Mel packs to return home from Manila

Mel is      a  young Filipino man  from a very  poor provincial family     who  has, in recent    years, been attempting to make it in the big city.

While surviving, during the  final examination period, on one meal a day, Mel   succeeded in completing the first year of a computer course at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP).

Funds were insufficient for him to continue at the university, however.

With some assistance Mel undertook, successfully, a coffee-making (barista) course.

Casual employment followed, with Starbucks, Jollibee (the Filipino equivalent of McDonald’s) and then, until now, a McDonald’s fast-food restaurant in Asia’s largest megamall: the Mall of Asia.

Now Mel’s employment with McDonald’s is coming to an end. He had decided to return home to be with his mother and close relatives.

At 12:49 a.m. today Mel used his rooming house mate’s laptop,  to send me a message via Facebook.

Oh Bern, I’m going home tomorrow in the morning.

We can chat when I’m in Magdapio; there's a computer shop there for sure.

I don't wanna waste time and days here in Manila: when I’m in Magdapio I will find [an] internet cafe so we can chat and chat.

I’m sorry we didn't make it to have a chat. When I’m in Magdapio I’ll promise we can chat.

I miss you Bern and thank you for being there always; I love you and goodbye for now, I will need to prepare my stuff for a trip back to Magdapio.

Bye bye

Love

A boy in Magdapio with a carabao: Image by 333junction via Flickr

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Mother and nephew feverish

Tina, the main breadwinner and mainstay of a poor extended family in Kalayaan, Laguna, Philippines, and her young nephew Ken-Ken are ill but without antibiotics already prescribed, and unable to afford them.

Image via Wikipedia

• At 09:57   GMT+08,   from     the Yahoo    Messenger       computer program, I sent a text message to Tina’s cellphone.
• Tina replied: she was still sick with tonsillitis.
• Eight-year-old Ken-Ken was also ill with wounds and a fever.
• They needed 1,800 pesos to buy antibiotics  but  could  not  afford them.

---

Bern:

Hi Tina, good morning. I've just re-installed Yahoo Messenger. This is just a test message to see if I can text you. I'm hoping it will work. Bern.

Tina:

Good a.m. Bern, I’m glad that I received the text from your  Yahoo.

Please help me; I have fever because of tonsillitis.

I need to buy antibiotics costing 1,200 [but] I cannot afford to buy [them].

Also antibiotic for Ken’s wounds; it was inflammation and infected; he have fever too.

Bern:

Tina, I'm glad you received the text but I'm [financially and emotionally] exhausted… To make matters worse, Ross has just mis-called me [from Manila, needing help ASAP ].

I'm appalled to hear not only that you're still sick but also that Ken has wounds. I wonder how he got them and wonder if the fever is a result.

I promised to ring Ross [a Manila householder facing possible eviction] so I should do it now.

Also I promised to help a friend do  some work, starting about now. But I'll stay in touch.

An hour later Tina texted again: “I hope you received my text: Ken’s antibiotic costs 600.”

Regrettably there was nothing more to be done. I was without sufficient funds to help until Wednesday.

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Filipinos join call to end hunger

Image via Wikipedia

Filipinos will join thousands of people around the world in the campaign to end hunger, the United Nations’ World Food Programme announced on 1 June.

The WFP, together with its global humanitarian partners TNT, Unilever and DSM, will hold its yearly campaign, dubbed "End Hunger: Walk the World 2010," this Sunday in ”Bonifacio Global City”, an exclusive, luxury corporate real estate development within  Taguig City. Guards patrol the grounds 24 hours a day.

The theme of the fund-raising activity is "Isang Hakbang! Pilipinas 2010."

The fun run and walk will start 05:00 a.m.

Location of Taguig City, venue for "Walk the World", Sunday, 6 June 2010

 

TNT is a global mail and express delivery company serving more than 200 countries. Since 2002, TNT has been an active partner of WFP and to date has invested over $50 million in the partnership.

 

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong local roots in more than 100 countries across the globe. Unilever joined forces with WFP in January 2007 for a three-year partnership to improve the nutrition and health of poor, school-aged children around the world.

 

DSM Nutritional Products Philippines Inc, based in Makati, Manila, is a subsidiary of Royal DSM N.V., a Dutch transnational corporation.

