THE Blacktown Ponds Lions Club Inc. of New South Wales, Australia and the Angeles City Clark Balibago Lions Club hosted the 2nd Philippines-Australia Joint Lions Mission in Barangay Cutud in Angeles City recently in celebration of Philippines-Australia Friendship Month every May.
The full-service mission helped 1,600 indigents benefitting from various stations catering to urgent community needs. Services provided were medical (doctor check-ups), dental (tooth extractions), optical (reading glass distribution), mass circumcision, diabetes blood sugar testing, and a pharmacy (prescription and maintenance medicine dispensing).
School supplies, clothes, and blankets were likewise distributed on site and hearty snacks were given out during the activity.
"We are proud to add another chapter in international cooperation between our clubs for a common goal -- to serve our underprivileged and less fortunate," said Sol Flores Jr., president of co-lead Angeles City Clark Balibago LC.
Lions club members from Australia and the Philippines convened in the Northville 15 Integrated School to tender the service activity, joined by officials of Barangay Cutud headed by its Captain Joen June Ferraris and Principal Ariel Perez.
"We are overjoyed by the fruit of our continuing partnership here in Angeles City, as so many needy from the resettlement are benefitting," said Rissa McInnes, incoming president of the co-lead Blacktown Ponds LC.
Volunteers for the project came from various government partners, including the Department of Health, Angeles City Government, and the Cutud village council. At least 10 Philippine Lions clubs from across the country also joined in the efforts.
The affair was likewise made more fruitful with the help of partner organizations such as Soul Group Inc., Soroptimist International of Angeles City, and the Angeles City Medical Society.
The Philippines-Australia Joint Lions Mission is a club-to-club initiative of the Blacktown Ponds Lions Club Inc. and the Angeles City Clark Balibago Lions Club to jointly render high-impact community projects annually. It is a concerted effort to ensure serving remains efficient and coordinated.