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The Philippine Star
January 10, 2026 | 12:00am
“Families in faraway communities have waited too long for easy access to care.
City Government of Bacoor Facebook page
MANILA, Philippines — Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC)’s digital health care arm mWell intends to pursue more initiatives to help boost access to health care in far-flung barangays and island communities.
“Families in faraway communities have waited too long for easy access to care. With our partners, we’re building pathways that make health care more accessible and affordable for every Filipino,” mWell and MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said.
“We’ll continue working to bridge the gap between our people and the care they deserve,” he said.
Across the country, mWell said that access to doctors varies widely, with urban centers averaging one doctor for every 33,000 people, while rural communities may rely on a single doctor for up to 100,000 residents.
These gaps show how digital health care can connect families to timely care, especially in remote and island communities, it said.
At present, more than 3,700 doctors across over 48 specializations are accessible through the mWell ecosystem.
To make quality care easier to reach for all, mWell continues to work with government and community partners.
Through the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)’s BangkaHealth program, small boats carrying mWell OnTheGo clinic-in-a-bag units and satellite internet now reach island barangays in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
Similar efforts in Mararison Island, Zamboanga’s Pink Island and Talim Island offer the same lifeline to households once far from medical help.
Through a separate DICT initiative, 216 tablets with the mWell app were deployed across barangay health centers to assist health workers in delivering basic care.
Southeast Asia’s first medical OnTheGo drone delivery service with DICT has also been showcased by mWell.
In Rizal, drones now carry medical supplies and doctor-recommended essentials to isolated sitios, reducing travel time and giving families faster access.
Through Lab For All led by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, mWell provides online consultations and deploys clinic-in-a-bag units to support nationwide caravans offering free health care and laboratory services.
The Philippine Coconut Authority likewise partnered with mWell’s sister company KonsultaMD to serve nearly 500 coconut farmers in Digos, Davao through mobile health services that bring care to communities that sustain vital local industries.
“When we visit these areas, we see how distance affects every step of a family’s healing journey. That is why inclusion matters. Our goal is to make health care steady, connected and compassionate, no matter where you live,” mWell president and CEO Chaye Cabal-Revilla said.
