PGMA's Message for the 55th Anniversary Celebration and 39th Annual Convention of Philippine Pediatric Society |
Office of the President, Malacanang (01 April, 2002) |
| EVERY FILIPINO
CHILD MUST SURVIVE AND GROW UP TO BE AN ACTIVE AND ENLIGHTENED CITIZEN. THIS IS THE
CHALLENGE WE ALL MUST FACE AND WIN. I AM GLAD THAT THE PHILIPPINE PEDIATRIC SOCIETY IS
WITH US MEETING IT. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN WORK AS ONE FOR THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF FILIPINO CHILDREN. THE P-P-S IS OUR PARTNER IN THE POLIO-FREE IMMUNIZATION CAMPAIGN THAT HAS RESULTED IN 100 PERCENT NATIONWIDE COVERAGE OF THE TARGETED CHILDREN. I AM SURE THAT THE P-P-S WILL CONTINUE SUPPORTING THE CAMPAIGN. TOGETHER WE WILL FINALLY ERADICATE POLIO FOREVER IN THE COUNTRY AND ACHIEVE A GLOBAL POLIO-FREE CERTIFICATION IN 2005. I ALSO COMMEND YOUR RECENT EFFORTS TO SPEARHEAD, TOGETHER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE MAINSTREAMING FOR FILIPINO CHILD HEALTH ADVOCACY PROJECT. THIS INITIATIVE HAS ALREADY BROUGHT TOGETHER AT LEAST 50 GOVERNMENT, NON-GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS TO INTEGRATE MICRONUTRITION; THE EXPANDED PROGRAM ON IMMUNIZATION; IN-SCHOOL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT; INJURY SURVEILLANCE; AND ENVIRONMENT SAFETY. THIS CONSOLIDATION ALLOWS DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN, WHILE LESSENING THE STRAIN ON THE REQUIRED MANPOWER AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES. THE CHILD ADVOCACY SUMMIT, WHICH YOUR SOCIETY HOSTED LAST OCTOBER, IS ALSO NOTEWORTHY. IT HAS RESULTED IN THE ADOPTION OF SHOWCASE PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE "SAFE ROAD, SAFE CHILD PROJECT" AND THE "IWAS TIGDAS 2002" CAMPAIGN. THE PILOT RUN OF "IWAS TIGDAS 2002" IN LAS PINAS AND TAGUIG LED TO A BROADER MEASLES IMMUNIZATION CAMPAIGN FOR 6 TO 23 MONTHS OLD INFANTS IN URBAN POOR AREAS. THIS CAMPAIGN WILL COINCIDE WITH THE "GARANTISADONG PAMBATA WEEK" STARTING APRIL 15. I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS AS YOU CELEBRATE YOUR 55TH ANNIVERSARY AND HOLD YOUR 39TH ANNUAL CONVENTION. I AM IMPRESSED WITH YOUR THEME BECAUSE IT UNDERSCORES THE VITAL ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH AND WELFARE FOR EVERY FILIPINO CHILD. MAY YOU CONTINUE TO BE OUR SOLID PARTNER IN NATION-BUILDING. THE CHILDREN NEED YOU. MABUHAY ANG PHILIPPINE PEDIATRIC SOCIETY! |