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Caravan of gov’t services set in Antique conflict areas

By Annabel Consuelo Petinglay

October 22, 2019, 4:06 pm

<p><strong>GOV’T SERVICES AVAILABLE.</strong> A member of the Philippine Army gives free haircut during the provincial government-led activity in Barangay Tubudan, San Remigio in 2018. On Oct. 24-25, 2019, various services will also be made available during the first provincial medical-dental mission and info caravan in Antique's two towns, organized by the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. <em>(Photo courtesy of Margie Gadian)</em></p>

GOV’T SERVICES AVAILABLE. A member of the Philippine Army gives free haircut during the provincial government-led activity in Barangay Tubudan, San Remigio in 2018. On Oct. 24-25, 2019, various services will also be made available during the first provincial medical-dental mission and info caravan in Antique's two towns, organized by the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. (Photo courtesy of Margie Gadian)

SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique -- Some 1,500 individuals from conflict areas in the province of Antique stand to benefit from the two-day medical and dental mission and information caravan starting October 24.

The caravan of government services is facilitated by the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) that was formed last Sept. 26 through Executive Order 119 signed by Governor Rhodora Cadiao.

“The PTF-ELCAC has chosen to conduct the medical, surgical and dental mission and information caravan in the identified conflict areas because of the continuing presence of the New People’s Army in San Remigio and Valderrama,” said Margie Gadian, Antique’s consultant on peace and order, in an interview on Monday.

She said government agencies such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines will bring in their military doctors to be joined by civilian doctors from the Department of Health for the mission in Barangay Osorio, San Remigio town on Oct. 24 and in Barangay Pandanan, Valderrama on Oct. 25.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development will distribute used clothing to the indigents while the Department of Labor and Employment will provide school supplies for pupils in the hinterland barangays.

Gadian said the provincial government will provide medicines and vitamins aside from food that it will distribute during the activity.

Help desks by government front line offices would also assist those who would like to inquire or process some documents.

“We actually had been conducting a yearly medical-dental mission in the conflict areas but this year it is different because of the convergence of the different government agencies,” she said.

She said the activity will target those living in conflict areas so that they would feel the presence of the government through the delivery of basic services. (PNA)


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