General
September 25, 2025
Source: PERS
Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital Marks Historic First with SSI Mantra Installation
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — In a major leap for Philippine healthcare, the Jose B. Lingad Memorial General Hospital (JBLMGH) became the first medical institution in the Philippines to install and utilize the SSI Mantra surgical robotic system.
The inauguration of the system in July 2025 signaled a new era of "democratized" robotic surgery, aiming to make advanced, minimally invasive procedures more accessible and affordable for the Filipino public.
- First Installation: , a government-run facility, partnered with local distributor RBGM Medical Express Sales Inc. to bring the first SSI Mantra unit to the country.
- Rapid Adoption: Within its first two days of operation in September 2025, the hospital's surgical team, led by Dr. Ryan Quiambao, successfully performed seven robotic surgeries, including Central Luzon's first robotic cholecystectomy.
- Expanding Footprint: Following the success at , the in Mindanao became the second hospital in the Philippines to acquire the technology, launching its own "test drive" in August 2025.
About the SSI Mantra System
Developed by India-based SS Innovations, the SSI Mantra is a modular, multi-arm robotic system designed for high precision in various specialties, including urology, gynecology, and thoracic surgery.
- Technology: Features 3 to 5 modular robotic arms, an open-faced ergonomic command center, and a 3D 4K vision system.
- Affordability: Unlike older robotic systems, the Mantra is marketed as the most cost-effective option available, with lower maintenance and operating costs, directly supporting the Universal Health Care (UHC) mandate to upgrade regional health facilities.
- Regulatory Approval: The system received official regulatory approval in the Philippines in March 2025.
This advancement is expected to reduce patient recovery times and trauma while providing local access to world-class surgical expertise that was previously limited to major metropolitan centers like Manila.
SSI MantraRobotic Surgery
