Indigents seek PAO via 'Lab for All' caravans

MORE indigent Filipinos were seeking free legal services from the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) through first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos' «Lab for All» program, which could be the «most effective» in bringing the government closer to the people.

«This is the kind of initiative that we must fully support because more Filipino people are availing of all services being provided free by all concerned government agencies, including PAO,» PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta told The Manila Times.

«There is no politics here; I see many elective officials, who may have different political party affiliations, but they are all joining the caravan, which is an initiative of the first lady and President (Ferdinand) Bongbong Marcos Jr.,» the chief public attorney added.

Rueda-Acosta said she and other PAO officials led by Deputy Chief Public Attorney Erwin Erfe and their team of public lawyers would always make sure to be in the «Lab for All» caravans that have been visiting even the remotest areas across the country.

During the caravan in Pasig City on Thursday, Erfe said close to 250 people had sought legal assistance from PAO.

Most of them had problems with family, neighbors and property, among others, and PAO assisted them by designating public attorneys, who were also at the caravan, to attend to them, Erfe told this newspaper.

«We really find this project worth keeping as it makes the government much closer to our fellow 'kababayan' (countrymen) especially those in far-flung areas where they have no immediate access, especially to legal and proper medical services, among others,» Rueda-Acosta said.

Originally, the «Lab for All,» which stands for «Laboratoryo, Konsulta at Gamot para sa Lahat,» was rolled out to make health care services more accessible to Filipinos through the holding of nationwide caravans that offer free consultation, health screening and assessment, laboratory tests, and medicines.

The program is not just about providing medical services to the Filipino people; it is about bringing services from other government agencies, the first lady was quoted as saying.

Araneta-Marcos said that the program has been her husband's primary goal that the