Pamaniaun 2009: An Overwhelming Success

By: Rene de Guzman, UP Aguman Alumni Association’s President

Last July 7, 2009 during the UP Aguman Acquaintance Party at the Bahay Kalinawan in UP Diliman, Alumni and residents had some discussion about an Aguman event that will allow the members to provide some tangible assistance to the community. I suggested gift giving via Xmas Carolling and Daphne suggested a medical mission. With inspiration coming from more alumni like Dan Manalo, Claire Espina, May Perez, Sanc David and Arlene Nakashima, on Dec. 12, 2009. The stars and the moons did line up to make ‘PAMANIAUN 2009′ a successful medical mission and gift giving realization. The rest is history. A big thank you to all those involved (in cash or in kind) in allowing UP Aguman to service 300 patients of Manibaug Pasig Balik Barangay, Porac, Pampanga, and make many more hearts feel happier.

Powie, Aries, and Kevin

THE CHARACTERS

Earliest to the site are our energetic UP Aguman residents. Led by Kevin, they were there before 8 am. Aries started organizing the Barangay Council this early as well. By the time I reached the site at a little after 8am, our residents have prepared the site with help of Kagawads Baltazar and Simbulan. They were also assisted by local security officer Mr. Batitay who had assistance from a group of Air Force personnel from the nearby Clark Air Force City.

The residents were already registering patients before 9am when the busload full of capable Medical volunteers from UERM led by Daphne Villanueva arrived. Kevin briefed the medical volunteers shortly and they only needed little time to settle down into the various stations. I also turned over boxes of medicines provided through the assistance of our alumni Mae Perez and Renan Del Rosario.

UP Aguman Alumnae

Our UP Aguman alumni also started pouring in with their beautiful families. Andre Galang brought with him gifts provided by Aguman Alumni sisters Dra. Arlene Nakashima and Anette Roque. Kids loved the toys very much. Vicky Keys was with her lovely and equally hardworking daughter Danny. Both were valuable in preserving order and guarding a most precious resource for this event – ‘The Pharmacy’.

Sanc was with her BFFs – Meng who was with hubby Pepe and Alma with kids Belgic and Bokway. They were responsible for guarding another very important station for kids – ‘The Gift Section’. They were also instrumental in ushering patients in and out of the doctors’ stations. Soon to be doctor, Jean Avy Dimabuyu did practice her medical skills with many consultations and BP checkup with the big security men who are on duty from the Clark Air Force City in the heat of the sun fronting a sari-sari Store. Former Aguman presidents Celine Dagdag, Jen Castro and Dexter Grageda are all support to the various activities around the site. Discussions among them were already leading to similar future events based on their assessments.

Finally, even the mother of our former Aguman President Daphne, helped make sure there was enough food for our contingent and also she helped host our contingent of more than 70 people at the venue of our lunch.

THE DOCTORS

Dra. Ma. Lolita Tanchico (sister of Lizette) was first to arrive. As she arrived, it was most comforting to hear her voice saying bring me any kind and any number of patients. Her mother was accompanying her and we were very happy that even for Aguman members who are out of the country, this was turning into a family affair event. The mother of Lizette was also with us until we closed. Aguman alumni Dra. Agnes Espinoza-Thaebtarm with Dra. Elvie Salas who are both derma experts made patients not only look beautiful but more importantly healthier. Many of our Agugals and our medical volunteers got easy tips by just looking at them. Then we also had very patient friendly doctors in doctors Dizon, Aquino and the Vice Mayor of Mabalacat himself, Dr. Lagman.

The patients

THE PATIENTS

Barangay Captain Escoto and his Kagawads did an excellent job producing the right number and quality of patients. Some people became anxious in the morning when rumors got around that the patients can reach as many as 1,000. Majority were babies and small children and these made handling the patients much more challenging. Handling the patients plus their attending relative was a true test of patience and perseverance. Being the UP AGUMAN that we are, nothing was impossible. We managed what initially seemed to be a chaotic event into a friendly and enlightening event. By 10am, we have seen a substantial numbers of patients processed. Aries even volunteered a group to go around the barangay to find more patients if necessary. Seeing that we will have served the 300 patients target by 1pm without having to turn away any patients, we have decided to postpone meals and close shop at 1pm. All concerned have been informed early and we managed to officially close at 1pm.

Registration booth

PROCESS

Working stations primarily included the following:
1. Registration
2. Weighing Station
3. Physical Check – Medical History and blood pressure, etc…
4. Doctors’ Section
5. Pharmacy
6. Gift section

Thanks to the medical expertise of the UERM volunteers, all stations are sufficiently manned. Despite our challenged resources, all patients were comfortable. We did not experience any untoward or unmanageable incident. Sometimes there are hiccups like:
1. A patient do not want to be registered but wants medicine…
2. A kid wants to proceed to the gift station after registration…
3. We run out of cotton but we have ample clean toilet paper…
4. A doctor has no patient because patients are clogged at the Physical Check station…
5. Medicine prescribed by the doctor is not in the pharmacy so the pharmacist suggests alternative medicine…
6. The Pharmacist runs out of medicine for a certain prescription so she can only suggest to the patient to buy from a drugstore…

SUPPLIES

Overall, sufficient supplies were available. Nobody became thirsty. Nobody became hungry. Extra supplies including excess medicine, alcohol, drinking water, chichiria (DingDong nuts) and toilet paper were all turned over to the barangay through Kagawads Baltazar and Simbulan. Some do suggest that in the future, for a similar event, we should expect a greater need for vitamins, cough syrup and other medicine for common ailments.

CLOSING

After 1pm, our entire team proceeded to have lunch hosted at the nearby CNCPD/Northgate Vibro Plant courtesy of our friends from the neighborhood Mr. Alfredo Enriquez and Ms. Claire Dizon. Tokens were presented by our UP Aguman President Kevin Penalba to many people we needed to thank for a very successful. These tokens were in the form of memorabilia mugs, pastries and Tshirts.

POST PROJECT ASSESSMENT

At 6:00 pm I had the chance to meet the team of Kevin, Aries, Kenn, Bryan and other resident members. Our Alumni volunteer Andre Galang was also around for some post project assessment. The team agreed that the medical mission project was in itself a big success. The planned caroling to 5 families to cap a Day of Service was postponed for another day. The residents decided that they plan to proceed with a caroling event soon but more to raise funds for their future events instead.

On the question of having a ‘Pamaniaun 2010′, it maybe to early to ask, but not a remote possibility…

MANY THANKS

We thank you all the UP Aguman residents and the Alumni, all medical Volunteers from UE-RM Medical Center, all our doctors, Manibaug Pasig Balik Barangay Council, the Phil. Air Force, the New PAGCOR and our special friends together with their families, Mr. Jun Manangkil, Mr. Alfredo Enriquez and Ms. Claire Dizon.

Non Nobis Solum .

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