Press Release - Tolentino kicks off medical caravan in Cavite

Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino on Wednesday kicked off the first of a series of medical missions in Cavite, with the aim of bringing basic services to residents in the province's 23 local government units (LGUs).

Tolentino's medical caravan, with the theme, 'Empowering Lives, Distributing Hope: Provision of assistive devices to the community,' began its initial leg on Wednesday, starting from Cavite City to Rosario, Noveleta, Kawit, and Bacoor City.

The 'assistive devices' provided by the senator's team included wheelchairs, both for adults and children, prescription eyeglasses, and dentures, as well as essential vitamins and maintenance medicines.

Around 300 pre-diagnosed and evaluated patients and beneficiaries were served at each venue, consisting of children, adults, and senior citizens.

Local officials of the respective LGUs welcomed the senator, who was accompanied by his sons, Tagaytay City Councilor Francis Michael Tolentino and Patrick Andrei Tolentino.

In his speech, the senator said that he is fully aware that local government units (LGUs) need support from national leaders and agencies, particularly the Department of Health, in fulfilling the medical and health needs of their constituents.

"It's not common for dentures and eyeglasses to be given in medical missions like this, because these devices, aside from being quite expensive, require prior consultation and evaluation for the recipients," he noted.

"Still, these are essential devices that many of our kababayans need, and which I have observed whenever I would go around communities," said Tolentino, himself a former local chief executive in the province, having served as mayor of the progressive city of Tagaytay.

In Noveleta, Tolentino announced his plan to provide boats to fishers' cooperatives. "What I want to share is not just temporary relief, but hopefully something that is long term, like livelihood for the people, particularly to our marginalized fisherfolk."

Last week, the senator provided ten units of 32-meter fiberglass reinforced plastic boats (FRPB) to fishers' cooperatives in the coastal town of Sta. Cruz, Zambales.

The medical caravan moves next to the municipalities