Why leptospirosis remains a serious threat long after people wade through contaminated water

 

By Dr. Edsel Salvana

Published Sep 2, 2026

During the rainy season, especially when there is widespread flooding, doctors brace for the inevitable deluge of leptospirosis cases. Infectious diseases doctors like me, along with kidney doctors (nephrologists) and lung doctors (pulmonologists), are usually called upon to see the sickest patients. While most people infected with leptospirosis only develop mild symptoms, severe leptospirosis can manifest without much warning, progress quickly, and can be fatal.

Leptospirosis is caused by a spiral-shaped bacteria that is usually found in rodent urine. Other animals such as dogs and cats can harbor Leptospira species, but it is not as common in these animals. Leptospirosis is usually acquired when wading through flood waters contaminated by rat urine. Other less common ways to get leptospirosis are by ingesting food contaminated with rodent urine and feces, as well as eating poorly cooked meat that is infected with Leptospira.

The usual incubation period (time from exposure to symptoms) for leptospirosis is five to 14 days, but in rare cases can be as little as two days or as long as 30 days. Common symptoms of leptospirosis include fever, muscle pain (especially in the calf muscles), fatigue, and headache. Some people develop conjunctival suffusion, which manifests as redness and swelling in the whites of the eyes that can look like sore eyes. Not all these symptoms may be present, and a lot of people only develop milder manifestations, which can get better on their own even without proper treatment.

However, a significant number of patients who are not properly treated with antibiotics progress to severe leptospirosis, which is a life-threatening condition. Signs and symptoms of severe leptospirosis include jaundice (yellowing of the skin), decreased urine output, dark color of the urine, abdominal pain, and shortness of breath. This can lead to coughing up blood, bleeding in the mouth, gums, or stool, and low blood pressure.

People who have been exposed to flood water, even if they have intact skin with no wounds, should seek medical attention as soon as possible. A doctor or healthcare worker can determine the degree of exposure and prescribe antibiotic prophylaxis with doxycycline or an alternative agent.

Prophylaxis works best when given as close to the time of exposure as possible and becomes less effective the longer the delay. When there are large numbers of people exposed, local government units try to make doxycycline available through the barangay health centers following proper medical assessment by barangay healthcare personnel. This medical evaluation is important because the dosing and duration of antibiotics are different for people with intact skin versus those with open wounds or those who inadvertently swallow contaminated water. Continuing exposure to flood water may need periodic administration of prophylaxis. Moreover, antibiotics like doxycycline are prescription-only drugs that can have side effects.

Doxycycline can cause heartburn, photosensitivity, rashes, and (in women) vaginal yeast infections. Doxycycline should not be given concurrently with dairy products since milk can inactivate it. Doxycycline should not be given to pregnant women or women who might be pregnant. There are alternatives to doxycycline which a properly qualified obstetrician can prescribe. Children, especially those below 12 years old, should also not be given doxycycline without proper evaluation by a pediatrician. Never take an antibiotic without proper medical evaluation. Aside from potential side effects, unnecessary antibiotic intake can lead to the development of bacterial drug resistance, and the antibiotic may no longer work when we actually need it.

If a person develops any of the symptoms of leptospirosis within the two- to 30-day incubation period, they should immediately seek medical care. This should be done even if that person took doxycycline for prophylaxis after exposure. Doxycycline prophylaxis is not a guarantee that one won't get leptospirosis, especially if it is taken more than 72 hours after the exposure. While antibiotic prophylaxis isn't 100 percent effective at preventing infection, it can help decrease the risk of developing severe leptospirosis.

Mild to moderate leptospirosis can usually be treated with oral antibiotics and careful monitoring. These patients may not need to be admitted to the hospital if the laboratory results are normal or near normal. Close follow-up is essential since some of these patients can progress to severe leptospirosis even with proper treatment.

Patients with severe leptospirosis need to be admitted to the hospital immediately and given intravenous antibiotics such as penicillin or ceftriaxone. Severe leptospirosis can adversely affect the kidneys, the liver, and/or the lungs. Patients with kidney failure from leptospirosis may need urgent dialysis. Early dialysis can help the kidneys recover. If the kidney failure isn't treated promptly, the patient may end up on permanent dialysis, if he or she survives the illness.

Patients with liver failure from severe leptospirosis (also known as Weil's disease) have a high chance of dying. They need good supportive care and may need blood products to prevent bleeding since the liver makes the clotting factors for the body.

