ANGELES CITY – Under the leadership of Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. the city has become the only local government unit which provides free treatment, free swab tests, and a quarantine facility to mentally-challenged individuals rescued from the streets.
At the height of the pandemic, Mayor Lazatin’s Chief Adviser and Tactician Director IC Calaguas has supervised the inter-office rescue operations of homeless individuals who have mental health problems.
To date, the city government has already rescued 84 mentally challenged individuals in the city – most of who are not natives of Angeles, but come from other areas such as Cavite, Tarlac, Laguna, Nueva Vizcaya, and Kalinga.
These individuals with mental health problems first received free swab tests and provided a quarantine facity from the city government before transferring to the Metro Psych Facility in Pasig City for their further treatment.
Treatment will also be shouldered by the city government as Mayor Lazatin has allocated P7 million, under the Gender and Development (GAD) fund, for the Integrated Mental Health Services for Persons with Mental and Psychological Challenges to give assistance to mentally challenged individuals for their medical treatment.
The city government has signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the said facility for the treatment of the rescued mentally-challenged individuals.
In fact, 21 of the rescued individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 and were treated for free at the COVID-19 centers of the city, Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center (RLMMC) head Dr. Froilan Canlas shared.
City Health Officer-in-Charge Dr. Verona Guevarra said that of the 21, 10 individuals were cleared immediately for COVID-19 after testing negative for the second swab.
These 10 mentally-challenged individuals who were cleared for COVID-19 were sent to the Metro Psych Facility to begin their treatment, Guevarra said.
She furthered that the other 10 of the 21 rescued mentally-challenged individuals received free treatment at the COVID-19 designated facilities, shouldered by the city government.
Once cleared for COVID-19, the city will send them in Pasig for their mental health treatment.
In addition, when the rescued mentally-challenged individuals have recovered, the city government will safely return them to their families, regardless if a native of the city or not.
Upon reintegrating, Calaguas explained, the recovered mentally-challenged individuals will undergo free RT-PCR swab test, before returning safely to their homes.
It can be recalled that in September of this year, Mayor Lazatin facilitated the touching reunion of “Murvin,” (not his real name) with his family in Cavite.
GAD Officer Mina Cabiles said that “Murvin,” was one of the mentally-challenged individuals found wandering in the streets of Angeles, and was rescued by the city government last May. After completing his free treatment at the Metro Psych Facility, Murvin had to remain at the said treatment facility, because he was not able to efficiently communicate his family’s whereabouts.
“Murvin’s” identity was discovered, after an attendant at the Metro Psych Facility watched the “Bawal ang Judgmental,” segment on the noontime show Eat Bulaga, where “Murvin’s” mother was appealing to the public to help find her son.
“Murvin,” who had been missing for a year and a half, was returned safely to his family in Cavite, after being treated for free at the Metro Psych Facility, sponsored by the Angeles City government.
Despite the challenges brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Lazatin vows to continue to help these recovered mentally-challenged individuals by providing them with free medical assistance.
