Nananakot itong asosasyon ng mga private hospital ng “hospital holiday” bilang protesta sa implementasyon ng Republic Act 9439 o Hospital Detention Law.
Ang R.A. 9439 ay nagbabawal ng mga hospital na mag-detain ng mga pasyente na hindi makakabayad.
Sa “hospital holiday”, hindi tatanggap ng mga pasyente na na hindi emergency simula itong buwan hanggang mapalitan ang batas.
Itong aksyon ng mga hospital ay nagpapakita lalo kung gaano kamanhid ang kanilang puso. Nakakalungkot na nakakagalit kasi sila ay nasa negosyo na dapat kailangan ang malasakit sa nanganga-ilangan. Lumalabas dito na mas mahalaga sa kanila ang pera.
Minsan itinakbo ako sa ospital dahil nagsuka ako sa sobra kung kain ng kasoy. Habang nasa-emergency room ako, naririnig ko ang usapan sa karatig na kama (hindi ko makita dahil may naka-separate na kurtina) ng admitting nurse at ang nanay na batang pasyente.
Sinabi ng nurse na kailagang i-admit ang bata dahil masama na ang ubo. Pneumonia ang sakit. Tinanong ng nanay kung magkano ang kailangan nilang deposito at sinabing P3,000. Wala silang pera.
Kinuwento sa akin ng aking hipag na siyang nagdala sa akin sa ospital itong nakakabagbag damdamin na eksena: Kinuha ng aburidong nanay ang kanyang anak sa kama, at malungkot na lumabas sila sa hospital. Malalim na ang gabi noon.
Sa oras na yun, masama ang aking pakirandam. Nang medyo bumuti-buti na ang aking pakiramdam, naala-ala ko ang usapan ng Nanay at nurse at guilty na guilty na ako. Sabi ko sana tinulungan ko ang mag-ina. Wala rin kasi akong dalang extra na pera noon. Hindi naman ako maaring pumunta sa ATM.
Kahit ano pa ang sabihin ng mga ospital na malulugi raw sila kapag hayaan nila ang mga pasyente umuwi kahit hindi sila makabayad, hindi pa rin makatao ang kanilang ginagawa na i-detain ang pasyente sa ospital kung hindi makabayad. Minsan mga sanggol ang kanilang dini-detain.
Paano naman maging solusyon ang pagdetain mg pasyente sa problema ng hindi makabayad? Wala ka na ngang pera, hindi ka pa papayagan lumabas. Di lalong lalaki ang bill?
Noong highschool pa ako sa Iloilo, sumakit ng matindi ang tiyan ng aking nanay at itinakbo namin ng aking dalawang kapatid sa Iloilo Mission Hospital. Bato sa gall bladder ang kanyang sakit.
Nang gumaling-galing na siya, pinilit niyang umuwi dahil wala kaming pambayad sa ospital. Ginarantiyahan ng isa naming kakilala para makalabas at unti-unti na lang naming binayaran ang ospital.
Problema talaga ang kawalan ng pera. Ngunit makataong solusyon ang kailangan.
I hope this thread is genuine. Sana hindi na-hacked. I think the topic is relevant and timely. True, you cannot get the proper medical services if you’re poor. The rich go to good hospitals like St. Luke and Makati Medical Center. Ang mahihirap nagtitiyaga na lang sa mga tulad ng Phil. Gen. Hospital. In other countries like Canada, health care is even free. Part of the taxes people pay goes to such health service. Sa Pilipinas, lahat na yata wala kasi kurakot ang gobyerno. Add to this is the growing number of nurses and doctors leaving the country. Marami ang maagang namamatay dahil sa sakit at walang gamot. Ang mga may sakit tulad ng diabetes at high blood ay hinahayaan na lang hanggang lumala. They have no choice because to them the priority is to feed their families first. Kawawang Pilipino. Kawawang bansa.
Ellen,
On my trip back to Toronto from California for a visit to my sister’s family, spring of 2006, I was sitting besides a Filipino Couple (fil-am) to accompany their sister out of hospital to B.C. for a journey back to the Philippines.
They told me she was here on tourist visa accompanying her brother on conference when a very serious illness strike her and without insurance coverage accumulated enormous emergency bill. I help them to the Hospital and ride to the airport the next day and they arranged with the hospital to just send the bill to her Philippine address which Is just the same as forgiven since they told me it is beyond their capacity to pay…The doctors will be paid by the taxpayers here and the sop for such case is usually the patient may reimburse the govt. whatever amount they can afford without affecting their livelihood in anyway, most won’t even bother for the bill is usually too much for people who can’t afford health or not covered by their own countries…but nobody will be denied health care, no matter if they are foreigners, tourists without health coverage even if we have to pay for them…That is the essence of health care, it must be available to all regardless of who they are…
pechanco: “ang mga mahihirap nagtitiyaga na lang sa..PGH”
Ang pagkakaalam ko mahusay ang doctors sa PGH. Maraming mahusay true and tested largely based on their own personal experiences. Kaya lang matagal ang paghintay kasi punong puno and mga kuarto lalo na sa emergency rooms..marami ang nasa hallways. At kong hindi ako nagkakamali, Ellen’s own doctor is connected with PGH. Ang sabi nga niya na sa kahirapan ng mga tao walang maibili ng gamot at maririnig mo ang mga “moanings” in pain. Those who can afford go to St. Luke, etc. because modern ang equipments and supposedly abroad trained ang mga doctor. The latest expensive hospital ata ngayon ay ang Asian Hospital.
Vic: ang pagkakaalm ko maganda ang health benefits sa Canada..Dito kahit “undocumented alien ka” you will be given medical attention lalo na sa mga mabigat na kaso like operation..under the medicaid. mas mabuti pa nga ang mga na sa medicaid halos walang binabayaran..kaya kahit na TNT for the health benifits would prefer to stay here..kahit na sabihin mong maykaya sila sa Phil. kasi under the medicaid one of the things you have to prove is you have no income SSI lang, and wala kang pera sa bangko..kaya ang pera ipatago mo sa account ng anak mo o kaya ilagay mo na lang under the mat..
Pechanco: Ang akala ko we now have medical coverages. Sa totoo lang I still go to PGH for health examination..lalo na sa mata..mas mahusay ang doctor ko (Head siya ng Eye Dept.) at saka in terms of pesos mas mura kaysa dito.
Vic: Hindi ba mahusay ang Iloilo Mission Hospital? Yon ang alam ko kasi doon kami dinadala noong araw..connected kasi sila sa CPU.
Vic: Did that couple receive their medical treatment in California or BC? Sabi mo kasi na-meet mo sila sa California.
If you’re talking about the Canada health service, I agree. In the US, you should have medical insurance from your employer or privately purchased. But of course US government hospitals do treat their citizens who are low income. In Canada, the only complaint I get is the very long waiting period. Kung minsan patay na iyon tao bago dumating ang date of appointment. May mga surgeries kahit na cancer maghihintay pa ng maraming buwan at taon. On top of this, many Canadian nurses and doctors are going to the south (US) to work. May tawag na NAFTA visa na puwedeng mag-trabaho ang magkabilang bansa, US and Canadian citizens.
But with today’s stronger Canadian dollar which is almost equal that of the US, the number has declined. But then, the tax is killing these professionals.
Rose: That’s right. Many PGH doctors are very good. But most of them are new graduates who are doing their intern or residency. Tapos, aalis din ang mga iyan to practice privately or go abroad. What’s most frustrating for the PGH doctors and nurses is the lack of medical facilities and medicine. Kailangan din bumili ng gamot ng sarili nila ang mga pasiyente.
This private hospital thinggy is such that it produces a cruel divide in society, pitting those who have money and therefore will live against those who have no money and therefore will die.
The culprit is our medical care system, i.e., national health service, our laws and our government who are.
Something has got to be done! We cannot allow people, the poorest of the poor among them to be hostage to the whims of heavily commericalized health care system. Just not right, absolutely vicious.
pechanco: Ang nakakalungkot pa I understand many doctors take nursing then leave and work abroad..narinig ko rin kay Ellen na ang mga pasiyente ang bumimili nang sariling gamot at kung wala ka ngang pero papaano? Kung minsan mas mabuti pa nga sa probinsiya kasi kahit walang pera na pangbili ng gamot may mga herbs..kung sumakit ang tiyan maglaga ka ng bark of this and that..for disinfectant maglaga ka ng dahon ng bayabas..at sa amin pag Market Day which is Tues. maraming mga aetes na bumaba para magbenta ng mga dahon dahon..
pechanco, it was the couple’s sister who was hospitalized at St. Michael’s in Toronto for 3 weeks and the bill was quite large.
Our health care is publicly funded and those waiting period are for selective procedures. some of the tests are somehow delayed but not emergency cases, which is always given priorities. Transplants are usually in the compability, priority basis, since only voluntary donation is legal here.
But that is the sacrifices you will get for Universal Health care, that include hip replacements, knee replacements and long term care for all illnesses.
At the moment the waiting period is being addressed as the Medical Professions themselves are recognizing most foreign graduates with minimum qualifying requirements.
the cases that people are talking that sometimes a patient is dead before getting to his or her appointment is a very rare case. some could succumb anytime. I myself have a few appt. for MRI for brain and the longest is 4 weeks, if i have terminal tumour during that time, can’t do nothing about it.
the rate of taxes maybe higher here than in u.s. but i still have to see a doctor here who is struggling.. most are allowed to bill the govt. up to half a million a year for GP and higher for specialist before the prorating applies. so even with higher taxes that income is still enormous, like my doc says, he may not be rich, but very comfortable..thanks pancheco..the u.s. also has a very good health care programs and like i said my sister and brother in law both medical practitioners are working in U.S. their drug companies are making a killing though…
rose, Iloilo Mission Hospital was very well known during the past, i don’t know now. CPU nursing trains her undergraduates and during the time when it was managed by the American Batist Missionaries, it was the best hospital in the city.
Pechanco,
Free, top notch health care system is universal not only in Canada but also in Europe.
State and citizens (even those who are illegal immigrants) have a healthy mutual respect for each other here. Social Contract is respected. That’s what civilization and progress is about – a poor man doesn’t die just because he has no money to spend for his health care.
In one private hospital in Parañaque, I saw a girl in a crib inside the nursery and I asked the nurse what the girl (probably 3 yrs. old) is doing in such a small crib. I was told she was detained by the hospital cuz the parents can’t pay the full bill for her caesarian delivery three years back. Everytime the parents came with some money, they were allowed to see their child, but each time, more bills have accumulated and the poor parents had to go home sans daughter. The girl speaks only 2 words, “dede” and “mama”. She calls all the nurses “mama”.
Isn’t that wicked? Five years later, when my next child was born there, I asked where the little girl was and I was told that the hospital still kept the child for about two years more until they decided that they had to allow her to go home since they were spending faster than what the parents could produce.
I think they have a name for this. Kidnap for ransom?
Private hospital operators are holding the people and the government hostage on their threat to go on hospital holiday. It only shows that these private hospitals consider human lives are less precious than money. While it is true that hospital operation is a business, no one can deny that they are in a service where their primary responsibility is to provide and take care of health and lives of people, rich or poor no exceptions. There is no sense in detaining a patient who can not pay the bills because by doing so, it will only add more to the debt problems ; in the same way that they should not refuse people who seeks treatment just because they can not afford the needed fees for admission and just leave them to die. In all these, where is the human aspect in building and operating a hospital? Where is the conscience?
Good medical care in our country is reserved for the rich and those who can afford. It is a great divide that existed since time immemorial, a double standard health care system, one for the rich, and the other is the PGH or albularyo or quack or fake healer for the poor. Our leaders who should be at the forefront battling for a universal health care system that is affordable, simply doesn’t want to do anything about it. If only our leaders stop corrupting and stealing billions of people’s money, and instead use this money to fund health care, maybe we don’t have to be dealing with this unconscionable and inhuman act called “hospital holiday”. Maybe they don’t even hear about “People’s health is a nations wealth” or something like that.
Hindi nga makatao..baka veterinary hospitals. Just a week ago namatay si Leona Helmsley at iniwan niya sa kanyang will 12 million dollars for her dog. May mga apo siya na hindi binigyan. Ang sabi nga ng isang nagtrabaho sa kanya na ang gusto pa niya ay isubuan ang aso kaya marami siyang kagat kagat sa kamay. At ang gusto pa ata niya na pagnamatay ang aso ilibing na kasama niya. Kaya lang may policy sa cemeterio na hindi puedeng ilibing ang aso or any animal sa cemeterio para sa mga tao. Pero puede mailibing ang isang tao sa pet cemetery..kaya may nag comment na noon na lang ilibing si Leona para magkasama sila…Maiba ako hindi ba si Gloria binigyan niya ng milliones ang mga tuta niya noong election…same wave length ata ang utak nila ni Leona…
This is what happens when states become greedy and basic services like health is no longer given free.
I remember when I was a kid, people do not pay getting treatment at community health clinics and public hospitals like the San Lazaro Hospital especially when the economic conditions of Filipinos have not really improved but gotten worse through the years, and you see these lawmakers who have made life worse than before getting richer and richer with their pork barrels that should actually be used for these free services.
Ang tawag diyan, tarantado! At least, over in Japan, even when hospitals are not free, people can apply for a national insurance and get welfare if they do not have money.
Lahat kasi ginagaya sa mga kano. Hindi gayahin iyon sistema sa UK for example. I remember getting sick when I was there and getting free health service. VAT nga hindi applied to basic needs. Sayang na lang ang buying power ng pounds as a matter of fact. But that was how many decades ago.
Is it still the same, Anna?
Rose, mas masaya tayo kung ilibing silang lahat, soon!
So why should I go back to the Philippines? Kukunsumihin ko lang ang sarili ko sa sobrang kaswapangan ng mga ganid doon!
At least, where I am, I feel free and protected. I have worked hard and by the time I retire, I am pretty sure, I can live in bliss and comfort. Health service is also no problem. It is affordable especially to the senior citizens, who need constant health care. Mahirap, mayaman dito, pareho lang.
In the Philippines, mamamatay na lang, pasikatan pa at pataasan pa ng ihi! Mahirap ka, mamamatay kang dilat ang mga mata! Puro yabang lang ang mga ini-elect ng mga tao!
This is the reason why I blog here. Baka magbago kasi ang isip ko in the end, for over in Japan, we have a tradition and belief that when one is nearing death, he/she starts craving for the bed/mat where he/she was born.
I would not like to go back to the Philippines and waste my money on the kurakots in the government. I want to make sure wala na sila when I go back by blogging here and joining movements to remove the creep and her fellow kurakots forever!!! 😛
Yuko,
Re: UK national health care
Health care system in the UK is changing now, not as free as it used to be – they’re getting closer to the US system where you need private insurance to pay when something major happens. The Brits are complaining – many Brits have expatriated to France and find that it’s so much easier, top health care and for free, even major surgeries.
Even then, on the whole, it’s not as bad as in the US where those who don’t have high premium insurance cannot expect to receive long term treatment.
A very very close friend of mine in France was in hospital following a major brain surgery resulting in an sporting accident – the exact bill for more than 2 months of hospitalization (and was in coma for a few weeks) and at least 18 months of re-education in a specialized amounted to an easy million Euros. Not a cent was paid out of the pocket for the medical costs by the family; everything was paid for by the State.
My son who was in primary school who underwent a series of operations following a car accident (I was driving) including re-education, follow on care at home, tutoring (he was absent from school for a few months), including cost of renting the wheel-chair for a whole year were covered entirely by the State, not a dime out of our pocket.
Ooops, “A very very close friend of mine in France was in hospital following a major brain surgery AS A RESULT OF an sporting accident.
Rose,
Doon sa Colma, may libingan para sa mga hayop. May libingan din para sa mga intsik! Iyong mga cannot afford to have a niche, just ask for cremation and scatter their ashes down the Golden Gate Bridge. Romantic daw, but that is polluting the SF Bay!
Anna, that’s the solution.
Not allowing private hospitals to hostage the patients.
Thanks, Anna. I just remembered getting free treatment from a hospital in Oxford where my foster Mom was a nurse. I got a bout of flu after getting a chill in London. I had travel insurance though for my side trips to other parts of Europe then.
Even now, when I go to the US, I get a travel insurance. I get full refund of my expenses in case I get sick. I don’t worry though when I am in CA because my sister is a doctor and can get me free prescriptions. I just pay for the cost of the medicine.
Ellen, Tongue,
I have my own true story. In mid-August, my bantay in my farm in Pinas sent me a letter, which he does very very rarely, through my Mom who had joined me on holiday outside Pinas. I was frankly apprehensive, thinking something had happened to Cimarron, my carabao or to my farm. My mother simply said that my bantay had gone to Manila to meet with her upon learning that I had decided to skip Pinas for this vacation; she couldn’t tell me why the letter, so with trepidation, I opened the letter.
It was all about the father who had been in hospital for kidney surgery.
My bantay was asking me, nay, BEGGING for help and needed 15,000 pesos urgently as the operation had to be scheduled or the father might die. My Mom said she knew the father (from whom I had initially bought the property) had been very ill when she visited the farm in July but didn’t know that he had been brought to the hospital.
I phoned my bantay right away to tell him that I was sending the amount and a bit more by Western Union that day (so he would receive it right away.) Needless to say, I could hear tears of gratitude in his voice. He said ” Ate, ang Diyos na lang po ang makakaganti sa iyo.” I said, “Never mind that – just make sure that the doctor saves your Dad”; instructed him to send my Mom an SMS (coz cheaper for him since Mom has a roaming Pinas mobile line) to tell me how things develop.”
There was no news – so I thought everything must be alright.
When Mom arrived in Manila, there was a message for her that the father had died the day before she got back to Pinas.
My Mom attended the funeral and told me the real story afterwards.
The money arrived on time but the father had gone into coma on the same day and couldn’t be operated on any longer – too late doctor said.
My Mom reckoned that had the doctor operated on him right away when he was brought to the hospital in early August, he might have been saved. Actually, the father had been in the hospital several times for consultations – he had kidney stones at the beginning but had gone worse or something like that and was told that he needed an operation but couldn’t schedule an operation because the family didn’t have the money.
I was so shocked particularly when I learned that all the doctor was asking for deposit for the operation was some 10 thousand pesos which I could have sent right away but my bantay was so embarassed because I’ve been helping his family and matter of fact sent him in May money for his wife’s hospital treatment as well as for his children’s school needs.
I could only mutter curses and plenty of ‘mura’ and other expletives under my breath for the injustice, the callousness, the cruelty of the hospital staff particularly of the doctor who could have saved the man’s life. Needless to say, the money I sent was used not to save the life of my bantay’s father but to pay for the hospital costs and medicine costs that had accumulated while he was there and up to the day he died.
The hospital made money alright not by saving a life but by killing a man.
And Gloria crows about growth in the Philippines?
Sa totoo lang kumukulo ang dugo ko kapag nakakarinig ako ng mga ganitong balita. I remember reading a story a long time ago of a mother who did not get proper treatment for her new born babies na apat ba iyon kasi wala siyang ibabayad. No hospital would take them in. Sabi ko tuloy, nasaan na iyong Hippocratic oath nila?
My husband was frankly disgusted. He liked the old man and didn’t know that things were bad with him. My bantay and his family are decent people who don’t abuse my ‘generosity’ – although poor, they get by but obviously don’t have liquidity for emergency cases.
I realize that my bantay’s situation is not an isolated case and know well that it is a general pattern among a great section of the population, even for those who are not very, very poor.
When they are sick and need life saving treatment, they are bound to die unless help from the outside (not from doctors) reach them on time!
Absolutely disgusting state of affairs!
The controversy between the government (DOH) and the Private Hospital Association of the Philippines (PHAP) concerning the Hospital Detention Law (RA 9439), after months of dialogue did not reconcile their positions, reached an impasse where the PHAP decided to go on hospital holiday. The proposal of PHAP that government (PhilHealth?) pay the hospital and then collect from the patient was rejected.
The two-day hospital holiday means there will be less hypochondriacs for a couple of days every month. Facetious? No, just stating reality. The ‘bawal magkasakit’ ploy prefaces a sales gimmick but true to life and can be achieved if Public Health Policy is modified to stress Prevention rather than cure. The public, medical community, Big Pharma and government all live in a paradigm of healing called conventional medicine, which is too late and demands medication. Most people are healthy, needing medical consultation only when feeling unwell. Yet staying healthy is so simple and economical. Infectious disease can be prevented with hygiene (mostly washing of hands), sanitation (keeping surroundings clean to guard against respiratory illness and to protect against animal and , insect vectors carrying dengue, malaria, rabies etc) and proper diet to boost the immune system. On chronic diseases about 80% of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high BP and cholesterol and about 40% of cancer can be controlled by good nutrition and a change of lifestyle (exercise and avoid tobacco use or second hand smoke.)
Wishing for a government that is not run like hell by Filipinos is not realistic, if the tenacity of Ate Glue is any example. And waiting for this nation to be First World would not assuage the pain of the ailing or give comfort to sickly elderly.. But the reality Pinoy public must recognize is the chance that the threat of hospitals closing down due to bankruptcy or delinquency paying medical staff (forcing them to emigrate for higher pay abroad) is very probable. The impoverished segment of society is the most vulnerable to ailments and likely deadbeats. If many private hospitals do close down, the PGH and other government hospitals would be swamped and transform a crisis into a disaster. Unless the paradigm shifts.
Tongue: Seguradong masaya ang lahat! If you can not pay your hospital bills you can be held as a hostage? I am sure ang mga aso or whatever pets of the moneyed people are treated better. Grabe! Nabasa ko kanina na si DOJ ay pinagsabihan na mag two months sick leave pero ayaw niya at one month na lang daw. Ang sabi nga sa article dapat magresign na siya and to rest. I don’t pray for eternal rest grant unto him. Ang dasal ko he should simply rest peacefully doon sa kanyang poultry farm feeding his pigs total chicken feed lang naman sa kanya ang gastos. Mataba na ang mga baboy sa palasyo ng reyna dapat ma ilechon na.. yong lechon de leche as leche umalis na kayo…
Anna said, “I realize that my bantay’s situation is not an isolated case and know well that it is a general pattern among a great section of the population, even for those who are not very, very poor.”
So very true, Anna.
Neonate,
Good post!
While I agree that on the whole, “Yet staying healthy is so simple and economical.” (your enumeration of how infenctious disease can be prevented is doable), it is paramount that people eat healthy food, have a balanced diet in order to have better chances of combating potential illness or today, many of our people, particularly those in who are impoverished do not have access to a balanced diet; children are malnuorished, people don’t receive preventive treatments precisely because they have no money to pay for that ounce of prevention.
True, hygiene is primordial but in areas where structures for sanitation exist, we find that people live side by side with with squalor.
Again, it is govt duty to provide for an environment that could help the citizeny obtain that “ounce of prevention”, good sewage and sanitation systems, clean running water, efficient puericulture and public medical/dental health centers, etc. that can educate, regularly examine, treat the citizens and poor people who cannot access sophisticated health care because these methods are preventive.
On the issue of balanced diet – how can a poor family with so meagre resources pay for fruit or fresh vegetables, milk for the young, orange juices, etc., if the cost of these items are prohibitive?
There needs to be a balance. An unhealthy population costs a lot more to the government (that is assuming the government spends money for health care) and one way to achieve the distribution and deployment of basic health care services is for this government be less corrupt.
For every dime, peso, dollar, yen, euro, ringgit, etc. added to a government project by way of bribes, eg., ZTE deal, bridges to nowhere, etc., a Filipino infant, child and sick adult will suffer! It is as simple as that.
In other words, those billions of pesos that are used to bribe a tiny number of individuals involved in these acts of corruption inevitably send a wider number of Filipinos to their early deaths.
Ooops, “True, hygiene is primordial but in areas where structures for sanitation DO NOT exist, we find that POOR people live side by side with with squalor. So what chance have they to combat potential diseases? Virtually none!”
And Yuko, re travel insurance and travel advisories at least where France is concerned:
The reason why ordinary French tourists or people employed by French corporations don’t go to countries where a negative travel advisory had been posted by the French foreign affairs ministry against that country is not only for security reasons but also because it is difficult to obtain a comprehensive travel insurance when a negative travel advisory exists against a nation.
This is due to the fact that the the underwriting insurance company (corporate or private insurance which by the way is will exact a very high premium payment) cannot get reimbursed by the French State social security department for the cost they will be advancing in case of problems.
The ordinary French tourist who ignores the travel advisory, in case of difficulty, will have to rely on his own private resources, say for repatriation and to pay himself for the cost of ‘hazards’ provoked on his person while travelling in a difficult area.
For instance, my husband and members of his immediate family need corporate clearance to travel even on a private holiday to say Zamboanga or Basilan or even Davao (since there is a negative advisory against travelling in those areas in Southern Philippines); his company’s insurance will not cover our trip to that region if the company says no, so the risk is not worth it.
Same in Japan, Anna. More often than not, we follow travel advisory from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs because it will be difficult to get a traval insurance and the government will not take responsibility for paying ransom money for instance in case one gets kidnapped as in the case of those Japanese volunteers who went to Iraq before and got kidnapped by the Mujahideen. They are now in fact being made to pay for the expenses of negotiators for their release. Ganoon kahigpit.
Anna, the insurance angle related to travel advisories is something that I didn’t think of before. Thanks for the info.
You’re welcome, Ellen!
I agree, Anna. Even an ounce of prevention comes at a cost. When tens of thousands of Filipinos survive on mountain heaps of garbage, eating instant noodles, pagpag or whatever scavenged bits, where even soap is considered luxury, we can’t expect these people to still believe government has anything more in store for them, specifically not health care.
Other Metro cities’ residents who are not as fortunate as Makati’s have no access to the same kind of health benefits available over there, PGH is their only resort, the last one, commonly.
Many Pinoys are resigned to this their tragic fate, like your bantay’s, but is there really anything much they can do under similar circumstances?
I’ve personally seen hundreds of people queued at PCSO’s offices, carrying referrals from congressmen, mayors, other persons of influence, being turned away by guards cuz they have already received financial assistance many times already. Nevertheless, relatives of dialysis patients still come back week after week hoping the guards will let them in again. Ditto for stroke patients, diabetics or other high-maintenance diseases.
And the only offices helping them are those charged with gambling: PCSO and PAGCOR. We must be, er, sick!
There lies Gloria economic folly and her social payback crap.
Re: “They are now in fact being made to pay for the expenses of negotiators for their release. Ganoon kahigpit.”
Wow! I don’t know about France re kidnapping victims but I do know that people are made to reimburse some costs incurred by the State if the traveller goes to a country despite the negative travel advisory.
Bawal ang magkasakit sa Pinas!
Ang tatay ko ay naospital last year. Buti na lang at ang doktora niya sa Balanga ay kababayan at childhood playmate ng mga pamankin ko. So, walang problema sa pinasyal, pwedeng mautang.
Before this, I asked my sis to bring him to the Veterans Hospital dahil libre doon. Sus, umangal ang mga pamangkin ko dahil lahat daw ng lumalabas doon ay tuwid ang mga paa!
Then I asked them to bring my Dad to St. Lukes where my first cousin could attend to him. Sobra ang layo, baka hindi umabot.
OK sa Balanga (doon sa parish ni Bishop Socrates Villegas, gggrrr!) Provincial Hospital na lang at ng hindi na magbiyahe ang matanda. Hindi na sila kinuhanan ng deposito dahil sa doktora. Mabait ang youngest sis ko na nasa QC, sinagot lahat ang bills. Ang padala ko ay naubos lahat sa gamot.
Sus, kahit hati-hati kami sa gastos ay aray pa rin, paano pa ang mag-ina na kasabay ni Ellen sa ospital. Sana ay gumaling ang bata na ‘yun.
“…And the only offices helping them are those charged with gambling: PCSO and PAGCOR. We must be, er, sick!”
Nakakakilabot naman!
Kung pagsamasamahin natin yung mga kinukurakot na pera ng bansa( Ex-150 million for each of the Team Unity candidates, almost a billion in the Joc-Joc fertilizer, $ 500million Pidal account in Germany, $ 329 million ZTE, one billion pesos a month to fight the Abus, 50 million each to buy the no-impeachment for Gloria in the house of representathieves, billions on pesos in the lost revenues in the customs and BIR- there will not be any hungry or sick Pilipino. Our prblem is, we have a very sick government and extremely sick and corrupt leaders!
Neonate: I agree with “staying healthy is something we can all do.” My father was so particular about sanitation that we were not allowed to eat kakanin na binibili sa palengke..na walang cover or kaya binabalot sa diaryo. Ultimo tira tira (or butung butung) ay ginagawa sa bahay at kanya kanya kami hila. Washing your hands before eating became second nature. Wala kaming mga taxi or jeepney kaya walking became a habit. Eating veggies like alugbati, lupo lupo, kangkong..that you can just pick in the rice fields or sa garden were what we had..I also acquired the love for fish..Ang main sakit namin ay high blood..I have had three minor strokes that is why I am particular with my diet..ang tawag ko ..”scared to die-yet” what do I do? Sa parties I look at the food and mga medio high cholesterol at bawal I ask myself do you want to die soon? No, so I don’t pick on those food. Of course I take minerals and vitamins..may kamalan nga..I still take the canned evaporated milk with ovaltine every night.. kailangan lang a bit of self discipline..kasi takot mamatay..
At hanggang ngayon usual snacks are boiled camote or bananas..
..Re travel insurance.. wherever we can my friends and I would travel..Two years ago we went to Spain..but the travel agent did not require us to get insurance..(Madrid was not in our itinerary). This coming Nov. 1-15 we are going to the Holy Land, etc. we are required (it is a must) that we get travel insurance..because of the risk of getting caught in the conflicts.. mahirap nga naman..the risk I guess is more…
do the gov’t give free snacks of milk, juices, etc. to school children? Do they have free lunch in school, like what they have here in the US? Are the costs of these items so exorbitant that the gov’t can not afford. It is affordable kung they want to..kaya lang ang pera seguro ay na ibulsa na..and if there are powdered milk supplied nakaklimutan ng teacher incharge sa bahay niya at hindi naidala. How can children learn on an empty stomach? Palibhasa hindi nila na experience and tumira sa isang barrio..
Somehow, may punto din naman ang mga hospital.
Sabi nga ni Dr. Chan na kausap ni A. Taberna sa punto por punto, madaling gawin yung promisory note. Ang problema, yung promisory note, hindi yun magagamit pambayad ng operating expenses ng isang hospital. Yung mungkahi ni Dr. Chan kanina, yung pork barrel sa halip na mapunta sa mga corrupt na mga mambabatas at opisyal ng gobyerno, gamitin na lang para sa contingency measures ng mga hospital. Talagang nakatulong pa sa mahirap.
Nakakalungkot talagang isipin, na ang “Charity” ay nawawala na o wala na talaga. Nang dahil sa mga bigtime na magnanakaw sa lipunan natin, pati yung magsasalba sana sa buhay ng isang tao ay nawawalan na rin ng Charity.
Rose,
I read somewhere that CA and NY are haven for undocumented immigrants because of opportunities and what you said about their entitlement to medicaid.
Yes, I know a lot of pinays who didn’t want to leave NY and NJ for that reason. Sabi ko sa isang bumisita dito sa amin ay huwag siyang magkakasakit dahil gagamutin nga siya sigurado sa ospital pero paggaling niya ay deretso s’ya sa airport for deportation. Mahigpit dito sa TNTs, pero ginagamot sila kung kailangan kaya galit ang ibang mga Kano na hindi entitled sa ganyang benefit.
Golberg,
Magandang suggestion ang kay Dr. Chan, tutal ang pork barrel ng mga tongressmen a senadores ay sa sariling bulsa rin nila napupunta at walang pakinabang ang mga constituents.
Tama ka Chi.
Sabi ng kapatid ko kanina, Yung Cong. Diza ng Zambales, yung allocation para sa distrito nya ay napupunta lang sa bank account nya. Ilan kayang Cong. Diaz meron ang Pilipinas?
