medical mission update #2

here's another update from claire (this was actually update #1 hehehehe, the previous post should be update #2)...

"Hi Claire,
Parang napuntahan ko na yata tong sinasabi mong winding roads when i went to the wake of the son of my batchmate two weekends ago. Sobrang layo at maraming sharp curves na pababa. May mga bangin pa. Nasa Rizal din kasi yung place nung batchmate ko (can't remember the name of the place but not Hala-Hala....)
Anyway, i'll join the ocular. Hiring an FX is a good idea.
Thanks Claire for coordinating this for us!

Chichi
On Wed, Oct 28, 2009 at 8:21 PM, Claire Chua wrote:
Hi Everyone!

Dra. Villasan called me a few mins ago to say that after her ocular inspection at Olandes, Marikina this AM, she found out that there really is NO need for medical mission there. The Health Center is very near and accessible to the residents. The parish priest confirmed that they have been receiving assitance from various sources. Meron na daw med missions dun. She initially identified this because of requests received pero di naman pala kelangan based sa ocular.

Her contact in DOH suggested Hala-Hala, Rizal. She immediately went there and is in fact still there when she called me tonight. Dito super need daw nila ang tulong since Hala-Hala is at the boundary of Rizal and Laguna, as in sa tabi ng Laguna de Bay and halos walang makarating na tulong. This is one of those reported/featured in the news where super hirap makarating ang tulong. She is in touch with the parish priest and the venue will be in a covered basketball court, near the poblacion and is in the middle of 5 barangays. Sabi daw ng priest, inform daw nila yung mga residents na nakatira sa areas na up to now is up to waist pa ang tubig para makarating sa venue. Estimated no. of patients is 1,000.

Doc said that she plans to be there on Friday night, together with her core group, so that they can start early at 8am on Sat. (Note: Lanie said that in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, they started around 10am). Doc still cant say up to what time yung mission, depende sa dami ng tao but she hopes to finish early para makauwi agad yung mga volunteers.

She will e-mail us the directions tomorrow. More or less 1 hour travel from Marikina. Meron daw silang nadaanan pa na baha pero lagpas ankles lang daw so nakadaan naman ng maayos yung Innova nila. She asked about the no. of pax from our group. Told her that from the original plan na Marikina, 8 pax but now, am not too sure as some of us have other commitments and may uuwi ng province. She hopes that we could still make it (kahit nga daw 2 pax lang) para makita talaga natin yung kaawa-awang situation nila.

I asked her if there about the next missions lined up. May request daw somewhere in Quezon City (dont recall the name, di familiar) but after her ocular in Marikina, she is not too sure since areas in Metro Manila get the most assistance both from government and private groups. Right after Ondoy, she conducted one in Bulacan and then right after Pepeng, she went to Pangasinan, both outside MMla.

Baka pwede tayo maghire ng FX/ van with driver who is familiar with the place. Malayo, winding roads dadaanan pero mabilis naman since 1 hour nga from Olandes, Marikina. We dont have to be there up to the end of the activity, we can tell her kung half day lang or up to 2pm.

Zoi/ Janet/ Shawi, I also told her na that Janet deposited 50K but am sure di pa nya na-check yun. I will confirm with her tomorrow.

Zoi, as discussed with you sa YM yesterday, I suggested to the group not to give the full amount muna since we should check out first kung ok nga ba itong group ni Dra. Villasan (super benta sya ni Lanie sakin but of course, long-time friends kasi sila). We might be able to find other ways/ groups pa kasi where we can donate the fund but if the med mission turned out okay, then we can still give the balance of the funds to them for their next medical mission. We just want to make sure that the funds you raised are used properly and will help the most number of people.

Of course, that was last night, before we all learned about Hala-hala, Rizal....... Zoi, let us know your decision. We will convene and discuss tomorrow night.

Janet/ Shawi, her number is 0917-XXX280, in case you want to talk to her directly for other concerns/ clarification."

again, my sincerest thanks to my friends in the phils for organizing all of these for us.

cheers!!!

Z