Public urged: Join fund-raising caravan for dialysis patients

Lay-ay Festival feature 

By Andrew Doga-ong

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The Kataguan Dialysis Patients Organization, Inc. urged the public to participate in Kataguan Caravan to raise funds for the dialysis patients of the province.

The  “caravan for a cause,” a fund-raising activity scheduled April 6, is part of activities of Mountain Province 50th foundation anniversary and 13th Lang-ay Festival slated on April 3-9.

Here, participants, drive their vehicles along scenic spots of the province starting and back in this capital town. 

The Caravan For-a-Cause 2017 “Drive for Life” is headed by Kataguan Dialysis Patients Organization, a group of dialysis patients from Mountain Province, in partnership with the Office of Congressman Maximo Dalog Sr., provincial government, non-government organizations, religious sector and the community.

Records at the Office of the Congressman showed 104 kidney patients from the province are undergoing hemodialysis treatment in various hospitals of the country.

Dalog, during the first Kataguan Caravan for a cause in 2015, said the activity will not only raise funds for dialysis patients but promote tourist spots of the province.

Roger Sacyaten, head of the secretariat of this year’s Lang-ay Festival presented the caravan route.

Starting point would be MPGCHS Eyeb ground in Bontoc then to Dawdawan, Sabangan. The caravan would then proceed to Mt. Polis in Bagnen, Bauko where participants can view mountain sceneries including the Sleeping Beauty, a mountain formation.

Following the newly constructed DOT-DPWH tourism road towards Sagada, participants will have stop overs and have a walk to the mouth of Balangagan, Sumaguing and Lumiang caves.

They will drop by at Saint Mary the Virgin Church to pray for dialysis patients, after which they will proceed to the horse stable at sitio Mabbay, Sagada Poblacion along the Sagada- Bontoc road for lunch and program.

Coordinators of the caravan advised the participants to be at the Eyeb grounds by 6 a,m. for further instruction.

Sponsorship tickets are pegged at P2, 000 P1, 000 and P250.