USNS Mercy bids Zambo City goodbye

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The US naval hospital ship Mercy officially ended yesterday its seven-day humanitarian mission in this southern port city, with thousands of sick residents treasuring the medical care they had received from its doctors, nurses and other personnel.

In a simple ceremony at the Garden Orchid Hotel, city officials handed a resolution to Capt. Bradley Martin, USNS Mercy mission commander, and Capt. Joe Moore, chief of the medical treatment facility, expressing their gratitude for the medical help and humanitarian assistance the hospital ship had extended to sick residents.

Mila Velasquez, acting presiding officer of the city council, handed the resolution which the council unanimously approved Thursday.

Mayor Celso Lobregat, for his part, said, "In behalf of the 700,000 Zamboangeños, we would like to extend our deepest appreciation to the government of United States and the officers and men of the USNS Mercy who worked to make these things happen," he said.

At least 16,000 city residents received free medical care during the weeklong outreach.