INTERNATIONAL EVENTS AND THEIR REPERCUSSIONS

by Emma S. Orozco

Two events are hogging the international scene at the moment: one is how the Honduran military coup will end, and another is if the health reform bill will pass in the United States. Many people are saying that the latter shall define the way that the Obama administration will go -- whether it will still earn the people's support or lose it in favor of the other party. http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Why are these important for us, Filipinos and Filipinas to watch? The first is a very real event that could happen to us. Zelaya, Honduran president was ousted after he moved to convene a referendum changing the term limits for the presidency. In the same manner, GMA has been wanting to also change the Constitutional prohibition against presidential extension of the term. Hence, our country is prone to going the way of military soldiers and the police backing her up to install an illegal government, one that does not go through the electoral process. If that happens, then all the push for the Peoples' Primaries and the advertising being done by the other presidentiables could go to nought. We would be back to square one like the year 2000 when Erap was ousted in a coup hatched by Ramos, Angelo Reyes the AFP Chief of Staff then, te Church abetted by Cardinal Sin and other coup-lovers.

Thus it was gratifying to hear this morning that Avelino Cruz, former Defense Secretary had warned the soldiers about moves to tamper with the Constitution at a meeting of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines yesterday. Such talks should help us strengthen our resolve that the people's will shall never be disregarded again.

Now the Health Reform bill is very important to us. We have only minuscule approach to the real health problems of the people like the cheap medicine bill, and the establishment of the Botica ng Bayan which sells inexpensive medicines. But over-all, health services are poor -- characterized by bureaucracy, overworked and underpaid hospital personnel (which is why there is a great exodus to other lands by nurses and doctors-turned-nurses), and expensive health examinations. Moreover, a health insurance for example that I have is one that does not allow coverage of examinations and non-confinement services, which really makes it a palliative measure. The anxieties and fears brought about by lacking funds to shoulder one's health expenses can wreak havoc on one's health more gravely than having the disease itself. Combine that with a family that is so poor it cannot even cheer on the sick patient to get well as the burden of paying for the services and the medicines rests on them.

Thus, we need to study how the Obama administration will be able to swing the legislators' nod to the bill and make universal health coverage of every citizen a reality.

Then we can also ask the presidentiables what they will do about these issues: if GMA pushes through with the Charter Change, and what their stand will be about universal health coverage also for the Filipino people.

Being concrete but with visionary goals is a prime qualification of any presidentiable.

--Painting by Vincent Van Gogh, 1885