President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the rollout of the YAKAP health caravan at Kawmpang Elementary School in Patikul, Sulu, providing direct medical and health services to more than 1,600 learners, parents, and school personnel.
Learners and personnel from Martirez Elementary School in Jolo also benefited from the initiative, which brought essential healthcare services closer to school communities.
The health caravan coincided with the formal integration of the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Sulu into the Department of Education (DepEd) Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), marking a significant step in the province’s transition from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to Region IX.
President Marcos assured teachers and education personnel that the government would ensure a smooth transition, with existing personnel to be absorbed into the new administrative setup. He also confirmed that the government is coordinating with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to create additional plantilla positions to ensure that no personnel are left behind.
“Nais ko pong ipahayag na tinutukan ng pamahalaan ang maayos na paglipat ng Sulu mula sa BARMM patungo sa Region IX. Tinitiyak natin na ang ating mga guro ay patuloy na makakapaglingkod at maa-absorb sa bagong administrative na setup,” President Marcos said during an earlier event marking the inauguration of the Sulu Hall of Justice.
“Nakikipag-ugnayan din tayo sa DBM para sa paglikha ng karagdagang plantilla positions para matiyak na ang lahat ay makatawid at walang maiiwanan,” he added.
The YAKAP School Health and Protection (YAKAP-SHP) Program is implemented through an inter-agency partnership involving DepEd, the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). The initiative aims to make schools accessible centers for essential healthcare and welfare services for learners and education personnel.
“Tulad ng laging paalala ni Pangulong Marcos, kailangang sabay nating pinangangalagaan ang kaisipan at kalusugan ng ating mga estudyante at guro,” Angara said.
“Sa pagdadala natin ng YAKAP health caravan dito sa Patikul at sa pormal na pagpapasailalim ng SDO Sulu sa DepEd Region IX, tinutupad natin ang utos ng Pangulo na magdala ng mabilis at direktang serbisyo habang pinapatibay ang suporta sa edukasyon sa buong lalawigan,” he added.
During the caravan, participants received medical checkups, primary care consultations, dental services, vision screenings, and mental health screenings. PhilHealth registration, membership record updates, ID issuance, and health orientations were also provided. Essential medicines were distributed free of charge on-site to help ease families’ out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.
The rollout followed the DBM’s approval of the establishment of SDO Sulu, including 84 non-teaching plantilla positions. The division office will comprise the Office of the Schools Division Superintendent (OSDS), the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID), and the School Governance and Operations Division (SGOD).
Its establishment implements Executive Order No. 91, s. 2025, which integrated Sulu into Region IX following the province’s exclusion from BARMM.
Angara directed DepEd Region IX to oversee the recruitment, selection, and appointment of personnel, giving priority to qualified employees currently serving under the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) in Sulu, subject to Civil Service Commission rules.
DepEd, in partnership with the Sulu provincial government, will also construct new school buildings for Kawmpang Elementary School. The planned complex, to be built behind the Sulu Provincial Capitol, will feature three two-storey buildings with 10 classrooms each, providing a total of 30 modern classrooms for learners in the province.
