MANDATORY...

ituturo namin dito life skills, service, values, dito sa basic education, kasama ‘yung good hygiene, kasama ‘yung toothbrush drills (This is one of the [things] we want to implement, we are creating a program now which we intend to run corollary to the ROTC in Higher Education. We are telling them, what we will teach are life skills, service, values, here in the basic education, including the good hygiene, like toothbrush drills),” she said.

Duterte said dental health is vital, considering the risks that it may pose to kids and adults once neglected.

She said dental protection is a personal advocacy, mentioning what she has learned from her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The one person that is very particular to teeth is, I don't know if the world knows this, is President Duterte. Kaya siguro subconsciously, nakuha ko rin ‘yun kay PRD [President Rodrigo Duterte], plus ‘yung exposure ko sa trabaho ko as mayor, na nakakausap ko ‘yung mga dentista, and they always advocate na preventable naman ‘yan (That’s why subconsciously, I got it from PRD, plus the exposure in my job as a mayor, I talked with dentists, and they always advocate that it is preventable),” she added.

Duterte particularly refers to preventable dental issues like tooth decay, infection, and other consequences brought by the lack of awareness of proper cleaning.

“If we just guide our young ones, because they are very malleable… Kasi para lahat ng bata, maganda ang smile (So that all children will have better smiles),” she said.

Part of the dental drills proposed program is the distribution of dental kits with instructional materials for proper dental cleaning, accompanied by information campaigns on the matter.

Currently, VP Sara’s campaign ng pagbaBAGo includes the distribution of toothbrushes with toothbrush

guides, which is one of her classic programs during her leadership in Davao City as mayor. (PNA)