PHOTOS - UP Mindanao biology majors organized medical mission for lumads

Davao City - A medical mission was organized last June 18 by the Biological Society (BIOS) of UP Mindanao for the lumad evacuees from Talaingod and Kapalong, Davao del Norte. With them are two (2) medical doctors, both BIOS alumni, who carried out check ups and diagnosis for around 30 evacuees.

Aside from the medical mission, the UP students also fed the evacuees with a protein-rich rice porridge.

After the mission, a short program was organized to explain to the students the situation of the lumads. This was given by Isidro Indao, spokesperson of the Pasaka Confederation of Indigenous Peoples in Southern Mindanao, who thanked the students for their humanitarian assistance.

"Mas maayo pa mong mga estudyante nakahatag ug tabang sa mga lumad. Ang gobyerno kay gawas sa wala naghatag, nagpalisud-lisud pa jud sa mga lumad," said Indao. (You, students, are much better than the government because you have provided help to the lumads. The government, instead of helping, has oppressed the lumads.)

The medical mission was also facilitated by the medical team from Fr. Fausto "Pops" Tentorio Foundation, which invited UP students to volunteer with them in delivering health services to lumad communities.

The event was capped by a solidarity dance with Manobo traditional musicians.