26/05/2026
Protecting Every Child’s First Sound: MMMH&MC Achieves Category B Status
The Department of Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery of Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center has reached a historic milestone after officially earning recognition as the first and only Category B Newborn Hearing Screening government facility in Region 1, and one of only nine accredited Category B facilities in the entire country last May 18, 2026.
The achievement marks a major advancement in specialized newborn healthcare services in Northern Luzon and further solidifies MMMHMC’s growing role as a leading institution in early hearing detection and intervention. The milestone was realized through the leadership of Dr. Joy Alvarez and Dr. Jennilyn Bancifra, alongside the collective efforts of the ORL-HNS Department, hospital administration, and healthcare personnel committed to elevating public healthcare services in the region.
Category B accreditation signifies a higher level of competency in newborn hearing screening, equipping the institution with the capability to provide comprehensive confirmatory testing, diagnostic evaluation, coordinated referral systems, and long-term follow-up care for infants with suspected hearing impairment. The designation reflects the department’s continued pursuit of excellence in delivering accessible, specialized, and life-changing healthcare services to Filipino families.
In the earliest moments of life, timely detection of hearing impairment can profoundly shape a child’s future. Early diagnosis and intervention remain critical in preventing delays in speech, language, cognitive, and social development. Through its upgraded accreditation, MMMHMC strengthens its mission of ensuring that newborns across Region 1 and neighboring provinces receive timely access to quality hearing healthcare and early intervention services.
Now recognized as one of only nine accredited Category B Newborn Hearing Screening facilities nationwide, MMMHMC further strengthens its role as a leading ENT Center in Northern Luzon, providing comprehensive and specialized hearing care services for newborns and children.
More than an institutional recognition, this milestone reflects MMMHMC’s unwavering commitment to advancing public healthcare, expanding access to specialized diagnostic services, and improving the future of countless Filipino children through early, compassionate, and evidence-based care.
As an accredited ENT Center, MMMHMC not only delivers timely newborn hearing screening but also ensures continuity of care through confirmatory testing using Auditory Brainstem Response, a vital diagnostic procedure that accurately evaluates the hearing pathway and detects hearing impairment even in infants who cannot yet respond behaviorally.
Through this capability, the institution is able to provide early diagnosis, prompt intervention, and appropriate referral services, significantly improving language development, communication.
