SM Foundation turned over two newly renovated public health facilities on September 2 and 3: the San Remigio Primary Care Facility in San Remigio, and the Naval Base Rafael Ramos (NBRR) Medical and Dental Dispensary in Lapu-Lapu City.

These renovations are part of the foundation’s broader Health and Medical Programs, which focus on upgrading public healthcare facilities—from rural health centers to hospitals—to enhance accessibility and promote preventive care, especially for vulnerable and remote communities across the Philippines.

 Expanding Central Cebu’s Naval base services

The NBRR Medical and Dental Dispensary underwent extensive upgrades. The once compact 99-square-meter space has been expanded into a 446-square-meter, fully functional dispensary, following a collaboration between the foundation, Makati Medical Center Foundation (MMCF), and the Philippine Navy.

The refurbishment maximized the structure originally built as a hospital, outfitting it with modern examination rooms, a minor surgical room, and a dental section. The new layout also includes a laboratory, pharmacy, emergency room, male and female observation rooms, radiology services, an expanded outpatient department, as well as a supply and records section, lounge, waiting area, and conference room.

To strengthen its operations, the MMCF donated vital medical equipment, while SM Foundation introduced its DigiKonsulta platform to support teleconsultations and digitized patient records. The collaboration for social good put the dispensary in a position to secure Department of Health (DOH) and PhilHealth licensing, enabling it to broaden its reach. Once accredited, the facility is expected to better serve some 500 uniformed personnel and their families, as well as residents of the surrounding barangays of Canjulao and Looc, which is home to more than 38,000 people combined.

Upgrading a typhoon-hit health facility

In San Remigio, SM Foundation returned to a facility it had first rehabilitated in the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, when the local rural health unit was severely damaged.

Now expanded into a full-fledged Primary Care Facility, the center has undergone a second wave of improvements under the foundation’s Phase 2 project. The upgraded facility features a redesigned layout, updated medical equipment, and sustainable elements, including a rainwater-harvesting system, energy-efficient lighting, air-cleaning paints, and enhanced greenery.

With these developments, the center is better positioned to meet the standards set by the DOH and PhilHealth.

These efforts build on SM Foundation’s earlier initiatives, such as the upgrade at the Naval Station Julhasan Arasain Medical and Dental Dispensary in Legazpi City, as well as the 2023 upgrade of the San Fernando, Cebu Primary Care Facility.

Since its launch, SM Foundation Health and Medical Programs have renovated nearly 220 wellness centers, aiming to align healthcare infrastructure with national standards and deliver quality care to communities.