Attain demographic dividend, gender equality by investing in people, opportunities–experts

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

in the recent celebration of World Population d ay, the Commission on Population and d e velopment (CP d), the United n a tions Population Fund (U n F PA) and the Philippine l e gislators’ Committee on Population and d e velopment (Pl C Pd) called for the advancement of gender equality and the attainment of the demographic dividend through investing in people and opportunities.

Currently, the Philippines is at a unique crossroads with its changing demographics. As the country is undergoing a demographic transition, the country will need to work towards demographic resilience, the quality or state of being able to adapt and thrive amid demographic changes,” said U n FPA Philippines Country r e presentative d r l e ila

Saiji Joudane in a press statement. d e mographic dividend is defined as economic growth resulting from changes in a population’s structure and characteristics. Moreover, the groups expressed concern that the declining fertility rate of the Philippines will result in a window of opportunity where the country has a productive population that is larger than its dependent population. h o wever, they warned that the demographic dividend is not automatic. They urged the country to make the right investments and policy decisions in order for it to reap its benefits, by investing in people throughout their life course.

“The demographic dividend can be a powerful force. i n o rder to reap its benefits, we need to ensure the rights of people, especially those most left behind, and provide access to quality education, health care, and employment opportunities. We need to also address gender inequality and other injustices that limit people from reaching their full potential,” Joudane noted.

According to the 2022 n a tional d e mographic and h e alth Survey, the total fertility rate for 15to 49-year-old women has declined from 2.7 children in 2017 to 1.9 children in 2022, which is now below the replacement level of 2.1. i t is important to note the regional disparities in fertility rate across the country. i n M anila, the total fertility rate is 1.2 while Bangsamoro Autonomous r e gion in Muslim d o wnward trends in fertility rates can be viewed as either an opportunity for a country’s development or a cause of concern. But as stated in the State of the World Population (SWP) r e port 2023, we should be asking the right questions. i t ’s not whether the fertility rate is too high or too low or if there are too many or too few people. What is important is that all individuals, especially women, are equipped to thrive and exercise their basic human right to sexual and reproductive autonomy,” d r. Joudane said.

Mindanao’s [BA r M M’s] total fertility rate is at 3.1.

For World Population d a y 2023, CP d U n F PA and P l C P d held a highlevel meeting at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila to share with government, development partners, private sector and civil society leaders the importance of harnessing the 8-billion strong global population and the unique opportunity that the Philippines faces. U n F PA presented its SWP report during the event, which served as an avenue to discuss the critical issues on the demographic transition, gender equality, human rights, population growth, and opportunities for sustainable development.

“We are keen on fulfilling the objective of optimizing demographic opportunities, as well as addressing the remaining population issues and challenges, so that we can maximize the Philippines’ socioeconomic dividend and have improved quality of life for Filipinos,” remarked Undersecretary l i sa Grace Bersales, Ph. d CP d e xecutive director.

Bersales noted that there has been a steady decline in the country’s total fertility rate since 1973 from an average of 6.0 children per woman to 1.9 last year. “The steep decline in 2022 however needs further study to determine how much of the decline is the effect of Covid-19,” she added.

“We have had unprecedented success in policymaking on population and human development in the last 10 years. We call on lawmakers and other decision-makers in the government to continue working to close the gaps in laws and policies so that the remaining challenges, including maternal deaths, are addressed and the rights of women and girls are fulfilled,” said r o meo d o ngeto, e xe cutive d i rector of P l C P d

hildren

Care our future. They are our most precious and priceless resource.

h o wever, a cancer diagnosis in a child is a very difficult time for the child and the family.

Childhood cancer is a serious and growing threat to the health and wellbeing of our children. it i s an urgent matter which requires our collaborative and sustained action.

While childhood cancer is curable, the heartbreaking reality is that every three hours another family will lose a child to cancer.

i n a s olidarity statement released recently by the d e partment of h e alth ( d O h ), estimates show that every day, 12 children and adolescents, between zero to 19 years old, will be diagnosed with cancer. That’s more than 4,000 a year.

Underestimated figures e x perts believe that this is likely an underestimate and there are many more children/adolescents who remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

“We stand in solidarity with all children/adolescents, and families affected by childhood cancer. We recognize that all stakeholders, must act synergistically and quickly, to address this major health issue, increase survivorship and improve the quality of life for childhood cancer patients,” the statement of the representatives of civil society, medical societies, professional associations and sectoral groups/organizations.

They urged the government to take the following initiatives, to ensure that every Filipino child/adolescent with cancer, receives the necessary care and support, throughout their cancer journey: i ncrease the cancer assistance fund to provide financial assistance for timely diagnosis, specialized treatment, follow up care and rehabilitation for pediatric cancer patients. e x pand Philippine h e alth i n surance Corporation (Phil h e alth) benefits to add 45 additional days, for children/adolescents with cancer and include retinoblastoma screening in the Konsulta package for eye examinations. i n stitutionalize palliative and pain management services, along with patient navigation and child life services in cancer centers, to provide psychosocial support, reduce emotional distress and improve the quality of life for children/adolescents with cancer. e n sure that cancer centers include provisions for state-of-the-art facilities, laboratories, medical technologies and equipment for pediatric oncology services. e s tablish hospital and community based nutritional build-up programs so that families of children/ adolescents with cancer have access to nutritional education, counseling and supplements, to maintain good nutritional status and boost immune

Maintain a robust pediatric cancer registry (hospital based and population based) to facilitate research, inform public health policy and guide allocation of resources.

