SAN MIGUEL, Bulacan—With the rigorous training that would-be Scout Rangers are subjected to—under the scorching sun and heavy downpour—it is but natural that they collapse, get dehydrated or suffer heat stroke, stomach upsets and numerous other treatable ailments.
But without a modern facility and lacking in medical supplies, the soldiers are forced to resort to natural medication—using grass and medicinal plants they can find in the 50-hectare Camp Tecson, headquarters of the 1stScout Ranger Regiment here.
SM Foundation saw this predicament in the Army training camp and worked on the rehabilitation of the medical and dental dispensary. The newly-rehabilitated dispensary was inaugurated and turned over to the soldiers, headed by regiment commander, Col. Rene Glen O. Paje.
The new dispensary—the first aid diagnostic and treatment center for soldiers, trainees and communities surrounding the camp—occupies 223.09 square meters of land within the camp and has the following services: dental, emergency and treatment area; observation room; consultation room; ward; operating room; supply room and administrative office.
The dispensary has a doctor-surgeon, Maj. Cesar Candelaria; a dentist, Capt. Angelo Sarruca—both civilian practitioners who volunteered for military training and practice — and nurse, Lt. Maria Pa-It.
Col. Rene Glen Paje said the dispensary operates 24 hours for seven days a week,“as we never know when an emergency would arise among the soldiers.”
Paje expressed the gratitude of the soldiers for civilian organizations like SM Foundation for showing their care and sympathy to the soldiers’ needs and assured the civilian population that “they would sleep better as we would double our security efforts for the country.”
SMFI Executive Director for Health and Medical Programs Connie Angeles assured the soldiers that the foundation’s help does not stop with the turnover of the completely new medical and dental dispensary but would also take care of maintaining the facility so that it would always be in tiptop shape.
This is the 22nd military facility that SMFI renovated and is the 127th Felicidad T. Sy Wellness Center todate.
Among the SM group that graced the launch were SM City Baliwag, SM Store Baliwag and Savemore, San Ildefonso. These establishments are the partners of the SMFI in ensuring that the health facility is always in excellent condition. With Angeles was Chito Macapagal, corporate communications head of the SM Group and a trustee of SM Foundation.