BACOLOD CITY – At least 2,000 residents of this city benefited from free medical and laboratory services in the “Lab for All” program launched by First Lady Liza Marcos on Thursday, June 27, at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos here.
AT least 2,000 residents of Bacolod City benefited from free healthcare services courtesy of the ‘Lab for All’ program launched by First Lady Liza Marcos at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (UNO-R) on Thursday, June 27. (Glazyl Masculino)
The First Lady turned over to the city government a Lab For All van with laboratory equipment to help bring health services closer to the people of Bacolod.
Councilor Cindy Rojas, focal person for the activity, said that they have pre-identified 1,500 recipients and accommodated 500 walk-in patients during the main activity on Thursday.
Rojas said the series of medical mission started on June 24, when they first accommodated 400 patients at the Bacolod City College (BCC) in Barangay Taculing.
The following day, another batch of recipients were served in Barangay Vista Alegre, and they also accommodated patients in Barangay Banago on Wednesday, June 26, she added.
The Lab for All activity is a part of the community-based health project “Laboratoryo, Konsulta, at Gamot para sa Lahat” in accordance with Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care Act that ensures “all Filipinos are guaranteed equitable access to quality and affordable health care goods and services.”
It offers free healthcare services such as physical and medical examinations, consultations, basic laboratory tests such as blood chemistry and hematology, ECG and digital X-ray, and free medicines.
Aside from free healthcare services, Rojas said that beneficiaries also received assistance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Mayor Albee Benitez thanked the First Lady for bringing the healthcare project to this city. “This is a big help to the people here,” he said.
Benitez cited the initiatives of the city government on healthcare services such as its partnership with all private hospitals here and the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP) which enables indigents to avail of free medication and easy hospital access and not required to pay down payment when admitted to private hospitals.
He said they are inspired by the First Lady’s commitment to inclusive and compassionate healthcare and they are dedicated in following her lead in serving the people.