Watsons volunteer moms bring their compassionate hearts and healing hands to communities

MANILA, Philippines — It takes a village to mount a Watsons Alagang Pangkalusugan medical mission. There are volunteer doctors, nurses and other medical personnel.

Watsons also invites supplier partners to donate medicines and medical supplies and witness the work being done in the communities. Then there are the Watsons employee volunteers who use their days off to give back instead of resting and spending time with their families.

A number of these Watsons volunteers are mothers. Patience and leadership skills are traits that many good volunteers have and if there is one person who has these traits and more, it’s a mother.

For Watsons moms who volunteer for Alagang Pangkalusugan medical missions, volunteerism is a commitment. Since 2013, Alagang Pangkalusugan has benefited over 6,500 Filipinos. Watsons is very proud to be a partner of Filipino families in their journey to good health.

Editha “Meg” Aguila has been a Watsons employee for eight years. She started volunteering for a medical mission last year.

“It is my 2nd year this year in Watsons with MNDC Metro Naga Development Council but in my store, we already conducted simple community services to the elderly way back in 2017.  We would share our time and help provide the elderly with essential needs and also gave them food from our Christmas caroling fund,” said Aguila, a Watsons store manager and mother of three.

One of Aguila’s most memorable experiences as a volunteer was when the medical mission went to her hometown of Libmanan. But for Aguila, it’s even more special and poignant when they work with children.

“I am a mother too, I felt the same pain and anxiety of the mother's patient. I will lead them to the attending doctor and if ever they need my advice on how to interpret the prescription, I will help them so they may be guided correctly.”

Her motivation is to help others and make an impact on the lives of the beneficiaries.

Eden Valenzuela, a Watsons employee for over 13 years now and a pharmacy manager, also considers it a privilege to be working with children.

“I am sad that because of poverty, they cannot have regular check-ups for their kids. Their kids are malnourished. I always tell them to