In Davao, there is the MOVE

Spearheaded by the male employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) they organize a group they call MOVE ... Men Oppose to Violence Against Women.

MOVE undertakes series of capacity building sessions to better improve their lot and become better husbands, fathers, colleagues, sons and brothers for a much better family and a much better nation.

Complementing the MOVE is the Men Support Group (MSG) chair by Harry Arante of Barangay Centro Agdao which led the 42-member of DSWD Community-Based Rehabilitation Project for Perpetrators of Domestic Violence (CBRPPDV).  MSGs are vital elements in the war against domestic violence and helps snuff out the awful cycle of domestic violence.

MOVE is an organization of caring, pro-active and principled men committed to be actively involved in the elimination of VAW. Members come from various organizations, private and public.

The goals of the group are to speak out against VAW; examine, propose and formulate total male involvement and actions in the elimination of VAW; form partnerships and linkages with similar groups working on VAW, locally and internationally; organize and conduct researches, studies and fora in recognition of the social effects of VAW for policy and program development; and establish resource network on VAW. 

The Davao MOVE will join with other groups in the country in a Planning Worshop on December 2 and 3 in Manila to further improve their capabilities.

To smoke or not to smoke .... what will happen to the cigarette ? what will happen to U?

If you are smoking and if you are not it would be good to know that cases of COPD or Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease are on the rise.

Dr. Mervin Marcos, pulmonologist and member of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians-Southern Mindanao cited a study in the United States and the Philippines that at the rate of growth, COPD will dislodge heart disease as the number 5 or 6 top killer disease. 

Another pullmologist Dr. Jasper Ramos disclosed that the number one cause of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollutants, in medical terms the cause of COPD is constant exposure to noxious stimuli causing injury to the lungs.

COPD is much like the symptoms of asthma, where affected persons experience persistent coughing and breathlessness. However a Spirometry test is used to determine if indeed the person has COPD. 

The doctors advised persons manifesting symptoms of COPD to immediately consult a physician so that proper tests can be done.

Given this people should start to think and think on what to do about smoking.  I for one could not stand that smoke and i don't hesitate asking the person near me who is smoking to put off that lighted stick because the smoke is hurting.  There's no battle about it. I just ask the person politely. I know there is hope.  It's just a matter of doing not to smoke again.  

Massive advocacy for diabetes control launch

The Philippine Center for Diabetes Education Foundation, Inc. embarks on massive advocacy campaign against diabetes. It recognizes diabetic patients through an Achievers Award for maintaining the disease without complication.

Dr. Tommy T. Willing, president of Philippine Diabetic Association (PDA) in a press conference at SM City Davao said the cases of diabetes is increasing and alarming where one of five adult population has diabetes.

He said the incidence is prevalent in Asia Pacific and in the coming years saying the bulk will be in this region and that includes the Philippines and this has something to do with genetic and lifestyle of people.

Data shared by Dr. Willing that he presented in Kyoto, Japan at the Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes among others showed that among the diabetic patients in the Philippines, 50.4 percent employed while 45.9 percent unemployed with those employed belonging to the income bracket of P5,000 to P10,000.

He said once the person with diabetes develops complication, the treatment is costly not included plus the high maintenance drugs that those under the low income bracket could not afford.

Same data showed that of those with diabetes, 30 percent pay their consultation fees while 29 percent is shouldered by the family or 60 percent of those surveyed pay their own fees with only 18 percent of them are shouldered by government and 14 percent by the industry.

With insurance, only one percent of them are covered and most of the expenses are borned out by the family and own self of 80 percent and a low of 11 percent by the industry sector.

Willing likewise said even with the symptoms, people still are into denial stage and mabuti pa ang langgam alam (the ant knows better) because it attacks urine, an indication that it is high in sugar.

He said cost for diabetes could either be direct which includes cost of care and prevention and indirectly due to loss of productivity and income. The other costs could be psychosocial or the intangible ones like pain, anxiety and loss of quality of life the moment complications sets in.

The PDA he said has beefed up its campaign and with the Diabetes Achievers Award this could motivate other people to take appropriate action. Although there is no cure of the disease, it could be controlled, he said.

"This will motivate other patients and realize that they could still live normal lives," he said.

In Davao City there are several awardees that will be conferred with the award on July 17, 2009 either bronze for maintaining the diseases without complication between 10 to 19 years, silver, for 20 to 29 years and gold medallon for 30 years and above.

Davao gold awardee Kaiben So who was diagnosed at age 23 with diabetes, since then has controlled the disease up to this time that he is 53 years old.

