FOLLOWING Makati City’s “abrupt” closure of the eight health centers in the Embo (Enlisted Men’s Barrio) area, the city government of Taguig has ensured that health services will continue in these barangays.
Around 1,500 residents sought accessible medical, dental and nutrition services after Taguig City’s “Love Caravan” has made its way to Barangay Cembo on Saturday. This is the second time the caravan was conducted in the Embo barangays.
Mayor Maria Laarni Cayetano personally joined the caravan and reassured residents of EMBO of continued delivery of services including health services.
There were 300 undergoing dental checkups or procedures. Additionally, more than 200 individuals took advantage of complimentary vaccination and laboratory services.
Aside from the “Love Caravan,” the following facilities of the city are open to accommodate the residents from EMBO: Taguig-Pateros District Hospital (TPDH); 31 health centers; seven primary care facilities; three Super Health Centers; a dialysis center; five animal-bite treatment centers; three main laboratories; and, 29 community-based laboratories.
Taguig also launched telemedicine in 10 EMBO barangays to augment health services delivery. Makati reneged on its earlier commitment to turn over the health centers to Taguig last October 1, 2023, a statement by the local government unit read.
The city has already stationed a satellite pharmacy for Embo residents where they can avail for free the medicines prescribed during their teleconsulation. The satellite pharmacy is located at the Genesis Building, 19th Avenue, JP Rizal Extension, East Rembo.
The City’s dialysis center has started accepting dialysis patients from Embo. Patients can access dialysis services, dialyzer and erythropoietin—all for free, the city government said.
The “Love Caravan” is a mobile program that goes around the city three times a week, strategically reaching communities to provide health services.
The program has a wide range of free medical services, including consultations, check-ups, diagnostics and laboratory services, offering residents the opportunity to avail of essential tests such as CBC, urinalysis, random blood sugar (RBS), blood typing, chest x-ray, ECG and ultrasound.
Fire stations locked
MEANWHILE, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano vowed to “get to the bottom” of the padlocking of fire stations in the City of Taguig by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), saying the issue will not end even if the stations are reopened.
In a Facebook Live broadcast on January 5, a visibly upset Cayetano said he will call for a Senate hearing on the matter and told the BFP to give a full report.
“We will have a hearing. I will get to the bottom of this. May tsansa pa kayo sa [BFP] by correcting and repenting,” he said, explaining that the word “repent” means to change the way one thinks.
“I don’t want your excuses. You give a full report of what happened,” Cayetano was quoted in a statement as saying.
He said he only found out about the padlocking of fire stations on New Year’s Day when he and his wife and City of Taguig mayor visited the police stations of Barangays West Rembo and Comembo.
“First day of the year na bumalik ang mga EMBO sa Taguig after decades. Inimbita kami ni Lani sa West Rembo and Comembo at nag-boodle fight kasama ang mga police. Pagtingin namin, sa same compound, nakakandado ang fire station,” he said.
Very emotional
THE senator said the locking up of the fire station was despite the promise made by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through a Supreme Court resolution in December that the EMBO fire stations, which had previously been part of the City of Makati, would be transferred to the City of Taguig on January 1, 2024.
Cayetano said he discovered that the stations had already been padlocked before the end of 2023 with neither Makati nor the BFP informing Taguig.
“Nu’ng December 31, nakakandado na pala ang mga fire station, wala tayong kamalay-malay. At alam naman po natin, red alert kapag December 31, dahil maraming gumagamit ng mga paputok,” the senator said.
“I’m very emotional about this, kasi can you imagine, kung may sunog na nangyari diyan, hindi lang po ‘yung mga gamit, pati ‘yung buhay ng mga tao maaapektuhan,” he added.
Cayetano said he found out later that the fire stations were ordered padlocked on orders of City of Makati Mayor Abby Binay, who had earlier said her city would abide by the Supreme Court ruling that placed the 10 EMBOs under the City of Taguig.
‘Not acceptable’
THE senator said he immediately reached out to the Director of the Bureau of Fire regarding the issue but nothing came of it.
“Ipinangako ng director that afternoon na tatanggalin ang kandado at papapasukin na ang BFP ng Taguig. Pagkacheck ko kanina (Friday), wala pa rin,” he said.
Cayetano said when he talked to Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, he was told that Binay had claimed the fire stations belonged to Makati.
Venting his ire on Binay, the senator said what she did was “not acceptable.”
“We are a nation of laws, not of people. Hindi naman porke’t sinabi ng mayor na sa kanya ‘yan, siya na ang matutupad,” he said.
Cayetano said it was a good thing no accidents occurred during the holidays. “Thank God walang sunog na nangyari, walang namatay at nasunugan na property.”
Expressing gratitude to Abalos for promising to resolve the matter within the day, Cayetano nevertheless said the BFP is still not off the hook.
“I am very very disgusted and very very upset at the Bureau of Fire (Protection) and I promise all of you, I will get to the bottom of this. Hindi pa tapos ‘tong issue na ‘to,” he said.