RDL-CLEAR Defies Habagat
by Lyndon Fadri

The southwestern monsoon, popularly known as habagat, unexpectedly came earlier this year and threatened to stop RDL-CLEAR in its missions for the Province of Romblon this year. Lashing out its fury that caused the waves to rumble, rendering the seas impassable by motorboats plying the islands most of the time, it came close but not quite. The PETA workshops in Odiongan (see related story) and Sibuyan went well. The medical team braved the restless seas to successfully conduct the medical mission in Simara. While it thwarted RDL-CLEAR activities in Banton during the last week of May, the RDL-CLEAR leadership with Ismael Fabicon at the forefront could not be denied. Some events of the cultural sportstacle pushed through on May 31. A symposium was held in Romblon State College in Sibuyan on June 19. On Monday, June 23, about 700 mahogany seedlings will be planted in the vicinity of the Rainbow Park, Barangay Lagang, Banton. An abbreviated writers' workshop is scheduled on Saturday, June 28 and the Banton Medical Mission is set on Monday, July 1.

In Simara, close to two hundred patients trooped to the town hall and received free medical advice and medicines despite the on-and-off rain. Three doctors namely Chito Ferrera of the Malipayon District Hospital, Bermie Lomibao, Leila Naidas and midwife Irene Labramonte, all coming from, and the whole staff of the said hospital attended to the patients. Ismael Fabicon, Lyndon Fadri and Philip Fetalvero accompanied the medical team (see related article). In a similar activity, a medical mission was held last April 20 in Sibale through a joint sponsorship of Batch 83 of Sibale Academy and RDL-CLEAR. Read article.

Habagat and a typhoon prevented the medical team to proceed to its scheduled mission to Banton and had to be escorted back to Manila by Philip Fetalvero after being stranded in the island for four days.

The cultural sports - tapas (husking) and kurkor (shredding) for men; pawor and surilap (coconut leaf weaving) for women; and bagoy (coconut shell game) - was well-participated and well-received by the townsfolk.