About Us

Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls: A Free Clinic for the Underprivileged

The Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls, Inc. (BCWW) is a non-profit community-based healthcare organization established by the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii (PMAH) in 1997.  The Filipino word Bayanihan means helping one another, deriving its literal context from the Filipinos’ long-standing tradition of doing community work together. The word is aptly used to describe a group of people working together to transfer a house from one location to another. The process of pulling together and helping someone in need is all in the spirit of Bayanihan. In our state, it translates to the spirit of Aloha.

The Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls was founded in response to the need to provide much-needed free medical services to those who have no health coverage in the state of Hawaii. Under this mission, everyone, from indigent locals, the homeless, immigrants, to anyone who cannot afford traditional medical coverage are recipients of the Bayanihan Clinic’s free medical and dental services.  Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls was bestowed 501 ( c ) (3) privileges as a non-profit organization in April 1999.  Primarily, this community-based organization offers free medical and dental services in our state. Its target recipients are mostly Filipinos (about 70 -75%) and including all those in need of basic medical and health care services among newly arrived immigrants and migrants especially from the Pacific Islands. Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls is a continuing collaborative endeavor with the Hawaii State Department of Health’s Lanakila Easy Access Project.

Historical Overview

Over many decades, especially in the 70s, many of these participating volunteer doctors came to the United States from the Philippines. They experienced hardships as newly arrived immigrants. Many of them struggled with the rigors of medical training, starting private practices, raising families and adjusting to a new culture in their host country, and a new way of life. It was such tough times, especially in medical school and residency that forged lifetime linkages among them. “We had to band together just to survive the hardships of medical school, the language barrier, and adjusting to life in the U.S, like one big family.” recalls Dr. Herita Yulo, co-founder and first president of the organization. Today, it is not just Philippine-born doctors that comprise this organization. Among its members are medical graduates of the University of Hawaii.

Out of shared obstacles and challenges, these men and women bonded together in the spirit of bayanihan, drawing strength in sharing their resources as a team. Several offshoot organizations such as the Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls were formed over the years to help carry our mission of giving back to the community and reaching out to the underprivileged members of our state.

Project Overview

On August 22, 1996, a federal law was passed denying medical benefits to some 800 to 1,000 immigrants who were then enrolled under the QUEST (Medical Insurance) Program. As a result of this, our State Legislature appropriated public monies to provide benefits and medical services to uninsured immigrants who had been disqualified from the federal Medicaid program. The newly appropriated funds were intended to compensate community health centers and similar entities providing health care to medically uninsured immigrants and others who had become ineligible for Medicaid or the state’s QUEST program.

The impact of the 1996 federal law was felt so tangibly within our local community. As a compensatory move, an appeal was launched, imploring the aid of private physicians to volunteer their services. The initial response was heartwarming and more than 30 physicians of Filipino Ancestry signed up immediately, offering free medical services to the needy. On April 17, 1997, the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii, under the leadership of Dr. Charlie Sonido initiated the Bayanihan project. By October of the same year, free dental services were added to its basic health services. By the end of the year, about 319 clients were recipients of basic health and dental care services.

In 1998, the roster of volunteer medical and dental care providers has increased to 49, representing 13 subspecialties, with 438 immigrants referred to different participating health care volunteer doctors. Every year, thereafter, the number of clients has grown beyond everyone’s expectations.

Since 1997, Bayanihan Clinic Without Wall’s has been providing excellent free medical and dental services to newly arrived Filipinos including other ethnic groups in our islands. Recipients of free medical services are immigrants who entered the US on or after August 22, 1996, those who meet Medicaid or QUEST income and asset eligibility criteria, legal immigrants without medical insurance and financially indigent individuals, based on the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines. Migrants under the Compact of Free Association (Micronesians, Marshallese, Palauans, among others) are also eligible under the Bayanihan Clinic’s free medical services.

Annually, the Bayanihan Clinic Without Walls participates actively in free community health fairs throughout the state including the Islands of Lanai, Molokai, the Big Island, Maui, Kauai and Oahu. Needy residents receive free health screenings, physical exams, dental examinations, and health education. To date, it has provided free health screening tests and medical services to some 5,365 indigent patients. “We have been able to help a lot of needy immigrants-not just Filipinos but also local born citizens as well as the other ethnic groups such as the Samoans, Chinese, Mexican, Marshallese-you name it,” said past president, Dr. Sorbella Guillermo.

BCWW is comprised of 98 % Philippine-born physicians and dentist who had undergone rigorous medical training here in the United States and started their individual private practices.