A major milestone in Philippine healthcare has taken place in Bonifacio Global City as St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City officially inaugurated its designation as a World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) Training Center. The Institute of Digestive and Liver Diseases (IDLD) now serves as the WGO Manila Training Center, becoming the first WGO Training Center in the Philippines, one of only 25 WGO Training Centers worldwide, and the third in Southeast Asia. WGO President Dr. Carolina Olano was present for the inauguration.
A New Milestone for Digestive Health Education
The new WGO Manila Training Center strengthens St. Luke’s role in gastroenterology, digestive endoscopy, and hepatology education. The center is designed to provide structured training for gastroenterology professionals from the Philippines and the wider Asia-Pacific region. Its programs cover advanced diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy as well as clinical hepatology and other specialized areas of digestive and liver health.
The designation also builds on the Institute of Digestive and Liver Diseases' long-standing work in clinical service, research, education, training, and advocacy since its establishment at St. Luke’s Global City in 2010.
Bringing International Training Standards to BGC
The WGO Manila Training Center combines specialized facilities with opportunities for hands-on and simulation-based learning. Training areas include advanced procedures such as endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). The center also provides training in clinical hepatology, capsule endoscopy, gastrointestinal motility, and liver transplantation support. International trainees may also participate in clinical and endoscopic observerships, simulation-based training, workshops, and other educational activities, helping strengthen professional collaboration between Philippine specialists and their international counterparts. The center's location at St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City in Taguig also adds to BGC's growing presence as a destination for specialized healthcare, medical education, and research.
Strengthening the Future of Gastroenterology in the Philippines
Beyond being a new training facility, the WGO Manila Training Center provides an avenue for knowledge-sharing, mentorship, research, and professional development in digestive and liver health. With its WGO recognition, St. Luke’s Institute of Digestive and Liver Diseases becomes part of a global network dedicated to advancing standards in gastroenterology, endoscopy, and hepatology. The center is also intended to help build capacity in diagnosing and managing digestive and liver diseases while encouraging evidence-based practice and international collaboration. For Filipino healthcare professionals and trainees, the new center brings specialized international training opportunities closer to home. For BGC, it further highlights the district's role in bringing together advanced healthcare facilities, education, and innovation.
