by Bud Omar, PHI '08B

On May 25, 2009, the rights to ten wheelchairs were handed over to the hospital director of the Western Visayas Medical Center. The turnover was facilitated by Brod Bikoy Victorio Φ97 SE 01-02. Present at the turnover ceremonies were Iloilo-based brods Manny Posecion Φ66, Senoi Gulmatico Φ76, Mon Guerra Φ77, Henry Tupas Φ83 and Carl Demetria Φ 98. In a speech, Brod Mon expressed the PHI’s commitment to more wheelchair donations in the future for the benefit of the provincial hospital’s many patients in need of ambulatory assistance.

Earlier in the week, in Tacurong City, another twenty wheelchairs were distributed to indigent recipients, in cooperation with the local government and social welfare office. In ceremonies organized by Tacurong-resident Brod Remo Aguilar Φ94 and attended by the city council, wheelchair recipients and many locals, City Mayor Lito Montilla expressed his heartfelt gratitude to PHI while lauding the fraternity for its efforts. In his response speech, Brod Remo remarked: “With Empowerment through Mobility, the Phi Kappa Mu, Free Wheelchair Mission and the Social Welfare Department of this City and together with several partners nationwide, will change over 1600 lives including twenty for this city.”

Empowerment through Mobility was started in 2007 through the efforts of California-based Brod Ruffy Co and in coordination with Free Wheel Chair Mission, a “faith-based nonprofit organization dedicated to providing wheelchairs for the impoverished disabled” throughout the world. During its first run, 550 prefabricated wheelchairs were distributed by the fraternity to hospitals and local governments from Manila, Quezon, and Olongapo to Mindoro, Palawan and Lanao. Now on its second run this year, another 1100 wheelchairs have already been shipped and are planned for distribution to partner institutions across the country.

It is rather apt to see that during the 30th founding anniversary of the PagKalMa, the fraternity’s socio-civic arm, the PHI spirit of service is alive and well, in brods from California to Tacurong.

Brod Remo’s speech is transcribed in full at:

http://orthologbook.blogspot.com/2009/05/changing-lives-of-persons-with.html