“Healthcare is essential to human well-being. It is the foundation of strong and resilient communities, yet access to adequate healthcare remains a challenge for many.” – Connie Angeles, SMFI Executive Director
Enshrined in the Philippine Constitution are provisions to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them, and to adopt and integrated and comprehensive approach to health development.
Over the years, SM Foundation has been a reliable partner of government in ensuring health and medical services which are made accessible to disadvantaged sectors of society.
To help bridge the gap in medical and healthcare, SM Foundation renovates barangay health centers, rural health units and wards in government hospitals. Also among the beneficiaries are members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the police organization.
Recently, SM Foundation turned over the newly renovated Basa Air Base Hospital located in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
In her message during the occasion, SM Foundation Executive Director for Health and Medical Programs Connie Angeles said “For several years now, the Foundation has been engaged in the renovation and refurbishment of military health facilities, ensuring they are responsive to the needs of our nation’s men and women in uniform.”
“These dedicated individuals commit their lives to defending our country, and it is our mission to support their well-being in return,” she added.
The Basa Air Base Hospital is a 17-bed capacity facility catering to the medical and healthcare needs of military personnel, their dependents and authorized civilians. Its services include medical services in general medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, and EENT; ancillary services such as ECG, X-ray, and laboratory; ambulatory services, preventive medicine; training programs; and aeromedical services that includes air evacuation of patients, mercy missions, and search and rescue operations.
Turned over to Basa Air Base Hospital is the second phase of SM Foundation’s project after its maiden project inaugurated on February 6, 2015 transformed the hospital into a DOH and PhilHealth-accredited military treatment facility.
With the renovation, the Emergency Room and Reception area are now seamlessly connected to the Out-patient Department. The hospital now utilizes energy-efficient LED lighting and provided with inverter appliances for sustainability. It is also coated with air-purifying paint to remove air pollutants thereby ensuring a healthier atmosphere for patients and staff.
Another innovation introduced by SM Foundation in the hospital is the DigiKonsulta which allows for virtual consultation and digitization of patients’ records. The electronic medical record can be accessed by other health centers and enable enrolment of patients to PhilHealth Consulta. SM Foundation donated laptops for the DigiKonsulta. The Basa Air Base Hospital is the first military hospital with DigiKonsulta.
To date, SM Foundation has renovated 41 military heath facilities of which 19 are for the Philippine Army, 12 for the Philippine Air Force, 9 for the Philippine Navy, and one for the Philippine Marines.
Also present during the event were Col Villamor B Costales Jr PAF (GSC), LTC Cherry V Sison MC, Jerwin Jalandoni, SM Clark Mall Manager and SM Foundation officials. Fr. Lt Col. Pablo de Guzman led the blessing of the facility.
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