UNIQLO Philippines and SM Foundation recently collaborated to send additional aid to communities hit by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.

About 43 high-risk barangays in Zamboanga Del Sur, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Bulacan, Isabela, and Cagayan received Emergency GoKit+, with the distribution led by SM employee-volunteers.

 

An SM employee-volunteer from SM City Marilao prepares the Emergency GoKit+ for distribution.

The kits are aptly equipped with medicines and basic medical supplies, tools, and equipment to empower barangays in providing better first-aid responses when calamities or other emergencies occur.

Health workers from Bulacan receive the Emergency GoKit+

Meanwhile, over 2,400 families also received dinner sets through the collaboration.

SM employee-volunteers prepare the donations for Paeng-hit communities in Laguna.

It can be recalled that heavy rains hammered parts of Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon, affecting almost a million Filipinos and leaving thousands displaced and over a hundred injured. Shortly after, SM Foundation and SM Supermalls employee-volunteers handed out Kalinga Packs to 8,800 affected families.

SM employee-volunteers from SM City Sta. Rosa hand dinner sets to Paeng-hit communities in Laguna.

When disaster strikes, SM Foundation, together with SM Supermalls and SM Markets, is committed to providing immediate relief to those affected by calamities through its Operation Tulong Express (OPTE). Since 2014, the program has distributed over 700,000 Kalinga Packs (relief packs) nationwide.




To learn more about UNIQLO’s sustainability efforts, visit https://www.uniqlo.com/ph/en/spl/uniqlo-nuvali, or follow UNIQLO Philippines on Facebook and @uniqlophofficial on Instagram.

To learn more about SMFI’s OPTE program and more social good programs, visit www.sm-foundation.org or follow its social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube): @SMFoundationInc.

Music makes everything better, especially when heard in the greatest quality possible. Inconveniences such as audio distortion, blown speakers, poor bass, and treble quality can be a total mood killer. It’s about time that you invest in a well-rounded device that will allow you to experience powerful sound wherever you go, something that the new Samsung Sound Tower ST50B provides!

The new wireless Samsung Sound Tower can keep you company whenever and wherever you like, no matter the occasion.
Take incredible sound with you everywhere

The Samsung Sound Tower ST50B is geared for all of life’s experiences. With a strong internal battery lasting up to 18 hours, it plays ultra-powerful audio that allows you to enjoy unplugged entertainment all day and all night.

Music by the poolside? No worries! The Sound Tower ST50B is water-resistant with an IPX5 feature ensuring that it is protected against low-pressure water streams. There’s no need to be anxious that a night of non-stop partying and accidental drink spills will ruin your speakers.

 

 

Powerful music, one device

Share your music with others with the Sound Tower’s wireless capabilities. Pair up to two mobiles with the Sound Tower simultaneously and enjoy music with your friends with the Bluetooth multi-connection feature. You can also amplify your sound experience by connecting up to ten Sound Towers wirelessly with the Group Play feature, perfect for gatherings or even if you just want it loud.

Enjoying concerts and movie marathons with friends and family anywhere in great quality is possible with the Sound Tower. It’s simple to connect your TV to the sound tower–so sit back, relax, and experience amplified sound quality with its seamless wireless TV connection.
Partying at home sounds better than ever

The Samsung Sound Tower ST50B is always up for a party! Get the room jumping and keep the good vibes flowing with its unique bi-directional speakers, which allow sound to be heard clearly in multiple directions. Whether your party is indoors or outdoors, shaking it up with incredible, immersive, sound is just a push of a button away.

It just isn’t a party without an awesome light show–so go all-out with the Sound Tower’s built-in LED party lights that set the mood through dynamic lighting effects such as party, ambient, and dance modes. Choose how these sparkly lights will enliven the venue through the use of the Samsung Sound Tower App on your mobile device. Be the disc jockey yourself using the DJ Effect for the best sound available for all types of music.

Karaoke sessions with family and friends get a level up! Own the stage and sing your hearts out with the Samsung Sound Tower ST50B’s Karaoke Mode plus dedicated mic input.

Ready to experience powerful sound wherever you go? Have a blast with the Samsung Sound Tower ST50B and get your well-rounded sound device now! For more exciting updates on Samsung TV and Sound Devices, check out www.samsung.com/ph, and follow Samsung on their official Facebook and Instagram pages.

For all avid home cooks out there, here’s a question we want you to answer truthfully: As much as you love making creations in your own kitchens, how often do you find yourself craving take-out food?

