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Adventist Hospital-Cebu (AH-C) officially dedicated the Miller Food Station April 27, one of the landmark projects of its 70th anniversary celebration aimed at expanding the hospital’s nutrition-based ministry to the general public.

The blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony highlighted the hospital’s collaboration with the Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI), which funded the project under the leadership of Jonathan Lamorin during his recently concluded servanthood as president-elect of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division for ASI.

“Our goal was to establish a monumental project in every union,” Lamorin remarked. 

While ASI focuses on the mission, it also aims to build something enduring, especially projects that convey God's message to the people. “We don't just do evangelism; we create projects that stand as a powerful message of hope to the community,” he added. 

Lamorin now serves as one of the executive committee members of the global church, the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists. 

The new facility serves as a tribute to the legacy of Dr. Harry Willis Miller, the hospital's founder and a pioneer in advocating for affordable, plant-based food options and making them more accessible to the community.

The event featured a special thanksgiving program to honor leadership across several levels of the organization, including officers from the Southern Asia-Pacific Division ASI, represented by Lamorin, as well as representatives from the East Central Philippine Union Conference (ECPUC) and the Central Visayan Conference (CVC) ASI chapters.

The ceremony also recognized the leadership and advocacy of the AH-C administration, led by Dr. Evelyn Pepito, the president, in spearheading the project. 

AH-C officers emphasized that the food station represents the hospital's broader ministry of health, moving beyond traditional clinical care to actively promote a lifestyle of preventative wellness. By integrating these nutritional efforts into its core mission, the hospital reaffirms its position as a leading advocate for healthy living within the community.

Dr. Leslie Adlaon, AH-C vice president for medical affairs, said, “Our goal is to cater to those in our community who are searching for healthy food options,” said Dr. Adlaon. “Through this station, we hope to lead more souls to the feet of Jesus.”

He highlighted that the food station is not merely a cafeteria, but a "center of influence" designed to advocate for the holistic, health-conscious lifestyle the institution has promoted since 1956.

“We are often identified by our commitment to healthy living,” Pastor Maniego, CVC president, said. “I am grateful to AH-C for establishing this food station, as the gospel and health are always entwined. It provides a complete message that we can share with the community around us.”

As the keynote speaker at the event, Pastor Maniego stated that by addressing our patients' physical needs, we are actively sharing the love of Christ. In a world where so many are suffering from lifestyle-related illnesses, the Miller Food Station stands in contrast. It is more than a food service; it is a call to restoration—inviting a sick world to return to the original diet and find healing.

The dedication is one of the final major public highlights of the month-long anniversary calendar. The celebration, which began in early April, has already seen over a thousand people served through community outreach, alongside successful medical, dental, and optical missions.

Preceding today’s blessing ceremony, the month-long anniversary festivities included internal events dedicated to staff appreciation. The administrators scheduled employee beach outings for April 21 and 23 to honor their dedication in "touching lives through the healing ministry of Christ."

Pastor Eliezer “Joer” Barlizo Jr., first president of the ECPUC, also shared his appreciation for the hospital’s advocacy for a healthy lifestyle. “You are not just delivering treatments and medical care; you are also advocating for a lifestyle that honors the Creator's design for human health.”

He added that by providing access to wholesome, plant-based nutrition through the Miller Food Station, Adventist Hospital-Cebu extends its reach from the bedside to the table. This initiative serves as a practical bridge, showing that the path to recovery is not paved with medicine alone, but with the daily choices we make in how we fuel our bodies.

Lyn Lucero ⎸ ECPUC Communication Department