Archive for May, 2009

The Real Issue On Halili-Kho Scandal

These past few days, pinoys around the world especially here in the Philippines are intrigued with Katrina Halili and Dr. Hayden Kho scandal. I followed the story but never blog it but now. Its the fad or the IN-thing now. When I bought school supplies at school, I heard the teachers talked about the issue, who’s fault was it… who’s wrong.

That’s the irony of being a celebrity, Katrina Halili as a model/actress and Hayden Kho as a model/celebrity doctor. Dr. Kho became celebrity because he was cosmetic surgeon Dra. Vicky Belo’s boyfriend for 3 years. Plus, Katrina Halili seek help of Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Senator Jamby Madrigal and the first hearing was held yesterday.

The controversial case resulted many opinions, some got mad of Hayden Kho, some got mad of Katrina Halili, sympathy of course is for Katrina. She is the victim, the abused and exploited in that video scandal. It doesn’t matter if she was projecting sexy image in movies and endorsements, the fact remains that she is the victim.

As a woman, I felt the pain of betrayal she felt. I read many comments, calling her “malandi kasi, dapat lang sa kanya“. Adding insult to injury?! In case you don’t know, Katrina’s short term “relationship” with Hayden Kho happened when Dra. Belo and Hayden Kho was still in a relationship. Even Mrs. Irene dela Santa Kho was interviewed on TV that even made the case complicated because she accused Katrina of being a drug addict and taught Hayden Kho.

Now, Katrina Halili filed a libel case for her. (Sana, hindi na lang siya nagsalita tutal yun naman ang lagi niya sinasabi sa interview.) “Ayaw ko magsalita.” Katrina showed up this morning to PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) but never submit herself for a drug test. I thought, she should do that to clear her name of such accusation. If its not true, the result will be her evidence. hmmn… Hayden Kho didn’t reported to PDEA.

The real issue is we don’t have existing law on cybercrime… that the video was taken without Katrina Halili’s consent… and it spread like fire in the internet. Allegedly, there are videos of Kho’s having intimate moments with 40 different women. I saw Katrina Halili, Maricar Reyes (Pond’s model), Priscilla Meirelles (Brazilian model), a friend told me that there was also a video of KHO with a Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition. During her PBB participation, she was only 17 years old. I haven’t seen that video yet, if the scandal happened after PBB, Hayden Kho is in deep trouble and will be facing additional charges.

Let’s stick to the issue… we need a law to avoid these things to happened again. It happened many times, I just hope Katrina Halili will be the last on pinay scandal controversy.

No More Additional Thermal Scanners – DOH

I’m glad that Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque had shift from acquiring more thermal scanners to contact tracing of A(H1N1) cases.

If you use thermal scanning, you use so many personnel to man the scanning machines. What we need now are personnel for contact tracing. It would be better to have these people out in the field doing contact tracing instead of standing at the airport and manning thermal scanners that may not detect A(H1N1) if the virus is still incubating. – DOH Secretary Duque

For the record, Philippines already have the 2nd case of AH1N1 virus, a 50 year old female who arrived in the Philippines on May 20 from the USA and sought consult in a health facility a day after arrival, May 21. RITM confirmed that the patient is positive of Influenza A (H1N1). She only has mild symptoms. Another case that proved that thermal scanners were useless and just a waste of our money. Secretary Duque after representing Philippines in the recent 62nd World Health Assembly in Geneva said that Europe doesn’t use the said technology.

As of this time, DOH is monitoring and waiting for the result of 7 new cases. On June 1, most school will resume classes. I was at my kids’ school this morning and learned that the first day of school was moved from June 1 to June 4, Thursday. Just like other parents, I’m still worried. I hope DepEd reschedule the school opening until everything is stable.

