Filipinos in remote towns are getting same-day healthcare thanks to 1Life’s tech

For millions of Filipinos, getting a doctor meant waiting weeks or traveling hours. Now, thanks to 1Life, Inc., led by President Niño Namoco, preventive and early-detection healthcare is arriving directly in communities, and over one million people have already been reached in just two years.

Namoco’s work earned him the 2026 Mansmith Innovation Award, presented January 21 at RCBC Plaza in Makati. Founded by entrepreneur Josiah Go, the awards honor leaders whose vision and long-term impact transform industries. Namoco joins past recipients like Jean Henri Lhuillier of Cebuana Lhuillier, Martha Sazon of GCash (Mynt), and Dennis A. Uy of Converge ICT Solutions.

1Life’s approach combines AI, portable diagnostic devices, and the 1Life Health app to compress multi-day hospital trips into a single visit. DocMate AI and the 1Life Digital Community Healthcare System streamline diagnostics, follow-ups, and care coordination. Every day, multidisciplinary teams conduct medical runs across all 81 provinces and 1,335 cities and municipalities, covering 18,181 localities nationwide.

Partnerships with PhilHealth, DepEd caravans, local government units, and other agencies ensure 1Life complements local barangay health systems while reaching underserved communities. Namoco says, “Healthcare should not be a privilege. It shouldn’t depend on your zip code, your income, or who you know. We innovate for the last mile, for the overlooked, and for the underserved communities that rarely show up in business plans.”

This year, the Mansmith Awards also introduced the Mansmith Entrepreneur Awards and Mansmith CEO Lifetime Achievement Awards, expanding recognition for leaders driving sustainable growth and lasting societal impact.

1Life demonstrates that technology and community-focused strategies can tackle systemic healthcare challenges while improving real outcomes. For Filipinos who have long been left behind by traditional healthcare, this is more than innovation. It is a lifeline.