Maguindanao health, relief workers depart for Comval, Davao

COTABATO CITY, Philippines --- A hundred relief workers, sanitation engineers and doctors from the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in Maguindanao departed Monday for a humanitarian mission in the typhoon-ravaged Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental provinces.

Physician Tahir Sulaik, chief of the IPHO-Maguindanao, said there are 20 doctors in their contingent and several dentists who also brought with them vital provisions, such as medicines to treat patients.

“This is a small contribution of IPHPO-Maguindanao and Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu to the relief efforts of the government for residents of Compostella Valley and Davao Oriental,” Sulaik said.

Fr. Edgar Tuling, parish priest of calamity-stricken New Bataan town in Compostela Valley, reiterated Monday his appeal for donations for his dislocated parishioners.

"Many of them are now afflicted with various ailments. We more need doctors and medicines," Tuling said.

Mangudadatu said Sulaik’s team has been provided with enough medical supplies and fuel for their outreach mission in the two provinces.

Many government offices and military units in Maguindanao are to forego with traditional costly Christmas parties to show sympathy with thousands of villagers in the two provinces, which were hit by Typhoon Pablo two weeks ago.

Lt. Col. Noel Buncab, commanding officer of the Marine Battalion Landing Team-7 based in the coastal town of Palimbang in Sultan Kudarat, said their battalion’s rank-and-file personnel will donate food supplies, money, and used clothes, instead of holding a Christmas party this week.

Buncab said he and his subordinates also decided  to do away with their planned exchange of gifts in deference to the dislocation of thousands in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.

“There was unanimous support for our effort to send donations to Filipinos badly affected by Typhoon Pablo,” Buncab told The Star via mobile phone.

Buncab said some Marines voluntarily shelled out allowances supposedly earmarked for Christmas parties in their respective homes.