient monitoring, and hospital management. The facility will provide services in pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, intensive care, diagnostic imaging, laboratory testing, and infectious disease management. Operations begin mid-February, with plans to achieve Level I status by 2027 and Level II by 2028, signaling long-term investment in resilient healthcare.
Beyond health infrastructure, the Committee also flagged other health and nutrition related concerns. Among these include the urgent need for a stronger HIV response. With 49,400 reported cases and a continuing upward trend since 2006, SCSD/SP called for intensified collaboration among government agencies, local governments, private sector partners, and civil society. The Committee emphasized scaling up prevention, testing, treatment, and care services, particularly for the youth, while sustaining awareness campaigns to reduce stigma and foster supportive environments for people living with HIV.
The Committee also discussed the Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project – Converging Nutrition Efforts for Our Children’s Tomorrow (PMNP–CONNECT). This initiative aims to reduce stunting and malnutrition by strengthening cross-sector coordination, improving data-sharing systems, and leveraging digital platforms for evidence-based planning. PMNP–CONNECT seeks to harmonize nutrition interventions, ensuring timely and integrated support for vulnerable children and families.
Through the launch of NTRH, the push for a coordinated HIV response, and the rollout of PMNP–CONNECT, the SCSD/SP reaffirmed its vision of a healthier, more resilient CALABARZON where modern infrastructure, inclusive health programs, and digital innovation converge to uplift communities.
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