CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA) — To celebrate Chinese New Year 2025, the Cagayan de Oro Filipino-Chinese Community, in partnership with the city government, held a medical and dental mission on February 4, benefiting about 1,300 people.
The activity is in collaboration with Cagayan de Oro Hall and various partners such as the Filipino-Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Inc., the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, and the Philippine Dental Association-Cagayan de Oro Misamis Oriental Chapter.
The medical and dental missions catered to 1,000 patients for the medical mission and 300 patients for the dental mission, and they were able to give 100 free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for children aged 9–14 and another 100 free pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPV) vaccines for senior citizens.
Nanette Daumar-Cabanlit, 65, a beneficiary and resident of Bugo, expressed her appreciation for this activity as it eliminates the need for her to wait in line for free services. His husband also joined her in availing the services, with the latter having acquired dental services, while she visited the doctors providing medical services for her stomach concerns.
One of the participating institutions is the Philippine Dental Association Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Chapter. President Dr. Serafin Kho-Sarmiento Jr. said the activity falls in time with their celebration of the National Dental Health Month.
“It is an opportunity for us sa Philippine Dental Association-Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Chapter na makahatag og serbisyo sa katawhan. Sa amo sa dental na part, of course, naa mi dental education, oral education. Ang gipangita gyud is free extraction, so naa mi ing-ana,” he shared.
(It is an opportunity for us in the Philippine Dental Association-Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental Chapter to serve the people. Here in the medical and dental mission, we provided dental education and oral education as well. We also offered free extraction since it is an in-demand service.)
Visible on-site during the activity are also several government organizations, such as the City Health Office, PhilHealth, the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine National Police, which provided assistance.
Sarmiento shared that oral health is very important. “Usually, ang ngipon man gud, dili na musakit unless lalom na gyud siya. So, I always tell our patients na maskin wala’y gasakit, we have to visit our dentist. Kay ang uban man gud, ang attitude is ayha na muadto sa dentist kun sakit na ang ngipon. Ang problem is pag muadto sa dentist kay sakit na ang ngipon, more often than not, ibton nana siya. So, dili na siya pwede ma-save,” he said.
The doctor added that the best thing to do is to brush regularly, floss, and visit the dentist regularly. Since brushing and oral care aren’t always perfect, if there’s a cavity, at least the dentist can catch it early while it’s still small. In this manner, the dentist can treat it with a filling before it worsens.
Sarmiento also shared that this importance is amplified by the celebration of National Dental Health Month in the month of February, as highlighted in Presidential Proclamation No. 559, Series of 2004.
“How important is oral health? It is very, very important. And the best way to fight cavities and gum diseases is to really brush and, of course, visit your dentist regularly,” he reiterated.
This medical and mental mission is also part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Philippines. During the kickoff program earlier that day, present at the event was His Excellency Huang Xilian, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Philippines.
Along with the delegation of Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center and leaders of Cagayan de Oro City’s Filipino-Chinese Community, he paid a courtesy call to Mayor Rolando Uy on the morning of February. Uy thanked Huang Xilian and the Cagayan de Oro Filipino-Chinese community for their generosity. (IJBD/PIA-10)
