My Dear Friends,

On September 12, 2009, Saturday starting at 04:00 p.m., members of the Danao Association, U.S.A. (DAUSA), their friends and relatives will observe and celebrate the feast of their hometown patron saint, the venerable Santo Tomas de Villanueva, Veteran’s Park Social Hall, 101 E. 28th Street, Long Beach, CA.   

    We invite you to join us in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist jointly officiated by Rev. Fr. Oscar Camomot.  We want you to join us partake in a hearty lunch and share a good clean fun with Danawanons of Southern California.

     Being at this traditional yearly DAUSA event, we expect you to experience, like most of us, a gratifying feeling of self-fulfillment for doing a good deed, making a difference in the lives of some less fortunate brothers and sisters back home.

    The $20.00 donation that DAUSA is requesting from our guests is enough to cover the cost of at least one minor surgical procedure.  The DAUSA Medical Mission volunteers do, on average, about 200 minor surgeries, such as abscess or cyst removal, etc. and no less than 30 major surgical procedures, that if done at a private hospital, could cost a patient over a 100,000 pesos. 

    DAUSA has been doing this, year after year, since 1998. It had assisted 3 children come to Los Angeles; two underwent extremely delicate life saving procedures.

    Please, come, join us, spend an evening with super friendly Danawanons honoring their patron saint and do your share in saving a life.

VIVA SANTO TOMAS!

Sincerely,

Anita Cal-Jackson, M.D.

DAUSA President & Chief of Medical Mission

Dr. Julius Caesar “Jojo”  Arsenal , a pioneer volunteer of the DAUSA Medical Mission, currently chief surgeon and Dr. Kennedy “Ken” Remit , chief of staff  /  co-surgeon both based  in Chuuk State Hospital  were sent to represent the country of FSM  wherein they are invited as  an oral  RESEARCH paper presentor in the said prestigious conference .
The research paper they wrote  about  slingshot injuries “filippin” to the heart in Chuuk were already presented before an audience in the Pacific Basin Medical Association Conference in 2005 and in Pacific Island Surgical Association in 2006.
Lately this research paper was presented before the officers , men and women of the USNS MERCY  Hospital Ship in  “Truk Lagoon “ on August 31, 2008  in which both of them were commended for their humanitarian works under extreme working conditions .
There  were  a total of 4,550  research paper entries around the world  that  were submitted  to the prestigious conference and  only  30  research papers around the world that were invited to present including this  research paper from Chuuk State Hospital

The letter of invitation by Professor Dr. Fritz Sorgel , the conference chairman mentioned that to present at this prestigious conference will certainly represent the country before a global audience and it will add new information in serving the country’s needs in treating various diseases . Also the conference commemorates the  awarding of the Nobel Prize to Dr. Paul Erhlich one of Germany’s foremost researchers .
Little was known  in the entire Western Pacific that all these years from 1999 onward today these surgeons at  Chuuk State Hospital were performing open –heart surgery  for emergency trauma cases despite limited availability of surgical equipments/ facility  and poor working hospital conditions . They  admit  they perform the procedure by heart in order to treat and  save lives of Chuukese people  as so goes
their motto : Everybody Deserves to Live “ . All of them were admitted at the Surgical Intensive Care Unit in the Surgical Ward of the said Hospital  a fter surgery , the first SICU / critical care unit in the FSM that has been existent for the past 8 years now  that save a lot of lives.

Their  research  paper  was  entitled  :CARDIAC TAMPONADE  SECONDARY TO SLINGSHOT METAL  DART :  A RETROSPECTIVE  REVIEW  OF  CASES IN CHUUK  with the following  AUTHORS, Julius Caesar Arsenal M.D. ; Kennedy Remit M.O. ; Yoster Yichiro M.O. It  depicts the realities of island violence  is this  part of the world that is still unattended to despite the laws enacted and implementing rules enforced  in which traditional tribal  ways and values  still persist.  From the period July 1999 to July 2005 there were a total of 353 patients treated at Chuuk State Hospital for Impalement injuries secondary to slingshot metal dart in different parts of the body . The breakdown of statistics are as follows ; Head / Face – 22 (6.23 %) ; Neck 29 (8.21 %) ; Upper Extremity- 114 (32.2 %) ; Chest –50 (14.16%) ; Cardiac– 7 (1.98 %); Abdomen- 40 ( 11.33 %) and Lower Extremity –91 (25.77 %).
As of August 2008,, there were a total of 583 cases of slingshot with 5 more cases of injuries to the heart during the succeeding 3 year period and  all patients that were operated  went home alive.
Penetrating cardiac wounds  especially those on the anterior surface of the heart, presents a major challenge to the trauma surgeon. Surgical  treatment of traumatic cardiac injuries requires knowledge
of multiple approaches, extensive surgical skills  and operativeinterventions .
In Chuuk these slingshot metal darts were popularly called “Fillipin “  in reference to the Filipino carpenters who taught them wayback in the 70’s  .It is more rampant in the islands around the lagoon especially the big island of  Tol.

