Typhoon Haiyan: Rising From The Rubbles

"Through people I see, Your will in me - 
A kindness seeps through the soul,
By and by"

I am awe-inspired by the people mobilizing to extend their help in different ways to the Philippines after Typhoon Yolanda has struck Visayas. More than five thousand people were killed and tens and thousands of people were rendered homeless by this disaster. Friends back home, volunteer with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to sort out clothes and pack relief goods to be distributed in Visayas.

Levi Azarcon, Yang Bautista and  Erika Pabon after packing relief goods at DSWD NROC Pasay
Photo Credited to Levi Azarcon

Lanekar Uriarte sorting clothes( ^ - ^ )
Photo Credited to Lanekar Uriarte

Here in the first world, we are doing our best as well.  People, regardless of race, are extending help in their own ways.  Many donate material needs such as clothes and canned goods but even those who already donated these donate money as well.  The government announced that monetary donations to registered charities will be matched up.  Which means that, a dollar donated by Canadians to charity will be another dollar donated by the federal government to the Philippines.  Among the charities that are widely endorsed by establishments such as cafes and restaurants are the Canadian Red Cross and World Vision Canada.  Other registered charities can be found in the Department of Foreign Affairs website.  Last November 15, I had a chance to fundraise for the Typhoon Haiyan Relief Program with three (3) magnificent volunteers.

From Left to Right: Muhammed, me and Carlo!  Jodie hasn't come yet

"The funds will not only help my own people in short term but with the long term as well, as they start building their lives from the ruins."

We managed to fundraise three thousand CDN ($3,000.00) just from that day alone!  Starbucks, as I know, have donated three hundred fifty thousand CDN ($350,000.00) already.  I also see some fundraising events on the local community board scheduled even after the match up date is done.  In Youtube, you can see people from different places with their own fundraisers as well. Help is pouring from every corner of the world. I am grateful beyond words because I know how much a dollar can help them, sardonically, more so than the local government usually provides.  And yes, in the midst of the oligarchs' continuous farce, it's great to see that people still have the will to help.  I'm sure that a lot of North Americans were rather turned off when Anderson Cooper started pointing out the faulty ways of the government.  What he said was the naked truth!  It reflects how disorganized our leaders are in their priorities. It reflects how easily the supposed leaders put blame on their own people and not in their own incompetency to conduce swift and rhythmic organization amongst the people.  And most importantly, it reflects exactly what the government has been doing with the public's money the past couple of decades. With the super large budget cuts from different departments - including health and education -  in the past five years, public hospitals are so poorly funded to even function at these times. One can't also expect programs for training individuals in times of disaster.  How ironic, really, since storms happen almost every month.  The only thing people know how to prepare for these calamities is to "go to evacuation centers" - which by the way, are old school buildings and open gyms.  When can the higher ups learn to stop playing the blame game like kids?  When can the public get the help they deserve from their own government?  When is the time that a disaster this big happens that we won't need other nation's help?  That we can stand up, and organize ourselves for once.  Tell me, when?

The world weeps with the Filipinos in this unwanted tragedy. Although storms are never new to the Philippines, the trauma from the mishap always is.  For now, as we wait for the time when corruption finally meets its end, our fellow kin faces this nightmare with their bright smiles and resilient hearts. Stay strong, Philippines!

OTepp's Final Bow

For several years now, the Occupational Therapy examination and practice preparation (OTepp) project has assisted a multitude of internationally educated occupational therapists (IEOTs) seeking to enter the healthcare system in Canada.  OTepp has guided IEOTs to achieve the level of competency needed to enter occupational therapy practice here.  In fact, the program serves not only as a government funded program intended to develop IEOTs to the populace's liking but it also serves as a modern-day agora where OTs from all around the world can gather and illuminate each others' mind with cultural diversity.  Sadly, this wonderful program is in its last year.  

A farewell party was held at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel in Burrard last July 16.  Most of the current students and even some former ones along with the McMaster University staff were present. It was nice to see and actually meet the people behind the voices during the online classes - Shami, Sue, Colleen and even Nancy to whom I was in contact with since I was an intern. (sorry if I missed some names) And even though I was only able to enroll for the 3rd and 4th module - which is the using evidence in practice and the clinical reasoning respectively - I was welcomed with much warmth.  

