Three barangays in Pilar, Abra now have Barangay Health Stations (BHS) funded under the Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac).
Department of the Interior and Local Government Cordillera Director Araceli San Jose said the inauguration and turnover of the BHS worth a total of P11.7 million in barangays Gapang, Nagcanasan, and Ocup signifies the government’s success in achieving peace and security in Pilar. She said the BHS will provide the initial professional medical care to patients through a proactive approach employing preventive interventions, chronic illness management, and promotion of self-care.
Pilar Mayor Tyron Christopher Beroña said the BHS will definitely be of great assistance to his constituents.
“These health stations are an essential component of establishing a healthy community that will provide high quality primary health care services to our most vulnerable individuals, families, and communities, including immunizations, prenatal care, monitoring of morbidity, and referral services,” he said.
Norlita Domen, a resident of Barangay Gapang, described her experiences prior to the availability of a BHS in an interview. She said those who wanted to seek medical consultation had to travel five sitios.
“It was extremely tough for us to go that far at our age. But now that health stations have been established in these three barangays, the availability of health services can be guaranteed,’ she said.
Reynalda Tulza, a resident of Barangay Nagcanasan, also said it was really a trying time before construction of the BHS.
“We had to walk all the way to Poblacion, but since our conditions have gotten better, we no longer have to. This has brought about a great deal of change, especially considering the government’s funding of a large number of such projects. We are really grateful that the national government is working hard to reach vulnerable barangays,” Tulza said.
SBDP is a hallmark program of the NTF-Elcac with the goal of bringing development to former conflict-prone communities. It is part of the government’s whole-of-nation approach in fighting armed rebellion in the countryside. – Pamela Geminiano
