Continue to serve countryside, people’s doctors urged

Classmates of slain rural doctor, Dreyfuss Perlas, at the West Visayas State University College of Medicine, post their photographs with signs calling for justice for their colleague, in social media. (Photo from the group’s Facebook page)

Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial expressed her condolences to the family of slain rural doctor Dreyfuss Perlas, telling his colleagues serving in the countryside to continue the fight or his death would be in vain.

A former doctor to the barrio herself, Ubial also mobilized the Department of Health (DOH) to look into the safety of all health workers in far-flung communities.

“It is very painful to lose a good soldier. But we have to move on. Let’s continue the fight and find meaning and inspiration in our lives. Today, we celebrate the life, passion and commitment of Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas,” Ubial said during a Mass for Perlas at the National Shrine of the Divine Child at La Salle Green Hills in San Juan City on Sunday.

Perlas volunteered to the DOH’s “Doctors to the Barrios” program and stayed to serve as municipal health officer of Sapad, Lanao del Norte province, which had been doctorless for 12 long years. He was shot and killed by an unidentified gunman on March 1 in Kapatagan, also in the province.

His colleagues in the program marked Monday as a national day of mourning.

Dr. Eduardo Janairo, regional health director in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), said doctors, nurses and health workers in the villages had responded to calls to wear black.

While most of the DOH staff in Calabarzon came in white, many sported black armbands, said Rio Magpantay, the region’s health director.

“We want to show that we, too, are calling for justice,” Magpantay added.

In Bicol, DOH employees supported the call for justice for Perlas.

“We are saddened by the death of our colleague. It’s a form of harassment to us health practitioners whose only duty is to help and cure the sick,” said Dr. Rita Mae Ang-Bon, family cluster head of the DOH office in Bicol.

Employees of the DOH in Central Visayas in Cebu and their counterparts in the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Batac City also wore black armbands.

“Dr. Drey left an immeasurable legacy which made a huge impact on the lives of the people he chose to serve. The DOH is grateful for his selfless service and undying love for our country. Many doctors out there who have the same love for country are also living out this sacrifice every day,” Ubial said.

Perlas’ aunt, lawyer Arni Perlas, challenged the health department and all young doctors and colleagues of her nephew to keep doing the right thing. “I hope and pray many students will follow [in] Dr. Drey’s footsteps,” she said.

“When I learned about the incident, I cried several times. I empathized with the family, as I am like that before. After my internship at the Philippine General Hospital. I chose to go and do rural practice instead of choosing residency,” Ubial said, reminiscing the days she was once a rural doctor in Cotabato province.

The DOH is hiring 498 doctors to the barrios and reviewing strategies.

Iris Tagaro, in her tribute, said Perlas had been receiving death threats but he continued. “There was fulfillment in him,” she said.

“He did not play basketball, but he loved to cook—gourmet style and play the piano. He was a leader to all of us,” Tagaro said. She added that he had thought about a health system in which everyone, regardless of age, sex and capacity, would be accommodated.

The batch president, Dr. Alberto Ong Jr. said Perlas’ Habagat Batch 30 was soliciting financial assistance for the Perlas family. Donors may text or call (09177937797, 09285596863), Viber, WhatsApp, or e-mail ([email protected]) for details. —WITH REPORTS FROM LEILANIE ADRIANO, MARICAR CINCO AND MICHAEL B. JAUCIAN