Perhaps the most dreaded complication of leptospirosis is pulmonary hemorrhage. Patients who bleed into their lungs are at a very high risk of dying. They usually need to be hooked up to the ventilator and may need strong medicines like high-dose corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide (an immunosuppressant medication) to modulate the extreme inflammatory response from severe leptospirosis. Even with the best care, we lose a lot of these patients.

As I write this, I am the supervising infectious diseases consultant for adult charity patients at the emergency room at our government hospital, and we are seeing a large surge of severe leptospirosis cases. Some patients have already died. These cases were likely infected two weeks prior, and since we’ve had non-stop rains and floods since then, this is just the beginning.

Leptospirosis can kill you. Avoid wading in flood waters, use protective gear if you can, and get doxycycline prophylaxis from a healthcare provider or the barangay health center if you are exposed. If you develop symptoms, see your doctor for proper care before it gets worse.

Freedom of speech cannot survive a social media ban

 

By Atty. Anna Mae Lamentillo

Published Sep 2, 2026 12:05 am

NIGHT OWL

Every generation has had a public square. For some, it was the town hall, the newspaper page or the university campus. For today’s young people, it is increasingly the social media feed: a place where friendships are maintained, identities are explored, ideas are tested and communities are built. Governments that treat these platforms as disposable entertainment misunderstand both the technology and the generation using it.

The instinct to protect children is legitimate. The proposed cure, however, is often worse than the disease. Blanket bans, age-based shutdowns and sweeping restrictions may sound decisive, but they do not eliminate demand. They merely push it out of sight. Young people who are locked out of mainstream platforms will not suddenly lose interest in communicating online. Many will migrate to hidden accounts, encrypted groups, offshore services or less regulated corners of the internet, where parents, teachers and authorities have even less visibility.

Prohibition has rarely made difficult behavior disappear. It changes where that behavior happens and who controls it. A ban can therefore create the illusion of safety while making real risks harder to detect. Children who fear punishment for being online may also be less likely to tell an adult when they encounter harassment, manipulation or disturbing material. The policy designed to protect them can end up isolating them.

There is also a wider principle at stake: freedom of speech. Social media is not merely a commercial product like a soft drink or a video game. It is now part of the infrastructure of modern expression. Political movements organize there. Students learn there. Artists find audiences there. Families separated by borders stay connected there. Young people often encounter public debate for the first time there. Restricting access to these spaces restricts participation in civic and cultural life.

Sweeping controls also create a dangerous precedent. Once governments claim the power to decide which citizens may enter a forum for communication, that power can expand. Today the justification may be child safety; tomorrow it may be misinformation, public order or political convenience. Rights are rarely lost in one moment. More often, they are narrowed through policies presented as temporary, technical or protective.

That does not mean the online world is harmless. It means governments must respond intelligently rather than theatrically. The better answer is education, transparency and empowerment. Schools should teach digital literacy as seriously as reading and mathematics. Parents should be given practical tools to guide younger users without turning the home into a surveillance state. Platforms should explain how their algorithms work, offer meaningful controls and respond quickly to abuse. Police and courts should target criminal conduct, not ordinary expression.

Most importantly, young people should be included in the conversation. Policies made about them without them are likely to fail because they ignore how social media is actually used. A teenager may rely on an online community for friendship, creative collaboration, disability support, cultural identity or help during a crisis. Removing that connection in the name of protection can cause its own harm.

Freedom of speech is easiest to defend when the speech is comfortable and the medium is familiar. The real test comes when new forms of communication unsettle institutions. Governments should resist the temptation to answer that discomfort with control.

A free society does not protect children by teaching them that difficult spaces must be closed. It prepares them to enter those spaces with judgment, resilience and support. Social media will continue to evolve, and young people will evolve with it. The task of government is not to force that reality underground, but to make it safer without making it silent.

Creamline stays unscathed; EST Cola sweeps Farm Fresh

Creamline notches its second win in two outings. (PVL Images)

By Kristel Satumbaga-Villar

Published Sep 1, 2026 08:37 pm

Creamline routed Ho Chih Minh City, 25-18, 25-16, 25-6, to remain unscathed, while EST Cola swept Farm Fresh, 25-21, 25-16, 25-22, to barge into the win column in the PVL Invitational at the Smart Araneta Coliseumon Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The Cool Smashers exposed the Vietnamese’s lethargic plays, needing 61 minutes to dominate the guest team for their second straight win in as many outings.

