Mobile labs bring health care closer to the people

Mobile Lab Pasig turnover with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto and other government officials.

In June 2023, the Metrobank Group received a very important call.

It was a personal call from the office of first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos requesting support for an initiative that aims to provide free and accessible health-care services to Filipinos, particularly in underserved communities.

Metrobank Foundation Inc. (MBFI), the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group, quickly responded to the request. Together with Toyota Motor Philippines, MBFI later called for a meeting with Manila Doctors Hospital to consult on the project and what equipment should be included to make the most impact.

And that marked the beginning of an important partnership that is now known as the Labs for All project.

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“Metrobank Foundation and Toyota Motors Philippines Foundation committed to donate a total of five mobile labs of which four have already been deployed,” a representative from the foundation tells the Inquirer in an interview.

Under the project, Toyota was tapped by the national government through the Department of Health to supply the vehicles that will be converted and used as mobile laboratories.

The converted Toyota coaster units are equipped with modern medical devices such as electrocardiogram (ECG) machines, ultrasound, X-ray technology and a consultation space for specialists.

The mobile laboratories are designed to deliver on-the-go health-care services, ensuring that even remote or disaster-stricken areas have access to essential diagnostics and medical consultations.

High need

According to the foundation, the first local government unit (LGU) that had received the four mobile labs that it deployed so far was Bacolod City last June 27.

More than three months later, three more units were distributed in Pasig City, Tacloban City and the municipality of Santa Catalina in the northern province of Ilocos Sur.

One more unit will be distributed by early next year. As it is, the foundation and the office of the first lady carefully assessed all the requests for mobile labs that it had received from different parts of the country to ensure that medical help would reach those areas that needed it the most.

“Given that the office of the first lady has been implementing the Lab for All caravans all over the country, they also receive the requests from various cities and municipalities to receive mobile labs. As such, they ask Metrobank Foundation whether the abovementioned local government units are acceptable to be recipients of the mobile labs,” the foundation says.

“MBFI—finding that the need in these LGUs are high and at the same time, the good, longstanding track record of its leaders—we agreed to the recommendations,” it adds.

Public, private effort

If anything, the partnership is a testament to what can be achieved when the public and private sectors join hands for a common cause.

“By leveraging shared resources and expertise, both institutions work together to bridge gaps in the healthcare system, ensuring that every Filipino has access to essential medical services,” the foundation says.

“This collaboration is more than just a project, but a commitment to the well-being of the Filipino people, fostering a sense of hope and community,” it adds.

Since 1979, MBFI has been committed to improving the lives of Filipinos. Its work has always included providing sustainable health solutions that create lasting and positive impacts on communities.

For instance, the Foundation’s grant-making activities have supported the construction of WASH (Water Sanitation and Hygiene) facilities in public schools, as well as the conduct of lectures and seminars on health maintenance and proper hygiene. Basic healthcare services are also being supported through medical and surgical missions in selected areas around the country.

And this commitment to healthcare was very much present at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Metrobank Group and conglomerate GT Capital Holdings Inc. utilized over P220 million to help tackle the health crisis through MBFI and GT Capital Foundation.

Moving forward, MBFI is open to new collaborators that can help expand the Labs for All initiative.

“MBFI is open to the possibility of partnering with other corporate foundations and non-profits for this project,” it says.