Imee distributes PhilHealth cards, farm inputs in Pasuquin

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

PASUQIN, Ilocos Norte—Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos distributed more than 900 PhilHealth cards to indigents on August 1 at the covered court of Brgy. Naglicuan here in time for the Capitol Express (Capex) program of the provincial government. 

The premium of most of the cards was sponsored by the provincial government while the rest is co-sponsored by the municipal government concerned. Unlike in previous years, PhilHealth cards issued by the Ilocos Norte government with the governor’s photo bear no expiry date but with a permanent control number bearing the name of the beneficiary.

Other indigents from the various municipalities and cities of Ilocos Norte will also receive their PhilHealth cards as soon as the total number of beneficiaries will be fully sanitized to avoid duplication.

As residents in the clustered barangays of Naglicuan, Binsang, Carusipan, Puyupuyan, Dadaer, Ngabangab, Darupidip, Tabungao, San Isidro and Dilabo lined up for the various services offered in the Capex, the governor also led the distribution of fertilizers, pesticides, fruit-bearing trees, tilapia fingerlings and food packs.

The items were specifically requested from the governor by their respective barangay councils.

For the whole month of August, the Capex will be visiting clustered barangays, both from the first and second districts of Ilocos Norte to bring basic services closer to home.

Launched in 2013, the “Manang Imee Capitol Express” is now a regular program where existing and future front line projects and programs of the provincial government are strengthened and delivered to the grassroots level.

“Aside from service delivery, Capex also aims to raise the awareness of the general public about the several services offered by the provincial government,” said Edwin Cariño, Millennium Development Goals program head under the Office of the Governor.

“In turn, the government can also use this program to ask people directly on how to improve our services, which is one way of involving them in decision-making,” he added.