Grand Halad sa Kapamilya serves 8,000 people

CEBU, Philippines - More than 8,000 people gathered at the grounds of the Cebu Technological University in Cebu City yesterday to avail of the free services of the Grand Halad Kapamilya of the ABS-CBN Network.

Grand Halad Kapa-milya of the ABS-CBN Network is done every year during the months of June and November. It is a whole day outreach program that provides free services especially for the senior citizens and children.

About 17,000 educational books were distributed by the SK Federation of Cebu City and ABS-CBN Network to the youth.

“Isang katok para sa isang milyong libro”, a project of the Cebu City SK Federation that collects books from every house in Cebu City for the elementary, high school and college students. The SK officers started collecting the books last June 12, 2011.

About 2,500 were given free medicines after consultations with the volunteer-doctors from Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital, Chong Hua Hospital, Sacred Heart Hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital, Cebu City Health Office and the Cebu City Medical Center.

There were also volunteer-nursing students from different schools in Cebu City such as the Cebu Doctors’ University, University of San Carlos, University of San Jose-Recoletos, Benedicto College, Southwestern University, and University of Southern Philippines-Foundation.

Rose Pharmacy Manager Alma Jane Torda said most of the patients who attended the medical and dental services came with their families.

Torda added that the common ailments were cough, colds, diabetes, and high blood pressure and these patients were given carbocisteine aside from multivitamins.

More than 400 patients availed of the dental services such as consultation, extraction, oral prophylaxis, diagnostic procedures and other extended services. These services were rendered by the Cebu City Council Committee on Health and Hospital Services and the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

ABS-CBN Cebu’s Kapamilya campaign also gave away relief goods to the indigent families while Bantay Bata 163, Goldilocks and the Naval Forces Central sponsored feeding, children’s games and free haircut.

Free livelihood seminars such as organic hog raising, accounting for non-accountancy, basic air conditioner and mobile repair, techno skill demos and business plan making were attended by more than 2,000 people. Some beneficiaries brought along their pets for veterinary services offered by the Cebu City Veterinarian Office.

AGHAM party list donated 1,600 reading eyeglasses for the optical service beneficiaries while the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry sought donations from different pharmacies in Cebu City for the medicines and medical equipment.

Sagip Kapamilya, the Cebu business chambers, Bantay Bata 163 and Cebu Technological University are only of the few organizations and institutions supporting the well-attended event. —(FREEMAN)