FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga — The mobile health and social services program Lab for All of First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos turned over two vehicles to the Pampanga provincial government on Tuesday (Feb. 20).
A truck with a water tanker and another truck for transporting farm produce were given on the eve of the birthday of Vice Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda.
Aeta talents such as the Ayta Brothers, Kamias High School Cultural Troupe and Nanay Community Worker Karen Casupanan performed as a form of tribute to the vice governor.
“Lab for all is our way of bringing government services closer to the people,” the First Lady told some 2,000 Aetas from Barangays Mawacat and Nabuclod who attended a program held at a covered court in Nabuclod here.
Lab for All and its partner agencies in the public and private sectors assisted 1,415 persons under the Assistance in Crisis Situation program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, giving them also family food packs.
Lab for All, through the Department of Health, gave supplemental feeding and deworming to 586 students.
At least 113 young people received haircuts from the TESDA (Technical Education Skills Development Authority). Medical missions by the Provincial Health Office reached 500 persons. A total of 111 persons received eyeglasses. The Department of Agriculture gave seedlings and farming tools to 140 upland farmers. The beneficiaries in the two villages totalled 2,865.
Mrs. Araneta-Marcos was the first First Lady who visited and served Aeta communities, according to Vice Governor Pineda. “Sana masama po sa programa ng gobyerno yung ating mga kababayan na katutubo kasi ang sabi nila may pangarap din sila sa buhay, gusto nilang makisama sa mga unat sa ibaba,” the vice governor added.
Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda thanked the First Lady and the Lab for All partners for working together to lift the lives of poor Filipinos like Aetas. Provincial Board Members especially Board Member Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab and Mayor Darwin Manalansan accompanied the First Lady in checking out the services.
Being upland villages near the now quiet Pinatubo volcano, Mawacat and Nabuklod have adequate planning and monitoring for disaster preparedness and response against erosion and landslides.
Lab for All, which began in May 2023, provides primary health care with several laboratory tests like ECG,ultrasound, blood chemistry, and dental services.
