KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato | December 6, 2025 — The Provincial Government of South Cotabato is accelerating the construction of the New South Cotabato Provincial Hospital as part of a massive health infrastructure program designed to decongest the old facility and expand the province’s bed capacity to as high as 800 to 1,000 beds.
Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr. said the rapid build-up is necessary to meet the increasing patient demand from South Cotabato and neighboring provinces.
“What happened is that we are really speeding up the construction of our hospital because we need to decongest our hospital in the old site. Before we finish the other side, we need to reach 800 to 1,000 beds capacity. I know it’s heavy, but we really need it so that we can make sure that we will not only provide a free hospital, but also a high-quality service,” Gov. Tamayo said.
The construction of the new provincial hospital complex began after years of chronic congestion at the old hospital, which was originally designed for fewer than 200 beds.
Over the years, patient volume grew far beyond its intended capacity, stretching its emergency areas, outpatient services, and inpatient wards.
To address this, the provincial government secured national funding support, including allocations from the Department of Health’s Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP).
In 2020, the DOH approved the conversion of the unused ProTech Center in Koronadal City into the new site for the hospital’s expansion.
The site became ideal because of its wide buildable space, accessibility, and structural readiness for large-scale development.
Construction officially started after the groundbreaking at the ProTech compound in early 2023. Since then, the project has progressed in phases:
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Phase 1: Construction of the new four-storey hospital extension building, which now houses the Outpatient Department (OPD), laboratory services, and pharmacy.
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Next phases: Completion of upper floors for additional wards, creation of a new Operating Room (OR) complex, and development of conference and training areas for medical personnel.
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Future expansion: A second hospital building is planned at the back of the new facility to support long-term capacity growth.
The new facility forms part of the governor’s commitment to provide free, accessible, and high-quality healthcare to every resident regardless of economic status.
Once completed, the new provincial hospital is expected to become one of the largest and most modern government hospitals in Region 12.
It is envisioned to operate as a full-service medical center with expanded surgical capability, more spacious wards, improved diagnostic services, and safer, more comfortable facilities for patients and medical staff.
Gov. Tamayo emphasized that the project is not only about expanding space but about building a healthcare system that is future ready.
“There will be an expansion of the provincial hospital in the province of South Cotabato,” he assured, reaffirming that the administration will continue to push the construction until all floors, buildings, and services are completed.
The province aims to complete major structural phases by 2026, marking a significant leap in South Cotabato’s healthcare delivery before his term end.
