Where hope finds a new home

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At the heart of every hospital are the stories of people whose lives are transformed within its walls. The opening of St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) Evelyn D. Ang/Dana Charity Ward feels less like a ceremony and more like the quiet unfolding of hope. In these new halls, generosity settles into the corners like light, touching lives that enter carrying both fear and faith.

My own family knows this light well. My mother-in-law, Rosalinda, a breast cancer survivor, once walked through St. Luke’s doors seeking healing — and found care that held her gently through uncertainty. Today, that connection has come full circle: my son, GK, is now a physiotherapist at St. Luke’s, lending his own strength to the very institution that once lifted his grandmother. And so this new charity ward becomes more than a facility; it becomes part of a continuum — a chain of resilience, service, and compassion passed from one set of hands to another.

Transforming generosity Into accessible, world-class healthcare

The Evelyn D. Ang/Dana Charity Ward is a fully free, 40-bed facility dedicated to underserved and indigent Filipino patients. Rooted in the Sanskrit word dana, meaning “the practice of selfless giving,” the initiative reflects the belief that healing is not only a medical duty but a shared human responsibility.

“Let me share with you a very nice story about generosity,” said St. Luke’s Medical Center Foundation Inc. (SLMCFI) president Dr. Benjamin S. A. Campomanes Jr. during the inauguration held at SLMC-QC on Nov. 24. “Early last year, somebody wrote a letter to the foundation. The donor said he wanted to donate some money and asked us to use it for our charity projects. And so we did. We had a successful surgical mission.”

When the foundation reported back, the donor responded with unexpected kindness. “I guess he was happy about it because in his next email, he said he wanted to give more,” Dr. Campomanes said.

What followed, he explained, was a gift so significant “you could put up a hospital.”

"After consulting with SLMC chairman Frederick Y. Dy and SLMC president Dr. Dennis Serrano, the foundation initially considered building a facility in Tarlac or Pampanga. But the donor insisted that he wanted St. Luke’s doctors — and the quality of care the hospital is known for — to serve the patients," said Dr. Campomanes.

Returning to the drawing board, Dr. Serrano suggested converting a wing at SLMC-QC into a 40-bed ward. “When we envisioned the project, I couldn’t think of a better place,” he said. “So we put it right in the heart of SLMC-QC, on the fifth floor of the main building.”

The donor agreed — and asked Dr. Campomanes to find another major donor whose name the ward could carry.

“And that’s how Philip Ang — the substantial donor — came to be,” Dr. Campomanes shared.

Philip T. Ang, chairman of NI Capital Corp., is known for his wit, humility, and generosity. The ward honors his late wife, Evelyn D. Ang, a woman of deep compassion whose spirit continues to inspire his philanthropy.

“It is with deep honor that this wing carries her name,” said Carmina Ang, vice president of EDA Scholarships & Charities Inc. and Philip Ang’s niece.

This project is a collaborative effort among SLMC, Philip Ang, and other generous supporters — all united by a commitment to bringing high-quality healthcare to those who need it most, at no cost.

Quoting Mary Wright Edelman, Dr. Serrano added: “Service is the rent we pay for our stay in this world. It is the very purpose of life, and it is not something we should just do in our spare time. Service is the core of St. Luke’s.”

Admissions began on Nov. 10, marking a new chapter in inclusive, compassionate care. Because the ward is inside SLMC-QC’s main building, charity patients receive the same world-class medical expertise and modern facilities as private patients.

A promise of healing for all

The Evelyn D. Ang/Dana Charity Ward embodies St. Luke’s mission to bridge healthcare disparities in the Philippines. The facility will serve a dedicated group of inpatients and outpatients, offering life-changing procedures across both St. Luke’s QC and BGC campuses.

By integrating seamlessly with St. Luke’s medical teams, technologies, and systems, the ward ensures uninterrupted and equitable care for indigent patients.

“The Evelyn D. Ang/Dana Charity Ward represents the very heart of St. Luke’s mission: to bring world-class healthcare to every Filipino, regardless of background or circumstance,” said Dr. Serrano. “By fully integrating charity care into our hospital system, we are proving that excellence and compassion can coexist. This initiative is not just about access to healthcare — it’s about giving dignity, equity, and hope.”

A movement of compassion

For Dr. Campomanes, the ward is not merely a project — it is a movement.

“Each donation represents a life changed,” he said. “This is how generosity becomes systemic — how it grows into something bigger than any one of us.”

For decades, SLMCFI has funded critical treatments for indigent patients — transplants, cancer therapies, complex surgeries. The new charity ward strengthens that mission, ensuring modern medicine remains within reach for those who need it most.

“The ward is fully woven into our daily operations,” Dr. Campomanes said. “The same specialists, nurses, and clinical teams who attend to private patients are also serving charity patients.”

This is the embodiment of St. Luke’s One Healthcare System: a place where no one is less deserving of care, where no life is too small to protect, where every patient is seen, valued, and held with equal devotion.

Hope turned into practice

The Evelyn D. Ang/Dana Charity Ward invites every Filipino to imagine a future where healthcare is not determined by wealth, but by humanity.

As Dr. Serrano said, “Dana reminds us that the true measure of healthcare is not just in the lives we save, but in the compassion we share.”

As its doors open to more patients, the Evelyn D. Ang/Dana Charity Ward carries forward a powerful promise: that no Filipino should ever stand alone when facing illness. It is a place built not only with resources, but with faith — faith in people, in service, and in the belief that healthcare can be both excellent and equitable.

Here, hope is not an ideal. It’s a practice.