Harm Reduction: Most Effective and Compassionate Response to Drug Problem

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Health (DOH) should push for harm reduction strategies as a response to the country's drug problem.

During the government's National Health Summit attended by stakeholders, officials and employees of the health department, Hontiveros said that the 'war on drugs cannot be a war against the people, or worse, a war against the poor'. The senator urged the health department to play a crucial role in providing a public health framework in curbing drug addiction and trafficking in the country.

"In order for our government to succeed in its campaign against illegal drugs and trafficking, we must also respond to the health and social issues that lead to drug dependence", Senator Risa Hontiveros said.


Harm reduction

Hontiveros, who also currently serves as the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, recently visited Thailand to study its health framework on drugs. She cited the country's effectiveness in pursuing a harm reduction strategy.

Hontiveros explained that harm reduction strategies will allow the creation of friendly, community-based drop-in centers and outreach services, encourage the uptake of health services through improved peer education and support, and spend resources on sustainable, evidence-based policies and interventions at the community level.

"Harm reduction is not only a compassionate response, it is also the most effective response", Hontiveros said.

The senator lamented the fact that there are only 44 drug rehabilitation centers in the country. "Clearly, much has to be done in this aspect", she said.



Universal Healthcare

The Senator also urged stakeholders to build the momentum towards universal healthcare' through public spending and localization.

The Senator also lauded the Duterte administration's decision to send the government's health officials to Cuba to the study their public health system. She said the visit is a step towards heavy public spending for health professionals, healthcare providers and health infrastructure to address hospital shortages and facility upgrades.



"Cuba-inspired super barangay health centers"

The Senator also urged the government to seriously study the possibility of building “super barangay health centers” similar to Cuba’s consultorios (clinics) and policlinicos (specialty clinics) to strengthen the role of our local government units, down to the barangay level, and bring healthcare to the farthest and to the fringes.

"Super barangay health centers could strengthen our current barangay health system by modernizing it with adequate facilities, personnel and expertise. Our barangays must become the people’s first line of defense against preventable diseases, especially with the emergence of new and dangerous viruses like the Zika," Hontiveros concluded.

Challenges in the Philippine Housing Industry to be Taken Up at the 25th SHDA Convention

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The Philippines has, in the last few years, experienced consistent economic growth, registering an increase in gross domestic product (GDP) by 6.3% in the last quarter of 2015, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Revenues from the fast-growing IT-BPM (Information Technology and Business Process Management) industry and overseas Filipino remittances are major drivers of the economy. However, with such escalating growth also come accompanying challenges—one of them is housing.

The 25th Subdivision and Housing Developers’ Association (SHDA) National Convention will tackle “The Many Faces of Housing” to address the challenges and respond with appropriate and practicable solutions. It will be held at the Iloilo Convention Center, Megaworld Blvd, Mandurriao, Iloilo City from September 22-23, 2016. This annual event will gather more than 200 members of SHDA from all over the country.

As a partner in nation-building, the housing sector practitioners, of which the SHDA is the biggest organization in the Philippines, appreciate that they play a key role and must be aligned with the Duterte administration’s 10-point socio-economic agenda.

“Since the government, in partnership with the private sector, is mandated to undertake a comprehensive and continuing urban development and housing program under Republic Act 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992 —the policy directions of the government agencies, which practitioners in the housing industry deal with—shall be very crucial in crafting short-term as well as long-term plans,” said Rodel Racadio, national president of SHDA. The two-day program is well-crafted to address the needs of the private and public components of the sector.

Participants will be given the Prospects for the Philippine Housing Industry. Aside from the improving economy, an increase in population necessitates roofs over families’ heads. The population is projected to increase by more than a million annually—from about 95 million in 2011 to 126 million by 2030. These translate into 19 million households in 2011 to about 25 million by 2030.

