RP medical team off to Haiti

MANILA, Philippines - Knowing how it is to be at the receiving end of a disaster and saying it is now time to give back, Philippine Airlines (PAL) will fly a team of Filipino medical specialists on the trans-Pacific leg of their journey to Haiti today, where they will aid survivors of the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake.

The 21-member team, organized by the Department of Health and comprising trauma experts, surgeons, anesthesiologists and nurses, will leave Manila at 10:30 p.m. on flight PR 104 to San Francisco, where they will board a connecting flight to Miami and then to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

From there, the team will travel to Port-au-Prince, capital of neighboring Haiti, where they will join an international corps of medical specialists and aid workers already on ground helping the population recover from the worst natural calamity to hit the Caribbean nation.

The Philippine contingent will stay for just over two weeks in Haiti. They depart Santo Domingo on Feb. 11 for Miami and San Francisco, where they will board PAL flight PR 105 at 9:05 p.m. local time. The team arrives in Manila at 5:25 a.m. on Feb. 13.

The cost of transporting the Philippine medical mission to and from Haiti will be borne by PAL as the flag carrier’s contribution to the international relief effort for the battered country.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and other religious organizations said it is now their turn to help earthquake victims in Haiti.

CBCP president Nereo Odchimar called on the Filipino faithful to help the victims of the killer quake that left thousands of people dead in the Caribbean island. Church of the poor Caritas Manila has launched an appeal for financial aid and donations for the victims.

“Last September and October, we received support both local and international to help with our relief and rehabilitation efforts for Ondoy and Pepeng. Now, it is our turn to help,” said Caritas Manila Executive Director Fr. Anton Pascual.

Caritas Internationalis, Caritas Haiti and the Church network, Caritas Manila and Radio Veritas through its Caritas sa Veritas Damay Kapanalig - Haiti will work together to raise funds for the victims.

You may deposit your donations for Haiti to Caritas Manila through the following banks nationwide: BPI – Savings Account No. 3063-5357-01, BDO  – Savings Account No. 5600-45905, Metrobank – Savings Account No. 175-3-175069543.

For international deposits, you may course it through the following dollar accounts and swift codes: BPI DOLLAR – Savings Account No. 3064-0033-55 Swift Code:  BOPIPHMM and PNB DOLLAR – Savings Account No. 108566600025 Swift Code: PNBMPHMM. For more information, visit www.caritasmanila.org.ph or email [email protected]. You may also send text messages to 09198928226, fax (632) 563-9306, or call (632) 563-9311, 563-9309, 563-9308. — With Patricia Esteves