Dr. Andres Lao Memorial Medical-Surgical Mission

Cordova Rural Health Center

Cordova Mactan Cebu Philippines

In February 2012, my wife, Sandy, and I took time away from the office to participate in a medical mission trip to the Philippines. Long-time friends, the Arenos’ who regularly volunteer with medical missions to Philippines, finally convinced us we had to come to see the country, do some good work, and have fun. It was an experience of a lifetime and one we could not have enjoyed more.

Our first week in the Philippines was on the island of Cebu where the Dr. Andres Lao Memorial Medical-Surgical Mission was taking place. Our group, the BISAYA Medical Association USA, was there to help the underprivileged get medical care they often can’t afford. We set up our mission site in an open-air gymnasium attached to a local school (picture 1). It had a roof but was very open to the outside and no running water. Dogs, cats and birds were all regular visitors. Needless to say sanitary standards are a little different than we are used to, but good work and healing took place. In temporary partitions, the doctors did everything from routine check-ups and vaccinations to minor surgeries (picture 2). I spent most of the week working in the surgery helping doctors, including my friend Dr. Joe Arenos, with whatever they needed from providing clean gloves to sterilizing equipment (picture 3 & 4). There were about 50 US mission doctors who asked that I give a presentation on the law and medicine in the United States and I spoke for an hour at lunch. My wife Sandy and her friend Linda Arenos, spent the week working in the pharmacy and dispensary keeping track of supplies and counting out prescriptions.

After a week of hard work and a Certificate of Appreciation to prove it, we stayed another week to have some fun and to see this part of the world. Sandy & Linda dipped their feet into the South China Seas (picture 5), the weather was unseasonably cool. We spent time with our friends from the mission and toured some of the historic sights. We saw where Magellan landed and where he was defeated, but we also saw the island of Corregidor (picture 6). As a history buff and the son of father who fought in the Pacific in WWII, this was something I really wanted to see. The Pacific War Memorial and Museum on the island commemorating American and Philippino troops is outstanding complete with restored armaments and examples of the bunkers, hospitals and storage depots that were dug into the island.

Other fun we had in the Philippines, involved the men playing golf (picture 7) and the women taking opportunities to shop. And then there was the food! (pictures 8, 9, 10 & 11) Once again we want to thank everyone involved for an amazing experience.

Open air gymnasium, showing people waiting and others consulting with doctors.

Open air gymnasium, showing the temporary partitions for surgery.

Left in blue Dr. Dumadog, middle & setting in green Dr. Arenos and right in yellow Tom DeVoto scrubbed in and helping the surgeon while two student nurses watched.

On the left is Tom DeVoto and on the right is Dr. Joe Arenos, both from St. Louis, standing outside one of the surgical bays of the (mission) in Cebu, Philippines.

One the left Linda Arenos and on the right Sandy DeVoto stick their toes in the south Pacific. The weather proved unseasonably cool the week we were there.

Tom DeVoto standing in front of the gunnary on Corregidor.

Some of the golf courses on Cebu on gorgeous and some are a little more rustic, where not everyone gets out of the way if you yell, “Fore!” Sometimes we had to shoo the cows off the fairway.

One of the restaurants we visited.

One of the many lechon (roasted pig) which we were served.

Beautiful & delicious desserts from the Shangra-La Resort dessert buffet.