Davao city: The Philippine Coconut Authority-Davao (PCA-11) has initiated its Mobile Health Service and Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP) Information Caravan to enhance the accessibility of essential government services for coconut farmers and their families.
According to Philippines News Agency, PCA-11 Regional Manager Juvy Alayon announced that 500 coconut farmers and their families will benefit from free medical services. These services include dental care, laboratory testing, ultrasound, X-ray imaging, and kidney screening, provided by PCA and its partner agencies.
For those beneficiaries who require immediate medical attention, Alayon mentioned that a memorandum of agreement has been signed with the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City and the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. This agreement is intended to extend further assistance to those in need.
Alayon clarified that while cash assistance will not be provided, medical aid of up to PHP40,000 per patient will be available to cover hospital bills. The initiative aims to offer free medical and dental care to 2,000 coconut farmers across the region, funded by the coco levy fund.
Emphasizing the necessity of the program, Alayon noted that many farmers and their families have not previously received any form of medical assistance. The next destination for the PCA caravan is Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental, where another 500 coconut farmers and their families are anticipated to benefit.
In addition to the mobile health services, coconut farmer Isabelo Ortega Jr. from Bansalan town expressed his gratitude for the new technologies introduced through the CFIDP information caravan, which he believes will significantly enhance agricultural yield and household income.
Ortega shared his optimism about the sustainability of the program, highlighting the substantial support and educational opportunities it offers. "We are learning a lot from the technologies and products that are being shared with us," Ortega said in a separate interview.
