The Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is set to receive a major staffing boost, with 1,200 additional positions approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Malacañang announced Tuesday.

“This is in response to the request of UP PGH to enhance the hospital’s organizational and manpower capacity in order to deliver quality healthcare services to its patients,” Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro said in Filipino during a press briefing.

When asked about the expected impact of the added workforce, Castro noted the high volume of patients PGH serves daily — many of whom are low-income Filipinos seeking affordable treatment.

“Many Filipinos go to PGH because of the quality of service and the minimal cost. That’s why it was deemed necessary to increase manpower to better serve more patients,” she explained.

The additional positions aim to address the persistent shortage of healthcare workers in the country’s largest public hospital and improve response times and patient care amid growing demand.

The Palace emphasized that the expansion will not only ease the burden on PGH’s current medical staff but also ensure that more Filipinos can access timely and adequate medical attention.