A Mission That Builds, Not Just Delivers

In Rizal, Palawan, community care isn’t a flash in the pan. It grows year after year, through effort and shared action. On May 30 and 31, Medical Mission from the Heart returned to Barangay Ransang to provide vital healthcare access to seven communities: Ransang, Punta Baja, Culasian, Iraan, Candawaga, Bunog, and Campong Ulay.

Across two full days, 1,258 beneficiaries received services—nearly double the 649 served in 2023. Families coordinated transport, childcare, and schedules to ensure no one was left behind. This wasn’t just a medical outreach. It was a collective movement powered by local action and deepened partnerships, hosted once again by Lionheart.

This year’s numbers show more than growth—they reflect community ownership and consistent commitment.

Read Also: Mission from the Heart: Bringing Healthcare and Hope to Rizal, Palawan

The Numbers Reflect Lives, Not Just Data

Here’s what that growth looked like on the ground:

• 303 medical consultations for preventive and specialized care

• 362 dental procedures—a 176% increase reflecting community priority on oral health

• 79 eye examinations addressing vision care needs

• 51 safe circumcision procedures for young men

• 121 children engaged in educational activities through Kids Corner programming

• 316 haircuts providing accessible personal care

• 26 pets vaccinated supporting community health

This mission also delivered an estimated ₱2.2 million worth of healthcare and educational services—removing financial barriers while honoring the community’s self-determined priorities.

Each number represents a family that made time, effort, and space for well-being

People Showed Up for Each Other

You didn’t need a stethoscope to feel the pulse of the mission. You could hear it in the laughter near the haircut booths. You could see it in the way volunteers guided elders between service stations and kept the flow running smoothly.

Parents accessed care while their children explored creative activities just steps away. Neighbors carpooled and watched over each other’s kids. Barangay volunteers led families through the entire process, ensuring everyone felt welcomed and supported.

The AFP Western Command provided medical professionals, logistics, and security—further proof of what happens when government support aligns with grassroots action.

This isn’t charity. This is collaboration in motion.

Purpose Feeds the Work

Actress and Gabay Kalinga board of trustee Shaina Magdayao grounded the mission with these words:
“Life does not begin when you discover your purpose. It begins when you use it for the greater good.”

That’s exactly what happened in Rizal. People didn’t wait for permission to act. They leaned into the moment. They helped shape a space where care felt natural and accessible.

Every barangay screening, every tarp set up, every conversation in line—all of it carried the same heartbeat: tuloy ang pagkalinga.

Read also: Shaina Magdayao joins Gabay Kalinga Foundation, strengthens community development in South Palawan

The Work Doesn’t End Here

Gabay Kalinga trustee Cecille Chang Moeller reminded everyone during closing remarks:
“Once you’ve seen the need and felt the joy of giving, you carry that with you. So let’s keep saying yes. Yes to showing up. Yes to walking this path together. Mission by mission. Heart to heart.”

This commitment doesn’t rest on a date or an event. It lives in the promise to return. To stay present. To grow care with the people who lead it on the ground

Moving Forward Together

Gabay Kalinga Foundation has pledged to return every year, building on the trust formed and deepening relationships with every visit. This is healthcare that listens. That learns. That evolves.

This year, communities shaped the services—expanding dental capacity and even introducing pet vaccination based on local feedback. It’s a reminder that when people lead, care becomes more relevant and more resilient.

Because when communities are the architects of their own wellness, with committed partners walking beside them, health access becomes not a one-time event—but a shared future.

Tuloy ang pagkalinga. Heart to heart.