The outreach provided free medical consultations, eye examinations, medicines, and vitamins prescribed by licensed health professionals. Beneficiaries were also given hot porridge, packed meals, and drinking water.
Deylinda Abar, 68, a resident of Purok 2, sought consultation for nerve pain and high blood pressure. She was advised to undergo further laboratory tests and was prescribed maintenance medication for hypertension, along with vitamins.
“This is a big help to us. Programs like this from the office of Congressman Pulong reduce our expenses. We save on transportation since the services are brought directly to our barangay. We no longer need to travel far to hospitals, and even the medicines are free,” Abar said.
Another beneficiary, Juanita Lulab, 64, of Purok 3, consulted a physician for a persistent cough and received the necessary medicines and vitamins. She expressed gratitude for the timely assistance, noting that her condition had persisted for some time.
Dr. Jose Louie Paras, a volunteer physician, said the majority of patients consulted for hypertension, diabetes, and common respiratory illnesses. He added that medicines were dispensed and prescriptions were refilled for patients requiring continuous monitoring.
Barangay 1-A Chairperson Arnel Policarpio said the activity marked the second medical mission conducted in the community by Congressman Duterte’s office.
“We are deeply grateful for this initiative. If the barangay were to fund this alone, our resources would not be sufficient,” Policarpio said. “This program ensured that residents received free checkups, medicines, vitamins, and even maintenance drugs.”
Policarpio noted that around 60 percent of the beneficiaries were senior citizens, with the rest composed of adults and children.
The Duterte father-and-son tandem said the initiative aims to bring essential healthcare services closer to communities, particularly to residents who cannot afford regular medical consultations and maintenance medication.
The medical mission forms part of ongoing efforts to improve access to basic healthcare services for all Davaoeños.