PGH Room Rates Under Scrutiny Following Former Speaker's Transfer

Room rates at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) have drawn public attention following the transfer of former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Romualdez was moved to PGH by order of the Sandiganbayan to verify his doctors' medical findings after his arrest in a private hospital. PGH, a tertiary state-owned hospital in Manila administered by the University of the Philippines Manila, is primarily funded through the UP System's budget allocation. Romualdez was transferred to PGH on Saturday, reportedly entering through an irregular entryway. While Romualdez's specific room has not been disclosed, PGH's website lists at least 10 types of rooms under its Department of Private Patient Services (DPPS). The most affordable option is the "Ward" at P715 per day, followed by "Semi-Private I" (one to three beds) at P1,000, and "Cubicle" at P1,100. The final option priced below two thousand pesos is the "Studio Room" at P1,650 per day. PGH also offers "Small Private" and "Big Private" rooms at P2,200 and P2,750, respectively, while "Superior" rooms are priced at P3,300. The PGH's 2026 Citizen’s Charter lists the price for a Big Private room at P1,500. The two most expensive options under the DPPS are the "Executive Room" at P5,500 per day and the "Presidential Suite," which costs P6,600 per day. The room rates provided by PGH cover only the base daily accommodation charge and do not include additional hospital expenses such as professional fees, laboratory tests, and other medical procedures. Romualdez and three others are facing a P7.4-billion plunder charge over alleged links to a flood control scam. He has been in the hospital since last week, when he was arrested in his hospital bed at Cardinal Santos Medical Center. His doctors said he has been diagnosed with several ailments, as well as depressive disorder and anxiety. — BM, GMA News