Commentaries on Pinoy's idiosyncrasies, fall and triumph of Filipino people, a journey through the crooked road of politics, technology and globalization.
Pinoy Expats OFW Blog Awards Inc. (PEBA), an alliance of international Filipino bloggers, announced the launching of its New Media Network Group and OFW Alliance Action Group.
“The PEBA New Media Network Group will post news events and stories through video blogs and articles that are relevant to the lives of Filipino migrant workers,” said Program Director Felix Jigs Segre, PEBA’s head of Public Relations and Media Affairs."
(No. 355 - November 26, 2009 - 11:15 a.m. EST) The Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today issued the following statement condemning the November 23 killing of civilians in the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao:
“Canada condemns the brutal murders perpetrated in Maguindanao in the lead up to local elections. We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the victims.
“Canada supports calls for the rule of law to prevail and for those responsible for these acts to be brought to justice.”
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada advises against all travel to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Canadians travelling to the Philippines are encouraged to consult Travel Report-Philippines.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Natalie Sarafian Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs 613-995-1851
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada 613-995-1874
News always fascinates me. Writing is a challenge and one of those passions included in my very short list of things on my bed spread. The problem with news, it should be straight that I ended up spending so much of my time being vigilant so that the truth is not bent, that honesty shall prevail and for fraud to surface. The good news is, in the College of Nursing, there is not much bad news and it is good to me. But in the long run, it is practically impossible that good news is constant. In the words of Napoleon Bonaparte, he warned that, “Never awake me when you have good news to announce, because with good news nothing presses; but when you have bad news, arouse me immediately, for then there is not an instant to be lost.”
It is the bad news that excites me. I actually loathe at it. But just like Bonaparte, there is not an instant to be lost when presented with it. In my short stay in the University of Baguio, I have met spectacular personalities, worked with different types of people and rubbed elbows with the amazing and the simple. The culture was extremely unfamiliar to me, I learned a thing or two and bruised me big time in the process but at the end of the day, I hit the bed with a smile, that at least, life has never been less interesting. I even pray for it. Hoping that life be a constant opportunity to beat the bad news, that bad news never stays the same. It churns the optimist in me.
Being a chunk in the arena of student leadership, I want to emphasize two things. First, there is a need for all the students of the College of Nursing to sprint and be “bold and daring.” Secondly, everybody must do the same. When it comes to what is considered as bad news, it is when change is introduced. That of course is a sign of lack of understanding that change would improve us all. Another is often the news that would involve participation and time. Time is what we make of it. It is just frustrating to hear complaints about certain issues but only the few would put effort to be a part of the solution. The majority would flee from involvement, so it elates me to see students reading what is on the bulletin board. That is a sign that at least their visual gift is not actually wasted.
I dare everyone to be bold and daring. Be bold to stand for what is right and to uphold the truth. Be bold to accept our roles as student by respecting our Clinical Instructors, administrators and those who are in authority. Be bold to accept that our mentors are not omniscient and only through constructive participation and sharing that true symbiotic relationship shall exist. Be bold to respect individual differences and promote tolerance. Dare to be part of the solution, but if you are oblivious to bother, try not to add to the problem. Be bold to go beyond your potential. Do not be satisfied with what is just being presented within the boundaries of the classrooms, the world is so vast, we can actually drown with its vastness and yet, we are still ignorant of what the world has to offer. Dare to make a difference. Dare to acknowledge that all the persons we meet in this university have its own purpose, be nice to everyone even if others are not. Do not be too traditional. Life changes and together with it is the demand of the time compelling everyone to be more creative, to be assertive of our rights and to be more participative. Be bold to remain a person of character and virtue.
Student life is not without end. This part of our life shall be reduced to memories but what would be left is our ability to withstand the real battle waiting for us after graduating from this university. What lies ahead is the true test of our character, our virtue and our strength to win the real challenges of life. Take advantage of this chance, when we are still allowed to falter because of our naïve disposition, when we can still fail because it is understandable, be wary of this opportunity to be care free for at the end of the day, when we are no longer under the responsibility of our instructors and administrators, we shall be by ourselves. We shall be the person based on the choices we made during the time when we are still being prepared to travel the journey they call life. Let us all be careful of what we pick along this journey, for what may break or help us is what we did or did not choose.
Life will be a constant skirmish of good and bad news. It will not change but it does not matter, what matter most is who was left standing. Who fought the fight, who made the difference, who were the bold and the daring.
An American married to a Filipina had a dismal experience with one of the clinics in Manila. His wife and daughter were processing travel documents for Saudi Arabia when the wife was found unfit to travel causing much delay to obtain the visa.
Dr. Jade Israel of Christian E. Cangco Medical Clinic & Laboratory located in Makati City informed that the wife has a terrifying infectious disease that compromised her decency as a woman and declared her unfit to travel. Allegedly, Cangco Clinic conveyed that the disease is incurable and so when the woman inquired about her options, it was mentioned that 1,500 USD would be paid by the clinic as a penalty should they issue a certificate despite the positive result, leaving the woman wondering about the significance of this information to her case.
Allegedly, the clinic was being very careful not to directly imply to pay the fine in exchange of the “fit to travel” certificate. When she finally indicated her intention to seek a second opinion, the said doctor insisted that a second opinion was not allowed and that she was the final authority for declaring if the woman was fit or unfit to travel.
The Filipina was devastated. She immediately informed her husband about the result then went back to Iloilo to consult with her long-time OB/Gyn doctor and related what was told by the said clinic. The OB/Gyn doctor was surprised and immediately doubted the diagnosis based on the history of the patient. The woman’s doctor immediately contacted Dr.Israel and inquired why the patient was denied the opportunity to seek a second opinion, Dr.Israel claimed that there is a doctor in San Lazaro Hospital who provides second opinion for the GAMCO-accredited clinics on certain occasions but it is not applicable to her case. The woman’s doctor performed another independent blood test and it turned out negative but arranged anyway with the doctor in San Lazaro Hospital to see the woman for another testing.
The husband was forced to fly to the Philippines upon learning that his wife had been in a minor car accident while driving back to their home as a result of her severe emotional distress. He then immediately went to San Lazaro Hospital with his wife to take the same test withoutnotifying Cangco Clinic, the lab result turned out negative as well. The doctor in San Lazaro prepared a certification addressed to Cangco Clinic that she is negative and was never exposed to such a disease.
The results from San Lazaro Hospital and Iloilo Specialist Hospital challenged the outcome of the test done in the said clinic but allegedly, Dr. Israel was unrelenting about the mistake. Then they both agreed that his wife would take the same test again only if there would be two blood samples to be sent to two different GAMCO-accredited clinics, the results turned out negative as well. The clinic finally certified her “fit to travel” although the cost to the couple had already been damaging specially the psychological disturbance caused by the mistake. Dr. Christian Cangco, the Medical Director of the said clinic, promised that the examining physician will be dealt strongly and a reprimand will be instigated.
When Dr. Israel was notified about the issue through a phone conversation and was requested to provide her side of the story, she indicated that the matter would be handled by Dr. Cangco and declined to comment further. Dr. Cangco explained, through the phone, that their clinic reversed the result and indicated that the travel of the patient “was not delayed anyway and that she was able to proceed to Saudi Arabia after receiving the certificate.”
Israel also explained their laboratory equipment were just recently purchased and assured that their clinic is certified by ISO 9001 and TUV. When asked if he is aware of any direct or indirect solicitation in return of releasing medical certificates despite the failing laboratory results, he strongly commented that he does not condone any solicitation. He assured that this does not happen in Cangco Clinic.