 

Sources

 

End Hunger: Walk the World: World Food Programme campaign

 

Helen Flores, ”Filipinos join call to end hunger”  (philstar.com), updated June 01, 2010 12:54 p.m.

 

Walk the World — Hakbang Pilipinas 2010

 

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30 Filipino drivers in Saudi accuse firm of overcharging fees

Dammam city: Image by unjoshr via Flickr

A   brief    report    from       Dennis  Carcamo   of  the    Philstar   news service       indicates that Filipinos driving buses in    Saudi Arabia  are financially exploited.

John Monterona, representing the Filipino Imigrant workers' advocacy group Migrante,   disclosed      that   thirty  Filipino bus    drivers  had decried the alleged illegal charging of  fees by   the company  that recruited them and by its tie-up firms in Manila.

The workers were among the  300  bus drivers of the Saudi Public  Transport company based in the city of Dammam. 

"They claimed that their recruiter agency charged them [a] huge placement fee that led them to get an onerous loan from various lending agencies,” Mr Monterona said in a statement. 

The 30 drivers, recruited by PERT-CPM Manpower Exponents Co. Inc, had been on the job nearly four months.

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Hunger at record high

Excerpts from a report by Helen Flores in The Philippine Star, January 13, 2010.

 

“MANILA, Philippines. Hunger incidence in the country is at its highest since President Arroyo took over the presidency in 2001, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

An estimated 4.4 million households or a new record high of 24 percent experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months, the Fourth Quarter 2009 Social Weather Survey showed.

“The measure of hunger refers to involuntary suffering because the respondents answer a survey question that specifies hunger due to lack of anything to eat,” the SWS said.

Severe hunger, which refers to those who experienced it “often” or “always” in the last three months, rose from 3.8 percent (about 700,000 families) in October to 4.7 percent (estimated 870,000 families) in December.

The new survey also showed that hunger incidence rose in all areas.

It said overall hunger rose by 11 points in Metro Manila, from 16 percent (estimated 394,000 families) in October to 27 percent (estimated 665,000 families) in December 2009.

Based on the new SWS survey, a family in Metro Manila must now earn P12,000 per month to surpass poverty/hunger. In 2000, P7,491 per month was needed to overcome poverty.

The Consumer Price Index has risen 60 percent since 2000.”

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Hunger and illness stalk families; mother pleads for help

At 10:38 a.m., local time, Tina sent me a text message: Sorry if I give you much [cause to be] worried, I hope you understand my situation, [after] 2 to 3 days without vit[amins] d kids get cough & flue; dat [is] why I need to buy it, pls help me; I don't have allowance here now.

At 2:41 p.m. she texted again: Pls help me, I really felt dizzy & hungry coz till now I didn't eat break[fast] ... *

Nearly four hours later, at 6:34 p.m., Tina emailed me from the CBK Company office where she was undergoing 3 months of unpaid on-the-job training.

Hello Bern,
Bern good p.m., I hope you are in good condition, sorry if I give you so much [cause to be] worried, because you're the only person who can understand my situation and can help me.

Bern, sorry If I mention to you my personal and financial problem, I really don't know what to do. I don't know what I can do tomorrow, when and where I can get my allowance [for] going here in work tomorrow.

Pls help me; on December 30 was holiday, Rizal day, our National Hero day, that [is] why the Cebuana [pawnbroker and remittance agent] possible will be close[d].

Pls help me on my ring**, I don't want to [have] lost it, just only for 1,800 for the interest [I] need to pay, and also vitamins of the kids to avoid flue and cold: when the kids stop taking Vitamins in 2 to 3 days they were sick, it will be more expensive if they were sick; I need 1,200 for Ceelin (Vitamin C) Clusivol (for appetite) supply of the 7 kids, also Bern our allowance for food, I will [need to have] left food at home for little Bern and Josephine and other kids, also my allowance here for transportation and food too, pls.

Help me for 5,000 [pesos] pls, understand my situation, pls kept in touch.

[To] tell you the truth I felt dizzy, and so much hungry because I did not eat breakfast and lunch till this moment; [it's] 4:20pm right now; I'm worried for the food at home too.

Love

[Tina]

* Some text was lost in transmission.

