IN HIS expanded pillars of government, Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo C. Garbo added three more, from his nine pillars in his first term to twelve in his second term. These, he stressed in his Inaugural address on June 30, 2022.
He pronounced that no Mabalaqueno should ever suffer from sickness without a fighting chance to live. He has been known to visit several residents who are bed-ridden, gave them comfort and prayed over them, not to mention his financial support.
This can be seen from rows of citizens lining up at the city hall mayor's office seeking medical and financial assistance from the City Mayor. And this program has been sustained from Day One of his administration.
The healthcare package the city hall offers assistance on: diagnostic, laboratory and clinical procedures and has forged memoranda of agreement with St. Raphael Foundation Medical Center, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Hospital, Tiglao Clinic and the Medical City at Clark to address his constituents' medical needs.
Upon submission of complete requirements and documents, the city gives financial assistance to defray the costs and settle the bills.
Mayor Garbo aspires to establish a wellness center, complete with state-of-the-art facilities. This way, h says, the citizens could find a very convenient place for their medical needs.
Healthcare should be the foremost priority for our local and national governments. After all, healthy bodies make up for smart minds, and vice versa.
The citizens, particularly the senior citizens, should be given comprehensive and encompassing healthcare benefits. Speaking of the elderly, Mayor Garbo made mention of them in his inaugural speech saying the elders were once productive and devoted their time and efforts to community building. It is just but fair, he says, to appreciate them during the twilight of their lives. I will write more about this pillar in my succeeding columns.
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Still to come are the barangay and SK elections, so we should urge our compatriots including the young ones to register in order to participate in this important exercise.
In Barangay Tabun, where I reside, there are talks that former barangay chief Rannie De Leon is going to vie for the post of Barangay Chairman versus his relative, the incumbent chair Danilo de Leon and probably Kagawad Ghen Pascual. It will be an exciting tiff as the trio has proven its mettle in past scenarios.
Rannie, for his part, has proven his worth as a competent village leader.