One Rotary One Philippines One for Marawi Medical and Dental Mission

Message of Thanks

One big THANK YOU from “One Rotary, One Philippines, One for Marawi”

Congratulations and thank you to all who made the medical missions to Saguiaran, Lanao Sur and Baloi, Lanao Norte possible. That was the first of many more medical missions ahead which is one component of Rotary’s 2-year legacy humanitarian assistance program to include: providing prosthesis, water, sanitation and PTSD treatment. There are so many more people to serve.

A lot of organizations and people contributed to this first medical mission:

1. The Rotary Clubs of Manila, Quiapo Central, Tondo, Quirino, Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Ranao, Marawi, Valencia and the incumbent/incoming district governors (Loy Cosico/Rudy Bediones of District 3810; Linda Deleste/Frank Manga of District 3870) and their tireless and efficient staff;

2. Team Humanity led by Bong Ano who provided the logistical support, internal security and links to the traditional leaders of Marano society;

3. PAL Chairman Lucio Tan and President Jimmy Bautista and their staff and Foundation for all the all-important free passage of our medical team and cargo;

4. Don Juan Montel of the Spanish Aid agency Beneficiensa;

5. Iligan Mayor Celso Regencia and Patrick Nunez; DOT ASEC Ricky Alegre and RD10 May Unchuan representing DOT Sec. Wanda Teo; and Gloria Macaraeg for arranging the whole team to stay in the spacious and charming Macapagal residence in Iligan;

6. The officers and men of the 6ID and PNP PSPO who secured and escorted us from start to finish, and during our previous fact-finding, ocular and coordination trips;

7. The female hijab warriors of the PNP and AFP who controlled the medical mission areas;

8. RCM DE Jackie Rodriguez supported by PDG Lyne Abanilla, Ms. Darlene Lamis and Dr. Capt Sharon Reyes for coordinating with PAL to ensure that all passengers and cargo were lifted from and to Manila;

9. Dr. Sr. Eva Maamo and Dr. Capt Reyes for gathering the medicines and medical supplies from various donors (over 1 ton was brought for this mission), and for organizing the medical teams from their hospital and clinic that augmented the doctors and nurses fielded by the local Rotary Clubs, the DOH and the LGUs of Marawi, Saguiaran and Baloi.

10. Rotarian Abe Pascual; Unilab’s Ritemed/Pharex; and Caritas that donated additional medicines that are being gathered for the next medical mission in November.

We had lots of moving parts; each one performed superbly as expected sacrificing their time, talent and treasure in the service of others. Minus the usual minor bugs and glitches that were eventually resolved on the spot through teamwork, I’d give our first medical mission a rating of 90%.

Weather was beyond our control which hampered the Saguiaran leg; only 818 were served. But the conditions in Baloi were a marked improvement allowing us to serve over 1,200 people. All in all, we served over 2,000 patients but it could have been more as we prepared for 4,000 patients. Excess medicines and supplies are being stored through the kindness of PDG Linda Deleste for the next mission which likely be in Iligan and/or Cagayan de Oro.

While the medcaps were on-going, we paid courtesy calls on Marawi Mayor Majul Gandarma, Iligan Mayor Celso Regencia, RLA Zia Adiong, and the Office of Civil Defense. The Mayors and Vice-Mayors of Saguiaran and Baloi were nowhere to be found, while the AFP’s commanders on the ground were in Manila for the AFP Chief of Staff turnover ceremony. Distance and traffic due to security checkpoints, and point-of-distribution handling delayed or diverted the meals for some doctors. There were minor leadership, followership and collaborative issues which are normal in such undertakings but were resolved with timely interventions and empathy.

Bottom line: unity, solidarity and teamwork always wins the day for those who practice it. Congratulations to all and thank you from RCM.

DE Raffy Alunan, DE Jackie Rodriguez and Team ONE ROTARY ONE PHILIPPINES ONE FOR MARAWI arrived in Cagayan de Oro last October 26, 2017 for the two-day medical and dental mission to be held in Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur and Baloi, Lanao del Norte.

DE Raffy Alunan, DE Jackie Rodriguez and Team ONE ROTARY ONE PHILIPPINES ONE FOR MARAWI held a Medical and Dental Mission last October 27, 2017 at Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur.