MyDailyRace.Com

In this blog and later in my book, both entitled “My Daily Race,” I wrote  an article identically entitled “Women Who Run.”  Here I talked about two kinds of women who run – the runner and the one who runs for political office.

I continue to believe that women who run are an empowered group of women and that many women have it in them to run – in both ways.

Studies show that political positions continue to be held mostly by men. In 2007 in the Philippine local government units, there were only 274 female mayors (17.19%) while there were 1,320 male mayors (82.81%) and 18 female governors (21.95%) compared to 62 male governors (78.05%.

In the legislature, a study by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organization of members of parliament,  shows that only 19.5% of parliamentarians in the world are WOMEN and the rest are men.  In the Philippines, there are only 48 women in the House of Representatives out of the 222 representatives (21.6%) and there are only 3 women out of the 23 Senators (13.04%) in the 15^th Congress.

At the United Nations during Women's Month in March 2010

It’s no surprise then that we have laws that are crafted from the perspective of men.  Take the Reproductive Health bill for example, now pending in the Senate.  Many women advocates, have noticed, as I and my co-sponsor of the bill, Senator Miriam Santiago that some men, and I emphasize some, not ALL,  reveal through their statements, that they are oblivious to the suffering of many women deprived of reproductive health services and information.

A perusal of the records, will show that bills affecting women take so  long to pass. The Reproductive Health bill has been pending for almost four congresses. That’s 11 years. The Divorce law has never been taken up despite the fact that women have to endure physical and emotional abuse simply because divorce is not an option.

As Chair of the Committee on Women and Youth, I have heard and worked on bills that seek to eliminate inequality among women (Senate Bill Nos. 460 and 1922 on the use of one’s married name; SB No 1924 on the 301 days prohibition to remarry by widows and SB1296, 1933 and 2015 on Adultery and Concubinage). This review of these laws are mandated by the Magna Carta of Women that states:

Section 12. Equal Treatment Before the Law. – The State shall take steps to review and, when necessary, amend and/or repeal existing laws that are discriminatory to women within three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act.

Sadly, there are also women on the run – on the run from violence and abuses. Last year, Melinda Ponce, a respected runner and accomplished ultra-Marathoner from Cebu was brutally murdered by her husband together with three of her kids. Only one daughter survived. Melinda came from a run and was wearing her running clothes  when she was killed. Unknown to many, she was a battered wife for many years. Running was her escape. Sadly, she was not able to run fast enough or far enough from this man, her very own husband who would be her murderer.

Violence continues to affect many homes. Worldwide statistics show that 1 out of 3 women will be a victim of violence in their life time while 1 in 5 women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime. Furthermore, among women aged 15-44, acts of violence cause more disability and death than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined.

Women need the support of real men – gentlemen who will open their eyes to the plight of women. That’s why the world gentleman in modern speech refers to  a man of good family, breeding, or social position or a civilized, educated, sensitive, or well-mannered person. (emphasis ours)

In my next blog, I will be discussing what men can do to address gender-stereo types and to eliminate domestic violence.

There is so much to be done. And that’s why we women, need to run together. We need to be strong both mentally, emotionally and physically. We need to go to battle for the women who have suffered.  We need to carry the torch for our children and the future children of our country.

Like a true lady, we will do this with compassion and grace.

To all the women and the men who support the causes of women, run with conviction.

I dedicate this blog to Melinda Ponce, a  woman who was running for her life, but could not save herself. This should not happen again. Stop domestic violence now.

Photo courtesy of www.ceburunning.com / James Go

For more of my blogged articles related to women , click on the category women issues.

Related articles:

What everyone should know about Violence against Women

Pinay in Action Run

Ive been running for many many years. Ive done 7 marathons and tons of shorter races. I’ve also climbed a few mountains. Last year I hit the the trails..and fell in love. I did the inaugural  xterra off-road triathlon in Cebu and qualified for the Word Champs in Maui in October, which included a 10k very tough mountain and beach run.

Then I heard of the Mt Ugo skyrun – a  running event to the top of a mountain. I figured I could walk/hike part of it, then run when I could.  So, I signed up for my very first skyrun – the Mt Ugo 34 km Akyathon.

My alarm was set around 4 am. I was out of the house and enroute to Itogon in the dark. Arrived at the starting line just 15 minutes before the start in front of the  Municipal Hall.

