Goodbye Mama. I love you.

My father Bienvenido Sr., mother Consuelo, and my eldest daughter Elle Marie. Taken at our house in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, April 2010. Our house is not far from sugarcane farms, like most rural houses in the province. My wife was pregnant with our second child then and stayed home in Manila.

Mama is 81 years old. She has been weak in recent years, mostly bed ridden since about four years ago. She was battling a kidney problem and Alzheimer's disease.

A year after, April 2011, also in our house in Cadiz, we visited my folks again. Here, Mama was watching Bien Mary, then six months old.

Lower photo from left: my older sister Lilibeth, wife Ella, Elle Marie, younger brother Bobong, uncle Tioy Angelo, me. Seated were Bong's daughter Lois, Papa, Bien Mary and Mama.

We are five siblings, the eldest, Manong Nestor, died of prostate cancer about nine years ago. My other sister Marycris, is also based in Manila, not in the photo above.

Several weeks after our visit, Mama got sick and very weak. I flew back and visited her again, June 2011. She has recovered days after that.

December 2011, my family visited my folks again. Mama and Elle Marie, then five years old.

May 2012, after Elle Marie's Santa Cruzan parade in Iloilo City, we travelled again to Negros to see my parents. Mama was back being mostly bed-ridden again.

Last week, she was hospitalized. She was in great pain, assisted with various pain relievers.

Today, Mama has rested. Very sad to accept, to lose one's mother. But she has endured pain for so long. Her frail body is too weak to further endure the pains. It is better that she rest, but the pain is on us, the surviving children and our Papa.

Mama and Papa have done their job well as responsible parents. They have brought us up and gave us modest education. During and after graduation from college, it was our call what to do with our lives.

Thank you Ma. I terribly miss you. I love you and Papa. Self-reliance and parental responsibility is a trait that I will pass on to our kids. Thanks again Ma... See you someday when our time comes.

* See also Going back to our roots, April 25, 2011

Childcare 4: Treatment and Vaccines for Children's Diseases

Keeping with my philosophy that healthcare is first and foremost personal and parental/guardian responsibility, not government's, I will post related articles by other authors on how we parents and guardians should take more responsibility in taking care of our kids. I believe that government responsibility in childcare and controlling pediatric diseases is secondary to parental responsibility because the first line of defense towards  better health is preventive, not curative. Good nutrition and sanitation, 24/7 watch of babies to prevent injuries, sufficient vaccination, and so on. For children of poorer households, I will grant that there is a role for government, especially in timely vaccination against common pediatric diseases.

Below, I am posting two recent papers by a friend, Mr. Reiner Gloor, Executive Director of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), on children's health, treatment and vaccines for known diseases affecting children. Enjoy.
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(1)  http://www.bworldonline.com/weekender/content.php?id=45315

Posted on 07:32 PM, January 19, 2012

Medicine Cabinet -- Reiner W. Gloor

Looking after children’s health

Reduction of infant and child mortality is one of the eight Millennium Development Goals that 189 countries, including the Philippines, committed to achieve by year 2015.

In 2010, these countries recommitted themselves to accelerate development towards achieving the time-bound targets involving health, poverty, education and gender equality, among others.

Significant progress has been made to reach the goal of reducing child mortality by two-thirds in time for the global deadline and the probability of meeting the target is high, according to a report by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

On the other hand, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) indicated that global child deaths are falling but not quickly enough.
The UN agency disclosed that nine million children worldwide still die before they reach their fifth birthday.

This signifies that while important milestones have been achieved, efforts must be sustained to meet the goal.

The fight against diseases that affect children has been at the center of biopharmaceutical research and development (R&D).

Treatment advances have yielded new vaccines and medicines that protect children against many fatal childhood diseases, making pharmaceutical R&D for children one of the key contributors in achieving MDGs.

Christmas Notes 5: Flooding and Parenthood

Last week’s tragedy in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan and other cities and provinces in Mindanao was really awful and scary. The death of 1,000+ people, mostly children, still sends chill to my body and mind. Pictures of parents holding the lifeless body of their children, or wailing parents looking for their missing children, often send tears to my eyes.

As a father of two young girls, I cannot help but sympathize with those parents. Children can be naughty and disobedient sometimes, they can be wacky and playful too. They do a big “work” for their parents, like saying “I love you Papa and Mama”, or calling their parents when they are in some trouble, signifying dependence and respect. Their smiles and playfulness bring huge happiness to their parents, and the latter work hard to give their kids a good future. And this is how society mainly progresses. People having ambition for themselves, their family and households, along with their community.

We are here in Iloilo City with my family to visit my in-laws for the holidays. The other night, my eldest, 5+ years old Elle Marie, has been vomiting. Initial doses of Glucolyte and oral rehydration did not work, we had to bring her to the emergency room (ER) of a private hospital near my in-laws’ house. The pediatrician who attended to her later said she’s on her way to dangerous dehydration, she needs to be hospitalized. Then there are also blood tests and get a CBC (complete blood count). Elle does not like the sight of a syringe and a needle. She cries a lot when she sees one, she always remembers the pain of a needle in her past vaccinations. Then to control dehydration as she was throwing out even medicines to control vomiting, she was given the intravenous (IV) fluid.

Her loud cries made me approach the pediatrician again, “Doc, are there other alternatives aside from giving her that needle?” The attending staff said “No sir, she is dehydrating and we need to rehydrate her with the IV.”

Of course I was also concerned of the cost of hospitalization even if I have a PhilHealth card. Another concern is that I myself was dehydrating due to several LBMs that night and the day after. It may have something to do with the food we took the other day in a big party. Then my youngest, 1+ year old Bien Mary also had a few bouts of vomiting that night, but not as bad as Elle’s.

