2009: The year that was

If the past cannot teach the present and the father cannot teach the son, then history need not have bothered to go on, and the world has wasted a great deal of time. ~Russell Hoban

With the year almost over, it is always good to look back at the year that was. To move forward, we need to look back and see what needs to be avoided, what needs to be improved and what needs to be done.

This year was both full of challenges and blessings. In the past months, we lost at least four patients including one emerging leader Percival "Rex" Retuya. While their deaths all brought sadness to their loved ones and all of us in the local hemophilia community, I 've been mostly affected by the untimely demise of Rex. In the past two years that I've known Rex, I admired his resolve to help others despite his poverty. He had been among those actively pushing others to form a support group and visit those who were sick. He initiated a livelihood program for bleeders so that they would not have to be a burden on their families.

He was one of those patients who, despite their condition, tried to rise above the challenge no matter what. (Photo: Rex Retuya's wife and daughter at his wake.)

In May, HAPLOS, the oldest hemophilia group in the Philippines, elected a new set of officers. The new officers promised to work harder. It's never easy to run an organization with so much needs to address. And I pray for strength and wisdom for all the officers and members. My only wish is for more members to become active, for new volunteers to rise up, for everyone to work together for common good.

In June, a new group came into being - the Blood Brothers of the Philippines. Developments like this should be welcomed. There is just too much work to be done for a single organization to address all concerns.

Personally, I have so much aspirations for bleeders in the Philippines. Foremost of which is the institutionalization of hemophilia care in the country. If bleeders in other countries succeeded in getting government support, I do not see any reason why we cannot. But this can only be achieved if visions are put into action. A wise man once said, "People perish for lack of vision." Vision guides us to where were are going. It is the light to our path. Without it, we cannot expect to get anywhere.

This year, I have chosen to be more of an outsider. This doesn't mean though that my desire to help bleeders have dwindled. Not at all. But by being an outsider, I see things more objectively and it enabled me help more people. I've gained more friends this year as I reach out, in my own little way, to bleeders all over the Philippines.

Just last month, I met a young couple -- Ian and Yuen -- parents of cute baby boy Caleb who was diagnosed with hemophilia just shortly after his birth. It has not been easy for them and I pray that their bond will strengthen as they raise their angel Caleb together.

(Baby Caleb, photo courtesy of his cool granny Irene Alejandro.)

On a more personal note, the impact of von Willebrand disease has become more pronounced this year when I started to bleed more than ever. After some tests, doctors found that I have a thickened uterus and myoma. My OB-Gyn recommended a biopsy operation but because of my bleeding disorder, I could not undergo an invasive procedure. (My mother died while undergoing biopsy operation.) Based on my own research though, thickening of the uterus wall is usually associated with continued profuse bleeding. So top of my wish list is to see an expert on women with bleeding disorders, which I hope to be able to finally do in February 2010.

Thankfully, Star had lesser bleeding episodes this year. Though her monthly periods started last September, we are grateful to God that it has not been as profuse as we expected.

2009 had been an eventful year -- both good and not so good, that is. But as the Good Book says, in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Despite the pains, hurts and disappointments we experienced this year, we have so much to thank God for -- the lessons learned, new friends gained, little successes, better health, more strength, among so many other things to be thankful for. Sometimes, blessings come in little packages. But big or small, we must thank God for it all. As we face another year, I pray for everyone in the bleeders' circle to have more strength, better health, better relationships and more blessings!

THIS IS MY STORY…by Tessie Aquino-Oreta

God, sometimes, plays a difficult joke on us if only to call our attention. I am so privileged to see up close how God moved and continues to move in the life former Sen. Ninoy Aquino's favorite sister, Sen. Tessie Aquino-Oreta.

Sen. Tessie is not running for any position in 2010, and so I guess she wouldn't mind my sharing her story.


------------------------
THIS IS MY STORY…
By Tessie Aquino-Oreta



I've always thought of myself as a real favored child of God -- born to a good family, had good education, married a good husband, have good children. Whatever I wanted to do, I always succeeded. And somehow amidst the success, I forgot that I was only favored. Soon, everything went into my head. I began to believe that I, Tessie Aquino-Oreta, was great.

I started politics in the '80s. Very young and passionate, I ran in Malabon-Navotas even when surveys say I had very low awareness level. My brother Paul told me I was crazy for running when I was practically unknown. And so I challenged him, "What will make me win?"

A political strategist as he is, he gave me a long "to do" list and I followed it to the letter. When I won, the first thing I said to my brother was "See, I told you I can do it!"


I won a second term and then a third term. After my last term in Congress, I vied for the Senate. Again, my brother told me I was crazy. But I was confident. I never failed in whatever I did.


Somehow in the process, I forgot my successes were only God's favors. Pride crept into my being, into my heart.


When I won a seat in the Senate, I felt I was on top of the world. Sikat na sikat na ako! Sometimes, even just one phone call can make a difference in the lives of others. I tasted real power. I became proud.

