Kennedy Villalon, a 60-year-old father of five from Cagayan, has lived a simple life as a fisherman, relying on catching bullet tuna and reef fish to provide for his family. However, like many in his community, Kennedy faces challenges, especially when it comes to his health.
One of the biggest challenges he faced was a broken tooth that had been causing him pain for a long time. “It had been like that for a while, but I couldn’t afford to have it removed because I didn’t have the money,” Kennedy shared. “Sometimes it would hurt, and it was difficult to eat hard food.”
Kennedy tried to manage the pain with whatever remedies he could find. “To relieve the pain, sometimes I take mefenamic acid or use herbal remedies like boiled malunggay root or makahiya,” he said. Despite these efforts, the discomfort remained.
When Operation Blessing’s Mobile Medical Clinic came to Cagayan, Kennedy saw it as an opportunity to finally get the dental care he needed. “Thank you very much, Operation Blessing, for your free services.”
Before receiving the dental care, Kennedy shared that he faced the challenge of traveling to the nearest dentist, located about six kilometers away from his home. “The dentist is a bit far from here, and a round-trip fare costs ₱50 (around $0.90). A tooth extraction used to cost ₱700 ($12.50)—now I think it’s around ₱1,000 ($18),” he explained.
For someone living on a modest income, that amount was simply out of reach. “A thousand pesos is enough to buy milk, coffee, sugar, and rice. In a week, I don’t even earn a thousand pesos,” Kennedy said.
With limited financial resources, many families are forced to prioritize basic necessities, leaving little room for medical care. But thanks to the support of our partners, Kennedy was able to receive free healthcare that made a significant difference in his life.
