CHS CARES Promotes Health and Cultural Empathy in Bagobo-Tagabawa Community

Makilala, Cotabato – In an effort to improve health literacy and promote cultural understanding, the Nursing Department of the College of Health Sciences (CHS), in collaboration with the University of Southern Mindanao Extension Services Office (USM-ESO) conducted the Community Health Support through Cultural Awareness, Respect, Empathy & Service for the Health (CHS CARES) extension project from July to November 2024, at Kasunayan, Caritas Village, Barangay San Vicente, Makilala, Cotabato.

The series of lectures and hands-on training was attended by 40 Bagobo-Tagabawa participants and were conducted by the CHS Extension Project Management Team, led by Project Leader, Prof. Agripino N. Agulo Jr., RN, MAN, and Component Leader, Prof. Dindo C. Ereje, MAN, RN.

The CHS CARES program aimed to foster community-driven health initiatives tailored to the needs of the indigenous Bagobo-Tagabawa community. Among the highlights of the program were specialized training sessions, including:

• Training on Akapulko Ointment and Lagundi Syrup Making
• Health Education on Family Planning Method
• Training of Community Health Workers on Blood Pressure Taking, Pulse Rate, Temperature, and Respiratory Rate
• Lecture Demo on Basic First Aid, Bandaging, Ward Case, Hands-On Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Health Education on Personal Hygiene Practices
• Lecture Demo on the Creation of Medicinal Plant Herbarium
• Health Education on Lifestyle Modification

By promoting skills training and health awareness, the program addressed immediate healthcare needs and laid the foundation for sustainable community health development.