TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) -- Thousands of Cagayanos availed of various government services from the recently conducted ‘Laboratoryo, Konsulta, at Gamot para sa Lahat’ or ‘LAB for ALL’ caravan in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

No less than First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos spearheaded the caravan, which provided free medical services to around 3,000 Cagayanos from the municipalities of Enrile, Solana, Tuao, Piat, Peñablanca, Rizal, Iguig, Amulung, and this city.

The services include laboratory tests, x-rays, reading glasses, consultations with specialists, and medicines through the Department of Health, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Provincial Health Office, and medical teams of the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). Some private hospitals and medical associations also assisted in the caravan. 

“We brought medical, social, and legal services. My husband [President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.] said that we should bring government services closer to the people and not the other way around. And that’s what the LAB for ALL is doing,” said Araneta-Marcos.

The First Lady added that before the LAB for ALL, three pre-medical mission activities were conducted in the northern part of Cagayan, including Allacapan, Gonzaga, and Sanchez Mira towns.

“Almost 1,500 individuals benefited from the pre-medical mission activities conducted by our team in three municipalities. We cannot do it alone; hence, the government and private sector have to work together,” she said.

“Gusto ko lang pong pasalamatan everybody who is here today—our government sector partners, private sector partners, healthcare workers at lahat ng volunteers, maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat,” she added.

(I want to thank everybody who is here today—our government sector partners, private sector partners, healthcare workers, and all the volunteers, thank you very much.)

‘Social services’

The caravan was also able to provide social services to identified beneficiaries through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of the DSWD, around 1,500 beneficiaries each received P2,000 to augment their medical needs.

The First Lady and DSWD Regional Director Lucia Alan also led the awarding of P300,000 livelihood aid to the La Familia SLPA of Enrile town under the department’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

The beneficiaries also received family food packs and ‘charitamba’ from the DSWD and PCSO, respectively, to cushion the possible effects of El Niño. The PCSO also assisted those who needed medical assistance, such as chemotherapy and confinement, through its Medical Access program.

‘Other services’

Aside from the medical and social services, there were also other government interventions given to the participants such as free legal services, scholarship grants, free massage, and agricultural technology consultations. 

Some agencies also conducted advocacy campaigns on their programs while others displayed equipment relative to their services.  

‘Institutionalization of the LAB for ALL’

Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba  lauded the implementation of the LAB for ALL caravan, describing it as 'something new’ and ‘out of the box’.

In his message, Mamba said that the initiative of the First Lady should be institutionalized even after the term of President Marcos Jr. because he said it does not only bring the healthcare system closer to the people but also gathers both the public and private sectors to address health issues among Filipinos.

"This is something new to me; this is so innovative. Ito ang kailangan ng tao, kaya we are so blessed here in Cagayan. Nagbababa ng tunay na serbisyo ang national government para sa atin. Napakaimportate nito because it addresses the real needs of every Cagayano," said Mamba.

(This is something new to me; this is so innovative. This is what the people need; we are so blessed here in Cagayan. The national government is bringing true service to us. This is very important because it addresses the real needs of every Cagayano.) (OTB/MDCT/PIA Cagayan)