![[Photo courtesy of Myton Darlene Baladiang]](https://cdn.adventistcontent.org/images/5df200974469ba078555eb4c/46b90174d3c3a22d1bcb76af8a5819873100e66b/1200x/ibo1661339103195.jpeg)
Health is wealth, and one way to prove how vital healthcare service is to the community is by developing and creating opportunities for the public to have easier access to quality healthcare services. This encouraged the Adventist Medical Center Manila (AMCM) leadership to establish new projects to bring health care closer to the community.
After three months in office, Jun Apacible, elected president and chief executive officer, led AMCM to launch two projects to further expand the hospital’s services to its patients. Spearheaded by AMCM leadership, a newly established outpatient pharmacy and vegetarian restaurant called Healthy Bites was completed and is now ready for service.
These two projects are part of the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) program of AMCM. These two projects were completed 141 days from conception to completion while following their hospital objective, SHINE, which means “Share hope, health, and happiness in neighborhoods everywhere.”
“AdventistMed established these projects to bring our valuable services to the community and people because during the pandemic, people feared getting inside the hospital where the main pharmacy and Healthy Bites were located,” Apacible said.
The two establishments are located within the AMCM premises at the heart of Pasay City, Philippines. The Adventist Medical Center Manila is one of the three hospitals in this metropolis. The addition of these establishments provides the hospital with an opportunity to create more connections to the public through holistic healthcare services. The outpatient pharmacy and Healthy Bites are part of the progressive plan to accomplish the #MissionExcellence thrust of the hospital.
The city government of Pasay expressed appreciation to the hospital for its initiative to expand its services to the community through these newly established projects. Calixto-Rubiano, Pasay mayor, expressed his support through representatives who attended the inauguration. Attorney Peter Pardo, chief of staff, and Dr. Maria Lourdes San Juan, city health officer, were present to represent the municipal office. The barangay was represented by its chairperson, the Honorable Lily Balanon.
The Adventist Church in the North Philippines supported this program through Dr. Hintay, Health Ministries director, and Pastor Diaz, NDR-IEL director.
Healthy Bites is a vegetarian restaurant that aims to promote health and well-being to its patients, employees, students, and customers through nutritious, balanced, and affordable healthy options. Its services are not limited to providing food but also offering diet counseling to patients as prescribed by doctors and catering large events.
The new outpatient pharmacy is also open to the public for quality and affordable medicines for the community.