ANGELES CITY — Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. ordered members of the City Health Office to conduct free pap smear, breast examination, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) test on 221 female persons deprived of liberty in Bureau of Jail Management and Penology on March 20, 2023.
This will be the first time ever that free medical services for females will be conducted for free.
Mayor Lazatin will sponsor the said medical services and allotted P50,000 from his own salary to provide the tests.
Chief Adviser IC Calaguas and Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel will donate P30,000 to augment the said tests from their own pocket.
Mayor Lazatin wants to ensure the health and welfare of the people inside the jail.
“First time po itong gaganaping libreng pap smear, breast examination at HIV test dahil hanggad ni Mayor Pogi na mapanatiling maayos ang kalusugan ng mga PDLs natin,” Gender and Development Officer Mina Cabiles said.
Cabiles added that Mayor Lazatin stressed that all female PDLs will receive these medical services for free.
Lazatin instructed GAD Officer Cabiles and the City Health Officer (CHO) Dr. Verona Guevarra to bring the services to the PDLs using two mobile bus clinics.
“Patuloy ang pangako ko sa inyo na ang serbisyong medikal sa ilalim ng aking administrasyon ay literal na dadalhin ko sa inyong mga pintuan,” Lazatin ensures.
BJMP Female Dormitory Jail Senior Inspector Cecilia Tamayo expressed her gratitude to Mayor Lazatin and city hall executives for the inclusion of the PDLs in the free medical services.
“Malaki ang pasasalamat ko kay Mayor Lazatin dahil tinugunan niya ang aming request na mapabilang ang mga kababaihan nating PDLs sa libreng serbisyo medikal,” Tamayo said.
According to Cabiles, the free pap smear, breast examination and HIV tests are part of the observance of this year’s National Women’s month celebration.
Meanwhile, the city government finished to cater 1,650 Angeleñas with free pap smears and breast examination throughout the campaign, which started last March 1.
Pap smear is a medical test conducted to detect cervical cancer.
Lazatin said that just like his father, Cong. Carmelo “Tarzan” Lazatin, grandfather Apung Feleng, and brother, First District Congressman Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II, health is the cornerstone of his administration.