Aid group donates medical supplies to Philippines

Members of the Balaan Catalina Society led by Erwin Gabrillo loaded a 40-foot container with medical equipment and supplies to ship to the needy in the Philippines.

The items, loaded by the group last weekend, include six dialysis machines, an electrocardiogram machine, more than 40 beds, 60 intravenous posts and more than 100 computers, said Rep. John Mizuno (D, Kalihi).

He said the work of Gabrillo and the Balaan Catalina Society "will literally save hundreds of lives in the Philippines."

"He is too humble to acknowledge this, but Erwin should be considered a hero and how he was able to coordinate such a great group of donors," Mizuno said in a news release. "It's just amazing how many lives will be saved by the efforts of Mr. Gabrillo and his partners."

Mizuno said the dialysis machines will be put to use immediately because hundreds of people in the Philippines either can't afford weekly dialysis treatments or their province doesn't have such equipment.

Many hospitals also lack beds and many patients either are placed on the floor or double up with another patient, he said.

The computers will be used at schools and educational centers to help youths continue their education, he said.

Gabrillo said he learned how desperate people in the Philippines are for health care equipment when he helped the Aloha Medical Mission respond last year to the Southern Leyte mudslide, which killed hundreds. "Many people died because they could not afford or did not have access to a dialysis machine, and I wanted to help," Gabrillo said in the news release.