If your answer is “a lot,” then you’re definitely not alone in your plight. Ordering in is as convenient as it goes, especially now in a time of food delivery services being available anywhere you are. More than that, there’s just something different about enjoying something prepped by your favorite restaurant. The magic lies in not having to slave in front of a stove–and enjoying restaurant-quality dishes in the comfort of your own home.

But then again, what really is the true meaning of restaurant-level food nowadays? What if we tell you that you can still enjoy the same quality of take-outs by cooking in your kitchen?

Convenience and quality come in the form of the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, the new kitchen must-have for every discerning homemaker. The newest in the line of the premium brand’s standout oven models, the Smart Oven Air Fryer boasts an outstanding product DNA that can help anyone create restaurant-quality food at home.

Versatility-wise, this unit from Breville is packed with ten cooking functions that include toasting, grilling, roasting, slow cooking, and a dedicated air frying function. It also uses a dual-speed convection technology that reduces cooking time by 30 percent so you can enjoy your food faster. What makes the Smart Oven Air Fryer even better, moreover, is that it cooks without oil so you can enjoy healthier versions of your favorite dishes. Thanks to its trademarked Element IQ System—a smart algorithm that helps create the ideal cooking environment for a range of different cooking techniques—the guesswork for the right settings is taken out of the equation, making this unit ideal even for newbie home cooks. It’s like bringing a professional restaurant-level kitchen partner that does the work for you right in your very home.

If you’re wondering how far you can take your creativity with the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, here are some recipes that you can try on your own. Fair warning, you might NEVER want to order take-out again after having a bite of them!

LIME DOUGHNUTS

Donuts are never a miss if you have a sweet tooth. Make your own handcrafted donuts at home by following this recipe.

975 g Flour, All Purpose

1.5 g Groceries, Yeast

20 g Sea Salt

100 g Refined, sugar

8 pcs Eggs, raw

220 ml Water

130 ml Dairy, Full Cream Milk

900 g Dairy, Unsalted Butter

60 ml Groceries, Buttermilk

20 ml Juice, Lime

1.5 g Salt, Kosher

300 ml Vegetable Oil

400 g Lime

Doughnut Procedure: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, and milk. Whisk in the butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until the liquid is absorbed and there are no lumps. The mixture will resemble muffin batter. It may look a little lumpy and slightly greasy but be assured that all of the butter will be absorbed by the time the dough rises. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours.

Uncover the bowl and use a rubber spatula to gently loosen the dough from the bowl. Dampen your hands with cool water and slide one hand under one side of the dough. Fold that side of the dough into the center and press it down gently so it adheres to itself. Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the folding process two more times. After the fourth fold, flip the dough over so the seams are on the bottom. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours, or overnight.

Uncover the bowl and repeat the folding procedure in the previous step. Put the dough onto a plastic wrap–lined baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and pat the dough into a flattened dome. Refrigerate the dough until it is firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly dust them with flour. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and dust a countertop lightly but evenly with flour. Turn the dough out onto the floured countertop and dust it with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 3⁄8-inch (9 mm) thickness. Use additional flour if it begins to stick. Use a 3-inch (8 cm) doughnut cutter to cut out the doughnuts and put them onto the parchment-lined pans. Separate the holes from the doughnuts so they may be fried separately. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap and let the doughnuts proof for 1 hour. Gently ball up the trimmings from the doughnuts, put them in a bowl, cover them with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until they firm up, at least 1 hour or up to 24. These trimmings may be rerolled to make additional doughnuts.

Pour 2 inches (5 cm) of oil into a large pot and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 350F (177C). Set a wire rack over a baking sheet. Put 4 to 5 doughnuts at a time in the oil and cook for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon or spider to flip the doughnuts over and cook them for 1 minute on the other side. Flip one more time and cook for 1 minute more. The doughnuts should be golden brown. Use the slotted spoon to transfer the doughnuts from the oil to the rack to cool. Repeat to cook the remaining doughnuts. To cook the holes, put 12 into the oil at a time and cook for 45 seconds. Use the slotted spoon to turn the holes over and cook for 45 more seconds. Some of the holes may not flip, so use the slotted spoon to stir them in the oil so they cook evenly. Transfer the holes to the wire rack.

Lime Glaze Procedure: Put the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and pour in the buttermilk, lime juice, and salt. Use a whisk to stir the mixture together until it forms a smooth glaze. Reserve at room temperature and whisk until smooth before using.

Dip one side of each doughnut into the glaze, then flip the glaze side up and return to the cooling rack.