Anna, thank you for understanding the fundamentals. Without government doing its duty in providing the infrastructure, hygiene and sanitation would remain inadequate for the poor. It does rankle to hear officialdom spouting their efforts to provide basic services and limits these to palliatives such as legislation to lower the high cost of medicine and to provide barangay boticas, but negligent in garbage collection and cleaning storm drains. Certainly, choosing foods for a proper diet would be tricky for those with low or no income, and a steady supply of clean water is a luxury. Does anyone in Ellenville remember any mention of health care in the last SONA?
Rose, camotes and bananas are nutritious, preferable to the fast food snacks soaked with transfat (now banned in your city NY). So preach the gospel of PREVENTION.
Thanks on the world compendum of enviable health cares. But do we really have that department here? Good thing and I am very grateful above that I passed the normal Filipino life span with nothing much but hair loss and toothaches. Call me an accidental health buff. I also have a wife very good at accounting and alcohol, GROs and tobacco are never included in the budget. Oh, I had also a cataract change at the PGH using my Philhealth. With my SSS, I cant afford even a few grams of cholesterol. I take coffee black to save on sugar. For little colds and flu the little ones passed to me, I quickly take oregano from my fence. A major visit to a neighbor hospital, St Lukes when our 2 year old grand daughter was a leftover of our askal. Our fortune went drastically in the red. That same askal wanted a good christmas lunch and eyed another kid the next day. I didnt bring him anymore to St Lukes. They might suspect I am feeding family to the dogs. So we went to the San Lazaro. Its practically the same cost on the medicines and sent us divng like the Nikkei chart. Hospital holiday? Should we blame them, really? Our government can afford to give free medicines if only they put the money there and not on the pockets.
To avert the crisis, why not transfer the tobacco subsidies to bail out those promissory notes. We should not pay the tobacco farmers to kill our smokers and the other collateral victims of nicotine. A large part of the health budget goes to taking care of lung patients.
Chi: Ang medicaid benefits give free hospitalization and medicine they don’t ask sa hospitals kung documented ka. Ang pagkakaalam ko dapat wala kang deposito sa bangko na $2,000 or more kaya ang ginagawa ng karamihan ay sa bahay na lang itinatago or kaya sa pangalan ng anak. I am referring to those who may work as baby sitter or cleaning private homes or care giver. And I have not heardsumbungan” among Filipinos here in JC to INS. Sa LA marami. It happened to me in the mid 1970’s. I was transferred by the company to LA and was provided with an apt. etc. in an area where walang Filipino. Just barely a month, my Jewish neighbor told me that two good looking guys were looking for me..and true enough before 7:00 am the following day the INS officers asked for my papers..and I showed them my green card. Kaya for health coverages they live here in JC..even if they work in NYC..Mas maganda ang medicaid benefits kaysa Medicare..specially sa prescription..
There is hospital in our place they have “hot line” to Funeral Service Co. (with commission of course).
Kaya lang kung minsan people take advantage of the “holes” in the system. A young mother could ask for milk, cheese, etc. under the WIC program..some churches here in JC have reach out programs. I serve at my parish food pantry where we give food..Emergency Food Assistance..and sometimes we get donations of baby’s milk..etc. and we don’t ask if they are documented or not. Once a month they could come to get a bag full of groceries..and we serve about 200 families and may mga Filipinos din..
But one thing I really wish we have in the Phil..is a special education program. I worked as accountant of the St. Joseph School for the Blind for blind or visually impaired children up to 21 with other disabilities..a private school but tuition is paid for by the Board of Ed in their county of residence..the Board of Ed here in JC
really take care of the children with physical handicaps..in wheel chair, blind, etc. there are special schools..seguro mayroon din sa Phil. schools of this nature funded by the gov’t pero wala akong alam..sana magkaroon din.
AT isa pa..sa mga lunch program sa mga schools, public or private, they have to submit their menu for the week, prepared by a nutritionist, or dietician of the school, and checked by the gov’t to make sure that no junk food are served..balance diet, and healthy. Alam ko kasi at Holy Rosary kahit hindi ako teacher kasama ang lunch ko served each day. If only our gov’t officials are concerned, this too could be done in the Phil..if only they include health concerns in their agenda..puede din sa atin..kaya lang mukhang ayaw nila..and we have a food bank where schools can shop for what they need subsidized by the gov’t kaya mas mura..doon din nag sa shop for our food pantry..food bank. Sana…
Don’t be shocked at what I’m going to tell you. There’s a hospital in Quezon City owned by a very powerful and influential group. Its administrator, staff, doctors, nurses are mostly members of the religious group. As expected, most patients are also members of the church. The church ministers /pastors and their immediate families get free services. If a person comes to register or gets treatment, he’s usually asked what religion he belongs to. If he’s not a member, he is persuaded to attend the church’s bible studies and worship services. Hindi pantay ang tingin ng hospital na ito sa mga nais na magpagamot. Kung miyembro ka ng simbahan nila, okay. Kapag hindi, pahihirapan ka. Makakatanggap ka lang ng magandang serbisyo kung pumayag ka sa imbitasyon nila sa tinatawag na gawain o “bible study”.
i really donot think that pinas is so poor that it could not have a good and reasonable health care system.ofw s send billions of pesos each year, but when candidates for political offices can use hundreds of millions of pesos to win or loose in an election, one does not have to be clever to know where the money are. the last senatorial election gave us one solution, put all the candidates in jail and let them campaign from there, and let them remain in jail if they win.
nangyari na ‘yan sa pamilya ko. nu’ng ipanganak sa pamamagitan ng sesaryan ‘yung aking apong lalaki. walang kapera pera. alangan sa petsa ng suweldo ko. wala ang mga among lebanese, nasa holiday break dahil new year. wala ring mautangan kahit 5-6. inilapit sa meyor, wala rin. inilapit sa GABAY KAPAMILYA ng abs-cbn, meron daw mas nangangailangan ng kanilang tulong.
halos maglumuhod na ang aking mag-iina sa harapan at halikan ang mga paa ng pamunuan ng ospital. pinayagan lamang silang makalabas matapos paiwan ang aking apo na nasa nursery bilang PRENDA at garantiya na babayaran ang dapat bayaran sa ospital.
mahirap talaga ang maging mahirap lalo’t dumarating ang ganitong biglaang pangangailangan at hindi rin maaaring asahan ang mga SIKAT na grupong MAPAGKAWANGGAWA.
Tilamsik: There is hospital in our place they have “hot line” to Funeral Service Co. (with commission of course).
*****
Luma sila ng Chinese General Hospital! Katabi na ng sementeryo! Ililibing na lang! 😛
When we visited the Payatas in the late 90’s soon after the landslide, I thought God must be merciful to the dwellers there. Soon after I came back from that mission for a TV company in Tokyo, I got a respiratory irritation that I got medical attention for almost a month, and when I told my doctor about the visit to Payatas, I was told that I must have gotten the virus there. It made me wonder how come those kids would not get sick even when they held dirt and garbage with their bare hands!
Pero pihado ko marami silang bulate kasi ang papayat nila!
Tongue,
“where even soap is considered luxury,”
I’ve forgotten that even soap is considered a luxury for Manila Bay and Payatas families. Unfortunately even if they have soap, they will not be able to use it properly because of the absence of clean running water in their barong barong homes.
I wonder how Gloria feels when she sees children scavengers, people living in shanties in garbage dumps?
She is so thick that she probably doesn’t feel anything anymore. Howerver, I refuse to think that she’s no longer human in that respect so she must still feel something.
That being said, knowing that for every dime she steals, she condemns the poorest of the poor to doom, why does she allow her friends and cronies to openly steal from govt coffers?
If she has an iota of sypmathy left in her body for the poorest of the poor in planet Philippines, why does she allow her family, her son piggy Mikey, the junior don to steal and her husband and his brother to make more kurakot, knowing that every dime they put in their pocket emanating from the kurakot is a dime that could save and improve (even if only a bit) the lives of the poorest of the poor!
Corruption kills!
