Source: Survivors and Supporters Plea for National Cancer Control Act
Archive | September 2017
THE DRUG MENACE: What’s Done, What’s Being Done, What I Can Do, Part 2
IN its October 4, 2016, issue, C! asked these questions:
How did 3 million victims of illegal drugs happen? How am I responsible for this? Have I done something to curb this plague in my country?
C! continues: “Anyone who has something to say about the issue must first answer these questions.”
The C! article featured Martin Infante, one who has well answered these nagging questions.
Martin Infante, a former drug user, came to Bulong Pulungan media forum at Hotel Sofitel on September 27, 2016, to present the Self Enhancement for Life Foundation Inc. –what it has done and what else can be done to rid us of this drug menace.
Martin said he suffered drug addiction for 20 years. His family had to trick him to get him into a therapeutic community. He got sober and in 1992, he founded SELF which now has a sprawling rehabilitation facility in Taal, Batangas.
The Therapeutic Community Approach
Martin pointed out that the therapy he underwent was different from the usual treatment in rehab centers where patients went through excruciating pain before they got rid of their addiction, yet suffered relapses afterward.
What Martin went through is called the Therapeutic Community (TC) approach.
“It’s one of the most effective behavior modification programs in the world,” he said.
Martin said the TC approach is based on the precept that getting into drugs and eventually getting into addiction are rooted to behavior or attitude disorder.
So, aside from clinical therapy or use of medicines to heal the physical symptoms, TC provides comprehensive behaviour shaping and value formation program to heal not only the physical ailment but the mental, emotional, and spiritual maladies that the resident must have been going through even before he became drug dependent— the reasons he resorted to drugs in the first place.
Silver Anniversary
On August 15, 2017, Martin was back in Bulong Pulungan to celebrate SELF’s 25th Anniversary as a healing community this September. Above, Martin with his SELF team (seated), and members of the Bulong Pulungan core group and guests.
SELF marked its silver anniversary with a series of activities to share the Foundation’s experience in TC.
On September 14, SELF sponsored a lecture by Dr. Gregory C. Brunt, M.D., titled Rekindling Hope and Rebuilding Lives. An international expert on addiction medicine, Dr. Brunt led a panel discussion on The Total Well-Being Approach: A Bio-Pyscho-Social- Spiritual Journey to Recovery.
Dr. Brunt, who serves as president of the International Society of Addiction Medicine, talked on the efficacy of total intervention with the TC approach. He discussed the role of pharmacology in the treatment of substance use disorder, balancing behavior modification, and clinical intervention, and the basics of prescribing medication in TC setting.
On September 15, SELF led a Round Table Meeting with its council of TC elders and their Asian counterparts to discuss the future of the TC Federation of South Asia.
On September 16, SELF residents undergoing treatment, alumni or healed patients, and their families gathered in SELF’s rehab facility in Batangas for the Foundation’s fellowship program directed by Fritz Infante.
Indeed, in the past 25 years, SELF has well presented a clear message: that a victim of drug addiction is not alone—he has friends, family, and community ready to support him so he can be healed.
Martin adds a drug addict can also believe that “God’s got my back.”
–Cynthia U. Santiago Photos by Ed L. Santiago
Survivors and Supporters Plea for National Cancer Control Act
“WE are going for the moon and the stars…”
Thus, Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala declared at the Bulong Pulungan media forum featuring the Cancer Coalition Philippines at Café 1771 in El Pueblo, Ortigas yesterday, September 19, 2017.
A broadcast journalist, Alikpala is a breast cancer survivor and founder of I Can Serve, a foundation which campaigns for breast cancer awareness and health care for women with breast cancer.
I Can Serve is among the organizations which have formed the Cancer Coalition Philippines (CCPH). CCPH called for last Tuesday’s forum to drum up support for the National Integrated Cancer Control Act.
The bill seeks to create a Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) of P30 to P48 billion to support the medical and treatment assistance programs for patients. The bill will also benefit survivors, caregivers, and their families.
CCPH sees as major source of the Fund the “sin” excise taxes which are levied on supposedly “harmful” goods, such as tobacco, alcohol, fast foods, coffee, the sweets—candies, soft drinks, sweeteners or substitute sugars— excessive consumption of which is also considered as triggering if not entirely causing a number of diseases, including cancer.