Grate the zest of 3 of the limes over the glazed doughnuts.

Once all the doughnuts are glazed, put the doughnut holes into the bowl with the glaze and grate the zest from the remaining lime into the bowl.

Use a spoon to mix the holes in the glaze and evenly coat them.

Transfer the holes to the wire rack and let the glaze harden. Serve once the glaze is firm to the touch if you can wait that long.

AIR FRIED INASAL CHICKEN WINGS

Get your fill of chicken wings with this easy air fryer recipe. Chicken inasal is one of the most famous dishes to be seen on a wide table of Filipino cuisine.

3 pcs Ginger, thumb

3 pcs Lemongrass

500 g Poultry, Chicken Wings

2 tbsp Fish sauce

2 tbsp Garlic powder

2 tbsp Onion powder

3 tbsp atsuete oil

1 tbsp Black Pepper Crushed

10 pcs Calamansi (juiced)

4 pcs Lemon wedge

Using the Breville Juicer, juice the ginger and lemongrass to make a concentrated extract of ginger and lemongrass.

Combine the extract in a Ziplock with the chicken wings, fish sauce, soy sauce, calamansi, garlic powder, onion powder, astute oil, and ground pepper.

Shake up the contents of the ziplock to combine thoroughly.

Allow to marinate for at least 3 hours. Marinate overnight for best results.

Empty the contents of the ziplock onto the black tray provided with your Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer.

Air Fry the chicken wings for 12 mins at 360 Deg F.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Flex your kitchen magic with the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer. For more information about it, check out Breville Philippines’ website or follow their Facebook and Instagram pages. Managing your own space is as fulfilling as it is challenging sometimes. For anyone living in a modern apartment or a condo set-up where every square foot holds its weight in gold, finding the sweet spot between maximizing space and making it conducive for everyday living can be a real struggle.

It’s because of this need that so many multi-functional and space-saving household essentials shot in popularity in recent years. But how effective are they for other parts of the home where we usually spend a lot of time doing manual work and prep? Case in point: our kitchens.

Years ago, a regular kitchen was expected to have several appliances to be truly functional. But modern problems require modern solutions, and so a new wave of kitchen partners that can do multiple jobs started taking over households. Think about it: a few years ago, would you have even imagined that you could survive without a stove?

Now you might say, “This isn’t even possible at present” Well, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is here to prove you wrong. The latest model from the premium lifestyle brand’s best-selling line of kitchen partners, the Smart Oven Air Fryer is a versatile unit that can do almost anything and everything a home cook needs in their kitchen.

The model’s dedicated air frying setting is just the tip of the iceberg of its note-worthy line of features. With ten cooking functions that include grilling, slow cooking, baking, roasting, and even a pizza-cooking feature, you can skip having a stove–and a dozen other appliances in your kitchen. Make your favorite roast or whip up your favorite crunchy fries in minutes with its dual-speed convection feature that raises hot air and sinks cold air to reduce the cooking time by 30 percent.

The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer also has an Element IQ System that makes it ideal even for a newbie home cook. The technology is a smart algorithm feature that helps create the perfect cooking environment for different cooking techniques. The advanced sensing and temperature control of this model promises even cooking all the time, eliminating guesswork for its users.

In terms of design, the Smart Oven Air Fryer is crafted for ease of use. It comes with a clear and easy-to-understand LCD Display and an interior oven light that automatically turns on at the end of every cooking cycle. Topping these is its sophisticated and sleek aesthetic which makes it so easy to fit in any modern, classy home.

True enough, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer checks all the boxes a smart homeowner needs from a cooking appliance. It is sleek, versatile, user-friendly, and can elevate anyone’s creativity in the kitchen regardless of their cooking level. Small space or not, this model is a definite must-have for anyone looking for a kitchen partner that can meet their modern needs.

Do you want to learn more about the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer? Check out their website or follow their Facebook and Instagram pages now for more information.

Ortigas Malls kicked off its Women’s Month celebration with “Gahum sa Buwak: Flower Power,” an art event featuring works by women artists and fashion designers from Davao, at the G/F East Wing of Estancia Mall in Pasig City. The month-long event will run until March 31, 2023.

“For Women’s Month, we wanted to put the spotlight on Filipina artists from Davao through ‘Gahum sa Buwak,’ which directly translates to ‘flower power.’ The event seeks to provide Dabawenya artists an avenue where they can be seen and heard, and be given opportunities to showcase their creativity. Ortigas Malls supports this call, and we are excited to host our local artists in Estancia,” said Arch. Renee Bacani, Vice President of Ortigas Land.

