WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH GOD’S ANGELS OF HOPE; 6 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP WITH MAHARLIKA CHARITY FOUNDATION

(Photo caption: The father and mother of a young child with a cleft lip and palate shed tears of joy as they thanked the doctors of the Maharlika Charity Foundation who operated on their baby girl and gave her a happy and normal life. Over 100 children with cleft lip and palate have been operated on for free by the mission.)

In August of 2007, a few months after I was elected Vice Governor of North Cotabato (after nine years as Governor), my brother, Joselito, who was then newly-elected as Mayor of M’lang informed me that a big medical and surgical mission was scheduled to be held in our hometown.

I was told that the mission, under the Maharlika Charity Foundation headed by Dr. Rizal Aportadera, who, according to my late father, Bernardo M. Pinol, was a distant relative, would perform surgeries right in the field.

When I visited them and saw them at work for four straight days, I was simply amazed at their dedication to help the less fortunate members of society who could not afford to go to the hospitals for the needed surgeries.

Patients with cysts, harelip, cleft palate, goiter, and other illnesses were attended to like they were paying patients.

To me, they were God’s Angels who gave the poor patients the hope to live a normal life.

That proved to be the start of my partnership with the Maharlika Charity Foundation, a group of doctors based in Davao and Cotabato, who serve without pay during their extra time.

It was then that I befriended one of the doctors who became the head of the many missions we did, Dr. Benedict P. Valdez, a surgeon who became very close to my family that he stood as one of the sponsors during the wedding of my daughter, Dr. Maria Krista Pinol-Solis.

Hereunder, I am posting the message sent by Dr. Benedict Valdez, relating in his own words, the Maharlika Charity Foundation’s involvement with charity work in the Province of North Cotabato:

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“Last August 19-23,2007 the Maharlika Charity Foundation Inc. visited Mlang, North Cotabato to perform surgeries on cataract, squints, Cleft, tumors and other complicated surgeries.

“The Pinol Family supported the mission of Maharlika to serve the indigenous and marginalized sector of the province. There were several poor brothers and sisters of ours who benefited from the mission; however, it was such a sort duration that the foundation can not fulfill the expectations of the majority because of there were more people who needed the said operations.

“The foundation embodied its munificent gesture of charity to fully support these marginalized sectors of society. It was an eye opener for the Foundation to have realized the needed medical and surgical interventions:

“We thank the Pinol Family (Esp to Mayor Lito and Ex. Gov. Manny Pinol). Until the present time, the foundation’s presence in the province garnered its utmost support because the mission was selfless and charitable.

“As of the present day, the foundation has operated more than one hundred cleft patients, 94 thyroid cases, 400 cysts excisions, 24 gynecologic surgeries and more than a hundred cataracts.

“Many thanks to the benevolent Pinol Clan for believing in our cause..that is ” Charity Above Self”. God Bless to you and your family.

“It is noteworthy to mention that we fund Cleft Lip and Palate Cases, Hernia 12 y.o. and Below, Cataract and Squint surgeries.”

Benedict Edward P.Valdez, MD, DPBS, FPSST, MPA

VP for Public Relations

Director of Missions

Maharlika Charity Foundation Inc (since 1973)