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VRP Medical Center teams up with Usaid-Ecap for clean air campaign

01/14/2007

For a breath of fresh air despite heavily polluted streets of Metro Manila, the Victor R. Potenciano (VRP) Medical Center, in cooperation with United States Agency for International Development-Energy and Clean Air Project (Usaid-Ecap), recently held a post-Christmas medical mission, with the theme “Malinis na Hangin, Handog Natin Ngayong Pasko,” for drivers and families of Pasang Masda Drivers Association–Pinatubo-Boni-Kalentong (Pibokada) chapter, as part of the center’s continuing efforts to promote the clean air campaign.

Recognizing the importance of generating awareness among these drivers on the value of clean air to our health and our environment, the medical residents of VRP Medical Center provided free medicines and general medical check-up for the jeepney drivers of Pasang Masda. Around 60 drivers and their families came and availed of the free medical assistance.

“We are fortunate and thankful that VRP Medical Center and Usaid-Ecap took time to give our drivers this opportunity to take a step back and have a health safety check,” Eugenio Sanchez, president of the Pasang Masda-Pibokada, said.

“We welcome programs such as this, as air pollution, no doubt, is an everyday threat to our health in the transport sector, as well as in the economic security of our families,” he added.

Widening public awareness and understanding on the issue of air pollution by mobilizing partners from the health sector, is one of the ways by which Usaid-Ecap promotes its advocacy for clean air.

Aiming to illustrate this concept, Usaid-Ecap has partnered with VRP Medical Center in a medical mission with the end view of communicating the ill-effects of poor air quality, particularly among the jeepney drivers of Pasang Masda-Pibokada.

VRP Medical Center marketing head Loriebelle Castillo summed up the value of the activity by emphasizing the importance of replicating this initiative by other medical/health institutions.

Photo shows a medical staff VRP Medical Center administers routine medical check-up to a jeepney driver of Pasang Masda Drivers Association-Pibokada chapter during the center’s medical mission.