Health Programs in the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas
On Sept. 6, 2023, the City of Sto. Tomas LGU launched the Healthy Sto. Tomas—the backbone of all innovative health programs covering the 30 barangays of the city.
The programs and projects are designed to address the seven priority areas of the Health Department’s (DoH) Healthy Pilipinas campaign, namely: Diet and Exercise, Environmental Health, Vaccination, Substance Use, Mental Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Safety and Inclusivity.
Grounded in community relations to meet the health needs of households that make up the city’s overall population, the city’s health programs are gender-based, age-appropriate, and social class-responsive.
Guided by Mayor AJAM, the city government established two health offices— one in Barangay San Miguel and the other, in Barangay Sta. Clara, under the supervision of our City Health Office.
This was followed by the establishment of the following: 30 barangay health stations, and one Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEMONC) birthing facility that attends to the needs of some 251,901 individuals, composed of 67,353 households.
With the support of Anakalusugan Rep. Ray Reyes and Sen. Loren Legarda, about 80% of the first phase of the Ospital ng Lungsod ng Sto. Tomas is now completed.
AKSYON BILIS CENTER
In December 2023, the city government of Sto. Tomas, Batangas inaugurated the Aksyon Bilis Center and began the distribution of Aksyon Bilis Blue Cards to some 400 families.
The Blue Card serves as a community identifier and are used to avail of free and needed medical services—as well as other services that the city government will extend in the future.
It was first issued to residents of Barangay Poblacion 2, adjudged as the Best Performing Barangay in Family Profiling.
City of Sto. Tomas Mayor Arth Jhun Aguilar Marasigan revealed that the effectivity and efficiency of the Healthy Sto. Tomas program rests on how well the city government can map out the needs of Tomasinos.
He added that the Blue Card is the best way to successfully implement a comprehensive system for profiling the families of the City of Sto. Tomas.
At present, some 51,840 blue cards have been distributed, reaching 71% of targeted households.
AKSYON BILIS HEALTH CARAVAN
With the able support of city government officials led by Mayor AJAM, Vice-Mayor Catherine Jaurigue-Perez and members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod, the 1st Aksyon Bilis Health Caravan was launched in November, providing increased mobility to various health programs ranging from—flu vaccination, kapit bisig, food safety seminar, among others.
“The caravan aims to serve the most vulnerable sectors of the population, by increasing their immunity to disease complications stemming from flu,” Mayor AJAM said.
First among the beneficiaries were some 500 senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) who attended the City Health Office’s TsuFlu Vaccination Drive on Nov. 14.
The caravan came with the successful start of the “SADIANG BATA: You’re your Numbers” program, which raised awareness on the care and maintenance of diseases like hypertension and diabetes. Some 250 Tomasinos participated in the activity.
On the whole the city government increased the number of healthcare providers. From two doctors, the city now has eight doctors. As a result, more patients are serviced, an increase from 20-50 patients to 150-200 patients.
Consultation hours have been extended, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., until Saturday, for every first week of the month.
ALISTO AKO VOLUNTEERS
The Health Education Promotion Unit (HEPU) functioned as a conduit for the implementation of the health programs. They were joined by the City’s Alisto Ako Volunteers who assist in the implementation of HEPU programs at the barangay level.
Free actual screening and medical checkups were conducted, together with the distribution of free appropriate medicine and the administration of pneumococcal vaccine.
ANTI-RABIES CENTER
The city provides free anti-rabies vaccination. It has serviced more than 3,000 patients that need treatment.
AKSYON BILIS MOBILE CLINIC
The Aksyon Bilis Mobile clinic travels with the mobile ultrasound to provide pregnant women with free diagnostic imaging. It also offers the following services for free—electrocardiogram (ECG), complete blood count (CBC), Chest X-ray, Blood Chemisty, Blood Sugar test, Cholesterol, Triglyceride HDL, eye screening, reading glasses, medical consultation, dental check-up, tooth extraction, medicines, and free haircut.
