High school students get free dental services

By JOY R. SEVILLA

MALAPATAN, Sarangani (March 14, 2014) – After the conduct of successive medical missions sponsored by the provincial government that benefited thousands of patients from both Sarangani and South Cotabato in February this year, another free dental services was sponsored by the province at Lun Padidu National High School Thursday, March 13.

The activity, dubbed as “Sa Ngiping Garantisado, sa Pag-aaral ay Ganado,” served 300 high school students of Lun Padidu National High School.

Agnes Caberoy, the activity in-charge, said the dental mission was scheduled in February. However, it was re-scheduled due to the conduct of successive medical missions also sponsored by the provincial government in the same month.

“This activity is in coordination with the municipal health office with the Philippine Dental Association (PDA)-General Santos City Chapter. The provincial government, through its health office, sponsored P20,000 for medical supplies,” said Caberoy.

She added there were 10 doctors from the PDA who volunteered and some dental aides from the municipality.

The activity is conducted on a “first come-first served” basis.

“Two days before ang activity na ito, the members of our barangay dental auxiliary already conducted pre-check up sa mga estudyante na nagpalista,” Caberoy said.

As the in-charge of medical activities in the school, she initiates free dental and medical services every two years by tapping potential partners.

“Expensive din kasi ‘pag palagi. I started looking for partners in 2002. Every two years akong nagri-request sa kanila na magconduct ng free medical services dito sa school namin. May mga times na twice a year ang activities na ganito, meron ding once a year lang,” she explained.

Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, on the other hand, said the activity is part of the Governor’s Office’s Serbisyong Sarangan Community Outreach Program, which started when he was still the vice governor.

He said programs such as these should be continued because the target beneficiaries are those who are in the community. The program, he added, is intended to deliver free services to the communities where it is mostly needed.

On February 15 to 23, the provincial government also spearheaded a medical mission in coordination with the local government of General Santos and the World Surgical Foundation headed by its founder and president Dr. Domingo Alvear from Pennsylvania, USA.

Dr. Alvear was with some 65 physicians including medical aides from the USA who volunteered, while a total of 142 beneficiaries from Sarangani and General Santos City were served during the activity.

On February 24, another medical mission spearheaded by the RD Foundation, in coordination with the province of Sarangani, General Santos, and South Cotabato, was successfully held serving more than 1,000 patients.

The activity was supported by the Canadian Medical Mission Society. (Joy R. Sevilla/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)