WESCOM soldiers join race to make Palawan dengue-free

Tristan Ray I. Besa
The Palawan Times

Armed with the purpose of raising the awareness of the people of Puerto Princesa City and the province of Palawan about the dangers of the dengue disease and how to avoid them and, in the long term, make this city dengue-free, soldiers from the different services of the Western Command (WESCOM) joined last November 7 the fun race organized by the 1 Ganap Guardian, Inc. dubbed “Anti-Dengue Awareness Fun Run.” Soldiers from the Western Command; Naval Forces West; 570th Composite Tactical Wing; 8th Marine Battalion Landing Team; Palawan CAA Administrative Unit, 59th Infantry Battalion of Philippine Army; and the 6th Civil Relations Group of CRSAFP raced with other participants from the Provincial Police Office led by its director, P/SSupt Aurelio Trampe; the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary-District Palawan; the Provincial and City Health Office; PNP Maritime and several private individuals in a 3-kilometer, 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer run in the city. The anti-dengue advocate group, 1 Ganap Guardian, Inc., teamed up with the PCGA, through Captain Nelson Gaspar in organizing the fun run event, the first activity it conducted for its advocacy. Speaking after the race, Capt Gaspar shared with the participants that their vision to make Puerto Princesa a dengue-free city was met with skepticism by several people. “They said it was not possible,” Capt Gaspar related but continued, unfazed, that “if everybody cooperates, we have no doubt that we can achieve our mission and make Puerto Princesa City and the province of Palawan dengue-free.” Dr. Dean Palanca of the City Health Office said, “the awareness of the people about dengue, a hemorrhagic viral disease that can be acquired through the bite of a carrier mosquito, is a big step towards its prevention.” After the fun race activity, the participants proceeded to conduct an information campaign about preventive measures to avoid dengue. The WESCOM contingent headed by Capt. Abraham F Celzo PN, Chief of Staff said, that WESCOM has already conducted info campaign about dengue and the ways to prevent and detect it. The information campaign was conducted as a response to the outbreak of dengue all over the country in the past months. Other organizations who helped organized the activity include the Malampaya Foundation, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. and the Palawan Safe Riders Club.