More Caraganons benefit PCSO’s “charity virus”

More Caraganons benefitted the simultaneous medical, dental and feeding mission of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) held Sunday, September 6 throughout the country.

In Caraga Region, the activity opened at eight o’clock in the morning in key cities, provinces and municipalities.

Alicia C. Figuracion, 56 years old from Purok 2 Brgy. Capalayan of Surigao City was very happy to receive medicines from personnel of PCSO and the Provincial and City Health Office of Surigao after she was examined by a medical doctor who volunteered to serve the Surigaonons.

The teary-eyed Figuracion is thankful to PCSO as well as to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who leads in spreading the charity virus nationwide. “Talagsa-on gajud kini nga higayon nga gitanyag sa PCSO ug sa Pangulo sa atong nasud – Presidente Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo alang sa mga kabus sama kanako. Mao nga mapasalamaton gayud ako kaniya.” (This is a rare opportunity offered by PCSO and our President – Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the less-privileged like me. So, I am so thankful to her), she said.

Also, 53 year-old Jesima Arnuza of Brgy. Cabongbongan, this city is suffering from diabetes and buying medicines for her maintenance is one of her problems but because of the activity, she was given free medicine. “Dako gyud ang akong pasalamat sa PCSO ug sa atong mahal nga Pangulo Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo kay gitagaan gyud ug higayon ang among dakbayan aron ma-serbisyohan niini nga kalihukan” (I am very much thankful to PCSO and to our President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for giving our city the opportunity to be served through this activity).

In a separate interview, Dr. Maria Isabel Makinano, Surigao del Norte Assistant Provincial Health Officer, along with Dr. Aldine Morales, Surigao City Health Officer inform PIA of their role in the mission. They said their respective offices support the activity by way of providing manpower in serving the beneficiaries.

In the feeding program, all key provinces and cities were able to deliver the mission achieving 100 percent of its target beneficiaries – thus, achieving the program’s title “100 percent in one day”.

As the activity closed around 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the medical-dental mission team from Surigao City served 420 beneficiaries in the medical and 169 in dental. Meanwhile, 1,000 Surigaonons from all walks of life were also benefitted in the feeding program. Same figure was also noted in Butuan City, Province of Dinagat Islands, Agusan del Sur, and some municipalities of Surigao del Sur.

The simultaneous nationwide medical, dental and feeding program is in line with the PCSO’s 75th anniversary celebration with its mission to continue to “spread the charity virus”. (Robert E. Roperos, PIA-Caraga)

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