Sadly, I started to forget that Someone up there planned for everything. And that everything that happens in our lives, and in my case, in my own life, has a purpose.

Fortunately, the one who planned my life didn't give up on me.

One day, at the height of my political career, maybe God thought, "My child, enough with your vanities. You have to know Who is in charge here. You need a little spanking."

And so, in January 2001, in just 5 to 7 seconds God caused everything to change. My world crumbled. I became the most maligned person in this country. I was used. Abused, if I may say so.


In that darkest moment of my life I remembered my God. The Lord led me to Victory Christian Fellowship. Soon, I became a regular not because of anything but somehow because I found peace and I found joy. People were so kind to me. They were going out of their way to provide me the strength that I needed. To guide me amidst the confusion.

It has never been a very easy walk for me. Not at all. Even as I regularly attend services and my small group Bible studies, I still had struggles. One day, I came into this verse -- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

Suddenly, the Word became so clear to me. This is it. This is why even after I surrendered my life to the Lord, I was still confused – because I meddled in what the Lord was doing in my life. I had not really completely submitted to His Lordship.

Tessie kept interfering with what the Lord was doing in my life. So right at that very moment, I asked the Lord, "Lord, please take over. It's not anymore about me, Lord. It is all about You."

The Bible says that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Now, I came to fully understand that God lifts us up then breaks us in order to make us whole again.

That was exactly what happened to me in 2001. God broke me so that He can mold me, according to His ways.

As I studied the Word of God, I realized that for me to really enjoy His forgiveness, I also have to seek forgiveness from the people I have hurt. I realized that I have hurt the sensibilities of a lot of people for that what I did during the impeachment trial.

So in every opportunity that I have, I took it upon myself to ask for forgiveness from those who were hurt by my arrogance, by my haughtiness. It has not been easy. Yet, in so doing, I have seen how God has truly blessed me.

I used to keep on looking for a leader. But now I have stopped because I have found Him, my one True Leader. Now, I am very sure my Leader will always be here to guide me, to enlighten me, to tell me what to do. Now I have found a Leader who will always be there for me, to fight for me, One who will never leave me.


- End -

Reflections of a biker

And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. - Hebrews 12.1

Life is so much like biking. Sometimes you pedal with a breeze. Sometimes you struggle a little. When the road is uphill, you need to exert more, sometimes to the point of exhaustion. Yet sometimes, you just have to be still and let go of the wheel.

Biking always refreshes me. It has become my refuge of sorts. It gives me time to be alone with God, to listen to Him, to pour out my heart to Him.

Today as I biked, my uphill route became more noticeable than in the past months. At one point, I wanted to get off my bike and just walk. Ironically, I've been taking the same route for years now and yet not once have I actually gotten off and walked. So I had to remind myself that a few more pedals and I would be fine.

In life, there are times of highs and lows, of struggles, of triumphs, and of letting go. We like it when we don't have to struggle much -- like biking and the path we're taking is easy. We like it even more when we are showered with blessings though we know we don't deserve it -- like biking on a downhill path and all we have to do is let go. But when life becomes a struggle, it is sometimes more convenient to give up than go on and face the uphill battle. Thankfully, we have a God who fights the battles for us. We just need to surrender all our struggles to Him. And just like in biking, all we have to do is keep on pushing the pedal of perseverance.

Let me share another favorite Words of Wisdom from the wisest man who ever lived.

A Time for Everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV)

¹ There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

² a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

³ a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

⁴ a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

⁵ a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

⁶ a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

⁷ a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

⁸ a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Haunted by a ghost

I've never been afraid of ghosts. Until very recently. This one is of the proverbial kind. Not your ordinary ghost. A very strong kind that has shaken the wits out of me -- the ghost of my past.


This encounter with the proverbial ghost has really been so humbling. I am human after all. Weak. Vulnerable. But I am also a spiritual being. A child of God. With Jesus in my heart, I only need to look at His face. And with Jesus on my side, who can be against me? On my own, it is very difficult to win the battle. In fact, I don't know how I will be able to survive it apart from God's grace. It is when we rely on our own strengths that we lose. But with Jesus fighting for us, we can rest assured that even before it has started, He has already finished it. And so I cast my cares to Him, the Giver of Life.

We will all encounter ghosts at some points in our lives -- of different kinds and forms. Ghosts that we thought have long been burried. Or ghosts that we never even thought existed. It will definitely not be easy. But if we fix our eyes on Jesus, the perfector of our faith, we can carry it on. After all, it is not our battle anymore. It is His.

In times like this, I find strength in God's assurance that He is our Light and our Salvation. He is our refuge, our Strong Tower. If you are faced with the same struggle, fear not. For He will never leave us nor forsake us. He is our Mighty Warrior.

Let me share one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. May it speak to your hearts as it did to me.



Psalm 27 (English Standard Version)
The LORD Is My Light and My Salvation


1The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?

2When evildoers assail me
to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
it is they who stumble and fall.

3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in his temple.

