With all the pressure of being a medical student in Ateneo de Zamboanga University, the only thing in your mind is to complete the requirements at hand. The earlier you can complete your requirements, the earlier you can have your well deserved rest. Unfortunately, this habit has been carried over for our 2nd exposure in the Municipality of Tampilisan. Everyone of us only thinks of finishing the requirements as soon as possible so that we can rest for the rest of the stay in barangay Balacbaan, Tampilisan. That was the original plan until series of events changed our point of view in just one day.
Upon going to Tampilisan Municipal Health Office for our courtesy call with Dr. Ladeza, we were informed that on top of our Community Survey, we will also conduct a Phil Health survey on April 06, 2015. That was okay because we can still pursue our community survey but we were also advised not to do any surveying on the first week of April because it is the Holy Week for the Christians, which is the major religion in barangay Balacbaan. In conclusion, we cannot start our survey up until April 06. Of course, all of us were dismayed upon hearing the welcoming remarks of Dr. Ladeza.
Still carrying a heavy heart, we went to our assigned barangay – barangay Balacbaan. We were warmly greeted by the residents of the barangay. Smiles from the children were radiant, their hands were enthusiastically waving at us as they saw us arriving at the barangay hall. We were shocked they still remembered us by name. We could only recognize them by face. The adults welcomed us eager to show us the place they have prepared for us. From the Barangay Session Hall, we will be living at the Day Care Center. We felt like squatters, we have no permanent place to stay. Everyone from barangay Balacbaan was so excited to see us but all we had on our mind was the big set back we have on our schedule.
Before we can even unpack our things in our new house, we were invited to join the graduation ceremony in barangay Balacbaan. The event was simple but what happened after changed us. Each of the barangay councilors talked to us expressing their excitement for the upcoming community health survey. Everyone even the children is willing to assist us during our survey. The Barangay Captain, Hon. Edgar Matulin, also approached us. He expressed his sincerest apology on our current house. They were planning to convert the barangay hall into our house. They would put beds, a sink and a kitchen for us but couldn’t do so because they lack the finances to buy all the lacking materials.
Upon hearing those things, we felt ashamed of ourselves. Here we are thinking only of ourselves. How we felt about the Day Care Center. How our requirements will not be met on time. How rest will not be achievable during our stay in the community. We only thought of our feelings failing to see how the people of the community felt of our presence. We only thought how uncomfortable the adjustment of our schedule will be failing so see how people adjusted their schedule just to assist us. We only thought of what’s first thing for us failing to see what first thing’s first really is. We came to help, not the other way around. With this new perspective, we are now more motivated and fired up to help barangay Balacbaan.
Upon going to Tampilisan Municipal Health Office for our courtesy call with Dr. Ladeza, we were informed that on top of our Community Survey, we will also conduct a Phil Health survey on April 06, 2015. That was okay because we can still pursue our community survey but we were also advised not to do any surveying on the first week of April because it is the Holy Week for the Christians, which is the major religion in barangay Balacbaan. In conclusion, we cannot start our survey up until April 06. Of course, all of us were dismayed upon hearing the welcoming remarks of Dr. Ladeza.
Still carrying a heavy heart, we went to our assigned barangay – barangay Balacbaan. We were warmly greeted by the residents of the barangay. Smiles from the children were radiant, their hands were enthusiastically waving at us as they saw us arriving at the barangay hall. We were shocked they still remembered us by name. We could only recognize them by face. The adults welcomed us eager to show us the place they have prepared for us. From the Barangay Session Hall, we will be living at the Day Care Center. We felt like squatters, we have no permanent place to stay. Everyone from barangay Balacbaan was so excited to see us but all we had on our mind was the big set back we have on our schedule.
Before we can even unpack our things in our new house, we were invited to join the graduation ceremony in barangay Balacbaan. The event was simple but what happened after changed us. Each of the barangay councilors talked to us expressing their excitement for the upcoming community health survey. Everyone even the children is willing to assist us during our survey. The Barangay Captain, Hon. Edgar Matulin, also approached us. He expressed his sincerest apology on our current house. They were planning to convert the barangay hall into our house. They would put beds, a sink and a kitchen for us but couldn’t do so because they lack the finances to buy all the lacking materials.
Upon hearing those things, we felt ashamed of ourselves. Here we are thinking only of ourselves. How we felt about the Day Care Center. How our requirements will not be met on time. How rest will not be achievable during our stay in the community. We only thought of our feelings failing to see how the people of the community felt of our presence. We only thought how uncomfortable the adjustment of our schedule will be failing so see how people adjusted their schedule just to assist us. We only thought of what’s first thing for us failing to see what first thing’s first really is. We came to help, not the other way around. With this new perspective, we are now more motivated and fired up to help barangay Balacbaan.