The Carmelite Disaster Preparedness and Response Ministry recently concluded the five-day medical mission in partnership with St. Anastasia’s Roman Catholic Church of Teaneck, New Jersey.
Fr. Gilbert Billena, O.Carm., CDPRM director, revealed that in the five days of delivering free medical services, including that in San Luis, Batangas for victims of the Taal Volcano eruption, they were able to serve more than a thousand patients.
Aside from the medical mission, other services were also offered in the different venues like free medicines, optical examination with free reading glasses, haircut, facial cleaning, massage, and for the children who were victims of the Taal Volcano eruption, and a psycho-spiritual session with DAMBANA (Damayang Simbahan sa Panahon ng Disaster-an Ecumenical Disaster Response) and volunteers from Harris Memorial College.
“We are grateful to our partners, most especially to the parishioners of St. Anastasia, who has been with us in this project for several years already,” said Fr. Billena.
“Aside from St. Anastasia, there is also the Barangay of Bagong Silangan through Brgy. Captain Willy Cara, Assumption College of Lorenzo, Makati City, the Third Order Carmelites, our different cloistered Carmelite nuns, the doctors and health workers of the Council for Health and Development, volunteers from DAMBANA and Harris Memorial College, and of course our parishioners from San Isidro Labrador Parish and Sagrada Familia Parish, who not only shared their time with us but also their resources through cash and in-kind donations, as well as those in and in Sacred Heart Parish in San Francisco Agusan del Sur and the Carmelite Development Office,” he added.
Fr. Billena, however added that although the outpouring of support especially for the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption was overwhelming, he is convinced that what is really needed would be the rehabilitation of the places affected by the eruption and the support given to the victims on their return to their homes.
“We hope to be there for them, as well, because in disaster response, this is where the bulk of the work is, which unfortunately is not getting just as much attention and support as during the onset of the calamity,” he said.
“For this, we continue to encourage more generous people to share what they have so that our brothers and sisters who are victims of this calamity would be properly assisted on their return to their respective places,” he said.