PLARIDEL, Misamis Occidental, Jan. 20 (PIA) -- Patrick Haghedooren, 64 years old, from Belgium donated slightly-used medical equipment from Belgium to Plaridel Community Hospital on January 16, 2020.

He turned over to the hospital two 40-footer van hospital beds, tables, chairs, wheel chairs, blankets, foams and more.

Haghedooren said he made the donation to the hospital equipment out of compassion for many Filipinos.

He has been touring provinces mostly in the Visayas and Mindanao regions but not to have a vacation, but to donate medical equipment to public hospitals.

"I'm not a millionaire, I just do this on a voluntary basis so we have friends in Belgium. We are the one who gets this equipment from the hospitals. We are the one loading these to the containers. We are the ones who bring it here and we are the one who identify to see where it's needed," Haghedooren said.

"If people approach me, we are going to see where it's really needed, we do not give it to a hospital where it's not needed, we are not giving these to private hospitals," he added.

Haghedooren said he is doing this "so that poor people in the Philippines can have a nice bed and a nice foam to lay especially when they are sick."

Haghedooren said he does not call the act as a job, but more of a hobby as he does not earn a centavo for giving out donations.

He used to be an employee of a telephone company ran by the Belgium government. When he retired, he found a love for doing charity works.

"I was helping a priest in Belgium doing the same thing, but he stopped but I still continued. I did it little by little and it worked. I just want to help your public hospitals here," he added.

First District of Misamis Occidental Congressman Diego Ty, for his part, said Plaridel Community Hospital needed new equipment to replace the dilapidated ones, and to cater to the increasing patients of the hospital.

"Si Mr. Patrick nianhi sa ato niduol sa ato ug nivolunteer na magdala sa mga gamit so nakita nako iyang maayong intention sa iyang paghatag ani nga mga gamit (Mr. Patrick came to us expressing his intent to donate medical equipment and we saw that he really had good intention in doing this,)" he said.

"Of course, gawas anang kulang ta (aside that we lack the equipment), daghan natay daan nga mga equipment nga kinahanglan ilisan so kinahanglan gyud kaayo siya (we have also have many old equipment that needs replacement)," he added.

Plaridel Community Hospital was administered by the local government of Plaridel through the leadership of Mayor Alice Ty. (SMRN/PIA10)