Friday, November 29, 2013

A Child's Poem: Something for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan


This poem is written apparently more than a week ago by my brother-in-law's daughter in the UK, Jelena, whose around Grade 5 or 6, if I'm not mistaken. According to her, "The feelings overwhelmed me so much I had to put it into words." Here is the poem:

When all the nations come as one
To help a single place,
All their kindness truly shone
As they helped the human race.

The cries, the wails, their plea

If you would only listen!
It would tell of all their need,
'Food, drink and health supplies
All have been lessened'.

'Something for the traumatised,
The injured and the ill,
Something for the souls departed,
The streets to all be cleared!'

'Look! What has this storm done?
It wrecked all our houses!
We really need a shelter fast!
Before something else rouses!'

'We need some money to rebuild
The world that disappeared
And something to clothe our backs
And a few new shacks!'

That is all they the help they need,
If you would only give!
When all the nations come as one,
To help these lives rebuild.


Please continue to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Mendero Medical Center, healthcare within Consolacion and neighboring towns' reach



Dr. Samuel Mendero is not a newbie when it comes to putting up a hospital as the Pagadian City Medical Center in Zamboanga del Sur is run by the family. But it took some persistent convincing in order for him to gain support in putting up his dream hospital in Cebu. And that dream is now becoming a reality.


Dr. Samuel Mendero, the main man behind Mendero Medical Center
“We are continuing what we have started…in giving the modern people of the northern part of Cebu this medical center they certainly deserved.” With these words, Dr. Samuel Mendero formally announced the upcoming entry of Mendero Medical Center to the healthcare scene of Consolacion, Cebu.
Consolacion town mayor Teresa P. Alegado
No less than Consolacion town Mayor Teresa P. Alegado led the welcoming of Mendero Medical Center to the progressive town of Consolacion during the blessing last November 12, 2013 of the aforementioned 200-bed capacity medical center. The Mendero Medical Center Consolacion Cebu, intended to be a completely modern tertiary hospital serving those in the northern part of Cebu is targeted to open before year’s end.

Many are awaiting the opening of this hospital as it will help address the shortage of hospitals in the north. Waiting to be utilized are several state-of-the art equipment including CT scan and incubators, a complete modern laboratory, ICU, four operating rooms, delivery rooms, and medical clinics among others. Together with competent doctors and healthcare personnel, these will help provide quality and affordable health care within reach to the people of Consolacion and beyond.
Incubators and machines for ICU

Operating room

Emergency room




The blessing which began with a Holy mass was attended by incorporators, future hospital staff, and other guests. Doctors that will comprise the Internal Medicine, Obstetrics-Gynecology, Pediatrics, Surgery and Family Medicine Departments of the hospital were also in attendance.

The future of health care indeed looks bright for Consolacion and neighboring towns.


Mendero Medical Center is located in Baranggay Pitogo, Consolacion, Cebu almost across SeaOil gasoline station and within walking distance of SM City Consolacion. Like their Facebook page to see their updates.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

"Criticisms" on the President's handling of the situation post-Yolanda is a Call to Action. Not Spreading negativity.

Watching Christiane Amanpour's interview with President BS Aquino, it appears with the way the president responds, he is more concerned in looking good and passing the blame on local government.

Playing the blaming game card is nothing new for the president. From Day one post Yolanda until now, the country has yet to hear the president inspire us instead of doing the usual blaming. Meanwhile, there are many first hand accounts of Yolanda survivors complaining that relief goods still not reaching their own towns despite the numerous relief goods and foreign aid coming in as cited by the president in his address to the nation the other day. The private sector actually gave their overwhelming support to the president by mobilizing to obtain relief goods but almost a week after the powerful storm, the national government is moving without urgency despite admitting the failure of local government mechanisms. I was even expecting the president to at least make an appeal to transport services (airlines and shipping) to lower fares at least for people going out from Leyte and other severely affected areas.

Then there are other reports (it is unclear whether they are true or not) of looting, shooting and even rape. And these sad news of politics playing a role even in the distribution of goods.

Now tell me, is it wrong to voice out these concerns, complain, or call out the government in avenues such as social media? Others consider this as "criticizing" or "spreading negativity". For me it is more of calling the attention of the government or calling the president's attention. It is more of a call to action. a wake up call. And we have that right to do so. We have the right to demand this from our government. I don't consider this to be bad. In fact it is better to pressure them to move fast especially when lives are at stake.

Others say, complaining in your own Facebook account does not reach the president so it has no effect. On the contrary, a lot of the president or the government's actions and reactions lately were a response to social media pressure.

Others contend we should just shut up and help instead by way of actually donating goods and perhaps going to the areas to distribute the relief goods to affected areas. But do you think these relief goods will reach these areas without the help of government especially at these dangerous times? Security, law and order is government's responsibility and no matter how many goods we manage to collect, it will be very difficult to distribute equitably these goods or give medical services to hungry individuals without government's help. So yes, we have to be noisy to wake the president up and inspire the government to move fast. Isn't this also another form of helping?

Can we just remain silent as more of our countrymen die of "preventable" causes? Yes, preventable because they were supposed to already survive the supertyphoon, but just because no food and water reached them, they will just die? We are not even mentioning the threat of tetanus, leptospirosis and diarrhea.Can we remain silent with the threat of chaos?

Some would say, give the president a break because being a President is not easy. Tell that to the Yolanda victims without food and water. It's not easy being in their situation without food and water to feed themselves and their families. On top of no shelter. And some dead loved ones for some.

You know what would makes things even more difficult for these victims? Feeling that the government abandoned them.

Now tell me, should we remain silent?