It’s two days before Christmas and Elle is still in the hospital, but hoping that she will be discharged today. Her vomiting has stopped after the IV insertion, she was eating solid food yesterday and looked fine to get out today, I hope.

Since I’ve been dehydrating too since two nights ago with several LBMs, and was weak due to lack of sleep, I decided to have my own tests yesterday at the ER. I used my private HMO card for this outpatient service, something that I find really valuable compared to PhilHealth where members and/or their dependents must be hospitalized for at least 24 hours before they can file for some limited reimbursement or cost containment.

My second young kid is too “Papa’s girl” and she wants to go to me anytime and anywhere she sees me. I felt bad that I cannot carry her because I myself was weak and was bordering on having a fever. It pains me hence, hearing her crying loud because I cannot carry her or guide her to walk.

We were supposed to go to the neighboring island of Negros yesterday to visit my old and weak parents too, plus my two other siblings and other folks in Cadiz City. But Elle’s hospitalization meant we have to postpone the trip after Christmas.

My malady or misfortune along with my two daughters, not to mention my wife who is patiently watching Elle in her hospital bed, is nothing compared to the grief and sadness of parents who lost their children in the recent flooding in Mindanao. That is one “consolation” that I tell myself as I stay late writing this article instead of sleeping early to have more rest.

The spirit of Christmas has been terribly hijacked by endless consumerism and shopping in the minds of many people. I believe that many people simply over-shop during this season, thinking that such things can help liven their holiday season. Being hooked to reading and writing as my favorite hobby and pastime, then playing with the kids as much as possible in my extra time, I cannot relate with the over-shopping mentality of many people. But it’s their own lives, not mine, so I can only comment but not intervene in their lives.

Parental (or guardian) responsibility in raising young kids to become responsible adults someday is one important aspect in building a peaceful and prosperous society. People should avoid being dependent on somebody or something else – like a nanny state, or a well-off family member -- whenever possible. There is big challenge and big difficulties for parents to stand up on their own in raising kids. But in return, there is also big parental (or guardian) happiness and freedom when the kids grow to maturity and they understand the close link between freedom and responsibility, between happiness and obligations.

Merry Christmas to us all. And I sincerely wish a more prosperous new year and years ahead for us. There will be more tragedies and catastrophe that will come our way, especially with the deepening global cooling (and more rains, more flood, more snow). It’s how we help our adversely affected countrymen and brothers and sisters, and how we stand up after falling from such debilitating catastrophe, that matters. We just need to keep our ambition and dreams for our kids, our families and communities. And peace and prosperity almost always comes next.

Pilipinas Forum 11: Women's Issue and Parental Responsibility

I notice that there is big reader interests in "Pilipinas Forum" series, which are the columns that I submitted to inq7.net more than 10 years ago. It's good to re-read those arguments and debates made 10 years ago, and how many of those points and facts remain true until today.

I re-titled the exchange to include parental responsibility -- parents' responsibilities to their kids, to their spouses, to their friends. At the end of the day, when there is more personal and parental responsibility in running people's own lives, we need less government responsibility in building a more peaceful and less corrupt society.
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Exchanges on Women’s Issue

June 27-July 1, 2001

Consider this situation:

1. Mr. X is engaged to a 22-year old Filipina; he is 40.

2. The parents and family of the Pinay, gave their blessings to Mr. X and their daughter, to get married, even if he is still married to his wife, the mother of their three children.

3. The parents of this Pinay, only had the youngest child as their "hope". Hope for what? Hope to get out of poverty? Pinays have a bad reputation in the US of marrying US citizens, for their citizenship, and the money of the US citizen. Specially if the US citizen had been previously married and there is a huge age gap between the US citizen and the Pinay.

Personally, I am confused with the Filipino values. Why would you even give your blessings to your daughter to have a relationship with a married man, no matter what he says about his marital situation - that his wife left him for another man.

I do not understand why some women get involved with married men. Can't a woman let a married man figure out how to get out of his mess first, before getting involved with him? Woman, get involved with a bachelor not with a married man, no matter what he says about his marital situation. If he can not show you any proof of the dissolution of marriage, don't get involved. I had seen women trapped in this situation. Forever na lang silang querida. Eventually, the guy moves on to the next conquest.

I thought before, being a single mom is better than being single and not a mom at all. I have met a lot of single women, and they are enjoying their lives. I got to know one, who died a single woman. She had a full life.

Hay naku, ang sama na nga ng tingin sa mga Pinay sa US eh, (with regards to the issue of "mang-aagaw ng asawa ng may asawa") pinasasama pa ng mga tulad nitong "innocent barrio lass" like this 22-year old Pinay from Palawan.

-Jojo delos Reyes-MacAllister

Dear Jojo, et al,

About this "stupidity" of some of our female folks. I charge it to the conditioning, sort of brainwashing by parents or elders on their children. They load their children with guilt feelings and "utang na loob" admonitions for all the formers' "sacrifices" to the latter.

Such parents see their children as investments for their old age and for sharing the burden of taking care of the younger siblings. Each child is not considered as a distinct human being with certain inalienable rights at that, more so than adults. This is sheer cruelty because the tender mind of the child since the early days are defenseless against such onslaught.

-Roy Picart
 
This is also the dysfunctional aspect of the much lionized "Filipino Family" and "family values". Because of poverty, too much hype about the benefits of overseas work, and Disneyland/Hollywood culture, parents sometimes end up as pimps of their children.

This is where encouraging the next generation of Pinoys and Pinays to develop as individuals becomes crucial. It would be to their benefit (as well as the nation's) to encourage them to strike out on their own and cut the umbilical cord to their families of origin.

