METROPOST


MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2019 OPINION 5


WHAT’S UP, DOC?


RIMEL VON B. PATULA R


abies is a highly fatal disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals infected by the virus, commonly dogs, cats, and other domesticated warm- blooded animals. The virus is usually spread when the infected saliva of an animal (host) is passed to an uninfected animal or person through a bite, scratch or direct contact with a fresh break in the skin. Transmission via other routes like the mucous


membranes (i.e. eyes, nose, and mouth) and aerosol transmission are less common. The disease primarily affects the central nervous system initially causing early symptoms of fever, headache, and general weakness or discomfort. With progression, it


complications and death usually ensue within seven to 10 days.


transmit the rabies virus even before it becomes ill, but it will invariably manifest signs and symptoms of rabies, including the change in behavior such as unprovoked aggressiveness and excitability, paralysis, and hydrophobia within five days, and die within two weeks after it gets infected.


Rabies is recognized as a global infectious disease that


transmitted between humans and animals, yet it remains remarkably neglected despite its lethality. It remains a threat


An infected dog can Once symptoms appear, implemented.


The Department of Health estimates that about 100,000 Filipinos are treated for dog bites and 200 to 300 die from rabies annually which makes the Philippines in the top 10 countries with the highest incidence of rabies in the world. Among Filipinos, dogs account for 98 percent of rabies infection with cats accounting for the remaining two percent. Executive Order No. 84,


Rabies awareness month can be natural ly


results in hydrophobia (fear of water), paralysis and later on, slow and ineffective breathing which ultimately leads to death.


Currently, there is no cure for rabies but vaccinations against rabies are available. The incubation period of rabies (the time from the bite to the appearance of signs and symptoms) is about 14-21 days but can reach up to eight weeks.


underrated by healthcare practitioners in many endemic areas, often owing to a lack of rapid diagnostic tools, postm ortem evaluation, and public health reporting.


resources have been devoted to the mechanisms of the disease, and potential therapeutic targets. Most attention has been focused on prevention strategies, which are fortunately highly effective where


MICHAEL O’RIORDAN


OUTSIDE LOOKING IN


W


hy do Filipinos display so much respect for westerners and, in particular, for Americans? Why respect a people who, one morning in Paris, wrote a check for US20 million dollars to your former Spanish colonial masters?


In that moment, America bought every man, woman, and child, every asset in your 7,641-island archipelago. In that grand tradition, powerful dynasties arrogantly use to determine the fate of weaker nations, the Spanish and Americans met in Paris, and eagerly reviewed a map then decided who would own what in their new world order. That check simply replaced one colonial power for another. America had, of course, prior experience in writing checks in exchange for people and property. The Louisiana Purchase deal dramatically expanded American territory. In 1867, they bought Alaska from the Russians for an excellent price of US$7.2 million. They simply took Texas and California from Mexico, while also learning valuable lessons about the efficiency of their new weapons.


Because Filipinos had the audacity to object to their new colonial rulers, war broke out between the two nations. But the Americans had the advantage of having their god on their side, and apparently, quite effective. This bored god who, on that particular night, with nothing better to do in the vast universe, allegedly visited US President McKinley in a dream. This god instructed McKinley to colonize the Philippines, save the barbarians, and convert them from their savagery to


the joys of Christianity. I’m not making this up. Nowadays, one would get locked up for such madness, but not in the early glory days of American imperialism. Unfortunately, those pesky Filipinos were not thrilled with having new masters. They even had the audacity to rise up and rebel! An uneven war began in 1899, and officially lasted until 1902 when America proclaimed victory over the insurrection. What’s not generally


recognized is that significant pockets of resistance continued to fight in more remote areas until 1913.Estimates of civilian deaths vary from 250,000 up to 1,000,000 -- mainly from famine and disease. After hostilities ended, the Americans, as colonialists always do, implemented major changes in Philippine society. The culture of all vanquished societies must be changed to comply with the superior format of the conquering power.


Furthermore, few


signed on April 13, 1999 by then President Estrada, declares March as the Rabies Awareness Month in the country. Thus, it rationalizes the control measure for the prevention and eradication of rabies and appropriating funds thereof.


The key to rabies prevention is primarily through responsible pet ownership.


Responsible pet owners keep their dogs’ and cats’ vaccinations for rabies up-to-date, restrict their pets within their homes or properties, and spay or neuter their pets to help reduce the number of unwanted pets that may not be properly cared for or


TO PAGE 14 E DR. JENNY LIND ELMACO-CARDENAS


A SOUTHPAW’S MUSINGS


jenny.elmaco@gmail.com


on the Status of Women meetings in New York. Years ago, I had committed to attend this every year so as to become part of the discussions with world leaders, policymakers, as well as activists in the efforts toward gender equality and women’s empowerment. This is my promise to all women and girls everywhere especially as I raise my seven-year- old. I want her to live in a world where she is celebrated and valued for her contributions, and that she is able to reach her potential.


arlier this month, I did my annual pilgrimage to the UN Commission


— 99 percent of them in developing countries — die of preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, she explains. Further,


mentioned in the high-level dialogue, women and girls remain largely invisible in official statistics.


as was


Geraldine Byrne Nason, who presides over the Commission on the Status of Women, only 7 percent of heads of state and government are women, and only one in four parliament members around the world are female. She further stated that “it’s estimated


