The Aging Filipino Population

The Philippine population is considered always to be a young one - with people aged below 30 years "young" comprising about 70 percent (!) of the total. In contrast, people who are 65 years old and up are estimated to make up only 4,1 percent.

If one could learn from different media reports, at the recent the Philippine Medical Women's Association diamond anniversary and 60th annual convention at the Manila hotel, a couple of days ago. a symposium was held to discuss also and especially dementia, a serious cognitive disorder and a problem faced by a certain number of people of old age. 

Several resource speakers tackled issues related to dementia, such as its social and economic impact, what can be done for the patient in the different stages of disorder, and what is needed in the Philippine setting.

Of course, cases of dementia will also increase in the Philippines. Life has changed also in the Philippines: with the stresses of modern-day living, people have been moving away from taking care of the extended family. Thus, the attenion given to elderly people has dwindled. 

What do you think? Are you an expat or a Filipino? 

Tuna Fish Ban Affects Local Industry

The tuna fish fishing ban in the Pacific Ocean will indeed directly affect some 500 workers in the country's local fishing industry, as one could learn from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

The fishing ban will also affect more then 50 fishing companies in Sarangani and General Santos City. 13 of which have licenses to fish in the high seas covered by the ourse seine ban. The two year ban on fishing in the Pacific ocean will of course an impact on the workers in the fishing industry. Measures have to set in to mitigate the impact of the ban.

I love tuna. How about you? Is the fishing ban a boon?

A Blessed easter to all!

After the waving of the tree branches by the Jewish  crowd and hosannas of Palm Sunday , the arrest of Jesus betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Olives, the imprisonment and humiliation of Holy Thursday night, the carrying of the Cross, crucifixion, and death at noon of Good Friday - Jesus Christ, the son of god rose from the tomb on Easter sunday, glorious and will never suffer and die again!

We celebrate the festival commemorating Christ's resurrection. In "Old english" the "Eastern" (NOT Easter!) has been marked by a ceremony as spring festival of the goddess of dawn.

Symbolically we see that Easter Resurrection depicted in various ways, which always point to life after death. Especially in other parts of the world (including my home country Germany), where deep winter makes all plants and trees 'SLEEP' for a couple of months, people enjoy the new shoots coming out of the trees' big trunks.

People enjoy the seedlings that protrude from the ground in spring, tyhe colorful little flowers that emerge from the soil. I still remember one of my most favorite spring and Easter flowers, the daffodil.

Nowadays, and also here in the Philippines, we enjoy the well-known Easter egg, out of which also the new life germinates.I am also pretty sure, you and I really enjoy the egg hunting with our beloveds.

A blessed Easter to all of you! Walk this day with great confidence in your heart, mind and soul. A lot of people await goodness and love, which you carry within. As Oprah Winfrey said: "People think that spirituality is about church or religion, but it's about you, about life!"

Ich wuensche Ihnen allen, meine lieben Leser, ein gesegnetes und froehliches Osterfest!

Lazy Summerdays - but Walking Around is also Good for YOU!

The lazy summer days have started in the Philippines. School vacations mean the start of the Philippine summer. The heat is on. More heat is on - and we're all getting lazier and lazier. 

Of course, office life is indeed comfortable.Eight hours daily - or even more - we sit in cool surroundings, often times cold enough to wear sweaters and jackets while the rest of the entire outside world endures the scorching heat of the tropical sun.

But the cool comfort of office jobs entails a sedentary lifestyle, the outcome of which may not be very comforting to think about. Sitting too much could be deadly. Ooopss!!!  How can we rethink how to define physical activity to highlight the danger of sitting? Yes, even whikle writing this piece, I am trying to think about this question. 

After four hours or more of sitting the body stars sending harmful signals. I am sitting already since almost six hours. I didn't feel anything... .

Sure, we people should keep exercising because that has a lot of benefits. Even the heat is on now - and even the lazy summer days in the Philippines have started now.

Take mini-walks.

Climb stairs.

Park and walk.

Walk on your lunch break.

Move while on the phone.

Swing your arms, turn your neck.

Eat less and drink more water.

Interact with people in person.

Join a sport team.

Adopt a fidgety habit to deal with stress!

Enjoy your summer days!

Earth Hour! You Wanna Join?

The Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) has marked Earth Hour 2010 on March 27, 2010 at 8:30 p.m., calling for the participation of 15 million Filipinos in more then 1,000 towns, cities and municipalities to take a symbolic stand against climate change.

Aside from the DOE, this year's Earth Hour will be jointly organized by WWF-Philippines, Green Army Network Foundation and SWITCH Movement.

"Earth Hour delivers a simple message, but a powerful one - the time to take action against the climate crisis is now. Individual actions, when put together can create impacts far greater than the action of any single government. Earth Hour shows that we can produce far greater results if we rally on causes that unite, rather than dwell on issues that divide," Philippine Energy Seceretary Aneglo Reyes said.

By the way, the Philippines accounts for only 0.29 percent of the world's energy-related CO2 emission - one of the lowest in South-East Asia.

Anyway - I wish and pray you, my dear readers, gonna join us on March 27, 2010 on 8.30 pm - for the sake of all following generations worldwide.

Rotary Club of East Davao: District Convention in GenSan

Several members of the Rotary Club of East Davao (including this writer) joined the District Convention in General Santos City. Yes, it was indeed a homely and enjoyable trip having so many familiar faces around. As club president and friend Ronald "Ronnie" Go voiced out: "I like to congratulate all those who contributed to the Rotary Foundation  and helped us to exceed our targets for the year!"

