The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation (TMP Foundation), and the University of the Philippines –
Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) officially mark a major milestone in the Healthcare Mobility for All (HEAL) Program with the introduction of the HEAL Mobile Clinic, an innovative solution designed to expand access to essential diagnostic and preventive services in
underserved communities. As part of the program, two Mobile Clinic units, each built from a Toyota Coaster, are being introduced to expand access to care, with the first now deployed in Ternate, Cavite. This initiative strengthens the HEAL Program’s mission of improving
healthcare accessibility through practical mobility solutions, helping reduce travel burdens while supporting timely and equitable patient care.
The HEAL Mobile Clinic began its phased deployment with an initial soft launch in Ternate, Cavite on December 19, 2025, offering Chest X-ray and Electrocardiogram (ECG) services. These imaging services are operationally ready ahead of the laboratory diagnostics, which will
be introduced in a subsequent phase as the Mobile Clinic progresses toward full service capability. Each Toyota Coaster unit is designed to operate as a fully equipped mobile healthcare facility offering eight key diagnostic services: Chest X-ray, ECG, Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), Urinalysis, Complete Blood Count (CBC), Lipid profile, Fasting Blood Sugar Test (FBS)/Random Blood Sugar Test (RBS), and Creatinine. These diagnostics support the early detection and management of common and high-burden diseases that afflict the people of the Philippines, such as diabetes, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory conditions.
In Ternate, Cavite, the first Mobile Clinic aims to serve the town’s 28,000 residents, some of whom may travel more than two hours to reach the UP-PGH main facility in Manila for consultation and diagnostic services. With the Mobile Clinic now stationed at the Municipal Health Office in Ternate, these patients can access essential diagnostics closer to home, reducing travel by nearly 100 km per visit when accounting for a round-trip journey. Byoperating locally, the Mobile Clinic also helps ease demand on the UP-PGH main facility by enabling routine diagnostics to be performed within the community, reserving hospital resources for more complex cases and reducing unnecessary trips to Manila. The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Ternate will provide support through essential infrastructure and utilities, including power supply, patient waiting areas, and ambulance access. Meanwhile, UP-PGH, through its Community Health and Development Program, will supply and oversee the medical teams responsible for operating the Mobile Clinic.
The second Mobile Clinic will serve communities in and around New Clark City, Tarlac, a rapidly developing government, education, and residential district. Communities around New Clark City continue to face barriers to diagnostic access, highlighting the need for expanded
and more accessible testing options. Through continued local partnerships with healthcare providers, the Mobile Clinic will help complement existing healthcare infrastructure, strengthen service availability, and provide valuable insights into how mobile diagnostics can support
emerging urban centers as they expand.
To further enhance efficiency, TMF is introducing a digital self-check-in system for both Mobile Clinics to help ensure that patients are accommodated promptly and by better matching the demand and available capacity of the clinic. An automated booking confirmation system will also be integrated to allow patients to be notified of their appointments in advance, streamlining patient flow, reducing waiting times, and supporting more coordinated clinical operations.
In photo (from left) are PGH Pathology Department chairperson Dr. Januario Veloso, PGH Family and Community Medicine Department chairperson Dr. Karin Garcia, TMP president and TMP Foundation vice chairman Masando Hashimoto, TMF executive program director Prasanna Ganesh, PGH director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, PGH Outpatient Department chairperson Dr. Esther Saguil, Provincial Government of Cavite board member Jasmin Maligaya-Bautista, Municipality of Ternate mayor Lamberto Bambao, UP Manila chancellor Dr. Michael Tee, PGH Radiology Department chairperson Dr. Vicente Francisco Hizon, TMSPH president and CEO Ma. Cristina Fe Arevalo, TMF Program general manager Nanako Kumamoto, and Deloitte Future of Mobility partner Yasuyuki Murakami with the HEAL mobile clinic that will deliver essential healthcare services to the residents of Cavite.
The HEAL Program also supports national efforts toward more equitable and community centered healthcare delivery. With UP-PGH’s clinical expertise and leadership in research, the Mobile Clinic provides an opportunity to explore how community-based diagnostic
services can complement existing health systems and reach more underserved populations. Insights gained through its operations may help inform future discussions on scalable approaches to expanding healthcare access.
By bringing healthcare closer to where people live, the HEAL Mobile Clinic helps reduce the need for long-distance hospital visits and eases congestion in major medical centers. It also lessens the physical, financial and time burdens that repeated travel places on patients and
their families, while contributing to a more consistent and accessible pathway to care for underserved communities.
The Mobile Clinic is delivered through strong collaboration with Toyota Mobility Solutions Philippines (TMSPH) as mobility partner, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) as engagement partner, and the Deloitte Future of Mobility Solution Center as development and
implementation partner, working alongside TMF and UP-PGH to support effective and sustainable operations.
Mr. Pras Ganesh, Executive Program Director of Toyota Mobility Foundation mentioned:
“Through the Mobile Clinic initiative, we are demonstrating how mobility can enable more inclusive and equitable access to healthcare. 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. Our hope is that this model not only supports patients today but also contributes to a broader understanding of how community-based healthcare delivery, including through the use of digital technologies for efficiency, can evolve in the years ahead. This effort reflects TMF’s commitment to building practical solutions that uplift people’s well-being and expand access to healthcare opportunities through the power of mobility.”
Mr. Jose Maria Aligada, President of Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation also adds:
“Following the introduction of the HEAL program during the TMP Foundation’s 35th anniversary in 2025, the mobile clinic component is now ready to serve indigent communities in Cavite. The months of preparation allowed us to witness firsthand how combined solutions
for mobility and public health are urgently needed at the grassroots level. We value this collaboration with TMF and UP-PGH, which has consolidated our respective expertise, actively supports nation-building, and positively impacts the quality of life for the
Filipino people.”
Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, Director of Philippine General Hospital affirms this and says:
“The Mobile Clinic supports communities by capacitating local primary healthcare efforts, bringing diagnostic capabilities and appropriate technology closer to where patients live. By introducing these tools at the community level, the initiative helps jumpstart local healthcare
programs and supports communities as they work toward greater self-reliance in addressing their healthcare needs. Through this approach, UP-PGH is able to extend its expertise beyond the hospital while working alongside local partners to encourage more sustainable,
community-based care.”