PHL officials in US honor doctors who saved 2k lives in Yolanda-hit Leyte

Philippine officials in the United States over the weekend honored the US doctors and veterans who saved some 2,000 lives in Leyte after super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated the Visayas one year ago.

The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. presented plaques of commendation to California-based emergency response groups Mammoth Medical Missions of Mammoth Lakes and Team Rubicon of Los Angeles for their help.

“Many of our kababayans are alive today because of Mammoth Medical Missions and Team Rubicon. The casualty list could have been higher had Mammoth Medical Missions and Team Rubicon not made it to the area on time. As a result, numerous lives in Tanauan and nearby areas were saved,” Ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. said in a statement.

He recalled that while Yolanda was bashing the Visayas, the embassy received calls from the two groups, seeking permission to deploy teams to the Philippines.

Yolanda had left at least 6,300 dead after lashing the Visayas and parts of Luzon on Nov. 8 last year.

Cuisia recalled Mammoth Medical’s team of 16 doctors and nurses led by Dr. Michael Karch was on its way to Mexico when it decided to divert to the Philippines.

Team Rubicon, a group made up mainly of military veterans, also organized a team for immediate deployment.

While Philippine regulations require foreign medical missions to secure permission from the Department of Health - a process that can take 48 hours - Cuisia said he called Health Secretary Enrique Ona in Manila and had him waive the requirements for both teams.

With Philippine authorities' facilitation, the teams reached the disaster area and got assistance from Pilipinas 911, a local response group.

Because of this, Mammoth Medical arrived in Tanauan town in Leyte less than 72 hours after Yolanda struck. Mammoth was the first foreign rescue team to reach Ground Zero.

Team Rubicon arrived the next day.

“Numerous lives were saved because of our friends from Mammoth Medical Missions and Team Rubicon and for that we will forever be grateful,” Cuisia said. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

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