Access to healthcare is now closer to home for Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities in Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte, following the recent launch of the pilot Community Assistance Vehicle (CAV) initiative.

In an interview on Thursday, Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. De Carlo Uy said the program, dubbed “OYO CAV,” has initially completed five trips, benefiting over 80 patients and their companions.

As a pioneering initiative in the district, the OYO CAV Program was formally launched in August this year to provide free transportation for patients in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA).

Residents from remote sitios in Gupitan were brought to the Kapalong District Hospital for medical consultations, with trips scheduled every Monday and Thursday.

“This pilot program is a first step toward building a more accessible healthcare system for our people. We are launching OYO CAV as a concrete response to the call of our communities,” Uy said.

He emphasized that healthcare should be within reach for every family, regardless of where they live or who they are.

Gupitan is home to a significant IP population, many of whom live in extreme poverty in far-flung sitios nestled deep in the mountains.

Families in these communities often rely on subsistence farming and seasonal labor, earning barely enough to meet basic needs.

“With poor road access and limited livelihood opportunities, healthcare is not only physically out of reach but also financially burdensome,” Uy added.

For decades, residents have endured long walks or costly “habal-habal” (modified rural motorcycle taxi) rides to reach hospitals, making timely medical care nearly impossible.

“Through the OYO CAV Program, these barriers are now being addressed by providing free, safe, and reliable transport,” Uy said. (PNA)