-Dino Subingsubing

Jojo, I agree with your sentiments. Here in NZ, especially where I live where there are very few immigrant Pinoy families, about 90% of the Filipinas here are married to Kiwis, and yes, most of them are "expected" to regularly send money and other stuff for relatives in the Phils. I even know of one who paid for her sister to come here and when her sister's visitor visa was about to expire, the older sister "forced" the younger to "find a Kiwi" and get married so she can stay here. The older sister said that she's already spent heaps on their relatives in the Phils. it's now her younger sister's turn to do so.

-Arlene G. Ozanne
 
Jojo: "I do not understand why some women get involved with married men."

The reverse side of this statement is, "I don't understand why married men are unfaithful to their wives and in the process, are cruel to their children".

I know of a batch from a girl's school which statistic is as follows: Only 3 of the 23 who are married still believe that their husbands have been faithful to them. The 20 are (a) either separated (legally or physically) or (b) still living with and are giving their husbands a second (maybe, nth) chance because (b.1.) they still love their husbands; or (b.2.) of the proverbial "for the sake of the children" reasoning. I do not know if this is a representative batch.

Jojo, you and I know that women do seek the ideal scenario - get involved with the right guy at the right time for the right reason. (Many of my friends say that it is rare to have all three, so pick any two na lang daw. Huwag na lang kaya.) The situation you described involves the worst possible combination: the wrong guy (married); the wrong time (young barrio lass with no experience or knowledge with the ways of the world); and the wrong reason (plain economics). This is recipe for trouble for the poor woman. But it takes two to tango and the exploitative married man should be hanged, too.

It hurts to think about this but it happens everyday. What can we do?

-Gina L

Responsible parenthood cannot be legislated, Part 4

Yesterday, there was a good, fast and dynamic debate in twitter on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill in Congress. I joined the debates, it was very engaging and fun at the same time.

Then I went to my facebook account and posted this in my status,

Just joined the debates on RH bill on twitter, enjoyed it :-) Too many planners and interventionists in society. They want more money from our pockets so they can plan the family of other people.

Then my fb wall was (happily) peppered with a number of comments and counter-comments from some friends. In particular, from Danny A, Doods dlR, Francis, and Ted J. Below are our exchanges.

WARNING: this is looonggg. Nice to read this if holding a cup of your favorite drink :-)
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Doods: no to sex education in schools, yes to sex education from the parents. yes to choices, no to religious exclusivism. let tolerance and understanding reign, as long as no laws are being broken and human rights are protected.

Nonoy: RH bill says we pay more taxes so that DepEd can hire more teachers to teach sex education from Grade 5 to HS (7 years!)

Doods: we need more teachers to teach basic education. and more classrooms.

Danny: But if you think spending for sex education is expensive, try ignorance.
The effects of ignorance are pretty obvious: teen pregnancies, abortions and high mortality rates for pregnant women. Can't blame RH for that because there is no policy or program for it. These are the problems a comprehensive RH policy and program intend to help solve.

Nonoy: Parents, older family members, older friends, NGOs, can teach sex education for free. Here, I counted 12 sections of RH bill that say spend-spend-spend, http://funwithgovernment.blogspot.com/2011/04/responsible-parenthood-cannot-be.html

Danny: That's the result of "free education". Or should we call it free ignorance?

Nonoy: Only the state thru DepEd has monopoly of sex education? From other sources are called "free ignorance"? wow.

Danny: And why oh why should basic education be so divorced from human biological programming?

Nonoy: Pub educ has been hijacked by so many interest groups. Gender equality, environmentalism and saving the planet, sex education, etc. Could mean little time for science and math, good english and grammar.

Doods: I myself don't subscribe to the "free condoms is the solution" doctrine. i think eliminating the macho man mystique, gaining respect for your partner and the other sex in general, respecting choice, and empowering women would go much further and actually fix a lot of the social ills especially among the poor.

Danny: Explain the problems cited and show how "free education" is positively impacting on it. Better yet, check out the communities where these problems are happening. It is so easy to spin theories and dreams of freedom from the ivory tower, but what is to be learnt from there?

Doods: Danny: IMO the effects you cite can also be directly attributed to lack of choices and opportunities for women in the countryside, lack of health services at the barangay level, and lack of sex education within the family unit. The RH bill doesn't really directly solve any of those problems.

Danny: A thorough check of the public school system shows that there is so much time for learning English, Math and Science but it isn't happening. How many students per teacher and classroom? How much are teachers paid and why? No one is claiming full health socialism, only education on and access to a full range of options so families can plot their future. Will you let the parish priest dictate on this?

Francis: I hate it when people proclaim 'tolerance.' Do you tolerate a beautiful day? A child's smile? Your basketball team crushing the opposition? Of course not.

So what do people tolerate? Broccoli. Someone farting in an elevator. Your boss' stupid plan. If whatever someone tries to sell you can only be sold through tolerance... screw it. It's probably ugly, evil, without merit, disgusting, or smells like old socks.

Danny: There is no hijacking of public education, only loud expressions of concern and continuing deterioration. Otherwise, there would be no need for a reproductive health law. Without a policy and programs in place, reproductive health will not happen. The important first step is to pass that law. The next step is to implement it. Happily, most Filipinos agree.

I believe the time for debate has passed. Let all arguments pro and con be fully aired, but let a vote decide the matter, preferably a binding referendum.

Francis: I don't think there is a 'need' for a reproductive health law. I do believe the politicos have found a 'need' for the P 3billion payload. With that kind of money involved, they could find a need in providing bubblegum to coma patients...

Nonoy: As I said earlier, I counted at least 12 sections of RH bill that say, spend-spend-spend. Do you have the figures how much they will cost, initial year and continuing spending each year? P300 B/year budget deficit even w/o RH bill is not enough yet, we shd make it P320 B? more? Please provide the numbers. People just approve of something without bothering how much it will cost them.

Danny: No one was asking how much it would cost when we voted in a referendum for the 1987 Constitution. No one was asking how much it would cost when provisions for free elementary and high school education were included in it. How much are teen pregnancies, abortions and deaths of pregnant women costing us? How many poor Filipinos are asking about the cost of information on choices that they can make so they can have just the number of children that they can support?

