As medical missions go, the recent Oriental Mindoro Association of Southern California (OMASC)-sponsored four-day event, from January 31 to Feb 3 in Calapan, Roxas, and Puerto Galera, takes the plum prize.   It undoubtedly holds a special place in the heart of everyone involved.  From the planning and execution down to the unwinding activities that followed, the event was as crisply and precisely carried out as an expert surgeon’s operation.  It is arguably the most extensive medical mission of its kind in the province, and OMASC, along with the many agencies that worked tirelessly to make it a success, could put another feather in its cap for making it possible.

            Billed as the 2009 USTMAASC Medical Mission, the event was first broached at an OMASC meeting early in 2008 by Eleanor Evangelista, OMASC Adviser and eventual chairperson of the project.  Prior to the meeting, her friend told her about  a group of doctors from the UST Medical Alumni Association of Southern California doing an annual medical mission in various towns in the Philippines.  Leading the group are Drs. Linda Enriquez and Juanito Garlitos.  At the OMASC meeting, Eleanor successfully sold the idea of asking the doctors to include   Oriental Mindoro in their plans for 2009.  After the body endorsed the idea, President Ernie Cleofe approved the project and the rest as they say is history.

            Through a series of emails, letters, phone calls and meetings, an impressive list of agencies and individuals including the Rotary Club of Calapan, the Oriental Mindoro Dental Association, The Surgical Eye International Organization, Resources for the Blind, One World Institute, PhilUSA, Phil,  Dr. Linda and Congressman Alfonso Umali, Mrs. Nora Liwanag, and the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro under the leadership of Governor Arnan Panaligan agreed to work with OMASC and promised to help.  Jojo Leviste, an Omasc officer, started the dialogue with the Rotary Club, Dr. Linda Umali coordinated with the Roxas local health agencies, while Raul Abjelina coordinated with barangay officials in Puerto Galera.

            Day one started with Ed and Eleanor with the Rotary club officers welcoming the USTMAASC doctors and two doctors from Metro Manila at the Calapan Pier in the morning..  They brought them to the Rotary headquarters for a meeting. Doctors sorted medicines, finance chairperson Hermie Maramot distributed team t-shirts, and Father RV Villavicencio blessed the group. Nilda Villao distributed name tags.  After lunch, the team trooped to the nearby Capitol compound where the Rotarians had already set up an efficient arrangement of tables and chairs for the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and non-health care volunteers to serve the patients, many of whom were already waiting to be seen.  Meanwhile, at the provincial hospital, OMASC’s own Dr. Fred Villao was already performing minor surgeries, a mission he had been single-handedly carrying out since the day before and would continue to do so until the last day.  That afternoon also marked the arrival of the Vision team headed by Dr. Ronaldo Noche who, along with Dr. Jenny Gutierrez, immediately proceeded to Roxas to conduct a simultaneous eye mission.  Day one in Calapan was capped by a welcome dinner and dance hosted by Gov. Arnan Panaligan at the Riceland II Hotel.  A group of dance instructors hired for the occasion made sure no one became a wallflower during the evening. The band was made up of Provincial Government employees.

            Day two was a continuation of the Calapan operation and differed only by the markedly greater number of patients.  The same efficient team of Rotarians headed by President Willie Apacible, George Tolentino, and Lita Sugay kept the flow of patients as orderly as possible.  They were assisted by rotarians-in-training volunteers wearing uniforms bearing the intriguing name Rotaractors.  The day also saw the arrival of twenty wheelchairs donated by One World Institute under the auspices of OMASC and in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Calapan.  Two of the wheelchairs were assembled and given to two deserving patients who were on hand to receive them.   In addition to wheelchairs, OMASC also donated on the same day thirteen mattresses to the provincial hospital.  These donations, and the two-day patient tally of 442 medical and 142 dental patients served at the capitol alone, gave the OMASC officers on hand a sense of gratification they will long remember.  After the last patient was seen at around 3:00 p.m., the medical team headed to Roxas in four vans to join the eye team already in place there.  After a dinner hosted by Dr. Linda Umali in Bongabon, Nora  Liwanag and Deputy Customs Commissioner Rey Umali put the team up for the night.  Dr. Linda Umali provided the board and lodging for the Vision Team for 4 days.

            Day three was at the city gymnasium for the medical and dental mission and at the Roxas Provincial Hospital in Odiong for the eye cataract surgery.  After a hearty breakfast at Nora Liwanag’s, the team braced for a long and busy day, aware that there would no longer be Rotarians to man the crowd.  To their relief, city employees from the Mayor’s office and students from the local nursing school were on hand to take up the slack, thanks to Dr. Cruzado, the head of the Roxas District Hospital, who initiated the creation of volunteer teams. Apart from the mix-up in misdirecting some patients to the eye team in Odiong, day three was as successful as days one and two, perhaps even more when taking the greater number of patients seen into account.  The score: 468 medical, 193 dental, 100 vision and 31 eye cataract and pterydium surgeries.  The long hard day was promptly forgotten after a sumptuous dinner served at Nora Liwanag’s.  Ever the gracious host, Nora wanted to make sure the team did not go hungry on their long ride back to Calapan, then on to Puerto Galera that same night.         

