And now, health on wheels

MANILA, Philippines - For 68 years now, Victory Liner has been at the forefront of reaching communities  providing travelers the largest bus transportation in key North Luzon locations. As it continues to move people better and safer, the bus liner has embarked on another journey, this time focusing on community health care promotion.

Lakbay Buhay Kalusugan (LBK) is a health promotion caravan spearheaded by the Department of Health. Carrying the message “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan on Wheels,” the health caravan aims to increase and improve health services and awareness among pregnant women, lactating mothers and even their partners in Baguio City.  Victory Liner provided for a bus wrapped in colorful images depicting family life, and donated P500,000 worth of medicines and health care packages for pregnant women.

“When LBK invited us to join this program, we were already drawn to it. We saw an opportunity to give back. It is something that we learned from our grandparents, the ones who founded Victory Liner, to not only provide transportation services to our patrons but also to give back to the communities that have continuously supported the company,” said Marivic del Pilar, treasury and marketing head of Victory Liner.

The campaign saw the transformation of a Victory Liner bus into a mobile clinic.  Pregnant women underwent prenatal checkups in the customized bus, which contains two separate consultation and examination areas. The health caravan also featured interactive exhibits and health classes on safe motherhood, child health and nutrition, and family health. Timed as a kick-off event for Baguio City’s 104th Charter Day anniversary, the caravan benefited an estimated 2,300 people.

The health caravan also had mothers and fathers learning about critical information on health practices, and children participating in songs, dances, and interactive exhibits to learn how to live and lead a healthy lifestyle. Health-oriented games and trivia quizzes were held to complement the health services delivery.

Teenagers attended sessions on the prevention of teen pregnancy, conducted by representatives from the Philippine Society of Sexual and Reproductive Health Nurses.

Community health teams, staff, and health workers kept the audience entertained during a dramatization of the negative effects of smoking in line with the city’s campaign towards a 100-percent smoke-free Baguio City. 

The Baguio City Health Department also conducted a parallel medical mission for senior citizens, those needing dental care and eyeglasses among others.

The Lakbay Buhay Kalusugan program has been a proven and effective public-private partnership in delivering critical health information and services to the Filipino people.   The event was successful in meeting the target objectives as disclosed by Baguio City health officer Dr. Florence Reyes.

“Aside from all the medical, dental, and optical services that we conducted with the help of our partners, through our activities like mass breastfeeding, the tableau against smoking, and the I-Quit clinic for those who have started smoking, we managed to show the preventive side of health, and not just the curative,” said Dr. Reyes.

Victory Liner, Inc. may be reached through https://www.victoryliner.com/contact-us/, follow Victory Liner at twitter@victorylinerinc, like it on www.facebook.com/VictoryLinerFanPage, and e-mail at info@victoryliner.com.