It is expensive to be healthy. But how much more expensive is it to be sick?

Francis: P300 billion? Not P3billion?! Crap. Worse than I thought. How much is the deficit now after Arroyo's pump-priming plans in the last three years of her Presidency? I know we're broke, so how on earth are we gonna pay for this?! This probably explains why the BIR has been so agressive these past three years. I thought this RATE thing was over the top, but it's damn deliberate.

Nonoy: So anyone can propose new spending, like free bicycles or free motorcycles for the poor, w/o bothering how much they will cost, how much they will add to the P4.7 trillion public debt, where to get the new spending? We've had educ & healthcare for the poor, housing & MRT subsidy for the poor, AR, irrig & credit for the poor, now cash transfer for the poor, soon condoms & pills for the poor. What's next? No one shd bother how much they will cost?

Francis: Question. These meds are essential, so how come they ain't tax-free? We don't manufacture them, so why is there an importation duty on them? I buy dopamine from overseas and it's only P3.00 a tablet compared to P120 a tablet local. You want people healthy, get these damn politicians out of the equation. Then you'll see poverty levels go down.

Doods: Danny: i myself am in favor of an RH Bill, with revisions. It's high time this country paid attention to the health, social, and economic problems caused by our population explosion. i don't think the RH Bill in its current form is going about it correctly. Sex education in schools takes away time and resources that can be used for teaching something else, and I think parents have the moral ascendancy to teach their children about sex and the family unit. Let the RH Bill teach parents how to talk to and educate their children about sex, and let this be done at the barangay level instead of in schools.

Danny: If you really want concrete answers to questions about cost, visit communities were the local government has put in place a reproductive health law and programs, like Aurora province, I'm sure you can find the information, if you really want it. You can compare the situation there with the situation of communities that actually ban or do not bother to put in place reproductive health policies and programs.

Then again, if you've already decided against it, what's the point? The ivory tower is a comfortable place to stay. Just don't expect people to hang around and accept what can be found there.

Nonoy: The burden of providing the numbers shd be on those who propose it. Convince us that it won't be costly, that the benefits are larger than the costs. Otehrwise, don't propose it.

Danny: I don't have to convince anyone. You convince yourselves. the burden is now on those who oppose it. Politics, in the end, is a numbers game.

Nonoy: That's why I dont support that RH bill because it's a lousy proposal. Proponents cannot even provide the numbers, we just have to accept it daw, be an idiot supporter and not ask questions.

Danny: by the way, the latest version of the bill allows parents to choose not to have their children undergo sex education in school. What version are you reading? This bill is still undergoing revisions and the proponents are listening. but to insist that things should stay the way they are, with no law in place, is unacceptable.

Doods: Danny: be that as it may, it only allows parents to exclude their children from such. it doesn't empower the parents to do the proper guidance themselves.

Danny: Saka na ito, time for a gym workout. As I said, health is expensive, but I'm spending, for myself and my family. Are you?

Nonoy: I spend money for my family. that's why I dont want the state to confiscate more money from me so the politicians and bureaucrats can just propose and implement new spending, even for programs that I don't even support. Govt business is coercion, right?

Doods: i just got a health insurance policy from Manulife. :) the only sure things in life are death and taxes. must do all we can to uplift our quality of life, must we not? :)

Nonoy: Yes, we work hard for ourselves, our family, other people close to us. And govt says it should confiscate more money from us, to spend on programs that we may not even support.

Ted: Spending on reproductive health is investing in human capital. The ratios that the RH bill are aiming to achieve are necessary in the context of a poverty rate of 3 in 10. Proposed RH measures will have to be targeted accurately at these poor households. Details will have to be fleshed out through the GAA but indicative figures would need to be discussed by Congress. Yes, responsible parenthood cannot be legislated but women from poor households need help.

Nonoy: Ted, all those public spending on educ (elem to tertiary), healthcare (brgy centers to DOH), housing, social work, environment, agri, etc. are investments in human capital. Why new programs like cash transfer for the poor and condoms for the poor? Because past programs were failures or mere opportunities for robbery. If this is the case, the solution is to improve existing programs, or abolish them first before we create new programs, like condoms and ligation for the poor.

Francis: Yeah. It sounds dumb any way you sell it. I'm being tapped to help some other guy's family. At least I think it's some other guy's family and not some politico's wife's Hongkong junket... Still, while I'm doing who is going to take care of my family? Some other guy the government is tapping? That's just so wrong.

"Spending on reproductive health is investing in human capital." I dunno. Sounds more like you're reducing human capital right there.45 minutes ago • Like

Ted: Helping others makes society possible. Given the problems of governance in the Philippines, a lot of work needs to be done in terms of the effective and efficiency of this help. Looking for better mousetraps presupposes the need for mousetraps.

Nonoy: Helping others via voluntary charity is highly possible. Govt thinks it is impossible, thus govt shd coerce people to contribute and govt itself will do it. And that's how large-scale coercion and corruption happens. Govt can force its way, whether we like it or not.

Francis: Helping others, sure. But don't we get a say in what we can give and what our capabilities and resources are? I can't exactly give what I don't have or have prior allocation. Things should stand on their own intrinsic merits. If something has to be mandatory or needs someone behind you with a stick to get it done... maybe we should be asking what is it really worth.

Ted: Government (the state), by definition, is coercive. And, yes, you can fight City Hall.

Nonoy: So by bending on another coercion by the state, after we've bent hard on its many other programs that were mostly failures, we end up big losers, the politicians, bureaucrats and their rent-seeking allies in media and NGOs are big winners.

Francis: Malacañan, yes. City Hall, no. I can go to Edsa and kick out the President. But when the Mayor declares your street is now One-way... SHIT!!!!

