Sick kids hospital planned forformer US embassy site

 The Financial Tower that was to have soared above Avenids Balboa and the Santo Tomas Hospital is now the stuff of dreams, and in its place will be a new Children’s Hospital.

The news of  a center to replace the aging and crowded Hospital del Nino came from Health Minister  Franklin Vergara hours after the new Finance Minister, Frank De Lima announced that the castle in the sky was  not going to happen.

Along with the announcement came that news that the aborted project has already cost the taxpayer  $7.5 million. Architects Mallol and Mallol collected the bulk of it ($7.2 million) and the demolition of the former American  embassy that stood in the way, cost $300,000.

Opponents of the Financial Tower, including staff of Santo Tomas had long argued for  its conversion to  either a hospital facility or some form of artistic or social center.

Nestor Vega, president of the physicians of Santo Tomas asked the MoH to take them into account in any of the projects carried out there, because many groups influenced their the government to change its mind about building the financial tower.
"We need to develop studies and we are ready to cooperate with the MoH authorities," said Vega.