First thing I noticed is that  many runners were racing ultra-light – no water bottles on a hip pack or hydro packs on their back. No food either. Yikes, I couldn’t do that in the mountains.  I need water and food on me. I guess its my  little background as a mountaineer – never be out in the woods without food and water.

The race director informed us that the start from the Municipal Hall was just a “soft start” and that we were to run easy as a group down concrete road for about 1.7km which is where the trail would start.

Just before the starting horn sounded, I put my blackberry in my race belt. I planned on tweeting throughout the race via @tweetakbo. Below is the actual text of my texttweets. Some are just a few words, given that I was in the middle of a race, but for purposes of this blog, I did a  bit of editing and added some  descriptions to complete the story. The additional comments are italicized.

6:47 Here at the hanging bridge crossing the river.

6:50 Locals are out to welcome participants

6:52. Im at the tail-end. I think I will get an award. Most baon.

I actually had: 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 boiled bananas,  2 cheese sandwiches, 2 peanutbutter cookies from Slice, 2 pieces banana loaf pudding from Slice, my cafe/cart in High St Central in The Fort, Taguig.

6:56 quiet out here in the rice fields. Only sound I hear are the ice cubes jiggling in my hydro pack.

7:06 Past 1.5 mark from trail start. Soft start on pavement was 1.7k before trail start. So, 3km na.

7:07 3km.  30k plus to go.

7:54 sorry no tweet. Was totally uphill the last hour. Had to breathe.

8:13 Ate 1/4^th cheese sandwich after 1 hour. Eating again soon… My plan was to eat every hour on the hour to ensure sufficient nutritional intake.

8:15 5Km uphill now. Suddenly chilly.

Around 7km we hit Sitio Lusod. The villagers had come out to meet us. I knew some of them by face from my last visit to Sitio Lusod. Felt really good to see them. I was so excited to bring out my surprise for the kids… I had packed 10 small books for them. These books were written by my mom. 

9:01 At the water station. Refilled my hydropack and ate kamote. Sarap.  In a race in the mountains, you kinda feel alone. So,  it wasn’t just the food that was good, it was seeing all the people. By the way, it was a green event, meant to preserve the environment and manage our trash. No PET bottles or cups were given out. Water was poured from big containers at the water stations. 

9:08 OMG! 2 Kenyans just passed me. I have 6k plus to go to the summit. They are on their way down.

9:11 First Filipino on his way down. His name is Mario.

9:23 Sun is out. Shades are on.  Thank you God for a beautiful day! 

Breath-taking rice terraces

9:30 Took about 2.5 hours to 10km mark. My longest 10k ever! It has never ever taken me 2 1/2 hours to do a 21km  race but getting to this 10k mark was harder than a 21k run.

9:31 First female passed me. 10^th over-all

9:50 Tess Bitbit Philippine team cycling champ just passed me. She’s running 3^rd among the women

9:52. Ige Lopez just passed me.

10:11. Just ate a hard boiled egg. What I didn’t tweet is that the yolk tasted like pulvoron in my mouth. Was hard to swallow. Ekk..had to drink water to wash it down. 

10:11 Saw Leo Oracion. Mount Everest climber.

Here is where there was no tweeting. OMG! Hardest, most challenging part of the race. It felt like 2km-10km of pure uphill. No smiles. All my energy was  focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I timed my RPM, that is the revolution per minute of my stride. It was 36 then 32. To compare -on a regular run, my rpm is  at 85-90. 

For this part of the race, I hardly looked up cause everytime I did, a new trail emerged heading higher into the clouds. My friend Ging was always there ahead of me . I figured,  if he had to still keep moving forward, that means I did too. 

almost there…

10:50 Summit! Cant believe it. Freakin hardest 2km of my life EVER!

I finally knew we really were at the summit cause suddenly there were lots of happy voices, followed by faces. They shouted “welcome to Mt Ugo.” I realized then that I could now allow my body to collapse on the ground. So, I did.. for a solid 1 minute I just laid on the grass. And really in that short time, I felt revived. Then someone said, “maam, you’re not finished yet. The turn around is still ahead of you.” Wha???  But I was reassured that it was just a few meters away.  So I got up and went to the turn around and had the photo taken. 

