by Camille Anne Mendizabal, Emmanuelle Dominique Mendoza, and Neil Arwin Mercado
[Bay, Laguna] On November 9, over a hundred residents of Brgy. San Antonio in Bay, Laguna received free dental services from the dental mission MataTAG na Ngipin 7 organized by The Altruist Group (TAG) Los Baños and was conducted in partnership with the Philippine Dental Association-Laguna Chapter and Red Cross Laguna Chapter.
MataTAG 7 volunteers assist the children during the simultaneous brushing of teeth.
The medical mission was organized in coordination with the local government of Bay through a series of community visits. TAG opted to focus on dental mission to ensure that their project will address more specific concerns as well as offer more defined type assistance. Ariel Palermo, TAG president, explained that the need for dental services of people who come to MataTAG na Ngipin are addressed. Pain relievers and antibiotics were also given to the community.
Palermo emphasized that TAG continues to improve the MataTAG program. For the seventh dental mission, TAG incorporated a feeding program, fluoridation, and a lecture on dental hygiene for children. He added that the fee dental services have lasting effects for the community members. The feeding program was organized by the San Antonio barangay council to complement TAG’s dental mission.
As part of the preparations for the dental mission, TAG conducted a survey among the residents of Brgy. San Antonio, and coordinated with the barangay council headed by Brgy. Chariman Efren Quintos. The barangay council, through Quintos, expressed their appreciation for the initiative of TAG and its partners in providing dental services for their constituents.
With the conduct of MataTAG na Ngipin 7 in Brgy. San Antonio, TAG ended 2014 by bringing smiles to more than a hundred Bay residents.