118 patients get free surgery from Duterte Cabinet spouses

CEBU, Philippines — At least 118 people benefited from the surgical mission in Catbalogan, Samar recently organized by the Duterte Cabinet Spouses Foundation Inc. and World Surgical Foundation.

It was the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) that coordinated with the DCSFI and the different government agencies to make the surgical mission possible.

Among the Cabinet spouses who participated in the mission were  Kristine Marie Dino, wife of OPAV Secretary Michael Dino; Jean Año, wife of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año; Alelee Andanar, wife of Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar; Ferry Lou Cui, wife of Presidential Management Staff acting head Undersecretary Ferdinand Cui Jr.; Jo Ann Camacho, wife of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno; Betty Medialdea, wife of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea; Araceli Panelo, wife of Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panel; and Maria Margarita Nograles, wife of Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

The surgical mission was in partnership with the 8th Infantry Division (Philippine Army), GMA 7, Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

According to OPAV, the beneficiaries underwent major and minor operations for free.

The services include operation and/or correction of malformation and birth defects, cleft lip and cleft palate, kids’ hernia, undescended testicles, imperforate anus, hirschsprung's disease, thyroid operation, hernia, cystic fibroma, lumps and bumps, myoma, and breast mass.

Cabinet spouses also distributed toys for the kids and hygiene kits to the patients before they were operated on.—  FPL (FREEMAN)