Three U.S. based surgeons, Drs. Julian Banzon, Florentino Lleva and Lorenz Alaan,  Danao Hospital Chief Dr. Indino and Dr. Melba Arribas from Manila jointly performed around 150 minor surgical procedures, such as cyst removal, etc., performing the procedures at a corner of the hospital building, under a very hot and humid condition.

For the first time consultations and medicine dispensing which used to be done right at the Danao District Hospital compound, had been moved to the newly renovated and air-conditioned Danao City Civic Center.

The move was hailed by medical volunteers, patients as well as by hosptial staff as it lessened the crowd at the hospital.  Only patients scheduled for minor and major surgeries were entertained at the hospital and all the rest were comfortably seated, waiting their turn at the air-conditioned Civic Center.

As usual over 2000 indigent Danawanons were seen by doctor volunteers at the Civic Center, received their needed medications and some multi-vitamins that were contributed by well-meaning DAUSA members and supporters. 

Aside from medicines and medical supples provided by DAUSA’s regular donors, IMA World Health of New Windsor, Maryland and Americares of Stamford, Connecticut, the City Government of Danao through the City Health Office also provided several boxes of medicines to meet the needs of people seeking help during the 3-day medical mission.  IMA has been assisting the DAUSA Medical Mission since 1999, and Americares since 2002.

The Free Dental Clinic with a 6-seater Mobile Dental Van provided by the City of Cebu was also moved outside the Civic Center and listed over 300 people getting dentral extractions, free tootpaste and medicines.

Around 20 DAUSA Members and officers led by Dr. Anita Cal-Jackson actively did their share in making DAUSA’s commitment to help the city’s poor get the medical assistance they badly need a huge success.

The DAUSA Medical Mission has always been a big success, since it started in 1998, has become an institution and eagely awaited by many people who cannot afford to go to Cebu City for treatment, especially those needing surgical interventions.

On Friday evening, September 19, 2008, the City Government of Danao led by Mayor Ramon Durano III and other city officials tendered dinner and entertained all medical mission volunteers, Balik Danao people, and distributed certificates of recognitions to all participants.  (Monching)

 July 4, 2008

 Msgr. Emilio Bataclan

Auxiliary Bishop for Northern Cebu

Danao City, Cebu

Dear Msgr. Bataclan,

I am writing on behalf of myself and for several Danawanon friends and relatives who like me were disappointed to learn, too late, you have decreed changing the date of our fiesta from the traditional 3^rd Monday to 3^rd Sunday of September, thus making this year’s fiesta celebration dates to September 21-22.  If tradition is followed it should have been September 14 – 15, being the 2^nd Sunday and 3^rd Monday.

There is no problem with us if changing fiesta dates is really necessary, regardless a week before or after from the date it used to be.  However, we feel there should have been reasonable time for information to reach far and wide before a change of date of an important event, such as a town fiesta, can be made. There are many of us extracted from our homeland, trying to make a living in places oceans apart.  Despite the distance we still consider ourselves parishioners of our home parish and have faithfully remained or perhaps even more devoted to our patron saint.

Regardless of status in life – professionals, seamen or OFWs – Danawanons do make an effort to set aside from what little we earned, so we can visit our hometown and see our families after several months or years away from home.  And there is no better time to visit than during a fiesta when friends and relatives show up to get reconnected and reminisce the good years together.

Here in California or perhaps anywhere in the U.S, employers require employees to apply, at the beginning of the year, specific dates of a planned long vacation within the current year.  Generally, U.S. employees enjoy  2 or 3 weeks paid vacation leaves for each year of service.  For us Danawanons we use this yearly vacation privilege to visit our hometown, usually in the month of September.  On my part I had filed and had my vacation leave approved for September 8 through September 22.  I cannot change that unless someone dies in the family.

