Villar Group to open 2 new hospitals next year

MANILA, Philippines - The Villar Group of Companies is injecting a new business into its operations next year with the opening of the first two of its planned nationwide hospital chain.

Real-estate tycoon and former Senator Manuel B. Villar said the group would get busy with its hospital business starting next year as it plans to open two hospitals along Daang Hari and in Parañaque.

The sites are only two of the 12 locations already identified by the group for its hospital chain, Villar said.

“We will put up our first along Daang Hari. This is another long term project of the group. We hope to have a lot of hospitals in the next five years and we have a plan to go nationwide with our hospitals,” he said.

Villar said the group’s healthcare venture would be in partnership with doctors of the respective areas where the hospitals would be located.

“In that way, they could bring along with them their patients,” he said.

“The land is mine and they will have the hospital. Although we would still be the controlling owners of the hospital,” Villar added.

Villar said the initial plan is to build a 300-bed hospital which will have a provision for expansion.

He said the move to go into the hospital business is part of the group’s vision to make its real estate portfolio a complete offering.

“We have identified the first 12 sites of our hospital. But we can easily double that because the communities of Camella is close to 100 already,” Villar said.

The Villar Group, through listed Vista Land and Lifescapes Inc., is considered as the country’s largest homebuilder with residential housing developments in 34 provinces and 74 cities and municipalities around the country.