For thousands of families living in the upland communities of Danao City, access to healthcare no longer has to mean traveling long distances down the mountain. A newly completed health facility in Barangay Lawaan is bringing essential medical services, maternal care, and even virtual doctor consultations closer to residents.

SM Foundation has officially turned over the Barangay Lawaan Health Station and Birthing Center to the City Government of Danao, transforming a former multi-purpose building into a modern two-story healthcare facility designed to serve 11 upland barangays.

The project came after an earthquake left the community’s original health station structurally unsafe. Rather than simply replacing the damaged facility, the development expanded its capabilities by combining primary healthcare and maternal services in one location.

Built under SM Foundation’s Felicidad T. Sy Wellness Center Program, the Lawaan facility is the program’s 232nd health center nationwide. It was developed according to Department of Health and PhilHealth accreditation standards.

For expectant mothers, the ground floor provides dedicated spaces covering different stages of maternal care. The birthing center includes an admission area, prenatal consultation room, nurses’ and midwives’ station, labor and recovery room, delivery room, sterilization and scrub room, breastfeeding area, and accessible toilets.

The facility can make a significant difference for pregnant women who previously had to travel from remote mountain communities to hospitals or clinics closer to the city center for prenatal care and other services.

Primary healthcare services are located on the second floor, where residents can access consultation and treatment rooms, a pharmacy, and a dental clinic. A comfortable waiting lounge and mobile play area were also incorporated to create a more welcoming environment for families with young children.

New medical equipment, furniture, LED appliances, air-conditioning units, and air-cleaning paints further support a safer and more comfortable environment for patients and healthcare personnel.

Through SM DigiKonsulta, SM Foundation’s telemedicine and health digitalization initiative, designated health workers can connect residents with doctors through remote consultations. The system also supports secure electronic medical records compliant with Department of Health standards.

The center will serve Lawaan and ten neighboring barangays—Saksak, Ogis, Langosig, Santican, Pili, Cambubho, Magtagobtob, Bayabas, Danasan, and Dungga. Based on the 2020 Census, the communities have a combined population of 10,245.

For residents of these geographically isolated areas, having healthcare closer to home can reduce the time, transportation costs, and difficulties associated with seeking medical attention in the city proper.

The Lawaan facility joins more than 230 Wellness Centers established by SM Foundation nationwide. Through partnerships with local governments, the Department of Health, and private-sector organizations, the program has reached more than six million patients.

More than simply a new building, the Barangay Lawaan Health Station and Birthing Center represents a community resource where mothers can safely seek maternal care, children can receive treatment, families can obtain routine health services, and residents can connect with doctors without leaving their mountain communities.

For Danao City’s upland families, quality healthcare is now closer to where life happens—right in their own community.