...the hug

WHO gives Philippines big hug for newborns’ care

By Jocelyn R. Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Sunday, August 14th, 2011

 

 

 

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka—The Philippines can teach neighboring countries a thing or two on saving newborn babies from dangerous illnesses and keeping them healthy throughout their childhood.

 

 

It was cited at the World Health Organization (WHO) Biregional Workshop on Scaling-up Nutrition for its program dubbed “Unang Yakap” (First Embrace), which has significantly curtailed deaths among Filipino infants.

During the three-day conference held in Colombo, Filipino health experts shared with their counterparts from the Southeast Asian and Western Pacific Region the three-year-old program that not only improved infant nutrition but also addressed high rates of infant mortality.

A social marketing campaign, “Unang Yakap” is a main component of the Essential Newborn Care (ENC) protocol piloted in November 2008 at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center.

The four-step protocol, derived from solid research evidence, requires the following in sequence: the immediate and thorough drying of a newborn, early skin-to-skin contact with the mother, properly timed cord clamping and nonseparation of the baby from the mother for early breast-feeding.

The protocol was actually contained in a voluminous WHO document on essential care of the newborn, but the Philippines was the first to encapsulate it into a “user-friendly” and “time-bound” guideline for health workers, said Dr. Mariella Castillo, technical officer of the WHO representative office in the Philippines for Maternal and Child Health.

The implementation of the guideline, which was developed into a policy in December 2009 by the Department of Health, is expected to bring down the number of infant deaths in the Philippines by at least 50 percent and boost exclusive breast-feeding by 90 percent, Castillo said.

PH contribution

“Unang Yakap” highlights the importance of immediate and exclusive breast-feeding, which tops the list of 23 interventions preventing childhood mortality under the age of five.

“That’s our contribution to global health because the process that we went through was scientifically rigorous,” Castillo told the Inquirer in an interview on the sidelines of the WHO biregional conference.

The “user-friendly” ENC protocol put together by the Philippines is also being considered as a “template” for newborn care, at least for the Western Pacific region, she said.

Dr. Tommaso Cavalli-Sforza, regional adviser in nutrition at the WHO Regional Office for Western Pacific in Manila, said the “Unang Yakap” program being implemented in the Philippines and which could be replicated in neighboring countries also confronted  the problems of infant mortality and malnutrition.

“That’s precisely why I mentioned it as an example of a good program, which the Philippines piloted and scaled up. And now it’s worth telling the story for other countries,” Cavalli-Sforza said in a separate interview.

During the media workshop here prior to the biregional conference, he cited Philippine practices as among the best in combating malnutrition in infants.

Newborn deaths

The Philippines is among 42 nations that account for 90 percent of global deaths of children under five years of age, according to Cavalli-Sforza.

Over 40,000 Filipino newborns die every year, with the majority of them dying in the first two days after birth. Newborn deaths account for 37 percent of the 82,000 Filipino children that die annually.

Sepsis (or blood infection) and pneumonia are usually the main cause of death among Filipino babies, accounting for 26 percent.

On August 11, Castillo, representing the Philippines, was given at least 15 minutes on stage to present its success story in nutrition interventions. The other presenters were the representatives of Vietnam, Thailand, Bhutan, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

In her presentation, Castillo said the need to implement the ENC protocol in Philippine hospitals became urgent following an outbreak of neonatal sepsis in a public hospital in the capital in 2008.

The outbreak occurred at the Ospital ng Makati, where 34 healthy babies succumbed to blood infection in June 2008.

Two years following the implementation of the protocol at the Ospital ng Makati, where about 4,000 babies are delivered annually, the number of newborn deaths and sepsis have dropped from 6 to 2 percent.

The exclusive-breast-feeding rate among mothers and babies discharged from the hospital was at 89 percent, and those who continued breast-feeding after a month was at 69 percent, Castillo said.