Here are some of the pictures from the party:  (courtesy of Miss Pinky Valerio)

Printed invitation for the farewell party

Sue Baptiste giving the opening speech

Group picture number 1!

Group picture number 2!

OTepp has made me realize a lot of things about the passion I pursue - that is occupational therapy.  Primarily, I realized that there is a huge difference of OT practice here and my home country, the Philippines.  Here in Canada, where the local communities play a big part in the overall country's development, an OT needs to know of the resources he/she can access in the community.  If you know your community well, you can better integrate the client into that community.  Like for example, what is the difference of a residential home versus an assisted living home?  And how would you utilize that resource in practice?  Subsequently, an OT does not only present literature as evidence of the management but he/she must also learn how to sift those articles to fineness.  With the lack of access to the large database during medical school, I am surprised how I even learned evidence-based practice.  I definitely learned a lot more about research in OTepp (inspite of the fact that we were best thesis in our year).   Lastly, I have realized that occupational therapy practice in the Philippines will remain stunted unless the government shifts its educational system to cater the Filipino mass.  I am quite inclined on the political situations happening in my home country since I entered College.  (Click this on my post about poverty and another Tagalog post about a 16 year old who committed suicide because of her tuition fee)  And it is easy to see how the social sciences have not grown that well for the past few decades.  What the Philippines needs is to have real identity through the social sciences.  Identity in which we can define the occupations every Filipino engages in.  This in turn will develop an occupational therapy of our own.  But yeah, maybe it's just me being too over reflective again.  Anyway, I think it's a nice brain candy.  

Perhaps we should trace back our roots for OT to thrive

Coming from a third world country myself, where the North American healthcare system seems more like fiction than reality, I feel relieved to know that there is an organization that can help you understand the complex framework of the health care.  And truthfully, with unintentionally jumping the first two modules due to complications with my documents, I have yet to completely understand how the health care system works.  I did a lot of self reads in order to properly engage myself in the online discussions; promptly following Shami's advise to improve my self-directed learning (aka assertive learning).  Still, when I reflect on the past year, I can't imagine starting from nowhere!  OTepp was my "start" sign on the game board of my career (and probably for most IEOTs as well).    

With OTepp's last curtain call, I bid the staff good luck with the program.  I pray you find alternative funding for this wonderful program.  And to those IEOTs I keep in touch with, may we meet in the health care world proudly carrying OTepp's legacy with us.

Edukasyon ko Inang Bayan, kaya mo pa bang tustusan?

Ngayong gabi, nasadlak ako sa kalungkutan ng marinig ko ang pagpapakamatay ng isang labing-anim na taong gulang na estudyante mula sa University of the Philippines - Manila (UP-Manila).  Freshman siya ng dating kolehiyo ni Aiko, parehas na Behavioral Sciences ang kurso.  Pinakita siya sa akin ng kapatid ko sa iilang Facebook pictures na naka-share sa page ng kolehiyo nila. Marahan siyang nagkwento.  Madalas na tumitingin ang kapatid ko ng mga pictures ng underclassmen niya at palaging sumusulyap sa landas na hindi niya tinahak. Natatandaan niya daw na representative si Kristel ng mga freshman sa isang aktibidad ng kolehiyo. Nabanggit niya nga minsan, sa aking paggunita, na madami daw siyang gustong "i-bully" sa mga first years.  Tulad daw ng mga ginawa sa kanila noong isang semestre niyang pag-aral sa UP.  At heto daw, hindi siya makapaniwala na merong nagpakamatay sa kinasasabikan niyang mga underclassmen. Dahil sa kahirapan ng buhay.  "Paano kung nandun ako?", tanong niya sa akin habang nagpipigil ng luha.  Wala akong naisagot.

