Operation ‘Tuli’ in Malinao

Text and photos by Joselito Edwin R. Ramos

Gone are the days when we see boys “marching” to the riverbanks during summer to undergo “the rite of passage” to manhood.

Gone are the days also for razor blades (labaha), a stick made of guava branch (paltak) and chewed guava leaves as the main tools and disinfectant in performing circumcision.

Presently, most of the circumcisions are performed by physicians who volunteer in a mass circumcision session (“Operation Tuli”) organized by various government, non-government, civic and religious organizations as a charitable venture.

Sangguniang Panlalawigan member, Victor Manuel Garcia in coordination with the Godofredo P. Ramos Foundation, Inc., and the Bagong Henerasyon Partylist sponsored an “Operation Tuli” in the Municipality of Malinao, Aklan.

The medical mission served more than a hundred boys aged 8 to 15 years old.

“We aim to give these boys a free, safe, hygienic and proper circumcision performed by our volunteer physicians because they deserve to avail of this inevitable life experience of going through manhood.” Garcia Said.

“The boys who bravely availed of this operation will surely be very proud of hurdling the pain of the “rite of passage” to manhood, unlike their other peers who have yet to condition themselves to undergo such rites.” Garcia added.

Malinao Mayor Wilbert Ariel Igoy quoted “[That] indeed, these boys are very lucky to have this medical mission in our town, and this project is very timely since these children do not have classes yet, so they have ample time to recuperate”.

“Operation Tuli” in Malinao has been very successful with the support of Mayor Wilbert Ariel Igoy, Vice Mayor Josephine Iquiña, Malinao RHU’s Dr. Floripez Yerro, the volunteer Physicians and nurses, LAKAN-Aklan and the Aklan Police Provincial Office.(PIA)/TE