            At Puerto Galera, the team stayed at the Hollywood Palm Beach Resort and Hotel in White Beach.  It is owned by OMASC officer Efren Evangelista, a fact that all but ensured the best hotel stay for everyone.  It didn’t disappoint.  Everything from the food to the warm reception and the comfortable rooms spoke of the owner’s genuine desire to please his guests.  Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, the team tackled day four like it was only day one.   An added sense of fulfillment was brought on by the arrival of Mangyan patients from the highlands of Puerto.  These indigenous people seldom get medical care, so the doctors felt privileged to give them the care they needed.  A few from the team were so affected by the experience they asked for their pictures to be taken with these patients to capture the precious moments.  Day four patient count: 418 medical, 51 dental, 82 eye examinations, and 4 minor surgeries.

            At three o’clock the last day, the mission wrapped up and everyone in the team, especially first time visitors, felt ready to finally see the town.  First stop was the Ponderosa Golf Club, a nine-hole course atop one of the highest hills with a breath-taking view of the ocean and lush vegetation all around.  Island hopping on a rented boat followed for some in the group, while others opted to take a leisurely stroll along the beach to do some shopping and soak up the atmosphere.  Still others chose to stay at the lounge and enjoy listening to the amazing voice of Drs. Tony and Belle Reyes’ daughter Melissa as she sang pop/rock songs on karaoke.  There was also some snorkeling for the other members of the team.  All the hard work of the previous four days was all but forgotten, which was good for the doctors and nurses on the team who were to go directly to Cavite for another medical mission.  The OMASC team which included Ed and Eleanor Evangelista, Ernie and Nini Cleofe, Hermie & Mila Maramot, Fred & Nilda Villao, Linda Macalintal, Boyet & Tess Martinez, Ester Jose and sister Hearty (Elsie Amansec had to leave early) used their extra time to visit the Manor at Puerto Galera, a multi-level mansion with a panoramic view of the ocean, fisherman’s cove, Muelle Bay, and the sand bar. The owner, Bill Lutt, is a big OMASC supporter who, though out of the country at the time, left instructions to his staff to serve the group a delicious lunch of fresh seafood and vegetables.  When the time came for everyone to head back to their respective homes, a sense of peace and fulfillment and the joy that comes from a job well-done was evident in the way they smilingly braved the rough roads and the uncomfortable jeepney ride. 

            In addition to the individuals already mentioned, the following local volunteers and contributors deserve a heartfelt expression of appreciation for their invaluable support: Dr. Oscar Evangelista, Rhoda Apacible, Livia Tolentino, Bles Panaligan,Joy Arellano, Rose Calata, Dr. Anthony Cruzado, Michelle Arteza, Myrna Atienza, Dora Loring,  Puerto Galera Mayor Hubert Dolor,Capitan Arago,   Roxas Mayor Jackson Dy, Naujan Mayor Romar Marcos, and Victoria Mayor Alfredo Ortega and many others whose names are too many to mention..  They and everyone involved in the project should take a bow.

                                                 By Mila Maramot

Recently, I attended a luncheon organized by the newly formed organization called "International Society of Young Filipino Accountants". Their main speaker was Mr. Washington Sycip, the founder of the biggest CPA firm in the Philippines. He is 87 yrs old and is now retired from the firm. His professional and personal accomplishments are very impressive.
In his speech, he remarked how Filipinos, who are now comfortably living abroad, can help the Philippines. He talked about the needs of public elementary and high schools, the importance of micro-financing to help the poor and healthcare.

He spoke of how during our time, the educational system was considered very good. As a result, there are many talented and successful Filipinos all over the world, able to earn a good living for themselves. As an example, there were at one time 70 to 80 supervisors and managers from Sycip who were hired to come to the US to teach and advise US Companies on the Sarbane-Oxley Act. The Sarbane-Oxley Act was passed by Congress in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom financial reporting standards, requiring stricter auditing standards.

At present, the educational system, which was once the envy of the Asian countries, is near the bottom of the list.Vicki Gachetorena of the Ayala Foundation, also one of the speakers, told us that students who took the National Achievement Test last year had only a 56% average. 

Mr. Sycip emphasized helping with the salary of the teachers and with textbooks at the elementary schools in the barrios. I was happy to hear him say that because we, at OMASC,  have already been doing that.   However we need to do more. We need to continue on the BOOK PROJECT.

