As Perpetual Help Medical Center (PHMC) marks its golden milestone, the institution takes a bold step toward the future through a newly forged partnership with RISE, a premier enterprise internet service provider. The collaboration, officially launched during a special ceremony at the Dalta Conference Room, strengthens the hospital’s capacity to remain connected and responsive to the Las Piñas community even in the most challenging times.
UPHMC Administrative Director Capt. Norman R. Biola, UPHMC President Lt. Col. Richard Antonio M. Tamayo, and RISE Area Sales Head Justin Santiano
The event serves as both a celebration and a statement of intent. With the theme “Golden Year. Greater Heights. Up and Beyond,” PHMC’s 50th anniversary reflects not only five decades of compassionate service but also its forward-looking vision of resilience, innovation, and digital transformation in healthcare.
In an era when natural calamities and emergencies can disrupt critical services, PHMC’s alliance with RISE ensures that life-saving communication and data systems remain stable and reliable. The partnership represents a proactive approach to disaster preparedness — reinforcing the hospital’s mission to deliver uninterrupted care when it matters most.
A Community-Focused Response to Calamities
PHMC President Lt. Col. Richard Antonio M. Tamayo highlighted the strategic significance of the initiative.
“Our collaboration with RISE empowers us to enhance our disaster response capabilities, guaranteeing that we can reach and assist our patients without delay, regardless of the situation,” Tamayo stated.
He further emphasized how technology has become essential to the hospital’s mission.
“The partnership with RISE equips the facility with robust, high-speed internet connectivity, ensuring seamless communication and efficient health service delivery even during emergencies.”
Tamayo added that this milestone aligns with the institution’s golden anniversary celebration.
“As we celebrate our 50th year, Perpetual Help Medical Center reaffirms its commitment to serve as a beacon of health and resilience for our community.”
RISE’s Commitment to Empower Connectivity
Representing RISE, Area Sales Head Justin Santiano expressed pride in the partnership and shared insights into the company’s vision.
“RISE stands for Responsible Internet Sustainability Effort. So it doesn’t just say RISE there because we wanted to do, you know, the connectivity is always RISE thing. Yeah, we will stand up to that, but definitely we’re after providing, you know, service level uptime of 99.9%,” Santiano said.
He also highlighted RISE’s broader mission.
“It’s a dream. It’s a mission for Brett Jones and RISE as a company to help accelerate the internet in the Philippines.”
Explaining their focus, Santiano said,
“We are not catering to residentials. We are directly catering to business-to-business, enterprise, corporate.”
In a touching moment, Santiano shared his personal connection to Perpetual Help Medical Center.
“It’s very touching for me to be here because this is my second life. I had a vehicular accident 24 years ago, and I owe it to Perpetual Help Medical Center. This is my way of giving back. This is RISE’s way of extending our internet — not just internet, but connectivity — to the Filipino people, all the patients of this hospital.”
He also reflected on the country’s progress in digital infrastructure.
“I’m very glad to share with you that 10 years ago, the Philippines was at the bottom in Southeast Asia, but now we’re already in the middle.”
UPHMC Administrative Director Capt. Norman R. Biola, UPHMC President Lt. Col. Richard Antonio M. Tamayo, RISE Area Sales Head Justin Santiano, and RISE Account Manager Carl Elano
Strengthening the Digital Backbone
Capt. Norman R. Biola, Administrative Director of PHMC, underscored how the collaboration represents a vital advancement in healthcare technology.
“Today marks another milestone in our continuing journey to serve with compassion, excellence, and innovation.”
He added that reliable connectivity is now central to hospital operations.
“Reliable connectivity has become a lifeline for all hospitals, supporting patient care, data management, and emergency response,” Biola stated.
Through the partnership with RISE, PHMC is taking a major step in its modernization roadmap.
“Through RISE, Perpetual Help Medical Center strengthens its digital backbone, ensuring that our doctors, nurses, and support teams can provide uninterrupted service even in times of crisis.”
Capt. Biola also linked this to the hospital’s broader resilience efforts.
“This initiative is part of our broader modernization roadmap anchored on our hospital information system and our business continuity plan — to safeguard lives, sustain essential operations, and enable rapid recovery following any kinds of disaster.”
Moving ahead, he reaffirmed the hospital’s long-term commitment. He shared, “As we look forward to the next 50 years, Perpetual Help Medical Center continues to embrace innovation that secures not only our systems but the trust of the community we serve.”