"I just religiously follow what the doctor tells me and by monitoring regularly my blood sugar plus exercise and eating the right food," he said.

But So told Dr. Willing that there has to be action taken on the cost for laboratory exams on Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) because the low income patients cannot afford it.

Willing said the PDA is studying areas where this could be given appropriate concern even as he said that they are calling on government to also put more support on this. Although the government has included diabetes in their program the support is still minimal, he added.

Food, food, food ... and food

Cooking is one skill I learned through the years. Although I did not have formal schooling by chance I made it and my family and close friends like my cooking. My parents allowed us (we are four girls in the family) to explore the kitchen and that's it we developed our own skills and we (my sisters) have our own specialties.

I allow my kids to familiarize themselves in the kitchen too. Kim and Joe3 can do basics and they also learned some of the simple dishes that I prepare at home.

There was one time that I had to be out for a coverage on a Sunday and Kim was asked by my husband to cook breaded pork chop ... while am out and with the now technology I sent instructions through the celfon from the time she started cooking until she's done. And presto they had dinner served in white platters with ice cream as dessert. Very rewarding isn't it for parents to know that kids are also learning.

My son while in grade school joined cooking club and this time Joe3 knows how to make special egg sandwich with chicken and white onion with some innovation that I shared with him.
Cooking is also bonding time as my children would request me for a special dish that they like.

My husband too has a long list and among his fave are pochero, fish pellet with lemon sauce, my own version of crispy fried chicken and beef steak in mushroom and broccolli, "Pompano" steamed in spring onion with seasoning (I like the fish grown in cages in Sarangani Bay).
Cooking to others may not be easy but I tell you it is one task worth doing especially for the family.

I have a kitchen not that big but cozy enough to work on things easily but i still want to create my dream kitchen one that i can go online, watch tv and write stories at the same time while am there.

May be cooking by heart allows you to produce good food aside from the fact that your taste buds may be has something to do with it.

But one thing basic in cooking is food preparation.

Handling is also another and if we dine outside we always wonder how it is being prepared.
Doctors would always remind us that food handlers play a big role in keeping food safe and washing of hands before touching the food is a must do thing for food handlers. What with salmonella around - isn't that frightening? That is one aspect about food.

But learning to cook is a challenge too especially when you can convince people that the food you cook is good.

The coconut jam

There is this coconut jam sold in Davao that me and my son love to spread on hot bread. That's why i have to bring some to Manila because none could be found in groceries either in SM, Robinsons, MOA, or the 7/11, etc.

It has not reach other market except here but the producer Kablon Farms is exporting some of their products abroad.

We like it because it is soft and creamy and the sweetness is just right. Main ingredient is the coconut milk mix with muscovado or raw sugar.

Kablon Farms, by the way, produces fresh, healthy, all organic products in their farm in Tupi, South Cotabato in the Philippines.

They have the pure tablea (cocoa tablets), marinated asparagus, fruits processed into jellies, marmalades, jams, juice concentrated and puree.

For pioneering such products, they received awards and recognition one of which is the Natatanging Marsasaka-Processor ng 1999-2000 given by the Gawad Saka. Its product packaging and labeling are of world-class quality and can readily complete in the global market.

In the farm itself, you will find a Pasalubong Center where can take a pick over its long product line. Wondrous nature's bounty Kablon Farms in Tupi, South Cotabato is a 70.5-hectare multi-crop farm and processing center owned and managed by the Pantua family. Headed by Ernesto Pantua Sr., Kablon Farms launched its first product in 1968, which was the Pure Tablea or the traditional chocolate tablets.

From factsheet provided by Kablon Farms, it said that Pure Tablea is the bestseller among their products lines. Tablea comes from cocao bean (Theobroma cocoa) that underwent several processes. These include sun drying, roasting and grounding it to form chocolate tablets. In the case of Kablon Farms, all its cocoa trees are organically grown.

Next in line is the black pepper that is obtained from the small dried berry of the vine piper nigrum. The berries are picked while still green, allowed to ferment and are then sun-dried until they shrivel and turn a brownish-black color. Pepper can be stored for many years without losing its flavor and aroma and has long been known as the master spice. Organically grown black pepper is one the many wonders that can be found in the heart of Kablon Farms and is one of its best sellers.

