“Lapnos" (Documentary by Jay Taruc)

Episode on July 11, 2011 Monday after Saksi! “Lapnos" Dokumentaryo ni Jay Taruc Scarred flesh... agonizing pain... screams that can be heard from blocks away... These are not scenes from a horror film but everyday images in one of the busiest hospital units in the Philippines . As part of their daily grind, the doctors, nurses, and technicians of the Mindanao Burn Center in Davao treat burn victims with special care. Young and old alike, patients agonize over their injuries as the staff wrap their wounds with fresh bandages. For Cristy, 11 years old, life will never be the same. Her face and half of her body were burned beyond recognition due to an accident with a gas lamp. She can hardly look at her old pictures. She doesn't want to be reminded of what she once looked like. Sometimes, she says, she feels like dying from the pain. Kerby, 4 years old, is a victim of a motorcycle accident. The young boy now dreads taking a bath because that will mean excruciating pain for him. Cleansing wounds with water and soap is often the first step in treating burns, a procedure that is unbearable for the patients. Sometimes, the victims’ burns are not from accidents but from conflict. Being the only burn center in the region, the Mindanao Burn Center takes in patients from other provinces, including victims of bombings. Inside the burn unit, Jay Taruc meets these patients. This Monday, I-Witness presents a poignant documentary that unravels the stories of burn victims in this forgotten corner of Mindanao .