“Our health awareness campaign has changed their lifestyle,” he added.
The health screening program, he said, is aimed at increasing the level of awareness regarding diabetes prevention and control, hypertension prevention and eye/vision pressure correction.
Philippine labor representative Carmelina Velasquez said Filipino workers continue to undergo free health screening despite the recent medical missions of other organizations because they are now more “health conscious.”
Susan de Veyra, a nurse of the Commonwealth Health Center medical ward and one of the pioneering Filipino medical volunteers, said most of those who came in on Sunday also attended previous screening sessions.
“This mean they are really conscious about their health. We also noticed improvements in their health,” she said.
Medical volunteers provided health brochures regarding the food pyramid and a guide to healthy eating.
The health screening offered blood pressure and blood sugar check-ups, as well as eye-vision check-ups.
As of 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, 308 had registered for the free health screening sponsored by the Philippine Consulate General, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in collaboration with the Filipino Volunteers Medical Team, the Association of Filipino Pharmacists in the CNMI and the Hardt Eye Clinic.
The registration started at 6 a.m. and ended at 8 a.m. at the Marianas Business Center and people continued to come in until 11 a.m.
Velasquez said they also answered questions regarding labor concerns, passport renewal and OWWA registration.
De Veyra said they always encourage Filipino workers to register with OWWA.
Many Filipino workers admitted to CHC were not OWWA members, she said.
An OWWA member can avail of subsidized medical and hospitalization services.
Ponciano Moncada, 62, who first arrived on Saipan 20 years ago, said it was his second time to avail of the health screening.
“I really appreciate the services offered by our consulate,” he said.
Moncada also registered with OWWA.
The annual fee is $25 and it entitles a member to healthcare, disability and death benefits, as well as education and training benefits, social service and family welfare assistance.
Sunday’s health screening was the last medical services for 2010. Last year, 1,601 Filipino workers benefited from the health screening program.