Within Kablon Farms also are organically grown fruit trees like, passion fruit, papaya, guyabano, jackfruit, durian, lanzones and mangosteen. Their farm-grown passion fruits are blended with other fruits to make exquisite twist taste to their juices. Passion fruits are nearly round or ovoid fruit that have tough yet smooth and waxy rind. These are rich in potassium, which is good for the heart.

Passion fruits are high in Vitamin A content. It is good for people with sleeping disorders as these vinefruits are considered mild sedatives.

Guavas are also grown and processed in Kablon Farms. They are blended with passion fruit, guyabano and other fruits in their juice concentrates and are made into jellies. Guava fruits may be round, ovoid or pear-shaped and have four or five protruding floral remnants at the apex. The seeds are numerous but small--actual seed counts ranged from 112-535. Like passion fruits, guavas have high potassium and Vitamin A content that are necessary to a healthy body. A Guava tree can tolerate many soil conditions, but will produce better in rich soils high in organic matter as is in the case of Kablon Farms.

Guyabano or soursop (Annona muricata) is another fruit crop raised organically in Kablon Farms. The soursop tree is low branching and bushy but slender because of its upturned limbs. The fruit is more or less oval or heart shaped, sometimes irregular, lopsided or curved--the tips breaks off easily when fully ripe. Guyabanos are blended with other fruits and are made into puree, juices and the like.

The marinated asparagus of the Kabon Fartms are now exported to Montreal in Canada. It is said that asparagus was the favorite vegetable of Julius Ceasar, King Louis XIV, and Thomas Jefferson. Asparagus is a member of the lily family and is related to onions, leeks and garlic. It contains more cancer-fighting glutathione than any other food. It is packed with folic acid, which helps to prevent birth defects and heart disease, and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamins A, D, B8, and thiamin.

Health conscious dieters will be pleased to know that asparagus contains no fat and no cholesterol. Another reason why you should buy their Marinated Asparagus is that, they are grown organically in Kablon Farms.

Papaya (Carica Papaya) is another fruit grown organically there. Papaya is succulent fruit of a large plant of the family caricacae that is considered a tree, though it's palm-like trunk is not as woody as the designation generally implies.

The papaya fruit is slightly sweet, with agreeable musty tang. Papayas are usually grown from seed. It is a good source of potassium, calcium, vitamin A, C and folate. Langka or jackfruit (Artocarpus heteropyllus) is another addition to the farm's long list of orchards. It is the largest edible tree-grown fruit.

The fruit is covered by numerous hard points, is pale green in color and changes into a yellowish-brown when ripe. Fruit is mature for harvest when the single small leaf above the stem withers and the first color changes appear. Ripening continues post harvest and, with experienced, is ascertained by tapping the fruit. When ripe, fruit soften a little and will "give" when pushed. Ripe fruit exudes a musty odor, for a day or two before fruit is ideal for most purposes.

Kablon's processed product of jackfruit is the Langka Preserve. Among the favorite fruit is the Durian, which is a big, green thorny fruit native to Malaysia and is considered "King of the Fruit" throughout Southeast Asia. It has a creamy texture, and the taste of its flesh sends eater ecstasies (and it has the reputation of being an aphrodisiac). But it has one drawback; it has an extremely offensive smell described as garlic like and similar to stinky feet. It has high potassium content, and it is also a good source of Magnesium, Vitamin B-6 and Niacin.

Bread ...

It's not the money but the flour mixed with lard, egg and milk and baked to hot bread... In Davao, I buy my supply in groceries and at bakeshop along the way that even at night has hot bread to sell.

It's frustrating to bring home bread that aren't fresh. But what is good with my favorite bakeshop aside from the newly baked bread that i get still hot and yummy to eat, is that they indicate expiration date.

For us consumers, we need to check also the shelf life of bread... and the appearance because molds develop fast.

Not conscious at first

People before never bother to read the information attached to the items that they are buying and I was guilty about it. Whether it be food, medicine, clothes, electronics or whatever, these items have accompanying labels and some relevant information that will guide buyers on the kind of items that they are getting.

With my regular talks with people in authority and some researches and readings I started writing on the advocacy of government and private sectors for consumers to be vigilant and be conscious of buying only safe products passing quality standards.

Right now I am particular especially on processed food by checking its nutritional value. I check on the calorie, fat and cholesterol where before I really don't mind it.

A lot has been said about this and a lot of this I share with the members of my family and friends.

It would be a blow ones face that they be victims of something fake, of adulterated products, substandard materials and bad order products because of ignorance and not knowing the information.

But it's not yet late and even on line we need to also "Check D Label".

Anything goes

Anything goes in here. And before anything else, check the label first.