As part of its ongoing commitment to expand healthcare access, Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation, Inc. (Sun Life Foundation) recently turned over four new Barangay Health Stations (BHS) in Central Luzon.

A joint initiative with Health Futures Foundation, Inc. (HFI), the Sun Life Barangay Health Stations program aims to bring primary health services like regular health monitoring, prenatal checkups, and health education closer to remote communities. It also encourages residents to take part in managing their health through the Community-Based Health and Wellness Program (CBHWP), where a Community Health Nurse equips community members with knowledge and skills to serve as Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, and Cluster Leaders.

The Tthree stations are in Brgy. San Vicente in San Manuel, Brgy. Moriones in San Jose, and Brgy. Bigbiga in Mayantoc, all in Tarlac, while a fourth is located in Brgy. Recuerdo in Nampicuan, Nueva Ecija. This brings the total number of operational stations to 13. Three more are under construction and slated for turnover inby 2025, in time for Sun Life’s 130th anniversary in the Philippines.

“The Sun Life Barangay Health Stations program aims to empower residents and aid in building healthy, resilient, and thriving communities,” said Alex Narciso, President of the Sun Life Foundation. “Having a health station helps eliminate distance as a barrier to forging a brighter future.”

As the philanthropic arm of Sun Life Philippines, the country’s first and longest-standing life insurance company, the Sun Life Foundation supports holistic initiatives that promote the health of Filipinos.

“The residents attended a seminar on lifestyle diseases, and they are very thankful because it improved their life and increased their awareness of the importance of health,” said Dominique Dayag, Community Health Nurse at San Vicente BHS in San Manuel, Tarlac. “That’s the effect of having a BHS: they became more health-oriented.”