TACLOBAN CITY – Governor Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla supports the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Manila Regional Office in initiating outreachvisits to veterans and their dependents in Eastern Visayas.

Petilla advances his extensible support with the VA’s policy to provide veterans’ affairs information and assistance to claimants in the provinces through outreach program.

This policy outreaches veterans’ clients who cannot afford the expense traveling to Manila and who are not comfortable in writhing letters to the regional office.

In line with the outreach program, the regional office is sending two of their veterans services representatives to conduct interviews at the Kanhuraw Convention Center, City Hall compound here on March 2, 2005 from 1 to 4 p.m. and at the Senior Citizens Center (beside Ormoc City Post Office), Ormoc City on March 3, 2005 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Director Barry Barker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office requested that assistance of the provincial government through Gov. Petilla to disseminate information of this visit to all veterans and their dependents to areas in the city and other municipalities of the province.

The American Legion (AL) and the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) and officers of these veterans’ organizations have been prompted by the regional office to coordinate with the provincial government regarding this outreach service.

Director Barker has also designated Mrs. Mitos Calara, Outreach Travel Coordinator to make the necessary arrangements with the province.