SMB opens community clinic for Mandaue’s poor

Mayor Jonas Cortes expressed gratitude to San Miguel Brewery Inc. (SMB) for putting up its fourth community clinic in barangay Tipolo.

“Dako kaayo ni siya og ikatabang because it will help decongest our city health department. Though we have health centers in the barangays, patients still go to city health to avail of services that the barangay can’t provide,” said Cortes.

The SMB launched on Monday morning its fourth community clinic that will cater to specialized diseases on A. Del Rosario Street, barangay Tipolo.

Roberto Huang, SMB president, told Cebu Daily News they initially planned to put up the clinic inside the plant like what other SMB plants did, but finally they decided to install the clinic outside the plant to cater to the host communities of SMB Mandaue, such as barangays Tipolo, Banilad, Cabancalan and Casuntingan.

A permanent doctor and a nurse are available at the clinic Mondays through Fridays.

The clinic will cater to the poorest members of the host barangays who are suffering from diabetes and hypertension. Medical checkups and medicines will be provided for the patients who are endorsed by the barangay health centers.

The SMB Community Clinic, in line with the brewery firm’s corporate social responsibility, is in partnership with San Miguel Foundation Inc. and the Mandaue city government. SMB’s other community clinics are in Luzon in San Fernando City and Valenzuela City. In Mindanao, the SMB community clinic is in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. /PR WITH CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA