The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City has made history as the first Department of Health (DOH)-run hospital in the Philippines to acquire state-of-the-art surgical robots. This groundbreaking development positions SPMC among an elite group of institutions in the country equipped with advanced medical robotics.
SPMC Medical Center Chief Dr. Ricardo Audan confirmed the acquisition, emphasizing its transformative potential. “SPMC will be the first DOH hospital in the Philippines to have surgical robotics, so the ones performing the operation will be robots,” Dr. Audan said. “The robot is already here.”
The Da Vinci surgical robot, which costs approximately ₱350 million, will be used across multiple medical specialties, including surgery, neurology, obstetrics, and gynecology. This addition places SPMC alongside four other hospitals in the country equipped with similar technology: three private hospitals in Metro Manila—St. Luke’s Medical Center-BGC, St. Luke’s Medical Center-Quezon City, and Makati Medical Center—and the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), which is managed by the University of the Philippines system.
Dr. Audan shared that SPMC’s acquisition was funded through the hospital’s income, showcasing its commitment to innovation and improved patient care. He also highlighted the hospital’s readiness to train personnel for the new technology. A total of 40 doctors have registered to undergo training, which will last two to three months. The program includes hands-on practice and certifications, with trainers coming from abroad as part of the package. Some training sessions will also be conducted in Singapore.
“There are 40 doctors who registered to use the robot, because the ones who will operate it are doctors,” Dr. Audan explained. He added that the robot features two consoles: one for performing actual procedures and the other dedicated to training. “Other hospitals only have one console. We have two, so training can also be conducted at SPMC,” he noted.
SPMC’s journey toward innovation doesn’t end with robotics. The hospital, formerly known as Davao Medical Center, is the largest in the Philippines, boasting a current capacity of 1,500 beds. Plans are underway to expand this capacity to 2,000 beds to accommodate the growing number of patients. Dr. Audan announced these expansion plans during a presentation to the Lower House of Congress, which has since approved the application for the increase.
With these advancements, SPMC not only cements its reputation as a leader in medical innovation outside Metro Manila but also reaffirms its commitment to providing world-class healthcare to Filipinos. The introduction of surgical robots marks a significant step forward, ensuring that patients in Mindanao and beyond have access to cutting-edge medical technology and expertise.