5 For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.

6 And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud;
be gracious to me and answer me!

8 You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you,
"Your face, LORD, do I seek."

9 Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
O God of my salvation!

10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
but the LORD will take me in.

11 Teach me your way, O LORD,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.

12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD!

This Warrior is a Child

Sometimes, we may seem strong on the outside. Undaunted. Determined. Upright.  But really, is there anybody who can claim that he can go on to the battle alone?  Thank God for Gary V.  This song is a great reminder that even warriors can sometimes be weak on the inside.  We all need Someone to give us strength.

 

This thing called LOVE

What is this thing called LOVE? Some say it makes the world go round. Others say, it makes one blind. Oftentimes, we associate it with what is pleasing, "loveable." In this month of love, it is just apt to reflect on the true meaning of this four-letter-word. Here's an insightful reflection from Pastor Joey Bonifacio. Read on and spread the gospel of LOVE.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 

Here's are the 4 things that constitute love:

Love is being patient and kind. Whether we are dealing with a spouse, child, friend, associate or neighbor, to love someone is simply to be patient and kind to them.  

How do we know when we are not being patient or kind? When we envy. That's probably because we are impatient that God has blessed others more. When we boast. That's probably because we are impatient and unkind and wanting to prove ourselves better than others. You can figure the rest of this one out. It is impatience and unkindness that make us rude, self-seeking, angry and delighting in the shortcomings and failures of others.

For patience and kindness to be love it has to be done with rejoicing. A waiter, a boss, a lawyer, insurance agent, realtor, friend or spouse can all be patient and kind but the question is are they rejoicing as they do it or are they tolerating you because of what they can get in return.  

True love rejoices with the truth of anyone's limitations while continuing to be patient and kind. It rejoices in the midst of shortcomings, it rejoices where there are failures, disappointments and frustrations. It is able to smile and laugh as it faces the truth and insists on finding joy. This is who Jesus is.
 
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12: 2

Jesus died on the cross with patience and kindness. His patience and kindness is the same reason why He came. But the more important point is that He did it for the joy set before Him. The joy of seeing us enter in to eternal fellowship with Him and the Father. Patience and kindness done with joy is love.

Finally, it says it always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. To love is to live in always. That simply means to be faithful no matter what.  

Love is patience, kindness, joy and faithfulness.  

Fact is it is not easy to love. While we were created to love, it can be challenge to love the unlovable always. The power to love comes from knowing God's love. Only when we realize and understand how patient, kind, joyful and faithful God has been toward us will we be able to love others the same way.

The good news is when we love we find fulfillment and completeness because love never fails.

Amore means love

Finally, I'm here in this place where my parents started their lives together as husband and wife. I have always wanted to visit Zamboanga because of my fascination over the love story of our parents. Mama and papa met in Negros during their high school days. I don't know how long they had been together, but apparently, the relationship displeased mama's family. They sent her on exile to this city, where mama lived with her relatives. 

Undaunted, papa went after her. Though Zamboanga was a strange place for him, papa went out in pursuit of his lady love. For one year, he went around Zamboanga looking for mama. It could be nothing less than true love that drove papa to brave an unkown land. He knew mama was brought to Zamboanga, but he didn't know exactly where. So on and on he went around and looked for her. Finally, one Sunday afternoon, his prayers were answered. He spotted my mother in Pasonanca park. He then ran away with her and refused to leave Zamboanga until they were able to convince mama's family to let them marry. 


Of course, they didn't exactly live happily ever after. There were hard times especially during the Martial Law years. But they loved each other so much. They were the happiest married couple I had ever seen. I almost never saw them quarrel. They remained ever sweet with each other even after almost 25 years together. (Unfortunately, mama died before their 25th anniversary.)  


When I was younger, I always wanted to have a marriage like theirs. Though not perfect, they were contented and happy. They braved the storms together, still standing up because they had a deep foundation -- their love for each other. Though I haven't really gone around the city, I can smell the sweet aroma of Zamboanga -- the sweet aroma of love

25 Random Notes about Me

1. I dream of putting up my own travel agency cum coffee shop.
2. I want to retire in Batanes someday and live like an Ivatan.
3. I was almost vanished by my mother for "loving our neighbor" -- a seminarian.
4. I used to bike to another town in high school.
5. I almost fell from a 100-feet waterfalls.
6. I'm afraid of heights and depths.
7. I wanted to be a nun.
8. I used to jump off a ship with my cousins. The sea was my playground.
9. I love photography.
10. I want to have a glimpse of Mt. Everest, even just a glimpse.
11. I am praying to go to Israel.
12. I either sleep or eat when I'm stressed.
13. I can trade my husband for dark chocolates. Hahaha! (peace, dad!)
14. I had a "love story" with Erap -- Inquirer headlines for his inagauration and ouster had my by-line in it.
15. I am a full-blooded Negrense. Proud to be Bisaya!
16. I don't believe in religion. It's all about personal relationship with Jesus.
17. I am an advocate of hemophilia and other bleeding disorders.
18. I don't like to travel by myself.
19. I don't like spending on gadgets. Waste of money.
20. I am friendly. I talk to strangers.
21. I named all my kids after their grand/great grandparents.
22. I drink at least five mugs of coffee a day. Can't live without it.
23. I'm a sentimental fool. I keep old stuff.
24. I seriously thought I was gonna have a heart attack while riding Disney's Space Mountain. Never prayed that hard I guess.
25. I think typhoon-watching in Batanes is cool.
    
