MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2019 ENGR. JENNIFER M. VILLANUEVA


SPORTS and WELLNESS HOW I KEEP FIT


jen.m.villanueva@gmail.com T


he chain is only as strong as its weakest link and in an endurance feat, one needs every single part of the body -- the lungs, legs, core, and mind, to cooperate.


I can still remember so vividly what the All Women Ultra Marathon (AWUM) 2019 pre-race jitters were for me. Taking on an ultra for the first time, I could only take other people’s perspective as my own expectations. My mind was focused on one thing, finishing the race in one piece, safely, and joyfully. But


Photo by Jed Anthon Sibul


unfortunately, my calves were not in the same positive shape. Six hours before the race, my calves in both legs decided to have panic spasms. But I knew I had come too far


to give up now. I decided to soldier on, and quite frankly, I would have regretted greatly if I had decided otherwise. Whoever said that an


50-kilometer circuit, and be back where it all started. Being a noob runner, I had my fair share of doubts. I had a bank of “what-ifs” that I decided


Positive outlook


not to cash in during the race. I simply relied on my past races, trusted my training, and tried to soak in on the experience as much as possible.


I have heard of war stories of this same race being one of a kind, most fun, and extremely gratifying. I held on those beliefs in the hopes that I, too, in that night, would experience the same. Looking


all-women race always smells so good was spot- on right. At the sound of the gun start, women started pacing, sprinting,


Running for that distance gives you quite a lot of alone time with your thoughts, and you could either beat yourself


bac k, I realize that I had more tenacity of the spirit than actual strength of the body.


adjusting, and I’d be lying if I’d say that those who passed me were not fragrant.


and sizes, family and career backgrounds, had one common goal that night, to complete the


Women of all shapes


my spirits up were just as taxing as its physical counterpart.


It wasn’t until then that I realized that keeping


up in negativity, or cheer yourself on.


Staying positive for seven hours in spite of and despite of the cries of the knees, legs, and side stitches, was a total workout of the mind. Of course, I have had


my help. The ambiance was festive. Each aid


WHAT’S....FROM P. 5


vaccinated regularly. Spaying is the surgical removal of the reproductive organs of female dogs. Neutering is the surgical removal of a male dog’s testicles.


Another important measure to prevent rabies is reporting stray dogs to the proper authorities.


dogs is important because these animals may be unvaccinated or ill. When bitten, the wound should be immediately cleaned with soap and water. The victim is then brought to a doctor or to the nearest Animal Bite Treatment Center for post- exposure prophylaxis treatment.


FEATURE


16 women, girls cross channel to mark Women’s Month


we did. We believed we could, so


We are Ocean 6, a group of six women bonded together by our love of the ocean and all it holds. Yesterday, Saturday,


station was manned by runners themselves who knew exactly what we needed at that point in the race. We were treated with a few sips of sports drinks, a few spritz of liniment, maybe a quick massage of the calves and ankles, a slice of lechon, or perhaps a piece of cake.


March 30, Ocean 6 -- made up of Maru Rodriguez, Monique Furbeyre, Chesa Furbeyre, Flom Barot- Datoy, Sheila Pabalate, and Frances Yap -- once again commemorated International Women’s Month with another all- women open-water swim. Dubbed “Mantalip Reef to Shore” the event was a bigger celebration of women empowerment as Ocean 6 was joined by 11 other women who were inspired to challenge and go beyond their comfort zones. This diverse group of strong women include f o rme r


swimmers, “swim moms” who have just learned to swim, and their daughters, Negros Oriental Blue Dolphins swimmers aged 12-15 years old.


c ompeti ti v e


12. These 11 women have dedicated months of training in preparation for this event. On March 25 last year, we celebrated International Women’s Month by swimming across the Tañon Strait starting from Santander , Cebu and finishing in Sibulan, Negros Oriental.


That night, the runners were queens and models, and the entire race course was indeed the “longest fashion runway in the world”. I also had the help of my team and coach. My team/mentors gave me the key strategy on how to play with the distance, and keep my legs fresh until the last kilometer. It was their strategy that allowed


TO PAGE 9


These 11 empowered women are: Mercedes Tatel, 75, a retired nurse from Sibulan; Gilda Estacion- Scribner, 52, SU senior high teacher; Aisha Cuartela, 33, a teacher at Negros Oriental High School; Zakiyah Sidri, 30, virtual assistant at Delonix; Maryluz Belnas, 43, full time mom of Angel Belnas, 14; Charina Gako, 36, housewife and mom of Rain Gako, 15; Nona Tañamor, 40, a radiology nurse at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital and mom of Yuna Tañamor, 13; and Clowie Villaralbo,


Despite very challenging weather conditions and choppy waters, Ocean 6 successfully completed the 6.8-kilometer channel, crossing in an impressive three and a half hours. Through our swim, we wanted to inspire other women to embrace their unique strengths, and believe that there is no limit to what we can do. We wanted to empower women to follow their dreams, and to be proud of who they are, regardless of age, body type, and abilities. We also wanted to highlight the plight of the Tañon Strait, the biggest marine protected area in the Philippines, which is threatened by commercial fishing, destructive fishing methods, and pollution from industrial establishments. The unexpected social


media popularity, print coverage, and TV exposure we received – and continue to receive – have allowed us to promote our advocacies more effectively, and to a wider audience. We received heartwarming feedback from many individuals, organizations and local government uniits which have, in turn, encouraged us to organize


more open-water events and community outreach programs to continue raising awareness of , and advancing changes through, our advocacies of women empowerment and body positivity, the protection and restoration of marine life, and drowning prevention. Last July 22, 2018, Ocean 6 once again braved the Tañon Strait to highlight the restoration of Mantalip Reef in Bindoy, Negros Oriental, whi ch was entirely destroyed by destructive fishing methods in the 1990’s. We swam 4.5 kilometers from Mantalip Reef to the shores of Brgy. Domolog in Bindoy to support the efforts of Bindoy Mayor Valente Yap to protect and recognize the full restoration of the 46 hectare Mantalip Reef. As we did last year, a support crew escorted Ocean 6 in each event to ensure our safety and well- being during the swim. The support crew include Bindoy Rescue volunteers, Sibulan Rescue 613, ONe Rescue EMS, volunteer communicators, Bindoy LGU Bantay Dagat, LGU Bindoy volunteers, and local fishermen. For International Women’s Month, we c e l ebr a te


individual women but groups of women who come together to inspire and draw their strength from each other.


drop. Together, we are an Ocean. (Maru Rodriguez and Frances Yap)


Individually, we are one n o t o n l y Removing stray


This treatment consists of a single dose of human rabies immune globulin and several doses, some days apart, of rabies vaccine, all given in the form of injections.


The vaccine made the laboratory the first and the one that produced a long- term immunity in the whole of Southeast Asia. This development


In addition, if the wounds are deep and the victim has no immunization against tetanus, Tetanus Serum, and Toxoid injections have to be administered, too. Home medications consisting of a course of antibiotics may also be necessary for deep and/or dirty wounds. In 1979, the Van Houweling Laboratory of the Silliman University Medical Center headed by Dr. George Beran developed an anti-rabies vaccine that gave dogs the immunity for three years.


eliminated rabies in many parts of the Visayas and Mindanao which was later used by other countries in collaboration with the World Health Organization. Today, SUMCFI continues to support the advocacy of preventing, if not eliminating rabies through continuous education and awareness programs.


Rimelvon Patula is a 4th year junior intern of the Silliman University Medical School, assigned at the Department of Surgery at the SU Medical Center Foundation Inc.


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