Further, scheduled to visit Danao City Fiesta 2008 are 20 Danawanons, from Southern California alone, who have booked and paid non-refundable round-trip tickets as early as June, with departure date on September 8 and a return flight on September 21^st or on the 22^nd.  Then the other day we learned the fiesta date has changed on order of the Auxiliary Bishop.

During the past 11 years this same group had sponsored an annual medical-surgical mission at the Danao General Hospital, scheduled 2 days after the city fiesta.  For the 2008 Medical Mission we scheduled it on Sept. 16 -18.  Many U.S. based volunteers join the mission, for two reasons, to attend the fiesta and also give something to the community they left behind through their professional services and/or financial support.  Although the medical mission can still go on schedule, yet a number of our volunteers would be deprived from attending the fiesta, because their scheduled return is on Sept. 20 or 21.

 We are now earnestly appealing and hoping you reconsider your decision and have the 2008 Santo Tomas Fiesta date in Danao City, stay as per tradition, on the 2^nd Sunday and 3^rd Monday of September i.e. Sept. 14 -15, 2008.  Then on the following year you may go ahead and implement the dates you want.  And we will be guided accordingly. .

 Thank you.  May God bless you and the rest of your flocks in this part of Cebu.

 Faithfully yours in Christ,

 Ramon H. Barriga

 8211 Winnetka Ave.

Winnetka, CA 912306

And she did it with same enthusiasm and energy the way she did as Chief of Medical Mission since 1998, as if there was no other major forthcoming activity to prepare.

Her attention was totally focused on the activity at hand – the DAUSA Medical Mission. As usual, the Medical Mission – this time Anita serving as President and Chief of Medical Mission – was another huge success – helping indigent Danawanons in a big way.

Surprisingly, the couple even attended the culmination program hosted by City Mayor Ramon Durano III, held at the Mayor’s residence in Guinsay, Danao City, Thursday evening, September 21.

Ben and Anita got up 3:00 a.m., Friday, getting ready for an early morning drive to the Pier in Cebu City to catch the 6:00 am boat to Tagbilaran.

On board the high speed Ocean Jet the trip took an hour and a half, barely enough time for a last minute meeting with wedding coordinator and her sisters to review final arrangements for the afternoon church wedding ceremony and reception at the Bohol Tropics Hotel.

Anita’s sister Tess, friend Ricky Mata of Danao City, made certain everything went well and both did a splendid job of freeing bride and groom from any anxiety or worry.

Principal sponsors and invited guests include among others the Bohol Governor, congressman, Tagbilaran City Mayor, Danao City Mayor.

Some DAUSA members, Danao friends and relatives of Anita – around 40 of them – made the trip to Tagbilaran on board the Ocean Jet.

The reception was great and everyone, most especially the Danao guests reported having tremendous fun – many of them extended their stay to tour around and enjoy the sights of the island.

The newly wed flew back to California on Saturday, September 23, a day after the wedding – to get back to business of running two medical clinics in Temecula and Lake Elsinore.

Meanwhile, Anita shortly upon arrival, wrote a short message via email to DAUSA Medical Mission volunteers:

“The spontaneous & enthusiastic voluntary work of all the missioners is inspiring and commendable.

Our dear Santo Tomas de Villanueva has been guiding & protecting all of us. His noble & generous heart with his largebag of gifts to the least of his brethren makes him the model of all the missioners.

DAUSA is so blessed with people like all of you! Hope next year will be again very well-participated and will have more useful medications, better organization of committees and more donations of any kind.

Let’s make sure that we prioritize anti-diabetic meds next year and also take time to educate the patients on behavioral modification, especially diet, which might be enough to manage their high blood sugar & BP, and also prevent goiter, peptic ulcer & alcohol & smoking-induced problems.

I apologize that I was not able to extend my stay to communicate with the missioners especially the local volunteers and learn some ways to improve the next one, God willing!