Nonoy: A friend commented that the RH bill is not that expensive, mura lang naman daw. If it's cheap, then PNoy and other RH supporters can chip in, or ask Henry Sy & Gokongwei to donate big time, ask the WB-ADB-WHO to give grants, no more debates and social division on that bill while goal is attained. Mura lang naman pala eh.

Danny: The idea that an RH law means more taxes is a lot of bullshit. If that;s where this is coming from, then the burden of proof is on those spreading this lie. Facebook discussions obviously cannot provide all the information you are demanding for, but surely you should know where to find that information.

The driving motive behind an RH law is informed choice, the right of couples to choose from various options so they can plan their families. Information on this is not readily available yet and in many cases is denied to those who need it. Now where is the coercion there?

I am glad that most people aren't asking questions about budget items per RH provision because no such budget exists. Anyone with common sense who is immersed day in and day out in the lives of poor communities know there is a crying need for an RH policy and programs. They know how much more expensive it has been because there is no RH law.

Nonoy: RH bill is expensive, that is why it has to be done by legislation and all the state's revenue collection agencies will be compelled to look for more revenues to finance it. If it's cheap, then private donations + grants from the foreign aid establishments would be enough to finance it.

In our ordinary private lives, if we want our kids to go to a language school, or ballet or music school, or a swimming or basketball clinic, we ask, "how much does it cost?" But in govt programs like RH bill, we are supposed NOT to ask questions how much it will cost, we should just sheepishly and idiotly support it, wow.

We ord folks are busy working to sustain our households, communities, etc. We also have to work hard bec govt already gets lots of taxes and fees to finance its old programs like public educ, healthcare, housing, social work, agri, env., public works, MRT subsidy, irrig, AR, etc. Then pro-RH bill groups say, "Hey we got a really bright idea to solve poverty, you all shd support it too." But when they are asked, "how much will it cost? the existing programs are already costing us some P300 B a year on average in budget deficit alone." The pro-RH camp says, "The burden of finding the numbers how much it will cost is on you, just support it, blindly as much as possible." Really cool.

Stephen: Nonoy, I'm a bit chagrined to ask this...is the RH bill proposal posted someplace so we can read it? I'd like to know more, but not sure where to look.

Nonoy: One of the mysteries of Philippine Congress and other govt agencies that support the RH bill, it is hard to find the most recent copy. Check www.congress.gov.ph, search "Reproductive Health bill" and their online query system will ask you more questions instead of just pointing to you the bill. I read a copy from scribd.com via google, problem is that I dont know if it's the most recent or not.

My next query was the DOH website, since DOH is one of the major implementing agencies once this becomes a law. They have the comm report no. 664, but it's dated Feb 17, 2011, so obviously it's not the most recent bill with many changes, http://www.doh.gov.ph/file​s/rh_bill_2011.pdf, DOH website

Danny: Not much mystery here. For updates on a controversial bill still undergoing heated deliberations, information online is hard to come by. However, the bill's proponents, or their staff, or the staff of House committees to which the bill is assigned, or enterprising reporters at the House who are actively covering the issue, would have the information

Nice quote: The pessimist sees difficulty in opportunity; the optimist sees opportunity in difficulty

Nonoy: ‎"entertaining reporters at the House..." Which means we ordinary mortals cannot see that document online? No transparency how much that bill will cost, no transparency of what's newly added or removed on that bill. That's government.

The optimists say that even if you keep hiding info from those who will be affected, state coercion will prevail. Cool.

Fralin: P300 B? A big amount... but i'd be happy to instead spend that to buy off the sanctimonious brains and the ridiculous contentions of the 4x4-hungry, child-molesting hypocrites who are stopping the Divorce Law from beng passed.:))

Nonoy: Fralin, the P300 B per year is the budget deficit, or difference between lower revenues and higher spending. Because so many sectors and politicians are sooo bright in coming with new spending each year, revenues always fall behind, so the deficit don't go away, and accumulated public debt keep rising, now P4.7+ trillion. Interest payment alone this year, excluding principal amortization, is P357 B.

And now we are told that we shd swallow, no question, the expensive RH bill, they won't even tell how much this will cost, how much this will add to the deficit of P300 B per year on average. Basta daw gastos lang ng gastos, don't ask how much the cost and where to tax next to finance those additional spending. Really bright ideas.

Fralin: Well then, i hope the govt. does not end up purchasing condoms at P5,000/pc. ...brings back memories of Joey Marquez's walis-tingting controversy.:)) Always a need for a streamlined program and an extensive cost-benefit analysis (after all, we have already allowed the Arroyos to steal billions, what's to spend some more?), but i always appreciate it when democracy is at work: when people are given the right to CHOOSE; when govenment decides on stern realities, and not on dogma or sentimentalities Back to divorce... lolz

Nonoy: There is no assurance, zero, that the political and bureaucratic class will not resort to over-pricing of everything, from condoms to pills to injectibles to hospital lab equipment. That is why the total cost of this bill remains a mystery, a deliberate mystery.
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Related article is Responsible parenthood cannot be legislated, Part 3, May 22, 2011

Going back to our roots

I was born and grew up until high school in a barrio (village) in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental province, in Western Visayas region. Negros island is divided into two provinces; Neg. Occidental or western side is mainly Ilongo or HiIligaynon-speaking, Negros Oriental or eastern side is entirely Cebuano-speaking. The capital cities of Occidental is Bacolod, of Oriental is Dumaguete.

The major economic activities in the two provinces are fishing and sugarcane farming. In Negros, you can look far away and as far as your eyes can see, up to the foot or midlands of big mountains, there are vast sugarcane farms and plantations.

There are many big sugar milling companies (or “sugar central”) in the two provinces. The most famous of which is Victorias Milling Co., midway between Bacolod and Cadiz City.