** The ring was awarded to mark Tina's graduation from high school as the Salutatarian and Commander of the Cadet Army Training battalion.

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Christmas Eve food delivery for volcano evacuees

High-energy biscuits for flood-affected Filipinos being unloaded from a WFP helicopter last October.

Nearly 50,000 Filipinos evacuated from their homes in the shadow of the Mount Mayon volcano received some welcome assistance from the United Nations World Food Programme on Thursday, when packages of high energy biscuits arrived in evacuation centres set up by the government.

Misery and illness persist in Philippine typhoons’ wake

Excerpt from a report by Carlos H. Conde, The New York Times, October 25, 2009

 

“MANILA — A month after parts of the Philippines were devastated by successive typhoons, tens of thousands of people remain homeless and more than 150 have been killed by waterborne diseases, officials said.

Typhoon victims inside a baseball stadium turned into a temporary evacuation center in Pasig's Rosario district, east of Manila. Dennis M. Sabangan/European Pressphoto Agency

 

 

Relief workers are particularly concerned about children in evacuation camps in towns and cities in the Manila metropolitan area that remain flooded.

 

Health officials said there was an outbreak of diseases in both evacuation centers and in flooded communities, particularly a bacterial infection called leptospirosis that had afflicted more than 2,000 residents and killed 157 as of Saturday.”

 

Technorati Tags: children,disease,flood,health,illness,Philippines,typhoon

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Family lacks food; jobless father desperate

Today, at 11:10 a.m., Philippine time, Jason, an unemployed father of two daughters, sent me a text message from San Isidro, Laguna, in the South of Luzon Island, saying last night he could not sleep; he had a very painful boil "and there is also no food; I don't know what to do now."

I was very sorry to hear that and really wished I knew what to do.

Evidently the family has been barely surviving for months. Jason had previously confided that over the last half-year he has sometimes gone without eating himself for two or three days.

I had no remedy or comfort to offer. My repeated efforts to help the family have been leading me into financial difficulties.

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Sick child taken home from hospital

Money for treatment unavailable

Text messages between 2:25 p.m. and 3:10 p.m., GMT+08

At 2:25 p.m. Tina texted again, apologising but saying her 4-year-old daughter Bernadeth-Joe (B-J or "Little Bern") needed my help.

A paediatrician checked the child and wrote a referral to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist because she had a malodorous discharge of white liquid from her left ear.

The doktora (female doctor) also prescribed Bactroban antibacterial cream and Stafloxin [Flucloxacillin antibiotic] 7.5ml to be used for 10 days.

"The amount of sickness among these children is just amazing", I replied, perhaps too harshly. "As previously explained, I cannot afford to help. I'm sorry."

"OK, we will decide to go home now", Tina said: "she have fever right now; doktora want B-J to [be] OBS[erved in the hospital] but we cannot stay coz we don't have money, we cannot go to ENT in private hospital, doktora just request us [to] buy antibiotic ASAP for every 6 hrs, Tempra [paracetamol] for fever.

"I trust that you will buy the antibiotic ASAP, and the Tempra", I answered, seriously wondering whether that would be possible. I guessed money might be spent on medications instead of income-producing foodstocks for the family eatery, or borrowed from a loan shark.

"I don't have now any money Bern" Tina replied. Bernadeth-Joe had already undergone costly laboratory tests including a complete blood count (CBC) and urinalysis.

Many bacteria had been seen and wounds had spread on B-J's head and face. That was why the doctor prescribed the Bactroban cream.

"Somehow you must really find the money to buy the antibiotic" I said, again perhaps too severely.

"I'm sad, coz she was excited to ride in a ["Nutrition Month" parade] float on Friday" Tina said, but she has so many wounds in d face; I hope it will be cure[d]".

An additional problem was that special clothes would be needed if B-J and her cousin Zedric were to participate.

"I can understand that Tina" was my response. "I regret saying it, but it might have been wiser to tell the kindergarten administrators immediately that you cannot afford that."

"Even now it's probably best to tell the kindergarten head that (a) you cannot afford to enter B-J in the parade; and (b) she has a serious infection."

There was no further interaction.

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Mother takes daughter to hospital; funds unavailable

Image via Wikipedia

Text messages, 10:00 a.m. to 10:13 a.m, GMT + 08

From 10 a.m. onwards, from Kalayaan in the Philippines, Tina sent several text messages requesting help.

