AUSTRALIAN-VIETNAMESE
Born in WESCOM Hospital
My name is Nhu Viet Dang and I am from Sydney, Australia. I
came across your blog today after I began doing some research on the
history of where I came from after a recent trip to Palawan for the
first time. My father, mother, sister and brother were Vietnamese boat
people who arrived in Palawan in 1981. I was born there on December
23rd, 1982 at Wescom Hospital on the north side of the Puerto Princesa
Airport. My family were then resettled in Australia in 1983 and have
resided here since. I have always promised myself that I would one day
return to my place of birth and recently made the trip just last week.
I
was told by my parents that the hospital was part of a military base.
As I arrived at the gate, the soldiers guarding the entrance asked what
my purpose was there, to which I explained that I was born in Wescom
Hospital and wanted to visit and take photos. I showed them my birth
certificate as proof and passport for identification. After further
discussions with their superior Officers and clearances, I was allowed
in to the base to see the hospital; however, I was not allowed inside the
hospital itself due to the base being a restricted area. The officers
that I spoke to where actually happy and excited that I was there and
thanked me for coming back to visit. They recognised the history and
significance and took a photocopy of my birth certificate for the
hospital records.
I was only a few months old when I left
Palawan, so I have no recollection of being there at all. I've gone
through your PFAC blog and found it very interesting and touching to
find out what life was like in the camp from different perspectives, so
thank you for creating that as a means of connecting and reflection for
those that had a history with the camp.
Attached is my Filipino
birth certificate, Australian passport and a photo of myself taken on
February 5, 2016 in front what was formerly known as Wescom Hospital. If
you have any further information or photos of the hospital that you are
able to share, I would love to see them.
Kind regards,
Nhu Viet Dang