…and with the Philippine flag which I couldnt quite get to fly in the right direction.

…and with my friends who made a hard race fun.

We relaxed and ate a bit…

11:25 Running down now. Was freezing at the summit. Felt so good to lie on the grass.

I didnt think it would feel this good going down knowing I still had half of the race in front of me. But something about being in the clouds, at the very top just energizes you. 

 some jumping over logs…

Under the trees…

12:58 7km of trails to go.

1:18 5k to go

1:19 All downhill now. Tough on the quads… Meanwhile, I took nibbles out of my peanut butter cookie. Sooo yummy.

2;02 Last 2k of trail. Then 1.7k concrete uphill to finish line

Cant believe how anti-climactic this last portion of the race had to be. You’re no longer on the trails and the freakin concrete is pretty hard on your tired feet. But worse, it is terribly steep going uphill without a single flat portion. You cant run, even if you wanted to. At least I couldn’t.

Some 400 meters or so from the finish, one of the race organizers called to us. She said we were very near and congratulated us. She told me when I see the bend, I can start running cause the finish line was just there. 

Must have had a bit of energy left cause I was able to cross the finish line running.

3:06 Crossed the finish line! Good feeling! 

time check:

3:22 All clean and dry now. Legs are sooore!

hmmm, next year ulit?

Lately I have been blogging and tweeting about my youngest son, my baby Lucas the latest addition to our family and  my “other baby” the product of my entrepreneurial spirit – Slice at High Street.

But unbeknown to me, while I was intently focused on the prosecution’s and the defense’s arguments in the impeachment trial, a life changing incident had just affected my family, in particular my first born.

My daughter Max, a La Salle Zobel senior honor’s student, foot ball varsity and active student council officer , Ate to sister Nadine and baby Lucas, was just accepted to the University of the Philippines “UP” as a college freshman.

Max with her baby brother Lucas

How did that happen overnight?

It seems like only a few years ago when I was still in UP. I was there for a total of eight, almost nine years including the time I reviewed for the bar exams. After I took the bar and became a lawyer, I married and had my baby Max. I remember her as a 6 pound baby breastfeeding in my arms,  as an adorable  round face toddler who brought much joy to everyone in the family.

with my dad and her baby sister Nadine

Max, as a cheerful little girl…

preschooler in Maria Montessori

then a tween, a teen…

with her best friend Amanda

And now this.. going on her last two months in her senior year in high school.  She just turned 17.  She told me that her best friend Amanda barged into her classroom and announced that she was just accepted in UP.

Max and Manda at their junior prom

In less than six months, she will be off to college. My alma matter. It’s a big deal because not only is she my first child who is going off to college, she’s the first 3rd Gen in my family to go to UP.

When I was a senior in high school, my dad pretended to give me a choice. I applied to three schools and when I was accepted in all three, my dad said you can go wherever u want. When I told him my choice, which was not UP, he calmly but convincingly explained that UP was the hardest school to get into and  since I got accepted, I should give it a try. Fair enough. I went to UP.

For Max, i dont recall if she ever needed convincing.  It’s her first choice, probably the only choice she ever had. Sometime between birth ‘til the day she was accepted in UP, there really was no other college seriously mentioned in our household and in the expanded households of our extended families. Both her dad and I went to UP. And before us, both sets of her grandparents went to UP too (my mom went there briefly when she moved to the Philippines after marrying my dad). My siblings and her dad’s siblings also went to UP. Maybe there is some inherited bias, but there isn’t much I can do about that. It’s in the blood.

The stories I told Maxie and her sister Nadine about my days in the varsity volleyball team are UP stories.

Max with her sister Nadine

My stories about reading law books and memorizing provisions codal provisions are all UP College of law stories. My story about meeting her dad is a UP story.

Though her father and I have been separated for many years, we are proud parents of our two children. And today, we marvel at the young girl we raised who is now a young lady and soon to be a UP student.

Maxie’s dreams did not start and will not end in UP though. As young as 11 she went to Brazil to join a camp for kids from all over the world. At 14, she traveled to Europe to play football. It’s no surprise that she is searching the internet for opportunities to complement her UP studies with a study program abroad. I am so excited for her and all the discoveries that she will make along the way.