The nearest sugar central to our place is Lopez Sugar Corporation. The Lopezes here would be related to the Lopezes of the ABS-CBN TV network.

Huge trucks carrying heavy loads of sugarcane, from at least 10 tons to possibly 60 tons excluding truck body weight, are normal scenes in our roads. And they travel round the clock, morning till evening, either with cargo or empty.

The road system is heavily stressed with those heavy vehicles. Although most roads are strong enough to withstand them, some roads are heavily victimized by government corruption, substandard materials were used, so that after several months of road repair, huge cracks and potholes would re-appear.

Cadiz is the northernmost city of Negros island. A major livelihood for many city residents is fishing. Huge fishing boats and trawlers are parked in the city’s port and private docking.

Lower picture, very long fishnets are being repaired by workers on both sides of the road.

I like my birthplace, my family especially. They are my roots. But since moving out of my province after high school and studied at the University of the Philippines (UP) in the 80s, I have been going home less often.

Upper photo is my parents’ current house. Lower photo is the flower garden that my elder sister maintains. It is relaxing to see the house where I was born more than four decades ago. Well, this is actually a “new” house on the same location as the old one has been slowly replaced, from the living room to bedrooms to the kitchen. We are lucky that my other elder sister is rich enough to finance all the home improvement.

My mother is now 77 years old, my father is 83. Both are already weak and sickly. Sometimes the hospital would be their “second” home. This picture was taken last year. I brought my only child then, Elle Marie, who was 3+ years old.

Elle was holding a sugar cane, on a cargo truck. When we were young, we had few neighbors, a sugarcane farm is just a few meters away from our house. We would go in and out of the sugarcane field to play hide and seek, to find spiders, or simply to unload poo-poo. Now we have several new neighbors, but the sugarcane fields are still not far.

I went home a few days ago, last week, brought my wife and two daughters. Here, my mother and her 6+ months old granddaughter, Bien Mary. They are almost four generations apart.

Going back to my roots, my parents, siblings, relatives. Then leave them behind as the short visit is ending. We were preparing to leave in this picture, go to Iloilo to visit my in-laws. Elle Marie (held by my wife) is now 4+ years old.

I told my Papa and Mama that we will be coming home again this December. Seeing my parents getting older and weaker makes me sad. But life is a cycle.

Parents should think forward, “When my kids grow up and mature someday, will they be proud of us or consider us as their roots?” And kids should also think forward, “Have I been thankful and proud of my parents, my roots? Would I wish my own kids someday to treat me the way I treat my parents now?”

Building a just and peaceful society is all about personal and parental responsibility. It has little to do, sometimes nothing to do, with government responsibility. It’s about building solid roots that will bear solid and morally upright kids and branches someday.

I am proud and thankful of my roots. I will work hard so that my kids will be proud of their roots someday too.

Responsible Parenthood cannot be legislated, Part 2

After posting Responsible Parenthood cannot be legislated, I got five comments, three at the Comments section, and two by email. Let me enumerate the five points.

1. One thing the sponsors and rabid supporters of this bill has not discussed is the actual cost of this bill, its impact on the fiscal balance (currently in historic deficit levels) and whether any future taxes are required. Hope you can have some numbers on this.

2. Good parenting needs to be legislated at the taxpayers expense by programs such as Positive Parenting which promote optimal parenting skills so obviously lacking. Damaged children are not productive citizens and become expensive casualties.

3. The RH Bill intends to help parents who already want to limit the number of their children; it does not tell them how many children to have. It is the population of our countrymen from classes C, D and E that continue to rise and they are the ones who need the services that government provides (through increased borrowing). I agree that responsible parenthood cannot be legislated, but irresponsible parenthood can be prevented through proper legislation.

4. Here is Reasons Why We Need the RH Law by Clara Rita Padilla of EnGenderRights, Inc., publication funded by the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). The 18-pages paper lists 11 reasons why: To respond to the clamor of the population who want the RH bill; To prevent unintended pregnancies; To prevent maternal deaths related to pregnancy and childbirth; To prevent infant mortality; To help individuals choose responsibly when to have children; To reduce abortion rates; To give rape victims a better chance to heal from their ordeal; To prevent early pregnancy and STDs among adolescents; To address the rising HIV/AIDS cases; To avoid the negative impact of large families on the poor; and To free women's bodies from politics and fundamentalism.

5. Nonoy, I think you are missing the point. The law is not to legislate responsibility it's to educate people and to give them access to devices so that they can exercise responsible parenthood. Cheers. -- Reiner Gloor, PHAP Executive Director (I am posting this comment with his permission)

My reply to the above comments:

On #1. It is difficult to produce the estimates of how much the Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood (RH-RP) bill will cost. In Sec. 5, hiring of thousands of new midwives; In Sec. 6, creation of new hospitals in EACH province and city which have no hospitals yet, and for those which have ones already, to modernize them. These 2 sections alone would cost several hundred millions, if not billions, per year already. I am sure the various government agencies involved in the implementation should this bill becomes a law, have the numbers, but they should be hiding it now to the public.

On #2. I think this is clear advocacy for a big, nanny state. People cannot be trusted to take care of themselves; parents cannot be trusted to make appropriate planning about their households, much less take care of their kids. Thus, there has to be a BIG and monster institution, the government, that will guide people how they should take care of themselves and their kids. A big nanny state is like a socialist state. It is supposed to give you everything but it will also take everything you've got.

All existing government socio-economic programs were created in the past with long-term view. Education for the poor, healthcare for the poor, housing for the poor, credit for the poor, agrarian reform for the poor, social welfare for the poor, justice for the poor, public works for the poor, currently conditional cash transfer for the poor, and soon, population control for the poor...

