Almost 4,000 residents from the Bangsamoro region benefited from the “Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat” (The President’s Offering: Sufficient Service for All), a free healthcare initiative conducted by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Dr. Kadil Sinolinding Jr., BARMM health minister and Member of Parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), said the medical services were provided in celebration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s 68th birthday on Sept. 13.

Sinolinding said the MOH joined the nationwide celebration through its regional office and various health facilities, including the Integrated Provincial Health Offices (IPHOs) and district hospitals in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.

The free services included medical consultations, immunizations, laboratory services, surgical procedures, chest X-rays, pelvic ultrasounds, eye check-ups, and the distribution of reading glasses, medicines, wheelchairs, walking canes, walkers and hygiene kits.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) also conducted a “Yakap (Yaman ng Kalusugan Program) Caravan,” facilitating applications and updating memberships for residents.

“All were free services from our government. This is the government’s strong commitment to ensuring quality healthcare services by bringing them closer to the Bangsamoro people,” Sinolinding said in a statement Monday.

“MOH and your government of the day under the leadership of Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua remains committed to its mandate to provide and expand access to healthcare services, especially to indigent patients and in the remotest areas,” Sinolinding added. (PNA)