Author: Angelique Smidstra

Included in Filipino Family Values is the ‘ Pagpapahalaga sa Pamilya’ (Prioritizing Family). Truly, the family is the basic unit of society where every individual is being molded to become an adult. And as children develop from infants to teens and to adults they go through a series of developmental stages that are important to all aspects of their personhood including physical, intellectual, emotional and social. Within these stages of development, their parents are playing the most significant roles. However, with the high demand to survive a living, member/s of family are now very much open to work abroad thinking that this as a solution to seek for a job opportunity which can support not only to the family’s basic needs but most importantly to secure the education of their children.
Based on 2016 Survey of OFW the number of OFW who worked abroad anytime during the period of April – September 2016 is estimated 2.2. million. For the entire 2016, cash remittances reached the record of $26.9 billion up 5 from 25.69 billion in year 2015. The solid growth in remittance flows continuous to be a major driver of domestic demand – Guinigundo. But how about the circumstances and the family stages where these OFW’s are not present? How about the important roles parents do have for their children? Employment rate from 2016 to 2017 moved only in one digit from 93.3 to 93.4 . And there are only two probable reasons – inadequate skills and insufficient jobs. Thus, is it really the answer to encourage employment abroad? Or there is really a solution thru creating job and placing matched education to employment?

The oldest documentary evidence of male circumcision comes from ancient Egypt. Circumcision was common, although not universal, among ancient Semitic peoples. In the aftermath of the conquests of Alexander the Great, however, Greek dislike of circumcision (they regarded a man as truly “naked” only if his prepuce was retracted) led to a decline in its incidence among many peoples that had previously practiced it. Circumcision has ancient roots among several ethnic groups in sub-equatorial Africa, and is still performed on adolescent boys to symbolize their transition to warrior status or adulthood.

Male circumcision and/or sub incision, often as part of an intricate coming of age ritual, was a common practice among Australian Aborigines and Pacific islanders at first contact with Western travelers. It is still practiced in the traditional way by a proportion of the population. Circumcision is a religious or cultural ritual for many Jewish and Islamic families, as well as certain aboriginal tribes in Africa and Australia. Circumcision can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene or preventive health care.

Circumcision might have various health benefits, including:

· Easier hygiene. Circumcision makes it simpler to wash the penis. Washing beneath the foreskin of an uncircumcised penis is generally easy, however.

· Decreased risk of urinary tract infections. The overall risk of urinary tract infections in males is low, but these infections are more common in uncircumcised males. Severe infections early in life can lead to kidney problems later on.

· Decreased risk of sexually transmitted infections. Circumcised men might have a lower risk of certain sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. Still, safe sexual practices remain essential.

· Prevention of penile problems. Occasionally, the foreskin on an uncircumcised penis can be difficult or impossible to retract (phimosis). This can lead to inflammation of the foreskin or head of the penis.

· Decreased risk of penile cancer. Although cancer of the penis is rare, it’s less common in circumcised men. In addition, cervical cancer is less common in the female sexual partners of circumcised men.
Circumcision at the age of 7 days

Circumcision at the age of 7 or 8 days is held as the ideal time for circumcision in many religions and cultural traditions. We would have to agree that this may have been an excellent age to perform circumcision with older methods of circumcision where bleeding and poor healing were significant complications and delaying circumcision may further increase the risk of these complications occurring. However the Plausible device seems to perform best between one and three months but is also regularly performed on babies younger than one month safely and effectively. Circumcision at the IMC can be performed on boys from the age of 7 days old, provided they are fit and well.

· Here in the Philippines mostly they called ‘Operation Tule’ at the age of 9 and above it depends on the height of the child. Because some kids are bigger than their age.

· Circumcision is a common procedure in which the skin covering the tip of the penis is surgically removed. It’s usually performed on a newborn boy before he leaves the hospital, and often within the first 2 days of life. In the Jewish faith, it is performed in a special ceremony when a baby is 8 days old.

· Boys are born with a hood of skin, called the foreskin, covering the head (glans) of the penis. In circumcision, the foreskin is removed to expose the head of the penis. It’s a quick procedure that causes very little bleeding and stitches aren’t needed. Older boys can be circumcised, but the procedure is a bit more involved. After the circumcision, a protective bandage may be placed over the wound, which generally heals on its own within a week to 10 days.

