At least 1,000 members of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI), their dependents and other residents of Dimasalang town in Masbate province received free health, livelihood, financial, and social services on Thursday.

In an interview, Leslie Jane Banayo, marketing director of CARD Bank, an institution under the CARD MRI, said the services, given free of charge to the people, were part of their yearly Kaunlaran Caravan project.

“The main objective of this caravan is to assist our members and non-members, particularly here in Masbate province. We want to give them easy access to health care services that are very important in maintaining a healthy environment and community,” Banayo said.

She said the one-day caravan offered a medical-dental-optical mission that would help the beneficiaries save money in going to private hospitals and clinics in the city for check-ups.

“We also have here Obstetrics and Gynecology to check women here. This will also give them access to other services that the CARD MRI, like in the insurance and financial literacy for the children,” she said.

Apart from the medical, optical, and dental services, free massage, free haircuts, financial literacy advice, mass wedding registration, and feeding were also given to the people.

Banayo said they would also conduct the same activity in Butuan City this April and in Panabo City in Davao in May.

CARD MRI is a social development organization composed of 25 institutions sharing the same mission of eradicating poverty in the country.

It has 247,911 members in the province of Masbate under its financial, microfinance, education, health, and livelihood programs, as well as other capacity-building services. (PNA)