Foundation of the Philippines
The foundation was conceived because of the need of children afflicted with hydrocephalus not getting diagnosed early and having to wait awhile before surgery to correct the situation is done. Sometime in 2007 after one of our surgical missions., I found out that there were more than 20 children waiting to be shunted. This was through KAPWA KO MAHAL KO who helps the indigent patients with their medical care that I got involved.. It was after a meeting with Harley and Debbie Sy of the SM Foundation that I started going back and forth to the Philippines to donate my time, effort and shunts that are donated to me, in order for these children to be operated on before their brain mantle is gone and would not live to be more than 4 or 5 yrs. unless their hydrocephalus is arrested.. So far, with the help of a few local neurosurgeons, and KKMK Foundation, we have shunted more than 200 children to date.... which brings me to how I spearheaded the formation of the HYDROCEPHALUS FOUNDATION OF THE PHILIPPINES.
In January 2009, after our missions in Palawan and Pasig..where I shunted nine babies, a few friends and I met at Ed Puno's residence and the Foundation was conceived..and in Feb. we had the paperwork finished , a name was chosen, and the papers filed at SEC. The ff: are the members of the Board of Trustees: Manuel A Cacdac, Chairman; Eduardo R. Puno, Virgilio M. Raymundo, Juan V. David, Jr., Bernardo J.B. Mitra, Sr.
The members of the Board and a few benefactors were able to raise one million pesos as seed money required by the SEC in order to form a foundation in the Philippines. Our mission is to raise awareness about the plight of indigent children with hydrocephalus and provide financial assistance for the early diagnosis and subsequent surgery to give these children an opportunity to grow and develop as normal human beings..We have estimated that the cost of helping one child will be approximately P50,000..which would include their preop workup, CT scan, Hospital and OR charges.. I will continue to find shunt donors as long as my health permits. Right now, shunts are graciously donated by Codman, IntegraLifesciences Inc. and Medtronics Neurological Division. Donations will be needed for perpetuity of the Foundation and hope to ensure its sustainability..
The Foundation's Philippine address:
66 West Avenue, Q.C., Phil.
Tel No. 632 373 4084
Fax 632 415 0008
US Address:
Box 2039, Terre Haute, IN 47803
Tel. No 812 236 3724
Donations can be mailed to either address