Sana naman ay makaisip ng ibang solusyon ang mga pribadong hospital na ito sa halip na mag-holiday sila bilang protesta. Palagay na natin na nalulugi sila dahil sa taas ng mga gamot pati suweldo ng mga doktor at narses nila. Pero hindi pa rin makatwiran na dahil dito ay maaapektuhan ay ang mga may sakit. Di naman makatao yan,,, Ngayon, kung si glueria, abalos, fvr, gonzales, hello garci, linta-ng bedol,mikey at iba pang mga alipores ni glueria ang magpapagamot….. Kahit huwag na kayong MAGBUKAS…. bwahahahahahahahahahhh
Was the couple’s sister just a tourist in Toronto, Vic? She was able to receive treatment? I know one must have a Canada health card. A tourist should have his own health insurance either a travel insurance or privately purchased such as Blue Cross. Oo nga, dapat may Universal Health Card. Sa US, iyan daw ang gustong gawin din tulad ng Canada. Iyan din ang dapat sa Pilipinas. The problem in the Philippines is the absence of funds to subsidize this very expensive government health care. Knowing the corruption and the incompetence of our leaders, malabong mangyari ito.
“where even soap is considered luxury,”
‘yan, naranasan din namin. ‘yung sabong panlaba, ajax ‘yata ‘yun o mr clean. gamit din namin sa paliligo at sabay shampoo na rin.
‘ala talagang magagawa. pobre, eh.
plis lang, huwag na kayong mag-poste ng ganito. naaalala ko ‘yung mga panahong talagang gapang kami sa hirap.
tumutulo na tuloy ang luga ko, este luha pala.
plis, parang awa n’yo na.
Rose,
Ang tagal ko na sa US pero I’m still retard pagdating sa mga sinasabi mo. thanks.
Wala namang sumbungan dito sa amin, dahil kami lang yata ng hubby ang pinoy. This is a university town and even Mexican alliens (construction workers) can’t reside long unless with legal papers.
I had a visitor here and she told me that in LA, ganun nga sa sinasabi mo, she was a victim, too, kaya transfer siya sa NY. Happy s’ya duon and had a free major surgery recently courtesy of medicaid.
There are now 48M Americans without insurance, right?
Golberg,
Whenever Zambales Cong. Diaz is on the news, sigurado pera ang isyu!
AdB: How does Gloria feel when she sees the scavengers?
She cannot see them..kasi she is so putot and now quite heavy (mabigat marami seguro ang laman ng bag na hawak hawak niya) and her limous-ine is so big that as she sits in the soft leather seat (made in Italy pa seguro) she would really sink low. Thus, her eyes could not even reach the rim of the tinted window of the limous-ine. And besides hindi pa nakatulog the night before and after drinking all the cognac tulog siya at hindi niya nakikita..
She is sinking so low now, that the country she runs is fast sinking as well..
Chi: I did not know about all these until I started serving at the food pantry, and worked at St. Joe’s. There was a period in my life, when I shied away from my friends of old and long standing and my family, and met a group who were working as nannies in NYC. Nakipagbarkada ako sa kanila and I heard their stories. They are real people very true and sincere. I still meet with them and also with my other friends. In “To Kill a Mockingbird” Atticus told his daughter..you will not know a person until you wear his shoes and walk around in them.
Chi: dito marami din ang mga undocumented Mexican aliens and marami pa nga sa kanila nahihiya to come to the food pantry. We are fortunate that we have two Spanish speaking priests in our parish..and through them we give them food. They don’t come to pick the bags but our priests give it to them from the rectory. Everybody can come no questions asked. Ang nakakainis talaga is when a Filipino would come and nagpapalusot..
From Danny Laron in Saudi:
Ako po ay isa ring mahirap na tao, may punto po kayo sa sinabi nyo na walang awa ang hospital na nag de detain ng pasyente,
Pero may punto din po ang hospital lalo ng kung ito ay private, kung hahayaan na lang natin na lumabas ng walang bayad ay aabusuhin yan,
Eh mga pinoy pa, syempre lalakas ang loob ng mga yan na pumasok sa private hospital at iisipin naman nila ay pwede naman na di tayo magbayad
kasi may batas. Eh kawawa naman nga siguro an gang hospital owner lalo pat nagbabayad ng serbisyo ng mga nurses. At papano yong mga gamut na ipinanlunas sa may sakit. Yon po akin lang nasasabi ngunit isa rin ako sa naghihirap na Filipino, parang gusto kasi ni Gloria Arroyo sya na lang ang makikinabang gamit ang mga establishment.
From Tsinapil2:
Maraming kaso nangyayari ng ganyan. sanay mag karoon tayong medical insurance at gaya sa korea. in case of emergercy ay magagamin namin ito. monthly binabayaran namin ito sa peso ay 300.hindi mabigat sa bulsa yon.sanay mag karoon ng ganyan.
at isa may ipaalam pala ako ang mga christian church at catholic ay may roon sila libre pa check up at libre gamot every sunday para sa mga mamayan. sanay ganyan din yong mga simbahan natin na sila ay tumulong at pag silbihan yong mga mamayan naghihirap sa pamagitan ng libreng panggagamot.
ADB: I wonder how Gloria feels when she sees children scavengers, people living in shanties in garbage dumps?
*****
I remember when she went to visit the people at Payatas on invitation of the Barangay there. Not wanting to eat food the dwellers there prepared for her, she brought along a van of food prepared by a caterer and tried to impress the people that she did not come to be entertained but rather to entertain and feed the people there. And what a hypocrite she was. She eat with the people there with her gloved hands!!!
I did not see it, but the media wrote about it. Kakakulo talaga ng dugo! If she did not want to eat with her hands, she could have asked for a spoon and fork! Ang arte talaga!
Ellen,
I have nothing against private hospitals – they can mushroom everyone if they want but my beef is simple: the health care system must be such that poor people must have access to health care in medical centers, in hospitals, big and small. PERIOD.
If to do this, govt should set aside a sum of money, big enough so that the poorest of the poor can access private hospitals, then so be it. Making sick people hostage to private hospitals is not only cruel, it is immoral and really, to me, is criminal!
Magno, ako yata ang maluluha sa personal experience mo. Lumaki din ako sa hirap. Iginapang lang ng magulang ang pag-aaral namin. Pero napakalaking blessing ang tingin ko doon sa mga sakripisyong iyon dahil kung ikukumpara sa sitwasyon ng iba, mas kalunus-lunos yung dinanas ng iba.
Bukod sa asthma at allergy kung saan 2 beses akong na-ER nung kabataan ko, swerte namang hindi na iyon nadagdagan pa. Itong bunso ko nga ngayon, may lagnat at ubo, ibinili ko ng gamot, P600+ for 2 bottles.
Paano kaya yung mga walang kita? O yung kumikita pero kapos, pababayaan na lang gumaling ng mag-isa yung sakit? Yung ikinuwento ko sa taas, anong edad kaya nakapag-aral yung anak nilang na-hostage sa ospital e 3 years-old na hindi pa nagsasalita? Normal kaya yung bata ngayon?
Putris, ang salarin sa puno’t dulo, lagi na lang ay korapsyon.
One other thing, a very feasible matter, but called preposterous by people even my friends, and non-issue to people I sent it to in the government was my suggestion that all formal renters and informal settlers must be covered with insurance paid for by the govt and private owners of the place. Its the obligation of owners to keep their wards safe and healthy. Hospital bills payment is therefore guaranteed. Theres the property to answer as the last resort.
For the stingy owners, the barangay pays for the insurance if the settlers went there on its own account.
Tongue;
Iyong 3years old na hindi pa nakakapagsalita na gumaya kay Apostol ay pakainin mo ng pik-pik ng baboy,pero may mga orasyon d’yan ng “Orimos Co Viscom” kailangang “wetness” at walang hugasan bago iihaw,walang asin at bawang.
Apostol…apostol ng demonyo. Sa mga hindi nakakaalam, dating Fiscal ng Quezon City iyan noon panahon ni Macoy. Apostol was also a known Imelda protege. Kung bakit nasa cabinet ni Madame Impakta ngayon si Apostol, si Imelda lang ang nakakaalam.
Ano ba sila,sinusuwerte? Walang mga proffessional na nagbibigay ng libreng serbesyo.Iyong mga doctor nga ay hindi na sila nagpapagamot dahil ayaw nilang magbayad sa doctor at hospital iyon pa kayang tao na walang pambayad. Si Tasio nga na albularyo sa barrio ay hindi ka tatapalan ng amorsiko pag wala kang ibigay sa kanya kahit na singko at sasabihin pa niya kaya raw nagkakasakit ang tao dahil dehins goli.
