STO. Tomas City Mayor Arthjun “AJAM” Marasigan highlighted several initiatives aimed at improving healthcare services in his recent State of the City Address (SOCA) on July 29. “We continue to enhance the quality of healthcare services because we believe that good health is crucial for the growth of our beloved city’s economy,” Mayor Marasigan stated.
Among the key healthcare initiatives discussed were the expansion of staff, equipment, and facilities at health centers to ensure efficient medical services. New health offices in Barangay Sta. Clara and San Miguel, managed by the City Health Office (CHO), were also highlighted, along with 30 health stations and a basic emergency obstetrics and newborn care birthing facility, serving the city’s population of 259,908.
Marasigan announced that the Ospital ng Lungsod ng Sto. Tomas is 80 percent complete, aiming to provide top-quality healthcare to all residents. Additionally, extended consultation hours at the CHO on the first Saturday of each month now offer free healthcare services from 8 AM to 5 PM.
The number of doctors at the CHO has increased from two to eight, significantly boosting the daily patient capacity from 50 to 200. The AksyonBilis Mobile Clinic has also seen a 53 percent increase in patients served, offering free mobile ultrasound, chest x-rays, CBC, ECG, eye screening, reading glasses, medical consultations, dental check-ups, and medications.
The city’s Mobile Poging Gupit program for circumcision saw an increase from 500 to 1,500 young boys this year. Moreover, 51,840 blue cards have been distributed to heads of households, representing 71 percent of target households, allowing them to avail of free services from various local government offices.
The Healthy Sto. Tomas program, launched on September 6, 2023, provides health and nutrition lectures alongside free maintenance medications, multivitamins, flu and pneumonia vaccines, and milk to 8,000 senior citizens with comorbidities. The Tricycle Operators and
Drivers Association (TODA) members also benefited from distributed multivitamins and face masks, and a medical mission offering free health services.
The Student Health Education on Menstrual Hygiene Management (SHE-MHM) program distributed 2,462 survival kits and educated students from 24 public elementary schools on proper menstrual hygiene. The KulitBulilit Oral Health AksyonBilisIwasTamis para sa Tooth
Decay Alis program aims to teach kindergarten children proper dental care through fun activities like storytelling and kiddie dance sessions.
Mayor Marasigan also introduced the Girl Power Integrated Cancer Control Program, the first of its kind in Batangas, offering cervical, breast, and prostate cancer screenings.
Future plans for health programs in Sto. Tomas include the AksyonBilis Hygiene Clinic, providing confidential HIV testing and STI consultations, and the HEAL Tomasino program, which focuses on protecting the San Juan River and addressing mosquito-borne diseases in rail-side communities.
Additionally, the SAPAT program will inform new residents about medical services and local programs, while the AlistoAko initiative will promote understanding and respect for local health-seeking behaviors. The AlistoGalaw-Galaw Baka Pumanaw Dance program encourages low-impact dancing for seniors with comorbidities, and the AlistoTanglawIlaw program will install solar street lights in homes of the underprivileged in remote areas.
Lastly, the AksyonBilis program continues to visit homes of the poor and bedridden PWDs, providing immediate medical care and hospital management recommendations if necessary.
“Our commitment to health remains our Number 1 agenda,” Marasigan affirmed in his speech, underlining Sto. Tomas’ dedication to comprehensive and accessible healthcare for all its residents.
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