The Philippine medical team that will conduct a humanitarian mission in Haiti called on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang this afternoon before its scheduled flight this evening to the earthquake-ravaged country.

Dr. Emmanuel Bueno led the 21-member team, composed of five surgeons, two orthopedics, three general surgeons, two anesthesiologists, five nurses, three epidemiologists, and two engineers.

Joining the President were Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral, Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, and Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos, Jr.

In her brief remarks, the President thanked the members of the team for volunteering their services to help their unfortunate Haitian brothers and sisters.

“It is our obligation to help,” the President said. “We know how it feels to be stricken, having been hit by typhoons Ondoy, Pepeng, and Frank. We too received international humanitarian aid.”

The President said the country is short on funds, but it has good doctors and nurses willing to extend help to calamity victims.

For his part, Conejos informed the President that as of now, the first batch of OFWs in Haiti are arriving on Friday. He said 67 out of 290 Filipinos in that country want to come home.