Man on a mission of compassion
e spends around five hours every day helping patients before going to work at 3pm. He devotes his weekends to them and also takes time off work even without pay to help repatriate patients who have no one to call family here.
To some, he is ‘Mang’ Rey or ‘Kuya’ Rey, a Filipino term for an older brother. But to the many patients at Dubai hospitals, Rey Angulo, 65, is more than that. To them, he is family.
“If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be able to know who I am,” M.C., a Filipina patient from Abu Dhabi, told Gulf News. “I was in coma for five days and by the time I woke up, I had no recollection of who I was. He patiently guided me to recall my past bit by bit every day and that led us to trace my family.”
Rey is a volunteer social worker who mainly assists patients and their families in Dubai’s public hospitals, mainly Rashid Hospital.
For a man who has helped repatriate more than 100 patients of various nationalities and human remains for the past seven years, long before the Year of Giving initiative was announced, being in the spotlight is the least of his concern. In fact, he agreed to do an interview during his hospital rounds “only if it would inspire people.”
Rey starts his day doing paperwork for patient repatriations, booking air tickets and helping families link up with consulates and hospitals.
The Filipino expatriate accredited by the Dubai Health Authority and the PhilippineConsulate General calls what he does his “mission”. He uses his personal time, resources, and even takes leaves without pay to escort patients being repatriated on an urgent basis.
“If I wait for someone to volunteer, it will take time. But if I can decide to go immediately and sacrifice a few hundred dirhams, at least we can help the patient right away,” Rey, who works in a consultancy firm, says.
“For me, money isn’t everything. It’s that sense of fulfilment and satisfaction that I get when I am able to help solve other people’s problems, that’s all that matters to me. No amount of money can top that.”
Philippine Consul-General Paul Raymund Cortes considers Rey an effective partner of the consulate because of his service. “He is a kind soul who refuses to be glorified and chooses to remain anonymous, basking in the simple recognition that only our Creator is omnipotent of all the good we do,” Cortes told Gulf News.
Rey says he never feels burdened by the load because the hospital has been on his side every step of the way. “I call Rashid Hospital a hospital with a heart. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. In terms of hospital care and more, they are really concerned about their patients. I feel that I’m not alone in what I do because they’re there to support me and the patients all throughout.”
Despite his age, Rey said he has no plans to stop his mission. “To be honest, I’m in heaven; I have no complaints. As long as I’m alive, I’ll do it. This is a gift that is given to me and, to return this gift to God, I have to do the best. What I do with my mission is my gift to him.”
Social worker