DODONG: Tribal Leader, Pastor, Volunteer

It was about two years ago that I met Dodong, when I joined one of the medical missions of Dr. Roel Cagape in the mountains of Malapatan in Sarangani Province. Dr. Cagape invited me to bless two of the health centers that he and his volunteers had put up in two remote tribal communities. The medical mission team was composed of health workers, nurses, barangay workers, tribal leaders and a team of rescuers. We needed guides for the four days trek in the mountains and Dodong was one of our them. Being a native of Malapatan and a leader of a B’laan tribe, he knows quite well the way to reach the remote communities in the mountains of Malapatan. Dodong was a man of medium height with a well built body. From his physical appearance, one can tell that he is fit and strong.

I can still remember that there was even a part in our trek that we had to climb a steep mountain. Since there was no trail, Dodong and the team of rescuers had to carve footholds on the mountain where I can step on so that it will be easier for me to climb. Dr. Cagape even tied a rope around my waist so that they can pull me while one of the rescuers stayed behind me to push me. When we reached the health centers, before asking me to do the blessing, Dr. Cagape would request Dodong to lead in chanting a tribal prayer, after which the tribe members would kill a chicken and spread its blood around the area of the health center made of bamboo and cogon grass. Dodong is a tribal pastor.

A few weeks ago, Dr. Cagape sent me a text message. He was asking help for Dodong’s wife who was hospitalized because of liver cirrhosis. Several weeks prior to that, Dodong lost his teenage daughter from a serious ailment after being hospitalized for sometime. According to Dr. Cagape, Dodong had already sold his carabao, cow, and piece of land for the hospitalisation of his daughter. And now, it’s his wife who is in the hospital. He does not have anymore money. Dodong needed our help. We can reach many more barangays and remote communities with the help of Dodong as a volunteer and guide.

After I have read the text message of Dr. Cagape and saw his Facebook post and pictures about Dodong, I also tried to share it on my Facebook wall, asking for help for Dodong. A few of my friends tried to contact me and sent donations for the medicine needed by Dodong’s wife. I tried to text Dodong and told him that I am Dr. Cagape’s friend. I asked him how I can help him and his wife. He replied and told me that he remembered me from the medical missions of Dr. Cagape. He also told me that they needed to buy four vials of medicine which cost P5,000.00 each. I told him that I will try to ask the help of some of my friends. I was in Manila that time.

When I got to Gensan a few days later, I went to the hospital and brought some food supplies for Dodong and his wife. I found him sitting on his wife’s bedside, staring blankly on the floor. The stomach of Dodong’s wife was now bloated because of liver cirrhosis. I also handed him an amount that can help him buy the medicine that his wife needed. He thanked me for the help and after a few minutes I bade goodbye to him. Inside the car, on my way home, I received a text message from Dodong – it was in broken Tagalog. Roughly translated, it said: “Thank you very much  Father for your help. Since I was a child, this was the first time that I ever received help from anybody. May God bless you.” Suddenly I realized that Dodong is a Datu, a tribal leader who have always tried to help other people.