The Freudian Slip Of A Bacolodnon

Attending a normal delivery without electricity, this is very typical in a barrio so far flung. Without the luxury of generators, midwives and nurses content themselves with candles as source of light just to find their way in a very dark room. The following day, I took some money left for our office supplies and bought an emergency light.

As punishment for being late, these doctors were made to spell a word with their asses. Way to go Doc Tras! Here's Doc Noel doing a solo

What happened last October 14?

American dentists went up to Candoni last Sunday to conduct a week-long dental mission. During the first day, about 200 people came and were able to avail of free services from the Medical Relief International group, including dentures, even reading glasses. Thanks to the Mayor's son, Rusty, this group was able to notice Candoni and diverted to the Philippines. I was told they were supposed to go to Cambodia this year. Rusty linked up with this church-based group and was able to convince them to conduct their dental mission in the Philippines instead. Mayor Borromeo having his teeth extracted Councilor Dolores Tomol giving instructions to patients PT Raphael demonstrates his moves as Mayor and the rest watch Dentists at work First Lady Mrs. Borromeo watches over staff working on dentures Staff and Patients in the Infirmary

Last Friday, along with my staff, we went to one of five most far-flung villages of Candoni, in Sitio Nava, Brgy. Agboy. It was so far that we had to cross boundaries of Ilog and Kabankalan. Travel time is 2 hours on habal-habal . We have to cross at least 3 rivers as well (as in literally cross them). Just before lunch time, we arrived at the place. After a brief snacks, we gathered the mothers and children already present, started our lecture on clean water and how to do home treatment for diarrhea and dehydration and gave out free Vit. A capsules, immunization and deworming tablets. Meanwhile, I went to a small house where I was told an old woman was bedridden for days due to some illness. She was complaining of weakness of the lower extremities and episodes of losse watery stools. I gave her some medicines which I brought along with me. Later, I went back to the sari-sari store where other families were waiting for the consultation to start. After lunch time, we went back to Candon...

I was able to receive an invitation to join a band of doctors who are willing to serve the indigenous peoples of the Philippines. They call themselves the UP ORG or UP Outdoor Recreation Group. They will be in Tarlac this Nov. 15 to 16. Here is the letter they sent to me via email. "20 October 2008 Dear Sir or Madam: Greetings! The UP Outdoor Recreation Group (UP ORG) is a duly recognized university-based organization, which engages in various outdoor recreational activities such as camping, surfing, skin-diving, and other outdoor pursuits. Founded in 1988, UP ORG has grown and broadened its aspirations, not just for ecological and environmental endeavors, but for social and cultural advocacies, as well. In celebration of our 20th anniversary, UP ORG extends medical assistance to the locals of the places we have frequented over the years. We focused our medical missions on two indigenous groups, namely, the Dumagats and Aetas. Last August 16 and 17, we conducted the first batch o...

This is the video we showed along with the prayer Batch 23 sang during the Graduation rites during the 33rd CME of the Doctors to the Barrio in Palo, Leyte:

Last night, I attended the testimonial rites for the board passers of my alma mater's during the Physician Licensure Exams. Some of the board passers were former batchmates who took the boards last February. However, it was mostly for Class 2007, the second batch to graduate from the only College of Medicine in Negros Island: University of Saint La Salle College of Medicine. During the testimonial rites, attended by no less than the University Chancellor Bro. Ray Suplido, FSC, I was given the opportunity to speak in behalf of the pioneer batch. During my speech, I was able to share to those present the whereabouts of my batchmates, but most especially of the four of us who became Doctors to the Barrios. At the end of my speech, I presented a video presentation which I edited featuring the activities of the four DTTBs of Class 2006: Marc, Leah, Celna and Me. During the closing remarks of Dr. Jochico, the Vice-Chancellor of Academics, she asked me to come up front where I receiv...

Today, on my 28th birthday, I was told that the Sun has returned "to the exact position in the sky as it was the day you were born. This is called a Solar Return." I am not sure the "astrological implications" of this "phenomenon" but I would like to believe that I have come full circle in the 28th year as a human being. Perhaps it would mean now is a time to start anew, a mark of new beginnings. I am not really a believer in this superstition, but let me just share with you what the "stars" would like to tell me today. In one astrological reading, I was told that the "Neptunian aspects to the Sun indicate that the native is growing more intuitive and more sensitive. This sensitivity will eventually lead to a greater compassion for other human beings and a better understanding of relationships. Individuals become less egotistical and more vulnerable during these years, since they are likely to be confronted with their own human frailty or th...

During the 33rd CME, we were tasked to report our plans for our respective assigned areas. Consider it as our personal wishlist for our respective communities. It is definitely a daunting task, one which may look difficult but not entirely impossible. Many of us have to face the political obstacles, the cultural hindrances and even the economical limitations. Nevertheless, it is definitely a task which can somehow help us release our creativity and perhaps even imagination and resourcefulness. Many who were ahead of us were able to do it. Their galleries of accomplishments, many of which are very much sustainable, are proof of such possibilities. Thus, while we look back to the amazing and memorable days we had in Leyte, we also look ahead to the challenges which wait for us in our areas of assignment, in the countryside where problems seem to be almost without answers. Here are pictures to look back to during the 33rd CME:

The recognition rites for the outgoing Batch 21 of the Doctors to the Barrio program of the Department of Health, held last October 9, 2008 in Palo, Leyte, was truly inspirational. It was my second recognition rites and so far, it was the most inspiring and even emotional. I could not help but feel so overwhelmed with emotions, which I was trying hard to suppress. My batch was tasked to lead the entire group in the opening prayer. We sang the prayer which almost became the battlecry of batch 23, the same prayer we sang during our predeployment. It was Jaime Rivera's version of "I Offer My Life". I made the back-drop video containing the lyrics of the song, hoping that the audience could sing along with us. During her speech, Usec. Juris Soliman noted how she was inspired right from the start when she heard us sang the prayer. She said, the theme of the song struck the nail right on the head. The speech given by Dr. Sean, president of Batch 21, was also very moving, especi...

After more than a week in Tacloban, I was now able to grab hold on a computer with internet connection. Now I can post and blog about my first-time experience here in the Eastern side of the Philippine archipelago. Actually, I will leave it up to the pictures to tell our story. I only have an hour and we have to go back to Palo, Leyte in Macarthur Resort Hotel in time for our lunch. Today's sort of a free day considering that the afternoon will be spent for the gallery presentation of the graduating batch. More details when I get back to Bacolod this Friday: