Dr. Loi celebrates birthday by sending missions to Mindanao

First Lady Dr. Luisa "Loi" Ejercito Estrada, who is celebrating her birthday today, has sent a humanitarian mission to three Mindanao provinces to comfort thousands of families heavily affected by the ongoing hostilities between the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

According to the latest report from the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), more than 142,000 evacuee-families are now housed in various evacuation centers in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

Office of the First Lady program director Nanet Tanyag led the mission Thursday morning to these provinces to turn over and personally supervise the distribution of relief packages for the evacuees.

Tanyag said they would also tap local doctors to conduct medical missions in evacuation centers located in the three provinces.

During the First Lady's medical missions conducted in other far-flung and underserved areas of the country, Tanyag said, they bring along medical experts from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), Malacañang clinic and other big hospitals in Manila.

"Dr. Loi sent the relief and medical mission as part of her birthday wish to ease the suffering of our Muslim and Christian brothers affected by the hostilities in the South," Tanyag said.

She added the First Lady is very much concerned about the condition of displaced families, especially the children, in Mindanao.

Tanyag said Mrs. Estrada is praying for the peaceful end of hostilities in Mindanao and has appealed to the Abu Sayyaf to release its hostages.

Likewise, she urged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to end the conflict so that peace and progress may reign in the South.

The First Lady, who opted for a simple birthday celebration with her family, considers her grandson Manuel Jose Lopez III, by Jackie and Beaver, born last Monday as an early birthday gift.