Dr. Hayden Kho, Dr. Vicki Belo, Gabbi Garcia, and Mond Gutierrez at the Belo NEXA launch in One Ayala Malls, Makati. Photographed by Meet Keso
Celebrating 34 years in the beauty industry, Belo Medical Group looks towards the future of medical aesthetics
“That’s Buzz,” says Dr. Hayden Kho excitedly, pointing towards a black Robo-Barista inside Belo Medical Group’s newest location, Belo NEXA, in One Ayala Mall. “It’s the only one of its kind here in the Philippines,” adds the managing director of Belo Medical Group.
Perhaps one might ask what an espresso-churning robot might have to do with an aesthetics brand like Belo, but for Dr. Kho, it says a lot about where they see themselves in the future. “When we conceptualized NEXA, we imagined what the future of medical aesthetics would look like,” shares the 44-year-old aesthetic medicine doctor and entrepreneur.
Among its 14 locations across the Philippines, the One Ayala Mall location’s interior design is a contrast to the clinic’s usual teal, yellow, and soft pastel palette and touch of Filipino sensibilities. This time around, artist and designer Budji Layug reimagines the 737-square-meter clinic and surgicenter into a futuristic hub with a dominant gray in light and dark accents, warm lighting, mirrors, a tall LED screen, and minimalist and abstract-shaped furniture are found in the lobby and second-floor.
Inside its treatment rooms, the theme is apparent but with a touch of aubergine on its walls matched with cream geometric furnishings complemented by French beddings and linens and Dr. Kho’s carefully curated playlist.
“We tried to think what it’d be like in 2050. There may be more robots or artificial intelligence. There’s this idea that there will be fewer humans and presence of nature may be scarce. But as humans, our souls long for a connection with nature. What we did was blend these two concepts together,” shares Dr. Kho on the futuristic theme of Belo NEXA and striking harmony and balance by reimagining a beach, the sea, and corals. “It’s not very cold and impersonal. You can still feel that you’re connected to nature,” he adds.
It’s all about balance
In One Ayala Mall, the opening of the aesthetic clinic was well-attended by Belo’s roster of celebrity endorsers including Piolo Pascual, Pia Wurtzbach, Chie Filomeno, Darren Espanto, BJ Pascual, Christi McGarry, Tessa Prieto, siblings Donny, Hannah, and Ella Pangilinan. It was hosted by Gabbi Garcia and Belo Medical Group creative director Mond Gutierrez.
It was during the fireside chat with Drs. Vicki Belo and Dr. Hayden Kho when they elaborated on what makes the clinic different, revealing that the centerpiece sculpture hanging in the lobby signifies the brand’s move to its own “Beloverse.”
The sculpture created by industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue is an interpretation of cells in varying sizes. Dr. Kho says, “It’s our opening salvo to get into wellness and longevity such as fertility and stem cell therapy. We want to get into those categories so that when you, as a patient of Belo, enter our universe, you’ll know that it’s our universe of beauty and innovation.”
He continues, “The interesting part is how it all balances out perfectly. What we’re trying to say is there is ‘behind beauty, it’s not just aesthetics, there’s a science behind it. There are calculations and precision in everything, which makes it balanced. We believe in balance and harmony.” Aside from Cobonpue, Dr. Kho also sourced a variety of artworks and sculptures from international artists displayed in different key areas of the clinic.
On becoming an aesthetics destination
Beyond art and beauty, the attendance of Department of Tourism secretary Christina Frasco also signals the aesthetic brand’s move to becoming a hub for medical tourism as Belo NEXA received its certificate of registration from Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Authority (TIEZA) during the event. This also signifies Belo as first medical aesthetic clinic registered under the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprise Law (CREATE) as a tourism enterprise.
Dr. Kho shares, “We’ve been going around to different countries like Italy and Turkey to invite people to come to the Philippines and visit our center. We will be showcasing our clinics and even our culture and our vibrant landscapes to prospective clients.”
Aside from the 12 private treatment rooms in Belo NEXA, the clinic also has four state-of-the-art operating theaters that will also serve as an educational space for the continuous learning of its network of doctors.
For more information, visit Belo Medical Group’s official website. Belo NEXA officially opened last September 5, located at One Ayala Mall, 1 Ayala Ave, Makati City.
