What Does The 4th of July Mean To You?

4th of July.

To the Americans, it marks the day the founding fathers declared the Independence of the thirteen states from the British Government. 

For the Filipinos, there was a time the country celebrated the date as Independence Day since it was also on the 4th of July that the Philippines was declared independent from the US government. However, it was later changed to Philippine-American Friendship Day, and the celebration of Independence Day was moved to June 12. The day the country gained its freedom from the Spaniards after three hundred years. 

But I'm not going to talk about Independence Day today. Because for me and my brothers, Independence day has another meaning to us.

Hello, once again my dear readers. Before anything else,  I would like to greet our American friends out there, Happy Independence Day, or Happy Fourth of July!

For now, though, I would like to share with you what the fourth of July means to me and my three brothers. To do that, I will be sharing a story that happened on that fateful evening back in 1982.

This is a story of a man that the four of us always look to. And here is his story.

February 10, 1982, about  1 a.m. A family was suddenly awakened by the loud knocking. Outside their gate, someone is frantically calling.

  "Doc! Wake up! We've got an emergency "

   It's the ambulance driver of the public hospital in the city. There were no phones at the time, so during emergencies like these, the driver has to go all the way to the doctor's house and make the wake-up call. 

    Drowsily the doctor, came to the gate and asked, "What happened?"

    "Doc,  a small plane crashed on a mountain in Pilar, we got survivors and they need emergency operations!"

     Without having second thoughts, the doctor replied, "I'll just get dressed"

   And a few minutes later they were on their way to the hospital.

More than twelve hours later, in the operating room.

    "Ok, she's stable and stitched up now. She's safe."

He then faced the anesthesiologist and said, " Prep up the next one."

  "Ok, doc. He'll be ready  within half an hour."

  "I'll be in my quarters, I'll catch a nap. Wake me up when he's ready"

  "Ok."  

Without another surgeon to take his place, this particular doctor, operated on the survivors one by one. Sparing no time to save their lives.

This story is based on a true story as told by the doctor himself and as I remembered it. 

Because that doctor was the man we called "Daddy".

During that time, I did not know how many lives he saved that day. Until I found the Certificate Of Appreciation and Gratitude that was awarded to him for his heroic deeds.

I can no longer find the certificate though, but I have copied the content when first posted this story on Redgage.com ten years ago. 

It said:

"For acting spontaneously in time of need during the ill-fated flight of a DC-3-RPC 141 at Mount Opao, Barangay San Silvestre, Pilar, Capiz, at 11:10 in the Morning of February 9, 1982. Such a humanitarian act without thinking of any reward helped save the lives of twenty-nine passengers (25 Japanese nationals and 4 Filipinos), thus fostering further the spirit of brotherhood."

He saved 29 lives that day alone. If I remember it right, it took him more than 24 hours working on each victim one by one.

Free Clinic

Working in a Government hospital, Dad didn't have a private clinic. But people would often knock at our gate for consultation. 

Dad never refused a patient, and he did not ask for any fees. Because most of the people that go to our house are those who can't afford to see a private doctor 

But these grateful people would often show their gratitude by sharing their produce. A sack of rice, a pail full of fish, live chicken, etc…

When he died from a massive stroke in 1997, there were some people that we have never seen before who approached our mother and shared their story of how Dad helped them.

A Doctor By Heart

There was a time when the government offered him a high position in the Provincial Health Office. At the time he was already the chief of a district hospital.

He refused the offer. He said he doesn't want to be tied in a desk job. He wanted to be with his patients. He wants to help people.

That's when I realized he was not just a doctor by profession. He was a doctor by heart.

Why am I sharing this today? Because today, s not just an independence day. Today is his birthday.

Happy Birthday in Heaven, Doc.

Thanks for Reading!

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