LINGAYEN – More than 200 war veterans and their families availed of free medical and administrative services conducted by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) during its outreach program in Pangasinan on Thursday.
Medical Officer Pilar Ibarra of PVAO said the program aims to bring PVAO services closer to veterans. It is part of the Veterans Hospitalization and Medical Care Program (VHMCP) which aims to provide hospitalization and medical care benefits to Filipino veterans and their dependents
“Layunin nito ang magbigay ng medical services sa ating mga kababayang beterano na hindi nararating ng VMMC. Gusto naming magkaroon din ng health care benefits ang ating mga beterano from all over the country,” Ibarra said during the outreach program held at the Narciso Ramos gymnasium.
Services rendered during the event ranged from medical consultation to dental check-up, eye examination, ECG, among others. Recipients also received prescription medicines and eyeglasses for free.
Aside from medical and surgical services, the PVAO outreach program also established a help desk where concerns of veterans regarding pensions, IDs and re-validation were processed.
“The re-validation of veterans and their dependents is crucial para hindi maputol ang pension nila,” Ibarra added.
Romeo Pascua, 65 of San Nicolas town, was grateful for the program. “Maraming services, nakakuha ako ng gamot ko sa maintenance, dati pumupunta pa ako sa Maynila. Dito nilapit na, libre pa ang pagkain,” Pascua said.
“Marakep yan ginawa da (Maganda itong ginawa nila). Libre ray tambal tan akapan-ECG kami ya libre met (Libre ang gamot at nakapag-ECG din kami ng libre),” Macaria Navarro of Mangaldan and daughter of a veteran, exclaimed.
The outreach program is in line with PVAO's objective to reduce the number of indigent veterans as underscored in its strategic blueprint, Kagitingan Roadmap 2022. (VHS/PIA-Pangasinan)
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