The much awaited supplies/materials for the Essential Health Care Program (EHCP) finally were received by the Health and Nutrition Section of the Division of Tawi-Tawi after three (3) months from the MoA signing on August 29, 2012. The supplies were given by the Fit for School, Inc., a non-government organization that initiated and paved the way for the program in the Autonomous region and in the country. Mr. Noel Tarrazona, the Fit for School Regional Coordinator of Region IX and Fit for School ARMM Regional Office facilitated the release of the materials.
There were 480 kits ( 20 kits were given in advance) and each kit consists of a 500ml bottle of toothpaste with fluoride, eight pieces of toothbrush and four bars of soap. Only those model schools with functional WASH facility were given the supplies while those that are still in the process of completing their facility were not given yet. However, they can claim their supplies as soon as they can finish their facility and make it functional which means that water is available.
Among the five model schools only Datu Halun Laboratory School, Sea Orchid Elementary School (Bongao Central District & Bongao III District) and Panglima Jalma Elementary School ( Panglima Sugala District) received their full/complete supplies while Batu-Batu Central School ( Panglima Sugala District) received only about thirty one kits good for more or less 250 pupils. That was good for the three classrooms that were able to finish their facility since they opted to construct their facility by classroom. Meanwhile Tubig Tanah Elementary School (Bongao I District) did not receive yet their supplies because their facility is still on-going.
The simple turn over ceremony was done together with the closing program of the 2-day nurses’ activity on December 12, 2012 at the Division Conference Hall attended by Education Supervisors Edna Alibasa who represented the Schools Superintendent and Surayni Tandih. The District Supervisors, Principals and nurses of the model School were also in attendance.
The turn-over ceremony and closing program were facilitated by the nurse In-Charge Laurel S. AIlani, RN and program coordinator Christine T. Sangkula, RN, MPA.
