Bilarnon International conducts med mission

TRUE to Boholano tradition, members of the Bilarnon International (BI) also trooped home, but not only for the Tigum Bol-anon Tibuok Kalibutan (TBTK) timed with the month-long Sandugo festival in July but to conduct a medical mission as well. As a gesture of gratitude for the blessings they received, (BI) doctors, nurses and other health practitioners rendered services free of charge to benefit their brethren in their hometown, especially the poor and the needy. The activity formed part of BI's “family” reunion back home every three years.

In his welcome message, Mayor Fanuel Cadeliña thanked the expatriates for finding time to serve their fellow Bilarnons in spite of this time of crisis. The free consultation and medicines drew patients like bees to flowers. He thanked them for their free services that the Bilarnons back home have waited for so long. Former Confederation of Boholanos in the USA and Canada (Conbusac) President Roldan Sarmiento currently heads the BI Foundation. He said the medicines and the surgical materials were donations from the World Medical Relief based in Detroit , Michigan , HomeReach Foundation, Dr. Ronie Manug, Divinity Home Care and the RJR Sarmiento Company.

Also participating in the medical mission were Dr. Nicanor Lopez and nurses of the Bohol Circle of Eastern USA based in New York, nurses from the Circulo Boholano of Illinois and from Sandugo, New Jersey, the municipal health officers of Bilar and neighboring towns who belong to the Association of Municipal Health Officers of the Philippines (AMHOP) as well as dentists, nurses, midwives and barangay health workers (BHWs).

The 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Carmen, Bohol also sent its dental team headed by 1Lt. Alvine Alot. The 15th Infantry Battalion based in Barangay Riverside in Bilar also sent personnel headed by Sgt. Meliton Subiere. As of the second day of the three-day mission, surgical patients breached the 150-mark; 1,400 patients availed of consultations, 450 people had heir teeth extracted while 35 boys availed of free circumcision. Dr. Cesar Cumba, chair of the Bilarnon Foundation acted as medical director while Romy Ancog, president of the Manila-based Bilarnons and other officials lent helping hands to Sarmiento to make the event successful

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