ACUPUnCtUre restOres tHe nAtUrAl HeAlinG Abilities Of tHe bODy, sAys PrACtitiOner

Are you suffering from common office illnesses? d o n ot fret. Acupuncture has got your back.

When you feel discomfort or pain, do you address the root cause of the disease or do you address the symptoms?

While both e a stern and Western medicine concern themselves with realigning the flow of energy within the body, they vary in terms of where the focal point is placed. The focal point in traditional Chinese medicine is treating the person as a whole in - stead of the symptoms alone. On the other hand, Western medicine places a high emphasis on the treatment of symptoms through the prescription of a particular drug to address the pain. i n some healthcare programs, intervention happens only when damage has been done. Vas Bismark, owner of Balanced Qi h e alth and Wellness Center, fills this gap by his proactive approach to healthcare. The certified acupuncturist sees his practice as a sustainable pain management program.

Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that deals with the insertion of needles in various points in the body in order to stimulate its ability to heal itself.

(TCM and Ayurveda techniques make up e a stern medicine.)

“Acupuncture is one of those modalities that specializes in treating and protecting illnesses. For example, in the office setting, common illnesses are rampant but people think they are normal. You have frozen shoulders, back pain, hyperacidity, headaches, migraines – these are things people deal with on a daily basis. They are symptoms of illnesses they don’t have a direct answer to. Manage pain before it breaks out into something more serious. it i s something i want to put a stop to by providing people with a sustainable pain management program,” Bismark explained. h o w can people benefit by putting acupuncture ahead of Western medicine to feel better and/or address their pain?

“When a person undergoes acupuncture, they are optimizing the efficiency of the circulation of their systems. Acupuncture helps bring a system while under treatment. Create responsive survivorship programs that will provide long-term follow-up care for childhood cancer survivors (e.g. free regular check-ups, screening for cancer recurrence and support for managing late effects of cancer treatment, etc). e nc ourage local government units to facilitate the enrollment of children/adolescents with cancer and survivors of childhood cancer as Persons with d i sabilities to ensure their full inclusion in society and access to essential programs and services.

Protect childhood cancer patients from discrimination in all areas of life, including education and healthcare, and promote a culture of empathy and support to ensure that they are not stigmatized and/or marginalized. i ntensify information sharing and public education on childhood cancer in healthcare facilities. workplaces, and communities, and encourage schools to incorporate cancer awareness initiatives into their calendar of activities, including key health education class messages. Additionally, train d e partment of e d ucation clinic teachers and barangay health workers on the early warning signs and symptoms of childhood cancer. Create an enabling environment in which private/business organizations and civil society organizations can contribute resources to support the implementation of pediatric cancer programs in hospitals and communities.

They also call on all stakeholders, including government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, health-care workers, medical professionals, patients, survivors and their families, to join hands in ensuring that every child with cancer receives the best care, protection; and support they deserve.

“Together, we can make a difference and create a future in which no child suffers and dies from a treatable form of cancer. l e t’s stand up for every child’s right to a cancer-free childhood. l e ts fight together against this merciless disease with all our might,” the statement said.

PCMC-CHD

The Philippine Children’s Medical Center-Cancer and h e matology d i vision (PCMC-C h d) w as designated by the d O h as the national end-referral center for children and adolescents with blood diseases and cancer.

The d i vision is committed to provide quality and cost-effective comprehensive care to patients, to train healthcare providers and to extend this to a network of referral centers in the different regions of the country.

They conduct researches on the management and control of Pediatric hematologic and oncologic disorders. l i kewise, the PCMC -C h d have different subspecialty programs such as l e ukemia and ly mphoma, h e mophilia and Bleeding d i sorder, Thalassemia and h e moglobinopathy, Soft Tissue Sarcoma, n euro-Oncology, i n fection Control, Pediatric Palliative Care, Childhood Cancer Survivorship and Transition Program person’s body function to its normal state—from your sleeping pattern, to your digestive, to your reproductive cycle [for women]. Acupuncture is designed to restore the natural healing abilities of the body,” he said. i n t his regard, one does not have to be sick or feel discomfort to enjoy the gains from acupuncture. When one is sick, acupuncture could make one feel better. it b rings the body to a place where it could heal.

On the other hand, when one is well, acupuncture helps reinforce the body against illnesses. it h elps opti mize its functions. i n f act, Bismark has patients who visit him on a regular basis so that they could sleep better. They don’t have anything wrong with them, they just want to feel relaxed. i f y ou don’t control your eating time it affects your sleeping time. Walk

Aside from having acupuncture, one is also encouraged to sleep on time and to eat meals at scheduled times.

“Sleeping on time and regulating one’s eating time go hand in hand.

6,000 steps a day. Give importance to consistency rather than intensity.

As long as you are doing any form of exercise, be it 15 to 30 minutes a day, it is better than two to three hours of exercise once or twice a week,” he said.