CSMC Brings Safety Back to MTPC Tour of Luzon
Left to right: MAD Management Inc. CEO Madeleine Sharon G. Guico, SDMI Sports President Danica Khaye Baltazar, Consultant for Disaster Risk Management of CSMC Brig. Gen. Reynaldo C. Torres (Ret.), CSMC-appointed Race Medical Director Dr. Abigail T. Florentino, CSMC SVP & Chief Financial Officer Marivic S. Mabuti, MPTC Tour of Luzon CEO & Chief Organizer Arrey A. Perez, CSMC President & CEO Raul C. Pagdanganan, Consultant for Patient Experience of CSMC Marilen T. Lagniton, CSMC SVP & Chief Medical Officer Dr. Antonio S. Say, CSMC AVP & Head of Ancillary Services Dr. Maria Angelina A. Punzalan-Tirol, and AVP & Head of Business Planning & Development Jake Christian T. Solomon.
Bigger. Tougher. Safer. Together. Following its triumphant revival as the nation’s premier professional cycling race, the fabled MPTC Tour of Luzon gears up for another memorable run with Cardinal Santos Medical Center (CSMC) returning as its Official Medical Partner.
First held in 1955, the historic race – one of Asia’s oldest and most prestigious cycling events – was once a summertime staple in the country’s sporting calendar before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted its recent five-year hiatus.
With the support of longtime Philippine sports benefactor Manuel V. Pangilinan, the storied Tour emerged from its prolonged hibernation with a 2025 iteration that saw 17 local and international cycling teams traverse an eight-stage race through 7 provinces, 3 regions, and a total distance of over 1,060 kilometers.
Presented by Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) and organized by SDMI Sports and MAD Management Inc., this year’s Tour will run from April 29 to May 13 and feature a more grueling race route: 14 stages across 13 provinces, 5 regions, and over 1,800 kilometers.
With a tougher route and over 20 teams expected to participate in 2026, prioritizing the safety of the cyclists reigns paramount.
“Cycling at this level tests the limits of the human body,” CSMC SVP and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Antonio S. Say remarked during the recent signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the hospital and the Tour’s organizers. “That is why Cardinal Santos Medical Center, together with our partner hospitals across Luzon, will have medical teams ready along the route—prepared to respond quickly and professionally whenever the need arises.”
MPTC Tour of Luzon CEO and Chief Organizer Arrey A. Perez emphasized the hospital’s critical role in the underlying success of the 2026 Tour, “This partnership goes beyond the race track. It’s about showcasing the Philippines’ ability to host a premier sports event with care and excellence.”
“Through our partnership with the MPTC Tour of Luzon, we are proud to contribute our expertise in emergency and trauma care to safeguard the athletes who inspire communities across the country,” CSMC President and CEO Raul C. Pagdanganan underscored.
CSMC shall provide extensive medical support during the 15-day competition, which includes the deployment of fully equipped ambulances and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) teams along the race route for immediate response, a trauma doctor on hand to facilitate critical care interventions, and synergies with partner hospitals throughout Luzon to ensure expedient referrals in case of emergencies.
