Kris Aquino brings medical mission to Palo

By Provincial Media Relations Center
February 22, 2011

PALO, Leyte  –  Some 100 women from Palo are on track to living a cancer-free life after getting cervical cancer vaccines while some 100 children were given pneumococcal vaccines courtesy of Presidential sister Kris Aquino who brought her Medical Mission on Pneumococcal and Cervical Cancer Vaccination Sunday at the Archbishop Hall here.

The TV host-actress, the youngest sibling of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, said the free vaccination for women and children in Palo was conducted as part of her social contribution as presidential sister and also an effort on her part to help Filipino women fight against cervical cancer which is considered the second killer among women of all ages, next to breast cancer.

It was learned that everyday, about 12 Filipinas suffer from cervical cancer, making it a cause of concern not just to women, but to their loved ones as well, male partners included.

Kris said with the vaccine, women are 80 percent protected from the virus that is mostly rooted from sexual contact.

With the vaccination, women will get protection against 12 other cancer-causing HPV types which include HPV strain 45, a strain which prevalently causes a more severe form of cervical cancer among Filipinas.

The free medical care was also supported by Glaxo Smith-Kline pharmaceutical company, the provincial government of Leyte and the local government unit of Palo.

In Kris’ speech, she thanked Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla and Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla for their support.

She added she has chosen Palo as among the first recipient of her medical mission as part of her promise during the electoral campaigns here in May 2010.

“I promised that I would come back and bring help in any way we can. Mayor Petilla was one of the first to really believe in ‘Noy (President Aquino) and Gov. Petilla was, I would say, one whom I personally convinced to support ‘Noy. Lahat ng kabutihan na ibinigay niyo sa amin during the campaign, ibabalik din naming in the next five years and more,” the TV host said.

Meanwhile, aside from the free pneumococcal vaccines for the children, Kris also distributed hundreds of toys for the kids in attendance.