Uplifting the lives of poor families in the country – this is the mantra of both SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI) and Pantawid Pamilya.
SM Foundation has been doing charitable work since 2002 while Pantawid Pamilya has been giving out grants since 2008. Their main goals are to serve and help inculcate the values of good health and education to their recipients.
In its continuing pursuit to help those who are in need, SM Foundation conducted a medical mission dubbed “Gamot Para sa Kapwa” last April 12-13 at the SM City Davao Event Center. The two-day mission was participated in by some 1,800 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The mission offered free laboratory services, tooth extraction, bone density screening and cholesterol screening by doctors from participating hospitals and agencies– the Davao Doctors Hospital, City Health Office and the Davao Medical School Foundation. Vitamins and medicines were given for free following the check-up.
“Being part of this cause gives me tremendous happiness and fulfillment. This is the second time I have volunteered for SM’s medical mission, and it feels different each time,” said Nichole Elaiza Lu, 22, a registered nurse and volunteer from the Philippine Red Cross.
SM Foundation’s key partners for the medical mission are the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Watson’s and GMA Kapuso Foundation.
“We are already in our fourth year of giving out medical assistance to poor families of Davao City. These medical missions are conducted annually at all SM Malls,” said Bettina de Guzman, project supervisor for Health and Medical Component, SMFI. When it was launched in 2002, it was held in only six malls, but today SM Foundation has been conducting medical missions in 350 SM malls nationwide, she recalled.
“Nalipay mi nga anaa ni nga medical mission nga nakatabang gyud sa amoa, ilabi na sa akong mga anak. Nalipay mi kay nagahatag sila og libre nga tambal ug vitamins. Blessing gyud ang Pantawid Pamilya sa amoa kay tungod sa programa napili pud mi nga makadawat aning medical mission (We are so happy that there are medical missions like this which can really help us and our children. We are happy that they are giving out free medicines and vitamins. Pantawid Pamilya has always been a blessing to us. Because of the program, we are able to avail of this medical mission),” shared Lita Domingo of Barangay 76-A Bucana.
This was Lita’s and her 2-year old twins’ (Clarisa and Charisse) second participation in the activity.
This is the second year that Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries were chosen as recipients of the medical mission. “We always tap the DSWD in identifying the recipients of our medical missions since its poverty-alleviation programs select the poorest households in Davao City,” said Apple Ligario, public relations officer of SM City Davao.
SM Foundation is the socio-civic division of the SM Group of Companies which helps less fortunate and underprivileged families in areas within the vicinity of SM department stores and supermalls.
The Foundation has four areas of advocacy: education through scholarship programs and donations to schoolhouses; mall-based outreach programs; health-oriented projects like medical missions, mobile clinics and hospital activity centers; and religious community projects.
On the other hand, Pantawid Pamilya is a strategy of the national government to alleviate poverty in the country. The program provides conditional cash assistance to the poorest households in the country to help improve the health, nutrition and education of children aged 14 years and under.
The program also promotes responsible parenthood through conducting regular Family Development Sessions (FDS). At present, the program has 136,825 potential beneficiaries in 31 municipalities and three cities in Region 11. [DSWD 11/Sheryll Jane B. Sanico] Uplifting the lives of poor families in the country – this is the mantra of both SM Foundation, Inc. (SMFI) and Pantawid Pamilya.
SM Foundation has been doing charitable work since 2002 while Pantawid Pamilya has been giving out grants since 2008. Their main goals are to serve and help inculcate the values of good health and education to their recipients.
In its continuing pursuit to help those who are in need, SM Foundation conducted a medical mission dubbed “Gamot Para sa Kapwa” last April 12-13 at the SM City Davao Event Center. The two-day mission was participated in by some 1,800 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The mission offered free laboratory services, tooth extraction, bone density screening and cholesterol screening by doctors from participating hospitals and agencies– the Davao Doctors Hospital, City Health Office and the Davao Medical School Foundation. Vitamins and medicines were given for free following the check-up.
“Being part of this cause gives me tremendous happiness and fulfillment. This is the second time I have volunteered for SM’s medical mission, and it feels different each time,” said Nichole Elaiza Lu, 22, a registered nurse and volunteer from the Philippine Red Cross.
SM Foundation’s key partners for the medical mission are the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Watson’s and GMA Kapuso Foundation.
“We are already in our fourth year of giving out medical assistance to poor families of Davao City. These medical missions are conducted annually at all SM Malls,” said Bettina de Guzman, project supervisor for Health and Medical Component, SMFI. When it was launched in 2002, it was held in only six malls, but today SM Foundation has been conducting medical missions in 350 SM malls nationwide, she recalled.
“Nalipay mi nga anaa ni nga medical mission nga nakatabang gyud sa amoa, ilabi na sa akong mga anak. Nalipay mi kay nagahatag sila og libre nga tambal ug vitamins. Blessing gyud ang Pantawid Pamilya sa amoa kay tungod sa programa napili pud mi nga makadawat aning medical mission (We are so happy that there are medical missions like this which can really help us and our children. We are happy that they are giving out free medicines and vitamins. Pantawid Pamilya has always been a blessing to us. Because of the program, we are able to avail of this medical mission),” shared Lita Domingo of Barangay 76-A Bucana.
This was Lita’s and her 2-year old twins’ (Clarisa and Charisse) second participation in the activity.
This is the second year that Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries were chosen as recipients of the medical mission. “We always tap the DSWD in identifying the recipients of our medical missions since its poverty-alleviation programs select the poorest households in Davao City,” said Apple Ligario, public relations officer of SM City Davao.
SM Foundation is the socio-civic division of the SM Group of Companies which helps less fortunate and underprivileged families in areas within the vicinity of SM department stores and supermalls.
The Foundation has four areas of advocacy: education through scholarship programs and donations to schoolhouses; mall-based outreach programs; health-oriented projects like medical missions, mobile clinics and hospital activity centers; and religious community projects.
On the other hand, Pantawid Pamilya is a strategy of the national government to alleviate poverty in the country. The program provides conditional cash assistance to the poorest households in the country to help improve the health, nutrition and education of children aged 14 years and under.
The program also promotes responsible parenthood through conducting regular Family Development Sessions (FDS). At present, the program has 136,825 potential beneficiaries in 31 municipalities and three cities in Region 11. [DSWD 11/Sheryll Jane B. Sanico]
