First modern, largest hospital in BARMM opens

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Officials launched on Wednesday, October 8, the Bangsamoro Regional Hospital and Medical Center in Datu Hoffer town in Maguindanao del Sur, the first-ever largest and well-equipped hospital in the autonomous region.

The BRHMC was established under the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act 74, authored by regional lawmakers Kadil Sinolinding Jr., a physician-ophthalmologist; Sittie Fahanie Oyod, a lawyer; and civil engineer Baintan Ampatuan. Sinolinding also serves concurrently as BARMM’s regional health minister.

The bill, supported by 34 other members of the 80-member BARMM parliament, was approved on May 26, 2025.

BARMM Deputy Health Minister Zul Qarneyn Abas, Ampatuan, Uyod, representatives of Chief Minister Abdulrauf Macacua, IPHO-Maguindanao chief Mohammad Ariff Baguindali and other parliament members led Wednesday’s inauguration. The ceremony was also attended by provincial officials from Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte.

The BRHMC replaces the 52-year-old Maguindanao Provincial Hospital and is located on the same compound as the former facility.

“The setting up of the Bangsamoro Regional Hospital and Medical Center is a big help for residents of the Bangsamoro region. We are grateful to the Bangsamoro parliament for having established this,” said Baguindali, who will oversee the BRHMC.

Baguindali and other provincial officials also thanked the BARMM parliament for passing BAA 74 into law.

“We are also thankful to the chief minister of the Bangsamoro region, who leads the regional parliament, for signing into law, without hesitation, the approved bill that enabled the creation of this hospital,” Baguindali added.

Sinolinding said the Ministry of Health-BARMM will extensively support the hospital’s operations.

Ampatuan told reporters that the BRHMC will have an initial budget of P50 million from the regional government this year. “The succeeding allocations for its operation shall be included, by phases, in the annual appropriations for the expenditures of the regional government,” he said.

Baguindali added that the BRHMC will operate on a “zero billing policy” for all patients.