Press Release/November 23, 2018

The Department of Health (DOH) in partnership with the local government launched another Botika ng Bayan in Baybay City, Leyte last Thursday.  The drug outlet is the first in Eastern Visayas and the fourth to be opened in the country.

The launching was led by Undersecretary Rolando Domingo and Mayor Carmen Cari both of whom welcomed the partnership between the DOH and the Local Government Unit.  The event was jointly organized by the DOH Center for Health Development (CHD) in Tacloban under the leadership of Director Minerva P. Molon together with the local health workers in the municipality.

“I embraced the challenge of the President to revive the Botika ng Bayan in our municipality to make sure that no patient will come home without access to medicines. Here in Baybay City, the medicines are given for free to all patients particularly when their conditions require the medicines.” said Mayor Cari.

Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Rolando Enrique Domingo formally entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Mayor Cari attesting the compliance of the RHU pharmacy with the DOH standards for a Botika ng Bayan which include good storage and distribution practice, good pharmacy practice and responsive and compassionate care to its clients.

With the new features of the F1+ BNB, Usec Domingo assures the public that all medicines to be provided by the BnB are safe, effective and quality.

“We assure our patients that all medicines available at the Botika ng Bayan have passed the stringent quality standards of the FDA and the DOH.  Also, we are continuously monitoring the quality of services of the BnBs through the more intensified monitoring of our pharmacists at the local and regional health levels,” said Undersecretary Domingo.

Also gracing the event were key local officials including. Congressman Jose Carlos Cari, Vice Mayor Michael Cari, Board Member Florante Cayunda, CHO Norberto P. Oja and from the DOH CHD -VIII NDCPO Ms. Angelica Bolos and Dr. Ma. Teresa N. Caidic.