Old soldiers aid vets, poor

The Last Watering Hole Association (TLWH), composed of retired officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, marked its 29th anniversary on Oct. 28 with a series of humanitarian missions for the benefit of both veterans and indigent people.

The anniversary celebration was held at the Main Restaurant, AFPCOC, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

TLWH president Brig. Gen. Francisco D. Dumpit (ret.) said the missions included free flu vaccinations and dental checkups at the newly refurbished Veterans Center Building at Aguinaldo.

“More than a hundred of our veterans availed of this life-saving vaccination, which is especially useful for our elderly veterans,” Dumpit said.

He said TLWH also held a medical and dental mission in Basista, Pangasinan, treating some 1,300 veterans and indigents with the support of Mayor Manolito de Leon and Col. Ramon G. Resultay, a TLWH director from Pangasinan.

He said Brig. Gen. Lito S. Tabangcura, chief of the AFP Reserve Command, assisted in the anti-flu campaign.

The project to refurbish the Veterans Center had the support of the Headquarters Service Group, Camp Aguinaldo, and Lt. Gen. Ernesto G. Carolina (ret.), administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office.

Dumpit said all the support TLWH has received has enabled it to look after the needs of its 620 members. He noted that TLWH had doled out some P5 million in burial assistance to families of deceased members in the last three decades.

Other TLWH officers, all of them retired, are Col. Florentino R. Buenaventura Jr., vice chair  and vice president; Col. Sabas V. Edades, secretary; Col. Ramon G. Resultay, treasurer; Col. Felipe J. Pacleb, auditor, and Maj. Maximo P. Young, PRO.

Directors are Col. Gregorio B. Borres Sr., Col Americo R. Dorotan, Col. Julian M. Maala, Col. Eduardo S. Santiago, Col. Manuel R. Suarez, Col. Teotimo F. Tagonan, Maj. Gregorio R. de la Vega and Natividad T. Redublo.