Bringing Hope: WSFP Teams Up with MORE Power to Offer Free Surgical Care in Iloilo

The World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) and MORE Power recently concluded a three-day surgical healthcare mission in Iloilo City and Province from June 4-6, 2024, marking a significant milestone in their collaborative efforts. This initiative delivered PHP 12-13 million worth of free, high-quality surgical care to the underserved population.

“Ang pinaka-goal namin is magbigay ng libreng surgical health care for the poor especially dito sa Philippines,” said Dr. Lester Suntay, President and CEO of WSFP. Their mission is to ensure quality surgical healthcare, and their vision is to collaborate with various sponsors, stakeholders, and local government units (LGUs) like MORE Power and the city and province of Iloilo to make this possible.

This marked WSFP’s fourth endeavor in bringing essential surgical services to Iloilo. Dr. Suntay give emphasis to the unique aspect of this year’s mission, stating, “Ang naging advantage lang nito ngayon, hindi lang purely adults ang ginagawa namin, we also do yung operation para sa mga bata. Ang mga surgeries kasi para sa mga bata, maraming backlogs. Maraming naghihintay na mga pasyente.”

The lack of pediatric surgical specialists, many of whom are semi-retired, pushed WSFP to take on the responsibility of delivering these critical services in remote areas.

Over the course of the three-day mission, a total of 289 surgical procedures were conducted across two hospitals. Dr. Suntay expressed his gratitude, saying, “With the support of MORE Power and other sponsors, we provided free services as surgeons and anesthesiologists. We couldn’t have achieved this without our funders. We are particularly grateful for our partnership with MORE Power.”

Roel Z. Castro, President and CEO of MORE Power, echoed this sentiment, “MORE Power is very happy to assist and facilitate this Surgical Medical Mission. Nagpapasalamat kami sa Iloilo Provincial and City government and WSFP for this program. We hope it will continue every year. Rest assured, MORE Power will always be your partner for the betterment of Iloilo City and Province.”

The provision of pediatric surgeries, which typically cost between PHP 300,000-400,000 per patient, significantly eased the financial burden on families.

Dr. Alberto Cordero, Chief of Hospital at Iloilo Provincial Hospital, added, “It is a very helpful project especially sa mga pumuluyo sang probinsiya sang Iloilo nga mahatagan sila sang maayo nga pagtatap. Ilabe na ang mga indi makasarang nga magpa-opera. Nagapasalamat gid kami sa WSFP kag sa MORE Power sa pagpatigayon sini ng surgical mission.”

The success of the mission was made possible by over 100 volunteer doctors from Manila and Iloilo who generously lent their expertise free of charge. Dr. Suntay concluded, “We are extremely proud of what we have accomplished and are committed to continuing our mission of providing free surgical healthcare to those in need. The impact on the lives of our patients and their families is immeasurable.”