Red gala: Looking into The Medical City South Luzon’s HIV/AIDS advocacy

The company has actively raised funds for several organizations that help raise awareness of HIV/AIDS.

The Medical City South Luzon (TMCSL) has always been an advocate in providing awareness to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Every World AIDS Day, TMCSL always provides free lectures and free HIV screenings to its employees and its patient partners. 

It has also established the Centre for Reproductive Health in STI Treatment (CREST) in 2021 in its pursuit to turn the advocacy into a larger scale. CREST is a DOH-accredited facility where linkages, diagnosis, treatment, and continuum of care and support for people with HIV are provided.

During the past year, TMCSL held a fund-raising runway event known as “Red Gala” to launch and promote the centre and its advocacy. Its 2022 runway event was known as “Red Gala: Unmasked” since the COVID-19 protocols are more lenient. 

“This event is held in celebration of World AIDS Day and to raise funds to help provide care and support to children with HIV.  It aims to focus our attention on medical and social afflictions, which a lot of members of our society are still uncomfortable with.  People with HIV-AIDS are often burdened with its stigma and often suffer from discrimination.  We hope that, with continued public education, more will realize that HIV patients are like any other member of society who deserve the understanding, care, and support for their disease,” says Dr Cesar Ramon G. Espiritu, TMC South Luzon President, and CEO

The event was kicked off with a Fun Run for a Cause held in October 2022, which sponsored CREST patients and the Positive Action Foundation Philippines Inc (PAFPI), a non-profit organization that aims to empower people living with HIV/AIDS.

The 2022 fashion event has raised P100,000 for PAFPI. 

TMCSL’s first execution of the event in 2021, known as the “Red Mask Gala” featured 50 doctors, employees, and guests who walked the runway wearing their best outfits and red masks that were custom-made for the donors. The funds that were raised in this event benefitted Project Red Ribbon’s Duyan: Cradling children with HIV program and the TMCSL’s Young Adult Care Assistance Program, which received P50,000 each from donations.

The success of TMCSL’s initiatives has been recognized by the Healthcare Asia Awards, as the company bags the ESG Program of the Year - Philippines award.

The prestigious awards program aims to honour hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers that have risen above the challenges and made a remarkable impact by innovating and reinventing initiatives to better serve patients and protect employees.