CCPH is also eyeing PhilHealth benefit packages for cancer and social protection mechanisms in collaboration with a number of government agencies.
The “sin” taxes and other health care funds are already being allotted for other “more urgent” national health care programs, but Alikpala pointed out cancer needs a much better government attention today and the Coalition is determined to have its due slice of the healthcare pie and a right place for victims in the universe.
“We are going for the moon and the stars,” she reiterated.
Dr. Ramon Severino, noted pediatric oncologist and president of the Philippine Society of Oncologists, which is also a CCPH member, pointed out that one-third of cancers can now be cured but medical care is expensive.
He said, “In my 25 years’ experience as a pediatrician, I’ve observed parents discontinue treatment for their children afflicted with cancer because they simply could not afford the hospital bills. Because victims will have to spend at least 50% of their income for the treatment.”
He added, “This bill is worth fighting for. But we cannot fight for it individually, so we have thought of uniting as a Coalition.”
Paul Perez, whose son, now 15 years old, is a leukemia survivor, has joined the Coalition, representing Project: Brave Kids, where he is executive director. Perez showed in a PowerPoint presentation details why the Coalition was formed:
Cancer is a growing and serious public health concern. It is inextricably linked with the achievement of the country’s poverty reduction and development goals.
- Cancer incidence is increasing and is ranked as one of the leading causes of death among adults and children. Based on 2015 Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates, PCSDOH-PCHRD data, there are: 109,280 new cancer cases per year and 66,151 cancer deaths per year. These translate to:
o 11 Filipino adults are getting sick from cancer every hour
o 10 Filipino children are diagnosed with cancer every day
o 7 Filipino adults are dying from cancer every hour
o 8 in 10 Filipino children die from cancer
- Survival rates for the most common adult cancers (i.e. lung, breast, colon, cervical,
prostate, liver) are relatively low compared to other countries in Asia and the world.
- Cancer is a catastrophic disease which pushes families deeper into poverty. It debilitates not only patients but also their families and loved ones.
- Incidence of cancer is projected to increase by as much as 80%, by 2030, in low-resource countries like the Philippines (WHO). This will have a staggering effect on the ability and resiliency of the Philippine health system as well as its overall economy.
Liza Martinez, director of the Philippine Deaf Resource Center, Inc., spoke on behalf of persons with disabilities (PWD). Herself a cancer survivor, Martinez said marginalized PWDs with cancer need special health care measures.
“For instance,” she pointed out, “cancer victims who are deaf would not know of available treatments simply because no one could sign the information to them.”
The bill includes a provision on nondiscrimination — providing access to health care services without discrimination regarding race, religion, sex, national origin, or disability.
Leilani Eusebio, executive director of I Can Serve, who has been battling cancer for over a decade now, attested that there’s big hope for survival for cancer patients.
“You don’t give up even if your doctor says you have stage-4 cancer,” she said.
Despite her ordeal, Eusebio is helping women in barangays to have access to healthcare– so that they may have “a tinge of triumph” over their disease, she said.
Dr. Carmencita Reodica, the first woman Secretary of Health, appointed by President Fidel Ramos in 1996, expressed support for the Coalition’s advocacy.
She said during her time as Health Secretary, the focus was on infectious diseases—tuberculosis, pneumonia, dengue, malaria, and then the much dreaded HIV infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, and overtime, became the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Dr. Reodica said she will support the cancer advocacy to make sure the treatments are not only accessible especially to the marginalized sector but sustainable as well.
“I want to be a champion (of this cause),” she declared.
Daisy Cembrano, another Coalition member, serving as program host during the forum, announced the National Integrated Cancer Control Act includes two Senate bills and four House bills, for deliberation in the 17th Congress.
The bills and their proponents are:
Senate Bill 1545 by Senator JV Ejercito, chairman of the Senate Health Committee;
Senate Bill 1570 by Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of Ways and Means;
House Bill 6153 by Congressman Alfred Vargas, 5th District of Quezon City, the principal author;
House Bill 6210 Congressman Karlo Nograles, first district of Davao City, chairman of the Appropriations Committee; and Congressman Jericho Nograles, PBA Party List;
House Bill 6280 by Congresswoman Chiqui Roa-Puno, first district of Anipolo City; and
House Bill 6299 by Congresswoman Bernadette Herrera, Bagong Henerasyon Party List.