She was preparing to go to the Laguna Provincial Hospital in the town of Santa Cruz with her 4-year-old daughter Bernadeth - Joe ("Little Bern") who had a high fever, wounds on the head and face and white fluid exuding from the right ear.

I was really sorry, I replied. "I'm financially and emotionally exhausted."

Tina replied that she understood, but needed to give first aid to Little Bern. Last night the child had hardly slept because of an itch and around 1 a.m. she had become feverish.

The situation was more difficult because Bernadeth's kindergarten had selected her to appear on a float in a parade next Friday celebrating Nutrition Month, together with her cousin Zedric. The float would need to be decorated and the children dressed in traditional Filipino clothes; but money for this was also lacking.

Furthermore, the Philippine Training Authority (TESDA) had requested Tina to have her roadside diner prepared to receive an additional 50 customers for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea today, so at 3 a.m. she had traveled to a market to purchase provisions.

Now she had been notified that the extra trainees would not arrive until tomorrow.

A hospital doctor will almost certainly order pathology tests for Little Bern, for which there is no money available, and if that is achieved he or she will write prescriptions for an antibiotic and other medications, for which, again, money is unavailable.

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Politicians cause of poverty, hunger and insurgency

Image by mtfrazier via Flickr

by Nomadicasian, November 22, 2007

This strong accusation by a nomadic Asian is worth republication and reconsideration.

Yes indeed, Filipino politicians and those who are in government service are the cause of poverty, hunger and insurgency in the Philippines.

Majority of these politicians belongs to the prominent families of the Philippines who ruled the country since after independence from the American colonizer. The neo-politicos who gained prominence after the EDSA Revolution of 1986 are likewise to blame for the unrelenting debacle of the poor Philippines.

The seats of power are divided and passed onto their relatives, to their next of kin, father, mother, brother, sister etc and the cycle continues.

These people practically owned almost the entire Philippines. And holy cow, these politicos are educated in the world renown Universities in America and Europe. They have their Master of Arts and doctoral degrees prominently displayed in their personal information. They send their relatives one after the other to the same schools abroad and return to the Philippines to run for public office only to amass wealth as a reward for a stint abroad as students.

They are well educated alright, but once they’re in power, they accumulate wealth in so short a time, almost triple the money that they spent as students abroad.

They have no regards to the poor masses; all they have in mind is their personal interests on how to remain rich at the expense of the uneducated and poor people of the Philippines.

Also, the men in government who are appointed to run the day to day affairs of the country contribute to the problems by using their positions to manipulate, rigged, influence every contract at their own disposal in exchanged for FAT COMMISSIONS.

They are not taking chances; every available transaction is considered easy money and must go to their pockets by hook or by crook. Both politicos and the men in government have their mansions, flashy cars, acres of lands and buildings around the country.

Their sons and daughters are in private, air conditioned and stately schools and blessed with luxuries.

The poor masses lives in small shacks, in squatters, [with] no lands of their own and work as scavengers, tradesmen, mendicants. Their sons and daughters are poorly educated, roaming around town, clawed by pedophiles and sex predators and oftentimes die in hunger. Others resort to criminality and in the rural areas join rebel movements.

This is SAD - REALLY SAD. How I wish that someday the Philippines will be great again, again because once upon a time the Philippines was second to Japan but now the country is a step ahead of Timbuktu, whatever that means.

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Son fears for absent father's welfare

Philippine Army seeks guerrillas around father's home town

At 09:54am this morning, Philippine time, Jason contacted me from an internet cafe in San Isidro, Laguna using the Yahoo Messenger program.

He was sad and worried, having received text messages yesterday from Susan, a woman friend of his father Melchior.

Susan said for the past week Melchior had been absent from his home in the hilltop village of San Antonio, Laguna, and staying in the town of Majayjay, Laguna.'Last night', Jason said, 'I can't sleep thinking about my father: what happened there?'

I wondered why Melchior went to Majayjay. 'That's my problem Bern' Jason said: 'why he went... I ask Susan why but she can't answer; that's why I'm thinking and worried.'

Jason had no idea about his father's situation. 'I don't know what he['s] doing there; I ask Susan if my father have work there; say nothing...'

