More Botika outlets open in Caloocan North

More Botika ng Barangay (BnB) outlets were given their license to operate in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City North as the Serbisyo Muna caravan of President Arroyo visited the area yesterday.

The President was not around because of a previous commitment, but the project went on as scheduled, benefiting thousands of residents.

Caloocan Mayor Enrico "Recom" Echiverri said that awarding of the new licenses were part of the program to put up 150 Botika ng Barangay outlets in Caloocan before the year ends.

He pointed out that the city has the most number of barangay-based drugstores approved by the national government.

Apart from the awarding of licenses, other services offered during the caravan held at the Kalayaan Elementary School in Bagong Silang, were mobile passport processing, distribution of PhilHealth cards, free calls abroad, and free X-ray services.

Some 300 indigent day-care children were given a kilo of rice each under the Food for School Program of the government while the National Housing Authority (NHA) also awarded land titles to landless residents of Bagong Silang.

Meanwhile, Caloocan City Liga ng mga Barangay president Councilor Rico Judge Echiverri said that to ensure that the BnBs dispense medicines according to prescription, a licensed pharmacist would be tasked to supervise the operation of outlets.

"Caloocan will be able to purchase quality medicine from their botika at a much cheaper prices," the councilor said.

The mayor, on the other hand, expressed his appreciation to the national government for granting Caloocan City with the most number of barangay-based drugstores.