PP Raymund Balicha announced that RIMM would be financially supporting “Stop Sexual Abuse on Children” with P10,000 per quarter starting this immediate quarter through Gina, DSWD Alfonso, in addition to the quarterly funding of P15,000 by AWH (Academy of World Healing Foundation) whose funding members are also serving as RIMM club members. The donation will be used specifically for sexually abused children matters. Gina will be submitting quarterly reports to AWH and RIMM on this issue.

Dr. Manzo of Alfonso chief Municipal Health Officer noted RIMM’s advocacy to End TB program.

Gina was very grateful to RIMM for the quarterly financial support on sexually abused children. She said she will use part of the fund for the 5 year old rape victim.

RIMM gave the check donation of P10,000 through Ms. Madz (in orange T-shirt) to aid post-surgery medication cost of FriendlyCare. She issued an Official Receipt of the said donation.

Ms. Madz said FriendlyCare aims to provide its ligation services in the entire Province of Cavite. Ms. Madz told us that FriendlyCare gives financial incentives to the Barangay health worker for every successful ligation referred.

Dr. Liza Capupus (in blue-white blouse) who is a City Health Officer of Tagaytay, strongly supports Family Planning.

Dr. Capupus mentioned the following reasons why the uneducated sector in the Philippines remain in utter poverty and continuing to rise in alarming rate:

• they do not believe or refuse in the usage of any method of contraception
• they believe having more children will help in earning money to put food
  on the table each day; they are lucky if they can have one meal in a day.
• strong influence of the Catholic Church

She said USAID has observed that usage of pills & condoms being provided for free in health centers were mainly used by middle income sector and not by the poorest sector who needs it most which was USAID’s main target. That is part of the reason why USAID has diminished its assistance to the Department of Health. There are now lesser supplies of contraception available for free at health centers.

She also said the Department of Health has trained selected professional health workers to be resource speakers on a subject called “Adolescent Health” wherein teenage pregnancy is discussed in the said subject. There are modules in the program that the trained resource speakers follow as guidelines during the seminar. She assigns her resource speakers on voluntary basis to conduct it at local high schools in Tagaytay. The City Health Head Nurse of Tagaytay will conduct the Adolescent Health seminar at Tagaytay National High School.

She suggested that we approach Dr. Manzo to invite a trained resource speaker on Adolescent Health from her department to participate in our Teenage Pregnancy Forum at Taywanak National High School in Alfonso on Sept, 18.

When the teenage mother who was the main speaker was in tears relaying her painful experiences all the high school students naturally felt a sad atmosphere in the room. Most of them were looking down on the floor when she was crying. Other female students looked like they were about to cry with her. The students were not expecting this sad atmosphere in the beginning of the forum. After the teenage mother relayed her experiences the students were given the chance to ask questions to her.
The young students were generally shocked and got scared from some of her answers. This gave them the reality of being a teenage mother. During the open forum our Rotarians emphasized importance of family planning and responsible parenthood and also explained how teenage pregnancy affects prospective lives. At the end of the forum the students were asked what they have learned from the forum. Generally the school students appreciated the teenage mother for coming out open to talk to them. After hearing everything the students did not wish to become a young mother or father and would listen to their parents’ advices. The open forum seemed to have made a positive impact on the young students what it is like to become a young parent.

Some key questions and answers:

Q: How was it like giving birth?
A: It was screaming out loud in pain that people said can be heard from afar. My mother was the one who gave birth to my baby at home. I was in intense labor from 7 am and lasted 7 am the next day. I bled so heavily. I thought I was going to die. I was so weak and pale for over a week after giving birth.

Q: Did you get worried after having an affair with your boyfriend?
A: Yes, I did. I had no idea about it. He was persistent. I asked him what if I get pregnant? He said that he will take care of me & our baby if I ever get pregnant. So I believed him. I thought that he loved me.

Q: How did you feel that you got pregnant?
A: I already felt I got pregnant at the first contact. Weeks after I told him that I was pregnant. I was surprised that he denied our baby and excused using his father. I suffered many months of mental anguish after he disappeared from me when I was pregnant.

Q: Do you want get revenge from his father?
A: Yes. I want him behind bars for what he has done to me and my baby. I even challenged him to have a testing to prove to him that the baby was his.

Q: How do you support your baby?
A: I will look for a job at nearby market to buy diapers and food.

Q: Would you fall in love again?
A: Yes. My priority now is my baby’s needs. I am lucky because my family is here for me despite of the mistake I have done.

Q: If you can turn back time, which would you prefer?
A: I would prefer to have no baby & would like to go to school just like all of you.

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RIMM highly respects the teenage mother being courageous to talk about her painful experience in front of a big audience. RIMM gives a financial assistance to support her baby and livelihood every time she gives a talk at such forum.