Bontoc donor’s identity puzzles recipients of kindness

Whoever he or she is, this generous soul from Mt. Province apparently had kept tabs on pleas for help indigent patients had coursed through the weekly regional  papers.

After doing that for at least a month,  he or she inserted P3,000  into each of  six letter envelopes, sealed these and then addressed these to six patients undergoing life-time hemodialysis treatment for kidney failure at the renal center of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Last Oct. 10, the anonymous Samaritan handed the six envelopes to the  conductor of a GL bus  with body number 919 in Bontoc, Mt. Province, saying the recipients, or their representatives, would claim these at the company station here in Baguio.

He or she then texted the recipients or their relatives for the pick-up, using the cellphone numbers indicated in the news items as the contact numbers for those who would like to respond to the pleas.

“I saw the names scribbled on the other envelopes and was quite sure they were written by only one person,” swore Maribel Cruz, a 55-year old mother from Pacdal here who claimed an envelope for her son, 35-year old dialysis patient Roel.

 “The support was pure relief.   Immediately after receipt, I texted the sender my son’s gratitude, hoping to receive a response that would somehow give us a clue on who she or he is,” Maribel said.

 But not one of the five other recipients or their relatives also had any inkling on the identity of the Samaritan who just texted them back his or her hope for their mustering courage to endure the challenge of sustaining the patients’ life-time dialysis treatment.

“He/she didn’t want to give his/her name; all we know is that he or she is from Mt. Province as the envelopes were sent through the GL bus company’s station in Bontoc town,”  disclosed Annie Aplasen-Yadno, who had issued the appeal for help on behalf of her brother, Abe Aplasen, a36-year old patient from Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet.

 As he or she refused to be identified, it was not known whether the donor was the same Samaritan who earlier sent through the bus courier another set of envelopes containing equal amounts, also for dialysis patients at the BGHMC.

Aside from the support from Bontoc, Annie said her brother also received P1,000 from a certain Eugene from Ifugao and P2,000 from one who identified herself as Esther Fianza.

Last week, two more kidney patients aired pleas for help through their relatives.

Guigeon FalingchanTumingeb, a 37-year old forestry graduate from Tocucan, Bontoc, Mt. Province, through his wife, Vanessa, 37, said the family could hardly cope with the twice-a-week blood-cleansing sessions he has been undergoing since Christmas of 2011.

“I made an appeal through the papers  last year and I’m into it again as we are at a loss on where to turn to,” admitted Vanessa (nee Balingway), mother to 15-year old daughter Shydel and 13-year old son Eduard Shem.

Would-be donors can call Vanessa’s number – 09099692481. 

Making a similar appeal is 27-year old  LiezleBinwag-=Kinakin who suffered a miscarriage last November and was diagnosed for kidney failure last February.

Her husband, Rafael Kinakin, a 33-year old small-scale mine laborer in Ucab, Itogon, Benguet, said help can be coursed through he BGHMC dialysis room staff or when Liezle is on treatment every Tuesday and Friday at 8 p.m. Donors may also ring up Rafael’s cellphone – 09364474987. --Ramon Dacawi.