Organized by Dabawenyo Artists Federation Inc. art group Floral Artists of Davao, Gahum sa Buwak features the works of various female artists, including paintings by Rita Bustamante, Mean Tan Guinoo, Annie Tan Sy, Maru Aiharu, Aimee Suarez, Josie Tionko, Ritzel Polinar, Nina Custodio, Marica Llamas Cang, Shaira Secuya, Jing Rabat, and Amanda Fe Echevarria; a photography exhibit by Ellah Plariza; and digital art by Anthonette Plariza.


The opening ceremony and ribbon cutting at Estancia Mall was attended by Vice President Sara Duterte, Pasig City Vice Mayor Robert Jaworski Jr., Department of Tourism Mindanao director Tanya Rabat, fashion designer Margarita Montemayor Nograles, National Artist for dance Agnes Locsin, and honorary consul of Hungary for Mindanao Mary Ann Montemayor.


Art talks

 

Throughout the month of March, Estancia Mall will host a series of “Gahum sa Buwak” art talks by Amanda Fe Echevarria (“An Introduction to Art Therapy” on March 4, 2pm), Rita Bustamante (“Lecture on the process of a creative experience” on March 12, 3pm), and Councilor Pilar Braga (“Art and Culture in Davao” on March 26, 3pm).


Fashion show

 

There will also be a fashion show called “Threads of Culture” featuring ensembles by Margarita Montemayor Nograles of local brand Kaayo and jewelry designer Kathryn Fanlo on March 19th.


Workshops

 

To cap off the Women’s Month celebration, visitors can join a painting workshop on March 31, 2pm called “Musing the Soul, Painting and Poetry in Words and Colour,” where they will create art in different mediums, such as painting using acrylic, oil, and watercolor.


Estancia Mall, a shopping mall with a modern luxurious feel and design, is known for hosting events highlighting Filipino talent and creativity. For five years, it has been the venue for the annual Ortigas Art Festival, an event showcasing local art of various disciplines. A live music venue is also located in Estancia Mall, where shoppers can watch Filipino musicians perform.


***


With “Gahum sa Buwak,” Ortigas Malls continues to support Filipino arts by providing a platform and venue for artists across the Philippines.


“Bringing art closer to every Filipino is important to us. We hope many of our loyal shoppers get a chance to experience the exhibit and activities in ‘Gahum sa Buwak,’” said Arch. Bacani.


“Gahum sa Buwak: Flower Power” will run from March 1 to March 31, 2023 at the GF East Wing of Estancia Mall, Pasig City.


For more information and updates on Estancia Mall, like their Facebook page and follow @estanciaph on Instagram. Download the Ortigas Malls app and be part of the community.

iPeople & Mapua execs introduced in a presscon the various breakthrough programs resulting from the collaboration of Mapua University with Arizona State University, who has been ranked as America’s Most Innovative University over the last 8 years. (From L-R): Dr. Dodjie Maestrecampo (President & CEO, Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao), Engr. Anthony Hilmer S. Medrano (EVP & COO, Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna), Dr. Bonifacio T. Doma Jr. (EVP for International Alliance & Cintana Partnership Executive Director), Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea (President, Mapúa University & Chairman, iPeople), Alfredo Ayala (President, iPeople), Lorenzo V. Tan (President & CEO, House of Investments, Inc. of the Yuchengco Group of Companies), Gemma O. Cheng (Vice President & CFO of iPeople), and Justin Fabia (Country Manager for Philippines, Cintana Education).

Manila, Philippines – iPeople, the publicly listed Yuchengco-Ayala education partnership, introduced today a first of its kind offering that enables Filipino students to immerse themselves in global educational experiences with top international universities and a top Philippine university, in a highly cost-effective manner.

Last year, iPeople school Mapua University and its daughter schools Mapua Malayan Colleges Laguna and Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao, entered into a collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU), which has been ranked America’s most innovative university, ahead of Stanford and MIT, over the past 8 years.

The collaboration is focused on Business and Health Sciences programs. In the latest US News & World Report online program rankings, ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business ranked Top 10 in the US across 8 programs and disciplines, including the #1 spot for online bachelor’s in business programs, and ASU’s online bachelor’s program in psychology was ranked #4.