All the help that was extended before the mission, the sorting & packing, organization of the adopt-the-student program, the teamwork & unconditional services of the officers & members, the pre-op clearance & post-op care with special thanks to the Gorre-Famas couple, the registration, outside clinic in the heat of summer, the work of art by skillful & ingenious surgeons, dentists, nurses, pharmacists & their assistants, the contribution of food service workers, security guards, cleaning volunteers, & even the entertainers & unsurpassed hospitality of the hosts & hostesses will ever be appreciated especially by the deserving people of Danao who look forward to the DAUSA mission every year.

With my supportive better half, Ben, & family, I thank you all with all my heart!

The DAUSA Medical-Surgical and Dental Mission is jointly sponsored by the Danao Association USA, Inc., the City of Danao, Danao District Hospital and the Philippine College of Surgeons, East/Central Visayas Region.

Newly elected DAUSA President, Dr. Loretta Montesclaros reported that on the first day of the 3-day medical mission, over 1,000 people showed up at the hospital with various ailments, children as young as 3-month old with fever, to 85 year-olds seeking free medications for diabetes and/or hypertensions.

Chief of Medical Mission Dr. Anita Cal-Jackson, who heads the medical mission team since its inception in 1998 reported that 23 major, mainly thyroidictomy cases, and over 200 minor surgeries were performed.

Dr. Jackson gets a chicken and bunch of bananas from boy-patient

The Philippine College of Surgeons led by its current President Dr. Gregory Canga and Dr. Joselito Almendras, and other prominent surgeons from Cebu did all the major surgeries.

U.S. based volunteer-surgeons, Dr. Florentino Lleva of Wisconsin and Dr. Julian Banzon, as well as volunteers from Cebu Doctors Hospital and Dr. Endino, a resident doctor of the Danao District Hospital, performed the most number of minor surgeries, mainly cysts removals.

Prior to the medical mission, the screening of patients were conducted by local physicians, such as Dr. Elizabeth Aguilar, a cardiologist at the Perpetual Succor Hospital and by doctors at a government hospital in Cebu City.

DAUSA ties up with 2 church-based non-profit organizations, the MAP International (Medical Assistance Program) and the I.M.A. (Interchurch Medical Assistance), Inc. as well as with Americares as main suppliersof prescription medicines and surgical supplies.

Another major source of medicines are Dr. Vic Oyas, generally pediatric and Dr. Anita Cal-Jackson, for adult and geriatric meds while Mrs. Natividad Durano-Almeda is a major solicitor for surgical supplies.

Medicine Donation Coordinator Cecilia Barriga, R.N. also was able obtain substantial supplies of medicines from medical doctors practicing at the Northridge Medical Center.

Every year a number of U.S. based Danawanons, both physicians and registered nurses, join the annual DAUSA Medical Mission.

Dr. Belino Iway, an internist and his wife Dr. Oliva Iway, a psychiatrist, long time medical practitioners in the State of Kansas, led this year’s fresh volunteers.

Four R.N. friends of Fred and Natie Almeda, though not from Danao had joined again after experiencing last year’s medical mission and committed themselves to be back every year.

Meanwhile, the Free Dental Clinic, headed by Crosine ‘Endai” Roble, with a borrowed 5-Dental seaters Dental Mobile Clinic from the City of Cebu, served over 300 people,

Dental services, mainly tooth extractions, were provided by Danao City Health Dentists led by Dr. Luther Laude , as well as by private dental practitioners who left their dental clinics to volunteer, including Dr. Marivic Lao and Dr. Marissa Cola-Lopez.

Aside from free dental service, complete pain medication and anti-biotics, patients also got free tooth brush and tooth paste, Endai Roble reported.

Dr. Greogry ‘Koko Canga, a perennial surgeon-volunteer, also has his mother, Rose, a registered nurse and younger sister, Candy Canga, a California R.N. very actively involved in DAUSA Projects.

Rose Canga is DAUSA Scholars Coordinator and adviser in Danao while Candy, a surgical department manager of Sutter Medical Center in Modesto, is Adopt-a-Student Project Manager along with Martinette Dayondon. She gave a very inspiring speech during the DAUSA Scholars Fellowship Lunch held at the Cebu State College – Danao Campus.

Also during the medical mission, a number of DAUSA Volunteers, visited the Danao City Jail and served over 200 inmates with a hearty lunch and goodies.

The yearly “I was in Jail and You Visited Me” Project is sponsored by Marieta Palos and Bobon/Genie Castillo.) Candy Canga also gave out toiletries (soap, shampoos and toothpastes including sanitary napkins for 14 females inmates.

