First Balfour COO Anthony Fernandez (rightmost) with (l-r) SLMC VP Engr. Noel Pabilona, board members Mauricio Domogan, Dr. Benjamin SA Campomanes Jr. and Jose Ma. Montinola, One Healthcare System EVP Dr. Dennis Serrano, SLMC board members Atty. Cirilo Noel and Lenora Cabili, and EVP and hospital operations head Rafael SolisFirst Balfour has broken ground on the St. Luke’s Medical Center-Quezon City (SLMC-QC) Pivot Building project. Awarded in March 2022 and scheduled for completion in 2023, the six-story health care support building is the second phase of the hospital’s redevelopment plan and will house operation-related facilities.

The 5,800-sq. m. Pivot Building will include a roof-deck and will accommodate facilities such as the pharmacy, sterile supply warehouse, and offices for nursing and engineering, which will be moved in preparation for a new hospital building under the third phase of the redevelopment plan. First Balfour’s scope of work includes civil, structural and MEPFS works.

“First Balfour is honored to work with St. Luke’s to bring yet another world-class health care facility in the metro. The pandemic highlighted the need for a better health care system, and we are one with St. Luke’s in helping elevate the quality of life for all Filipinos,” Rey Villar, executive vice president and head of the industrial projects division (IPD), said.

In 2009, First Balfour, in a joint venture with Makati Development Corporation, completed the construction of the 154,000-sq. m. SLMC-Global City in Taguig, known as one of the top 25 most beautiful hospitals in the world and one of the largest hospitals in the Philippines today.

“There were nine of us at the start of the bidding phase. Our track record and good working relationship with SLMC spoke for our expertise and our capabilities to build one of the country’s most important hospital buildings, enabling us to win this construction contract,” said Joram San Luis, IPD senior business development manager.

For this project, First Balfour is working with SLMC’s facility management and engineering team and consultants: hospital architecture specialist John Ryan Santos + Partners, design firm Arup, project management firm Design Coordinates Inc. and quantity surveyor Quantity Solutions. (Story/Photos by: Dolly Pasia-Ramos)