From wheelchairs and oxygen tanks to emergency kits and relief supplies, three remote municipalities in Mountain Province are getting a much-needed boost in healthcare delivery and disaster preparedness through new assistance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
The towns of Barlig, Besao and Sadanga received mobility aids, medical equipment and emergency-response supplies under PCSO’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program during a turnover ceremony at the agency’s main office in Mandaluyong City on August 4.
The assistance is expected to strengthen frontline services in communities where distance and challenging terrain can make access to healthcare and emergency resources more difficult.
PCSO Chairperson retired Judge Felix P. Reyes and Director Jennifer E. Liongson-Guevara led the distribution, which was witnessed by Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Dalog Jr.
For Barlig and Besao, the support focused heavily on healthcare and mobility.
Barlig Mayor Clark Ngaya and Besao Mayor Bryne Bacwaden received wheelchairs, canes, crutches and walkers for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and residents who need assistance moving around independently.
The two municipalities also received blood pressure monitors, pulse oximeters, glucometers, thermal scanners and oxygen tanks—basic but crucial equipment that can help local health workers respond more quickly to patients.
In geographically scattered communities such as those in Mountain Province, having essential medical devices readily available can make a significant difference, particularly when residents are far from larger hospitals and medical centers.
Barlig and Besao were also provided with evacuation kits that can be deployed when communities are threatened by severe weather, landslides and other emergencies.
Sadanga, meanwhile, received assistance geared toward disaster response and relief operations.
Evangeline Amangran, representing Mayor Robert B. Wanawan, accepted several ChariTimba packages containing food and other essential supplies that can be distributed to affected residents during emergencies.
The municipality likewise received evacuation kits to reinforce its existing disaster preparedness resources.
The latest turnover highlights how PCSO’s assistance extends beyond direct medical aid, with the agency also providing local governments with practical tools that can be immediately deployed in their communities.
For residents, the impact can be simple but significant: a wheelchair restoring mobility to an elderly person, an oxygen tank becoming available during a medical emergency, or a relief package reaching a family displaced by a calamity.
By working directly with local government units, PCSO said its CSR initiatives aim to bring assistance closer to communities while helping municipalities improve their ability to respond to everyday healthcare needs and unexpected disasters.
For Barlig, Besao and Sadanga, the new equipment and supplies are more than just donations—they are additional lifelines that can help their communities become healthier, safer and better prepared when emergencies strike.