Previously, we talked about medical assistance, which is part of the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). In this article, we will discuss another medical-related project: LAB for ALL.
LAB for ALL is a project that aims to provide medical services to all parts of the country, especially in remote areas and underprivileged communities. It draws inspiration from what President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. Stated during his State of the National Address (SONA) last July 2022: “We must bring medical services to the people and not wait for them to come to our hospitals and health care centers.”
What is LAB for ALL?
LAB for ALL happens to be the flagship project of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. With the tagline, “Laboratoryo, Konsulta, at Gamot para sa Lahat (Laboratory, Consultation, and Medicine for All),” it seeks to provide medical services to all — regardless of background or geographical location.
The main goal of LAB for ALL is to bring medical services closer to the people by facilitating the donation of mobile vans equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment: x-ray machines, glucose monitors, cholesterol monitors, portable urine analyzers, ultrasound, and other machines. In this manner, the program is able to foster a collaborative approach towards helping indigenous communities.
With help from both the public and private sectors, the LAB for ALL aspires to make the phrase “mahal magkasakit” a thing of the past.
Working with the Public Sector
Since LAB for ALL is a collaborative project, it aims to bring together not just health services, but other government services in one location. In the government sector, the following agencies have participated, offering various programs and services:
- Commission on Higher Education (CHED) – offers scholarships to interested parties;
- Department of Agriculture (DA) – provides assorted fruit tree seedlings and vegetable seeds to locals;
- Department of Interior and Logal Government (DILG) – assists local government units (LGUs) with their requirements;
- Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) – offers assistance and overseas job fairs to locals;
- Department of Health (DOH) – offers medical services carried out by trained medical personnel;
- Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) – offers food packages and financial aid to those in need;
- Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – offers business registration with coaching and oher services;
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – ensures the quality of medicines and medical devices being distributed;
- Land Transportation Office (LTO) – processes driver’s licenses, renews motor vehicle registrations, and offers free theoretical driving course;
- National Housing Authority (NHA) – grants and processes housing allocations;
- Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) – offers social benefits, medical, financial, and livelihood assistance to members and their families;
- Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) – offers free legal services to those in need;
- Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) – offers medical and financial assistance to those in need;
- Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) – offers Konsulta package under the Universal Health Law; and
- Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – offers seminars and workshops to interested parties.
Working with the Private Sector
LAB for ALL also works closely with the private sector, with many companies providing mobile vans, medical missions, and gifts packs. Through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) iniatives, these companies and organizations have definitely been a huge help!
Here’s a list of companies and organizations that have been contributing to the LAB for ALL project:
- Asian Breast Center
- Huawei
- Innerwheel Club of Holy Spirit
- Integrated Philippine Association of Optometrists, Inc.
- Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Inc.
- Japan Tobacco International
- Foton Motor Philippines, Inc.
- LT Group, Inc.
- Philippine Council for NGO Certification
- Private Sector Advisory Council
- SM Foundation
- Tulong Kapatid
Image Credit: labforall.bagongpilipinas.ph
Latest Updates
A recent post by the DSWD Facebook page features DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian joining First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos at the LAB for ALL event in Olongapo, Zambales last Tuesday, 21 May 2024.
During the event Sec. Gatchalian oversaw the distribution of financial assistance and family food packs (FFPs) to 2,300 beneficiaries. Meanwhile DSWD Field Office 3 (Central Luzon), under the leadership of Regional Director Venus Rebuldela, extended seed capital to nine beneficiaries through the agency’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
Here is a list of the places that have been visited by the LAB for ALL project so far:
- Batangas, May 16, 2023
- Baguio – May 23, 2023
- Tarlac – May 30, 2023
- Pampanga – June 20, 2023
- Laguna – June 27, 2023
- Bulacan – July 11, 2023
- Zambales – July 18, 2023
- Baseco – July 25, 2023
- Oriental Mindoro – August 1, 2023
- Bataan – August 8, 2023
- Caloocan – August 29, 2023
- Ilocos Norte – September 12, 2023
- Bulacan – September 19, 2023
- Nueva Ecija – October 3, 2023
- Cavite – October 10, 2023
- Pangasinan – October 24, 2023
- Puerto Princesa – December 5, 2023
- Quezon Province – January 9, 2024
- Ilocos Sur – January 23, 2024
- La Union – February 6, 2024
- Floridablanca – February 20, 2024
- Cagayan – February 27, 2024
- Isabela – March 19, 2024
- Zamboanga City – May 9, 2024
- Misamis Oriental – May 16, 2024
- Zambales (Subic) – May 21, 2024
Soon, the event will be held in Carmen, Davao del Norte and Agusan Province on June 6 and June 20, 2024, respectively.
Video: LAB for ALL Project in Subic, Zambales
Check out this video featuring the highlights of the LAB for ALL project held in Subic, Zambales last May 21. This video was shared by the official Facebook page of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Meanwhile, here are some commonly asked questions about the LAB for ALL project:
1. What is LAB for ALL?
LAB for ALL is the flagship project of First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
2. What is its main goal?
The main goal of this project is bring medical services closer to the people, especially those living in remote areas and underprivileged communities.
3. Who are its government partners?
The government partners of the project include: CHED, DA, DILG, DMW, DOH, DSWD, DTI, FDA, LTO, NHA, OWWA, PAO, PCSO, PhilHealth, and TESDA.
4. What are its private partners?
Among the private partners of the project are: Asian Breast Center, Huawei, Innerwheel Club of Holy Spirit, Integrated Philippine Association of Optometrists, Inc., Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation, Inc., Japan Tobacco International, Foton Motor Philippines, Inc., LT Group, Inc., Philippine Council for NGO Certification, Private Sector Advisory Council, SM Foundation, and Tulong Kapatid.
5. How can I learn more about it?
You can learn more about the project by visiting its official website at: https://labforall.bagongpilipinas.ph/.
Follow LAB for ALL Online
The LAB for ALL project falls under the “Bagong Pilipinas” movement of the Marcos administration. Hence, you can learn more about it by following the social media pages of President Marcos:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BongbongMarcos
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bongbongmarcos/
Twitter: https://x.com/bongbongmarcos
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/bongbongmarcos
Image Credit: labforall.bagongpilipinas.ph
Final Thoughts
Thanks to the LAB for ALL project, we can expect that people all over the country would have greater access to medical services.
Aside from this project, another health-related government initiative is the Lingap at Gabay Para sa May Sakit (LinGap sa MaSa) program of the DSWD. Visit this link to learn more about it!