Soap in Cambodia

Now, the ENC protocol has been incorporated in the policies of at least 12 state-run hospitals, and a number of private hospitals have also taken the initiative to implement the guidelines, according to Castillo.

But there is still room for improvement, she said. “The 12 hospitals implementing the guidelines are not enough to see a population effect,” she said, noting that only 44 percent of Filipino babies were being delivered in health facilities.

As for improving the rate of exclusive breast-feeding, which is still at a dismal 34 percent, Castillo said the Philippines could take a leaf from Cambodia, which launched an extensive five-year Communication for Behavioral Impact Strategy on the feeding of infant and young children.

Cambodia has achieved a high rate—73 percent—of exclusive breast-feeding.

One of the components of its strategy included a TV soap opera, “Taste of Life,” which ran twice a week from late 2005 to early 2006. Composed of about 100 episodes, the TV drama revolved around maternal and child health issues, among others.

Cavalli-Sforza said a soap opera with the same theme could also become a hit among Filipinos, many of whom, he observed, had the habit of watching telenovelas.

...the nine films

Did you know: 9 a lucky number for Filipino films in Busan

By: Bayani San Diego Jr.
Philippine Daily Inquirer

 

Nine is the Philippines’ lucky number in Busan. So far.

At press time, at least nine Filipino movies have been invited to this year’s Busan (South Korea) International Film Festival, to be held October 6 to 14.

It’s virtually a miniretrospective of Filipino indie filmmakers in one of the most high-profile cinema events in the region.

On top of the country’s Busan lineup is Loy Arcenas’ “Niño,” which will compete in the New Currents section.

“I got the official letter the other day,” Arcenas told Inquirer Entertainment on Wednesday. “It feels great. I’m thrilled.”

A New York-based theater director, Arcenas made his film debut with “Niño,” an entry in the seventh Cinemalaya indie film fest held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) last month.

Arcenas said it felt like “graduation day” for him.

“I graduated by premiering the film at the CCP,” he explained. “I was cum laude when I won the special jury prize and then a magna cum laude with the Busan invitation.”

Said Robbie Tan, head of Cinemalaya’s production and monitoring committee: “We are elated for Loy who is one of the more promising filmmakers in the new breed.”

Competition chair Laurice Guillen agreed: “We are proud and happy for new directors like Loy. Other Cinemalaya films have been invited to Busan: Lawrence Fajardo’s ‘Amok,’ Adolfo Alix Jr.’s ‘Isda’ and Marlon Rivera’s ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank.’”

CHERRY Pie Picache in “Isda” (in the Windows on Asia section)

Suzette Ranillo, coproducer of “Amok,” said that the film is in the exhibition section of Busan, now on its 16th year.

Joji Alonso, coproducer of “Septic,” confirmed that the Cinemalaya Best Picture winner had been invited to Busan as well.

Along with “Isda,” Guillen’s first indie film, “Maskara,” was invited to Busan’s Windows on Asia section.

Apart from the new indie films, two vintage movies directed by National Artist Fernando Poe Jr. will be shown in the program on Asian Western Cinema.

FPJ directed the two films, “San Bernardo” and “Baril sa Aking Kamay,” under his pseudonym D’Lanor in 1966.

EUGENE Domingo and Carlos Dala in “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank”

Cultural value

Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares, FPJ’s daughter, told the Inquirer: “We thank the CCP and Busan for acknowledging and promoting the cultural and entertainment value of FPJ’s movies, which chronicle the daily struggles, aspirations and sentiments of Filipinos.”

She expressed the hope that, “through FPJ’s movies, foreigners will have a deeper understanding and appreciation of our culture and history and realize the evolution and achievements of Philippine cinema.”

Two local projects, currently under development, have been included in Busan’s Asian Cinema Fund (ACF): Jose Lorenzo “Pepe” Diokno’s “Above the Clouds” and Sheron Dayoc’s “Satra.”

“Satra” is the same script that earned Dayoc a spot in the Sundance Screenwriters’ Lab.

