Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr.’s Tulong Balik-Tahanan program is making a positive impact, successfully reuniting mentally challenged individuals with their families. So far, four individuals have been reclaimed by their loved ones under the program.
One of the most heartwarming cases involves Estanislao Melgar from Nueva Ecija, who had been missing for 30 years. His niece, Celine Melgar, shared on Facebook how the family had long given up hope of finding him. “We had accepted that we might never find him,” she wrote. “This news is a huge blessing for our family.”
After seeing a post about Estanislao’s recovery through the Angeles City Information Office Facebook page, the family was overjoyed to learn that he would finally be reunited with them. “Thank you, Mayor Lazatin, for giving us the hope to meet and hug our lost uncle. We had searched for so long, and with your help, we found him,” Celine added.
In addition to Estanislao, three others have been successfully reunited with their families. Renato Bituin from Mining, Angeles City, was reunited with his sister Theresita Baliwag; Irene Mallari from Pandan, Angeles City, was reunited with her sister Analinda Galang; and Michael Mijares from Sto. Rosario, Magalang, was reunited with his sister Michel Mijares.
Jelica Baliwag, Renato’s niece, also expressed her family’s gratitude. “We’ve been searching for him for a long time and didn’t know where to look. Thank you, Mayor Lazatin, for helping him stay safe,” she wrote.
Two of the individuals, Bituin and Mallari, have already been safely returned to their families. Melgar and Mijares are scheduled for reunions on January 25 and 29, respectively. Mayor Lazatin has also pledged to continue supporting their health by providing monthly medication.
The Tulong Balik-Tahanan initiative is part of Mayor Lazatin’s broader efforts, including the Integrated Mental Health Care Program launched in 2019. This program, led by the Gender and Development Office (GAD) and the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO), rescues mentally challenged individuals from the streets and offers them free medical care.
As of now, 208 individuals have been admitted to healthcare facilities, with 109 successfully reunited with their families across the country. Unfortunately, eight individuals passed away while in care, and their remains were laid to rest at the Angeles City public cemetery, as no family members came forward.
Mayor Lazatin continues to call on the public for assistance in locating the families of 87 remaining mentally challenged individuals still under the care of the city’s partner facilities.
“Once again, if you recognize any of the individuals in our care, please contact the GAD or CSWDO at 0935-211-7513. We hope to reunite them with their families,” Mayor Lazatin urged.
