Meet Doctor Vic Salas

Hello PFAC Family,

 

I worked in PFAC Palawan from January 1988 to June 1989 as the Medical coordinator and IOM medical officer. I took up a position in IOM Thailand and then in IOM Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon) from July 1989 to June 1992. 

 

I'm still in touch with former IOM staff since I try to visit Palawan whenever I can.  The last time I visited Palawan was in May of 2011 or 2012. My Palawan and IOM experience was a turning point--I got more involved in migrant and refugee health care and public health, and I left clinical care and private medical practice.  

 

My best memories--and there are many-would be an introduction to cross cultural experiences, and working with an amazing team of people, including our OPD volunteers. It's an experience I will never forget.

Dr. Vic Salas

Dr. Vic Salas served as IOM physician and medical coordinator in PFAC Palawan from January 1988 to June 1989.  He is currently based in Cambodia.

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Reunited with Twee White

Reunited with Twee White

I did not personally know Tuyet (Twee White)  when she was in PFAC Palawan but I remember her as an unaccompanied minor who couldn't get into HTC-PFAC School because she did not meet the age requirement of the school (which was 3 years old to 14.)   Tuyet arrived in the camp when she was barely 15 and immigrated to the United States when she was 19.  In the US she went to the University of California Berkley and earned a degree in Computer Programming. She met her spouse in the same university, got married, and moved to New Jersey.

One day Twee was trying to explain to her spouse and children where she came from and about PFAC Palawan but she couldn't make sense of what she was telling them due to lack of information so she googled (for information) hoping to find some kind of Wikipedia page or something and found the PFAC Palawan Blog instead.  She couldn't stop reading our postings.  She followed one of the links on the blog and found PFAC Palawan Facebook.  

She contacted me and re-introduced herself to me as a child who used to peek through my classroom in PFAC wanting to get into my class but never had the chance to tell me.

Well, here we are after 25 long years, reunited in Guelph, Canada on July 26, 2016. 

Please click on this link to read more about Twee White.
http://pfacasylum.blogspot.com/2010/09/open-letter-from-tuyet.html