Kahit na nga mga pare sa simbahan buhay pa ang tao ay pinupuntahan na nila sa hospital at benibendisyunan na nila,kung medyo malaki ang bayad kay pader ay may follow-up bendisyon pa pero pag barya lang ay minsanan lang at si deacon na lang ang magbendisyon.Ngayon kung hindi sila magbabayad,saan naman kukunin ni doctor ang sahod niya may pamilya rin iyan at hindi naman papasok sa hospital iyan ng mabaho at marumi ang damit,bibili ng shampoo iyan at mga lotion.Saan siya kukuha ng pambayad sa labandera niya,mahirap labhan ang puti na nabahiran ng dugo.Kung hindi sila magbabayad baka si doctor pa ang tatawag kay La Paz at ng masukatan na ang pasyente at least kahit kaunti man lang ay may commission siya pambili ng Tide.
Mahirap talaga ang maging mahirap.Kasalanan na rin ng tao kaya sila naghihirap at huwag na nilang isisi sa iba ang kalagayan nila dahil nauna na sa kanila ang katangahan.Una.kung hindi ba naman sila tanga,sarili nga nila ay hindi nila kayang buhayin,bakit gagawa pa ng bata na.Pag nagkasakit iyan ay ipapagamot nila,pakainin damitan at paaralin,kung hindi ipagagamot iyan pag nagkasakit ay pupunta sa utak nila at matulad na naman sila sa magulang nila na tanga hanggang puro na lang tanga ang mga pamilya sa ankan nila.Kung hindi naman iyan pakainin ay lalong magkakasakit,kung hindi naman nila bilhan ng damit iyan ay kawawa dahil walang gustong makipaglaro dahil mabaho,kung hindi naman nila paaralin iyan ay ganon na naman ang labas na katulad ng magulang na walang trabaho,hangang gagagawa na naman ng bata iyang bata.Maawa muna sila sa pamilya nila bago sila kaawaan.Sa WOWOWIE lang ang pag-asa nila.
Pag maniwala naman sila sa simbahan ay lalong naligaw ang mga kaluluwa nila.Bakit papakainin ba at dadamitan ng simbahan ang mga anak nila?Gusto nila iyan maraming mga anak dahil sila ang unang nakikinabang,Kung sampu ang anak nila ay sampu ang bibinyagan may bayad iyan.Kung ikakakasal iyang sampu ay may bayad na naman.Pag namatay iyang sampu ay may final payment sa simbahan iyan in full bago ibaon sa hukay.Lahat ng pera ng tao na naniniwala sa simbahan ay sa kanila mapunta pag mamamatay na.Mabuti sana kung kalembang! Papano na pag kaunti lang ang bayad kay pader baka tunog lang siguro ng alarm clock!
Goldberg;
Palagay ko mali iyang nabalitaan mo kay Cong.Tony Diaz.Hindi siya ganyan sa Zambales.Kilala ko ang taong iyan at very close ang frienship niya sa pamilya namin.Ang Pork barrel niya ay ibinubuhos niya sa mga project sa amin.Sa Zambales ang mga hospital doon ay kumpleto sa gamit at libre.Ng dahil kay Diaz ang mga mahihirap na studyanti sa probinsya namin ay nakakapag-aral ng libre.Nagtayo na nag mga colleges at university sa amin at mga vocational school sa mga bayan.Ng dahil sa kanya ang mga barangay ay nagkaroon ng mga sasakyan para magamit ng mga tiga barrio in case na mabutang sila at madali silang madala sa hospital.Palagay ko siya na ang pinakamatagal sa kongresso,wala pang martial law ay congressman na iyan ng Zambales at wala pang tumalo sa kanya.80 years old na iyan,kahit na walang pera iyan ay hindi nagbabago ang tingin ng mga Zambaleno sa kanya.Walang bodyguard iyan,siya at ang driver lang niya.Ng dahil sa kanya ay nagkaroon ng malaking college of fisheries sa Candelaria,Ang Candelaria Emergency Hospital ay lumaki at nakumpleto sa gamit at mga mahuhusay ang doctor at mga nurses.
Sa America ang mga doctor from Zambales ay nag-memedical mission sa probinsya 3 times a year at dinadala nila ang mga gamot at mga equipment at kung uuwi na sila ng America ay iniiwanan na doon sa mga hospital.Ang mga dinadalang vitamins at mga gamot ng mga doctor at volunteers ay ikinakarga sa malaking container.Kaya iyong mga sabungero sa Zambales ay naghinhingi lang sila ng teregram vitamin at ipinapakain nila sa mga tinali nila sa dami.Kaya sa Probinsya namin ay hindi problema kung may pambayad sila o wala dahil libre silang lahat.May mga tiga ibang probinsya pa nga ang dumadayo sa probinsya namin at doon sila nagpapagamot dahil libre.Alam ko iyan dahil ang mga director ng mga hospital sa Zambeales at maging sa Olongapo ay mga pinsan ko silang lahat.Iyong city health director nga ng Olongapo ay kinakapatid ko,iyong director ng probincial hospital ay kainuman ko ng chivas,iyong albularyo nag-bebeer lang kami dahil lagi siyang walang hilot at namasukan na lang ng Janitor sa hospital,pero ngayon balita ko ay nagpi-physical teraphist na siya,siya ang naghihilot ng napilayan.
“Mahirap talaga ang maging mahirap.Kasalanan na rin ng tao kaya sila naghihirap at huwag na nilang isisi sa iba ang kalagayan nila dahil nauna na sa kanila ang katangahan.Una.kung hindi ba naman sila tanga,sarili nga nila ay hindi nila kayang buhayin,bakit gagawa pa ng bata…”
aray! aray!
pareng cocoy, balandra lahat sa mukha ko ang mga sinabi mo, ah.
pero hindi naman ako tanga.
may punto ka sa iyong mga tinuran subalit ang kahirapan at paghihikahos ng ating mga kababayan sa ngayon ay bunga ng kanilang sobrang pagtitiwala at paniniwala noon sa sinugaling na babaeng nasa malakanyang at dulot na rin ng parang salot na ngayon ay talamak na katiwalian sa bawat sulok ng kasalukuyang pamahalaan.
i agree with adebrux, and there ought to be enough money to be set aside for the very poor. problem is if the govt should subsidize the very poor, the accounting system should first be good and free of corruption, otherwise they could be subsidizing the very rich. in pinas, one does not really know who pay the right taxes, and the most corrupt are those on the highest level of govt.proper accounting practices is the foundation of good government.
This is the bottom line:
Norpil’s “the accounting system should first be good and free of corruption, otherwise they could be subsidizing the very rich. in pinas, one does not really know who pay the right taxes,”
pareng cocoy,
hayaan na natin sila sa libog nila. ‘yun naman siguro ay nu’ng sila ay meron pang mga hanapbuhay kaya sinagad ang ligaya.
nakaladkad lamang sila sa pagdarahop nitong sumobra ang bilib nila sa ga-kulangot na babaeng sinungaling at sa asawang ga-baboy damo ang hitsura.
‘langhiya ka rin naman. kahit iniisip mo ‘yung oras na umiihi ka na sa higaan ay init pa rin ng batok ang pinangingibabaw mo.
pahinga ka naman!
he he he heeeh!
“in pinas, BIG ONE does not really know who pay the right taxes,”
BIG ONE with BIG INCOME.
BIG ONE with BIG TRANSACTION.
BIG ONE with small wife.
small one with BIG BROTHER.
BIG SON with small sister and mother but BIG FATHER.
Do we know how much taxes these biggy piggies pay?
“kung hindi ba naman sila tanga,sarili nga nila ay hindi nila kayang buhayin,bakit gagawa pa ng bata…”
***
Ikaw talaga, Cocoy.
E iyan na lang ang libangan sa ilalim ng pekeng pamamahala ni Gloria kasi ay wala o malaking kulang na opotunidad sa trabaho, lalo sa mga probinsya na itinakbo pa ni Jocelyn ang pang abuno.
Kung walang magawang lupa dahil wala namang lupa dahil walang pambiling lupa, e di iyon nga ibang lupa ang tatrabahuhin. heheheh!
Isa pa, Cocoy. Ang utos ni cardinal Rosales kay Gloria ay ipagbawal ang family planning, hayaan daw “magpakarami”, kasi ay hindi raw makatao ang fp.
