Tzu Chi, So family thank US soldiers

(Published in Zamboanga Today on January 14, 2008.)


Tzu Chi Foundation-Zamboanga City president Dr. Anton Mari Lim yesterday expressed appreciation to the United States Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines for the immediate response to a request for blood donation to one of its patients due for surgery.

Tzu Chi-Zamboanga made a request to JSOTFP the other day for a blood donor of RH negative type, a blood type that is rare in the Philippines but is common to Caucasians.

The blood donation was intended for Rosa So, 54 years old, a resident of Metro. Manila, who is diagnosed as a hemophiliac, and presently confined at the Chinese General Hospital in the national capital region. Accordingly, fresh blood was needed for So’s case, and such was not immediately available in Manila. While there are expatriates in the area, the donor qualification test would take long. And since soldiers are generally diagnosed to be fit and qualified, and the need was a matter of urgency, Tzu Chi Foundation-Philippines through its volunteer-doctor Dr. Josefino Qua, requested Tzu Chi Foundation-Zamboanga to request from JSOTFP.

Immediately responding to the request, JSOTFP commander Col. William Coultrup ordered the US military’s medical team to facilitate said request on Friday evening. On Saturday morning, a US soldier donated blood at the Blood Bank of the Philippine National Red Cross based in Pettit Barracks, this city.

The blood bag was immediately flown to Manila on the same day, in time for the surgical operation of Rosa So.

Three bags were actually needed by the patient, but owing to the relatively small number of US military presence in southern Philippines at this time, only three soldiers had the same blood type match. As of Saturday, one was in Tawi-Tawi, and the other was diagnosed to be unsuitable to donate blood.

The So family members had been informed of the response of JSOTFP as early as Friday evening and were most thankful for the assistance. Through Dr. Lim, they conveyed their gratitude to the US military commander and the US soldier who immediately
responded to the request, as well as to the medical team that facilitated the process.

The US military are in the Philippines as per provisions in the Mutual Defense Treaty, and the Visiting Forces Agreement, in support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the fight against global terrorism. While they have been involved in several local projects for development in the areas, they have for a number of times responded to requests for assistance of humanitarian nature, such as the above case. In 2006, three US soldiers also gave donation to a three-year old girl from Zamboanga Del Norte who was then confined at Zamboanga City Medical Center. (Frencie L. Carreon)