The Negros Medical Mission: Service and Solidarity

September 20, 2008

Kalabaklabakan Mountain Clinic

Last weekend, September 13 and 14, was the large and greatly anticipated Negros Mercy Mission: a Medical and Psycho-Social Mission which brought over a dozen doctors, community health workers, organizers and documenters to three rural communities of Guihulgnan, including Kalabaklabakan, in Barangay Trinidad.

The mission was spearheaded by the local People’s Organization (PO), Kaugma-on, literally ‘future of the small farmers’, and supported by several organizations from Cebu, Bacolod and Manila, including the Negros Island Health Integrated Program (NIHIP), the Council for Health and Development (CHD), and progressive party list Bayan Muna. The mission was one of service to the people, and solidarity with their struggle for justice and against the intensified militarization; Guihulgnan is now identified as a priority area for the AFP aggressive war of counter-insurgency, an operation which causes many human rights violations, physical harm and psychological trauma for the peasants.

Over 460 patients received treatment during the two day mission in Kalabaklabakan, including doctor consultations, essential medicines, prenatal care, psychological counselling and minor surgeries. Despite repeated attempts from the AFP Infantry Battalion (IB) 11 to enter the private clinic premises, and to intimidate and harass those patients entering the clinic compound, the mission was a resounding success, and many patients had their sufferings eased by the mission teams.

While the medical care provided through missions is only but a small band aid for the large wounds of the people, the demonstration of solidarity from the urban areas and the large organizations such as CHD and Bayan Muna is a tremendous boost to the local PO. Missions send a clear message to the military and the government that those struggling peasant farmers in the countryside are not forgotten, rather are of fundamental importance, to those who struggle in the urban areas.

Tuloy Ang Laban!