By Benjamin Cuaresma
MAKATI CITY — The Makati City government is set to roll out its own community-based health caravan after the successful staging of the national government’s Lab for All: Laboratoryo, Konsulta, at Gamot Para sa Lahat program, which delivered free healthcare services to hundreds of residents at the Makati Coliseum.
Led by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, the June 23 event brought essential medical and government services directly to communities, providing residents with free consultations, laboratory examinations, diagnostic procedures, and medicines.
The one-stop service caravan, a flagship initiative of the Office of the First Lady, aims to make quality healthcare more accessible by eliminating the financial and logistical barriers that often prevent Filipinos from seeking early medical attention.
Residents availed themselves of a wide range of services, including electrocardiograms (ECG), urinalysis, blood sugar and cholesterol screening, chest X-rays, ultrasound examinations for pregnant women, medical consultations, and free medicines sufficient for up to 15 days.
Ahead of the main event, medical outreach activities were also conducted in Barangay Valenzuela on June 19, Barangay Carmona on June 20, and Barangay Guadalupe Viejo on June 21, allowing more residents to benefit from the program.
Makati Mayor Nancy Binay welcomed the initiative alongside senior national government officials and described the program as a model of effective public service delivery.
“Preventive healthcare is one of the most effective ways to build healthier communities. By providing free consultations, diagnostic services, and medicines, Lab for All empowers residents to detect health concerns early and seek timely treatment,” Binay said.
Inspired by the success of the caravan, Binay announced that Makati plans to establish a similar city-run program to expand access to healthcare and government services for its residents.
The event was also attended by Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, Chief Public Attorney Persida Rueda-Acosta, and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora.
Officials said the initiative reflects the objectives of Republic Act No. 11223, or the Universal Health Care Act, by bringing essential health services closer to communities and strengthening preventive healthcare at the local level.
The Makati rollout demonstrated how national government programs can encourage local government units to adopt and institutionalize similar initiatives, broadening access to healthcare and improving public health outcomes across communities.
ia/xf
