Pineda serves health care for Aetas

By Joey Pavia

FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga–Gov. Lilia “Baby” Pineda recently visited Barangay Nabuclod, a remote village here, bringing basic social services to some 1,000 Aetas.

But the awarding of medical supplies, farming tools, educational kit and dispersal of goats at the village dominated by Aetas turned into an opportunity for Pineda to “aggressively extend” the services of the provincial government, said Third District Board Member Monina “Monz” Laus, chairman of the committee on health and social services.

Pineda announced to the Nabuclod residents that she will bring with her their barangay-mates needing specialized and immediate medical attention. Some 50 Aetas were brought to the different hospitals managed Dr. Eddie Ponio, provincial health officer II, also on the same day.

“The sick people will only be truly cured if they will be brought to our hospitals,” said Pineda in the dialect. She added that common disease in the area is tuberculosis.

Second District Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Mayor Eddie Guerrero and Board Members Laus, Trina Dizon, Joel Simpauco and Ric Yabut joined Pineda in Nabuclod, a barangay perched on the hilly portion of this second class municipality.

Nabuclod Barangay Captain Alberto Santos thanked Arroyo for the completion of the electric system and road infrastructure projects in their village when she was still the president last year.

Santos said the village suffers from lack of water now as the nearby source of water dried up.

Arroyo and Pineda vowed to provide water pumps in Nabuclod to immediately solve the problem on lack of water.

Santos said they had asked Pineda to provide them service vehicles due to the proximity of the village from the town proper. It takes about 40 minutes for a vehicle to reach the nearest village.

Pineda said she will immediately provide them with the vehicles.

The first-term governor, in her speech, urged the residents to “nurture the natural great wonder of Nabuclod.”

“If you will just cooperate with each other, you will be a richer village compared to others,” said Pineda in the dialect. She added that vegetables such as Okra, Ampalaya and Sitaw “grow much healthier and bigger in the village.”

Guerrero expressed gratitude to Pineda and Arroyo for “continuously helping” his people.