There are many facets of housing that will be discussed during the convention: (1) Housing that is responsive to a family’s needs regardless of economic status, with socialized housing, low-cost housing, and economic housing. These strategies manifest the industry's involvement in ensuring inclusive growth. (2) The human resources to respond to the demands of the development of a housing project. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) even designed its own roadmap to keep pace with the requirements of the housing industry's roadmap. (3) In consideration of sustainability, the industry has espoused green building initiatives to minimize the effects of global warming, at the same time that it addresses the need to preserve nature. Housing developers also undertake activities to further their corporate social responsibility. (4) Adapting a long view, the government’s policy toward the sector is a positive step towards ensuring and enabling an environment that will allow housing developers to sustain their efforts to further grow the housing industry by pushing through with their housing development plans in 2016 and beyond.

Racadio promises that this year’s convention will be a memorable one. “We are optimistic that we can all work together--the government and the private sector—in order to continue advancing toward the fulfillment of goals encapsulated in the Housing Roadmap 2030.” With the concerted effort of the sectors represented, there is hope that the strides already made in the past years will gain and sustain their momentum.

For inquiries, please e-mail the SHDA Secretariat: shda.secretariat@gmail.com.

5 Ways Social Media is Affecting Us Right Now

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Social media is very much part of anyone’s daily lives. It is used to keep the world updated about one’s life or to connect with people half way across the globe or to read the news or to even present one’s opinions to the world. A study from iPrice has found that people at least spend an average of 109 minutes a day on social media and have an average of 5 social media accounts. Astonishing, isn’t it?

With social media playing such a big role in many people’s lives, there are bound to be effects on society, be it positive or negative. So here are a few major effects that social media has on one’s life:

Always Keeping You Informed

With social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, people find it so much easier now to be updated with the news as well as the latest trends. The social media platforms make it easy for users to learn about the main idea of a news story (and they can research more about it later on if they wish) or to even get immediate updates about a local disaster. Any frequent user of Facebook would be pleased to know that the social media site has launched a Safety Check service. This service allows people to notify their friends and family that they are safe, if there is human conflict or a natural disaster occurring in their nearby vicinity.



All for a Good Cause

As it is so easy to just share things on social media, NGOs can easily use social media to promote welfare activities or to even ask for donations. Not only that, social media platforms can even be used to create awareness that can be beneficial to others. As the platforms are always free and easy to use, social media gives everyone the chance to voice their own opinions about a subject, allowing everyone to view things from different perspectives. It also allows people to be more aware of the various issues around the globe, making people smarter and better informed.

Expanding Your Networking Circle

With the appearance of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, it is gotten a whole lot easier for people across the globe to connect with each other. One may be on vacation a thousand miles away, but with the existence of social media, he/she can share photos with the folks back home with just a click of the button (and of course good Internet connection!). Not only that, anyone can use social media to expand one’s social circle. From to making new friends and reconnecting with old ones to finding love or even a job, social media is there to make things a lot easier to connect with other people!

Changing the Rules of Love the Wrong Way

With today’s world being so addicted to social media, it is no surprise these platforms are creating extra stress on relationships. While it is easy to find the One with the help of social media, it is just as easy to lose said person due to unnecessary conflicts that are created by social media platforms. In fact, social media platforms like Facebook can be a source of jealousy and anxiety for couples that decide to integrate themselves into each other’s online social media life. While it is easy to find if one’s other half has been cheating, it is just as easy for misunderstandings to occur as it is never easy to fully know all of one’s partner’s Facebook friends or to understand the nature of those relationships.



Where Bullying takes a Whole New Meaning

While bullying isn’t something new, social media and the Internet have definitely changed it over the years. Many years ago, before the appearance of social media, bullying would take place at schools or in neighborhoods. But these days, you don’t have to be near someone in order to bully them. In fact, social media has made it easy for people to bully others even if they are half way around the world. So acts must a person do in order for it to be considered as bullying on social media? As Facebook is the most common platform for bullying to occur on, actions like commenting negatively on a person’s pictures, posting abusive posts on a user’s wall or even making pictures/videos to make fun of another user can be considered as bullying.

Like with almost anything in life, there will be good sides and bad sides to social media. However, the pros definitely do outweigh the cons in this situation. It can definitely help people feel closer to other parts of the world as well as give any individual a wider perspective on the diverse mix of issues and views from around the world.

Contributed by Natalie Tai

Image Credits to: Jason Howie @ flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonahowie/8583949219/)