Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Toyota introduces mobile clinic for essential diagnostic to underserve PH communities 

The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) and Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation (TMP Foundation), in partnership with the University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) have introduced HEAL (Healthcare Mobility for All) Mobile Clinic Program, 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. The other HEAL Mobile Clinic will serve communities in and around New Clark City, Tarlac. 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.

By operating 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 in New Clark City, Tarlac will help  a rapidly developing government, education, and residential district in communities around New Clark City.  This rapidly growing communities continue to face barriers to diagnostic access, highlighting the need for expanded and more accessible testing options.

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. The HEAL Program also supports national efforts toward more equitable and community centered healthcare delivery.

“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,” said Pras Ganesh, Executive Program Director of Toyota Mobility Foundation.

Mr. Jose Maria Aligada, President of Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation also noted that 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,” he said.

Dr. Gerardo Legaspi, Director of Philippine General Hospital affirmed this, adding: “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 “

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