ILOILO City – “Pabor gid ‘ni sa mga pareho sa akon nga pigado, sa mga indi na makakadto sa babaw, sa mga nabudlayan magkadto pa sasyudad, subong malapit na ang [serbisyo], libre pa,” 65-year-old Rosalinda Gerez told Panay News as she lauded the city government’s Pag-ulikid sing Syudad, Pag-ulikidni Mayor program.
A resident of Barangay San Isidro, La Paz, Gerez – despite already being a senior citizen – still works as a utility worker at the barangay hall of the neighboring barangay of Ticud. Suffering from high blood pressure, the only time she gets to have her health checked is when there is a doctor available at their health center.
With the city’s new grassroots program, Gerez is happy that free health and government services are now closer to home. It usually takes her about an hour to commute to the city if she has a transaction at city hall.
According to Gerez, she has to ride a trisikad to the Coastal Road, then a tricycle to be dropped off at the La Paz Public Market before finally boarding a jeepney bound for the City Proper to get to the central district – the commute leaving her drained before she even arrives at her destination.
“Sa program sing syudad, subong nakapangayo na ko advice sa legal, may doctor, may libre nga bulong para sa akon balati-an, may ara man naga-asikaso sing live birth certificate diri lang sa amon mismo barangay,” said Gerez. “Indi na ko makapoy magpa-syudad.”
Pag-ulikid brings the city government’s frontline programs, projects and services closer to the villages. On May 12, it was held in Barangay San Isidro, La Paz in the morning and Barangay San Isidro, Jaro in the afternoon.
Under Pag-ulikid, the City Health Office (CHO) and Dental Health Division offer free dental and medical services and free circumcision procedures. The Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) provides identification cards for senior citizens. The City Veterinarian’s Office conducts free dog vaccinations. The City Civil Registry Office assists those who have issues with birth certificates and marriage contracts.
City Administrator Hernando Galvez said Espinsoa thought of the Pag-ulikid program after visiting a barangay on the outskirts of the city where he met an elderly constituent.
“Si mayor may nakilala didto nga senior citizen, advanced age na, pero wala gihapon Senior Citizen ID,” said Galvez. “Nabuksan ang iya nga ideya nga mas manami siguro kun ang serbisyo direkta sa mga pumuluyo.”
“Ang iya prinsipyo is dal-on naton ang tanan nga services, not only medical services, but also dental, legal, kun birth certificate or Senior Citizen ID inyo problema, tanan! Para indi na ang pumuluyo mabudlayan pa-city hall. Ari na tanan nga serbisyo malapit sa ila,” said Galvez.
Felicitas Hortillosa, barangay captain of San Isidro, La Paz, welcomed the program.
“This is the first time nga tanan nga department heads sing syudad sing Iloilo nagkadto gid diri sa amon barangay para maghatag sing ila serbisyo,” said Hortillosa.
“Gapasalamat gid ako on behalf sing akon mga pumuluyo nga naghatag kamo sing mainit kag madinuagon nga serbisyo sa amon barangay. Nakabulig gid sing dako. Kompleto ang serbisyo nga gin dala sa amon,” she added.
On why he wants to bring government services to the grassroots, Espinosa said, “The people are always part of every city’s progress and development. Without them, nothing is possible.”
“Gusto ta mapalapit ang serbisyo kag ang gobyerno sa pumuluyo,” the mayor further explained. “Kag gusto ko tanan nga sector maka–ambit man sing ginatawag nga progreso. Wala kita ginakalimtan, halin sa mga estudyante, mga kabataan, asta sa mga senior citizens.”
During the event, the city government also turned over wheelchairs and canes to poor persons with disabilities in the barangay, along with a jetmatic pump, and sports equipment such as basketballs, volleyballs and chessboards.
“Biskan ano pa kaprogresibo sang aton syudad kun indi ina mabatyagan sang mga pumuluyo, wala man ina sa gihapon pulos. They are the reasons we have this program. We want to make them feel important and loved,” he continued.
The Pag-ulikid program held on Saturday was also made possible with the help and volunteers of the Philippine College of Surgeons and the Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines – Iloilo Chapter./PN