Tots Carlos, Jema Galanza and Jaja Santiago-Minowa paced Creamline with 12 points apiece, including combined 21 kills from Carlos and Galanza, and three blocks from Santiago-Minowa.

So dominant were the Cool Smashers that they overpowered the Vietnamese spikers on attacks, 49-19; blocks, 11-4; and aces, 5-3.

None from Ho Chi Minh City scored in twin figures with skipper Dang Thi Kim Thanh and Le Thi My Xuyen pacing only eight and six points, respectively, as they absorbed their second straight loss.

Earlier, EST Cola made its title bid to improve its record to 1-1 behind the efforts of Papatchaya Phontham.

Phontham blasted 17 points built on 13 kills, three aces and one block to shackle Farm Fresh, which struggled despite the 15-point effort of Trisha Tubu.

Indonesia haze reaches PH

 

Indonesia haze reaches PH; OCD urges public to limit outdoor exposure

A blanket of haze covers the Metro Manila skyline on Sept. 1, 2026, as particles from forest and land fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia reach parts of the Philippines. (Photo by Mark Balmores/Manila Bulletin)

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) urged the public to limit outdoor exposure, wear masks, and take precautions as haze linked to forest fires in Indonesia affected parts of the Philippines, particularly NCR, Calabarzon and Mimaropa. Read more

Is ß still used in German? My German teacher told me they no longer use it, and have 'ss' instead, so I wanted to confirm the validity of that statement

 

Bernhard Støcker

 ·

Is ß still used in German? My German teacher told me they no longer use it, and have 'ss' instead, so I wanted to confirm the validity of that statement.

I am German so I think I am qualified to answer this question. Your teacher is wrong. “ß” is still in use. This year even a capital version was introduced. There is no real use for the capital version except you want to write all letters of a word capitalized, but who cares.

Here btw is a list of word still containing “ß”.

Verzeichnis:Deutsch/Wörter mit ß

With love and compassion, Ma’am

 

by Zarrel Gel Noza

|September 2, 2026

Five years ago, I received one of the most life-changing offers of my life—to teach. Little did I know it would also be a season of learning. Seeing some of my first students post their graduation photos, I realized that one of the biggest lessons I had in the past years was how far love and compassion in our classrooms could go.

When I started, my teaching philosophy was to be the teacher I needed when I was a student, to build the learning environment where I would thrive if I were the learner. So, it has always been my goal to build a classroom where my students would feel safe to learn and to be themselves. More than mastering my lessons, my number one goal has been to create a classroom that students would want to enter and stay in, to deliver lessons that they would desire to take in. More than wanting my students to learn, my higher objective is for them to want to learn first.

But I am not writing this to brag about being the “coolest teacher ever.” I am far from that. I am writing this to encourage my fellow educators to let love and compassion lead the way we teach.  

One of the things I have noticed in my classes is high attendance rates, as well as high participation rates in class. When students feel safe and comfortable in their classes, they go to class—not just because of the attendance policy but because they actually want to learn. They also participate more because they see the class as a safe space to ask questions, to share their thoughts, to admit that there are a lot of things that they still need to know.

A welcoming environment also encourages feedback, a very powerful learning strategy. When our students view us positively, it becomes easier for them to absorb constructive feedback and sometimes, even to ask for more. It allows them to see that our comments and evaluations are coming from a place of concern and support.

Another observation is my students’ openness to come and be vulnerable around me. This allows me to understand the factors affecting their class performance, as well as find ways on how to help them. As educators, we know that our students’ learning is affected by many internal and external factors. Late submissions don’t necessarily equate to irresponsibility. Low scores don’t necessarily reflect incompetence. Multiple times, I have experienced students approaching me after class or messaging me in the wee hours, to share about their struggles and explain the things that are making their learning more challenging than usual.

Knowing this allows me to consider their situation even in the smallest class decisions—deadlines, learning modalities, class requirements, and activities. It doesn’t necessarily mean we need to make it easier for them, but for learning to be effective, the environment must be conducive, and this means being tailored to the actual needs and situations of our students.

But creating a nurturing learning environment doesn’t mean giving our students anything they want. We do not want to raise a generation of brats. But this is about creating a space where our students will grow because they know they can and that they are meant to do so. This is about making learning more enjoyable and effective for them.

I am sure that not all educators will agree with me on this. It won’t be surprising, especially if many of us grew up in learning environments that forced us to thrive under pressure, and we’ve seen it work for us. But if tough love, whether from our parents, guardians, teachers or mentors, worked for us, it does not necessarily mean it would work for this generation. If you think it worked for you somehow, it does not mean it did not wound you in some other way. If it has been somehow effective yet still scarring for us and for the several generations before us, maybe our role is not to keep up with the cycle, but to break it.