Cancer Coalition Philippines movers, seated, from left: Dr. Ramon Severino, Philippine Society of Oncologists (PSO) co-chair; former Health Secretary Carmencita Reodica; Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala, I Can Serve, co-chair. Standing, from left: Oliver Calasanz, Carewell Foundation; Orlando Oxales, Citizen Watch; Leilani Eusebio, I Can Serve; Daisy Cembrano, Pharmaceutical & Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP); Teodoro Padilla, PHAP; Romy Marcaida, PSO; Paul Perez, Project: Brave Kids, CCHP spokesperson.
Breast cancer survivors, seated, from left: Lian Chua and Leilani Eusebio; Standing, from left: Mylah Roque, Carla Paras-Sison, Liza Martinez, and Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala
Deedee Siytangco, Bulong Pulungan moderator, whose husband Sonny succumbed to cancer of the pancreas, led the Bulong team– Jullie Yap Daza, Rina Jimenez David, Alice Reyes, and this writer, who just came from Houston, Texas, where her brother Rolando died of lung cancer last August 22.
I post this blog today, September 20, 2017, as we celebrate the 65th birthday of my sister Grace (2nd from right), a brain cancer survivor. With her, clockwise from left: me, my husband Ed, Grace’s husband Ed, and her caregiver Aileen.
–Cynthia U. Santiago Photos by Ed L. Santiago
In the Place of Those Who Love
A Eulogy for Rolando Manaois Ulanday
March 9, 1947- August 22, 2017
MY Kuya Rolly succumbed to lung cancer on August 22, 2017. He was 70.
Because of Typhoon Harvey which wreaked havoc in Houston, Texas, the burial has been postponed until flood on the way to the cemetery subsides.
I was among those asked to deliver a eulogy for Kuya Rolly. But I can no longer stay for the funeral rites. For a dozen reasons, I have to go back home to the Philippines.
Besides, my sibs are reeling from the Harvey onslaught, so I decided to get out of the way… to ease their already heavy, heavy burden.
I prepared a short eulogy, but since cnewsmagazine gives me the luxury of space, I share a longer version to honor my Kuya Rolly…
EXPERTS say typically, the seven stages of grief are described as Shock or Disbelief, Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Guilt, Depression, Acceptance, and Hope.
Sometimes, people speak of five stages of grieving, putting together: Shock/Disbelief and Denial; Bargaining and Guilt
I’ve begun going through these stages, and I am coping by connecting my moments with Kuya Rolly with each stage.
Shock and Disbelief. Our father, Titong, died of emphysema, blamed largely on smoking. Kuya Rolly smoked. So, the possibility of him suffering a lung disease nagged me now and then. Still, I was shocked, I couldn’t believe when we were told last June that he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.
Denial. Still, I was in denial. I told myself he couldn’t possibly be sick, or worse, dying. Because he was such a strong man.
He was our Kuya, the eldest of our brood of seven where I am third and the eldest girl.
We grew up in Project 4, Quezon City. There was no decent park in our village, so we were like what you might call street children. We played with our neighbors on our street—a dirt road. Our favorite game was patintero. We poured water on the dirt road to make a huge square divided into blocks. You win if you are able to go through each block—which is guarded by members of the opposing team.
Yes, we were divided into two teams. And I liked being in my Kuya’s team because he had long, strong arms, which like the Great Wall of China, was simply impossible to penetrate. And a loud mouth, he can taunt and bully the enemy to Kingdom come.
It is easy to deny that Kuya could get sick because when he was already a teenager, he was very strong.
Our parents made sure we learned the value of work.
So Kuya Rolly, as well as Kuya Noel, peddled newspapers in the wee hours of the morning. Together with younger Sam, they worked at the gravel and sand store of an aunt as pahinantes or laborers—although Kuya Noel says he was actually in Purchasing.
Kuya Rolly began to develop muscles in that gravel and sand store, so it was easy to deny that such a robust man could get sick.