He wanted to accompany Susan to Majayjay this morning. 'She know where he is. That's why I want to go in San Antonio now; to [be] clear about my father['s] situation and why he went there but... '

Jason was worried because he suspected Susan had many friends in the communist New People's Army.

There were many NPA guerrillas around San Antonio, and many Philippine Army troops trying to find them: 'And my father every day is in the mountain' [as part of his charcoal-making and rice growing activities].

I did not see that Jason's father had done anything that should cause him to be afraid of the NPA or the army but Jason repeated: 'I'm very worried Bern; that's why I want to go with Susan in Majayjay now.'

Majayjay was far from San Isidro. Jason had a motorcycle, 'but I don't have money for transportation, or for the gasoline; I need 500 PHP [to go] with Susan; I think it is enough to go there to see my father.'

I was sad about that but my own life had become quite difficult and I lacked the financial resources to help.

'Also: last night Tina wanted money to take two children to the Laguna Provincial Hospital but I couldn't help.

'Michael planned to take Mel to the Philippine General Hospital Out-Patients Department this morning. I fear they'll need money for pathology tests and prescriptions but that's a big problem for me too.'

Jason was downcast and repeatedly apologetic: 'I know your situation Bern... sorry for sharing this to you ... I try what I can do now; I'm sad and worried about my father; I want to see him... don't think about what I'm sharing.'

Jason's hour online was running out. I hoped his father had family cellphone numbers in his possession, and someone kind enough to allow him a text; and that Jason still had some cellphone credit. 'Texts to me via Yahoo are OK', I said. They would be much cheaper than SMS messages to my cellphone.

An hour and 20 minutes later, Jason sent me a text: 'Bern, I'm not yet go to Majayjay, can't borrow money for d transport, or for gasoline. All my [friends and relations] are "don't have." I'm sad.'

I was sorry to hear that. 'I'll think about the problem', I replied, 'but money is a big problem [for me too] now. I suppose Susan is also short of money.'

'I don't know what to do now Bern...' Jason said. I want to see my father but I can't do nothing.'

'Maybe you're worrying too much', I responded. 'There's an old saying, though: "No news is good news." I trust something will turn up.'

Hunger allows no choice

Image via Wikipedia

All I have is a voice
To undo the folded lie,
The romantic lie in the brain
Of the sensual man-in-the-street
And the lie of Authority
Whose buildings grope the sky:
There is no such thing as the State
And no one exists alone;
Hunger allows no choice
To the citizen or the police;
We must love one another or die.

- W. H. Auden: excerpt from "September 1, 1939", in Another Time, published by Random House. Copyright © 1940 W. H. Auden, renewed by The Estate of W. H. Auden.

Children hungry; sick restaurateur pleads for help

At 09:33 this morning (GMT+8), from the rural town of Kalayaan in the Philippines, Tina sent me an SMS text: "Bern, how are you? I'm not OK, I lay on bed, have fever tonsilitis, eatery close[d]; don't have capital coz payday [of credit customers] will be Thursday. Kids was hunger. Don't have yet skol [school] supply; please help."

After a 23-minute delay I finally responded: "This is distressing for me also, Tina. I'm greatly stressed financially and emotionally. I'm so sorry I don't have an answer for you now. I really need to think."

The interchange continued until 10:22:

Tina: I just serve noodles for d kids dis morning, they are asking for rice and ulam [meat and vegetables], specially Ken-Ken, Little Bern, Zedric, Kian and Renzed asking for milk. What should I do? I don't have money to buy, I'm so sorry.

Bern: I wrestle with those problems in my head but most regrettably don't have answers now. This is a crisis for me also.

Tina: I'm worried coz I'm sick, I have training tomorrow, I have prescription but I don't have money to buy medicine, d most important to me was d food for d kids and school supply . . .

Bern: I understand. I'm making this crisis known to others but don't really expect help. I don't know what else I can do.

In the afternoon Tina texted me again: "Bern, I'm very sorry to tell you, it's 3 p.m. right now, d kids was crying asking for food, dey just eat noodles in breakfast, not yet lunch, we did not eat since dis a.m., pls help us."

The time was actually 3:48 p.m.; or 5:48 in Brisbane, Australia.

