Insider Spotlight
Why it matters
Access to basic diagnostics remains a major barrier for many Filipinos living outside urban centers. Long travel times, high transport costs, and overcrowded hospitals often delay early detection and treatment.
By deploying fully equipped mobile clinics, the Healthcare Mobility for All program aims to close those gaps while easing pressure on major medical facilities.
What’s happening
The HEAL Mobile Clinic initiative, led by Toyota Mobility Foundation alongside Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation and the University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital, has begun phased deployment of mobile diagnostic units built from Toyota Coaster vehicles.
The first unit is now operating in Ternate, Cavite, with another planned for communities around New Clark City, Tarlac.
Each mobile clinic is designed to function as a self-contained healthcare facility offering core diagnostic services such as chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, blood sugar testing, and kidney and lipid profiling.
These services support early detection of high-burden conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and respiratory illnesses.
Between the lines
For residents of Ternate, some of whom previously traveled more than two hours to Manila for diagnostics, the mobile clinic dramatically shortens the distance to care.
By localizing routine testing, the program allows hospitals like UP-PGH to focus resources on more complex cases while patients receive timely preventive services closer to home.
What they’re saying
“Through the Mobile Clinic initiative, we are demonstrating how mobility can enable more inclusive and equitable access to healthcare,” Pras Ganesh, executive program director of Toyota Mobility Foundation, said in a press statement.
“By bringing essential diagnostic services directly to communities, we aim to reduce the barriers that prevent so many individuals from seeking timely care—whether those barriers are distance, cost, or limited service availability.”
Jose Maria Aligada, president of Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation, said the initiative reflects the urgency of combining mobility and public health solutions at the grassroots level, particularly for indigent communities in Cavite.
Zoom out
Beyond immediate service delivery, the HEAL Mobile Clinic serves as a test case for scalable, community-based healt-hcare models.
With digital self-check-in and automated booking systems being introduced, the program also explores how technology can improve efficiency and patient flow in mobile health settings.
The bottom line
By focusing on preventive and diagnostic care in underserved areas, the HEAL Mobile Clinic program underscores how practical mobility solutions can play a critical role in building more equitable and accessible healthcare systems across the Philippines. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
