For 90-year-old Lucila Busa, healthcare has always been more than just a service—it was her life’s work.
As a former Barangay Health Worker (BHW), who spent years attending to her community, Lucila recalled the struggles of being a health worker decades ago.
“Han una gikuri-i at ngin masakit ka. An amon trabaho nagpipinanlista han mga residente, nagbabalay-balay, naglilinakat pero asya la talaga an am kaya hadto kay makuri pa man an medisina ngan makadto ka ha bungto pagpacheck-up,” Lucila said.
(Back then, healthcare access was difficult. Our job as BHWs was mostly to list down the names of people in the barangay, but there was very little we could do beyond that. Medicine was scarce, and people had to travel far just to get a check-up.)
She remembers going house to house on foot, taking note of pregnant women and malnourished children, but without the means to provide real medical assistance.
“Nasiring na la kami nga kumadto ha bungto, an iba nadiri kay harayo ngan waray kwarta. Makaluluoy gad,” Lucila added.
(Sometimes, all we could do was tell them to go to the town center, but many couldn’t because it’s too far and they don’t have money. It was heartbreaking.)
She remembers the frustration of seeing sick neighbors who couldn’t travel to town for treatment. Many simply endured their illnesses, relying on home remedies and prayers.
“Han una limitado la talaga ta am nahibubulig kay makuri pa man hadro, pero binubuhat nam an am kaya ibulig,” Lucila recalled.
(Back then, our hands were tied. We did what we could, but there was only so much we could offer.)
Decades later, she is now with her neighbors at their barangay plaza, watching as doctors and nurses set up their stations, unpack medicines, and prepare to check the vitals of the long line of residents waiting for free medical care. It is a sight she never thought she’d see in her lifetime.
On February 26, 2025, the Department of Health (DOH) officially launched PuroKalusugan, a program designed to bring sustained, quality healthcare directly to communities.
Barangay Libas was chosen as the pilot location for the entire province of Eastern Samar, with two more barangays—San Isidro and Nena—soon to follow.
Over 340 beneficiaries in Barangay Libas benefited from various health services such as medical consultation, Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Risk Assessment, Senior Citizens Vaccination (Flu and Pneumococcal vaccination), prenatal care, breast examination, HIV testing and counseling, and psychosocial assessments.
PuroKalisugan also offered Oral Polio Vaccination (OPV), routine immunization, Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM)/Severe Acute Malnourishment (SAM) registration, deworming, and Vitamin A supplementation for children.
Dr. Jean Marie A. Egargo, provincial health team leader, explained why the PuroKalusugan program was different.
“This isn’t just about providing medicine for a day. We will be here regularly, tracking the health progress of the people. We’re not just treating illnesses, we’re preventing them,” she said.
Egargo further stated that unlike the occasional medical missions that came once a year, PuroKalusugan would ensure weekly visits, monitoring, and improving the health of residents of the puroks over time.
Meanwhile, Dr. Artemia Balongay, municipal health officer of San Julian, expressed her gratitude to the Department of Health for selecting San Julian as the pilot town of the PuroKalusugan program for the whole province.
“We are fortunate to have the PuroKalusugan launch here. Let’s not waste this opportunity to receive these essential services because every Filipino deserves to feel the impact of good health,” she said.
For Lucila, this is everything she once wished for. As a younger woman, she had dreamed of a healthcare system where residents didn’t have to travel far for care, where children could be vaccinated on time, and where the elderly could receive regular check-ups. Now, it was finally happening before her eyes.
As she watched younger health workers efficiently moving through the crowd, distributing medicine, and offering consultations, Lucila noted, “Han una asya dama ak hit ha ira, bis’ pa wara kami masyado naihahatag, nabulig kami, yana kaupay la kompleto na nga tanan. Makakabulig gud hira hin dako.”
(When I was younger, I was like them, we did what we could with so little. But now, they have the tools, the medicine, and the support to truly help people.)
With PuroKalusugan now in place, residents of Barangay Libas will have consistent access to medical services including vaccinations, maternal care, tuberculosis treatment, and disease prevention programs. No one will have to endure illness in silence anymore.
For Lucila, this program is more than just a government initiative—it is the fulfillment of a lifelong hope for her purok. She had spent her youth caring for others, with limited resources and no guarantees. But today, she stood on the receiving end of the very care she once fought for. (VTG/PIA Eastern Samar)