I want to remind you that the school year here in the US is ending in a month. Let's send letters to the principals of the local schools in our area and ask them for their discarded textbooks. You don't have to know them. You'll be surprise at how happy they will be to share their books to children of other countries. Let's talk to janitors and teachers to make them aware that we are interested in their textbooks they no longer need. We accept books in READING, MATH AND SCIENCE.

This project is very rewarding as we are not only helping a few kids. We are helping hundreds of kids in a school not only for one year but for all the years those books are being read. We are also dealing with dedicated teachers whose main goal is to help their students learn.

Oh, and I might be able to get shipping donated.

Posted by Eleanor Evangelista

Partners for OMASC

I have just been asked to co-administer this site.  I’m not exactly sure what the job entails, but since my co-administator is going out of the country and had made me the primary contact, I suspect it includes pretty much everything.  So can I now claim the dubious title of webmaster?  That would be presumptuous of me.  A master of anything I will never be, and the web… it was just what Charlotte spun to save her friend from becoming Christmas dinner.  Nevertheless, let’s see what we can do.  First, let’s together think of ways we can increase the paltry readership the site now enjoys.  How about a slogan contest…or a quiz that rewards the first correct answer?  How about a contest to draw and name an OMASC mascot?  OK, alright!  I can just hear Juliet Payabyab going
“ hey, those are my ideas”!  So, have you got any new ways to promote our site?  Share it with us.  We might have a prize for you.

Barangay families line up for OMASC's relief goods.

As the New Year unfolds, it is always good to look back and take stock of what the old year has added to (or taken away from) one’s life.  It is no different with associations, and OMASC can take pride in its accomplishments in 2007.  We remained faithful to tradition – hosting a picnic, holding fund raisers, celebrating our anniversary and installing our new officers in style.  But the crowning achievement remains to be those when we reached out to help, in whatever way we can, the people of our beloved province. 

In October, Hermie Maramot, Linda Macalintal, and Dr. Fred Villao coordinated the delivery of a 10-wheeler truckload of hospital beds, medical supplies and equipment to the hospital in Calapan City, Roxas and several other smaller health care facilities.  The donation was from Knightsbridge International (KI) through collaborative efforts of Sir Ed Artis of KI and Eleanor Evangelista of OMASC.  Because the beds did not come with mattresses, OMASC purchased and donated forty of these and Dr. Villao again coordinated the distribution.  Omasc and KI also coordinated the shipment and clearing from customs of two ambulances for Or. Mindoro. One is for Calapan City, solicited by Dr. Emmanuel Luna, and the other one is for Puerto Galera, personally purchased by Eleanor Evangelista and family.  Omasc donated two stretchers for these ambulances.

In November, twenty-one wheelchairs were personally distributed by Elsie Amansec to the 15 municipalities in the province.  The wheelchairs were donated by the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity whose members include our very own Business Manager Jonathan Fedelicio. During the year, one of our Mangyan scholars graduated with a bachelor’s degree from MINSCAT.  When a devastating flood hit Naujan in the last days of 2007, an emergency meeting of officers was called to discuss how and what assistance could be made.  Naujan Mayor Romar Marcos has expressed the urgent need in a telephone conversation with OMASC President Ernie Cleofe.  As a result, a relief operation is scheduled to take place Friday, January 11, 2008 at Naujan’s Bahay Tuklasan to distribute much-needed food bags to victims in 20 barangays worst hit by the flood.  It is estimated that around 2000 families will benefit from this operation.  The project is to be financed almost entirely from funds raised by the OMASC choir caroling friends and families who opened their homes and wallets in support of our cause. 

For some of our members, the year saw a significant change in their lives.  Yvonne Amansec Kidder gave birth to her first child, Riley Caitlyn, making Elsie Amansec a grandmother.  Hayessa Pagaduan became Mrs. Matthew Jacobsen.  Efren Evangelista became an hotelier and Bien Carvajal asked for his loved one’s hand in marriage.  Joy Hernaez gladly said yes!  Eli and Vivian Tamano were also blessed with a new grandson.  Mila Maramot retired from Edison International in April after 27 years of service and now spends a great deal of her time on OMASC-related activities.  On the same month, Ed Evangelista retired from his job at Tenet to work alongside wife Eleanor expanding the family business.  Carmelo “Boy” Morente also decided to hang up his USPS uniform and spend his time traveling to and from the Philippines with wife Dolly.  Ruben Espiritu turned 75, a milestone age he celebrated with OMASC at his Rosemead residence.  

OMASC looks forward to 2008 with hope it will be as productive, its membership as cohesive, and its leadership as focused as they have always been.  Let us also sign up more members and invite back those who have turned away for personal reasons.  We miss them and we look forward to the day when they will once again embrace us and share the joy and the kind of camaraderie unique only to OMASC.  Happy New Year to all!