Some 1,120 residents availed of free health services offered during the Baguio leg of the Laboratoryo, Konsulta at Gamot para sa Lahat (Lab For All) program on May 23 at the Baguio Convention Center.
The City Health Services Office under Acting City Health Officer, Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes, said 70 beneficiaries from the 16 district health centers availed of the services offered like free laboratory examinations particularly complete blood count (CBC), X-ray imaging, and electrocardiogram (ECG); and free medical consultations including eye check-up and free medicines. The beneficiaries also received free food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
A brainchild of First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, the program aims to bring basic health care services within reach of the masses consistent with the aim of the Universal Health Care program of the national government.
Marcos said it is in fulfillment of the President’s promise to make medical laboratory services, consultations and medicines accessible to the grassroots level to realize a healthy, happy and productive community.
She said Lab for All will go around the different localities in the country in the next five years to achieve this goal.
Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan who spoke in behalf of Mayor Benjamin Magalong expressed the city government’s gratitude for making Baguio the second stop and beneficiary of the program.
He lauded the program’s ideals which are in line with the city’s thrust for equitable health care service where “no one is left behind in the pursuit of a health community.”
He expressed the city’s desire for more collaborative activities in the future to benefit more indivi-duals.
With the First Lady during the occasion were Assistant Health Sec., Dr. Gloria Balboa; Usec. Eric Tayag; Food and Drug Administration Director-General, Dr. Samuel Zacate; Rep. Caroline Tanchay; and governors Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas and Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat.
The activity was made possible by the efforts of the First Lady’s office, CHSO, Department of Health Cordillera, and Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
