by Edwin Fernandez/PNA
More than 1,000 residents of this town, mostly indigent, have benefitted from the joint Army and local government unit (LGU) medical and dental outreach program on Wednesday.
The medical services were organized by the Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion (MIB), Ampatuan LGU, and the Maguindanao Medical Health Team (MMHT) and were held at the covered court in Barangay Poblacion.
Lt. Col. Alvin Iyog, commanding officer of the 2nd MIB, and Lynette Estandarte, provincial budget officer and acting MMHT head, led their respective groups in serving the indigents, mostly residents of far-flung villages.
A total of 853 indigents availed of medical consultation, 109 have received dental services and 106 male children were circumcised.
Maj. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) commander, has lauded the 2nd MIB initiative.
“Our soldiers will continue to support activities that aim to empower the local government and local agencies to improve the lives and health condition in the far-flung communities,” Sobejana said in a statement.
Meanwhile, another unit of 2nd MIB conducted a separate outreach program in Old Maganoy Elementary School in Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao on Wednesday.
While other Army troopers were in the frontline of a focused military operation against the extremist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the Salibo-Pagatin-Mamasapano-Shariff Aguak area, elements of the 2nd MIB joined the outreach program for the elementary school students.
About 40 pupils of the Old Maganoy Elementary School benefited from free haircut and 100 packs of clothes given to them.
Another group of soldiers also joined other government and non-government organizations in a clean-up drive as part of the environmental program of the government.
“The residents of Old Maganoy deserves free government services as we want to make sure that it reached the people at the grassroots level of the community,” Sobejana said.
The 6ID chief assured the public that the soldiers would continue to extend aid to the needy, doing it even beyond their supposed duties.
