Antique: Over 1,000 coconut farmers in Antique have benefited from the mobile health and medical services (MHMS) provided by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA).

According to Philippines News Agency, Gregory Te±oso, PCA division chief I for Aklan and Antique, shared in an interview that coconut farmers from the areas of Pandan, Hamtic, and Anini-y were served on August 29, August 30, and November 14, respectively. This initiative marks the first time the MHMS has been brought to the province, as part of the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP).

Te±oso highlighted that the services offered included free medical checkups, dental extractions, laboratory tests, and free medicines. Plans are underway to extend these services to the towns of Patnongon, San Remigio, and Caluya.

He expressed optimism about forging a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Antique provincial government next month, which would provide coconut farmers with hospitalization benefits. Registered farmers and their dependents, through the National Coconut Farmers Registry System (NCFRS), could receive hospitalization benefits of up to PHP40,000, in addition to the existing coverage by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

Te±oso mentioned that the signing of the MOA would enable farmers and their dependents to access these benefits in the eight district hospitals of the province by the next year.