The Mobile Clinic is the realization of Mayor AJAM’s promise to safeguard the health of Tomasinos, with the full support of Vice Mayor Catherine Jaurigue-Perez, Sangguniang Panlungsod Members, Head of Operations, City Health Office Dr. Arnielyn A. Marasigan-Aguirre, Sierra Diagnostic Centre, Sierra Eye, LGBT Council, and the city’s barangay health workers.
The mobile service has seen through a 53% increase in number of patients served or a total of 20,000 Tomasinos. It makes its rounds of the city’s 30 barangays on Tuesday and Thursday of every week. Tomasinos are advised when the mobile clinic will service a specific barangay.
FUN-RUN FOR A CAUSE
In celebration of the 4th cityhood anniversary of Sto. Tomas, Batangas, the city government held its Fun Run for A Cause for its residents afflicted with cerebral palsy.
The city government collected P363,000 for 69 cerebral palsy beneficiaries. In 2023, 57 individuals with cerebral palsy received P8,000 worth of items for their basic needs through the City’s Color Fun Run.
PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT FOR HEALTH
Led by Mayor AJAM, the city government of Sto. Tomas, Batangas has programmed periodic partnerships with private sector health experts and patient advocacy groups to support a wide range of health concerns and information campaigns.
In observance of the Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Day of Action, Mayor AJAM accepted the invitation of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) to be a local government resource speaker during its Nov. 27 Together for Health forum on cervical cancer in Manila.
At the forum, Mayor AJAM shared the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas’ experience in raising the awareness of Tomasino women on cervical cancer prevention, as well as increasing the reach of available medical services to address the disease. It was his second time to be invited at the PHAP-sponsored health forum.
Meanwhile, to mark Hypertension Month, the Health Education & Promotion Unit (HEPU) of the city government partnered with Viatris Philippines—a worldwide private company dedicated to healthcare—to launch the program, Aksyon Bilis Walang Tensyon kaya Say No to Hypertension.
The program involved hypertensive and diabetic patients. Its goal was to raise the awareness of the people on hypertension and diabetes, in an effort to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Another project: Aksyon Bilis No Harm Stick Out your Arm gave free pneumococcal and flu vaccine to more than a thousand agricultural workers, eco aides, edo guides, barangay nutrition scholars, barangay animal health workers, TODA, and related organizations.
AWARDS
For its health and healthcare impact programs and projects, the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas gained the following Awards of Recognition for 2024. These include:
- Sandugo Award given by the Provincial Blood Council for its 15% blood collection
- Gawad Dugong Calabarzon 2023: Natatanging Karangalan sa Lalawigan ng Batangas
- Top 7 Compliant LGU for 2022 in achieving certification of an institutionalized DRRM-H in the province, for completing the requirements in the Certification of Community Based Drug Rehabilitation Program
- Regional Green Banner Seal of Compliance in Nutrition for LGUs
- Recognition from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for being the first Local Government Unit (LGU) to create a Health Education Promotion Unit in the province of Batangas as institutionalized with an Ordinance 2002-12 with the highest LGU budget allocated for Health, at 28.4%, based on the 2022 LGU Scorecard
PIPELINE HEALTH PROJECTS
The AKSYON BILIS HYGIENE CLINIC was established to be the center for confidential advice, testing, and treatment of HIV. It also offers free consultation for other sexually-transmitted infections, including the provision of comprehensive support and management of said diseases. It offers prevention and control, access to needed medicine, and follow-up sessions. Its overarching objective is to provide a safe and supported environment for its patients.
HEAL Tomasino is a joint activity of HEPU and CENRO to rid the San Juan River of mosquitos during the rainy season, thereby preventing the spread of dengue in households situated along the railroad tracks.
SAPAT PROGRAM provides information on medical services and local health programs for new residents to support their health needs. The program promotes “cultural sensitivity” at the barangay level; for the new residents to understand the intrinsic customs, beliefs, and norms of the community insofar as addressing health issues are concerned.