    

His name is blessed

"I will cause my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." - Exodus 33.19

I love to share the story of Ben over and over again. He is a living testimony of God's endless miracles. Seeing Ben grow up into a talented, intelligent boy, is a bonus many times over.  

Every year as we celebrate his birthday, I become emotional. Not that I love him more. Dick and I are equally blessed with the girls and we love the three of them not less than any other. The girls are as talented and lovable in different ways. But the birth of Ben was a turning point in my life, and maybe in my hubby's as well, in so many ways. 

The uncertainty of his survival becomes fresh every time he turns a year older. I can still picture Ben as the helpless tiny baby inside the incubator in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. His arms were just a little bigger than my thumb. Yet, each of his tiny hands and one of his foot had IV tubes. He had another IV on the head because the doctors couldn't find any suitable vein on his other foot. He was breathing only through a ventilator. They fed him my milk through a tube placed on his nostril.  

The day Ben went into cardiac arrest a few days after his birth was probably the worst day of my life. The days that followed, not knowing whether or not he would survive, were so agonizing. I would never want to go through it again and I wish no parent would go through such a painful wait.  

But looking back, that episode with Ben, prepared us for many difficult situations we would soon encounter, including Star's bleeding condition. Because we have seen God's faithfulness in the way He gave Ben to us, we managed to hurdle so many storms. God gave us not only a wonderful son, but a faith anchored on the truth -- that Jesus is a Living God. My prayer is that Ben will grow up not only into a real gentleman, but a man after God's own heart in every aspect of the word.  

READ: The birthing of Ben

(Photos: 1-month-old Ben shortly after he left the hospital. One-year-old Ben. 7-year-old Ben with me in a coverage in Baguio. And the handsome 14-year-old Ben.)

Merry Christmas!

Memories of you

(photo by Noe Carillo)

There are moments when loneliness suddenly creeps in like an unwelcome guest. Sunday was one such moment.

As Star and I were walking through The Block, I caught a glimpse of Aristocrat on the third floor. Suddenly, memories of my last meal with my father flashed back, bringing a tinge of pain in my heart. It was a simple but special meal. He flew in the day before just to celebrate my birthday with us. Serendipitously, as far as I can remember, it was the only birthday I had spent with my father in my whole life.

I mumbled to Star how I feel sad everytime I walk by that part of SM North Edsa. But this wonder girl from you-don't-know-where, replied, "Memories of the people you love are worth more than millions and millions of kilometers of gold." With that, this 9-year-old turning-30 girl said I should be happy to see where I spent my last memorable meal with my father. Come to think of it...

Star is right. Memories of our loved-ones are worth more than all the golds in the world. As we commemorate All Souls day in a few days, may we lovingly honor our beloved who have moved on ahead of us.

But more importantly, may we try harder every day to show the people we love how much we value them while they are still with us.

Hemophilia in the Philippines

The past few days had been depressing for me. I went to the Visayas over the weekend with Project Share founder Laurie Kelley, volunteer Rose Noyes and Columban priest Fr. Don Kill to visit hemophiliacs.

Project Share is a US-based humanitarian organization that has been sending factors to over 40 developing countries including the Philippines.

Laurie and Rose came to country for a fact-finding mission and meet Filipino hemophiliacs her organization has been helping these past few years. Thanks to Fr. Don, the amiable "lolo" of hemophiliacs, we met more than a hundred sufferers and their families and saw up close the plight of hemophiliacs in the country.

The more I got involved in this advocacy, the more I feel so blessed and the more I believe something has to be done. Only few days before Laurie and Rose came, one young man named Warren died of bleeding at PGH (Phil. General Hospital). Another boy died at UST. All because they did not get the treatment they needed on time.

Every day since I learned of his death, I think about Warren. He died because the Bureau of Customs refused to release the factors he needed for his treatment due to a very minor technicality. And this s*@&!d technicality caused Warren's life! The little boy at UST died because his family was so poor they couldn't afford to buy the factors needed to stop his bleeding.

Sometimes I struggle when I hear of situations like this. A few months ago, when we rushed Star to the hospital due to profuse nosebleeding, there was a boy at Cardinal Santos who needed 1,000 iu's of factor VIII (4 vials at about P4,300 each). The child's caregivers (he was an orphan) could only afford to buy 3 vials. The following day, he died. It was way too late when he got the transfusion. I felt so bad when I learned of the boy's death. We had six vials (about 1,500 iu's) of the same factor that time because Star's nosebleeding stopped and her hematologist thought it was better to save the factors in case of emergency. Factors are not only expensive, they are also difficult to buy here in the Philippines.

