November 11, 2020 at 8:06 AM EST
Amid Philippines lockdown, a Jamaican pilot becomes a lifeline for remote communities
By Regine Cabato and Martin San Diego
In the seven months since the Philippines first declared a lockdown to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, tens of thousands of Filipinos have been stranded across the country. Limited public transportation and quarantine restrictions have made it almost impossible to travel — notably for those seeking medical help in far-flung towns with meager health services.
Enter Davin Bennett, a 34-year-old Jamaican missionary pilot who has ferried about 170 individuals needing medical evacuations across the northern Philippines on a small plane between April and mid-October. The job has given him a front-row view of births, deaths and many medical crises in between.