By TRISTAN LOZANO
Health services provided by Armed Forces hospitals in the provinces will further improve as an organization recently donated medical equipment and supplies valued at P12 million.
The Sydney Shrine Club (SSC) turned over the donation during a flag-raising ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo on Thursday, July 10.
The donation was composed of slightly used medical equipment, life-saving devices, and essential items. These will be distributed to various AFP hospitals and field units around the country to bolster the military’s healthcare capabilities.
The donation of the club based in New South Wales, Australia was facilitated by the Association of Reservists and Reservist Administrators of the Philippines Inc. (ARRAPI) in coordination with the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reserve Force Development (OJ9).
AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. received the donation from SSC President Lt. Col. Raul Amor who was accompanied by Brig. Gen. Danilo I. Dupiag, Deputy OJ9, and Air Force reserve Lt. Col. Michael Odylon Romero, chairman of the ARRAPI Board of Trustees.
Brawner thanked the SSC for the donation and emphasized the importance of sustained collaboration between the AFP, ARRAPI, non-government organizations, and international partners in enhancing the welfare of Filipino soldiers and their families.
“This collaboration with our Australian partner Sydney Shrine Club highlights the crucial role of the global community in supporting the health and morale of our uniformed personnel,” Romero said in a statement . “ARRAPI will now be a bridge to civilian and military efforts to uplift the lives of our soldiers,” he added.
Romero was joined by its Board of Trustees, Lt. Col. Vladimir Mata, Brig. Gen. Charito Plaza, Commander Peter Negrido, Lt. Col. Joy Torres, Col. Yay Lacson-Hizon, and Lt. Col. Floreto Solano.
Brawner awarded plaques of appreciation to SSC and ARRAPI for their outstanding contributions and unwavering support in advancing health services of the AFP.