Star is, by far, so blessed than the majority of the sufferers in the Philippines. We are probably among the 5 percent of sufferers who have the capacity to buy factors when we need it. Not that we have lots of money. Truth to tell, there are times that finances are hard to get by but God always provides.

In the past few days of going around, visiting and interviewing hemophiliacs, stories of how parents helplessly witness their child suffer are not uncommon. In fact, last Saturday while we were in Dumaguete, we witnessed a young boy crying in pain because of bleeding in his shoulder. His mother could do nothing but cry along as she hugged her son. When I volunteered to help her bring her son to the hospital, she just stared at me and said, "But we don't have money."

It was a gripping reality that reflected the plight of majority of Filipino bleeders. Another mother, Manang Rita, narrated to me in cracked voice how four of her five boys died one after the other because of hemophilia. Only the youngest, Jeff, who is the only one left of her boys, was properly diagnosed of hemophilia. But Manang Rita said there was no doubt all her four boys who had the same symptoms as Jeff, all died of untreated hemophilia.

Yesterday, Laurie, Father Don and I visited the grave of Jeff's four brothers in Tanjay, about an hour drive from Dumaguete. Laurie took pictures of the grave, an "apartment-type" tomb with faded white paint.

As we were driving back to Dumaguete, I thought of Manang Rita and the pain she had to endure. While we lost our mother to an undiagnosed von Willebrand disease, Manang Rita's pain was four times over. No wonder she is moving heavens to keep Jeff alive.

Photos: (top) One-year-old Christian Ramos, a hemophiliac from Danao City, carried by his mother. We chanced upon Christian at the Sotto Memorial Hospital in Cebu. He had been bleeding for a day but his parents didn't have money to buy factors. Thankfully, Laurie had a factor in her bag and immediately infused it on Christian. In a few seconds, the bleeding stopped.

Second photo shows our team with the members of Hemophilia Association of the Philippines-Cebu (HAP-C), including my nephew Yan-yan (in wheel chair). Yan-yan is the son of my first degree cousin, Daday.

Much ado about Eheads

All's well that ends well!

Finally, Philip Morris has pulled out its sponsorship of the Eraserheads concert. Woohoo!

Here's the news from ABS-CBNnews.com:

Philip Morris backs out of Eraserheads reunion concert

Philip Morris announced Wednesday that it had backed out of its sponsorship of the much-awaited, one-night-only Eraserheads reunion concert on Saturday.

In a press statement, Dave Gomez, Philip Morris Phils. Manufacturing Inc. public affairs and communication manager, said Radiohead Media Solutions Inc. "has agreed to take over as promoter of the Eraserheads reunion concernt."

"We made the decision to withdraw as promoter and will have no involvement at all in this reunion concert. We wish the Eraserheads and Radiohead Media Solutions Inc. all the best," Gomez said.

Radiohead Media Solutions Inc. subsequently announced that it had acquired the Eraserheads reunion concert rights and that it will go on as scheduled on Saturday, August 30, at the Bonifacio Global City open field.(Read full story)

Investing in the lives of the poor

The past few days, I've been going in and out of the slums of Tatalon as I help out a local cooperative put together their newsletter. It has been a depressing, but humbling experience. Depressing, because I see poverty up close and not much has been done to uplift the lives of these less privileged. But it was a humbling experience at the same time, as I listened to mothers share their joys and pride in seemingly mundane things. How they find satisfaction in every little triumph, thanking God for making their lives "much better" now, makes me feel so little. Makes me wonder, who is richer -- these women in Tatalon and the women of Forbes? Hmmm. The nanays of Tatalon remind me of Solomon's words of wisdom of Solomon. Indeed, if people only find satisfaction in their toils...

I'd like to share a short article I wrote on this cooperative that has been providing micro-financing to urban poor mothers. Read on...

+ + + + + + + + + +

For some, P2,000 may be one dinner’s budget in a fancy restaurant. But for a family in a poor community like Tatalon, it may be a catalyst of change – a ticket to break out of the bondage of poverty.

So says Zeny De Jesus, chairperson of the Inner City Development Cooperative (ICDC) as she challenges the well-heeled of the society to support initiatives to provide micro-finance to the poor.

“Change in our country is possible if we all help each other. People who have money to spare can do so, not by giving alms, but by providing start-up capital for the poorest of the poor to start their own businesses,” she points out.

A social worker by profession, Zeny has been involved in the micro-finance industry for decades, training different organizations across the country in developing programs for the poor.

In fact, ICDC is a testament of how money of those who have can impact the lives of those who have none. And it does not take much to be of help to others.

For instance, P1-million can already provide micro-credit to 500 mothers for a start-up capital of P2,000.

With the amount, every borrower will have an average of P1,000 additional income for her family. In three months, every borrower will also have a savings of P850 since all members are required to save at least P10 every day.

But Zeny says, no matter how small or big the amount, supporters can be assured that their investment to poor communities through ICDC will be maximized.