I have witnessed people break down—not just for days but for years—just to please the people who are supposed to mentor and nurture them. I have seen friends who lost sight of their amazing potential just because others made them doubt themselves and what they can do. I have seen peers who got stuck just because the world discouraged them from taking the chance, because the world made them believe they cannot make it. You cannot expect people to function better after you break them.

Meanwhile, I thrived the most under the tutelage of the kindest, most supportive, most approachable instructors and bosses. And when I look back, though I admire their technical expertise and extensive knowledge in their field, what I remember the most is how they treated me, how they willingly answered my questions, how they believed I could do more and enabled me to do so.

So, let’s imagine a classroom—no, actually, a society where our educators raise the next leaders of our society with love and compassion, encouraging these future leaders to do the same. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful place to live in?  

Tipping or Breaking Point

 

By Klaus Döring

A breaking point is the critical moment when pressure or stress becomes too high, causing a person, system, or object to snap, collapse, or fail completely.

I got my first breaking point as a German expatriate in the Philippines as a result of culture shocks. This was a long time ago and very much different from today's situation.  Meanwhile I have been living here smooth and sound for several years.

All the people around me are  experiencing mood changes. Indeed, the emotional effects of stress can have a serious impact on your day-to-day mood and mental health. Firstly, you may find that you’re feeling more irritated or pessimistic than usual. This mood change can then begin to affect your motivation to work, socialise with your loved ones or complete the things on your to-do list. If left unchecked, these feelings can threaten to completely overwhelm you, leaving you feeling apathetic, depressed, frustrated, panicky or trapped.

Many are having trouble sleeping. If you’re going through a stressful period in your life, you may have noticed just how difficult it can be to maintain a regular sleeping pattern. For instance, you may find it hard to fall or stay asleep at night. You may also have trouble getting up in the morning. A lack of proper sleep can leave you exhausted during the day which often leads to increased caffeine consumption which further exacerbates the issue. If left unmanaged, you may start feeling like you never have the energy for anything and soon reach an emotional breaking point.

A lot of people around me can’t seem to focus or concentrate properly. If you’re battling to concentrate, keep focused or remember certain things, this is a good indication that you’re feeling the effects of anxiety. These changes in thinking and memory (also known as “brain fog”) can occur when you’re trying to manage several stressful situations at once, which can make you confused and forgetful. These situations may include demanding jobs or emotionally-taxing tasks. Unregulated emotional exhaustion can really impact your attention, executive functioning (organising and planning), and memory.

A lot of people are expressing  difficulty with personal relationships. You’ll often notice emotional exhaustion from prolonged stress manifesting in your relationship and your capacity to connect with your family on a meaningful emotional level. You may find yourself picking fights over small things, feeling angry at or unsatisfied with your partner or being overly judgemental. Tension in your close relationships can cause you to feel anxious, detached, and withdrawn which can make it difficult to ask for emotional support when you need it or be there for those you love.

Low self-esteem is being reported a lot these days. If lately you’ve found your mind overwhelmed with negative thoughts, you’ve probably also noticed their impact on how you view yourself. Perhaps you’re feeling more cynical and hopeless than usual? Or maybe you’ve lacked confidence in situations where you would normally speak up. At times, you may even have found yourself wondering if what you’re doing even matters anymore. It is important to recognise these changes. If left unchecked, these feelings may progress into symptoms of depression.

To stay in balance you need to turn these behaviors around. The smallest changes make a difference, but pay attention to changes that aren't so small, like getting enough sleep (without drugs), dealing with your anger and anxiety before they erupt, moving around during the day, making time to play, eating sensibly and simply being with yourself.

Reaching your breaking point means that you've crossed into the red zone, from which it's hard to return. You won't get to your red zone if you apply the habits of self-care I've just listed. The choice is really yours. Medical research has abundantly validated that being in balance is the healthiest way to live. Spend the next two weeks getting back into balance. You'll be amazed and pleased with the results. I adopted a certain "Bahala-na"-emotion especially when it comes to "bad news". I enjoy playing my piano and listening to wonderful relaxing music. I enjoy staying together with my family. I talked to God... .

+++

Email:doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, X - Twitter or  Linkedin or visit my www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com .

knee-deep in prayer

 

Knee-deep in prayer: Despite floods, churchgoers still attend Mass at Barasoain

Ian Laqui

𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦

 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓| 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦

Not all queens wear crowns in the city. Some bloom quietly in the wild, standing tall among the trees.

Among the thousand orchid species in the Philippines, one reigns supreme—the Waling-waling (Vanda sanderiana). Known as the Queen of Philippine Orchids- one of our country’s most treasured blooms and most-desired by orchid enthusiasts and horticulturists.

In Davao City, it shines as an icon of the Kadayawan Festival, the city’s grandest celebration of culture and harvest.

Found and thrives only in the treetops of Mindanao forests—in Mt. Apo where it was first discovered in 1880, in a few areas of Davao, Zamboanga and Cotabato, among other sites. Its rare beauty makes it more than a flower; it is a living symbol of our rich heritage.

For the Bagobo people, the Waling-waling was once revered as “waring-waring” or diwata—a goddess of the forest—offered in rituals as a sign of gratitude. Like a true queen, it blooms only once a year, from July to October. Yet its rarity also became its curse. Because of overcollection and demand, it was nearly lost in the wild.

This Buwan ng Wika, the Waling-waling reminds us that being Filipino is not only in the words we speak. It is in the names of our native plants, the stories of our Indigenous communities, and the treasures that grow in our forests.

This rare, high-priced orchid faces near-extinction in the wild and is under the protection of RA 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.

On June 17 2026, Senate approves on third and final reading Senate Bill. No. 2092 declaring Waling-waling as the National Orchid of the Philippines, which carries a message that every Filipino and every Dabawenyo can embrace: Protect what makes us uniquely ours, before its beauty becomes only a memory.

#walingwaling #denr11 #TayoAngKalikasa

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Safeguarding public money demands more than promises

 

By Manila Bulletin Newsroom

Published Sep 1, 2026 12:05 am

The start of deliberations on the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 national budget comes at a particularly sensitive moment. There is something profoundly ironic in the spectacle of Cabinet secretaries having to assure Congress that they will conduct lifestyle checks, enforce a one-strike policy and protect public funds from abuse.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon has told lawmakers that the agency is continuously conducting lifestyle checks, in coordination with the Office of the Ombudsman, and has adopted a one-strike policy against verified wrongdoing. He has also declared that the proposed 2027 DPWH budget contains no “leadership fund” and no allocations based on the controversial parametric formula.

Should this not be a given? Public officials do not need to be reminded that government money belongs to the people. They do not need extraordinary instructions to exercise integrity. And taxpayers should not have to depend on the personal assurances of Cabinet secretaries that billions in appropriations will not become instruments for corruption, political patronage or private enrichment.

Yet this is where we find ourselves.

Commitments to allocate and disburse public funds judiciously are welcome. But they should be regarded as the minimum, not the achievement. The bigger question is: Why did the system ever permit arrangements that made such assurances necessary?

The answer must involve not only the Executive branch but Congress itself.

The national budget is where government priorities become actual expenditures. It is also where political influence can be converted into projects, allocations and contracts. The revelations and allegations surrounding the previous DPWH budgets have exposed how vulnerable this process can become when institutional safeguards are weakened or circumvented.

Congress therefore cannot simply demand assurances from Cabinet secretaries and then proceed with business as usual. Every proposed project must have a demonstrable public purpose, technical justification, proper costing and transparent implementation.

Most important, Congress must be prepared to subject itself to the same transparency standards it demands from the Executive.

There should be no privileged category of public money. If a government employee must justify an unexplained increase in wealth, why should a politically connected contractor, intermediary or beneficiary be treated differently? If a DPWH official faces dismissal for a verified offense, why should political influence provide a shield to anyone who participates in manipulating public expenditures?

A genuine one-strike policy should apply to corruption wherever it is found; it must be enforced without fear or favor.

They should be supported by systematic examination of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth, procurement records, beneficial ownership, project costs and actual project accomplishments. Technology should make it possible to connect the money trail from appropriation to implementation.

Where wrongdoing is established, accountability must not end with administrative sanctions. Public funds must be recovered. Cases must be prosecuted. Those responsible must face the consequences prescribed by law.

Congress must also be reminded that the people are not merely watching how the Executive and the government bureaucracy spends their money. They are also demanding accountability from their representatives and senators in judiciously allocating public funds.

The 2027 budget must, therefore, become a test of institutional integrity. It is a litmus test on how the citizenry regards their government’s capacity to render genuine public service that addresses basic needs adequately. It demands transparency, accountability and performance.