Boracay Med Caravan

Written by Chekai Jiao, Phi 08

Last May 14, 2010, 11 of the sisses of the Phi Lambda Delta Sorority together with 7 brods from the Phi Kappa Mu Fraternity braved the summer heat and traveled to one of summer’s hottest destinations, Boracay. But this trip is unlike any other, for instead of simply frolicking in the sun, the sisses and brods of Phi reached out to the locals of Caticlan and Boracay Island to offer free medical and surgical services.

The Boracay Medical Caravan is an annual event sponsored by sis, Dr. Maria Cristina A. Teotico together with the Rotary Club of Boracay and Southeast Asian Airlines, and is one of the many missions held this summer under PAGKALMA. This year, sisses and brods of Phi, mostly from the Class of 2010, together with dentists from the Las Pinas Dental Society and Kalookan Dental Society served hundreds of patients in three barangays.

Upon arrival, the brods and sisses immediately went to work, straight to Barangay Motag in mainland, Caticlan. Despite the scorching summer heat, hundreds of patients lined up to avail of the free medical, surgical and dental services. It was a long day full of travel, surgery, consultations and transfers but all the backaches and sweat were easily forgotten once the sisses and brods arrived in the beautiful island of Boracay at the end of the day. The day ended with a dinner in the aptly named, Summer Place, one of the hippest bar and restaurants in the island, where everyone got their fill of their sumptuous Mongolian buffet, and their infamous Shark Attack. It was a much needed power booster, for the next day proved to be even more toxic than the previous one.

Day two started with a wonderful breakfast served by the chic and classy Tides Hotel located in D’Mall and was immediately followed by the travel to Barangay Manocmanoc. Even from afar one could see the vast number of patients, but the brods and sisses of Phi who were all donning their Seair shirts were ready for the “battle”. The day was another success for the medical and dental crew with approximately 300 seen and treated at the end of the day. It was no therefore no surprise when all heartily scoured down their meals from Plato D’ Boracay later that evening.

The third and last day of the medical caravan was grander than ever. Breakfast was served in the picturesque Alta Vista, just a stones throw away from the site of our last medical-surgical-dental mission in Barangay Yapak. During the mission approximately another 200 patients were seen, but doctors and dentists were not fazed as all were enjoying seeing the side of Boracay unknown to most of the tourists visiting there. At the end of the mission, the sisses and brods then trekked to the nearby Pucca Beach in Barangay Yapak where they took short dip before traveling again to the Grand Vista Hotel where a dinner worthy of living up to its hotel’s name was served.

After 3 long but fulfilling days of serving the people of Caticlan and Boracay, the trip changed its pace. The next day was started with a delicious buffet breakfast in the Sea Wind Resort, which was immediately followed by a relay race. Teams raced around the shores of Station 1, chanting their team cheers and carrying water guns and throwing water balloons at each other. The rest of the day was then spent basking under the Boracay sun, and driving around and exploring the island of Boracay aboard ATV’s. Then, the perfect end to a perfect trip came as the sisses and brods of Phi wined and dined in a sunset dinner feast served by the grandiose Discovery Shores Boracay.

Everyone who participated in this year’s Boracay Medical Caravan knew that what they were getting into was more than the usual excursion, but neither of them expected the great sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that serving the locals of Boracay and Caticlan brought. This trip was more than just a good way to justify a frolic in the sun, it was a way to help and offer service to those whose needs are often neglected by the people around them. It was a way of reaching out and exploring the more intimate and native side of a widely known destination. It was an opportunity to share ourselves.

To most, Boracay will always be only a beach, a summer destination; but to the 18 sisses and brods of the Phi Lambda Delta and the Phi Kappa Mu who participated in this year’s Boracay Medical Caravan, Boracay will forever hold memories of service and  camaraderie.