“Over the years, we have developed a system to maximize minimum amounts to provide livelihood to the less privileged. As a result, they become more productive in their communities. In the long term, their productivity helps our economy because it means lesser unemployment,” explains Zeny, who holds a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship from the Asian Institute of Management.

Aside from loans and savings portfolios, ICDC offers non-financial services like trainings on entrepreneurship to hone the members’ business acumen. A regular values formation program is also in place. On top of these trainings, ICDC gives assistance to needy members.

“We challenge our fellow Filipinos, and even supporters abroad to look into the ICDC program and see how they can be agents of change in alleviating the plight of the Filipino poor,” she says.

The end goal, Zeny points out is to see the development of community partners from borrowers to social investors, and from passive on-lookers to active agents of change in their respective families and communities.

New technology on liver cancer now in the Philippines

Getting sick, especially with terminal and rare diseases, can be draining -- in all aspects -- to the patient and the whole family especially when you know there is no available treatment yet in the Philippines. It's always a welcome news to know that medical treatments are slowly being made available here in the country, and at par with the treatments abroad. It can even be better considering the expertise and care of our local doctors. And a big plus, it saves you the cost implications of flying abroad.

Recently, The Medical City launched a revolutionary treatment for liver cancer patients called radioembolization. It's the first of the kind in the Philippines. Radioembolization has long been used abroad. See Inquirer story here.

I hope they will always pioneer the treatment for von Willebrand Disease in the country.

Eheads as anti-smoking advocates!!!!!

I wish! With the loud whispers going around that a big tobacco company is sponsoring this much-awaited E-heads reunion, my only wish is that this great (dis) band will use their influence for the greater good. How? By talking about the hazards of smoking on their concert night, no less. Imagine one smoke-free concert. That would be double the fun! Great music and clean air (or at least, nicotine-free).

I'm sure Eheads have reached a point in their lives (one time or another) when they looked for significance in what they do. This could be that moment. Besides, Ely Buendia should know the hazards that smoking brings. He almost died of heart attack a year or so ago. I've heard that Ely used to be a smoker. But granting that he never smoked, the second-hand smoke alone that he got during gigs could be a big factor for his illness. (Of course, we know that second-hand smoking is just as dangerous.)

According to the Department of Health, smoking-related diseases kills at least 10 people every hour in the Philippines alone. That is 240 Pinoys everyday or 87,600 every year dying from smoking-related diseases. Public health spending on smoking-related diseases reaches up to P70-billion a year. Imagine how that money could have been used to treat other diseases.

In my family alone, we could have easily spent half a million already the past few years on hospital bills and medicines due to my smoking history. =( Just this morning, I spent P3,000 for my daughter's Pulmonary Function Test. I have yet to buy her medicines. All my three children were born premature (Ben was in the ICU for almost a month), no thanks to my being a heavy smoker in the past, complicated by a previously unknown disease. Unfortunately, they all grew up to have asthma and since they were all born premature, they easily get lung diseases. Almost two years ago, Ben got confined for two weeks due to TB. It was only lately that I was able to put the puzzles together. Smoking did us in!

How did I get into smoking? My father was a heavy smoker and so were all of my siblings (except for one sister). A lot of my cousins were and (some) are still smokers. It was just but natural for me to fall into the trap, like many others.

We have long declared our home smoke-free. And so back to my wishful thinking, I really hope Eheads realize they can use their influence for good, and like their many hits in the past, spread the gospel of making concerts in the Philippines, well, SMOKE-FREE.

(photo from eheads website)

A young lady named Sofie

(Sofie - in printed black sleeveless - with friends at Ella P.'s birthday. Photo grabbed from Ysabel.)

We had a quiet dinner last Wednesday to celebrate Sofie's 12th birthday. Our dearest Ate is now a young woman, turning prettier and prettier every year.

I have fond memories when we welcomed Sofie to the world 12 years ago. Because of difficulty in pregnancy, I decided to go home to Negros where my side of the family is based. Before I went home with Ben, who was then only a year old, I got confined twice at Capitol Med for bleeding and false labor. Sofie was then less than five months in my tummy. With Ben born six months and three weeks, we were anxious of another premature birth.

And so the hubby and I figured out we would be better off in Negros where help from the family was very easy. Few days after our arrival, I got confined again at the district hospital in my hometown for premature labor. With Ben's history, the OB-Gyne decided to send us to Dumaguete where facilities were much better. The Silliman Medical Center became my home for a month until Sophie turned seven months in my tummy -- safe enough, at the very least.

Unfortunately, only a week after I went home, Sofie started to act up again. And this time, it was for real. My dilation already reached 8cm by the time the doctor checked me, too late to stop Sofie from coming out. My sisters and brothers and in laws as well, all rushed to the hospital to lend support. This would be my second premature delivery. Twenty minutes after I entered the delivery room and with a few push, a loud cry of a healthy baby girl broke the silence of the night. Everyone in the room cheered and clapped. My OB-Gyne cried with me upon seeing Sofie -- she was such a beautiful, chubby little girl. Despite being premature at 7 months and one week, she was a heavy weight at 7 pounds.

