SM Foundation conducts 4 medical missions in May

IT was in 2001 when the first SM Foundation medical mission was conducted to make basic health care services accessible to those who can barely afford services in private clinics and hospitals for their medical consultation and diagnostic tests.

Since then, SM Foundation has been mounting medical, dental and diagnostic missions throughout the country where SM businesses are located. Aside from volunteer doctors from partner organizations, SM Foundation also deploys its mobile clinics that are stationed in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

For the month of May, SM Foundation conducted four medical missions in Trece Martires, Iloilo City, Quezon City, and Nasugbu, Batangas.

The venue for the May 12, 2023 medical mission in Trece Martires was SM City Trece Martires. A total of 600 services were provided. Medical consultation was the most availed of among the services reaching 411. Other services and the corresponding statistics include dental (50), sugar test (31), uric acid test (34), cholesterol test (27), ECG (20), and x-ray (27).

On May 16 to 17, 2023, the two-day medical mission at the Jaro Gymnasium in Iloilo City benefitted market vendors.

On the first day, a total of 397 services were rendered: medical (193), dental (61), sugar test (40), cholesterol test (27), uric acid test (36), xray (27), and ECG (13). On the 2nd day, the number of services more than doubled at 829: medical (480), dental (140), sugar test (48), cholesterol test (27), uric acid test (38), xray (44), and ECG (52).

The medical mission that was conducted in Quezon City on May 24, 2023 was for residents of U.P. Bliss in Barangay San Vicente. At the Suntay Social Hall, 306 patients availed of 511 services. Of this number, 231 were medical consultations; 75, dental; 53, x-ray; 54, ECG; 34, sugar tests; 19 cholesterol tests; and 45, uric acid tests.

Project partners were U.P. Bliss Senior Citizens Achievers Chapter; UP Bliss Community Association; Brgy. San Vicente, Q.C. under Brgy. Captain Willy Real, Quezon City Medical Society, DMIRIE and Quezon City Rotary Club.

With its partners, the Looc Barangay officials, DMIRIE Foundation and Manila Southcoast Development Corporation, SM Foundation then conducted a medical and diagnostic mission to residents in Barangay Looc, Nasugbu, Batangas on May 26. 2023. A total of 267 patients availed of 363 medical consultations, dental and diagnostic services. Dispensed services were medical consultations (181), dental (86), x-ray (31), ECG (15), sugar test (16), cholesterol test (16), and uric acid test (20).

During the pandemic, Empire East’s continued its operations in a hybrid site-based and remote work setting, with the health and safety of its employees and clients as top priority. It leveraged the productivity of its workforce through the use of centralized digital systems and online applications to maximize the benefits of a hybrid work setup.

These strategies developed and upskilled the employees toward digital processes that minimize the use of traditional paper transactions that resulted into more effective, efficient, and smoother transactions in the company’s overall operations.

Empire East Cares initiatives, encompassing its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, have been designed harmoniously with several critical objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Throughout the previous years, Empire East’s CSR endeavors have focused on tackling poverty and hunger, fostering optimal health and well-being, and establishing sustainable communities, among various other areas. These efforts reflect the core values and essence of Empire East.

In 2022, as Empire East celebrated its triumph over the pandemic, the company remained dedicated to its mission of inclusive nation-building by providing support and empowerment to communities in need.

Empire East’s efforts to empower and support communities were exemplified through various activities such as donation drives, feeding programs, and tree-planting initiatives conducted across different regions throughout the country. In May 2022, the company’s Property Development Division (PDD) orchestrated a tree-planting event at Playa La Caleta Nursery in Bataan. Their goal is to annually plant mangrove seedlings with the aim of nurturing them into a thriving forest. Collaborating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the team successfully planted 100

Narra seedlings during this single-day event.

In December 2022, Empire East’s Finance Department extended its support by distributing more than a hundred food packs and grocery items to families in Payatas, Quezon City.

Also, prior to the holiday season, employees from the Credit and Collection Department (C&C) took the initiative to organize a feeding program and generously donated slippers and goods to nearly 150 families in Brgy. Capisan, Zamboanga City. Through collaborations with local government units and foundations, Empire East and its dedicated volunteer-employees have contributed to the planting of more than 700 trees and seedlings across various locations in the country. These efforts have been instrumental in supporting diverse reforestation initiatives.

The future of sustainable township living, Empire East Highland City, located in PasigCainta, boasts eco-friendly features and amenities that improve not only the lifestyle of its homebuyers but also provide a better community for the natural environment and future generations.

Empire East’s objective of fostering the well-being of individuals goes beyond the achievements in property development that it has accomplished. The company is deeply committed to engaging with the surrounding communities, employing a comprehensive approach to provide support and instill hope. Following the aftermath of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, which caused widespread devastation in Metro Manila, Empire East established Empire East Cares, its corporate social responsibility arm. Since then, the company has consistently provided aid and support in response to natural disasters that have impacted the country over the years.

The company’s efforts to support communities have been recognized through the receipt of national and international awards, highlighting the impact of their initiatives, including:

Gold Winner for Excellence in Brand CSR - 2020 PANAta Awards

Bronze Award for Innovation in Community Relations or Public Service Communications - 2020 Asia Stevie Awards

Special Recognition in Corporate Social Responsibility - PropertyGuru Philippine Property Awards 2018

As Empire East journeys towards its 30th year in the real estate industry, its dedication lies in elevating the quality of urban living to new heights and reshaping the meaning of authenticity in home purchasing and lifestyles. The company will persist in its mission to enhance cityscapes within and beyond Metro Manila in the coming years.