PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday visited Kawmpang Elementary School in Patikul, Sulu, to oversee the implementation of the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), which brings essential healthcare services closer to students, teachers, and their families.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), in coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), conducted a YAKAP Caravan at the school in Barangay Bangkal to make free medical services more accessible to school communities.

Accompanied by Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Marcos interacted with students and teachers and inspected booths offering free healthcare services.

Around 1,280 students, parents, and teachers from Kawmpang Elementary School and another 366 from Martirez Elementary School in Jolo availed themselves of the services offered through the YAKAP Caravan.

The initiative provided PhilHealth registration, initial patient assessments, medical and dental consultations, and free medicines.

By bringing healthcare services directly to public schools, the program seeks to overcome financial and geographical barriers to medical care, enabling students, teachers, and their families to access essential health services without having to travel to hospitals or health centers.

The initiative also promotes the early detection of health conditions that could affect children’s learning and development, including poor eyesight, hearing problems, dental concerns, malnutrition, and developmental difficulties.

Through the YAKAP Caravan, the government aims to strengthen the role of public schools as access points for essential healthcare services while supporting the health and well-being of learners and their families.