ALISTONG TANGLAW ILAW is a program to install solar lights in the homes of indigents—located in areas without electricity—upon the recommendation of ALISTO AKO volunteers. The objective is to improve the living conditions of the indigents.
ALISTO AKO galaw-galaw baka pumanaw DANCERSICE is an activity for co-morbid seniors who wants to include “low impact dancing” whenever they receive maintenance medicine and milk supplements, including discussions on a healthy lifestyle.
Continuity of AKSYON BILIS REACHING EVERY PUROK brings closer to indigent Persons With Disabilities (PWDs)—especially those that are bedridden—the health services, programs, and facilities offered by the city government. It gives immediate medication and medical attention to the poorest of the poor.
Age Appropriate, Gender-based Healthcare
SENIOR CITIZENS
Mayor AJAM assured senior citizen Tomasinos that there will be more maintenance medicines allotted to them for free in the coming year.
He likewise announced that the city now has a van dedicated to dental care, dispensing with free tooth extraction.
In a span of two years, the Sto. Tomas City government has provided free dentures to more than 400 patients under the Ngiting Tomasino program, most of which are senior citizens. This year, 200 beneficiaries will benefit from this program.
Part of the Healthy Sto. Tomas is the Forever Young program, where lectures in health and nutrition are given before the distribution of free medicine and multivitamins, milk, as well as free influenza and pneumonia vaccines for some 8,000 citizens with comorbidities.
DRIVERS
Some 2,576 TODA members availed of free vitamins and face masks through the successful implementation of the Todang Suporta program.
The program is accompanied by free medical missions and awareness-raising on male reproductive health and how to quit smoking.
TEEN MALES
Teen males are provided free circumcision through the Mobile Poging Gupit. Starting with about 500 teen males that were circumcised on Holy Week, the project has now serviced some 1,500 teen males.
Mobile clinics offer free circumcision every Tuesday and Thursday with doctors and nurses attending to their teen patients.
TEEN GIRLS & BOYS
On January 5 of this year, the Sto. Tomas City government launched the Teen Health Kiosk that provides information on reproductive health and mental health, and other health issues that affect today’s youth. Young men and women come to the Kiosk to have their questions answered and for guidance and support.
Also launched is Tanglaw Tomasino, spearheaded by the Mayor’s wife Liza Marasigan. The program looks after the welfare of young women in the city.
The LGBTQ community of Sto. Tomas, Batangas remain active participants in the city’s healthcare efforts. Last July, the City LGBTQ Council Inc. (CLCI) of Sto. Tomas rendered free haircut sessions to students at San Francisco Elementary School.
WOMEN TEENS
The Sto. Tomas City government launched the Student Health Education (SHE) on Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM), where 2,462 period survival kits were distributed.
The kits contained information on managing menstruation for female students in the 5th and 6th grade levels from 24 public elementary schools. For this year, 100% of Grade V and Grade VI pupils from 24 public elementary schools were given period Survival kits from Feb.14 to 22.
MEN & WOMEN
Under Ordinance No. 2024-65, the city government launched an initiative called Girl Power Integrated Cancer Control Program or Aksyon Bilis Girl Power Laban sa Cancer.
Successfully launched on April 17, it is designed to control the spread of cancer by way of three primary screening tests: cervical cancer, breast cancer (MAMMOGRAM) and prostate screening. Midwives and nurses cascaded the program to administer the cervical screening across the city.
The city government launched the Usapang Barako or Prostate Awareness Month. The activity disseminated information on prostate cancer and provided free prostate screening. Participants included the male workers of CENRO, farmers, tanods, and other high-risk males from LGU employees.
EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE & DEVELOPMENT (ECCD)
To protect the teeth of young children, a Kulit Bulilit Oral Health: Aksyon Bilis Iwas Tamis para Tooth Decay Alis was launched on Feb 26 of this year.
Beneficiaries were kindergarten pupils at the city’s North Central School. The program taught the young kids how to take care of their teeth through a variety of activities—from storytelling, kiddie dance, and the distribution of a dental health coloring worksheet.
