More Filipinos, particularly those requiring specialized cancer treatment, are expected to benefit from expanded access to radiation oncology services following a partnership between The Medical City (TMC) and Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC).

The two institutions formalized their collaboration through a Memorandum of Agreement signed on 12 May 2026, allowing eligible QMMC patients with a doctor’s referral to access specialized radiation therapy procedures at TMC under PhilHealth’s No Balance Billing (NBB) policy.

Under the agreement, qualified patients may avail themselves of comprehensive treatment planning, external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy for various cancers, including gynecological, breast, cervical and prostate cancers, without out-of-pocket expenses.

The agreement was signed at QMMC in Quezon City by Dr. Ruben G. Kasala, executive vice president and chief executive officer of The Medical City Ortigas, and Dr. Evelyn Victoria Reside, Medical Center chief II of QMMC.

Reside said the partnership builds on the longstanding collaboration between the two institutions in training healthcare professionals and advancing patient care.

“We need partners such as The Medical City to make sure that all our patients are taken care of very well. That is the essence of universal healthcare, where everyone has a role, where all hospitals are together forming a network of care that ensures that no patient falls between the cracks,” she said.

Kasala emphasized the importance of ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent patients from receiving treatment.

“Cancer treatment should not be delayed because of financial limitations. Through this partnership with QMMC, we are helping more patients gain access to timely and quality radiation oncology services through the No Balance Billing program. This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting universal healthcare and improving access to life-saving treatment for Filipinos who need it most,” Kasala said.

Radiation oncology services under the agreement will be delivered through TMC’s Augusto P. Sarmiento Cancer Institute, a multidisciplinary cancer center that provides coordinated and evidence-based cancer management through a team of oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists and allied healthcare professionals.