As all eyes turn to the Senate, to watch the impeachment trial unfold, an understanding of the procedure and the intent of the Constitution would help everyone understand this process better.

Role of the Senate:

Article XI, section 6 of the Constitution states:

The Senate shall have the sole power to try and decide all cases of impeachment. When sitting for that purpose the Senators shall be under oath or affirmation.

Following the above mandate, last December 14, 2011, we took our oath as judges of the impeachment court. A perusal of the Senate’s Rules of Procedure on Impeachment Trials (“Senate Rules on Impeachment,” for brevity), reveals that indeed we sit as a trial court with the “power to compel the attendance of witnesses … punish in a summary way contempts of, and disobedience to, its authority, orders …” and others. The same rules further state that witnesses shall be examined and then cross-examined (Sec. V and XV).

Because we sit as a trial court, we are not there to use our personal relations nor our political affiliations. What is required is that we go through the trial, calling witnesses, listening to their testimonies and the cross-examinations. We are even allowed to ask questions (Senate Rules on Impeachement, Sec. XVII). Then as trial judges we are required to weigh the evidence presented and make a decision.

If the intention of the framers of the Constitution were to make this a purely political process, then why go through an impeachment trial? The Constitution could have then just allowed the President or provided for some other means to remove the defendant-official subject of the impeachment.

How then are we suppose to judge the case?

Our jurisprudence states that

[A]ll suitors are entitled to nothing short of the cold neutrality of an independent, wholly free, disinterested and impartial tribunal (Luque v Kayanana, 29 SCRA 178 [1963]).

Impartial judgments are described as decisions “on the basis of facts and in accordance with the law, without any restrictions, improper influences, inducements, pressures, threats or interferences, direct or indirect, from any quarter or for any reason” (The impartiality of the judiciary and the effectiveness of the justice systems, quoting Principle 2 of the Seven key principles on the independence of the Judiciary. Wilfried de Wever. Effectius)

Because of the dearth of materials on the impeachment process, I looked at books authored by American legal luminaries. Our Constitution is patterned after the US Constitution and our provisions on impeachment are similar. In “Impeachment, A Handbook,” author Charles Black, Jr., Sterling Professor Emeritus at Yale Law School and adjunct professor of law at Columbia Law School opines that the fact that the senators take a separate oath emphasizes that the Senate “whether for this occasion you call it a ‘judicial’ body or not- is taking on quite a different role from its normal legislative one.”

He further states “The fact that the Senate is to ‘try’ all impeachments, not simply vote on them, implies that it takes on the nature of a judicial trial, because the word to ‘try’ is a word used almost invariably in regard to judicial trials.”

Thus, the all-important question of the impartiality of the judges arise. As noted by Black, and as I am sure, many are also aware, “senators find themselves either definitely friendly or definitely inimical to the [accused]. In an ordinary judicial trial, person in such a position would of course be disqualified to act, whether as judges or as jurors.”

And thus Black, further states:

“It cannot have been the intention of the Framers that this rule apply in impeachments, for its application would be absurd; a great many senators would inevitably be disqualified by it, and it might easily happen that trial would be by a quite small remnant of the Senate. The remedy has to be in the conscience of each senator, who ought to realize the danger and try as far as possible to divest himself of all prejudice (emphasis provided).”

Thus, there is no doubt that when the Senators sit as judges we do so separate from our function as law makers. We sit as judges in the impeachment trial and we are required to act with the cold neutrality of a judge, devoid of bias and partialities.

The Role of Every Filipino Citizen

The Constitution provides for various ways in which the citizens can participate in our democratic process, one of them is the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression. Filipinos have been very vocal about their support or disdain for anything from public personalities to political decisions made by incumbent officials. Clearly, we want to have a role in the impeachment process.

It has been said that “[O]ne of the demands of a democratic society is that the public should know what goes on in the courts by being informed by the press what is happening there, to the end that the public may judge whether our system of administration of justice is fair and right (Trial by Publicity, Arsenio Solidum. Philippine Law Journal, September 1959).

What then can our citizens do?

Support the process set out by the Constitution.
Patient but vigilant observation.
Critical but fair analysis.

