President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. touted the 28 modern and highly-equipped Bagong Pilipinas mobile clinics that are expected to provide immediate and high-quality healthcare services to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) nationwide.
President Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos led the turnover of the 28 Mobile Primary Care Facilities (MPCFs), in a ceremony at the Manila North Harbor Port in Manila City on Friday.
In his speech, Marcos stressed that the distribution of mobile clinics is in line with Republic Act 11223 or the Health Sector 8-Point Action Agenda and the Philippine Development Plan 2020-2040.
The distribution of the new mobile clinics is part of the government’s extensive and long-term plan under the 8-point action agenda to improve the country’s health sector.
Marcos lamented that people from underserved and remote areas in the country have limited access to healthcare.
“Para sa ating mga nakatira sa lungsod o bayan, madaling sabihin na ang pagpunta sa ospital o sa clinic ay isang mabilis na biyahe lamang. Pero sa ibang bahagi ng bansa, ang pagpunta dito ay parang isang masalimuot na paglalakbay (For those of us who live in the city or town, it's easy to say that going to the hospital or the clinic is just a quick trip. But in other parts of the country, getting there is like a complicated journey),” Marcos said.
“Minsan, kinakailangan pang sumakay ng bangka, maglakad ng ilang oras, magdasal na sana’y makarating ng ligtas, at magbabayad pa ng pamasahe. Dito natin makikita na hindi lang distansya ang kalaban kung hindi ang oras, ang pagod, ang gutom, ang pangamba, at ang gastos (Sometimes, they need to take a boat, walk for several hours, pray that they will arrive safely, and pay the fare. Here, we can see that the enemy is not just distance but time, fatigue, hunger, fear, and expenses),” he added.
The Department of Health has procured 83 mobile clinics with a total of P830 million.
Each mobile clinic, worth P10 million, includes a standard set of equipment including an x-ray machine, ultrasound, laboratory equipment, telemedicine kit, generator set, vehicle airbags, and an air conditioning unit.
Among the recipient provinces are Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro, South Cotabato, and North Cotabato.
Other provinces that will receive a mobile clinic include Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Agusan del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.
Marcos also graced the send-off of the first 14 mobile clinics bound for Cagayan de Oro City via roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel. The remaining vehicles will be transported to General Santos City the following day.
Other mobile clinic vehicles will also be delivered and turned over to the provincial governments via a cargo ship.