For the first time, a government doctor checked on the health of the elderly
Filipino women who were among those raped by Japanese soldiers after their
attack and pillage of Mapanique on November 23, 1944.
At least 28 of the 61 elderly women, who call their group Malaya Lola (Free
Grandmothers), availed themselves of the free medical checkup. They are among
the 174 who were documented across the country by women group Lila Pilipinas as
Filipino "comfort women," the term used to refer to sex slaves provided to
Japanese troops when they invaded the Philippines in 1941.
Almost all the Mapanique village's men and boys were murdered by soldiers
belonging to the Geki Group of the 14th District Army under Japanese General
Tomoyuki Yamashita, accounts said.
It was also the first time in 13 years that a governor visited Mapanique to
talk with residents and bring along the capitol's services.
"He's the only governor who came and talked with us, heard our situation and
personally delivered the government's services," Ceferino Manimbo, 77, said of
Governor Panlilio.
Ikaw mu la kapanamdaman reng tau. Bala mu atsu kami keng alapaap (You
understood how we felt. We feel we're in heaven)," Manimbo, former village
chief, told Panlilio, a Catholic priest on leave.
The governor told the old man and some 20 village officials and teachers: "It's
our obligation."
Panlilio appeared undistracted by the recount bid of former provincial board
member Lilia Pineda, the candidate he defeated in the May 2007 elections, and
criticisms by mayors and provincial board members on his governance style.
The dialogue with the Mapanique villagers took place on Tuesday in a classroom
at the Mapanique Elementary School.
It is a sidelight to the "Pamisaupan (Helping One Another)," a mobile services
program meant to bring the government closer to the people.
This is the eighth place that the program has served since July.
Among the program's services were medical and dental missions, feeding
activity, distribution of relief packages, veterinary services, job placement,
cooperative and livelihood assistance, mobile library and storytelling, film
viewing, bloodletting, training on typing and haircutting, legal advice and
consultations.
Medicines, food packs and vegetable seeds were distributed, costing on the
average P250,000, according to provincial administrator Vivian Dabu.
Manimbo said the last governor who spent time in the village in 1995 was Bren
Guiao, father of Vice Governor Joseller Guiao.
The mobile services program was a new thing in the village, he said. More than
1,000 men, women and children availed themselves of the services.
