A medical mission organised by Philippine Health Care Association of Australia in coordination with the Rotary Club of Blacktown ended up with both parties being stranded in the small island of Caluya, south of Luzon in the Philippines.
Dr. Armando Alcantara of Glenwood, accompanied by his wife Veronica Alcantara and Marvin Ang had to spend more to buy new plane tickets from Caticlan to Manila and from Manila to Sydney. Both Veronica and Marvin are registered nurses and active members of PHCAA.
The engine of their boat conked out in the middle of the ocean while they were en route from Caluya to Caticlan. Together with some 36 other doctors and nurses from Davao, the plane tickets of the entire group were forfeited when they missed the flight.
Each passenger had to spend an additional PHP6,000 just to reach Manila plus a lot more because they had to buy new plane tickets from Manila to Sydney.