3. The government desire of limiting family size is implicit, not explicit. The most recent data, 2.0 percent RP population growth rate per year is deemed "too high" by international standards, thus the government, with cheering up from the UN, WB, WHO, other foreign aid bodies, is "urging" couples to limit the number of their kids.

The issue of "irresponsible parenthood can be prevented through proper legislation" is answered by my points above.

4. It seems that the RH/RP bill, when it becomes a law, is a panacea for all the 11 problems mentioned above, like prevention of maternal deaths, infant mortality, unintended pregnancies, HIV and STD, and so on. Government is a superman. It can stop and prevent all the mentioned problems. Really?

When the Department of Education (currently DepEd, previously called DECS, MECS, MEC, DEC, Dept. of Instruction, etc.) was created more than a century ago. the goal was to prevent high illiteracy, prevent high drop out rate among children, prevent low quality education, prevent early pregnancy via civic and good manners subjects, and so on. Did this happen?

If this happened as well as to other sectors, then those students would have been productive citizens many decades ago, and the need for expanded public education in the succeeding generations would have been reduced if not eliminated as people have become well-educated and self-reliant adults.

Educating couples about RH and giving them access to devices -- should government do this? These can not be done by other parents, various civic groups, corporate foundations, NGOs, church-based groups?

It is noticeable that there is too much focus on population size - economic growth link. Granting that this is true, which causes which?

On #5. The above reply would apply here. I suggested to Reiner that there is BIG danger if we allow government to have another round of heavy intervention on the citizens' lives, down to the bedroom level. Many of those things that the RH-RP bill mandates can be done by the market, by civil society, by voluntary organizations. The pharma industry has already experienced the heavy hand of government when it unilaterally imposed drug price control.

In my essay last month, What is the role of government?, I wrote,

It boils down to only one important function: Promulgate the rule of law. Government has laws against killing, against stealing, against kidnapping, against corruption, against plunder, against carnapping, etc. Let government implement ALL of them, ZERO EXCEPTION....

What about the very poor? Who will take care of them?... if the poor will put up a vulcanizing shop, a barbeque stand, a barber shop, or plant kamote and pechay in vacant lots, or buy those farm products and sell in a corner stall, government should get out. Do NOT require these small and micro entrepreneurs to secure costly and bureaucractic business permit, barangay permit, sanitation permit, location permit, various other permits and pay lots of taxes and fees.

In short, if the poor will become industrious and would want to stand on their own, government should step back. If the poor will become lazy and steal, government should arrest them and put them behind bars. The rule of law says NO STEALING. It does not matter if the theft is the President of the country or a Congressman or the poorest man on earth. No one should steal, period. No ifs, no buts, no preconditions, no exceptions.

What causes poverty is heavy government intervention and taxation while not promulgating the rule of law. By enacting many restrictions and prohibitions on ordinary citizens but not applying the same restrictions to government people themselves and their friends. Poverty has little to do with high population growth.

Responsible Parenthood cannot be legislated

Question: If you are a parent, has one or more kids, do you need the government to tell you that you should be a responsible parent?

Think quick. Yes or No?

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If you answer Yes, then I believe there is something wrong with your personal values. If you answer No, then I congratulate you. You know your role as an individual and as a parent.

But now, we in the Philippines are faced with a congressional proposal with an ugly title called "Responsible Parenthood" bill. Parental responsibility is a non-issue. It's a given. If you are a parent, you HAVE responsibilities to your kids, to your family, no alibis.

So how come that a supposedly non-issue has become a big national issue?

I think the quick and simple answer is: Government. The government wants to impose another round of coercion and mandatory actions. And there are penalties and fines for non-obedience to such new round of coercion.

This highly controversial, highly divisive, highly emotional congressional bill, will require long discussions. Section by section if necessary.

For now, I will limit this article to only one thing: HUGE budgetary requirements to implement this proposal if it becomes a law. I will reserve additional discussions in the continuation of this new discussion series.

The authors, sponsors and advocates of this bill seem to think that this problem does not exist -- high public debt as a result of endless annual budget deficit, a result of endless borrowings to plug those deficit. High debt will require high repayment, both in principal and interest payment.

And thus, they thought of these programs with still undetermined, high, and new expenditures on top of existing expenditures:

Sec. 5. Midwives for Skilled Attendants.

The Local Government Units (LGUs) with the assistance of the Department of Health (DOH), shall employ an adequate number of midwives to achieve a minimum ratio of one (1) fulltimeskilled birth attendant for every one hundred fifty (150) deliveries per year...

Sec. 6. Emergency Obstetric Care.

Each province and city, with the assistance of the DOH, shall establish or upgrade hospitals with adequate and qualified personnel, equipment and supplies to be able to provideemergency obstetric care. For every 500,000 population, there shall be at least one (1)hospital with comprehensive emergency obstetric care and four (4) hospitals or other health facilities with basic emergency obstetric care...

Sec. 7. Access to Family Planning.

All accredited health facilities shall provide a full range of modern family planning methods,except in specialty hospitals which may render such services on optional basis. For poorpatients, such services shall be fully covered by PhilHealth Insurance and/or governmentfinancial assistance on a no balance billing...

Sec. 9. Maternal Death Review

All Local Government Units (LGUs), national and local government hospitals, and other publichealth units shall conduct annual maternal death review in accordance with the guidelines setby the DOH.

Sec. 10. Family Planning Supplies as Essential Medicines

Products and supplies for modern family planning methods shall be part of the National DrugFormulary and the same shall be included in the regular purchase of essential medicines andsupplies of all national and local hospitals and other government health units.

Sec. 11. Procurement and Distribution of Family Planning Supplies

The DOH shall spearhead the efficient procurement, distribution to Local Government Units (LGUs) and usage-monitoring of family planning supplies for the whole country.

