In its kickoff event last Jan. 26, the 2024 Gift of Love Medical, Dental, Optical and Humanitarian Mission headed by Dr. Oscar O. Enriquez conducted a gift-giving 200 pre-selected indigent families in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga.
The recipients were provided with red pails filled with five kilos of rice, bottles of oil, soy sauce, vinegar and noodles, as well as two kilos of freshly caught tilapia from a nearby fishpond.
The mission team also served snacks of chicken sandwiches, spaghetti and “buko” juice.
“The real surprise of this gift-giving was buying 400 kilos of tilapia from the nearby fishpond,” Dr. Enriquez told the Tribune. “Fresh tilapia for a gift-giving activity, in my book, is a first time.”
The event, which was held two days before the Catanduanes mission, was made possible with the support of United Catanduanes San Diego and Friends as well as help from hard working local volunteers.
Last Sunday, Jan. 28, the mission started with a Meet and Greet between the UCSD Balikbayans, guests and local partners, along with a briefing at ICSA Social Hall after the 8:30 AM Thanksgiving Mass.
On Monday, Jan. 29, the group was at the Shrine of the Holy Innocents in Sto. Nino, Virac, where they were welcomed by Vice Governor Peter Cua.
Dr. Enriquez also turned over to the management of the Eastern Bicol Medical Center a new stretcher and hospital bed for use of the Emergency Room as replacement for it
s dilapidated equipment.
That afternoon, the mission team proceeded to St. Alfonso Maria Fusco Parish in Lictin, San Andres.
They were scheduled to be at Hitoma Parish in Caramoran, Good Counsel Mission Church in Tariwara, Pandan, and Bugao Parish in Bagamanoc yesterday, Jan. 30.
This Wednesday, Jan. 31, they are set to travel to St. Paul VI Mission Church in Paniquihan, Baras, and St. Pedro Calungsod Mission Church in Sicmil Gigmoto.
Here’s the rest of the mission schedule: Feb. 1 – Mount Carmel Mission Church in Tambongon, Viga, and Our Lady of the Universe Mission Church in Mabini, Panganiban; Feb. 2 – St. Kowalska Parish in Bagong Bayan, Bato, and Mary of Divine Love Mission Church in Progreso, San Miguel; and Feb. 3 – Virac District Jail, Calatagan Tibang.
The mission is in close partnership with the Most Reverend Manolo de los Santos of the Diocese of Virac, Governor Joseph “Boboy” Cua, the 11 municipal mayors through their Municipal Health Offices and Rural Health Units, the Catanduanes Medical Society (CMS), the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) Catanduanes Chapter, and a group of optometrists, pharmacists, nurses, medical technologists and midwives.
The Lady Eagles Club of Catanduanes, the Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Fraternity and Sorority, and other civic-spirited volunteers are also with the team to provide services for the soup kitchen.
A pre-assessment on the needs of the different cluster barangays located around the selected mission churches and small parishes was conducted to ensure that the target beneficiaries will be served according to their needs.
The concerned parish priests, in consultation with their respective Parish Pastoral and Youth Councils and barangay officials, assisted the team in identifying beneficiaries who are deserving of the services extended by the project.
Aside from UCSD and Friends, the other major international sponsors are the Texan Friends of Catanduanes (TFC), Standard Medical Clinic of Southeast Texas, Mrs. Salvacion O. Enriquez and family, Standard Family Properties LLC, Lone Star Standard Medical Group PA, and Catandunganons and Friends from the USA.
Among the services provided are medical consultations with free medicines, dental services, optical services with free reading glasses, pre-natal checkup and medical consultation for children, and gift-giving (rice and gifts).
Mission churches and small parishes covering depressed barangays located outside of the población of the 11 municipalities were chosen in consultation with Bishop Manolo de los Santos to give a chance to poor and deserving constituents to avail of the offered services without their spending for costly transportation, with considerations on the accessibility and availability of covered venue.
It will allow the US balikbayans to visit isolated and depressed communities so they can see and experience the way of life of their poor brothers and sisters in the barangays and motivate them to come back and continue to share their resources.
A Volunteer Appreciation Dinner will be held on Feb. 2 to honor and thank all the volunteers and partners who, in one way or another, contributed to the success of this year’s Humanitarian Mission.