PHILIPPINES: TOOTHLESS COPS IN MANILA GET FREE DENTURES FROM THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT

Record ID: 862489

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: TOOTHLESS COPS IN MANILA GET FREE DENTURES FROM THE PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT
  • Date: 31st January 2005
  • Summary: SLATE INFORMATION
  • Embargoed: 15th February 2005 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • City:
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Police,Health,Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVAA4PDKKCG7SCLJFUVPT8C5NHGH
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Toothless cops in Manila get free dentures from the Philippine government.
    The Philippine National Police celebrated its anniversary on Monday (31 January), with First Gentleman Mike Arroyo giving away free dentures to dozens of lowly paid cops.
    The highest ranking police officer, the Director General, receives a monthly salary of $450.00 while the lowest ranked police officer receives $157.00 a month.
    The dentures given to the police officers cost about $50.00 each, according to Marilen Acuna Principe, a dentist enlisted by the police organisation.
    "This will boost their confidence. They would be more confident and will be able to face people confidently now.
    Of course when you're missing some teeth and then you'll have to talk to people, then you tend to become embarrassed."
    Personally conceived by Mr. Arroyo, the project named "A New Smile for the Toothless", was originally aimed to bring back smiles into the faces of toothless market vendors in Manila to help them regain their self-confidence and make them more effective sales people.
    The First Gentleman has expanded the project which now includes policemen in Metro Manila and their dependants, as well as civilian employees of the Philippine National Police.
    Dentists from the presidential palace examined and undertook preliminary denture fitting for the qualified beneficiaries.
    Apart from free dentures, beneficiaries are also given dental care services, all for free.
    So far, 200 police officers have already received free dentures.
    Despite being in the service for two decades, Senior Police Officer Omar Taribul endured years of humiliation for being toothless.
    Taribul said he lost his teeth in a gunfight with rebel communists in Southern Philippines in 1994.
    "Now I can smile because I now have a brand new set of teeth! I feel different, now that I have teeth."
    Taribul, with his new set of teeth said he wants to continue serving the force for another 20 years.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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