(Photo courtesy of PNP)
MANILA – Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Monday lauded police officers who carried a pregnant woman in distress for about an hour to bring her to a hospital.
Eleazar commended Staff Sgt. Darel Bacwadang and members of his team for their act of genuine public service.
“Ipinakita lamang po ni (Police Staff Sgt.) Bacwadang at mga kasama nito na ang pulis na tunay at tapat sa serbisyo ay hindi napapagod sa pagresponde sa nangangailangan ng tulong. Sana ay tularan sila ng ibang pulis sa bilis rumesponde sa oras ng pangangailangan (Police Staff Sgt. Bacwadang and his comrades only showed that the police who are loyal to the service never get tired of responding to those who need help. I hope other policemen will follow their example in responding quickly in times of need),” Eleazar said in a statement.
According to the Police Community Affairs and Development Group in the Cordillera Administrative Region, the woman was carried through "fulig", the manner of lifting a sick person who needs to be brought to the hospital using a blanket and a bamboo pole or pipe converted into a makeshift stretcher. The practice is mostly done in remote, mountainous areas.
PNP personnel of the Natonin Municipal Police Station were in the middle of their flag ceremony on June 12 when they received a call about a pregnant woman who needed help to be taken to the hospital.
Bacwadang's team immediately proceeded to Sitio Batnong in Barangay Banawal to respond, walking for at least an hour to reach the sitio or sub-village which is inaccessible to any type of vehicle.
Upon arriving, the policemen and the residents carried the pregnant woman through "fulig" and walked again for about an hour to reach the vehicle that took the pregnant woman to the hospital.
The woman was brought in time to the Anastacia Rafael Sagel Memorial Hospital in Barangay Poblacion of the municipality for medical treatment. (PNA)
