Armed Forces of the Philippines

8 Barangays set to Benefit from Simultaneous PAF MEDCAP

Published on Thursday, 26 May 2011 22:33

Written by PAO, PAF

The Philippine Air Force will conduct a simultaneous free medical and dental service to residents of communities adjacent to Air Force bases in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao on 28 May 2011. In Metro Manila, the MEDCAP will be held at the Covered Court of Barangay 178 in Malibay District in Pasay City.

The activity will be conducted in coordination with the local government officials of Pasay City. It is expected that Air Force Chief Lt Gen Oscar H Rabena AFP and incumbent Pasay City Mayor Eduardo Calixto will grace the community-outreach mission, with the Acting 520th ABW Commander, Col Godfrey Julio and local barangay officials.

In an advanced report from the Director of Public Information Office, Lt Col Miguel Ernesto G Okol, the MEDCAP mission in Barangay 178 will cater to at least a thousand residents. Turn up however, is expected to swell as services will be extended to indigent residents from neighboring areas. Thousands are expected to benefit from the project, considering that the MEDCAP will cover different areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.  Health services will include consultation of common diseases, dental hygiene and even simple surgical procedures.

As of this writing, only Barangay Cacao in Zamboanga City was reported to be conducting simple surgery such as circumcision. The rest of the areas – in Barangay 178, Maricaban, Sitio Pag-Asa Barangay Anopol, Bamban Tarlac (1st Air Division), Barangay Banay-banay, Lipa City (AETC), Barangay Mawacat, Floridablanca, Pampanga (Air Defense Command), Barangay 8 Pulo, Dalahikan, Cavite City (15th Strike Wing), Barangay 4th Borton, San Vicente in Palawan and Barangay Alegria in Cordova, Cebu (2nd Air Division) - will be offering free medical and dental services along with free medicines.  Changes will be inevitable; however as the MEDCAP day nears.

Medical and dental personnel from the Philippine Air Force General Hospital and other volunteers from civilian healthcare groups are also expected to participate in the simultaneous health care event.

The simultaneous community-outreach project is part of the series of activities leading to the celebration of the 64th anniversary of the Philippine Air Force on July 1, 2011 with this year’s theme:“Ang Inyong Hukbong Himpapawid: Kaakibat Sa Kaunlaran at Kaisa Sa Kapayapaan”.