In the formation of one’s opinions, Charles Black states:

“we ought to try to take the same stance of principled political neutrality that we hope to see taken by the House and the Senate as they go about their work (emphasis supplied)

Given the above, what is expected from a senator-judge? That he or she listens to every single opinion offered by friends, strangers or media? Or that we stay true to our oath and base our decisions on the evidence presented? I humbly submit, that despite the interesting theories and conclusions that will surely come out of this trial, we are required to pass judgement based on the evidence presented in the impeachment court.

On making comments and statements about the impeachment:

Senators:

Like a judge in a judicial court, Section XVIII of the Senate Rules on Impeachment requires that the Members of the Senate “refrain from making any comments and disclosures in public pertaining to the merits of a pending impeachment trial.”

The same rule applies “to the prosecutors, to the person impeached, and to their respective counsel and witnesses.”

And to the public and those in media. yes, we each have own opinions. In fact, the press have their Constitutional guarantees on freedom of the press. Does that mean we can all say anything we want about the impeachment trial?

As a judge, I need to shed myself of all impartialities and take on the neutrality of a disinterested person. In addition I am barred from making any comments on the merits of the trial.

For every other citizen, the Constitution and our rules are silent. But if you expect fairness from your judges, then perhaps the same principle of political neutrality will go along way in helping each other understand the issues without being swayed by personal or political leanings. This will then elevate the discussion and would go a long way to help the Senators focus on the evidence on hand and not on public perception.

Conclusion:

If we accept that we are a democratic society governed by our Constitution and our laws, then we must submit ourselves to the systems that have been put into place. And be vigilant about observing it properly and guarding against abuses.

We all have a role to perform. If we do it well, we can reach a different level of political maturity and democracy. And in the process, strengthen our institutions which will make for a stronger nation.

Last year, baby Lucas joined our family. This year, I have a new baby. Not a human baby, but a product of my creative and entrepreneurial mind and spirit.

I can’t say there was a single moment that gave birth to Slice. In many ways SLICE is the product of my imagination, dreams, travels, food cravings and a desire to share my ideas on healthy eating with occasional indulgences.

I consider this a journal on the conception, incubation and birth of slice.

As early as about six years old, my interest in baking was born. My maternal grandmother Alvenia was a baker. She lived in the United States and every few years would come to visit us here.  She stayed for at least three months and during those days our home was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread, cookies, muffins and pies.

It was from her that I learned whole wheat bread was a healthier kind of bread. In those days, the ’70s you couldn’t buy whole wheat except in a few hotels and they were very expensive.

When my grandma was here I only ate her homemade whole wheat bread. Absolutely no white bread. She taught me how to bake her bread from sifting and measuring the flour, to kneading the dough, watching it rise, beating it down again and eventually in its most plump size, putting it in the oven. Before she went back home,  she would freeze dozens of loaves for us to eat so we would still have her homemade bread despite her absence.

When my grandma was around,  I always came home to a slice of pie, a slice of cake, a slice of a different kind of bread.  She taught me how to bake them all. But my favorite was always bread and bread making. She came to live with us here in the Philippines when she was 87 and even when she turned 90 she was still actively baking, teaching me a thing or two about yeast and kneading. That’s me and my grandma when she turned 90.

My grandma is gone now. She sadly passed away just a little over a year ago. But she passed on her love of baking not just to me but also to my daughter Nadine. My other daughter Max says she only inherited my love of eating! Nadine has her own collection of cookbooks, baking trays and favorite recipes. She specializes in beautifully decorated cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies.

That’s Nadine’s Independence Day cupcakes. Her friends came over to bake with her but they couldn’t have a bite until each and every cupcake was decorated with a letter that would spell out “HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY.”

Maybe it is in my grandma’s memory that I am inspired to put up Slice. Maybe the opportunity just presented itself. Maybe I just miss being an entrepreneur or want my children to start learning about life and managing a business. Whatever the reason, I , along with a few others, am now a proud incubator of a café concept and continually experimenting on the perfect slice.

At present it is a little teeny-weeny café-cart in front of our still vacant space in Bonifacio High Central. We serve muffins, coffee and Panini.

That’s my baby boy Lucas with our Slice banner.

I am not new to the retail business. But owning a café is new to me. It won’t be easy. I have a demanding job that presents enough challenges as it is, I’m a mother of a teen, a tween and a toddler, and I’m  a passionate triathlete. But work is in my blood. Im always up to a challenge and I miss creating a new concept and being an entrepreneur.
So hold on tight, cause we’re in for a gastronomical adventure. While we are putting up our official blog/website, you can visit us on facebook.com/SliceHighSt and follow us on twitter.com/SliceHighSt

Welcome to the Birthing Pains of Slice.

