Delta: ‘So Pampanga may hear’

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - “So Pampanga may hear.”

This was the message of Vice-Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda during yesterday’s communitybased hearing health care program of Starkey Hearing Foundation, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Pampanga and University of Sto. Tomas (UST) at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here.

Pineda led the distribution of hearing aids to more than 1,000 kabalens amounting to P75 million.

Starkey Hearing Foundation is a US-based foundation which extends help all over the world by giving hearing aids for free. It is also the largest hearing foundation in the world. To date, it has reached three million beneficiaries in more than 100 countries with its vision “So the World May Hear.”

William and Tani Austin, founders of Starkey, personally went here to bring their philanthropic efforts to hearing-impaired Kapampangans.

Pineda, with Board Member Anthony Joseph Torres, chairperson of the Committee on Health; board members Rosve Henson and Cherry Manalo; Dr. Salve Olalia and Dr. Roberto Ang of UST; Dr. Mar Jaochico and Dr. Imelda Ignacio of the Provincial

Health Office (PHO); Angie Blanco of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) and other department heads welcomed the Starkey Hearing Foundation founders and team last November 2 at Clark International Airport (CIA).

They also inaugurated the Pampanga Ear and Hearing Center at Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Hospital, named after William Austin.

Austin vowed that he will give his all-out support to the center, including all of its equipment.

“This is my talent, I’m not after the money but to help other people,” Austin said.

When asked why he chose Pampanga, he answered: “We learned that Kapampangans care after their neighbors and it made us come here to the Phi l i ppi nes.”

Moreover, Pineda stressed that the provincial government, under his and Governor Lilia ‘Nanay” Pineda’s leadership, will always prioritize the health of their constituents.

According to the vice-governor, this is “real service”, to bring the programs closer to the people, intending for a better and healthier community.

The vice-governor also added that it’s a fulfillment to see that this younger generation who experienced defects in hearing, for the first time would receive the gift of hearing.

He and Torres then thanked the Starkey Hearing Foundation and UST for always choosing the province as a beneficiary.

Torres also cited that it’s not the first time that Starkey Hearing Foundation gave help to Pampanga.

“In 2011 Starkey already started helped Kapampangans,” he said.

— Leah Isidro De Fiesta/ Pampanga PIO