Some people argue that women already enjoy equal rights with men, and are able to decide for themselves. But in the forum with UN Sec.-Gen. Antonio Guterres, he laments that there is a “deep, pervasive and relentless” pushback on women’s rights. And so he challenged all of us in the room and beyond to “push back against the pushback.” UN Women head Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said that on average, around the globe, women still have only three-quarters of the legal rights of men, and more than one billion have no recourse against violence or are restricted in their education or employment — what is now being called ‘economic violence’. Every day, approximately 830 women


irishauthormichaelcassidy@gmail.com


I sometimes hear people waxing eloquently about wonderful Gen. Douglas MacArthur, and the way he bravely saved the Philippines. Let’s dispel this myth. While not in any way disparaging Macarthur’s military prowess, he and America cared nothing for their smiling, little, brown brothers in the Philippines. When General MacArthur was forced to leave the Philippines, and vowed to return, the sole motivation was the strategic importance of the Philippines in the war against Japan.


and an influx of information, there is a dearth of data that actually represent the lived realities of all women and girls.


In many places and in several instances, there is still a need to address deep- seated biases in concepts, definitions, classifications and methodologies.


NENITA P. TAYKO NURSE TALES ntayko@yahoo.com


Although introduced originally by the Spanish, Catholicism now institutionally became the formal state religion. English was implemented as the primary language of the country. Let’s be clear about the role of many leading Filipino families. They were compliant, some enthusiastically so about the American occupation. It helped control and expand their commercial enterprises, and feudal hold on vast tracts of land.


create some, if limited benefits on their occupied territories. Perhaps, in the modern era, the introduction of English was a lasting benefit.


Most colonial powers


It would also provide a vital staging area from which to launch the planned final assault on mainland Japan. America was also looking towards the post-war world order, and wanted a strategic base to consolidate its power in Asia. This is the reason why, for a long time, Clarke Air Base in the Philippines was America’s largest air force base outside of mainland America. In my articles, I’ve carefully avoided discussing any aspect of Philippine political life. I’m always mindful of the column name Outside Looking In. I’m an outsider here, and always will be. But I will now say I agree with the current President’s view on closer political and economic alignment with China.


century is the time of ascendency for China that is fast becoming the new world power. While acknowledging China is capable of behavior that is not in Philippine interests, it still makes better strategic sense for the President to build relationships with this powerful country that is also


The 21st America is in decline. TO PAGE 8


arch is the time when c ommencement exercises occur in many schools in our country. For us who belong to another generation, we could not help but feel nostalgic and recall our own graduation experiences. In my case, I can remember snippets of my elementary, and high school graduation ceremonies. For the first one, I remember our class song: “Funiculi funicula,” a beautiful Neapolitan song (1880) in both English and Italian lyrics, composed by journalist Peppino Turco and musician Luigi Denza, and sung by Mario Lanza. Oh, how we all


M


loved the song! My high school graduation, was a happy one, too, with around 400 of us in the graduating class of Davao City High School in 1955. I became “famous” during our senior year when I reigned as Miss Lakambini! I made my Mama Nating proud! However, my college graduation did not happen. My finishing date was extended for three months because I did not get a clearance from my Community Health Nursing Rotation. Oh, I cried buckets of tears at that time. However, my graduation in a masters degree program at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, more than made up for the previous experience. I received my diploma in Master of Arts in Nursing in April, 1978, through scholarships from SU Faculty Development Program and


the United Board of Christian Education in Asia, as well as my very supportive family. Do commencement exercises really matter, you may ask? It does to the majority, but some choose to skip it. I vividly remember, one graduation day when I was still a faculty in SU College of Nursing, and I learned that one of our students, did not want to attend her graduation. One of the reasons may be that her family could not come (she was from Mindanao). So I talked with her, offered to lend her my own toga and she ended up marching with her classmates and having


memories of that day in her heart. Then when I was the dean of the college of nursing in Foundation University, I hugged my students as I handed their well-earned diplomas. This act was noted by a student from another college and she said: “They are lucky because their dean hugs them.” I was struck by this statement because to me, the act of handing the diploma indicates the completion of the requirements of the students, and since it is a happy occasion, my students deserve a hug from me, after having been together for four years. Commencement exercises really matter according to Valerie Strauss ( Why commencement ceremonies actually matter; Washington Post,2016/05/08) for the following reasons: 1)


“Commencement represents completion, it invites educators to reflect upon the arc of each student’s growth; 2) Commencement illuminates what ‘actually happens’ in this enterprise. By virtue of their education, the graduates must leave their teachers behind, walking past us and into their adult lives and cares; and 3) Commencement reminds us that one’s larger purposes in life are not, in fact, to be taught by us, but rather to love and serve, chase a dream, find a calling, make a family, know oneself. The ceremony celebrates the fact that a serious education will help students to pursue


Commencement truly matters


these human aims, while also reminding us, realistically, that still more profound experiences await the young than those we’ve provided here. These recurring truth renews us as educators.” Ben Keppel (Why commencement still matters, 2015/22/05) sums it up, as thus: The value of struggling to improve one’s self and one’s world remains vibrantly alive among students and teachers all over the world. That is why, commencement still matters, even when the ritual itself must occasionally be canceled to make way for stormy weather.


2019! Anchor your lives in our Lord Jesus Christ and He will see you through the storms in your life. May God bless all of you always.


Congratulations to Batch


In a world of Big Data


if we don’t act, it will take 217 years to reach parity between men and women in pay and employment opportunities.” However, there are potentials that we should focus on and these are on contributions that women can make.


As was shared by Ireland’s U.N. ambassador,


According to Ernst and Young, women are the next emerging market in the


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