“It’s a wonderful feeling because it tells us that our project is moving forward. The ACF is a big help to us,” Dayoc said.

SHAMAINE Centenera-Buencamino in “Maskara” (in the Windows on Asia section)

“I’ve been working on this story for a long time,” said Diokno, a Venice winner for his debut “Engkwentro” in 2009. “ACF is among the first (groups) that I showed the story to, too. I was surprised and honored to get a little vote of confidence from Busan.”

ACF is Busan’s funding initiative that “aims to encourage creative, talented Asian filmmakers and help them to complete their projects.”

A Screen Daily report said that this year’s ACF sought to focus on the Philippines and Thailand, “two of the many countries in Asia with burgeoning and active communities of independent film producers and productions.”

...the CNN's best 5 photo

SC photog’s ‘Ondoy’ shot lands in CNN’s best 5

INQUIRER.net

Saturday, August 13th, 2011

Photography, Ondoy, Doranne Lim, flood, CNN, CNN iReport, Supreme Court, Philippines, photojournalism

MANILA, Philippines—Lawyer Doranne Lim was taking photographs during an inspection of the flood-damaged Hall of Justice in Pasig City in September 2009.

Little did she know her snapshot of residents wading through floodwater spawned by Typhoon “Ondoy” (Ketsana) would be chosen by CNN as second in its five best examples of photojournalism from 2006 to 2011.

Lim was then documenting a visit to the Hall of Justice by then Supreme Court chief justice Reynato Puno when she captured on film the hardship of the flood-stricken residents of Pasig City.

She sent her photographs to CNN iReport and she would later be interviewed on phone by the international news network as her photographs were shown for the next 24 hours.

Topping the list of CNN’s best five was a photograph of a flood victim in Pakistan by AlizehImtiaz, a Pakistani filmmaker who covered the calamity and distributed relief goods in 2010.

In third place is a picture of firefighters shrouded in smoke, captured by professional photographer Chris Honeysett during the 2010 San Bruno explosion in California.

In fourth place is a photograph of three bandaged German tourists who were near an explosion at a government building in Oslo, caught by Trond Lindholm, a street photographer from Norway who was at the scene immediately after the attack. In fifth place is a photograph of a mass grave of earthquake victims on a hilltop, shot by then photography student Bobby Moon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti in 2010.

To mark the 5th anniversary of CNN iReport, the five best examples of photojournalism in its five years are being showcased on its website at ireport.cnn.com. iReport is the citizen journalism initiative of CNN that allows people from around the world to contribute pictures and videos of breaking news in their respective countries.CNN receives thousands of submissions daily.

Lim is a lawyer working at the Supreme Court’s Public Information Office. Aside from her regular legal tasks, she documents the activities of the high tribunal even those held in the provinces, like the Enhanced Justice on Wheels.

...the host

Philippines to host 3rd annual int'l outsourcing summit By Tam Noda (philstar.com) August 13, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will host the Third Annual International Outsourcing Summit (IOS), a landmark event for the IT-BPO industry which will focus on non-voice, complex services.

Organized by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPAP), the event will be held on October 11 and 12 at the Sofitel Philippines Plaza Manila with the theme "Global Market Leaders Addressing Global Issues."

Raymond Lacdao, Industry Affairs Executive Director of BPAP, said the summit will provide a platform to assess progress towards development goals provided in the IT-BPO Road Map 2011-2016, which projects potential annual growth of up to 20 percent over the next five years - generating 1.3 million direct jobs, 3.2 million indirect jobs, and US$25 billion in revenues.

Lacdao said while traditional voice-based BPO will contribute substantially to the projected annual growth rate, non-voice, complex services are expected to be the principal engine of growth for the industry.

“We anticipate growth in non-voice, complex IT-BPO services of 20-25% over the next five years,” Lacdao said. “Voice-based services will grow at a rate of 15-20%."

