The local government of Makati City led by Mayor Abby Binay and the office of Rep. Luis Campos, have been holding medical caravans to benefit residents of all city barangays and even EMBO villages, now under the territorial jurisdiction of Taguig City.

Binay said starting on 12 February, the health centers in Bangkal, Poblacion, Kasilawan and Guadalupe Nuevo will operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. instead of the usual 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.

She announced free consultations for EMBO residents at all barangay health centers and Ospital ng Makati in response to the clamor of residents complaining of inadequate health services.

Various services are also accessible at the multi-service Lingkod Bayan Caravan, regularly scheduled on a Saturday in a selected barangay.

Other services also available to EMBO residents include pet vaccination, pet microchipping, legal aid, job fair, and assistance from utility companies Meralco and Manila Water.

City, not barangay-sponsored On 17 February, Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo conducted its first whole-day medical caravan to provide its constituents’ medical needs at its barangay headquarters in Orense Street, Makati.

The medical event led by Binay, not by Barangay Captain German O. Sunga as earlier reported, provided all the medical services, including free checkups, X-rays, ECG, FBS, blood typing and free medicines.

Sunga, in a letter sent to the DAILY TRIBUNE on 22 February, said, “Makatizens, especially the residents of Guadalupe Nuevo, have immensely benefited from the city-sponsored multi-service caravan held in the barangays on Saturdays since 2016.”

EMBO services

Mayor Abby said: “We have been receiving numerous complaints from EMBO residents about lack of access to basic health services. We are also concerned for residents and senior citizens who can no longer avail themselves of free, unlimited dialysis sessions and free maintenance medicines which Makati provides.”

Hence, she has ordered all concerned frontline offices of the city government to accommodate EMBO residents in the caravans scheduled throughout the year.

“Although these barangays are no longer under Makati’s jurisdiction, the City is still dedicated to ensuring the well-being of all residents, past and present,” she said.

She encouraged residents to monitor the city’s Facebook page, My Makati, for updates on the schedule and location of the city’s multi-service caravan.

A good number of EMBO residents turned up at the first two caravans this year held in Barangays Poblacion and Urdaneta, she added.

“We gladly welcomed hundreds of EMBO residents who came all the way to District 1 to avail themselves of free health services and other benefits offered during each caravan,” Mayor Abby said.

The mayor said senior citizens with valid senior citizen cards from the EMBO barangays will also continue to enjoy free laboratory, imaging, and diagnostic services at OsMak, in line with the Universal Health Care Law of 2019.

“Even though the EMBO barangays are no longer under Makati, we feel it is our moral responsibility to ensure their access to essential health services. Our care and support extend beyond geographical boundaries,” the mayor said.