Rotary mission benefits Negros folk

Thanks to a medical mission of the Rotary Club of University District Manila (RCUDM), more than 30 indigents of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental underwent much-needed surgery for various ailments recently.

The medical mission, conducted by Rotarians, volunteer surgeons, internists and anesthesiologists, is RCUDM’s flagship project this year in celebration of the centennial of Rotary International, Dr. Jesus Perez Jr., the club’s past president, said.

The team of doctors from the Santo Tomas University Hospital and St. Luke’s Medical Center operated on patients aged 11 to 70 who were suffering from thyroid, ovarian and uterine tumor, hernias and hemorrhoids, at the newly built Kabankalan District Hospital.

Perez estimated the mission to cost more than P200,000, including the antibiotics, anti-hypertensive pills, cough medicines, painkillers and other drugs given to the patients.

"Despite the distance of the mission from the club’s area of responsibility, this flagship project is a better way to celebrate the centennial of Rotary International," Perez said.

"A surgical mission is the most effective and has the most impact compared to other medical missions because the treatment is evident," he added.

The mission was conducted upon the invitation of Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon, Vice Gov. Isidro Zayco and Kabankalan City Mayor Pedro Zayco Jr.

Perez said the local leaders have given priority to health care for their constituents, starting with the putting up of several district hospitals throughout the province.

Aside from Perez, the other doctors who took part in the mission were Ronaldo Asuncion, Cresencio Abes, Abigail Buncan, Isabelo Ongtengco, Benjamin Perez, Narciso Santos, Cesar Reyes, Jose Chiong, Noel Beley, Arturo Aguila, Manuel Ng, Claire Martin, Jose Pastor, Gumersindo Garcia III, Jesus Inciong, Maria Goco, Elpidio Nolasco, Rafael Dizon, Oscar Garabiles, Melchor Cruz, Ma. Obie Siozon, Menandro Siozon and Nobert Guiab.

The RCUDM directors and officers who joined the mission were Ariston Antonio, president; Domingo Brum Jr., vice president; Rosalina So, secretary; Jose Sevilla, assistant treasurer; Jason Magos, youth service chairman; George Lee, "On to Chicago" chairman; and Orly Cotas, centennial celebration chairman.

Since its inception in 1972, the RCUDM has made medical-surgical missions a tradition, serving people in far-flung communities in Ilocos Norte, Pampanga, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Sorsogon, Mindoro, Negros Oriental, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, Perez said.

He said they have also extended assistance to victims of natural calamities, such as typhoons and floods, through their community programs.