MARCH
2016 NEWSLETTER
Rhode
Island-based Humanitarian Group Returns from 2016 Philippines Medical
Mission
The Rhode Island-based
humanitarian group “Lingkod Timog” that translates to “Serving the poor in
the Southern Philippines” recently returned from its 12th annual medical
mission in the Philippines from February 25 to 29. The group provided
medical, surgical and dental care to tribal communities in southern Palawan
Island.
Nurse and Executive Director
Irene Covarrubias Sabban coordinated the volunteer doctors, dentists and
nurses as well as security and support personnel. The mission team included
US, Europe, Middle East and Philippine-based volunteers, and local private
and public doctors, nurses and dentists.
The Southern Palawan barangays
or towns of Panalingaan, Rizal and Kulandanum, Bataraza are home to a mix of
indigenous people including Palaw'ans, Tagbanuas, Tao’t Bato (cave dwellers)
and Muslims. Many of those seeking treatment walked for miles to reach the
announced mission sites, or to the pickup points where trucks were waiting
to transport them. After screening more than 3,000 people, some 1,300
patients were attended to by the volunteers. Most of the reported medical
ailments were upper respiratory tract infections, urinary tract problems,
skin ailments, and elevated blood pressure, blood sugar and eye problems.
Dental care included multiple teeth extractions for each dental patient
seen. Malaria screenings, optical checkups, circumcisions and haircuts were
also provided.
The group president Cecilia
Heredia praises its partners in the mission. Johnson Tan of Tan Lin & Ng Oh
Tee Foundation of Manila, and Retired Colonel Neil Estrella donated half of
the medicine and wheelchairs. Through the 12th Marine Battalion of the 3rd
Philippine Marines Brigade, the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines and the Philippine Navy’s Naval Forces West gave its full
support to the mission by providing security and transporting medicine and
supplies. The Philippine National Police sent a dental team. Local
government units coordinated the movement of patients and provided the
treatment areas.
The billeting areas in the
mining town of Rio Tuba were more than five hours away by land
transportation from Puerto Princesa, the capital city of Palawan Island.
From there, the treatment sites were about an hour away. As had happened in
past missions, the organizers had to turn down volunteer doctors, dentists
and nurses because of limited transportation.
Dr. Tiago Villanueva Marques,
whose mother is from the Philippines, is a repeat volunteer to the medical
mission. He is a family physician from Lisbon, Portugal, and is
London-based as an Assistant Editor of the British Medical Journal. He
committed to coming to next year's mission with his wife, also a physician
from Lisbon. Dr. Bobby Umandap from the Middle East will again join next
year's mission. Dr. Willie Nakpil from Manila recently retired as a
military surgeon and will be back too. US-based volunteers Larry Soriano
from Newport, Dee St Denis from Fall River, and Leo and Reggie Jr. Soriano
of Seattle were able to join the mission in spite of the winter’s
unpredictable flights. Ulf Lindelow and Rachel Hansen from Sweden also
volunteered. Marc Marfil, a nurse came from the Middle East to join his
wife and veteran Ces Sabban-Marfil, also a nurse. Ces and Villa Halo
coordinated the pharmacy. They were joined by nurses Joylyn Duhilag and
Karen Alejaga.
Other yearly volunteers included
Mon Covarrubias and Bing Diones from Zamboanga; and Team Palawan of Retired
Colonel Romulo and Lyang Gualdrapa and Colonel Dominic and Monsie Conta.
Former The Outstanding Pilipino Soldiers (TOPS) awardees, Retired Lieutenant
General Sabban and Philippine Navy Adjutant Colonel Hernanie Songano,
donated sacks of rice, slippers and school supplies on behalf of the
Metrobank Foundation, Inc. Additional medicine and supplies came from
Lingkod Timog funds and supporters who responded to last-minute appeals,
such as surgical supplies and donation from Dr. Maria Petrillo-Bolanos of
Portsmouth, and contributions from Bent and Myrna Blondal of Newport, Myra
Taghap Deus of Ireland and Fr. John O’Brien of St. Lucy’s Church in
Middletown. Butch Chase of Puerto Princesa's Kinabuch Grill gave food for
the patients.
This joint
Lingkod Timog and the Philippine military medical mission started when
retired Lieutenant General Juancho Sabban was with his family and studying
in Newport’s U.S. Naval War College in 2003, and Retired Philippine Navy
Captain Armando Heredia and wife, Cecilia were their local sponsors.
Cecilia Heredia formed the group and Irene Covarrubias-Sabban coordinates
the activities. General Sabban, who had been Commandant of the Philippine
Marines and Commander, Western Command, and Captain Heredia are active
advisers. All missions involve private and government agencies, military
and police, and municipal and tribal health care providers. The tribal
people see not just the foreign and Manila-based volunteers, but their own
community leaders and neighbors helping them. Lingkod Timog’s missions have
helped more than 23,000 Badjaos and Samals in Zamboanga, Basilan and Sulu;
Mandayas, Kalagans and Lumads in Davao; Tagbanuas, Palaw'ans and Tao’t Bato
in Palawan; and Aetas in Luzon.
Cecilia is the music teacher at
St Philomena School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and a Companion in Mission
of the Faithful Companions of Jesus (FCJ). St Philomena School also raises
funds through Broadway musicals for the Development Center projects of the
Sisters FCJ in Manila for indigent women, and for the victims of calamities.
