Public school campuses across the Philippines are set to host fully equipped medical clinics offering free primary healthcare services following a new partnership between the Department of Education (DepEd) and private healthcare provider 1Life, Inc.
Under a Memorandum of Agreement signed by Education Secretary Sonny Angara and 1Life President Niño Namoco, participating schools will allocate at least 60 square meters of space to house the clinics. The facilities will be fully equipped by 1Life with digital diagnostic tools, basic emergency equipment, and telemedicine systems.
“Malaking bagay ito para sa ating mga guro at mag-aaral dahil kung may nararamdaman ang bata o ang teacher, hindi na nila kailangang lumabas ng paaralan o gumastos para lang magpatingin sa doktor,” Angara said.
“We are bringing basic healthcare straight to our campuses because healthy learners and healthy teachers are the foundation of a better education system,” he added.
DepEd said the program aims to provide learners, teachers, and even eligible parents and dependents with direct access to consultations, diagnostic services, medicines, and preventive care—without requiring them to leave school premises or incur additional expenses.
Officials emphasized that the program will not require funding from the DepEd, as costs will be covered through PhilHealth benefits under the YAKAP framework.
The school-based clinics will prioritize early detection and preventive care, including developmental screenings intended to identify health conditions that may affect student learning outcomes.
Teachers and school personnel will also be covered through free annual executive check-ups conducted on campus, while eligible parents and dependents may access consultations, laboratory tests, and maintenance medicines through the same program.
To safeguard the school environment, the agreement prohibits commercial advertising or branding activities within school premises.
It also mandates strict data privacy protections for all electronic medical records, which cannot be accessed or shared without written authorization from DepEd.
Participation in the program is voluntary, with school communities retaining the option to continue consulting their preferred private healthcare providers outs ide the initiative.