GMA inaugurates one-stop wellness center in Subic

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will inaugurate on Aug. 14 the George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center - the only one of its kind in the Philippines- located at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

The George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center is a 100-bed tertiary hospital owned and operated by the George Dewey Medical College, Inc., a 5-year old nursing college. It sits on a 12-hectare facility, perched on top of a hill surrounded by a lush forest.

"The Center is our response - the Philippine response-to the Challenge posed by our neighbors like Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia for leadership in Medical tourism," Dr. Carmen Dinglasan, the George Dewey president said.

President Arroyo will lead a group of leaders from Olongapo City, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Guam and the medical community in the opening of the one-stop medical and wellness center.

Located at Villa Amorosa, Upper Cubi, inside the Freeport, the center has the potential to become a leader in medical tourism. Many of its medical staff were trained in the United States and Europe and are some of the best in their fields of specialization in the country. Many of the doctors are speakers in International conventions.

Because of its proximity to Central and Northern Luzon, the George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center can serve the medical and health needs of the residents from Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, parts of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, CagayanValley, Isabela, La Union, the Ilocos provinces and the Clark Economic Zone.

Some of is services include cardiac surgery; joint and hip replacement; reconstructive surgery; corneal transplant; refractive surgery and multi-focal intraocular lens implantation; stem cell rejuvenation; sleep disorder therapy; transplant surgery; laboratory analysis; pain management; fertility clinic and dental implants.

In addition, the Center is a health resort for retirees. It caters to persons seeking medical treatment, checkup or have concerns about their well-being. When fully developed, it will have boutique stores, mini-groceries, a sports complex, a 500-unit condominium, a business center, fine restaurants, coffee shops, a conference center and places of worship for people of all beliefs.

Some of the people behind George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center are Dr. Fe Hidalgo (President George Dewey Medical College, former Undersecretary, Dept. of Education); Dr. Ruby Cereneo (VP for Academic affairs, George Dewey Medical College; former Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Lyceum of the Philippines; Rony Diaz (former publisher, The Manila Times, former Labor undersecretary and former chief of a regional program of the International Labor Organization based in Islamabad); Dr. Carmen N. Dinglasan (President, George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center and one of the two owners of Makati Eye Laser Center at the Fort); Ms. Winnie C. Monsod (former head of NEDA and the UP School of Economics. She is the George Dewey Medical and Welless Center chairperson); Dr. Manuel Chua Chiaco (Medical Director, George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center, a well-known, highly respected heart surgeon from the Philippine Heart Center); and Jose Araullo (former chairman of the Araullo, Punongbayan and Associates).

George Dewey Medical and Wellness Center is part of Villa Amorosa, a self-contained health resort for retirees, medical practitioners and medical students. A $30 million medical- tourism project, it employs 200 medical staff and health-related workers and would need another 300 for its shopping areas, sports complex, restaurants and condominiums when they open in 2010. It is the first of its kind in the Philippines. (PIA)