Storing up the donations that was received from the visitor is like keeping treasure and gives importance because of saving for the future is better than wasting, like how the ant works. In Bahay Aurora, the grateful feeling of how the kids felt when they got things they never had. Because kids has only limited space from their own locker, the storage room was purposefully built to keep other things. So they can request whenever they need it. It so much helpful to store and safekeeping things because it was convenient, less of spending money and can be supplied in time especially during the emergency. Like for example, activity/game materials, clothes, toys, school supplies etc. that mostly of our children can be use in the future events.
Ate Ella is one of the storage keeper who manage to maintain the stocks and supplies up to date. But before she keep it, the houseparent makes the initial inventory for those received donations and record it. She handled it effectively and efficiently. She keep it organized, makes an inventory every month and make a lists what is lacking or mostly needed. She also released the requests on time. When she has a day off ,Julie helps to assists and takes over her. The staffs collect the requests and forward it. Communication between the staffs and storage keeper is important for easy monitoring and reporting what are lacking or needed to supply. When the material is not available, the lists of request will be sent thru email in advance and the management will check and decide what is needed to prioritize. Ruel will drive to buy and supply other requests. On the other hand, there are visitors who wanted to save their time so they asked in advance for the ideas or suggestions of what our kids commonly needs.

We’re thankful to All the people who extend their hands generously to comply the needs of our children. God bless you more!

The Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 9th Biennal Convention with the theme Uniquely Different: Embracing Diversity across the lifespan. It was held last September 5 and 6, 2017 at Novo-hotel Manila Araneta Center Quezon City. Most participant were Health Care Providers such as Doctors, Pediatricians, therapies, teachers, parents, and other health care services. The theme was to view every individual with unique differences mostly those children with special needs.
Children especially those with special needs, deserve unconditional love and nurturing care from the people around them. Doctors and healthcare providers are expected to go an extra mile to fully understand and positively respond to the needs for their kids with physical, mental and social deficiencies and inabilities.

The PSDBP equipped the participants with the latest approaches and innovations in the developmental and behavioral pediatrics, through this event, may learn new updates on researches about child care and neurodiversity. This will definitely help in the evaluation and handling of cases of children with attention- deficit hyperactive disorder, autism spectrum disorder and learning disorder. They give some approach like conventional and environmental approach or by the mixed of both approach. They also see to it that a research was done to prove that to this approaches.
The speakers from different areas of expertise discuss what to be done on children with special needs. They discuss not to view the negative behaviors of children with this kind of condition but to see the positive side of them. That they can be productive and they can also succeed with the areas they excel. They just need guidance and encouragement and with proper approach. The two day event gives the participant a different views on how to deal, manage and care for the children with special needs that they need our outmost love that they are also humans.. not just they are special but they are uniquely different and they needs guidance and care throughout their lifespan.
The professional organization has a mission to make every Filipino child, particularly those with special needs, attain the best quality of life, through competent, compassion able, collaborative and ethical care..
This event will help us to assess our children in Bahay Aurora. Every children has their unique potential, we also need to view their weaknesses in a different aspects and how to see the positive side of them. Some are slow learners, some are fast, but we just need to encourage them and to overcome those fear or hindrance for them to learn. Mostly do it with patience, care and love.

On the initiative of Emerson, one of our houseparent’s whose wife Nilda is a dentist who came together with members of the Rizal Dental Chapter that provides the mission. At first all kids got a lecture from the visitor, they showed how to brush teeth properly and proper way to wash their hands, after the lecture all kids did the drill on how to wash their hands properly. It was really informative to all the kids, till now they are doing what they learn from the group.

All kids got their dental check and some got their teeth extracted including Bahay aurora staff. Most of the kids showed no fear during the extraction, and very few of them who got scared, mostly the little ones. After the mission, all kids received a treat of an ice candy, to lessen the pain after the extraction.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who made the dental mission possible, We cannot thank you enough for your generous initiatives.

I’m Julie Ann and I work for 3 years as a child development worker in Bahay Aurora. I consider Bahay Aurora as one great big family with the children and staff. I love being part of something larger that makes a difference. Every day is a challenge for me in many different ways and I am always learning at the end of the day. It’s a good feeling and pleasurable to help the kids in need.

We can also express our opinions and we’re allowed to speak our mind without fear. I learned to become more “myself”. My self-esteem boosted. It gas grown and enhanced my potentials and I discovered my (hidden) talents. Co-workers and the management are supportive to each other.

I am also able to use my skills and knowledge as well. I can learn more of the things that I haven’t tried before by means of becoming more flexible, creative and enjoyable in my job. I stay for so long because every one cares. We work with compassion towards each other and with the kids unconditionally. Bahay Aurora is a home of love.

