meetings with the secretary, Dr. Efren Labay and other hospital VIP's to plan on how tohandle the crowd of patients coming to the mission. The hospital ground was too small to accommodate an influx of people and could be wan-dering around the hospital compound. We discussed how are we going to feed the missioners at each clinical site and one thousand pesos (P1000.00) was allocated to the personnel in-charge of each site to purchase and cook food.

TRANSPORTATION:
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Volume 5.1                                                                                                                                                                 Fall 2001
to inform me that  they are staying at Cora's beach house in Ihatob. We had a good talk on what possible assignments they could take. Aida Jao-Miraposque informed me that the boxes of medicines that his brother Rudy sent has not arrived yet.
     The missioners from the US have arrived in Manila. They attended the dinner given by Mr. Arsenio Tanco. Rudy Jao called to inform me that they have arrived but the plane being pro-vided by the Philippine Air Force which was going to bring them to Marinduque is not a sure thing yet.
     Friday night at 11:30 pm., Drs. Rudy Jao and Hector Sulit called from the dinner party at Cubao, QC to inform me that the Philippine Airforce plane will be available on Sunday to transport some missioners to Marindu-que.
PREP. & PLANNING cont'n.
Marinduque International, Inc.
to intercede and schedule this as such but was outvoted by the foreign group.
     The secretary of Mr. Arsenio Tanco, the current President of the Club Marinduqueno (CMI) called me from Quezon City to ask me - in what way their association could help. Although they are willing to help, the group is not financially capable of helping M.I. yet. Mr. Tanco invited me to a dinner with a group from their organization at the Club Filipino in Greenhills. We discussed problems and needs for the Mission.
     Mr. Arsenio Tanco hosted a joint meeting between Club Marinduqueno, Inc. and the Marinduque Int'l. Inc. headed by Dr. Rudy Jao on Friday, May 18, 2001 at Long Yuan Restau-rant, Cubao, Quezon City. At the last minute the the night of the dinner given by CMI, the promised AFP transport airplane came through. Rudy and Hector called long distiance on Friday night of May 18th to inform me of the change of plans. Some thirty five missioners will be transported to Marinduque compliments of President Arroyo. I had to cancel all transpor-tation arrangements made to pick up missioners in Balanacan. So, my apologies to those people who were left stranded without a welcoming party on Saturday, May 19.
     Among those, Dr. Homer Bunag who came to join our mission, is from Indiana. Chito Madla, at least knows the province. Lucy L. Rubio & Espie Logatoc, nurses from Chicago and Canada, respectively, decided that they would just stay with their relatives in Mogpog.
     Since the Lupac lodging was not ready yet, Homer and Chito did not have any reason not to accept the Katague's invitation to stay with us for the night.
Provincial coaster and the five ambulances were to transport the missioners to each clinical sites. Lunch for the doctors in the hospital, is to be shouldered by the provincial hospital while off-site health workers are to be shouldered by the Mission. Each site was given one thousand pesos (P1000) to be spent on food and preparations.
     The problem of doctors doing overtime surgery was also discussed and the hospital physicians were familiar with the problems. The nursing supervisor requested no over time later than 7pm. I underestimated this particular problem and therefore a food caterer is to be called each night with a request for food for personnel working overtime. The dedicated physicians worked until the wee hours of the night.
     The Provincial Health Officer requested that two days of one site clinic be given to Buenavista as it is a medically depressed area and there is no practicing MD in town. I promised
MAY 18, FRIDAY
The Canadian contingents have arrived and paid a visit to ask for their assign-ments. Cora Mirafuente Diperio and Susie Malangis-Due came to Amoingon
MAY 19, SATURDAY
The Sulit's arrived on Saturday mor-ning and they have their own trans-portation. The van from Manila delivered them home, door-to-door. Since the bus was cancelled, a few missioners arriving in Balanacan were left on their own.
MAY 20, SUNDAY
Chito Madla and I woke up early to meet Dr. Jao and about 35 missioners at the Masiga Airport, in Gasan. The only welcoming committee for those who took the PAF plane were Chito and me, as well as the three ladies from the provincial government's office with the big coaster van.
     The big air force plane was on time; it came barreling down the small landing field, a little too high as it passed my eye level. I made a joking remark ... "Hey, he is too high, the pilot must not be used to this airport. He might land in the ocean". Everbody laughed. Then ten seconds later, the plane did not taxied to the terminal. I made another comment ..." He must have landed in the ocean. Miss Lumitao scolded me for making a not so funny
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