Through this collaboration, the Mapua schools also became members of the ASU-Cintana Alliance, a global network of 15 of the most innovative higher education institutions in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Chris Hill, Chief Strategy Officer, and Head of Asia Pacific at Cintana, said, “We are delighted to be collaborating with the Mapua schools, whom we selected as our Philippine champions, because of their long-standing reputation for innovation and academic excellence. The recent ranking of Mapua as one of the top 4 Philippine universities, together with UP, Ateneo and LaSalle, in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, is clear evidence of the quality of a Mapuan education.”

Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea, President of Mapua University and Chairman of iPeople, said: “We have long been focused on delivering the hallmarks of a Mapuan education: international, digitally enhanced, outcomes-based and research-driven. Our collaboration with global leader ASU and being part of the ASU-Cintana Alliance enable us to take these to a higher level for our students, by giving them numerous opportunities to learn with a top ranked US university, and other leading education institutions around the world.”

At a press conference held in Mapua’s brand new Makati campus, the most modern in the NCR, the collaborating schools introduced several ground-breaking offerings.

During their time at the Mapua schools, students now have the opportunity to be immersed in international learning experiences in numerous ways. Firstly, they have access to ASU’s world-class content in all their ASU-enhanced courses. Secondly, students are able to participate in Global Signature Courses through state-of-the-art virtual Global Classrooms, which give them the opportunity to learn remotely from professors at member universities of the ASU-Cintana Alliance, and interact with classmates from around the world, without leaving the Philippines.

Students can also participate in classes co-lectured by ASU faculty in the US. Lastly, students will have many opportunities to participate in dozens of student exchange and summer immersion programs at ASU-Cintana Alliance schools.

Lorenzo V. Tan, the CEO of House of Investments, the listed holding company of YGC (Yuchengco Group of Companies), and the majority shareholder of iPeople said, “YGC has long prioritized education as one of our contributions to nation building. It is very timely that our Mapua schools are launching this very innovative and global initiative as we celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of our past Chairman, Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco, who had always advocated for making quality education more affordable for Filipinos and had forged many successful partnerships with industry leaders from around the world.”

Cezar P. Consing, the CEO of Ayala Corporation, added: “This initiative will allow young people access to education that, while Philippine centered, is also global in quality and in reach. We want to help develop a generation of truly global Filipinos, because our country deserves the best the world has to offer.”

Operations at the Baliwag RHUs run even more smoothly after the upgrades made by SM Foundation and UNIQLO.

Small as they seem, local community health centers hold a significant impact in improving Filipinos’ lives.

According to the 2017 National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS), Filipinos continue to count on public medical facilities, such as public hospitals, rural health units, or barangay health stations, for their healthcare treatments.

The NDHS showed that the majority of parents whose children had fever, diarrhea, or acute respiratory infection sought advice or treatment from public healthcare facilities.

These facilities are also the most common source of contraceptives. Beyond this, public health facilities have been an active platform for vaccination and other key health programs.

But despite their vital role, the facilities are hindered from functioning at their full potential by a multitude of challenges, such as deficiency of facility infrastructure, and lack of strategic medical equipment and supplies.

Providing services that the community deserves

Just north of Metro Manila stands the Rural Health Unit (RHU) III of Baliwag City.

The facility is one of the RHUs recently upgraded by the SM group through the SM Foundation’s partnership with UNIQLO Philippines.

The RHU serves 300 patients daily (on average).

The majority are from low-income households from 8 barangays, where three are the biggest in the city.

The number does not include COVID-19 vaccinations, family planning services, medicine and prescription refills, and requests for medical and death certificates.

“Bukod sa may mga anay, ang mga pintura ay nagba-bakbakan. Ang mga pinto at ceiling namin ay sira or may mga crack. Kailangan na talagang i-renovate dahil marami nang sira,” RHU III midwife Rebecca Galves shared the previous state of their center.

Aside from the damage that comes from daily use, the RHU’s layout wasn’t optimized to fit documents, medical tools and equipment, and necessary furniture.

Patients had to sit close to each other during checkups and consultations, limiting workers’ efficiency and patients’ privacy and safety.

“Dahil masikip dito sa loob, hindi namin kayang i-accommodate lahat ng pasyente. Unang una, hindi dapat maging crowded sa pasilidad dahil tayo ay nasa pandemic pa kailangan pa rin ng social distancing. Kaya ang mga pasyente namin ay kadalasang naghihintay sa initan sa labas. Kapag umuulan, nababasa sila,” she recalled.

“Bukod sa marami kaming kagamitan at documents na hindi na magkasya sa mga cabinets, sa isang kwarto, tatlong kama pa ang nakalagay. At dahil masikip, minsan, ang waste products ay nasa ilalim na ng kama. Hindi namin maibigay ang komportableng kapaligiran at ang serbisyong gusto sana naming maihatid,” she added.