"I'm so sorry, Tina", I replied. "I'm deeply in debt. Even if I had money to send, the money change offices are closed now. This distresses me but I must tell you straight."

The situation is disturbing and distressing not only for the extended family with 7 children, but also for myself. It's probably the first time ever that I've offered them no hope whatsoever.

Plea for help repeated

At 10:50 this morning, Philippine time, Tina sent me several more text messages.

She apologised for giving me a problem, but said:

• The toddler Kian really needs an ECHO test so he can have the exact medicine to take;
• To keep the eatery going, she has purchased food in the market on credit [but this debt will very soon need to be repaid];
• The 5 kids enrolled for school classes starting June 1 don't have the necessary equipment yet. (Presumably the family want to purchase material for uniforms, among other things, and need time to have the uniforms made before school starts).

"I'm sorry, Tina, I've gone beyond all limits and must try to survive myself", I responded. "But please advise Kian's physical condition now. Is he getting enough air?"

"That's what I'm worried about", Tina said. Kian had received oxygen treatment for two days in hospital, but now, at home without it, "his skin color [is] getting back to dark". That is why the doctor had asked for an Echo test result as soon as possible. It really should have been done while Kian was an in-patient last Sunday, but the family didn't have the money for that.

"It sounds as if he improved in hospital but is becoming cyanotic* again", I said, at 11:14 a.m. "I wish some charity would pay the fee. A politician helped a bit once, didn't he?"

There was no further message.

I don't why Tina remains silent. It may be that she has insufficient prepaid mobile credit load to continue sending messages; or that she's in class at the food technology course mandated by governments; or that she's busy trying to keep the roadside cafe going; or looking after children.

* cyanotic: showing cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes due to not enough oxygen in the blood).

Plea for help

At 2:27 this morning, Tina sent me a text from the rural town of Kalayaan in the Philippines.

Tina could not sleep because the extended household in which she lives has many problems.

For the school year about to begin, supplies are needed for 5 children, at a cost 1,000 pesos each, for a total of 5,000 pesos.

A cardiologist has ordered an echocardiographic heart examination for Tina's asthmatic nephew Kian, 18 months old, who has breathing difficulties; but the family has no money to pay the 2,500 peso fee.

Last Tuesday the family removed Kian from the hospital where he had been receiving oxygen treatment. They could no longer afford his upkeep there. Oxygen is unavailable at home.

The roadside diner selling meals which Tina and the family have been striving mightily to maintain needs 2,000 pesos for the immediate purchase of stock to continue.

Tina didn't know what to do and said "Please help."

Tina also enquired how I was and hoped I was OK.

The arriving message roused me from a fitful sleep. It was depressing and I had little chance of sleeping properly afterwards. Not knowing what to do, I took a tablet to help me relax and did nothing.

Finally, at 08:14, Philippine time, I texted Tina: "It was distressing to receive your text in the early hours this morning. I'm in debt. I didn't know about school expenses. I wonder how Kian is now."

There has been no reply.

Sick toddler needs heart examined; funds unavailable

Between 06:46 and 06:57 (GMT+8) this morning, Tina sent text messages to my mobile phone and home computer. She was worried, having previously sent texts which I had not received.

The condition of Tina's asthmatic nephew Kian, 18 months old, had improved as a result of his receiving oxygen treatment during his two-day stay in the private Malaya Doctors Hospital in Santa Cruz, Laguna. He had been referred from the local government hospital because it lacked a heart specialist.

The cardiologist had wanted the boy to remain in hospital and undergo an echocardiographic examination "to find the diagnosis." The family could no longer afford to keep him there, however, so [with funds from me] they had paid the hospital bill of 4,500 pesos and taken him home.

The study would have cost an additional 2,500 pesos.

I replied requesting clarification.

I also expressed my distress that there was still no diagnosis and alarm at the prospect of immediate further expense which I also could not afford.

"Many times I've begged Filipinos to register with [the charitable websites] betterplace.org and kiva.org but that has not happened", I said.

There was no response from Tina. Probably she was extremely busy helping to prepare breakfast for the extended family and perhaps customers, and preparing to leave for the food technology training course she was required to attend.

Almost half an hour later I said "Tina, I would appreciate a response if you're not too busy and have enough credit load"; but I did not hear from her again.

