MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration is stepping up efforts to bring government healthcare services closer to Filipino veterans, with the Department of National Defense (DND) expanding the Veterans Access to Lifetime Optimized Healthcare (VALOR) program and planning additional clinics in key areas outside Metro Manila.
DND Secretary Gilberto “Gilbert” Teodoro Jr. said the administration remains focused on making quality and accessible healthcare available to veterans and their dependents, particularly those who face difficulties traveling to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City.
Speaking during the first anniversary of the VALOR Clinic in Lipa City, Batangas, Teodoro highlighted the growing demand for the program. The Fernando Air Base VALOR clinic is now serving an average of about 1,000 patients a month, according to the Philippine Information Agency.
The DND chief said additional government funding will be provided to support the expansion and modernization of the clinics and to strengthen coordination between the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ medical system and the veterans’ healthcare network.
More VALOR clinics eyed
The government currently has VALOR clinics in Lipa City, Batangas, and Fort Andres Bonifacio in Taguig City.
Teodoro said additional facilities are being planned in Cagayan de Oro, Camp Aquino in Tarlac City, and Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, potentially bringing primary healthcare services closer to veterans in more parts of the country.
The expansion builds on the administration’s broader plan to decentralize veterans’ healthcare.
When President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched the VALOR program in 2025, the government said it would create a nationwide network of primary-care services through military treatment facilities and installations. The program was designed to serve more than 400,000 military veterans, retirees and dependents and was planned for implementation in phases through 2027.
The original rollout envisioned eventually extending services to military facilities in the Visayas and Mindanao, including locations in Davao, Zamboanga, Mactan, Cagayan de Oro and other areas.
P40 million more for veterans’ clinics
The latest expansion comes as the government also increases financial support for the program.
The Manila Bulletin reported on August 15 that an additional ₱40 million had been earmarked this year to sustain government-run clinics for Filipino veterans. Daily Tribune likewise reported that Marcos committed the additional funding for VALOR Clinic operations as the network expands.
The additional funding is significant because the goal of VALOR is not simply to create more facilities, but to make veterans’ healthcare more accessible without requiring patients from distant provinces to routinely travel to Metro Manila.
One hospital has long carried the burden
The expansion also addresses a long-standing geographic challenge in the country’s veterans’ healthcare system.
The Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City remains the country’s principal dedicated veterans’ hospital. The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported in April that the facility, inaugurated in 1955, handles around 260,000 outpatient cases annually, highlighting the scale of demand placed on the Luzon-based institution.
President Marcos himself has pledged to work with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) to establish additional veterans’ hospitals in the Visayas and Mindanao.
He made the commitment during the 84th Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration in Bataan in April, saying the move was intended to make healthcare more accessible to those who had served the country.
The same commitment was reported by BusinessWorld, Philstar.com and GMA News, which all highlighted the planned expansion of veterans’ healthcare facilities beyond Luzon.
Healthcare expansion goes beyond hospital treatment
The government’s veterans’ healthcare push also includes preventive care and modernization.
During the VALOR program’s first anniversary, Teodoro emphasized the need to strengthen preventive healthcare as part of honoring the service of Filipino veterans.
Earlier this year, the DND also highlighted upgrades at VMMC, including improvements to medical facilities and diagnostic capabilities. Daily Tribune reported that the refurbished Department of Radiology and Radiotherapy was inaugurated as part of the hospital’s modernization efforts.
The administration has also cited broader veterans’ welfare programs. During the 2026 Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration, Marcos said 2,634 veterans and their dependents benefited from veterans’ hospitalization and medical care programs in the previous year. The government also reported an average of 146,896 pensioners receiving monthly benefits and 973 scholars receiving educational assistance.
What this means for Filipino veterans
For veterans living far from Quezon City, the expansion of VALOR clinics could mean easier access to basic medical consultations, preventive healthcare and other services through military facilities closer to their communities.
The long-term objective is even broader: create a more integrated veterans’ healthcare network capable of connecting local clinics and military medical facilities with VMMC, while reducing the geographic barriers that have historically made specialized care more difficult for veterans in the provinces.
For the Marcos administration, the message is clear: honoring Filipino veterans is not limited to commemorating their sacrifices once a year. The government is positioning healthcare access, modernized facilities and expanded services as part of its continuing commitment to those who served the country.
But with more VALOR clinics now being planned—and additional funding already committed—the bigger question is no longer whether the veterans’ healthcare network will expand.
It is how quickly that expansion can reach the veterans who need it most.
Leave a Reply