Gov’t brings UHC Caravan to Bontoc

Bontoc, Mountain Province – Joint forces from the Provincial Government of Mountain Province through the Provincial Health Office (PHO), Department of Health (DOH)- Mountain Province, and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, in coordination with the Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) through the Municipal Health Office (MHO) spearheaded the Universal Health Care (UHC) Caravan in the capital town on April 19, 2024.

The caravan included Blood Pressure (BP) Taking and Body Mass Index (BMI) Assessment, facilitated by the staff from the MHO headed by Municipal Health Officer Dr. Diga Kay Gomez, along with health education and promotion, First Patient Encounter, PhilHealth Registration, and among others.

With the theme “From Coverage to Care: UHC for every Life in all Communities of Mountain Province”, the caravan serves as a significant initiative to promote healthcare awareness, accessibility and community engagement.

Bontoc Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., in his message, welcomed the participants and assured the support of the Bontoc LGU on health and nutrition programs and services.

“The UHC Caravan is an avenue to fully explain to our partners at the barangay level about this program since they are the ones who will help us relay the information to the people in their respective villages,” the mayor said.

He added that this is the reason that invited to attend the activity are the 16 Punong Barangays, 16 Barangay Kagawad who are Chairperson of the Committee on Health in their respective villages, 16 Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), 16 Barangay Midwives, members of the Local Finance Committee of the Bontoc LGU, and the Sangguniang Bayan of Bontoc.

Tudlong encouraged the attendees to listen and actively engage in the discussion as it is an avenue to raise their issues and concerns about the implementation of the Republic Act No. 11223 or the UHC Act.

Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr., in his message, relayed that teams have been going around the municipalities in Mountain Province to reach out to all the stakeholders, and the UHC aims to bring health services to the grassroots community.

The governor guaranteed the strong support of the Provincial Government in the continual implementation of the UHC as he joined Mayor Tudlong in urging the participants to relay the benefits of the UHC Act to their respective villagers.

Among the notable information provided by the teams from the PHO, DOH-MP, and PhilHealth included the implementation of the UHC, technical inputs on how PhilHealth performs its roles in UHC implementation, Phil Health membership, benefits, availments and Payments on PhilHealth claims.

Other officials present to give their full support towards achieving ultimate goal for equitable health services for all were Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Joshua Fronda, Sangguniang Bayan members Timothy Pongad, Jr., Jupiter Jule Kalangeg, Peter Kedawen, Dan Evert Sokoken, and Jones Managtag. // Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay, Bontoc LGU