This year’s summit will also include a session on how the industry can extend its leadership in the country through innovating new services, including research and development.

“Last year, we became the global leader in voice BPO but we are rapidly transitioning to non-voice, complex services delivery," Lacdao said. "We want to demonstrate that the Philippines has a very high capability in this area, including emerging complex services.”

Lacdao said around 70 expert speakers and panelists will do their presentations and talks to over 300 international delegates.

 

...the brand

Brand Philippines

 

August 12, 2011

Manila Bulletin Editorial

MANILA, Philippines — The government is pursuing the development of “Brand Philippines” a program which aims to promote the Philippines as a producer and supplier of quality, value, and reliable world class products and services. The goal is an annual export growth of 16 percent and sales of $109.4 billion by 2016.

A brand name is a name, symbol, or other features that distinguishes a seller’s goods or services in the market place. Brands have been used since ancient times, with people burning singular designs onto the skin of their livestock to prove ownership and potters and silversmiths marking their wares with initials or other personal tags.

 

In the second half of the 19th century, branding evolved into an advanced marketing tool. Companies invest a lot of resources and millions of dollars in advertising every year to keep their brand names in front of the public.

There are today more than half a million brands registered with regulatory bodies in various countries, with numerous brands achieving legendary global status. A well chosen brand name can set a product of a business enterprise apart from those of competitors and communicate a message regarding the firm’s marketing position or corporate personality.

Experts say that successful branding is most likely when the product is easy to identify, provides the best value for the price, is widely available, and has strong enough demand. Branding is also recommended in situations where obtaining favorable display space or locations on store shelves will significantly influence sales.

 

Finally, a successful branding effort requires economies of scale, meaning that costs should decrease and profits should increase as more units of the product are made.

Shifting consumer priorities notwithstanding, the “Brand Philippines” program of the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 offers vast opportunities for the trade and tourism sectors to promote the Philippines as a conclusive investment haven now open for business.

...the novelist

Social media boosts Pinay's maiden novel

08/13/2011

GMA News

 

Filipina author Samantha Sotto has credited social media for the success of her debut novel, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Saturday.

“Ms. Sotto expressed to the Philippine Consul General in New York, Mario de Leon Jr., how her book ‘suddenly exploded’ in just a few weeks because of the power of social media," the DFA said in a statement.

Sotto gave De Leon a copy of her novel, “Before Ever After," which was launched Aug. 2 by Crown Publishing Group/Random House Inc., according to the DFA.

Sotto is the first Filipina novelist to be published by Crown Publishing Group/Random House Inc.

The DFA said the book has only been released in hard copy and in electronic book (e-book) versions for only a few days. Yet, the public response has already surpassed the publisher’s expectations, it added.

“In terms of page views and website traffic, the video trailer of the book posted on Random House’s website ranked second to former US President George Bush’s ‘Decision Points,’ amazing for a debut novelist," the DFA said.

The publisher has received inquiries about the book from markets like Singapore. It shows the scope and depth of support that a “kababayan" can count on from the Filipino diaspora, according to the DFA

The consulate already organized a book reading and signing activity on Friday for Sotto’s novel. — JE/VS, GMA News

...the designer

Filipino to join international designers’ show in New Zealand

INQUIRER.net

Saturday, August 13th, 2011

MANILA, Philippines—A Filipino designer will be among this year’s participants of the International Designer’s Day hosted by New Zealand’s capital city of Wellington.

Michael Joseph Bawar of Valenzuela City was chosen by the Wellington City Council for his garment design entry “Iron Maiden”, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Saturday.

Bawar’s entry was chosen from the 72 international garment designs entered to participate from countries all over the world. A total of 55 garment designs, representing nine countries, have been selected.

The celebration will include the Brancott Estate World of Wearable Art (WoW) Awards to be held at the TSB Bank Arena on August 26.

Bawar is scheduled to arrive in New Zealand on August 24.