NAGA CITY -- The five-day medical mission here of Philippine Medical Society of Northern California, a volunteer group of practicing Filipino doctors in the United States, has been disrupted on the first and second days by the delay of the release of two 40-foot containers filled with medicines and medical supplies for poor patients.

        Irwin Jose, medical liaison of the group, said that this is the first time that for the past two decades they experienced delay in the release of donated medicines and medical supplies at the Customs.

        Jose said that they sent the two 40-foot packages from California, USA on December 15, last year that were expected to arrive here last week, but he said, he wondered what caused the delay.

        He said they have already shelled out more than P400,000 on Monday and another P200,000 on Tuesday to complete the free medical services to poor patients here but cannot spend more if the package could not be delivered during the five-day medical mission.

        A Fil-Am nurse told the Bicol Mail that they are ‘scavenging’ some medicines to perform surgical operations but could not go on because the facilities and medicines at the Bicol Medical Center, where they conduct major surgical operations, were also limited.

        But Jose heaved a sigh of relief on Wednesday after the two 40-foot cargoes arrived in Naga City on Tuesday.

        The medical mission that provides free medicines to poor patients aside from the free medical services conducts major and minor operations, dental services and eye examination and treatment. It has been around other provinces and cities in the Philippines since 1972.

        The medical mission here has been jointly sponsored by the local government of Naga City, Ago Medical Foundation and Bicol Medical Center.

        Ernesto Elcamel, a staff from Naga City’s office of the mayor, clarified that the delay of the release of medical packages were caused by communications problem because the recipient was Mayor Jesse Robredo while it was addressed to Bicol Medical Center.

        Elcamel said they have to pay 15 percent of the total cost of the two packages before they can be released to them.