St. Luke’s marks milestone with over 2,500 robotic surgeries, a first in Philippine healthcare

St. Luke’s Medical Center, the country’s beacon of excellence in healthcare for over a century, has achieved a major milestone as it announced the successful completion of more than 2,500 robotic surgeries — the highest number of robotic-assisted procedures performed by any hospital in the Philippines.

According to its President and CEO, Dr. Dennis Serrano, the achievement is a milestone for Philippine healthcare, officially certified by Device Technologies (DT Medical Inc.), affirming St. Luke's position as the leading hospital for robotic-assisted surgeries in the country.

St. Luke’s board and officials made the decision to acquire the $1.8 million robotic machine in 2010, even though they did not yet have trained surgeons in robotic surgery at the time and were uncertain whether the technology would be widely adopted.

“Also, we are not even sure back then whether patients would be able to afford the cost of the procedure, given that the cost of the machine has to be recovered. But it was a commitment to a vision, and the vision was that St. Luke's has to be at the forefront of advancing medical technology so that we can bring the best treatment for patients in the Philippines,” Serrano said in an interview during its celebration at the EDSA Shangri-La in Mandaluyong on Thursday night.

“And it was the commitment to that, to the mission of providing unparalleled patient care guided by excellence and innovation. And that was why the robot was bought,” he added.

As a pioneer in robotic surgery, St. Luke's has introduced many of the nation’s first robotic-assisted procedures, setting new benchmarks for surgical innovation and patient care.

With this milestone, the institution reaffirmed its commitment to advancing healthcare through cutting-edge surgical innovation and medical excellence.

“So, it was a story that I feel has to be told, because it is anchored on the vision that there has to be equity in healthcare. Gone are the days when Filipinos will have to go abroad to get treatment, to get diagnostics. Because Filipino doctors and St. Luke’s can do it,” Serrano said.

The celebration also honored St. Luke’s robotic surgeons, highlighted groundbreaking achievements, and featured patients whose lives were transformed through robotic-assisted care. The program recognized pioneering and top-performing robotic surgeons, presented trailblazing procedures, acknowledged rising stars from St. Luke's Quezon City, and shared moving patient testimonials underscoring the human impact of advanced surgical innovation.