Pagcor’s 12 days of Pamaskong Handog

What better way to break the stressful stories in the political scene – the Comelec 2nd division disqualification of frontrunner Grace Poe as presidential candidate in the May 2016 elections and the cursing of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who has also filed his certificate of candidacy for president as substitute for a candidate that the Comelec was considering to declare a nuisance candidate – than stories that put a smile on the face of the poor, the orphans, the sick, and persons with disability?

On the fourth day of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation’s 12 days of Pamaskong Handog, it was not one but two children diagnosed with congenital heart disease were given a better chance to overcome their health problems

Judy Ann Canlas 7, and Mark Kenneth Candes, 5, both patients at the National Children’s Hospital will be able to undergo the much needed heart operation, the expenses to be shouldered by PAGCOR.

To the parents of Judy Ann and Mar, Pagcor’s help is the miracle that they have been praying for.

Judy Ann was born with a hole in her heart. As she grows older, her condition worsens. Latest check-up showed the hole is now about three centimeters big. Surgery will cost about half a million pesos.

Judy Ann’s mother, Lorena said she was getting desperate. She didn’t know where in the world would she and her husband, a farm helper in Bulacan, get the P500,000. They still have four other children to take care of.

Like Judy Ann, five-year old Mark Kenneth Candes was also diagnosed with congenital heart disease. His mother Annalyn Bagispas discovered his condition when he was just three days old.

Annalyn said she had been storming the heaven with prayers. She has already lost her two other children. Her eldest son succumbed to death when he was six months old in 2009 due to dehydration caused by diarrhea, while her youngest son passed away when he was just five days old due to complication brought about by epilepsy.

“Si Kenneth na lang po ang natitira sa akin kaya inilalaban ko po talaga na humaba pa ang buhay niya. Gusto ko na po sana siya ma-operahan sa lalong madaling panahon,” Annalyn said.

This week, Lorena and Annalyn were informed by NCH that Judy Ann and Kenneth were among those chosen to be the recipient of Pagcor’s P3 million donation to NCH to fund the operation of indigent children with congenital heart disease.

“We may be able to finally operate on Judy Ann and Kenneth who both have Ventricular Septal Defect or a hole in the heart as well as patients with Patent Ductus Arteriosus or those with an opening between two major blood vessels connected to the heart. Our goal is to extend the children’s lives and help them live normally,” NCH Chief Dr. Epifania Simbul said.

Simbul said the P3 million can help save the lives of around 30 children with congenital heart diseases.”

PAGCOR President and COO Jorge Sarmiento who attended the turnover ceremony of the donation to NCH said PAGCOR is thankful of the opportunity to help.

Established in 1945, NCH is a public hospital whose funding comes mainly from the government. Simbul, who has been with the institution for 30 years, said most of their patients come from indigent families who could not afford private hospitalization.

“Eighty-five percent of our patients here ay iyong mga masasabi mo na hikahos talaga sa buhay. Kaya napaka-gandang balita na makakasama kaming muli sa Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR,” she added.

The launching of this year’s Pamaskong Handog last Nov. 27 was at the Handicare, Inc.(Handiccaped Care Association Incorporated) where the state-run gaming corporation donated 15 wheelchairs. Pagcor’s 2015 Pamaskong Handog will run up to Dec. 17.