The first girl in both sides of the family, Sofie was probably the most anticipated baby. And Papa, after 10 boys for grandchildren, was just happy to welcome the little princess. He had an old but reliable crib repainted. When we came home from the hospital, my father beamed with joy. At last, a girl among the apos.

Those were the days. Today, Sofie has become her own self. She now has a mind of her own, hardly running to mama or papa anymore to get reassurance that her world would be okey. Slowly and surely, she is turning into a young independent lady with strong convictions. We pray for our dearest Ate to flourish further to become a woman after God's own heart.

Learning from the Ivatans of Batanes

I just came back from a week-long trip to Batanes. It was a tiring but very enriching trip. My body still aches from the uphill walks and the unbelievable 3-hour trip in the high seas to Itbayat -- the farthest inhabited island in the northeastern part of the country. But the biiiiigggg waves was peanuts compared to our "landing" in this coral island. (This will be in another blog.) So much has been written about Batanes. But you cannot completely comprehend the superlatives until you immerse in their culture. Then you'll understand that some superlatives are understatements.

I want to share an article I wrote which came out in PDI last Sunday. We have so much to learn from the Ivatans. This is just one aspect of their culture. I hope to share some more in the coming days.

Ivatan of Batanes share secrets of survival in typhoon belt
By Andrea Trinidad-Echavez
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:58:00 06/29/2008

BASCO, BATANES -- IT IS SAID THAT NO ONE dies in a typhoon in this so-called typhoon capital of the Philippines.

As “Frank” started to threaten the rest of the country a week ago, 85-year-old Carlos Balasabas confidently went about his usual routine.

He led his carabao to the payaman (communal pasture) to graze, and patiently waited until it had its fill, never mind if over the radio, the weather forecaster had said Signal No. 3 would be raised over Batanes.

Going by the signs of nature, Balasabas knew that Frank would not hit the province.

“You will know there’s a typhoon coming when the cows at the payaman come down to seek shelter,” he said.

The payaman is usually located on the higher slopes of Batanes. When a storm looms, cows instinctively take shelter. They return to the hills only when the rain and wind have died down.

For generations, the Ivatan, as the people of Batanes are called, have relied on cows and natural signs for “weather forecasts,” according to Gov. Telesforo Castillejos.

“But cows are the most reliable,” he said.

Birds, the wind, cloud movement, and the color of the sky are also indicators of the weather in the days to come.

“When birds start taking cover inside houses or go down on the ground, or when the sky becomes pinkish orange, there is an imminent typhoon,” Castillejos said.

When the Ivatan see these signs, they start gathering their animals and stay inside their stone houses. No fisherfolk will dare go out to sea.

About 15 typhoons hit Batanes every year. Supertyphoons come once in about four years.

Scholars attribute the survival of the Ivatan to their communal values and their ability to master, rather than fight. their environment.

Vital statistics

Batanes, the little dot on the map at the tip of the Philippine archipelago, is made up of 11 islands and is fringed by the South China Sea to the west, the Babuyan Islands to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.

It lies closer to Taiwan than to the Luzon mainland.

Located 860 kilometers from Manila, it is the least populated and smallest province of the country, occupying a total of 229 square kilometers with a population of a little over 15,000.

Florestida Estrella, 82, remembered how her parents gathered everyone in the kitchen every time a storm threatened Batanes.

The family would stay in the kitchen until the strong winds subsided.

“We can tell that a storm has ended by the sound of the wind,” Estrella said.

Most of the Ivatan, young or old, can tell the weather, according to Dr. Antonio Torralba, dean of the University of Asia and the Pacific’s College of Arts and Sciences, and a frequent visitor of Batanes.

Even days after Frank left the country, boatmen would not budge despite the pleas of stranded tourists to take them to nearby islands. And the fisherfolk, despite their mastery of the sea, stayed home.

“The sound of the waves is not good and whitecaps are everywhere,” said Robert Bastillo, a Manila-based Ivatan who came home to attend the province’s 225th founding anniversary on June 26.

Stone houses

“We Ivatan do not resist nature. We have learned to use it to our advantage,” said Governor Castillejos.

The stone houses, for instance—vahay in the local tongue—are a testament to the positive attitude of the Ivatan to adopt to their harsh environment, he said, adding:

“It is also living proof of their deep-rooted values.”

Building a stone house requires up to 50 tons of limestone carefully gathered near the shoreline. The roof is made of 47 cubic meters of cogon grass and about 8,000 reeds.

A house is built through payuhwan (cooperation).

“With the amount of materials needed to build an 8-meter-by-6-meter traditional house, it is impossible for a family to do it without the help of the whole community,” said Castillejos.

Learning from forefathers

The loss of lives in various parts of the country in the recent typhoons has made the new breed of Ivatan realize the importance of learning from their forefathers.

Recently, the provincial government launched a campaign for the preservation of the Ivatan’s old traditions. The campaign includes encouraging the elders to consciously teach the youth.

