Corporate Social Responsibility Therma South, Inc. Sustainability

AboitizPower conducts respiratory health symposium

April 06, 2017

In its continuous mission to promote a safe and healthy environment around its host communities, AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI) and Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (AFI) in partnership with the Davao City Health Office and the barangay councils of Binugao and Sirawan in Davao City conducted a series of respiratory health symposia in Barangay Binugao and Barangay Sirawan last February 28 and March 1, 2017, respectively.

Around 300 participants attended the discussions composed mostly of mothers and senior citizens from the host barangays.

A team from the Davao City Health Office led by Toril District Doctor-in-Charge Dr. Margie Roa-Rubio discussed various respiratory health topics, including tips on how to avoid common respiratory diseases, and observance of proper basic sanitation and good hygiene.

Representatives from the City Health Office shared that in an independent baseline health study conducted in 2016, among the most common bad practices that contribute to respiratory diseases were cooking with charcoal, burning trash, and smoking.

“Respiratory diseases have always been common. Even before TSI began operating, residents here have already been cooking using charcoal or firewood inside their houses and burning their waste, thus producing harmful smoke. Respiratory diseases can easily be prevented if we can correct these bad practices,” explained Dr. Rubio to the participants.

In addition to the talks from the resource speakers, TSI also handed out comics and posters promoting respiratory health and access to safe drinking water.
“TSI shall continue to organize and support information-dissemination activities, such as this health symposium, as a way of supporting the local government’s thrust of promoting a healthy community around the plant”, said TSI Reputation and Stakeholder Management Head Jason C. Magnaye.

A similar health symposium will also be held in Barangays Inawayan and Darong in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur in April 2017.

The health symposium aimed to raise awareness on respiratory health and to identify leading causes of respiratory health issues.