October 8-12, 2006

 

Among those attending the SPSA Fall function and the Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons in Chicago, Illinois, October 8-12, 2006 are the incumbent and past presidents of the SPSA (Seated, l-r) Oscar M. Laserna, M.D., FACS, president, Edgardo Barcelona, M.D., FACS, and Pacifico Dorado, M. D. (Standing, l-r) are Domingo Alvear, M.D., FACS, Juan Montero, M. D., Edward E. Quiros, M.D., FACS, Manuel Cacdac, M. D., Napoleon A. Valdez, M. D., and Ben Zamora, M.D., FACS"

Tony (center) and Marilyn Donato are pictured above with Bobby Rodrigo (right), who is devoted to the Gawad Kalinga project of providing housing for the homeless in the Philippines. After this visit, Tony filed this report: "Most of the housing are done by volunteers from design workers, carpenters , painters etc. $1200 can build a 2-storey concrete building. The land is either given by the government or donated by individuals. Bobby told me that the family that would own the house would finish the inside. The building behind us is the center for education with computers, medical clinic, children education. The upper level is the community meeting room.
The people are aked what their goals in life. Then they are educated so they can have livelihood. There is education in health care, cleanliness, motivation and population control There is no goverment intervention. The project was started by the Couples For Christ whose members are mostly Rotarians. The project is spreading out to provincial communities so that the people in their own provinces do not have to come to Manila. Were so impressed with Gawad Kalinga."