VICE GOV. LACBAIN OPENS THE 100TH BOTIKA NATIN IN ZAMBALES

It's also the 1st Botika Natin in the town of Botolan

Botolan, Zambales. Zambales vice governor Ramon Lacbain II opens the 100th Botika Natin sa Nayon in brgy. Panan, Botolan, Zambales during its launching ceremony yesterday July 19 attended by team members headed by Cecilia Florendo and other residents of the community.

“We thank God that after ten months since we opened our first Botika Natin in the town of Subic, we have now achieved 50% of our target with the opening of our 100th Botika Natin in brgy. Panan that is also the first Botika Natin in the town of Botolan. We hope to open additional 100 Botika Natin in more remote sitios and communities within Zambales and Olongapo City in the soonest possible time.

This project that we are doing in partnership with Zambales War Against Poverty (ZWAP) Foundation, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Region III and the Department of Health-Region III aims to bring generic medicines closest to the people in remotest communities, twenty-four hours a day, at miraculously low prices”, according to vice governor Lacbain during the launching ceremony.

Every Botika Natin is managed by a team composed of ten members of ZWAP Foundation who lives within the community. The team is allowed to impose a mark-up of 20% on their initial stock of P3,000.00 worth of generic medicines for sale which they roll-over.

The team is required to display in the pharmacy and follow strictly the agreed price list given by ZWAP Foundation and to ensure that medicines bought from Botika Natin are only for family use and not for resale.

Purok chairman Paulina Dimalinta said, “we thank vice governor Lacbain for bringing this project to our community because this is a very big help to many poor families who cannot afford the high cost of medicines including the expenses for transportation in going to and from the town proper just to buy medicines”.

On the same day in the afternoon, vice governor Lacbain also launched two additional Botika Natin and inducted their respective team members at purok 3 and purok 6 both in Taugtog Resettlement Site, Botolan, Zambales.

There are now 102 Botika Natin sa Nayon all over Zambales and Olongapo City. Next week, another three will be opened in Sta. Cruz, two in San Felipe, four in San Antonio and one in Subic.