TACLOBAN CITY – Local officials in two remote Samar Island municipalities expressed gratitude for being included in the latest deployment under the Department of Health’s (DOH) Doctors to the Barrio (DTTB) Program, which aims to address the persistent shortage of medical professionals in underserved communities.
At least 14 newly deployed DTTB physicians have been assigned across Eastern Visayas, including the towns of Liloan and Anahawan in Southern Leyte; Palompon, Palo, Calubian, Mahaplag, Burauen, Bato, and Babatngon in Leyte; Naval in Biliran; Motiong and Matuguinao in Samar; Arteche in Eastern Samar; and Silvino Lobos in Northern Samar.
Some of these areas, such as Matuguinao and Arteche, have been without municipal health officers (MHOs) due to the lack of applicants or recent retirements.
Matuguinao Mayor Aran Boller welcomed the deployment of a new doctor to his town, which is categorized as a Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area (GIDA). The municipality, with a population of just over 6,300, has long struggled with limited access to healthcare.
“We are deeply grateful to the national government, especially the DOH, for addressing the healthcare needs of Matuguinao. Being a GIDA and conflict-affected area, the presence of a doctor is crucial,” Boller said in a phone interview.
This is the third time a DTTB physician has been assigned to Matuguinao since Boller became mayor. He emphasized the importance of community visits, which the assigned doctor conducts alongside nurses and midwives to reach remote barangays.
The local government also ensures the safety of health personnel, especially in areas previously influenced by insurgent groups, and provides allowances and other support as part of their local counterpart to the program.
In Arteche, Eastern Samar, Vice Mayor Roland Boie Evardone also expressed appreciation for the DOH’s timely response to their request for a doctor. The town lost its previous MHO in March 2024 due to retirement and has since struggled to fill the post.
Although Arteche is located along the national highway, it still has six barangays classified as GIDA.
“This deployment is a big help to our people, especially in delivering vital health services to the Artechehanons,” Evardone said, adding that he initially filed the request for a DTTB physician while still serving as mayor.
For 2025, a total of 74 DTTB doctors have been assigned to different municipalities in Eastern Visayas to augment the delivery of primary healthcare, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
The Doctors to the Barrio Program, launched in 1993, continues to serve as a lifeline for many isolated towns that otherwise have little or no access to licensed physicians.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