Taiwanese From Philippines Positive Of AH1N1

A woman together with her relatives traveled to Philippines from May 16 to 20 and attended a yoga convention. The 30 year old Taiwanese was feeling unwell while in the Philippines. They returned home Wednesday from Manila on Philippine Airlines flight RP896, May 21 (Thursday) she went to a clinic after she developed a fever and other flu-like symptoms including coughing and weakness. She’s the 4th case of AH1N1 in Taiwan.

The said Yoga Convention held in the Philippines, the woman and her daughter participated in an international yoga event, which was also attended by people from the United States, Canada and Australia, all swine flu-affected areas. The sixth case is her 5 year old daughter.

Because the girl attended her kindergarten class — affiliated with Guangfu Elementary School in Taipei County’s Zhonghe City — as usual Thursday, the school will be closed until May 29, Shih said. All of the faculty staff and students should observe their health at home.

What happened to thermal scanners to departure areas of NAIA? As I’ve said, thermal scanners are not that accurate. How about the other nationalities who also attended the said yoga convention? I’m sure the new cases of AH1N1 in cases in Taiwan didn’t came from Filipinos but from other attendees of the said convention.

That’s the irony of being zero AH1N1 infected country (for a while), we became tourist destination and also became unintentional target of those who want to avoid the deadly virus. Now, AH1N1 is bad for Philippines’ tourism.

Philippines Listed In WHO's AH1N1 Countries

Its sad to know that Philippines already have the first case of AN1H1 case in the person of the 10 year old girl who arrived from the US in May 18. The patient tested negative in thermal scanner after arriving from United States and Canada with her parents.

The patient showed symptoms – fever, cough, and sore throat – a day after her arrival in the country and was rushed to RITM (Research Institute for Tropical Medicine). As of this writing the patient doesn’t have fever already and in stable condition. She will be discharged after five days. Her parents were tested also and negative of the virus.

DOH (Department of Health) officials said that they already have the the manifest of the flight taken by the girl. Passengers who were seated around six feet or three rows in front, beside, and at the back of the girl have been identified. These 17 passengers who sat closest to the girl are being traced so they can be notified and told to be vigilant about their health condition.

As of the latest update of WHO, Philippines is the latest addition, the 42nd country who have AH1N1 case but with zero death. There are already 11168 cases in the whole world.

DTI Monitors Private Schools' Supplies To PriceWatch

As early as first week of May, DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) are monitoring the prices of school supplies for the coming new school year 2009-2010. Although prices of school supplies have increased a little, other parents tend to buy cheap supplies and depriving their children of quality school supplies such as crayon, erasers etc.

This is indeed the result of the global crisis affecting filipinos. Some parents prefer to buy school supplies to known bookstores while others prefer to buy in Divisoria, Binondo and other wholesalers where they can have the supplies cheaper and they can also make “tawad“.

My children are enrolled in private schools, the school is selling customized notebooks, school logo printed in the cover page w/ plastic cover. Although its not mandatory, my children prefer to used them so their notebooks are the same with their classmates. A normal notebooks in a known bookstore costs around Php 12-18, the school’s notebook cost Php 45 (school price last year). The price is doubled and the paper doesn’t have the quality of top-of-the-line notebooks. The difference of Php 27 max could be my savings per notebook, multiply it by 20, that’s roughly Php 540 savings for the notebooks only. I could use the savings for other school supplies and books. I’m just giving you the idea of the notebooks only, there are other school materials which are also expensive compared to bookstores.

What I did from the past was to buy notebooks from school, other supplies needed were bought from wholesalers. After all, school is giving out checklist for school materials needed for the school year. I guess, I’ll be doing this again.

The bottom line… DTI should also monitor the prices of school supplies from private schools. Parents and students from private schools should also be protected from “school business”. Does DepEd (Department of Education) knows anything about schools’ other business? I tried googling around if there is such law on this issue but to no avail.

I maybe one of other parents from other schools that also thinks the same way. Regardless that my children are in private school, we are also affected by global crisis. Its about time to do something. The title speaks for itself… or it is under DepEd’s jurisdiction?