I’ve
come upon a piece of news while reading the local paper the other day. While
flipping through the pages of the Leyte Samar Daily express, on page three of
its July 2, 2012 issue I chanced upon an article written by Ronald O. Reyes
entitled “Health Pregnancy is ‘everybody’s business’ in Limasawa Island”.
Reading it aroused my interest as it concerned what a local government unit was
doing in order to help women in their pregnancy, something that wasn’t solely
the initiative of the municipal government, but it was an endeavor that
involved the whole community as well. Curiously, as I was looking for the
e-version of this article in the local daily’s website, poring over its
archives and using its search engine, I couldn’t find the article, as if it
wasn’t part of the news. But anyway, good thing that I have the printed copy of
the issue right in front of me as I write.
True,
being pregnant triggers many personal and financial “inconveniences”. This
observation by Reyes is true everywhere, but in the island town of Limasawa,
Southern Leyte, expectant mothers, their husbands and the entire community have
all chipped in to ensure that the financial care of these expectant mothers
hand their families would be provided for through maternal healthcare
initiatives. This kind of attention spans from conception to delivery, and even
the proper rearing of the newborn.
One
such initiative is the “Buntis Baby Bank”, which consists in encouraging people
to give to individual coin banks, the collective money from which would be used
to aid in the financial costs of delivering the newborn into the world. People
have been encouraged to give to these collections, and the expectant mothers
themselves give to these banks, which are being maintained in the rural health
unit and in the barangay health
stations. By these, money is being saved in preparation for the eventual birth of the child. The difference
here is that it’s not only the mother who saves for herself; she is also able
to save for others who are expecting as well. Furthermore, other members of the
community also have their chance to give their help. This collection provides a
common fund for the expectant mothers in the barangays, which could average
more or less five pregnant women a year, according to the article.
Other
initiatives include an operational support group, which tends to supplement the
milk given by mothers to their infants. Also, a barangay feeding group has been
created, with the primary purpose of monitoring both mother and child if the
follow the law (sic) that
breastfeeding may be done from 0-6 months from the birth of the child. Even the
fathers have their place within the program. These are also oriented and
educated on what to do when their wives are expecting and when they have
children already.
The
aid of these programs are also extended to teen pregnancies, whenever there are
cases: young expectant mothers are also covered in the aid given by the local
government.
These
are just some of the health practices that are being done in this municipality
in Southern Leyte. These are largely educational aimed at orienting and forming
people; not much emphasis is placed on doled-put goods. What I like most and
that I find ideal here is the fact that people are all the while being formed
to think and act for themselves, in a way that is respectful of life from all
sides., and furthermore seeks to engage the whole community. It doesn’t
capitalize on the fact that people are poor. This shows that the poor are capable
of helping themselves, without the benefit of legislation and foreign aid. The efforts
of the local authorities of this municipality are praiseworthy; it doesn’t surprise
me that it has been receiving commendations in the past.
As a
realistic take on this, of course we can’t expect this initiative to answer for
all the needs of the pregnant woman. However, this may provide a substantial
aid. If I would be asked, I think it’s important that people, including the
poor, need to learn how to stand on their own feet, provide for their own needs
with dignity and through respectable labor. People shouldn’t live merely on
doled-out goods, something which I think people are expecting with the passage
of the controversial bill.
This
brings me back to consider the RH bill. Laws like this are not necessary. They
could just be excuses that could justify and cover up our ineptitude concerning
things that we could actually do without the help of legislation. You don’t
need to pass a law in congress just so that you could help pregnant women go
through the oftentimes difficult and complicated term of pregnancy. Initiatives
like these prove it. Of course laws and ordinances protect and serve to ensure
the operation of many a good initiative, but these more oftentimes serve as
fodder for corruption, in many levels of government.
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