ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE (Mindanao Examiner / 01 June) - Unmindful of the swirling dusts and the scorching tropical sun, a medical and dental team formed by the mining company TVI Resource Development Philippines (TVIRD), provided much-needed health care services to a remote indigenous mountain village in Zamboanga del Norte in the southern Philippines whose residents – many of whom are anti-mining advocates – had, until recently, protested the company’s presence in the area.
The team launched its first in a series of humanitarian missions in Paduan Ridge, some 13 kilometers from the company’s gold and silver project in Mount Canatuan.
The TVIRD Canatuan Project lies within the 6,253-hectare ancestral domain owned by the Subanon indigenous people in Siocon town.
Throngs of Subanon families trooped to the community tribal hall to avail themselves of the free consultation, medicines, vitamins, food supplements, tooth extraction and circumcision.
The mission, organized by TVIRD’s Community Relations and Development Office (CReDO), also administered oriental cures recognized by the World Health Organization. These include acupuncture, reflexology, moxibustion (an oriental medicine therapy utilizing moxa, or mugwort herb) and ventusa (a Chinese-inspired healing method aimed at removing bad blood in the body).
Alex Clarabal, a CReDO Community Officer, led other trained staff members in administering these cures.
Company physician Ramil Ignacio, speaking before the more than 100 indigenous people who crowded the hall, advised the Subanon community that good health is the real key to development.
"Ang tinuod nga bahandi dili mao ang salapi o bulawan nga atong makuha sa palibot, apan ang maayong panglawas. Angayan nato kini nga alimahan tungod kay pag-antus ang ikadulot niini ug kalisod kun kita magsakit na."
"The ultimate wealth is not the money or gold that we get from around us, but excellent health. We should take care of our health because it would bring about suffering and hardship when we eventually get sick," he said.
Ignacio is a mainstay at the TVIRD-supported Canatuan community clinic, which provides health care to both company employees and Subanon villagers.
Before TVIRD began its operations in Mount Canatuan in mid-2004, residents had to travel at least four hours through inhospitable and dangerous terrain to get medical attention.
The TVIRD medical team was complemented by Miguel Neri II, a dentist from the provincial government of adjacent Zamboanga Sibugay, during the four-day medical mission.
Apart from Paduan Ridge, the team also went to Solonsangan, a hamlet in Tanuman village and Skyline New Village, also within the Siocon ancestral domain.
"Malipayon kami ug mabulahan nga nahodangat dinhi ang TVI aron sa paglusad, sa medical mission, alang sa mga apektadong komunidad. Mao pa kini'y pinakauna nga adunay programang-medikal nga nahiabot dinhi sa among lugar."
"Among gikalipay ang pag-abot ninyo dinhi alang sa pagtunol sa nang-unang serbisyo-medikal," one member of the Paduan indigenous Council of Elders, said.
"We are very happy and fortunate that TVI came here to our place to launch their medical mission for impact communities. This is the first time that a medical outreach program ever reached our place. We welcome your coming here to deliver basic medical services."
For some time, residents of Paduan had been resisting the TVIRD’s attempts to bring social and medical services to the area. A bailiwick of anti-mining advocates, Paduan proved difficult for CReDO personnel to help.
Subsequently, village elders, seeing CReDO’s persistence and their social development projects in neighboring communities, felt TVIRD’s sincerity and allowed the mission into Paduan.
Some 400 Subanons benefited from the company’s medical and dental missions in four of its impact communities.
TVIRD's presence in Canatuan has been largely supported by many Subanon and government officials because of livelihood opportunities and development projects being undertaken by the company in Siocon town.
But there are also rag-tag groups, mostly composed of anti-mining activists from other provinces, allegedly paid by foreign organizations to oppose the operation of TVIRD in Zamboanga del Norte. Some of the money allegedly went to the pockets of their leaders. (With a report from Rene Patangan and Juan Magtanggol)
No comments:
Post a Comment