Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto announced a new partnership aimed at expanding access to organ transplant services within the city, formalizing the Pasig Alliance for Organ Donation and Sharing with The Medical City, Rizal Medical Center, and the local government of Pasig City.
The initiative seeks to reduce the need for patients to travel abroad for life-saving procedures, a long-standing barrier for Filipino families facing high medical costs. Sotto said the program is designed to make organ transplants more accessible locally, citing cases in which families are forced to raise large sums or leave the country to secure treatment.
“Ang pinakamaganda pa rito, imbes na mag-abroad pa, dito lang sa Pasig gagawin ang transplant,” Sotto said, pointing to the financial and emotional burden carried by patients and their families.
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa backed the effort, stressing the need to strengthen the country’s health care capacity so more procedures can be performed domestically.
The agreement outlines a multilevel approach that includes organ donation awareness campaigns, identification of potential multi-organ donors, and expanded training for medical personnel. It also covers hospital readiness, support services, and financial assistance for patients.
Officials said the program will activate dedicated hospital units and coordinate resources across institutions to streamline transplant procedures. The partnership also aims to institutionalize organ donation systems at the city level, creating a more sustainable pipeline for future cases.
Sotto expressed confidence that the combined resources of national hospitals and the local government will lead to more lives saved, as Pasig moves to position itself as a hub for accessible transplant services in the country.
