Some 1,500 residents of Ilocos Sur’s second district availed of free medical, legal, and social services through First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos’ Lab-for-All caravan here on Tuesday.
In coordination with the local government units of Ilocos Sur and Candon City, as well as various government agencies and the private sector, Lab-for All —or the Laboratoryo, Konsulta at Gamot Para sa Lahat— aims to bring healthcare and government services closer to people, especially in remote areas.
“We started small and now we are getting bigger. Thank you to all the participating agencies and private sectors. Mahalin natin ang Pilipinas (Let us love the Philippines),” the First Lady said in her message.
Services brought by the Lab-for-All caravan included electrocardiogram to patients aged 35 and above, urinalysis, random blood sugar or fasting blood sugar, body mass index, hemoglobin, cholesterol, uric acid, chest X-ray, petal doppler, ultrasound for pregnant women, including medical check up and free medicines.
“I received maintenance medicines, availed of laboratory tests, and was given a reading glass and a food pack too. This is a good service from the government, especially to the poor like me. The doctors are so kind and all the services that I wanted were given,” Mirasol Gagarin, a resident, said in Ilocano.
The caravan also featured other government assistance programs through a one-stop-shop participated in by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Land Transportation Office, Public Attorney’s Office, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Social Security System, and PhilHealth, among others.
A team from the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, also joined the event, deploying doctors, nurses, dentists, and social service workers to provide on-site consultations, dental services, and patient counseling.
The Lab-for-All caravan is part of a nationwide initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen public service delivery, particularly in far-flung areas.
To help bring people to Candon City Sports Arena for the event, the Land Transportation Office in Region 1, through its Digital Media and Public Assistance Office (DMPAO), hired at least nine modern jeeps units to transport them.
LTO Region 1 director Glorioso Daniel Martinez said the caravan also supports the transportation sector’s goal to accelerate the distribution of license plates, a long-standing concern for many vehicle owners.
“Prior to this event, we provided theoretic driving course which is one of the requirements to be able to get student permit. We went all the way to Cervantes, Quirino, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Cruz and Candon while distributing license plates too. All plate numbers of motorcycle and tricycle are now available to the LTO branch nearest them,” Martinez said in a media interview on Tuesday.
Ahead of the main caravan, pre-activities were held from July 7 to 9, featuring medical and dental missions in the towns of Quirino, Cervantes, and Santa Cruz. MMMH&MC also joined the Quirino leg of the pre-event, extending healthcare services to a total of 1,385 residents. (PNA)
