The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the interim lawmaking body of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), unanimously passed a bill on Monday to elevate the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital (MPH) to a regional medical center.

“Under the newly approved Parliament Bill No. 225, or the Bangsamoro Regional Hospital and Medical Center Act of 2025, the provincial hospital in Datu Hofer, Maguindanao del Sur, will be converted into a 350-bed tertiary medical center.” BTA member and health committee chair Hashemi Dilangalen said in a statement Tuesday.

“This will be the first such facility fully managed and funded by the BARMM government,” Dilangalen added, noting that the upgraded hospital would serve as a crucial referral center for the entire region, reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for specialized treatment.

The converted facility, to be known as the Bangsamoro Regional and Medical Center (BRMC), aims to significantly enhance healthcare services for the over 700,000 residents of Maguindanao del Sur and surrounding areas.

All 47 regional lawmakers present voted unanimously for the bill’s passage, which would transform the current Level II hospital into a Level III referral facility.

Dilangalen also noted the ongoing efforts by the BARMM government to improve existing public hospitals in the region’s island provinces, which traditionally face significant challenges in health infrastructure. (PNA)