Christmas 2012

When I was a child, I spent almost every Christmas break, summer break and semestral break in Baguio. I simply got in the car or the bus, fell asleep on my mom’s shoulder and woke up when we stopped-over in Tarlac where I happily devoured Pampanga’s best tocino, sinangag and fried egg.

These days, I still head to Baguio, minus the stop for tocino. And I am no longer the child, but the mom. In fact, last week, between Christmas and New Year’s, we packed our bags, our bikes, my son’s car seat, and all seven kids – three mine, the other four like mine because I have known them since they were tiny little things.

First stop was San Juan, La Union for a few hours of surfing with Luke Ladrigan at the Kahuna resort. A few hours didn’t make experts out of any of us, but we enjoyed the waves and were able to get up on our boards enough to satisfy our need to find balance amidst the waves and the wind.

We got to Baguio before sunset, just enough time for my toddler Lucas to give his chubby little legs a work-out running up and down the hills in Camp John Hay where we were staying. He gave his lungs a good work-out too because he kept running to the boundary of the golf course and wanting to run on the grass, every time I pulled him away, he cried.

We did a variety of things, dictated mostly by the age and interest of the kids. We started out with seven kids ages 1 to 16. Later another tween and a teen joined our merry group making it even more fun for everyone.

The toddler slept early and woke up early. By mid-day he had already explored most of John Hay by foot and had given his adult companions a good work-out.

The teens and the tweens were in a different time zone, enjoying late night card games at home, a bonfire and marshmallow roast at night.

Given that teens and tweens are genetically inclined to crave more sleep, it was not surprising that the mornings were spent in bed ‘til the sun had risen high above us. Even Lucas’ gleeful shrieks could not get the sleepy teens out of bed. The tweens did manage to get up a bit earlier one day and squeezed in horse back riding and tried their hand at paint ball.

Meanwhile, I, hit the trails by day, biking and running through the rolling hills, sucking in the cold air and getting lost in the scent of the pine trees. We crossed a hanging bridge in much need of repair. I hope to be able to help out through my Priority Development Assistance Fund.

In between, I sipped delicious native hot chocolate at “Choco-late sa Batirol” the local chocolate café serving the yummiest native hot chocolate in the North, plus suman laced with coconut and mascovado and crispy turon. After a tiring bike ride or run, on top of all that, I also had palabok, minus the chicharon served with an extra order of hard-boiled egg.

After one particular ride outside of Baguio, I found myself in front of BenCab’s famous museum. I was rushing but I couldn’t resist the opportunity to give myself a feast for the eyes and the soul. I was not disappointed. I loved the art work!

Another wonderful stop in Baguio is the Mt Cloud bookshop. It’s a quaint little place filled with books from ceiling to floor. They have a wide selection of Filipino and Asian book and the coziest chairs you never want to get out off.

After a long day, we all gathered around our bon fire, minus the toddler who was fast asleep. outside.

A little after midnight, I said good night, climbed up the winding stairs to the attic where we were all sleeping, and dug into a good book.

Driving from the airport to the Cagayan de Oro City does not instantly reveal the damages brought about by Sendong.

The usual traffic is ever-present, the hustle and bustle of city life goes on.  But then you come to the Rotonda Bridge and wonder why there are cars parked along the side of the road and people taking pictures, as if it was a tourist site.

But it’s not a tourist site, it’s a disaster zone. We are standing on the bridge that stands some 10 meters above the Cagayan river.  The river is far below.  But early Saturday morning, on December 17, 2011, the water rose with such fury that in a matter of minutes, it had passed the height of many one-storey homes and soon after rose higher than the bridge itself.

Today it is calm.

But it has left behind families that are broken, lives that are forever affected.  As of this writing, it is reported that 1,018 died, of which 666 are from CDO, 283 from Iligan, the rest from CARAGA and ARMM, 51 missing, 641,098 persons affected.  Sendong is the deadliest typhoon to hit Philippines in the last 12 years. (UPDATE: As of December 27, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported the death toll at 1,453 already.)