Kuya Rolly continued to be muscular as he became a player for the varsity baseball team of the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) — either because he loved athletics or because players enjoyed free tuition fees. Without the scholarship, he might not have finished college—as there were six other children who must also get an education.
Anger. The next stage of grief is anger. I felt the emotion right away. I was angry at cigarettes, why the campaign against smoking was not as intense during Kuya’s younger years as it is now.
But even as we must remain angry at this debilitating addiction, we should also be compassionate with the victims and lovingly help them get rid of the habit that it may not be passed on to the next generation.
Bargaining. The next stage of grief is bargaining. Before I came to Houston, I’d begun bargaining with God. I bargained that I should not be made to come here. I was like if I don’t see him suffering, dying and all, the image that would be left with me is this strong, burly, loud Kuya that I’d known.
And then, I bargained for a miracle. I said, all right, I’d go, pray over him, and God, You make him well.
We would think that my prayer was not answered because Kuya died.
But yes, he is healed—totally, completely, for now, he is without pain and alive in God’s loving embrace.
Guilt. Next is guilt. I don’t have much issue with Kuya Rolly. All of you who came to the hospice and are now here to pay tribute to him indicate he was more or less a good man.
So, I guess more than guilt, what would go through me is regret. Regret that we didn’t have much time to be together as brother and sister.
We were busy studying—he worked on his Mechanical Engineer degree in UST. Much too soon, in my early 20s, he already left in pursuit of the American Dream—which I must say he well fulfilled—cars, house, children getting a good education.
The family stayed first in Chicago until Kuya found a job in Houston —as an engineer in a power plant.
I thought he was working in NASA contributing his two cents’ worth or more in pursuit of the bigger dream to conquer the Universe.
But I guess he was meant to be a son, a brother, a husband, father, grandfather, and friend to all of you now present here. And since he worked in a power plant, he was meant to be a light—literally and figuratively – a bright light shining on each of us.
Depression. The next stage of grief is depression. I know I will be sad, and lonely, and crying not only for one stage in this grief ordeal.
My experience is that the pain of losing loved ones never goes away. Because you love them, you still become sad, you still feel the pain, every time you smell a certain perfume, or shiver during a rainy day, or happen to watch a baseball game on TV.
To this day, I live with the pain of losing my parents. I will live with the pain of losing the first ever sibling I just lost.
Acceptance and Hope. The last stage of grief is acceptance.
I can only accept this tragedy, this ordeal… I can only find relief for my pain through my hope, my faith, that Kuya’s life did not really end.
In Filipino, our term for dying is sumakabilang buhay—which means one just went into another life.
Even as he pursued his career and fended for his family, Kuya Rolly found ample time to serve God, leading a prayer group, supporting charitable causes, or simply loving us.
Since he was the first in the family to have that all important Green Card, he kindly helped the rest of my siblings, some relatives, and some friends settle in the land of milk and honey, of the free and the brave.
Yes, he loved, and that alone mattered so much to the dozens of persons who prayed for him, who loved him back, who comforted him at the hospice in the last few days of his life until he breathed his last.
For indeed, Rolando Ulanday knew only too well that God meant for him, not just America, not just this world, not just the Universe, but Heaven itself which is meant for those who love.
God, into your loving hands, I commend my Kuya Rolly.
— Cynthia U. Santiago
My Memories…
Rolly, in a white shirt, alone at the top of the stairs at the Manila airport, seeing me off with relatives and friends when I became an exchange student scholar in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Wedding with first love, Jean Martinez, who succumbed to cancer in 1994. I am honored to be in the entourage (2nd from left).
Four-generation photo op, from left: Lolo Baldo, his firstborn Mamerto, his firstborn Rolando, his firstborn Dennis.
Younger years in Project 4, from left: Our sister May; brother Elmer holding Kuya Rolly’s youngest son Erick; me, holding Rolly’s eldest, Dennis.
Rolly, in the 2nd row, 3rd from right, during the 50th Wedding Anniversary of our parents, Mamerto and Helen.
At the Alamo
With 2nd wife Corette, hosting a tour of San Antonio, Texas,
for my husband Ed and me.
Four brothers, from left: Noel, Rolando, Samuel, and Elmer.
To be continued…
C! 