At the medical mission culmination night held at the RD House in Guinsay, Danao City, attended by Congressman Red Durano and all Danao City Officials, DAUSA President Montesclaros promised to be back next year with a bigger number of volunteers and more supplies to serve more of the less fortunate Danawanons.
(Monching)

Dr. Julian Banzon , who had been conducting a one-man medical mission before DAUSA started in 1998, donated an Electro-Cautery Machine worth ,000.00 to the Phil. General Hospital in Manila.

A year earlier Dr JB donated the same surgical machine to the Danao General Hospital which was put to use during the recent DAUSA Medical Mission.

An electro-cautery machine is a modern surgical equipment used by surgeons which is very effective in the control of bleeding.

Dr. Banzon with wife, Amparo was medical team  leader during the first (1998) and third (2000) DAUSA Medical Missions.

The Chicago couple have pledged to  join next year’s medical-surgical mission scheduled on  September 17-20, 2002 at the Danao General Hospital.

JB has recently retired from his medical practice in Chicago and is contemplating of  more frequent visits to his beloved hometown. (MB)

To be called a ‘cabo’ in Danao can be unflattering, meaning vote-buying pagador or goons, but in Los Angeles County, they are virtuous men and women whose hearts bleed for their less fortunate brothers and sisters back home in Danao City.

DAUSA Cabos are taking the lead to reach out and make a difference.

Lately, they launched a campaign for vitamin and mineral pills donations for the Medical Mission in Danao City.

It was reported during past medical mission, over half of people who went to the hospital during the 3-day mission, only wanted vitamin pills.

Leading the campaign in the Vitamin drive are the good people of Barrio Dahunog (those who hang out in Bobon Castillo’s house in Long Beach.)

Also not to be outdone, the new Cabo of Barrio Lantay, Eric Cabahug also joined the vitamin campaign.

Eric & Monette turned over a sizable amount of vitamins during the 2nd Saturday Novena at Melinda’s residence

Loretta Montesclaros and Gemma Montegrande are re-packing these vitamin pills to be ready for distribution during the Medical Mission.

Barrio Kagaykay Cabo Chely Munoz also urged his constituents to do the same and beat all others for the final count.

Celia Barriga, appointed Cabo of Barrio WacWac also promised to do her share by soliciting vitamins and medicines among her fellow RNs in the San Fernando Valley area.

While Free Dental Clinic Coordinator Crosine Roble voiced out her concern for lack of antibiotics to be dispensed at the free dental clinic, she is asking DAUSA members to contribute some antibiotics in addition to vitamins. Those who want to contribute antibiotics should contact Verne Dayondon (tel. 714-2265-0336.)

Verne/Darling Dayondon and Fred/Nattie Almeda have been a major contributor of medicines during the past medical missions.

Both Loretta Montesclaros and Gemma Montegrande volunteered to give up some of their balikbayan boxes so as to load all these donated vitmanin-mineral pills and medicines.

Meanwhile, Chief of Medical Mission Dr. Anita Cal-Jackson continues to make the rounds collecting medicines from her doctor friends in the Riverside and Orange Counties.

She visited Danao lately to meet with Danao District Hospital staff and discuss issues related to the forthcoming medical mission on September 18 — 20, 2001. (MB)

Dr. Halbert Capoy of Augusta, Georgia, president of Philippine-American Association of Georgia has pledged his association’s and personal support to the yearly medical-surgical-dental mission in Danao City.

Dr. Capoy was born and raised in Carmen, but his parents originally came from and currently reside in Danao City. In a phone conversation with Monching Barriga, Dr. Capoy confided that PAMAG conducts medical missions in the Philippines once every four years and in different province each time.

“Hopefully, in 2004 it will be in Danao City”, he said. Meanwhile, he will help the Medical Mission in terms of medicines and supplies and even plans to join the medical team in the Sept. 2002 DAUSA Medical Mission.

Dr. Capoy was in Cebu in July this year and was able to discuss his association’s planned medical mission in Danao City with Congressman Ace Durano.

Meanwhile, the 2001 Medical Mission served over 2500 indigents from Danao and nearby towns; performed 7 cleft-lip, 15 major and 130 minor surgeries. (MB)