QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — The Manila local government unit (LGU) is studying ways to extend the life expectancy of its residents, according to Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan.
In her state of the city address, Lacuna-Pangan said the ongoing studies will complement the existing interventions aimed at ensuring the health and well-being of Manileños through world-class medical services.
“We are studying what we should do to extend the life expectancy of our people. Not only can the lives of Manileños be prolonged, but also the quality of life of our senior citizens, to be happy and disease-free,” the mayor said.
As a doctor, Lacuna-Pangan has prioritized the overall good health of the city’s residents and empowered the Manila Health Department (MHD) and the six city-run hospitals, which she had been overseeing even before becoming mayor.
The mayor reported that the city-run hospitals, including Ospital ng Tondo, Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Sta. Ana Hospital, and MHD, have already obtained ISO certification, “a guarantee of the high quality of our health services and the proper system of the Manila hospitals.”
The city’s more than 40 health centers now have their own laboratories, ECG, and ultrasound services for pregnant women, eliminating the need for residents to visit hospitals and private facilities.
Additionally, the city has launched several health programs, including “Walang Batang Manileñong Bungi sa 2030,” which provides fluoride and sealant treatments for kindergarten and first-grade students, and the “Alis Sungki Balik Ngiti Program” for high school students, which has already provided free dental braces and dentures to 100 students.
The city government also reported an increase in the number of family planning acceptors, from 36,000 to 157,872 in a year, through the “Ang Bata, Bata, Planado kang Ginawa Safe Motherhood Program” to address the growing population in the city. (AVS/PIA-NCR)