It remains to be seen how Kian will fare at home without oxygen equipment to remedy his breathing difficulties and without a final diagnosis.

Picture: Wikipedia

Dog-bite victim receives another anti-rabies injection

Lin-Lin's health and appetite improve but costs remain a severe problem

SMS texting session via Yahoo Messenger from 13:52 to 14:34, Philippine time

At 13:52 today, Philippine time, Jason texted me that his daughter Lin-Lin had received an [anti-rabies] injection at the Laguna Provincial Hospital and was scheduled to receive another two, the next at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13.

He was very concerned about the cost: 1,700 pesos for each injection.

"News about the cost alarms me greatly," I responded. "I prefer not to think about it now."

I hoped Lin-Lin wasn't too upset by the injection and was OK.

"She's OK now, Bern, happy and energetic", Jason replied; "she [has] improved now but she needs 2 more injections."

I'm here now in Jollibee," he added, "but [after] every inject[ion] she [is] requesting me to eat [at] Jollibee."

The dialogue continued:

Bern: I'm very glad to hear Lin-Lin has improved. I understand that she needs more injections. I hope you've improved [in health] too.

Jason: I'm OK, Bern, happy; specially Lin-Lin, she eat Jollibee. Thank you; you're always there for me, to support [us]. Thank you very much Bern.

Bern: I'm very glad of that [happiness] Jason. I'm aware of added expenses on Wednesday but don't want to think about it too much right now.

Jason: Thank you Bern. God bless. Love, Jason and family.

Father goes without food for 2 or 3 days at a time

Rabies treatment for daughter scheduled to continue; asthmatic boy, 18 months old, lacks oxygen

Chat session with Jason using Yahoo Messenger from an Internet cafe, 17:01 to 18:29, Philippine time

To my surprise, Jason greeted me online this afternoon, thanking me for the money he had received at 9:30 a.m.

We discussed mainly

• Jason's health;
• the health of his daughter Lin-Lin;
• confusion about Jason's nephew, Kian, and Tina's nephew, also named Kian,
• the latter's health crisis, the paternal obligations of Kian's father, and his income;
• the prices of cell phone calls and text messages;
• Internet cafe computer usage; and
• Jason's wish to see me via web cam.

After exchanging pleasantries I mentioned Jason's online picture gallery (dating from 2008 when he was employed in an Internet cafe) and various matters including Lin-Lin's medical appointment next day.

I trusted they would have no problems keeping the appointment and Jason hoped that would be so. "Please try to learn all you can from the doctor tomorrow," I said. "Don't be too shy to ask questions! And ask about your own health, too, if you have a chance! Explain that you've been under great stress!"

Jason's health

Towards the end of the interchange, discussion of Jason's health produced cryptic but distressing revelations. Despite concern for his privacy, I relate them here:

Jason: Bern, tomorrow I think I need to [have a] check-up too b-coz I'm anemic and can't eat many.

Bern: Yes, I'm not at all surprised. I hope you do get checked.

Jason: I have ulcer Bern.

Bern: Ulcer? Where? You need to get that treated! I hope the same doctor can treat you and Lin-Lin in the same consultation.

Jason: I can't say in English Bern: in my sikmura, in Tagalog.

Bern: Well just make sure you tell the doctor.
. . .

Jason: I get that [ulcer] Bern when I'm no eat, no food.

Bern: Oh. That's understandable.

Jason: No eat in 2 to 3 days.

Bern: But when was the last time that happened? And how often has it been happening?

Jason: No food in 2 to 3 days.

Bern: You really need to tell the doctor that. Have you been eating recently?

Jason: I think Bern it's time to [make it] know[n to] the doctor: and need to check-up.

Bern: Yes, certainly, you must tell him everything!

Jason: I keep that a month ago; I think [it lasted] 4 to 6 month[s]. I can't tell anyone Bern, only [to] you can [I] say that.

. . .

Jason: Bern sorry for sharing this to you; don't think about me.

Bern: There's no need to apologise! I appreciate that have shared it: but please share it with the doctor too.

Jason: Thank you Bern.

Lin-Lin's health

Bern: How is Lin-Lin now?

Jason: She's improved; she can play now, and eat more; tomorrow she['s] requesting me again to eat Jollibee, and buy sleeper [slippers; i.e. casual footwear].

