OPEN 24-7: AGGMC Pinukpuk offers maternal, child health and family planning services

PINUKPUK, Kalinga — Bringing essential healthcare services closer to iKalingas, the Abundant Grace of God Maternity Centre (AGGMC) formally opened its extension clinic in Cullayanan, Junction Pinukpuk on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

The Pinukpuk facility is the second extension clinic of AGGMC, with its first extension located in Tinglayan and its main clinic in Magsaysay, Tabuk City.

With the opening of the Pinukpuk extension, pregnant women, mothers and children in the municipality and nearby communities can now access AGGMC’s maternal and child healthcare services closer to home.

Among the services offered are pregnancy testing, prenatal check-ups, normal spontaneous delivery, postpartum care, well-baby care, lactation support, expanded newborn screening, hearing tests, infant immunization and tetanus toxoid vaccination.

The clinic also provides family planning services, including family planning counseling and consultations, provision of pills, condoms and DMPA, IUD insertion, progesterone-only subdermal implant insertion, and well-woman services such as Pap smear, Gram stain and STI screening.

The clinic is open 24/7 for labor and delivery while prenatal and postpartum care is at 8:00 am to 4:00 pm from Monday to Friday.

It all began with a missionary’s dream

During the dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new extension clinic, AGGMC Board Member Catherine Mapes recounted how the maternity center, which has been serving iKalingas for nearly two decades, grew from Director Georgia Macad’s dream of becoming a missionary.

According to Mapes, Macad initially did not know where her missionary journey would lead her, but eventually came to the Philippines and first served in Davao before continuing her ministry in Tabuk.

“Nagrugi daytoy iti arapaap ni Ma’am G [Georgia] nga agbalin nga missionary, haan na ammu iti pakaipanan na ngem intulok ni Apo Diyos nga umay ditoy Pilipinas. Umuna idiay Davao, nalpas ministry na idiay Davao, inmay ditoy Tabuk ket diay nga arapaap idiay puso na nga agbalin nga missionary, nagtul-tuloy,” she recounted.

Maves added that the clinic’s vision of “sharing God’s love through maternity care” was strengthened when Macad saw the need for a maternity center that would serve pregnant women in Kalinga.

“Idi inmay ditoy Tabuk, nakita na iti need iti maternity center ta diay puso na missionary, specifically para kadagitoy pregnant women. Inmay ditoy Tabuk inted ni Apo Diyos iti godly vision nga tumulong or mangaywan kadagiti masikog ditoy Kalinga,” she shared.

AGGMC has since expanded its services to reach more women and families, including those in geographically distant communities.

The formal opening of the AGGMC Pinukpuk Extension was attended by the maternity center’s board members and staff, representatives of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, guests, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Edward Tandingan, and representatives of the Kalinga Provincial Government, including Marco Pagtud, who represented Governor James S. Edduba.