(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Thursday, 14 May 2026) Easterlies affecting the country. Easterlies ang makaapekto sa rehiyon sa Caraga.


Thursday, 14 May 2026

BUCAS makes diagnostic care accessible to communities in Dinagat Islands

By Renelle L. Escuadro

BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — Aligned with the shared vision of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that every Filipino deserves to be healthy, the Caraga Regional Hospital (CRH)-Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Services (BUCAS) Center continues to grow in its commitment to serve the people of the Province of Dinagat Islands with its recent approval to operate as a primary-institutional-based clinical laboratory.

Located in Barangay Doña Helene, Basilisa, the license to operate from the Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Caraga will allow the facility to deliver quality diagnostic testing services in the province, effective May 6 to December 31, 2026, increasing the healthcare access for every Dinagatnon and ensuring prompt health insights for the communities.

CRH-BUCAS Center urges residents in the province to visit the facility for medical consultation at no cost and avail themselves of the free essential diagnostic services, as prescribed by its consulting medical practitioner.

As a primary, institutional based clinical laboratory, it caters to the following diagnostic care:

  1. Hematology:
  •       ABO + Rh typing
  •       Clotting time, bleeding time
  •       Complete blood count (CBC)
  •       Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
  1. Clinical microscopy:
  •       Fecal occult blood routine urinalysis
  •       Pregnancy test
  •       Routine fecalysis ( DFS)
  •       Sperm analysis
  1. Blood chemistry:
  •       Fasting blood sugar
  •       Random blood sugar (RBS) – STRIP
  •       Lipid profile
  •       Total cholesterol
  •       Triglycerides
  •       HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol
  •       LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol
  1. Kidney function tests:
  •       Creatinine
  •       Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
  •       Blood uric acid (BUA)
  1. Serology:
  •       Anti-streptolysin O (ASO)
  •       Dengue Duo Rapid Test
  •       Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori)
  •       Hepatitis A virus IgM (IgM Anti-HAV)
  •       Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)
  •       Hepatitis C virus (Anti-HCV)
  •       Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV 1/2)
  •       Rapid syphilis
  •       Rapid typhoid test

Accordingly, consultation hours are from Monday to Friday at 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., while it operates from Monday to Sunday from 8:00 a.m.- 10:00 p.m. for emergency cases. 

It further announced that aside from medical consultations, minor surgical procedures, and free medication, the center also offers animal bite care services, strengthening accessible and timely treatment of animal bite cases and ensuring better health services for the people of Dinagat Islands.

Meanwhile, DOH-CHD Caraga Director Sadaila K. Raki-in shared that the DOH leads the implementation of the program on BUCAS, in coordination with the local government units and partner health institutions. “BUCAS is a significant accomplishment of Universal Health Care, especially to the indigent population. Currently in Caraga we have three namely, Adela Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center in Tandag City as the pioneer in the region; Siargao Island Medical Center and the CRH-BUCAS Center in Dinagat Islands.”

“With three BUCAS centers strategically located in the region, more Caraganons are benefiting from the government’s inclusive, accessible, and quality healthcare.” Dir. Raki-in said. (RLE, PIA Dinagat Islands with a report from CRH- BUCAS PDI)

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