About 1,000 residents of four remote barangays in the municipality of Hamtic in Antique on Tuesday availed of the End to Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) medical and civic action.
“Various government agencies, through the ELCAC program, are taking their efforts to bring their services to the barangays that could hardly be reached,” Governor Paolo Everardo Javier said in his message during the program at the Barangay Linaban multi-purpose gymnasium in Hamtic.
He said the provincial government was joined by 23 other national government agencies in bringing services closer to residents of Barangays Pili, Bongbongan III, Pasu-jungao, and Linaban.
Spearheaded by the provincial government peace and order and public safety office, the package of services included medical and dental check-ups, circumcision, and eye check-ups, among others.
Javier also distributed family food packs, slippers, school supplies, and other forms of assistance to the residents.
The Antique Police catered to applicants for police clearance, while the Philippine Army provided free eye check-ups with eyeglasses.
Bongbongan III Barangay Captain Alejandro Salinas affirmed their need for government services. The last time they availed of a medical and dental mission was in 2023.
“We are grateful that through the ELCAC program, we are able to have free medical check-up,” he said.
Mary Joy Alcantara, a resident of Barangay Linaban, said that her two children and mother availed of the medical and dental services.
“I really grabbed the opportunity to bring my children and mother so they could avail of the services that they really needed,” she said. (PNA)