ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 17, 2014) – Dozens of goiter and hernia patients have availed of the free services of the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and Project BOSS or Brotherhood Operation Surgical Services in Zamboanga City in southern Philippines.
Bel Yenko, president of the Alpha Phi Omega, Southern Zamboanga Alumni Association (APO-SOZA-ALAS), helped largely in bringing the patients from Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay provinces to the Tzu Chi Foundation at the Zamboanga City Medical Center where they had been screened.
Yenko, a known humanitarian worker, and his wife Bebs Rota, partnered to make the mission successful in Zamboanga. Yenko said the APO-SOZA-ALAS is just one of the groups that responded to the request of Dr Anton Mari Lim, of the Tzu Chi Foundation, to bring the patients to Zamboanga City for screening.
“APO SOZA ALAS is just one of the groups which responded to Dr. Anton Mari H. Lim request to bring patients having goiter and hernia for screening. It was Mr. Tirso ‘Buknoy’ Dumapit, of radio station dxPR in Pagadian City, who interviewed me for the said undertaking, and the patients who registered in his office. We can achieve good results if we band together for the Glory of God,” Yenko said.
The Salwa Hotel in Zamboanga City also provided the accommodation for Yenko and his wife while they were here assisting the screening of the goiter and hernia patients. The couple thanked the hotel owner, Salwa Julwadi, and her daughter for their generosity and support to the humanitarian mission.
Just recently, Yenko’s group and Tzu Chi Foundation also held an examination to patients with cataract problems. Yenko and his wife also met with Zamboanga Mayor Maria Isabelle Salazar and Council man Rogelio Velasco at City Hall where they discussed about replicating the project here.
Previously, Yenko’s APO-SOZA-ALAS also conducted “Operation Harelip,” a charity project with the Association of Surgeon’s and Anesthesiologists of Pagadian City, Philippine Medical Association- Zamboanga del Sur Chapter, and the Margosatubig Regional Hospital, which even allowed volunteers to use its dormitory. (Mindanao Examiner)
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