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EDUCATION and healthcare company STI is planning to
acquire two more hospitals and a school as part of its
P1.5-billion expansion program.
In an
interview, company president Monico Jacob said they are
now in talks to buy hospitals located in Davao and the
Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) area.
Without mentioning the names of the hospitals, he said
the two will add an additional170 beds to its system.
“Discussions are ongoing. Hopefully, we can finalize
something and complete the acquisition by 2009,” he
said.
The
company currently maintains 257 hospital beds via Delos
Santos-STI Medical Center and Dr. Fe del Mundo Medical
Center—both located in Metro Manila.
STI has
also initiated negotiations to purchase a Manila-based
college that specializes in engineering courses. Jacob
said their target is complete the deal within the year.
“We are
going for a 100-percent acquisition,” he said, adding
that engineering is a good addition to the courses that
STI currently offers, which include education,
information technology, nursing and hotel and restaurant
management.
Jacob
also noted the rising demand for engineers in countries
like the Middle East, the US and Europe. STI graduates
are honed and given the opportunity to work abroad
through the company’s Philippine Overseas Employment
Administration -accredited placement agencies, GROW and
Parman.
STI is
also completing this year its P250-million academic
center in the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.
The
2,632-square-meter property is leased from the Bases
Conversion Development Authority for 25 years. The
eight-story STI Academic Center will house a research
and development center, amphitheater, state-of-the-art
gymnasium, and highly advanced information technology,
healthcare, business and hotel and restaurant management
facilities for students.
The
facility will form part of STI’s expansion program,
which also includes the recent establishment of the
Delos Santos-STI Megaclinic in SM Megamall, investments
in Delos Santos-STI Medical center and the ongoing
expansion of STI campuses through acquisition of
properties in various areas all over the country. |