For her, the renovation of the center done by the SM Foundation could not have come at a better time.

Now, she can finally deliver the medical help she has long hoped to give the community—a service people deserve.

With renewed fervor, midwife Rebecca Galves fixes the maternity bed inside Baliwag RHU III.

“Ngayong narenovate na ang Center, nakakatiyak kami na gaganda pa lalo ang kalidad ng serbisyo. Unang una, komportable na ang lugar kung saan maghihintay ang mga pasyente. Bukod pa dito, mai-hihiwalay namin ang mga pasyente base sa kalagayan at pangangailan nila. Higit pa rito, pag bumisita ang mga pasyente, mararamdaman nilang para silang nasa makabagong pasilidad dahil malinis at maaliwalas na dito ngayon,” she described the new RHU III.

“Kagaya ng sinasabi namin sa mga pasiyente, mahalaga ang maayos at malinis na kapaligiran dahil nakakatulong ito sa pagpapapagaan ng pakiramdam. Kaya dito sa bagong center, pag-upo pa lang nila, makakaramdam na sila ng ginhawa—na parang gagaling na sila. Ganoon din sa aming mga health workers. Dahil maayos na ang aming pinagtatrabahuhan, iba ang pakiramdam namin. Mas excited kaming magtrabaho at mas panatag kaming maghatid ng kalidad na serbisyo sa bawat pasiyente,” Galves added.

Galves takes a pregnant mother’s blood pressure in preparation for her monthly checkup.

Aside from the RHUs in Baliwag, SM Foundation and UNIQLO’s partnership pave the way for the renovation of Pulilan RHU 1 and 2.

The upgrade of these two health facilities centers on SM Foundation’s mission: help community health centers by providing adequate facilities and equipment to improve medical care, especially in rural areas.

Local health workers come together to plan for the reopening of Pulilan RHU II

Through the recent upgrade, the centers are ready to meet the accreditation standards set by PhilHealth.

In turn, the RHUs can provide medical care to more indigent and underprivileged patients.

They can also receive funding from the government for administrative use and the purchase of supplies to better serve the community.

Continued trust in public health

Close by is Baliwag’s RHU I. Much like the center where Galvez works, the facility serves low-income individuals. One of them is Hazel Esquilona, a single mother of three.

“Malaking tulong talaga ang health center na ito para sa amin dahil tuwing may nagkakasakit po sa amin at wala kaming mapagkukunan ng pera, mayroon kaming matatakbuhan. Nito lang, nagkasakit ang anak ko—suspected po noon na may dengue o UTI siya. Wala po akong pera pero dahil dito sa health center, nagawa kong ipasuri ang ihi at dugo ng anak ko,” Esquilona recalled how the center saved her child’s life when she had nowhere to turn to.

“Nakumpirma po na may UTI siya. At kahit wala po kaming pera, agarang nabigyan ng tamang gamot ang anak ko. Nabigyan din po kami ng libreng antibiotic at paracetamol,” she said as she shares why the center has been close to her heart.

Hazel Esquilona brings her daughter to the Baliwag RHU I for a consultation before receiving the first dose of the anti-rabies vaccine.

And so, when their family had another medical emergency, she did not hesitate to visit the RHU I.

This time, she felt even more at ease seeking health care as the warmth of the health workers was complemented by an upgraded facility.

“Ngayon, ang isang anak ko naman ay nakagat ng kuting. Dito po kami tumakbo dahil bilang isang single mother na may simpleng kabuhayan, hindi ko po afford ang vaccine sa hospital o clinic,” she said.

“Para sa kagaya naming kapos talaga sa pera, malaking tulong ang center na ito. Maayos ang serbisyo ng mga staff at maaliwalas at komportable na rin ngayon sa loob ng center. Tuwing biglang may nagkakasakit at wala kaming perang pampagamot, mayroon kaming maaasahan,” she capped.

Collaboration is a powerful tool for bridging the gaps in quality healthcare for grassroots communities, such as the partnership between SMFI and UNIQLO.

By understanding the role of different players, such as local organizations, non-profits, and governments, we can create innovative solutions that bring quality healthcare to people—ensuring that no one is left without quality healthcare, especially the vulnerable sector.

SM City Marilao is excited to announce its first 3-day sale event for 2023! Starting on March 3, 4 to 5, shoppers may take advantage and enjoy incredible discounts on wide range of products and countless of items mall-wide.