Pope Fancis Now In The Philippines

Viva Il Papa.....

I was so ecstatic and the rest of the Filipino people as His Holiness Pope Francis, the leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics arrives in the Philippines. Lolo Kiko, 78, arrived in Villamor Airbase at around 5:30, Thursday afternoon amid unprecedented security preparations. An estimated of more tha 35,000 police and military personnel have been deployed in areas he's convoy is expected to pass.

I position myself in the corners of Quirino Avenue and Roxas Blvd., Malate, Manila.

Security checks all throughout the day....

Malaysian delegations singing praise song....

Manila bay is famous for the beautiful sunset....

Here come the Pope!

Viva Il Papa! (Long Live The Pope)

Related photo of Pope Francis here:

Feast Day of Saint John Paul II

Today, October 22, 2014 is the first liturgical feast day of Saint John Paul II. 

John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyla) led the Church from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005. He was canonized (and Pope John 23rd) earlier this year (27 April 2014) by Pope Francis. The Canonization Mass was concelebrated by Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City.

Pope John Paul II during the World Youth Day '95 held in Manila, Philippines.
It was the first time for an Asian country to host the event.

Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) Household Prayer Meeting

Hosted by Gawaran family. Reverend Fr. Angel Sanchez, parish priest
 of the Last Supper of Our Lord (standing extreme left in white tee)
joined us. Emapalico Homes. Las Pinas City. February 26, 2014.

The formation of BECs in the Philippines have been adopted as the pastoral priority of the Church throughout the country. In 1991, the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines decreed: "Basic Ecclesial Communities under various names and forms – BCCs, small Christian communities, covenant communities – must be vigorously promoted for the full living of the Christian vocation in both urban and rural area"(PCP II article 110)

Here in the Parish of the Last Supper of Our Lord (PLSOL) under the Diocese of Paranaque, more than 30 BEC households had been established and actively participated by neighborhood of different Villages within the jurisdiction of the Parish.

TYPHOON YOLANDA: FLIGHT OF HOPE (FOH) MEDICAL, DENTAL AND RELIEF MISSION

DATES : NOVEMBER 22-23,2013

SITES : BARUGO,LEYTE

BARANGAY CATMON, TANAUAN, LEYTE

The medical-dental missions were done for two days with the following specifics :

November 22 (8 am-5pm)- Barugo Leyte Municipal Grounds

November 23 (11 am- 4pm)- Barangay Catmon,Tanauan,Leyte

Barangay Limbuhan Dacu (Feeding)

Services Rendered : General Consultation (Medical/Pedia/Ob-Gyne)

Vital signs measurement

Cleaning & dressing of wounds

Deworming

Dental extraction

Random Blood Sugar Monitoring (RBS)

Free Medicine

Tetanus injections

Others : Feeding (Nutritional support)

Psychosocial Activities (for children)

Accomplishments :

Day 1 : 751 (711 Medical 40 Dental) patients served

Day 2: 664 (634 Medical 30 Dental) patients served

Total patients : 1425

All patients served were written as to name, age and diagnosis (logbooks were used for documentation) with the following information gathered :

Age Grouping by Percentage:

1.1-4 years old 18 %

2.5-9 years old 14 %

Elderly (60 and above) 12 %

10-14 years old 8 %

45-49 years old 7 %

Less than one year old 6 %

Morbidity By Percentage :

AURI 40 %

FUNGAL INFECTIONS 25%

HYPERTENSION 21%

INFECTED WOUND 8%

SPRAIN/STRAIN 6%

PNEUMONIA 6%

AGE 6%

SKIN DISEASES 5%

ASTHMA/COPD 3%

PUNCTURED WOUND 3%

Other notable illnesses treated : Diabetes, Gastritis, Allergies,& five (5) cases of Post Traumatic Disorders.

Respiratory infections were expected to dominate given the young majority population who were vulnerable and the meager potable water supply. Since water was also crucial, skin infections were many as wound hygiene was compromised. Fungal infections were common especially since rain has been fairly common and a damp environment makes it thrive. Asthma & COPD were common because of concomitant allergens (decomposed materials) and the mere absence of their regular medications. Hypertension among adults was due to unavailability of their maintenance medicine and stress from the Yolanda experience.

Recommendations:

1.Medical outreach should focus on the aforementioned illnesses as these were common among the 3 barangays we served.

2.Drinkable water supply and ORS should be readily available.

3.There is a need for stress debriefing to account for the trauma especially among children and the elderly.

Reported by:

Dr Mechael Angelo G. Marasigan

Flight of Hope Volunteer

Medical Officer III, Quezon City Health Department

President, Quezon City Medical Society

Some action during the Medical and Dental Mission

St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church after the typhoon Yolanda
All the roofs over the Sanctuary were blown away.
The church became an evacuation center for the people.

Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Boboy Robles. 

Flight of Hope (FOH) Doctors and Logistics Support
with Mayor Alden Avestruz (Standing 5th from the left) of Barugo, Leyte..

Related post: Ground Zero, Two Weeks After.