The Catholic Church misinterpreted God’s teaching. Family planning is not Birth Control. Planning a family by using means to prevent conception is different from abortion when there’s already the fetus, a living creature. Palibhasa kasi hindi makaanak ang mga Pari. They are not in a position to speak on the issue because they are not married men with no family. How can they give an objective opinion and advice kung ni minsan hindi pa nakahawak ng isang pamilya at tahanan?
Pechanco,
Alam natin na iba-iba ang interpretasyon ng katuruan ng Dios kaya iyan ay mahirap pagdiskusyunan. Pero para sa akin (kahit walang anak) ay dapat pangalagaan ang buhay ng lahat ng bata. Kung maaari lang ang 1/2 to 2/3 discount sila sa lahat ng ospital kung magkasakit. These are helpless beings, gamutin sila kahit walang nakahandang pera ng magulan. For God’s sakes!
Noong panahon ni Marcos ay nagtayo si Imelda ng Children’s Hospsital sa QC. Ang Direktora diyan ay napakagaling na pediatrician.
Ang dalawa kong pamangkin na lalaki ay halos diyan lumaki sa ospital na yan with the director as their pedia. Murang-mura at kung talagang mahirap ang mga magulang ng bata ay libre pa.
Kaya kung meron mang napakasamang nagawa si Imeldific ay aking na lang inaala-ala ang ospital na ‘yan, saksi ako sa compassion at galing ng mga doktor at serbisyo. Sayang, wala na yata.
Si Gloria na presidente raw ay babae pero ni hindi niya naisip na magkaroon ng proyekto para sa mga bata higit sa mahihirap ang buhay. OK lang sa mga mayayaman ang magulang dahil meron silang gagastusin. Pero para pabayaan ng isang pinuno ng bansa ang kagalingan ng mga bata dahil sa kahirapan, that’s a big sin!
Penchanco,
To me, technically both terms – family planning and birth control – are similar with a slight difference: the former is a more meticulous, educated way of planning for a family to grow while the second one sounds obstructive but in the end, they’re all about trying to limit the number of children in a family.
I do not equate birth control with abortion as the latter is simply getting rid of the living entity that’s already in the womb of a mother. The term birth control of course may lend to confusion but seriously, the term planning and control where families and births are supposed to stop overpopulation or runaway population.
Not only are the Hospital Owners are inhuman same thing we could say about most of the Practicing Doctors. In billing the patients along the Doctor’s fee, most of it, is based on the financial status of a patient, for example,if you are in the private room the fee would differ from the non executive room etc..If your in Philippine Hospital, it is like, nasa market place ka, the attending Physician has the free hand to charge the patient whatever they want.Thats why most of the time, kung gusto mong makatipid as much as possible itatago mo ang financial status mo, worst case mag lie ka na lang para hindi ka tagain. In short,there is no billing standardization sa PinaS, here in middle east, most of the Doctors are taking monthly salary. Like an ordinary employee lang,depende na sa Work contract negotiation with the hospital. For example, pag nasa in-patient ka dito, at kung mayroon ooperahan wala ka nang babayaran sa Doctor,most of the bill you will see ay yun ginamit sa operation. Packaged na, at kung cash patient ka, help would come if Filipino ang nag bi-bill at kung insured ka bahala na ang insurance company mag evaluate. Most of the time, honest dito, aside sa things nagamit mo sa hospital during a patient stay at room fee, ang charge fee makikita mo is tha daily visit ng Doctor, which is standard consulting fee.
Acer,
Sa France, ganyan din “here in middle east, most of the Doctors are taking monthly salary.”
The GPs who have their own practice make their own money but not in the same way US doctors do – limited because the State pays them (through the patient) and the bill they issue the patient cannot go over and beyond what the law allows them to issue.
Adebrux, the Filipinos suffer enough,bawal talaga magkasakit sa Pinas. Because of our leaders corruption nag spread na sa lahat ng sector ng society natin.Its all about money na talaga, nawala na ang compassion and mercy sa mga Filipino people. Sucker talaga, even the passage of cheaper medicine act took a dead end thanks to JDV/biron controlled Congress and Roxas Senate, ito naman Malacanang Ok lang. Kahit madami nang mamatay dahil sa taas ng prices ng gamot. Do they lost their souls already. GOD help us.
Acer,
I was told by my mother that she’s now suspicious of medications for sale too – that she believes they’re corrupted too, i.e., fake.
Why are these people hell bent on destroying the nation? Don’t they realize that they stand to lose too when the peoaple reach the pits?
I am appalled!
Hindi ba doctora si Eva Macapagal?
Rose, doktora daw. Ngek – siguro dinoktor niya ang pag aanak niya kay Gloria.
Salbahe daw iyang Eva Macapagal na yan sa step children niya! Kaya ayan, salbahe din iyong anak niyang tiyanak – buti nga sa kanya.
I thought we raise our children to be better people than us, their parents, in the process we imbue them with good traits so they become better citizens and honourable people where we fail or failed – pero itong kamandag ni Eva is everywhere, from her direct descendant and that is Gloria to her follow on produce – puro mga ahas!
Adebrux, Its better to sent your mom Medicine abroad, here in Middle east, we have more cheaper medicine dahil subsidized ng Government. Imagine ang 5mg AMLOR(30 tablets) for hypertension cost around 1,500 pesos sa Pinas whereas dito would cost me approximately (64×12) 768 pesos only.The medicine prices is already marked kung how much ang babayaran mo. Standard prices lahat,no overprice. Kaya kung magpadala ako mostly for 6 months na, matagal naman ang expiration.
Acer,
Thanks for the tip.
I’m really contemplating getting the medicine from here – told my Mom that kung duda siya, huwag na siyang bumili dahil sa duda niya, lalong lumalala ang hypertension niya.
Ang problema ay baka kailangan ng prescription. Pharmacies here won’t sell medication under prescription unless from doctors from here.
Thanks again!
2006 yung asawa ko na hospital sa DAVAO MEDICAL CENTER mga 2 nights ata kami noon.dahil na dehydrate sya.yung asawa ko po ay amerikano, that day wala kaming pera na pundo sa bangko at akala ng asawa ko magagamit nya ang 2 insurance company nya. sabi ng davao doc hospital d daw i honor yung insurance nya d2. alam mo anong ginawa ng may ari ng davao doc o sya ang head? dinala ang asawa ko doon sa ofis nya at sinabi ng head na hindi sya pwdeng lumabas sa hospital pag d sya nakabayad. nakipag away pa ang head sa asawa ko..ang ginawa ko nalang nagbigay nalang kami ng post dated check na nxt week babayaran namin… nung sinabi ng asawa ko na pag hindi mo erelease d2 sa hospital nyo tatawagan ko ang US consulate..doon pa pumayag ang head ng DAVAO DOC HOSPITAL. Grabe talaga sa pinas pag wala kang pera mamatay ka nalang.kasi d ka papansinin ng mga doctors..!!!stupid
Sana may makabasa pa ng message ko.Nanganak asawa ko ng July 3,Cs kulang sa buwan ang anak namin (27 weeks) kaya na incubator. Dapat sa public hospital lang sya manganganak pero lahat ng pampublikong ospital na pinuntahan namin tinangihan kami kaya napilitan kami pumunta sa private. Mag 13 days na kami sa ospital hindi pa rin kami pinapalabas kahit gumawa na ako promissory note dahil wala talaga kami mahanap na pera. 120,000 na bill namin. Buong buhay ko hindi pa ako nakakahawak ng ganong halaga. Ginawa ko na lahat, pumunta kung saan saang LGU, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Governor, mga TV station pati pananawagan sa radyo pero walang tumulong samin. Kaya ngayon nakaluling kami dito sa ospital. Mababaliw na ako sa kaiisip kung saan kukuha ng ganun kalaking pera at kung sino ang pwede lapitan. Grabe mga ospital! Sana hndi mangyari sa kanila ang nangyayari samin!!!
Miss Ellen, baka po matulongan nyo po ako. Saan pa po kaya ako posible lumapit? Kasi po talaga wala kaming ganun kalaking halaga. Nag email po ako sa inyo kalakip picture ng anak ko.