MEDICINES, HYGIENE KITS FOR DISPLACED FAMILIES IN ZAMBOANGA

To ease the burden of evacuees being exposed to diseases and elements while in their temporary shelters, assorted medicines and hygiene kits were turned-over recently in Barangay Talon-Talon, Zamboanga City by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) through the IMPACT (Innovations and Multisectoral Partnerships to Achieve Control of Tuberculosis) Program.

PBSP Executive Director Rafael C. Lopa handed-over to Zamboanga City Health Officer Dr. Rodel Agbulos, assorted medicines to augment the city’s health care effort for families displaced by the MNLF Siege of the city last September. Barangay officials, residents and personnel from the health office and education department witnessed the simple turn-over event held at the Talon-Talon Elementary School.

Also present to turn-over hygiene kits is Dr. Andre Daniel E. Villanueva, IMPACT Chief of Party. He was accompanied by Dr. Ted Yu, Jr. and Dr. Jojo Cangao also from IMPACT. Implemented by PBSP, the IMPACT Program is being funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Barangay Talon-Talon in Zamboanga City is one of the barangays badly hit and damaged during the siege. Many of its residents including those in neighboring barangays are now being housed at the different temporary shelters in the city as an offshoot of the violent incident that claimed several lives and destroyed houses, schools and other properties.

In photo: Chief of Party Dr. Andre Daniel Villanueva hands-over to Zamboanga City Health Officer Dr. Rodel Agbulos part of the medicine assistance from PBSP and IMPACT Program. To Villanueva’s right is PBSP Executive Director Rafael C. Lopa.