Bern: I'm glad to hear she's improved. I hope you can afford Jollibee and slippers. I see Jollibee and McDonalds are offering half-size servings of rice now, because of the shortage.

Jason: I think I budget the money for that and for the food.

Bern: I trust you to budget wisely. I'm almost certain that more ant-rabies injections will be required, perhaps a month from now. . . . I need to check that.

Jason: Thank you for that, Bern, please. . . She need more 3 anti-rabies, not anti-tetanus.

Bern: I see. That's what I would have anticipated. I suppose at least the anti-rabies prophylaxis is a good insurance for the future, even though it's unpleasant for Lin-Lin.

Jason: Yes, Bern, I clarify that tomorrow.

Bern: Good.

Confusion about Jason's nephew, Kian, Tina's nephew, also named Kian; and the latter's health crisis

Jason: May I ask, Bern, about Tina's saying Kian [was] in hospital yesterday?

Bern: There was confusion! She was referring to Liza's son, 18 months old, suffering from asthma and fever. Tina said he was suffering severely from lack of oxygen.

Jason: Oh, but she said Kian [Jason's sister Anagel also has a son named Kian].

Bern: That's his name, isn't it?

Jason: I don't know his name Bern.

Bern: Tina was worried that without a nebulizer and medication he might not survive the night. He was having severe breathing difficulties.

Jason: But Bern, Liza's husband work in Kalayaan also: in NPC [the National Power Corporation].

Bern: I wish I knew more about that. From what I hear, the workers are all very poorly paid.

Jason: I don't know . . . but in my opinion his father [has an] obligation.

Bern: I think many Filipino fathers are unable to meet their obligations.

Tina and Liza signed Kian out of the hospital. They had to sign a waiver, saying they would take responsibility if something went really wrong with Kian.

Tina said the one nebulizer in the hospital was being shared by several patients so they would have to wait for that one. The doctor wrote a prescription for them to buy one, plus medications.

But they had no money to buy those things, so Kian had difficulty breathing.

I trust Kian's health has improved today. It was a bit better last night [after I sent money for medications] but I need to check again.

Cell phone talk and text prices

Jason said he would text me tomorrow. I thanked him, saying I was sure to be online some time the next day: a text via Yahoo would be cheaper.

Yes, said Jason, only 2 pesos and 50 centavos. The price of a text to my cellphone, however, would be "30 pesos [for] one text only. "

I was shocked. "I was thinking about 12 or 15 pesos! Maybe the price has risen. That's close to one Australian dollar!"

The cost would be 15 pesos, Jason replied, "if your message is short."

"The telco Optus has greatly increased the price of phone calls," I said, "so I've cut down greatly on my cellphone calls to the Philippines."

Jason thought that cellular phone calls within the Philippines cost 60 pesos for 5 minutes.

I thought "That explains why Filipinos use many text messages instead."

We agreed that it would be much better to text each other via Yahoo.

Internet prices

Bern: I read online that Internet cafe prices have become quite cheap, at least in some places, because of the competition.

Jason: Yes, Bern, also here in Pagsanjan.

Bern: Cheap Internet prices are good for customers, like you, but not so good for the workers in the cafes!

Jason: Yes.

Bern: Maybe if you start working in an Internet cafe again, you'd like to see the prices higher! So you can get better wages!

Web cam

Jason: Bern you have cam in your computer? I want to see you; I miss you very much; long time ago can't see.

Bern: Oh, I have one [web cam], but it's not attached! And now I've found the software CD for it! So I should be able to have it running next time you come online! I won't try to install it immediately, but I will do so very soon.

Jason: Yes Bern please . . . I'm very happy for that.

Bern: I'm not much to look at.

Jason: It's OK Bern; the important [thing is that] I saw you.

Bern: OK, so I'll get the camera installed and figure out how to operate it.

Jason: Put the disc [in] Bern and then choose the same [model]; what cam you have; and then install it.

Bern: Yes, but I prefer not to do it immediately. My old computer is likely to become overloaded.

Jason: Yes, I think next time Bern. I have no time.

Farewell

"Bern, thank you again, in time,' Jason said; "God bless you Bern; love, Jason and family. Bye for now Bern; miss you."

"Good night Jason," I replied, "and best wishes to you and all your family!"