By: Vincent C Manus
Xavier University El Gaucho is located in Purok 7, Upper Puerto Cagayan de Oro. Of this 109-hectare land, 70% is located in Brgy Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City. XU Community Organizers profiled 102 beneficiaries living inside this property, most of whom are farmers, carpenters, Kapihan vendors, and drivers.
During the Mass in Sto Niño Chapel in El Gaucho, Fr Tex Paurom SJ spoke about the situation inside the community. He shares that working in remote areas in Mindanao made him realize that there is a lack of prioritizing health problems and concerns. He then suggested that he bring the program Botika sa Kapilya to the El Gaucho community.
Botika sa Kapilya is a healthcare program started by Fr Tex in the remote barangays of Zamboanguita to address the primary medical needs of disadvantaged people since they do not have immediate access to medicine. Every adopted community has Empowered Catholic Health Workers (ECHW) who undergo a series of basic training on how to consult patients within their community.
Botika sa Kapilya is also a telemedicine primary healthcare facility for the poor that uses technology to check up on patients. The empowered Catholic health workers will check on the patient's discomfort or complaint. The health workers will check all necessary details and record everything that the patient answers during the checkup. Afterward, the gathered information will be sent to Fr Tex. After Fr If the patient needs a follow-up checkup and laboratory tests, Fr Tex will also send messages in return to volunteer health workers for the schedule and necessary laboratories. The El-Gaucho Community has three ECHW Volunteers namely Ms Jhonalyn Cabayag, Ms Anita Restauro, and Ms Gretchen Noval.
The goal of Botika sa Kapilya is to address the needs of the community in terms of quality, affordable, and accessible medicines. These medicines were provided by Fr Tex, and one of the community health workers will facilitate the sale of the medicines. Botika sa Kapilya is a church-driven initiative to help the church work in the community, especially with people living in remote areas who do not have immediate access to medicines. The mission of this program is to address and give immediate help to the people. If the patient does not have enough budget for the medicine needed, they are allowed to credit the necessary medicines.