A doctor's life: Landasan

Landasan was a large village (barangay) in the province of Maguindanao - in the southern island of Mindanao - in the Philippines, that was populated mainly by workers of a plywood factory originally owned by the Sarmiento family. Other companies in the area were the Consunji Logging company and the Philippine Ports Authority in the adjacent Polloc pier complex. Before the establishment of the companies mentioned, this area was inhabited by the Moro/Muslim tribes - Iranun, Maguindanao and Maranao, but with the existing work opportunities Landasan became predominantly non-Muslim due to the migration of other ethnic groups from the neighboring provinces of Mindanao and the Visayas. The areas surrounding the main Landasan village and the entire province remained ethnic Moro with the highway acting as an informal boundary. Due to the large population back then (approx. 14,000 - 15,000) there was a private school run by the Catholic Church (Notre Dame), a large government elementary and high school, and a health center staffed by government health workers, but no physician. Peace and order was unstable with the Moro rebels engaging the military very often. It was to these existing conditions that I established a 24-bed, medicare accredited primary hospital in the year 1985.

Fresh out of medical school and internship and with a young wife and two toddlers, I imagined myself in a frontier. The hospital that we constructed was on a wide vacant lot beside the main road to the city of Cotabato. About two hundred meters behind the hospital was the Landasan village proper, while the main hospital entrance faced the road and beyond was a grassy hill with a pathway leading to an Iranun village. We were practically outside the relative safety of the main Landasan residential section, between the muslim and christian communities. There were no residences or businesses in that section, just tall grass and a swamp. Our water was delivered in a truck by a private water supplier. We had electricity, but like most of the areas in Mindanao in those days we had frequent brownouts. 

The nearest tertiary hospital was in Cotabato City, about 25 kilometers away through a highway that was deemed unsafe for travel after dark. The town of Parang was 8 kilometers in the opposite direction towards Marawi City, and there was another primary hospital there, which was in the same network of hospitals that I was managing.

The majority of the residents here were Medicare members and this was one of the couple of reasons why establishing a Medicare accredited hospital was feasible. The other reason was apparent - the lack of a medical practitioner in the area.

We took a weekend off once or sometimes twice in a month to go home to Davao City. This was our opportunity to shop for the family and hospital needs. Landasan is about 250 kilometers from Davao and it took practically half a day to travel the whole stretch. Driving in those days was very much relaxed, because there were not too many vehicles on the road.

It was in these conditions that I made a living for 4 - 5 years. Being the only doctor in the locality had its demands and challenges. Learning the ways of the rural folk, understanding the intrigues surrounding the Muslim - Christian conflict, keeping the balance between science and tradition/superstition and staying updated in the practice of the profession were some of the many things that helped me mature as a doctor.

The satellite image below shows Landasan at it's present state. The hospital was located across the road from the site of the present Caltex gas station. If this shot was taken 32 years ago you will expect more dark green areas, less cultivated land and less infra-structure. The general topography in the area is rolling hills and valleys. Landasan is at the junction of the Cotabato - Marawi highway, Mariawi City being 130 kilometers north.

When telling stories about the southern Philippines it is quite difficult to sound non-racist or not to portray the population in terms of ethnic and religious affiliation. I don't know how long this delineation of a boundary between Muslim and Christian groups has been around, but it is the reality on the ground in this region. Many sectors in Mindanao have been working to obliterate the animosity between these two groups, but apparently a true sense of trust and confidence for each other escapes these efforts.

Some unforgettable and touching stories next.