Speakers from the Mapúa University School of Medicine, in collaboration with Arizona State University® (ASU), highlighted the transformative role of AI (artificial intelligence) and sustainability in advancing and achieving better healthcare during the recent TEDxMakati event held at the university’s Cardinal Cinema.
The event, with the theme “THRIVE,” challenged the “hustle culture” narrative and talked about revolutionary ideas on how to lead, adapt, flourish and still be energized, and brought together experts and speakers to decode sustainable success in work, life, and society.
Dr. Malaya Santos, the founding Dean of Mapúa University School of Medicine and a fellow of the Philippine Dermatological Society, shared during TEDxMakati how AI can help meet the key democratic goal of healthcare workers and the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that more people will have access to quality health services and address health inequities.
A long-term advocate for primary health care, community empowerment, and health systems science, Dr. Santos stated that the world is facing a crisis in healthcare and many Filipinos don’t have financial safeguards that often result in poorer health outcomes and lives lost from easily treatable and preventable diseases.
“Poverty drives health inequity. And as 21st century educators, our job is to teach medicine as the art of caring for the sick while advocating for basic rights and stronger health systems. It’s a huge task and we need powerful tools. But artificial intelligence is already changing the game in ways that were previously unimaginable. In a past life, the barriers to modernizing education seem almost insurmountable. With artificial intelligence, the old, traditional, one-size-fits-all curriculum is now becoming a thing of the past. It may sound like sci-fi but AI-powered virtual patients, augmented reality, customized podcasts, and other bespoke, personalized learning experiences are already part of our present-day teaching ecosystems,” Dr. Santos began. She further noted how AI is relevant for modern education and healthcare.
“Our students love it because it keeps them active and engaged. Precision education, predictive analytics, adaptive learning sound like big words. But they allow us to tailor our strategies to individuals’ needs, strengths, and learning needs,” she explained.
“Here’s the most important part: the future shouldn’t be about choosing to be AI.
It’s about capacitating people to use AI. The practical reminds us to serve our patients the best of our ability. And if AI has the power to bridge the workforce gap, improve access, and help us solve the world’s most pressing healthcare problems, then by all means, we must use it for the greater good,” Dr. Santos declared. The doctor-educator stressed the importance of healthcare workers collaborating with data scientists and AI experts to co-design systems aligned with good policy and values that make healthcare human-centric.
The TEDxMakati event also served as a platform for Dr. Jake Bryan Cortez, a board-certified Family and Community Medicine physician and Head of the Medical Education Unit at Mapúa University School of Medicine to advocate for planetary health as it is correlated with human health as well.
“Nearly one out of every four deaths today is linked to unhealthy environments. Because when streets flood, children develop diarrheal diseases. When heatwaves strike, elderly people collapse due to heatstroke. And when our food systems fail, we all go hungry,” Dr. Cortez explained.
“To be healthy in the 21st century is no longer just personal, it is planetary.
Planetary health is a new science that is built on one simple truth—healthy planet, healthy people. We can only thrive if our planet thrives. And no, this is not just about planting trees, or hugging polar bears, or even becoming environmental activists. Rather, it’s about realizing that the health of our patients goes beyond the four corners of our clinics. It’s about realizing that our health is shaped by the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the climate we all live in,” he continued.
This is the situation that Dr. Cortez sees every day in his practice as a family and community physician. He sees circumstances such as dengue spreading beyond the tropics and heart and lung diseases worsening because of polluted air as wake-up calls.
“These are wake-up calls that environmental degradation is not just an ecological issue, it is a public health emergency,” Dr. Cortez declared.
As an inaugural convenor of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians Special Interest Group on Planetary Health—a group of practitioners nationwide advancing sustainable, people-centered healthcare—it positions Dr. Cortez as a thought leader at the intersection of health, policy, and sustainability.
“It is time for doctors and health professionals to expand the circle of care. Time for us to stay true and to uphold our oath of doing no harm. Time for us to rise up to the challenge of building a more sustainable, equitable, and healthier future,” he said, urging fellow practitioners to advocate for sustainable healthcare and start even with small yet powerful actions.
“Prescribe clean air and exercise by encouraging active transport. Educate our patients about the impacts of climate change on their health. Make sure that our clinics and hospitals are more sustainable by conserving energy and reducing waste. And most of all, use our collective voice as trusted leaders in society to advocate for change,” Dr. Cortez emphasized.
He then encouraged everyone to take part in this mission.
“This task is not just for health professionals. For each and every one of you here, your everyday choices matter. Choose local, plant-based foods when available—they are healthier and they are lighter for the planet. Walk, ride a bike, take public transport when you can—they are better for your heart and the air we share. Support renewable energies. Limit the use of single-use plastics. And most importantly, raise your children to love and care for nature because lifelong stewardship starts in the family. Whether you are a health professional, a policymaker, a business leader, an educator, a student, or a parent, we all have a role to play,” he stressed.
“The choices we make today will shape not only our health, but also the health of generations to come. I firmly believe that if we truly want to thrive, we must heal both people and planet together. Imagine a world where floods are already controlled, where our children can play safely under the sun and where we can all breathe clean air,” Dr. Cortez concluded.
Through TEDxMakati, Mapúa University School of Medicine, in collaboration with ASU®, continues to empower its students and the community with innovative, forward-thinking approach that broaden perspectives in local and global settings. To know more about how the university elevates student learning experiences and trains its students for world-class patient care, visit https://www.mapua.edu.ph/pages/academics/school-of-medicine-in-collaboration-with-arizona-state-university.