With the students returning to face-to-face classes, Valenzuela City launches Mobile Medical and Dental Vans that will cater exclusively to children and schools. Dubbed as “Balik Eskwela, Bantay Kalusugan sa Valenzuela”, the two vans kicked-off their medical and dental mission at General T. De Leon Elementary School, November 28.

A joint project of the City Government of Valenzuela under the leadership of Mayor WES Gatchalian, City Health Office, and the Department of Education – Valenzuela. Two mobile medical and dental vans, and a mobile pharmacy have been inaugurated to provide necessary medical and dental check-ups for the students of all the public elementary schools in the city. The said mobile medical, dental clinic, and pharmacy will stay at one specific elementary school for one week to provide services for its students, before it travels to another school to cater other students.

Due to the increasing number of students who are not able to attend face-to-face classes because of toothache, the program aims to promote medical and oral health to Valenzuelano school children, provide multivitamins to undernourished students, and encourage vaccination among students and parents.

During the discussion of the project brief, City Health Officer Dr. Marthony Basco said “Alam niyo po, kapag kayo ay bata, apat lang po ang dapat ninyong gawin: una, matulog nang maaga; pangalawa, kumain nang tama; pangatlo, maglaro; at pang-apat, ay dapat maalagaan ang inyong kalusugan, kaya naman inilunsad natin ang Balik Eskwela, Bantay Kalusugan, dahil hindi niyo maggawa ang pagpasok sa eskwela, ang paglalaro, at pag-aaral kung hindi malusog ang inyong pangangatawan. Dahil dito sa Valenzuela, kabataan, kalusugan, karunungan, at kinabukasan.” [Did you know, that if you are a child, you only have to do four things: first, sleep early; second, eat right; third, play; and fourth, is to be able to take care of your health, that is why we launched Balik Eskwela, Bantay Kalusugan because you cannot attend school, play, and study if your body is not healthy. Because here in Valenzuela, youth, health, wisdom, and future.]

In his message, Mayor WES said “ang target po natin ay mailapit na ang medical and dental check-ups sa loob ng paaralan, para po hindi na mahirapan ang ating mga magulang na dalhin pa ang kanilang mga anak sa mga barangay health centers. Sa nakaraang dalawang taon po, marami ang mga estudyanteng hindi nakapagpa-check up at hindi na po pumapasa sa ating body index, kaya ho ang target natin, ay maipa-check up natin ang ating mga estudyante sa mga doktor na kasama sa mga mobile vans na ito, regarding all the questions na gusto nating itanong tungkol sa health ng ating mga estudyante. Hindi lang po pag-aaral ang tinututukan natin, kundi ang kapakanan din po nila, gusto po natin na malusog sila kapag pumapasok para maging mas maayos ang kanilang pag-aaral.” [Our goal is to bring the medical and dental check-ups inside the school, so that the parents would not be burdened to bring their children to our barangay health centers. For the past two years, many students were not able to undergo check-ups and are failing with the body index, that is why we aim to get our students checked so that we will be able to ask the doctors all our questions regarding the health of our children. We are not just focusing on their education but also on their well-being. We want them to be healthy to be able to study properly.]

Also present during the launch of the Balik Eswekla, Bantay Kalusugan sa Valenzuela were City Health Officer Dr. Marthony Basco, Valenzuela Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Meliton Zurbano, General T. De Leon Elementary School Head Ms. Eufelia Corales, General T. De Leon Punong Barangay, Kapitan Alfren Caiña and Council, and SK Chairwoman Justine Joy Rivera and Council.

###