CMM JOINED MARINDUQUE INTERNATIONAL- MISSION OF LOVE

The heart-shaped island of Marinduque rests on the Sibuyan Sea and is located south of Manila between the Bondoc Peninsula at the southeastern portion of Luzon and Mindoro Island. It is bounded on the north-northeast by Quezon, south by the island of Romblon, west- southwest by Oriental Mindoro and west by Batangas.

The US-based Marinduque International, Inc. sponsored a five-day joint medical, surgical, ophthalmologic and dental mission to the six major towns. The medical mission was coordinated by Indiana Internist, Rodolfo L. Jao, M.D. All services including prescription medicine were provided for free.

Carolina Medical Mission was invited to participate. The surgical team consisted of Fred Ng, M.D, Tony Ng, M.D. and Benjamin Yu. M.D (General Surgery); Nimfa Yu, M.D. and Evelyn Santos, M.D. (Anesthesiology); Marites Sebastian, RN,
Jenny Parungao, RN, Noreen Palapal, RN, and Adonis Ng, DVM (OR ); Anita C, Ng (Supplies) and Francisco Ng, CMM-Marinduque coordinator.

Statistics:
Family Medicine; Dental Extraction: 2,000+ General Surgery: 73 Major
Cataract/IOL Implant: ? Plastic Surgery: 10 Harelip repair
Seventy-three (73) major surgical cases included herniorraphy, mastectomy, cholecystectomy, parotid excision,
Baker's cyst', Thyroidectomiy, hysterectomy and others.

The heat and humidity did not deter the 50+ volunteers, many of whom traveled around the island and ministered to those in need of medical assistance.
Tradition! Tradition! A fringe benefit to joining a mission is the opportunity to experience again some "forgotten" traditions. Marinduque Governor Carmencita Reyes welcomed the group with the traditional "putong" (literally means crowning). Every guest was crowned by the governor. After the crowning it is customary for a local person to invite a guest to dance the waltz. To everyone's delight , Gov. Reyes completed the ceremony with the traditional gift- throwing bucket of coins, free for all. The evening continued with a sumptuous spread Filipino food to sample, the reunion of old friends and relatives and introduction to new ones.

A Catholic tradition, the Flores de Mayo [May Procession (Santa Cruz de Mayo)] is held during the month of May [throughout the Philippines] in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We were fortunate to be here on the last Sunday of May, the highlighted day. The whole town was bustling with activities in preparation for the major procession. Floats were decorated with flowers. But, the more
significant event took place early that morning. The 2001 May Procession Hermana Mayor, [grand sponsor] a Canadian resident, sent boxes and boxes of canned goods in time for this festivity. As a prelude to the evening event, she and her associates oversaw the distribution of non-perishable food to the families recommended by the office of Social Service. What a wonderful deed!