AYALA Healthcare Holdings, Inc. (AC Health), which operates hospitals and clinics under Healthway Medical Network (HMN), said it has several hospital acquisition targets within the pipeline and hopes to announce a minimum of one deal throughout the yr, while planning to open three to 5 clinics annually over the subsequent three to 5 years.
“For now, we now have a number of acquisition targets within the pipeline. Hopefully, we’ll give you the option to announce something throughout the yr,” AC Health Chief Strategy and Investment Officer Rafael Jaime V. Recio told reporters on the sidelines of an event last week.
“But if you happen to’re asking whether we wish to construct greenfield projects, I feel we’re focusing first on ensuring the Cancer Hospital ramps up. Then the whole lot else, for the foreseeable future, shall be through acquisition,” he added.
Mr. Recio said the corporate is evaluating hospitals with a minimum of 100 beds, Level 2 classification, and locations in densely populated urban areas.
“We take a look at the standard of the ability, make sure that that it’s not a brilliant fixer-upper. It’s necessary that there’s a superb doctor base related to it that continues to be even after we are available in. I feel those are the necessary constructing blocks,” he said.
Alongside its acquisition strategy, AC Health plans to expand its clinic network by opening three to 5 facilities annually over the subsequent three to 5 years.
“The goal is to expand to a few to 5 clinics per yr in major areas where we feel that it’s necessary for us to be in. I feel that’s the goal for the subsequent three to 5 years,” Mr. Recio said.
While lots of its clinics are situated in shopping malls, AC Health can also be considering other formats, including roadside business locations.
“It just so happens that the department stores sometimes provide us the very best location with essentially the most foot traffic that’s most accessible,” Mr. Recio said. “It might be that sooner or later we now have locations in business areas which are more roadside also. But we’ll see. It really depends upon what opportunities are presented to us.”
As a part of its medium-term growth strategy, AC Health goals to expand its network to 1,150 retail pharmacies, 300 clinics, and 10 hospitals through a mixture of organic growth and acquisitions.
Earlier this month, HMN expanded its multi-specialty outpatient network to 18 centers nationwide with the opening of its flagship facility at One Ayala in Makati City.
Following the launch of the One Ayala facility, HMN said it plans to open a standard-sized multi-specialty center in Batangas in August and one other at McKinley West in Taguig before yearend.
Individually, AC Health, through its pharmaceutical arm AC Health Pharma, entered right into a partnership with Japan-based Taisho Pharmaceuticals in June to distribute healthcare products within the Philippines.
Under the agreement, AC Health Pharma will distribute Taisho products through AC Health’s network of pharmacies, clinics, medical centers, and hospitals.
Mr. Recio said the corporate stays on the right track to satisfy its long-term expansion targets despite industry challenges.
“I wouldn’t say we’re ahead. I’d say we’re making good progress… It looks like we’re on the right track. It’s been an encouraging 2026 thus far, despite all of the challenges we’ve seen recently,” he said. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno