Good thing I'm not the President

Yesterday morning I had a half hour conversation with my parents discussing the top presidentiables for the upcoming national elections. If you know me and you know my parents, having this conversation would be equivalent to having CBCP publicly accept that condoms are not the cause of sin, or probably something as mind shattering as seeing Nicanor Perlas (whom I admire as an individual) win the presidential race.

Conversations in my family are very limited and often mundane but the short exchange of quips and quibbles gave me hope that maybe, just maybe, our political system still has a chance to one day step into greatness. Or maybe I’m just high from the double espresso I had added to my drink a few hours back.

I am not a political analyst. I’m not an economist and not a lawyer. I have no experience in leading any group in a national level (international level only hahaha). Though of very limited knowledge and experience, just like every other Pinoy, I too have my own ideas of how I want the country managed. Some are worth looking into while others are but a flim-flam of whimsical ideas brought about by the general notion that the government is being lead by a troll (yes in size too!) and that pixie dusts can somehow give us the Wonderland we deserve and wish for.

On top of my list would be to see a negative growth in the country’s birth rate once every 3-5 years. I could only imagine the kind of nightmare that would be for the people who needs to implement them but I’m a firm believer that overpopulation will eventually kill the country. This year we’ve imported all kinds of basic commodities, rice and sugar sweetly topping everything up. How long before the entire country collapses under its own weight? Not too long from now methinks. We can not survive by ourselves anymore and the more dependent we become the more susceptible we are to hunger and everything else that leads and follows it.

If I can have my way I’d make it mandatory to have individuals living in the top 10 cities in the country who falls below the poverty line to be monitored by health workers. Couples with 2 kids should undergo mandatory ligation and vasectomy. Yes, both of them. Single mothers with 2 or more kids are also mandated to undergo ligation. Men over the age of 35 years old, whether single or married, should undergo mandatory vasectomy.

My suggestion may sound too radical but we’re a country of radicals. A President who said “I’m sorry” after admitting to rigging the election results. An actor President found guilty of plunder. A senator who’s been in ‘public service’ for the past 49 years without any thoughts of retiring. A convicted rapist who got elected as a mayor and who continued to ’serve’ behind bars. A family of political scums who kills for sport. A group of individuals who believes that preventive measures used for personal health is equivalent to abortion.

Now who’s radically inept? Me or these headcracks that the people decided to follow and elect?

Getting Ready to Fight

Women are special. They're so special in fact that they have a set of doctors whose specialization is based solely on what makes them women, our OB-GYNE. I tried searching for their counterparts for the male population but the closest I got to is a list of specialist and doctors who are involved in the treatment of prostate cancer.

I went to my OB-GYNE this morning to have myself checked for the nth time regarding my PCOS. After my TVS I went on to ask about the HPV vaccine which I've been hearing about since early 2009. A good friend of mine from college lost his mom last May of 2009 to cervical cancer and had adamantly reminded me when I attended the wake to get vaccinated.

My OB-GYNE was kind enough to explain to me what HPV is and how it the vaccine would protect me from the most common strains that causes cancer. She even gave me a leaflet with the most common FAQs that I needed to know and understand which I read on my way home and happily handed to my mom once I got home.

Here's a link from National Cancer Institute with a list of recommended sites for reading:

On June 8, 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of a new vaccine to prevent infection from four types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). Two of the HPV types targeted by the vaccine (HPV-16 and HPV-18) are responsible for about 70 percent of the cases of cervical cancer worldwide. The other two HPV types (HPV-6 and HPV-11) cause approximately 90 percent of the cases of genital warts. The vaccine, made by Merck & Co., Inc., is based on laboratory research and technology developed at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). NCI played a pivotal role in what holds promise to be a major public health success story. NCI continues to conduct research on HPV and cervical cancer.

Pinays, the HPV vaccine is very much available in the Philippines as well and is recommended for women aged 9 to 50. There are 2 brands on the market now, one is Cervarix and another is Gardasil. Cervarix will protect you from 2 of the most common strains of the HPV virus which are found on 70% of women with cervical cancer while Gardasil will protect you from 4 of the most common strain including genital warts. Both needs to be administered thrice. As per my OB-GYNE, as of the moment, Cervarix cost around P2,500 per shot while Gardasil cost at P4,500 per shot.

I'm personally leaning towards Gardasil. I'm thinking of protecting myself so why not take the extra mile?  After all, there are about 30 known strains and at most we can only get vaccinated against 4, so far. There's no excuse to be at risk when you're informed.