“Our forefathers survived the harsh conditions on the islands for centuries because of [the old traditions]. We may embrace modern conveniences, but we will keep holding on to old traditions to make life in Batanes more beautiful,” Castillejos said.

Copyright 2008 Philippine Daily Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Imagine a world without Filipinos

Thanks to my on-line friend and brother Kaloy, for sharing this wonderful article. This made my day. (photo by Kaloy.) Imagine a world without Filipinos Abdullah Al-Maghlooth | Al-Watan, almaghlooth@alwatan.com.sa

Muhammad Al-Maghrabi became handicapped and shut down his flower and gifts shop business in Jeddah after his Filipino workers insisted on leaving and returning home. He says: “When they left, I felt as if I had lost my arms. I was so sad that I lost my appetite.” Al-Maghrabi then flew to Manila to look for two other Filipino workers to replace the ones who had left. Previously, he had tried workers of different nationalities but they did not impress him. “There is no comparison between Filipinos and others,” he says. Whenever I see Filipinos working in the Kingdom, I wonder what our life would be without them. Saudi Arabia has the largest number of Filipino workers — 1,019,577 — outside the Philippines. In 2006 alone, the Kingdom recruited more than 223,000 workers from the Philippines and their numbers are still increasing. Filipinos not only play an important and effective role in the Kingdom, they also perform different jobs in countries across the world, including working as sailors. They are known for their professionalism and the quality of their work. Nobody here can think of a life without Filipinos, who make up around 20 percent of the world’s seafarers. There are 1.2 million Filipino sailors. So if Filipinos decided one day to stop working or go on strike for any reason, who would transport oil, food and heavy equipment across the world? We can only imagine the disaster that would happen. What makes Filipinos unique is their ability to speak very good English and the technical training they receive in the early stages of their education. There are several specialized training institutes in the Philippines, including those specializing in engineering and road maintenance. This training background makes them highly competent in these vital areas. When speaking about the Philippines, we should not forget Filipino nurses. They are some 23 percent of the world’s total number of nurses. The Philippines is home to over 190 accredited nursing colleges and institutes, from which some 9,000 nurses graduate each year. Many of them work abroad in countries such as the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Singapore. Cathy Ann, a 35-year-old Filipino nurse who has been working in the Kingdom for the last five years and before that in Singapore, said she does not feel homesick abroad because “I am surrounded by my compatriots everywhere.” Ann thinks that early training allows Filipinos to excel in nursing and other vocations. She started learning this profession at the age of four as her aunt, a nurse, used to take her to hospital and ask her to watch the work. “She used to kiss me whenever I learned a new thing. At the age of 11, I could do a lot. I began doing things like measuring my grandfather’s blood pressure and giving my mother her insulin injections,” she said. This type of early education system is lacking in the Kingdom. Many of our children reach the university stage without learning anything except boredom. The Philippines, which you can barely see on the map, is a very effective country thanks to its people. It has the ability to influence the entire world economy. We should pay respect to Filipino workers, not only by employing them but also by learning from their valuable experiences. We should learn and educate our children on how to operate and maintain ships and oil tankers, as well as planning and nursing and how to achieve perfection in our work. This is a must so that we do not become like Muhammad Al-Maghrabi who lost his interest and appetite when Filipino workers left his flower shop. We have to remember that we are very much dependent on the Filipinos around us. We could die a slow death if they chose to leave us.

Life according to Star

I was cleaning up the children's things after lunch today when I found an essay written in an intermediate paper. It was Star's. Curious, I stopped to read it. It was a touching journal of what has been going through. Though simply written (she was 8 when she wrote it), I felt proud by how our family's "baby" look at life. She has always been a source of many lessons for us. Her child-like faith taught us to be stronger. She may not always understand what is happening around her but she doesn't worry. She knows many people pray for her, and for her, that is enough assurance that things will get better. With her permission, I am posting her article below. She also posted it in her blog. I hope other children who are going through a different childhood like Star will have the same positive outlook in life. Things will be better, that's for sure.


WHEN I WAS BORN
by Star Echavez

When I was born I didn't know anything. I just knew how to cry and eat. After six months, I went to school. I was always sick since I was born. I always went to the hospital. I didn't know what was happening around me. I didn't care. I grew up unhealthy (kind of) because I was always sick. I still get sick up to now. I always have blood tests. But I didn't know why. Now that I'm bigger I know the reason.

Last year when I was grade two, I always had nosebleed. I had to go to the school's clinic when I had nosebleed. My life wasn't easy for me -- always going to the hospital and always absent from my class was very hard, because I love going to school.

We have a great school. It has great teachers especially when I was grade two. I like Teacher Christine because she's always happy and she always makes us happy.

We didn't know me and my mom have a disease -- the "von Willebrand's disease." We have type 2M. I still didn't care. Now that I'm grade 3 I still don't care about the disease. I'm not better but I will be. Many people pray for me. Now I'm healthier but I still get sick. But this life (my life) gets better and better. THE END