ANGELES CITY – Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. facilitated the return of a missing mentally-challenged patient to his family, after his treatment shouldered by the city government.
Mayor Lazatin allocated P7 million, under the Gender and Development (GAD) fund, for the Integrated Mental Health Services for Persons with Mental and Psychological Challenges, to give assistance to patients for their medical treatment.
He then signed a memorandum of agreement with the Metro Psych Facility in Pasig City to treat all the mentally-challenged individuals rescued by the city government.
“Hangad ng city government na mapabuti ang kalagayan at kapakanan ng lahat ng naninirahan sa siyudad. Kaya naman pinapaigting natin ang mga ganitong programa, para mas marami tayong matulungan,” Lazatin said.
“Murvin” (not his real name), is the 11th recovered mentally-challenged individual, whose treatments were shouldered by the city government, and were also safely returned to their homes – even those coming from far-flung areas such as Nueva Vizcaya and Kalinga.
To date, Mayor Lazatin’s Chief Adviser and Tactician Director IC Calaguas said the city government has already rescued 68 mentally-challenged individuals in the city. In fact, most of these individuals are not native of Angeles City, and are coming from other areas and nearby provinces such as Tarlac.
“Mayor Lazatin will remain true to his promise of prioritizing the health and welfare of all Angeleños,” Calaguas said.
“After being separated for a year and a half, Murvin was finally reunited with his mother,” she added.
The reunion was made possible after Murvin’s mother joined Eat Bulaga’s segment “Bawal ang Judgemental,” on September 12, where she shared her touching story.
According to the mother, a banana cue vendor, her son Murvin got lost, after boarding a public transportation on his own.
She then appealed to the public to help find her missing son with special needs.
Thanks to the program’s nationwide reach, the mother’s story about her missing son went viral, and eventually found its way to the proper authorities.
This particular story caught the attention of an attendant at the Metro Psych Facility, where Murvin was then confined.
GAD Officer Mina Cabiles shared that Murvin was one of the mentally-challenged individuals found wandering in the streets of Angeles City, and was rescued by the members of Angeles City Tourism Auxiliary (ACTA) last May 12.
“Two days later, Murvin was then transferred to the Metro Psych Facility for his free treatment, sponsored by the city government,” Cabiles said.
Though fully recovered, she added, Murvin had to remain at the said treatment facility, because he was not able to efficiently communicate his family’s whereabouts.
The Metro Psych Facility coordinated with the Angeles City Government’s GAD Office, where they confirmed that it was indeed Murvin to whom the woman was referring to as her missing son.
Lazatin, thru his GAD Officer Cabiles, immediately took action, and quickly arranged Murvin’s return to his family.
On September 22, Mayor Lazatin, Cabiles, and members of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), and the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (ACDRRMO), and City Information Office (CIO) fetched Murvin at the Metro Psych Facility and joined him on his journey back to his mother’s house in Cavite.
It was a tearful and emotional reunion, as Murvin was finally back in his family’s arms.
According to Cabiles, the city government will continue to provide free medical assistance to Murvin, and all the other recovered mentally-challenged individuals.