Sec. 13. Roles of Local Government in Family Planning Programs

The LGUs shall ensure that poor families receive preferential access to services, commodities and programs for family planning. The role of Population Officers at municipal, city and barangay levels in the family planning effort shall be strengthened. The Barangay Health Workers and Volunteers shall be capacitated to give priority to family planning work.

Sec. 14. Benefits for Serious and Life-Threatening Reproductive Health Conditions

All serious and life threatening reproductive health conditions such as HIV and AIDS, breast and reproductive tract cancers, obstetric complications, menopausal and post-menopausal related conditions shall be given the maximum benefits as provided by PhilHealth programs.

SEC. 15. Mobile Health Care Service

Each Congressional District shall be provided with at least one Mobile Health Care Service(MHCS) in the form of a van or other means of transportation appropriate to coastal ormountainous areas.

SEC. 16. Mandatory Age-Appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education

Age-appropriate Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education shall be taught by adequately trained teachers in formal and non-formal educational system starting from Grade Five up to Fourth Year High School using life-skills and other approaches.... The Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Health (DOH) shall formulate the Reproductive Health and Sexuality Education curriculum. Such curriculum shall be common to both public and private schools, out of school youth...

SEC. 19. Capability Building of Barangay Health Workers

Barangay Health Workers and other community-based health workers shall undergo training on the promotion of reproductive health and shall receive at least 10% increase in honoraria, upon successful completion of training. The amount necessary for the increase in honoraria shall be charged against the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) componentof the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program of the DSWD. In the event the CCT is phased out, the funding sources shall be charged against the Gender and Development(GAD) budget or the development fund component of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA).

SEC. 24. Right to Reproductive Health Care Information

...The DOH and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) shall initiate and sustain a heightened nationwide multi-media campaign to raise the level of public awareness of the protection and promotion of reproductive health and rights...

Twelve sections leading to still undetermined amount, several billions of pesos per year of new spending to control high population growth. Determining the size of family is now government responsibility, not parental responsibility. Then taking care of the kids -- their education, healthcare, nutrition, other needs -- is also implied to be largely government responsibility, not parental responsibility.

Since when have the values of parents been corrupted this way?

Additional discussions to follow in the coming days and weeks.
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Related articles here are Increasing population, no problem

Population policy: Big Govt or Big Church?

My first book: Health Choices and Responsibilities

I've been blogging since late 2005 and prior to that, I've been engaged in some online debates via different yahoogroups since around 1998. The "itch" to write a book has been there since around 2007.

Then last December, a friend, Rodolfo "Ozone" Azanza, who has written already two small books like This is Your Kung-Fu: Deliberate Mindsets for the Non-Hermits, introduced me to his publisher, Central Book Supply Inc. in Quezon City. I said that I want my first book in the first month of 2011. After communicating with the publisher, I sent the final draft to them by January 11, 2011 (1-11-11). In less than 2 weeks, the book was delivered to me. Yehey!

In the introduction of the book, I wrote this: Finally, I chose the title Health Choices and Responsibilities because of my two firm beliefs: One, people have control and choices in taking care of their body and mind, that there are plenty of individual choices to be healthy or be sickly, and there are many choices in financing healthcare. And two, healthcare is mainly a personal and parental responsibility, although a few health issues should fall under government responsibility.

The girls on the cover? Well, they are my wife and my two young daughters :-) I chose them to be in the cover to emphasize my point above that in order to have a healthy population, parents (or guardians) should work hard -- zero complacency or alibi -- to have healthy kids. Parents should rely on themselves, their family members and friends, and not on the government, to ensure the good health and good future of their children, or their poorer relatives' children.

Here's a portion of the back cover: ...Drug price control policy has the undesirable result of institutionalizing predatory pricing. By forcing the multinationals to bring down their popular drugs, the government has imposed unfair pricing that can result in the demise of some products by local firms which do not have enough leeway in further price cuts.

This affirms Newton’s third law of motion: “for every action, there is an equal, opposite reaction.” For every government intervention, there is an equal, opposite result that needs another intervention....

Government should come in cases of disease outbreak and similar health emergencies. Otherwise, it should step back, it should not over-tax medicines, and it should encourage more competition among health enterprises, allow the public to have more choices. More choice means more freedom.

I have given away my book to a number of friends, especially to the godparents of my two kids :-), other friends in the free market movement. Like Barun Mitra (middle), founder and director of Liberty Institute in India, and Jules Maaten (beside me), resident manager of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for LIBERTY (FNF). The others in the picture are friends from the UPSE Alumni Association, Sim Endaya and Gary Makasiar.

I kept postponing the posting of this story about my book for several weeks now. I prefer to write other topics than about my book. But then another free market friend, Paul of Colorful Rag blog, already wrote a review about my book yesterday, Review: "Health Choices and Responsibilities".

I profusely thanked him for such early plugging of my book. And mind you, I gave him my book only last Saturday night. By Monday morning, he already wrote a book review. He's the reason why I was forced to write and introduce my book here today :-)

Paul is a brutal, frank, and independent-minded free market intellectual. Though he has lots of praises about my book, he also has several punches of critique about it. Which I am really thankful.

There is nothing, zero, in the free market literatures that free marketers should think the same all the time. On the contrary, the free market literature deeply relies on spontaneity and in the absence of central planning -- like what many governments, the UN, and foreign aid bodies do -- and absence of uniformity. Diversity and spontaneity. They are the hallmarks of the free market, individual liberty movement.

Ohh, ok. Someone asked me, "Where can we buy your book if you don't give us a complimentary copy?"

It's available at Central Books, they have online store and a few bookstores around the country. Their main office and bookstore is in 927 Quezon Avenue, Phoenix Building, Quezon City. The building is in front of Pegasus bar I think.

Soon it will be available at www.divisoria.com too. And the UPSE cooperative store at UP School of Economics, Diliman, Quezon City, also sells it.

* Update: I've uploaded the book in scribd.com here. Thanks.