The Western Central School I visited, is almost identical to the many schools that have now been turned into evacuation centers. When I went there, it was home to around 1,300 families.  The teachers, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), local government officials and volunteers do what they can.  But the close living conditions and lack of sanitary standards are a time bomb waiting to explode into a health epidemic.  We know this story all too well.  Disaster strikes, rescue mission are set in place, people are relocated to temporary evacuation centers.  Then people start getting sick.

Despite the good intentions of kababayans from all over the country and the world, there is still much that can be done to improve our disaster preparedness. One area, that has long been neglected is our water supply and sewage system.  Water is a scarce resource all over the world. Many countries have already invested in developing a reliable water supply, read Singapore’s Water for all story.

We should also seriously start looking at alternatives to our toilets that consume so much water. CDO is paralyzed without fresh water supplies. I made a call to buy CDO and Iligan products to support their rehabilitation, but I learned that many small and medium enterprises (SME’s) don’t have access to clean water and thus, can’t make their products.  I’ve seen waterless toilets that work in the Fisherman’s Village in San Fernando, La Union.  I am working on a bill to create a national policy on shifting to these kinds of toilets or some equally eco-friendly toilet  in all public schools and other public facilities.

Another issue close to my heart is nutrition. It starts with breast feeding. Every effort should be extended to promote breast feeding during disasters. Mother’s milk is the most nutritious and when her breast milk supply is affected, you cut off her baby’s lifeline. There are many health risks associated with the use of unclean water that goes into the preparation of formula milk and other canned milk products. Thus, breast feeding should be encouraged at all cost.

Meanwhile, it’s Christmas. The basic rights of a child, include the right to play and a childhood. I wanted them to have a semblance of Christmas. While visiting at both Western Central and later at the Women’s Center, I read “The Christmas Lantern Trip” story to the children.  It’s a story my mom wrote about our search for the perfect “parol.”   After we read the story, I encouraged the moms who were there and the older kids to read to the younger kids. I left them a small library of books and had them promise to read every day. I also left them with an assortment of board games, balls and toys that they could play with both indoors and outdoors.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to visit Iligan but my staff Faw Maridul is from there and will be going around to various evacuation sites and communities especially those that have not been well served by relief assistance yet.  I have already requested for the release of P2.2 Million of my Priority Assistance Funds from DSWD for CDO, Iligan and other towns affected by Sendong. My brother Alan has also allocated the same amount for the affected areas.

Hope lives on through the many people who do not forget CDO and Iligan, and through the volunteers who work day and night to maintain the evacuation centers – the teachers, DSWD officials, local officials.   It is my fervent wish and prayer that we all learn from this unfortunate tragedy and together, work towards better disaster prevention and preparedness if we can’t altogether prevent it by being more conscientious of the human activities that contribute to these kinds of natural calamity.

As I write this, our country is still reeling from the devastating aftermath of Typhoon Sendong (international name Washi) in Mindanao. My heart and prayers go out to all the families, especially the women and children, who have been displaced, lost their home and even their  loved ones.  I have requested for the release of my Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) for these areas.  In the meantime, I have tried to bring their cause to the consciousness of the people around me, including the runners I run with “virtually” everyday for over a week now.  On Sunday, the 7^th day of Takbong Gabi, we dedicated our run to  the people affected by Sendong.

And that’s the beauty of Takbong Gabi.  Being a Twitter-based advocacy run, we get to run for a different cause each day.   Participants run anytime,  anywhere for 12 days from December 12 to December 24.  We’ve been getting more followers daily which simply means more people are running and/or spreading the advocacies.

For those who have missed a day or two, don’t fret.  You’ve got until the end of the Yuletide season to make up for it.  Just make sure to complete 12 days of inspired Christmas running.

Keep on running…for yourself, for loved ones and for our planet!

Amidst the Christmas rush and defending my senate bills on the floor, including the Reproductive Health bill, I launched 12 days of Takbong Gabi, a Twitter based advocacy run where participants  run for a different cause each day wherever they are and whatever time they can.

So, that’s me lacing up for Takbong Gabi on Monday morning, before going to the Senate.

On day 1, we ran for Hepatitis B and liver cancer in memory of my dad, the late Senator “Compaňero” Rene Cayetano.

