Dentistry For Every Village Foundation in cooperation with ABSCBN Lingkod Kapamilya Tulong Center and the Group A Dental Associates will hold a free dental mission at Barangay Looc, in the Municipality of Balete, Batangas Philippines on November 3-4.
Dental supplies and resources for the mission will be drawn from those previously donated to the Foundation by the International College of Dentists Global Visionary Fund and the Henry Schein Cares Foundation and several other donors, notably the DLV Family Trust.
Balete is a 5th class municipality with a total population of a little over 26,000 population. It is famed for its location right beside the Taal Lake where the world famous Taal Volcano is located. Fishing and agriculture are the most popular livelihood in the village of Looc, where the mission will be held.
Twenty-two dentists and two auxiliary volunteers will man the mission. They are:
Dr. Vivian Cudiamat, Dr. Joy Tiongson and Dr. Rico Calingasan for the Oral Prophylaxis Section.
Dr. Momar Marques, Dr. Milo Osias, Dr. Elena Osias, Dr. Leny Andaya, Dr. Aldin Andaya, Dr. Cesar Floralde, Dr. Jinky Tan, Dr. Larissa Rivera. Dr. Marian Angeline Manuel, Dr. Anna Lynn Perez-Alix, and Dr. Franz Mercado for the Oral Surgery Section.
Dr. Analie Bolinao, Dr. Cecily Vera Cruz, Dr. Luz Villanueva, Dr. Florabelle Tan Frondozo, Dr. Khelle Kawamoto de Guzman, and Dr. Maria Delia Saquido PIcardal for the Restorative Dentistry Section
Dr. Fely Aquende for the Endodontic Section
Dr. Amry Jane Chavez for the Oral Diagnosis Section
Mr. Roco Ibe and Mr. Earl Cyrus Liwanag for the Auxiliary Services and Registration
Volunteers from the Community will help manage the patient traffic flow and the health care volunteers from ABSCBN will man the Pharmacy Section. The Local village leaders will provide security.
The ABSCBN people based on their surveys and knowledge of the area recommended the Village of Looc, and the advance party from the Foundation verified the need for the mission.
The Municipality of Balete has no government health facility to speak of. Minor health care services are available in a lone Health Care Unit, 5 Barangay Health Stations and one clinic. All of these are privately own. This issue, however, is apparently not huge because there are plenty of government health care service facilities and hospitals in nearby Lipa City. Balete incidentally is a barrio of Lipa City until 1969 when the Philippine Congress declared it as an independent City.
The Dentistry for Every Village Foundation, Inc., raises funds by seeking grants and donations to build dental clinics. These clinics are donated to health care institutions that have the resources to house the facility, experiences and expertise to run them efficiently, and whose management is supportive of the cause.
