Before I start with my story, let me introduce myself to the CNMI’s ordinary people. My name is Nicolas Pangelinan Blas, one of the CNMI’s full blooded indigenous persons. I am one of the people working to bring food to the table.
Now let me begin the story. Once upon a time, on Dec. 2, 2008, I was sent to Manila to escort my Kuya to undergo a kidney operation at the Asian Hospital, in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
When we arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, we were picked up and dropped at the Asian Hospital, and my Kuya was admitted there for two days, and then released and given medication. We were transferred to the Civic Place, just across from the Asian Hospital. One week later he was admitted again to the hospital.
Two days later, I received a note from the housekeeping staff. The note instructed me to call Nita. So I called her.
Nita: Mr. Blas, you need to move out from the room where you’re staying!
Myself: Where should I stay, if I moved out of this room?
Nita: Sir, you have to go, and stay at the hospital
Myself: Look, listen and understand! The hospital is a place for sick people, and not for a healthy man like myself. The hospital has no room for myself and my things. My privacy will be invaded and my rights taken away, and that is not what I am looking forward to.
Nita: Sir, but this is the policy and procedure.
Myself: Whose policy?
Nita: Saipan’s.
I demanded her to call Saipan and tell that person who made that policy to stop playing games with the people’s lives because I am not a toy! Then I hung up.
I also went down on my knees, and called upon the name of the Holy One, the Almighty God, the Omnipresent, and the Omnipotent, and prayed: Father, please do give protection and assistance to this poor soul of mine in time of my distress, Oh God! It appeared that I was sent to this place, and dumped here in Alabang, to look for my own survival without anybody to assist or guide me and my Kuya in this “Land of Milk and Honey.”
On Dec. 25, 2008, a generous, young, loving and caring handsome warrior, a Vietnam War hero, a retired Marine, a full blooded indigenous and CNMI descent person living in San Pedro, the Philippines for eight years now, arrived. His name is Franklin Cing.
He said he was once asked to help a CNMI patient operated at the Asian Hospital and later released, but had no room to stay, and no food to eat. What a painful situation for that patient.
There was also another person referred to Manila from the CNMI who was not picked up at the airport, because his name was not on the list. Wow, another painful situation for that person.
And then there was a woman from the CNMI who lost thousands of her dollars to snatchers. Another sad and painful situation for that woman — she had no escort with her.
Franklin Cing loves and cares for the Chamorros sent to the Asian Hospital.
He visits his people, sometimes bringing them something to eat. He knows our culture and traditions and wants to serve his people in a professional way.
But he can’t do all these things to satisfy his people.
He knows how much the annual funding is for Manila referrals, and if given the opportunity to take control of that funding, he will be able to provide transportation and manpower to escort all CNMI patients referred to the Asian Hospital.
On Jan. 2, 2009, I received an e-mail from one of the fellow Chamorros who was there in Manila. She is young, healthy, highly educated and is very respectful to the elderly. I consider and embrace her like a family member.
She told me in an e-mail that the referral staff in the Philippines didn’t deliver her subsistence allowance on Jan. 1, 2009 because the bank was closed. She had no food to eat. Another painful situation for an innocent and blameless CNMI descent.
This could have been prevented if those staff from the Philippine referral office prepared the money earlier, knowing that the banks would be closed on that day.
I would recommend that Mr. Franklin Cing be recognized and be given the opportunity to take control of the Philippine referral funding, so that the CNMI people referred to the Asian Hospital will not go through painful situations because nobody was there to assist them.
This is the end of my story. Thank you all for taking your time to read my story. Any elected officials who want change? Now is the time to act for change!
NICOLAS PANGELINAN. BLAS
San Vicente, Saipan