Johnny a 15 years old boy (not his real name) is now in his grade 7 in a local public high school. He maintains good standing in the class with average grades. He is a hard working student who never forgets to do his assignments and projects. He always knows what is needed in school and seeks assistance when he has difficulty with their lessons. He is a caring and sweet boy, dreaming to become successful someday. He even dreams of becoming a doctor when he grows up. He is a foundling child who is now living in Bahay Aurora. He was found after he ran away from home for alleged maltreatment from his mother and he grew really scared of her. Since then, he had lived from place to place until a local MSWD-LGU from Imus Cavite referred him to Bahay Aurora. He cannot remember his home adress, his parents name and other relatives and friends so we are not able to reunify or send him home. Community search was done but that prove futile. The foundation is providing for his basic daily needs such as food, shelter, medical needs and education. Johnny is dreaming of finishing his education and we hope to provide his needs this is why we are asking from your kind heart for support to fulfill his dreams to finish his studies and for his better future.

I am Rona Santiago, Child Development Worker in Bahay Aurora. I thought that I cannot stay long in Bahay Aurora because it was not easy dealing with the kids during my first day. Dealing with different behavior is not easy. Each of them have different approach and it depends to the behavior that the kids show. I really need to adjust more before I get the authority and their attention. I learned a lot in this work. I learned how to appreciate little things, I discover my talents, I learned to socialize etc. Then after a month, little by little I saw the improvement of myself. I just realize that you cannot stay long in your work if you do not love your work. I am now seven years working in Bahay Aurora, maybe the secret of staying long in this work is LOVE. You have to work with your heart. I handle toddlers (unit 2 kids) and it was fun to be with them, even though you are strict to them but still you will see that they will respect you and will show they care for you. The special part is when they didn’t forget your special day. They are always giving cards to greet you.

The Philippines may be one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, but it has the slowest Internet in the region. Internet has always been a concern of many in the Philippines. In this age of technology, one of the things that probably keeps the Philippines behind is the slow internet speed. As of May 2015, the Philippines’ Broadband Internet Average Speed is 3.63 Mbps, ranking us 176th of 202 countries, in Holland we have 20 Mbps. Our average Mobile Internet Speed, on the other hand, is at 4.43Mbps, ranking us 92nd of 112 countries. The cost per Mbps in the Philippines was also one of the most expensive with an average value of $18.18. To compare, the global average is $5.21.
Out of the 202 countries, the country with the slowest download speed is Equatorial Guinea with 0.93 Mbps. It is not only consumers, but also businesses and even government. Now, I don’t have the actual data but let’s simplify it based on “Opportunity Cost” in terms of time wasted or productivity loss. Consumers, government and businesses don’t want to just surf the internet, but want to use it to access valuable services such as fast email, business critical information and applications. For our government, that could have meant more people filing loans online via SSS.GOV.PH; if we could do our taxes online, imagine those freelancers lining up paying their taxes! The point being much better tax collection and loan revenue! Billions of pesos lost from the Filipino People’s pockets due to just bad internet service, waste of time from even trying to troubleshoot with customer service reps, and just paying for the really expensive internet without getting the money’s worth. On the brighter side with the new elected president, Our government provide free wireless internet in parks, plazas, public libraries, schools, hospitals, train stations, airports, and seaports.

Going abroad either to work or to travel is a good experience, both have a negative and positive impact in live. There so many different and (some personal) reasons especially if you are not born rich and you are the bread winner of the family, depending on a person or family needs, satisfaction why Filipinos and even some poor country choose to work abroad which caused to left their family behind. One of the main reason is having a corrupt government which supposedly that these leaders of the country are helping and supporting their local citizens need and due to self-interest and greed is stopping the development of the country.

Of course there are advantages and disadvantages in going abroad. Advantages in working abroad, there is a higher salary or double income, which can help enough for the monthly bills, health care or paying for the educations of their children and to support other needs. Employment and other job opportunities abroad had bigger chances since Philippines has a bigger populations and not everyone is fit to work in a company or some are underemployed. There is also discrimination in the hiring process private or in government agencies. The salary and benefits offered are too low. Other reasons of working abroad for some, not only about money but it is a personal dream and taking opportunity to travel, experience and learn the culture from different people, especially if you are not born rich and you are the bread winner of the family.
A foreign country enhances the skills and develops the personality of a person to become an open minded and learn live independently.

The downside or disadvantages of working abroad, aside from the distance from the family. Children are longing for a parents touch and a moral support. Without a proper guidance It affects the behavior of a child psychologically or emotionally like for example the kid who were left behind by their both parents they become rebel or turn to become a drug pusher or a child become a victim of abused by their own relatives. With an abused employers, OFW’s can become a victim too.

Many Filipinos have to make actions and to take risks by seeking better opportunities in overseas to secure a better future for their family and loved ones.