MANILA — The Philippine Charity and Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) spearheaded a medical and dental mission that aims to help the underprivileged families on their health issues at Nueva Ecija High School (NEHS) gym.
PCSO General Manager Alexander Balutan, who was present during the the medical and dental mission held over the weekend, met Aries and Shilet Cabildo, the parents of Usher, a one-and-a-half year old infant who is suffering from tetralogy of fallot, a congenital heart disorder.
During the activity, Balutan noticed the young couple carrying their baby. He called the couple’s attention, who didn’t hesitate to tell about their child’s impending heart surgery.
They have been worrying about his heart surgery for months now.
“Nakakaawa po ang aming anak kapag sobrang iyak o sobrang saya, nangingitim ang mga labi at kuko at nahihirapan na agad huminga. (We feel sad when we see our baby crying or laughing extremely. His lips and nails turn black and he experiences breathing difficulty.),” Shilet said.
“Sana po madagdagan pa ang taon na makasama namin si Usher (We are hoping to stay with our child for a long time) ,” Aries told to Balutan.
Balutan gladly replied, “Mandirigma pa din tayo pero hindi na sa bakbakan sa Mindanao, kawanggawa ang ipinaglalaban natin ngayon (We are still warriors but not in the battlefield in Mindanao. Now, we are fighting to promote charity and help people).”
“Kaya sisikapin natin na gawin ang lahat ng puwedeng paraan para matulungan ang inyong sanggol (We will do everything to help your baby). We will maximize our financial assistance for his surgery up to his recovery,” he told the Cabildo couple.
The couple was overjoyed and couldn’t thank Balutan enough for the unexpected blessing.
Medical Services Department Manager Dr. Jose Bernardo Gochoco, meanwhile, said the agency usually gives PHP100,000 worth of financial assistance (maximum) to a patient with heart cases but that would still vary on the case rate and patient’s classification.
“Yan naman talaga ang objective ng mga medical missions ng PCSO, ‘yung makatagpo tayo ng pasyenteng matutulungan ng ahensiya para sa kanilang kalusugan (This is the obejctive of PCSO medical mission to encounter a patients were agency can provide help for their health problems), more than giving one day medical services and one-time free medicines,” the doctor said.
The charity mission also banners the “PCSO Partner Tayo”, a joint outreach program of PCSO and the Nueva Ecija High School Class ‘77 Alumni Association Inc., that aims to provide free health care, medical consultation, dental extraction, eye examination, circumcision and medicines to Cabanatuan City residents.
The activity resulted to 254 medical and 15 dental consultations.
PCSO conducts regular medical and dental missions in the depressed community within and outside of Metro Manila and nearby provinces including provision of free medicines for those who have less or no access to health services offered by the local government.( Christopher Lloyd Caliwan with reports from Jay Ray Masayda, OJT/PNA)
