The Tanay, Rizal provincial government, in partnership with Meralco, launched a health center improvement project and medical mission aimed at further enhancing the healthcare capabilities of one of the town's health centers and provide quality health services to its residents and members of the indigenous Dumagat tribe.
The project was attended by Meralco Head of HMB-Central Business Area Villardo Asuncion, Meralco Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer and One Meralco Foundation (OMF) President Jeffrey Tarayao, Tanay Mayor Rafael "Lito" Tanjuatco, Tanay Municipal Health Officer Dr. Amor Dulce Rivera, Meralco Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Ferdinand Geluz, Rizal Vice Governor Reynaldo San Juan, Jr., Tanay Vice Mayor Rex Manuel Tanjuatco, and Meralco Vice President and Head of Commercial Operations Charina Padua,
The municipal government and OMF installed a 3 (kWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) system for the Barangay Laiban Health Center which caters to the basic medical needs of over 3,000 residents of the community.
The new solar facility powers crucial medical equipment for improved delivery of health services in the community. Health care workers can now use nebulizers for those with respiratory ailments and fetal dopplers for prenatal care.
In addition, the health center is now sufficiently lit and ventilated for a more conducive environment for both medical workers and patients.
“Rest assured that the municipality of Tanay, together with our rural health unit and medical workers, will work together to ensure that your good donation will be used for the benefit of the community since we all believe that light is life," Mayor Tanjuatco said.
Aside from the installation of the solar PV system, the foundation also conducted a medical mission for the residents of Barangay Laiban with the help of volunteer doctors from the Department of Health (DOH), Tanay Municipal Health Office, and Marikina Valley Medical Center.
Employees from the electric concessionaire also donated medicines and medical equipment such as nebulizers, fetal dopplers, and blood pressure monitors. 100 school kits for students of the Laiban Integrated School were also donated.
“This initiative, led by our own Meralco employees, signifies our commitment to empower not just our customers but also residents in remote communities. With the help of our government and private sector partners, Meralco aims to energize and support more communities and continue powering the good life for every Filipino,” Geluz said.
According to Meralco, the energization of rural health centers is among the initiatives of OMF under its community electrification program which also covers off-grid public schools, low-income households in the Meralco franchise area, water access, and agricultural and livelihood programs.
In April, the Tanay municipal government and the Pasig City local government established a super rural health unit (RHU) in Barangay Plaza Aldea in Tanay, Rizal To cater to the health needs of its residents and relocatees.
The super RHU in Sitio Halang na Gubat was built to serve patients from three resettlement sites in the municipality, namely Southville 10, Hauzville, and Eastshine Residences.
According to Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, the city government considers these three sites as off-city relocation sites for informal settler families (ISFs) who used to live in the danger zones in their city. The Tanay municipal government has also relocated some of its residents in similar circumstances.
The structure and operation of the RHU facility was prepared by the Pasig government while the construction and other operations were handled by the Tanay government and the officials of Barangay Plaza Aldea.