Ternate, Cavite — The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), together with Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation (TMPF) and the University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), has launched a mobile health clinic aimed at bringing basic diagnostic services closer to communities that often travel hours for care. 

The first unit is now operating in Ternate, Cavite, with a second scheduled to serve areas around New Clark City in Tarlac. 

The mobile clinic is part of the Healthcare Mobility for All program, known as HEAL, and uses a modified Toyota Coaster as a fully equipped diagnostic vehicle. 

The unit began a soft launch in December and now offers chest X-ray and electrocardiogram services, with laboratory testing to follow in the next phase. 

Each Toyota Coaster unit is designed to operate as a fully equipped mobile healthcare facility, which offers eight key diagnostic services such as 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.

The Ternate mobile clinic is expected to serve a town of about 28,000 residents. 

Many patients currently travel to Manila for tests at UP-PGH, with round trips that can take most of the day. 

With the clinic stationed at the municipal health office, routine diagnostics can now be done locally, which will ease both travel costs for patients and congestion at the main hospital.

During the launch, representatives from Toyota Motor Philippines, Deloitte Future of Mobility Solution Center, Toyota Mobility Solutions Philippines (TMSPH), local government, UP-PGH, and the Toyota Mobility Foundation described the endeavor as a shared effort. 

The town provides power, space, assistance, and basic facilities while UP-PGH supplies medical teams and expertise through its community health program. 

Toyota partners supplied the mobile clinic units and supported operations, system development, and coordination with healthcare institutions and local governments.

During the panel discussion, Enrique Garcia, chief infrastructure officer and motoring editor of Daily Tribune, asked whether poor connectivity in remote areas could limit the clinic’s digital systems and if internet providers, including Starlink, had been considered as a satellite-based option for outlying communities.

Panelists acknowledged the concern and said satellite-based services, including providers such as Starlink, could be a workable option for areas beyond the reach of traditional networks. 

They said this remains an area for further coordination with partners and service providers as the program expands.

The mobile clinic uses a basic digital self-check-in and booking system to manage patient flow. When asked by DAILY TRIBUNE how much artificial intelligence is currently built into the app that supports clinic operations, TMF executive program director Prasanna Ganesh said the system remains simple for now. 

They added that more advanced features could be introduced later once usage patterns and on-the-ground needs become clearer.

Officials from Toyota Mobility Foundation said the project focuses on practical solutions rather than complex technology at the outset. 

They want to make the service reliable and easy to use for both patients and health workers, especially in communities with limited digital access.

The second clinic, planned for areas around New Clark City, will support communities near a growing government and residential hub where access to diagnostic services remains uneven. 

Organizers said mobile clinics can complement existing facilities as new urban centers develop, rather than replace local hospitals or health units.

In his closing remarks, Toyota Motor Philippines Foundation president Jose Maria Aligada said the mobile clinic grew out of the Healthcare Mobility for All (HEAL) program introduced during the foundation’s 35th anniversary in 2025. 

He described the months of preparation as a response to what partners observed on the ground, particularly the need to link mobility and public health more closely at the community level. 

UP-PGH director Gerardo Legaspi said the clinic allows the hospital to extend its expertise beyond Manila while supporting local health workers. 

He said bringing diagnostics closer to patients can help communities manage common illnesses earlier and reduce the strain on tertiary hospitals.

They said lessons from the Cavite rollout will guide future deployments, especially in areas where distance and access remain the biggest barriers to health care.

For many families in Cavite, care is now closer to home because of the Toyota Mobility Foundation and its partners.