Si Kristel ay panganay sa limang magkakapatid.  Taxi driver ang trabaho ng ama at simpleng maybahay lamang ang ina.  Isa lamang siya sa maraming kabataan ngayon sa Pilipinas na naghahangad ng edukasyon ngunit nahahadlangan ito ng kahirapan.  Nitong nakaraang dalawang dekada, hindi makakaila na lubhang bumaba ang budget ng gobyerno sa edukasyon sa kabila ng mga pangako nila na pagtutuunan ito ng pansin. Ang unang naalala ko nung dekada nobenta ay ang pag-allocate ng budget sa iba't-ibang sektor ng gobyerno para ilagay sa "pork barrel".   Isa ang kagawaran ng edukasyon sa kinuhanan ng pera upang mapuno ang kaban ng mga kongresista.  At sinong makakalimot sa milyones na tinanggal ng administrasyong Arroyo sa PUP?  Isa yan sa mga ibinato ni PNoy sa nakalipas na administrasyon at kakatwa na isinambalik niya sa pamumuno niya ngayon.  Mas malala pa nga kung ikukumpara dahil isang bilyon mahigit ang tinanggal niya sa edukasyon at kalusugan nitong taong 2010.  Sa dami ng mga kinaltas ng gobyerno, lumipad ang halaga ng edukasyong hirap na ngang abutin ng mahihirap.  

Isa sa mga naunang artikulo na lumabas tungkol sa trahedya mula sa The Manila Collegian

Natatakot ako para sa mga kapwa ko Pilipino, lalong lalo na para sa mga kabataan.  Tila ba unti-unti nilang ginagawang mang mang ang mga sumusunod na henerasyon.  Tumatarik ang tatsulok at ang edukasyon na dapat ay karapatan ng bawat isa ay nagiging pribilehiyo.  Mayayaman na lamang ang nakakatamasa ng disenteng edukasyon at ang mga sadlak sa hirap ay nagkukumahog sa maliliit na silid-aralan.  Nasa awa na tayo ng mga oligarko sapagkat hawak nila ang utak ng kabataan. Nitong nakaraang dekada, meron nang mga artikulo at iilang mga aktibista ang pumuna sa pamamaraan nila.  Natatandaan niyo pa ba ang "Study now, pay later" program noong 90s? Isang mabuting programa na ginagawang paraan ng mga oligarko para maibulsa ang pera ng masa.  Halos isang daang estudyante din ang nabigyan ng umano'y "loan" ang hindi masingil ng Commission of Audit (COA).  Naglaho na parang mga multo. Ha! Tapos sa tuwing may mga problemang darating (tulad ng kay Kristel) ay pinaiikot lamang nila tayo sa mga hintuturo nilang di matigil sa pagturo.  Sinisisi ng gobyerno ang UP-Manila ngunit sila ang tunay na may hawak ng kapangyarihan upang mabago ito.  Madaling magtaas ng tuition ngunit hindi madaling ibaba.  Madaling magsibak ng estudyante kaysa sa gumawa ng paraan upang makatapos sila.  Yupian na nga talaga ang UP kung ganun.

Tila nga malayo-layo pa ang tatahakin natin para maabot ang Pilipinas na ipinaglaban noon ng ating mga ninuno.  Ayokong matulad ang mga Pilipino kay Boxer (ng Animal Farm) na buong buhay nagkayod para sa demokrasyang hindi totoo at namatay ng hindi namulat sa katotohanan. Masipag at matiyaga ang mga Pilipino at di hamak na may potensyal upang harapin ang mundo.  Huwag tayong magbulag-bulagan at magbingi-bingihan sa isyung ito! Edukasyon ang susi sa pag-ahon mula sa kahirapan kaya huwag tayong pumayag na tanggalin ito sa ating mga anak. Sabay sabay nating pasanin ang bigat ng buhay na kinitil ng mga oligarko at ipaglaban ang nararapat.

Imahe ng kasipagan at tiyaga

Sa ngayon, ang pagtustos ko sa dalawang bata mula sa World Vision ang tanging magagawa ko upang makatulong sa sitwasyon.  Maraming tumutulong sa atin mula sa iba't-ibang bansa kaya't tulungan din natin ang isa't-isa.  MERONG PAG-ASA ANG PILIPINAS!  

Isang World Vision sponsored child dati, Order of Lakandula and CNN Hero

 Sana ay makita ko ring magtagumpay sina Clarence at Lyka sa buhay.  Sa ngayon, hahayaan ko muna silang maging bata.