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the Hepa B virus and can cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver failure and death. It is endemic in the Philippines and affects around 16% of Filipinos. Around 13 million Filipinos have been and will be discriminated from gainful work and employment due to Hepa B.  Liver cancer, on the other hand, is the 4^th cancer site for both sexes in the country in 2005.

Hepa B is not air-borne. Transmission is only through mother-to-child, child-to-child, unsafe injections and transfusion, and sexual contact. The best protection against Hepa B is to get vaccinated now.

On day 2, we ran to fight violence against women and children (VAWC),  an advocacy close to my heart. According to a World Bank study, rape and domestic violence among women rated higher than cancer, motor vehicle accidents, war and malaria. At least 1 out of 3 women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime.

In the Philippines, 1 in 5 women ages 15-49 have experienced violence since age 15. Girl victims of abuse outnumber boys, 2 to 1. Among girls, the majority of victims belong to the age groups 10 to below 14 and 14 to below.

For the coming days, I’ll share more about the causes we are running for everyday. Since Takbong Gabi started, we asked participants to post twitpics of their daily workouts. Here’s a collage of the different photos from our runners.

For those who want to join in on the fun, it’s not too late. Just lace up, head out the door and start running. Count 12 days of Christmas running starting today.

For inspired running, follow @irunforchoco on Twitter. Happy Christmas running!

It’s the season of giving, and also a time of merriment and lots of eating. This is also the time when diets and fitness plans are broken. My training partners and I deal with this every year. Instead of fighting it, we embrace the season and ensure that we squeeze in our runs and bike rides and sometimes even a triathlon. Then we celebrate with puto bumbong, bibingka and of course, native hot chocolate.

Every year, I celebrate  Christmas with the Daang Hari Barefoot running kids, a group of underprivileged kids who run regularly.

I also celebrate with a Christmas gift-giving ride just a few days before Christmas. Then throughout the holidays, I enjoy evening runs under the  brightly lit parols, the Christmas lights  and the stars.

This year, I thought it might be a good idea to encourage more people to stay fit throughout the most tempting season. But also to  remember that there are many people who may not be having a good Christmas and by sharing our blessings there is much we can do to make life better for those in need.  Thus, we came up with Takbong Gabi.  Below are the mechanics:

Mechanics of Takbong Gabi

1.Commit to 12 runs of running.  We start December 12 to December 24. Thats actually 13 days which mean you get 1 rest day. NOTE: SINCE I POSTED MECHANICS QUITE LATE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY START ANY TIME YOU READ THIS. MORE IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU COMMIT TO 12 DAYS OF RUNNING THIS CHRISTMAS.

2. Run anywhere anytime it is convenient. Treadmill is allowed.  If you need to cross-train, go ahead.

3. Each daily run must be no less than 30 minutes, slow or fast, it does not matter. You can even have  as many walk breaks as you need.

4. If you have a twitter account, tweet about your run everyday, ideally just before you start and after. If you can post a twitpic, better.  Tweet where and how long you ran and any other interesting details. Keep it short. Use the hashtag #TakbongGabi when you can.

5. Honesty system please. There are no marshals. God is your witness.

6. @irunforchocolate is a twitter account we created to guide you throughout the 12 day #TakbongGabi.

7. We will run for a different cause each day. The night before, @irunforchoco will tweet the cause of each run. Throughout the day we will tweet statistics and information to raise awareness on that particular issue.  We encourage you to retweet the same to spread the advocacy.

8. Re-tweet this invite to your friends and get them to join us. Let’s all run together virtually for a cause and for fitness.

Final reminder. Be sure you are in good health and have been running. If you are just going to start running now, go slow. No one is in a hurry. This is not a race, don’t overdo it.

Are you ready?

My team and I will follow and encourage all  runners through our newly created twitter account @irunforchoco.

We encourage every participant to follow others #TakbongGabi participants and encourage them throughout the 12 days.

First day is tomorrow, December 12. This is actually my dad, the late Senator Rene Companero Cayetano’s birthday. In his memory, lets run for hepatitis and liver cancer awareness. The hepatitis virus is prevalent in Asia and in the Philippines. Some 8-10 million Filipinos are carriers. Many are discriminated against and are denied jobs, even though the hepatitis B virus is not air-borne and is not transmissible by the usual contact. More details on  this tomorrow.