Innovate, create: Mayor Abby leads Makati to a better future

As a champion for climate change action and awareness and world leader in innovation and local governance, Makati City Mayor Abby Binay continues to create and innovate programs for a better future of Makatizens. 

Through a broad range of initiatives across health, education, social services, green initiatives, and digital transformation, Binay and her administration embraced internet-of-things (IoT) and other technological innovations in giving Makatizens the best services available in the 21st century. 

Some of her notable programs and services include the Makatizen Card and app, Makatizen Hub at SM Makati, and the Virtual Queuing Management System (VQMS). 

The city government explained that the VQMS is a groundbreaking initiative that won the prestigious Galing Pook 2023 Award and has redefined the way Makatizens access primary healthcare. 

It offers residents an online platform to book medical appointments with barangay health centers, replacing the previous manual system wherein they had to queue as early as 4 a.m. to get ahead of the usually long line of patients. 

Health centers are equipped with tablets and trained personnel to ensure that even the elderly, PWD and those unfamiliar with technology can easily utilize the platform. The VQMS is also a tool that gives insights into the community’s health patterns through the database it generates. 

For the health sector, Binay led the creation of Universal Healthcare Access including free outpatient consultations, subsidized hospitalization, diagnostic tests, and maintenance medicines for chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Free specialized treatments such as dialysis, chemotherapy, and medicines, are also available for citizens with severe health conditions. 

Makati City also leads in maternal and women’s health, newborn health, and preventive health initiatives.

“Free prenatal checkups, HPV vaccines, HIV testing and counseling, and free childbirth services ensure that maternal and reproductive health is prioritized.” Binay said. 

Binay also spearheaded the construction of the Makati Life Medical Center which is the country’s most significant public-private partnership (PPP) hospital to date. 

Climate change champion

Soon to become fully operational, Makati Life has a total of 360 beds and 190 doctor’s clinics. It offers multiple specialty centers which boast of advanced medical technology and modern facilities focusing on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services. 

These include a Cancer Center with a linear accelerator for radiation treatment, a Cardiac Center with a cardiac catheterization lab for angiography, open heart surgery, and organ transplantation surgeries. It also has a Physical Rehabilitation Medical Center that will use robotics in treating joint and soft tissue ailments. 

She also introduced IoT-enabled healthcare which includes the Health Information Management System (HIMS) which is a centralized patient data management system allowing for more efficient and accessible healthcare services, and telemedicine services like KonsultaMD and the Makati Life Medical Center e-consult platforms. 

The mayor also made significant investments in the education sector, ensuring that every student in the city has the tools they need to succeed, from free education to technology-enhanced learning environments. 

These include free education from preschool to senior high school students, technological support for learning such as free laptops, internet, and cash incentives, expanded Project FREE (Free Relevant Excellent Education), Project FEED (Food for Excellent Education and Development), IoT-enabled smart classrooms, and the Makati Revitalized Scholarship Program. 

Makati City is also well known for its social services especially for seniors under Binay’s administration which include senior citizen benefits, social engagement and celebrations, Pamaskong Handog gift bags during the Christmas season, Lingkod Bayan Caravan, Ugnayan sa Barangay, and TikTalk with Mayora Abby.

Dubbed as a “Climate Change Champion,” the local chief executive has implemented various eco-friendly programs to promote environmental sustainability and reduce the city’s carbon footprint such as sustainable pet care, smart energy and water management, solar power expansion, Makati Smart Public Transport System (MSPT), and purchasing e-vehicles for public safety. Binay also led the deployment of air quality sensors and a noise pollution monitoring system. 

The city government also boosted its efforts in ensuring peace and order in the city through the construction of advanced and centralized law enforcement and fire protection facilities. 

The new Makati Central Police Station on Malugay Street in Barangay San Antonio is a 3,249-square meter, three-storey police station with a secured detention cell installed with closed-circuit television cameras and a fire detection and alarm system. 

Aside from separate offices for the chief of police and various divisions and sections, the station also has a women and children protection desk, complaint desk, operations center, training room and conference room, and a clinic.  

Meanwhile, the new Makati Central Fire Station on Buendia Avenue in Barangay San Antonio is a 1,778-square meter, three-story fire station that can house up to four firetrucks in its parking bay and has a fire pole. 

It also features the City Fire Marshall’s office, administration and district offices, and a conference room, among others. 

Both buildings are installed with solar panels and come with air conditioning, exhaust fans, CCTV system, fire detection and alarm system, fire extinguishers, voice and data system, and public address system, among others.

(Photo) Makati City Mayor Abby Binay