ENVELOPING THE WORLD WITH GREAT LOVE

Tzu Chi began its operations in the Philippines in November 1994. Aid provided included long-term free clinics in poor areas, visits to orphanages, nursing homes and shelters for disabled children and scholarships for underprivileged students. Emergency relief was also supplied to the poor who suffered from frequent natural disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons.

In the Philippines, although medical consultation is free of charge at public hospitals, the cost of medicines, operations and x-rays still have to be shouldered by the patients. For the unemployed and those with low incomes, medical care can be unaffordable. Starting from February 1995, Tzu Chi volunteers have provided free medication to patients at the East Avenue Medical Center and the Chinese General Hospital, founded by overseas Chinese, in Manila.

Obtaining medical care for offshore islanders and suburban villagers is even more difficult. For these people, money is not the only problem-the long distances that they must travel also pose a great hurdle. Some of them have been diseased for decades and never sought medical care. Under the aegis of doctors from the Chinese General Hospital, the Tzu Chi Philippine Branch Medical Team was formed. Since April 1995, the team has gone to the countryside every three months to hold large-scale free clinics.

The team provides medical care completely free of charge, and, what is rarer, performs surgeries. Therefore everywhere they go villagers respond with enthusiasm. Thousands of people, often whole families, come to the free clinics, many traveling for hours on boats or buses. There are many patients with goiters, harelips and cataracts-poverty allows such diseases to stay with them for entire lifetimes.

As the number of patients increased, the free clinics grew in scale. Members of the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) from Taiwan and Singapore pitched in at the free clinics. By March 2000, twenty-one free clinics had been held at offshore islands and remote areas, serving a total of roughly one hundred thousand people.

Dr. Lu Hsiao-chuan, deputy director of the Chinese General Hospital and leader of the Tzu Chi medical team, recalled that when Tzu Chi first started to conduct free clinics, it was difficult to find doctors willing to participate. Gradually, as the overall quality of the medical services began to gain recognition, many local doctors were inspired to become involved. "Tzu Chi's free clinics always have conscientious doctors, all the necessary medicines, and volunteers who are fully cooperative," said Dr. Lu Wei-ting, a veteran participant in the free clinics. "These are the reasons why I am willing to provide my services through Tzu Chi."

Combining forces with local resources has enabled the free clinics to be even more comprehensive. The Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce has not only helped arrange venues for the free clinics, but has also spread news of the free clinics through radio broadcasting. In addition, they have also covered all costs for patients who needed to be hospitalized after initial treatment at the free clinics.

Natural Disasters

Project time: September 1995-September 1999
Aid provided: Relief goods



Every year the typhoon season threatens the Philippine Islands. In 1995, Typhoons Kent and Mameng caused lava from Mount Pinatubo to overflow and drive thousands of people in Pampanga Province, Luzon Island, from their homes. In November of the same year, Typhoon Angela wreaked havoc through twenty-four provinces, killing or wounding more than three thousand people and leaving 1.15 million homeless. In 1998, Typhoon Babs raged in Luzon, killing eighty-two people and injuring more than a hundred. In 1999, heavy rain poured down in Pampanga and Pangasinan provinces...

Typhoons are not the only natural disasters to visit the archipelago. In 1998, El Nino caused Mindanao in the southern Philippines to suffer two consecutive droughts. The region faced severe food shortages. According to the local Red Cross, two hundred thousand families needed immediate aid.

When these disasters struck, Tzu Chi people went to work in remote, poor villages in the disaster areas. Over the years, Tzu Chi has provided at least forty thousand families with daily goods and food.

For the small body of Tzu Chi volunteers in the Philippines, the area of the archipelago becomes ever larger. More often than not, a disaster area might be in an unfamiliar place thousands of miles away from Manila, where the Tzu Chi branch office is located. Whether it is to investigate the disaster situation or to distribute goods, the first problem volunteers face is transportation. Also, because the government has not established a comprehensive household administration system, extra care needs to be taken in ascertaining the number of refugees and controlling the amount of goods distributed.

"We give aid and care to the victims when they are in difficulty. If one day they remember this and help others in turn, then everything we are doing will be worth it." Keeping the cycle of love in motion constantly motivates the Tzu Chi Philippine volunteers.

| Back | Forward | Contents |