Doctors, barangay health workers and other volunteers attend to residents of Barangay Sibago, Pinamungahan town during a medical mission organized by Solid Earth Development Corp. (SEDC). /Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A mining company operating in mid-southern Cebu sent a medical mission to Sibago, a mountain barangay in Pinamungahan town, for the first time, serving some 424 residents who hardly get medical attention.
Dr. Ildebrando Estella together with his wife, Dr. Easter Lette, and Dr. Normacita Infantado attended to the medical needs of 160 adults and 152 children at Sibago Elementary School during the mission organized by Solid Earth Development Corp. (SEDC).
An optometrist also examined the eyes of 112 others who went home with a set of spectacles each, according to Mitzie Almira Carin, SEDC division manager for human resources and administration.
Sibago Barangay Captain Paulino Canoy and Councilors Juan Candole and Pedro Canoy and barangay health workers extended their assistance during the mission.
Resident Tarsiana Barnido, 70, said that their community does not have access to a hospital or a drug store.
“Moadto pa mi sa lungsod kung mopalit og tambal,” she said.
(We have to go to the town center to buy medicines.)
“Daghan na kaayo ko og sakit nga gipamati. Kung masakit ko, moadto pa ko ug Tabunok. Dako pa gyud kaayo og gasto,” she added.
(I am suffering from a lot of sickness. If I get sick, I have yet to travel to Tabunok for treatment. That is very costly on my end.)
Barnido said that she and her neighbors were delighted that SEDC sent a medical mission to Barangay Sibago.
“Nakapa check-up na mi ug nakadala pa mi og mga tambal ug bitamina nga libre,” she said.
(We already had ourselves checked by the doctors and we were able to bring home free medicines and vitamins.)
Gloria Pauner, 72, expressed hope that SEDC would continue conducting missions in their barangay “para daghan pa ang matabangan.” (so that more will be benefited.)
Lola Tarsiana is appealing for the next mission to already include minor surgery so that she can have her cataract removed.
In partnership with Taiheiyo Cement Philippines, Inc. (TCPI) and former Cebu Provincial Board Member Alex Binghay, SEDC first sent a mission to two Pinamungahan barangays in September 2012. The mission benefited 642 residents.
SEDC also organized missions in 2014 and in April 2016 that benefited 856 patients coming from nine barangays and another one in April 2017 that served 732 residents from Barangays Anislag and Duangan.
The company will soon operate a quarry to mine out silica in an uninhabited portion of Pinamungahan’s uplands for manufacturing cement at the TCPI plant in South Poblacion, San Fernando. /dcb
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