PhilHealth strengthens healthcare advocacy in Surigao City through ‘Yakap Gamot’ Fun Run
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte (PIA) — More than 1,000 runners, health advocates, and residents filled the streets of Surigao City on May 10, for PhilHealth’s ‘Yakap Gamot Fun Run.’
Serving as the second leg, last Sunday’s run was a vibrant celebration of community awareness, wellness, and a reaffirmed commitment to accessible healthcare for all.
The event kicked off at dawn on Surigao City Boulevard, featuring 6K, and 12K categories. More than just a race, the ‘Yakap Gamot’, which means embrace medicine, was designed to raise awareness of PhilHealth’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP) and Guaranteed and Accessible Medications for Outpatient Treatment (GAMOT), ensuring that every Surigaonon feels the hug of social health insurance.
PhilHealth Caraga Regional Vice President Michael Jibson C. Hernandez expressed gratitude to all participants. “Actually, our target was only 1,200 runners, but over 1,300 joined. The turnout and support from the Surigaonons here for our Yakap Gamot Fun Run have been incredibly overwhelming.”
He said the PhilHealth advocacy program does not end with the fun run, but rather a platform to inform the public that the health state insurer has programs such as YAKAP and GAMOT under the Bagong Pilipinas initiative where every Filipino can now avail of free consultation at YAKAP clinics and health facilities, especially rural health centers strategically located in the communities across the country, and the free medicines at the accredited GAMOT pharmacies.
“We promote a healthy lifestyle, primarily through walking, running, and various types of exercise. We saw that running is inclusive; both the young and the elderly can participate because you can simply walk if you can no longer run. Furthermore, we encourage every Filipino to exercise to avoid hypertension and diabetes, which are the top illnesses among Filipinos,” Hernandez added as he highlighted the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
“So let us take advantage of this program with our families, so we can monitor our health status. I encourage all Surigaonons to spread the word about the ‘Yakap Gamot’ program – a service from PhilHealth that is free, more accessible, expanded, and faster. So, join us and be ’embraced’ by PhilHealth’s free medicines and free check-ups,” he told the run attendees.
The event was also supported by the city government of Surigao and various local medical providers, showcasing a unified front in the expanding awareness of the government’s Universal Health Care (UHC), as strongly mandated by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“The energy we saw today is a testament to the Surigaonon spirit,” said the PhilHealth LHIO Surigao Head Sheila M. Lisondra during the closing ceremony. “By participating in this fun run, our members are not just running for their own fitness; they are running toward a future where no Filipino is left behind when it comes to medical needs.”
Lisondra emphasizes that the Yakap Gamot theme manifested the shift from hospital-centric care to preventive care, encouraging citizens to use their benefits for consultations before illnesses become severe. This also bridges the gap between government services and the grassroots communities.. (SDR, PIA Surigao del Norte)