Written by Mark Supsupin and Photos by Kagawad Marchan
When community health is at stake, decisive action must follow. After a coordination meeting held last March 17, 2025, and from assessments presented by the Barangay Health Center Nurses, an urgent need for greater health awareness and blood typing services was identified. In response, the University of Baguio, through its UB CARES initiative, proposed a series of projects aligned with the Three-Year Development Plan for Pinsao Proper, with this outreach activity being one of the steps in supporting the community’s health and well-being.
Staying true to its commitment to promoting community health and wellness, UB’s Research Innovation Extension and Community Outreach (RIECO) Office and the School of Natural Sciences (SNS), led a week-long outreach program focused on blood typing and dengue awareness from April 21 to 26, 2025, at Barangay Pinsao Proper. Volunteers visited two puroks each day, covering Purok 1 to Purok 10 over the course of six days. The outreach offered on-site blood typing sessions alongside house-to-house dengue awareness lectures where volunteers also handed out informative materials to residents. Through this hands-on approach, UB strengthened its partnerships with the community and pushed forward its mission to create lasting, positive change that is fully in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
The initiative brought together students, clinical instructors, barangay officials, and local residents in a true spirit of collaboration. This collective effort aimed to address health concerns in the community by providing essential services and information that can be beneficial in the long run. The blood typing activity, for instance, wasn’t just a one-time health check; it also helped build a valuable resource for future emergencies and blood donation needs. For the students, this was more than just an experience, it gave them an opportunity to step outside the borders of the classroom and apply their clinical skills in a real-world setting. Therefore, strengthening what they have learned through direct hands-on engagement. By working closely with the community, UB students and faculty helped ensure that these vital health services reached those who needed them most.
Simultaneously, a dengue awareness campaign was conducted to help educate the public on how to prevent mosquito-borne diseases, which remain an ongoing health threat in many parts of the country. The campaign highlighted the critical role of education and information dissemination in protecting communities by giving residents practical knowledge on preventive measures to combat these diseases. Initiatives like this serve as proactive measures to reduce infections, promote early detection, and encourage community-wide participation in prevention efforts. By raising awareness and fostering a culture of health, the campaign helped strengthen the community’s capacity to respond to health threats more effectively.
This outreach activity is a reflection of the University of Baguio’s proactive approach to community engagement, especially in promoting health and awareness. This is part of its ongoing mission to build healthier, more informed communities through education and service. Moreover, the initiative also highlighted the importance of collaboration between educational institutions and barangay local government units in addressing public health challenges effectively. Strong partnerships like this don’t just make a difference today–they also lay the groundwork for future projects that continue to improve public health, education, and overall community well-being.