The list of those who joined are:

PDG Totoy Cabarroguis, PDG Hermie Villano (Davao Doctor's Hospital), PDG Boy Reyes, PDG Monet Tirol (former Philippine Ambassador in Germany), and President elect 2010/2011 Antonio "Tony" Ajero, former SUNSTAR publisher and now EDGE DAVAO publisher and chief editor - just to mentioned some among others.

Dionesia Pacquiao, mother of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao graced the evening with a special performance.

Salute, cheers, prost...

A big thanks and hand shake (friend and President Mr. Ronald Go)

Mabel Acosta - Outstanding Councilor of the Philippines?

Yes, it's campaigning time in the Philippines. Don't get me wrong, I am not campaigning for anybody. I am sure, everybody understand that I am still entitled to have my own opinion as an expat living in the Philippines, although I am not being able to vote.

Maria Belen "Mabel" Sunga-Acosta, Davao City's councilor and good friend of mine, voiced it out in an interview several days ago: "Yes, I like to serve my people as a politician - now also in and from Manila!"

A national organization recently named Mabel Acosta as the Davao's region's contender for the "Ten Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines" (TOCP) Awards for 2009.

This prestigious annual award is organized by the Junior Chamber Chamber International Philippines. an affiliate of the Worldwide Federation of Young Leaders and Entrepreneurs, and is involved with the Philippine Councilors, JCI Philippines and Office of senator Edgardo Angara.

Good luck Mabel!

Laughter - the best medicine!

... "If only I knew how!" An expat friend told me a couple of days ago. Another said: "This is real a hard time for me to stay in the Philippines!" It seems we have no time and no reason for laughter. This can wait until tomorrow - or even till next week. Anticipation is better... .

Our enemies laugh up their sleeves, and we miss to recognize the fortune still smiling at us. but hold on: he who laughs last laughs longest1

American neurologist Henri Rubenstein says, laughter lowers high blood pressure while aiding digestion and fostering sleep. Give me even a simple smile and believe in what experts say: Good humour can help the gravely or terminally ill to bear their ordeal.

Of course, if we look around us these days, we really might not roar with laughter or split our sides laughing. Well, even if we think we don't have enough reasons to laugh, we should try to express mirth spontaneously. We still have reasons to start with the softest form of audible laughter - the vocalized smile. I learned this while staying in the Philippines. And guys, it works!

And, if we might think, we really have nothing to laugh about and our life seems utterly meaningless, we should try discovering Ecclesiastes, the "bible book of our time" : In 3:1-4 it says

There is a time for everything ... a time to be born and a time to die ... a time to tear down and a time to build ... a time to weep and a time to laugh!

Philippinische Immigration erhoeht die Preise?Immigration Big Price Hike

Ja, es wird wieder teurer, auf den Philippinen zu verweilen - als Tourist! Andererseits: ist man "noch" Tourist, wenn man jahrelang alle zwei Monate sein Aufenthaltsvisum erneuert bzw. verlaengert?

Inzwischen werden fuer eine Visumsverlaengerung nach 59 Tagen fuer weitere 59 die Gebuehr von 5.970 Pesos erhoben. Die Expressgebuehr betraegt 1.500 Pesos. Ausserdem wird man zusaetzlich zur Kasse gebeten, weil man neuerdings eine ACR I-Card benoetigt, also eine Alien Certification Registration Identification Card - AUCH als Tourist, wenn man laenger als 59 Tage in diesem schoenen Land verweilen moechte.

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And here we are; it's indeed another increase in the cost of staying in the Philippines. If you extend your visa for a further 59 days you'll be charged with 5,970 PHP. And there will be an additional charge for an ACR I-Card, means to say an Alien Certification Registration Identification Card - also for tourists, who p[lan to stay longer then 59 days in this beautiful country. And, the "fast lane charges" in the immigration will add another 1,500 PHP to your bill.

Philippinische Wunderheiler/Philippine Faithhealer

Philippinische Wunderheiler - vollbringen Sie wirklich Wunder, oder sind es einfach nur Scharlatane? Nun, seit ueber 30 Jahren bemuehen sich die Medien und auch grosser Teile der Aerzteschaft  die philippinischen Naturheiler als Betrueger abzustempeln. Patienten sehen das anders - ja, und auch war schon einige Male eine "derartiger Patient"!

Kann die westliche Wissenschaft eine physikalische Erklaerung fuer die auf den Philippinen zu beobachtenden Phaenomene von Besserung beibringen oder nicht? Was ist dran an den berichten, in denen von Besserung oder Heilung auch organischer Krankheiten die Rede ist?

Fairerweise muss man aber auch berichten, dass die Behandlung in vielen Faellen ohne Erfolg blieb. Gewarnt haben mich auch meine eigenen philippinischen Aerzte vor einer Unterlassung oder Verzoegerung verordneter Behandlungsmassnahmen.

In einer Reihe von vielen anderen Faellen erzielten die Philipinos allerdings unglaubliche Erfolge, fuer die es keine Erklaerung zu geben scheint. Heilung durch Handauflegen? Beschwoerungen und Gebete statt Chemotherapie? Eingriffe mit blossen Haenden in den Koerper statt Operation mit dem Skalpell?

Auch ich wurde vor vielen Jahren als Narr bezeichnet und aus der Praxis eines meiner Aerzte gebeten, als ich eine Bandscheibenoperation ablehnte und nach sechs Wochen auf den Philippinen (und in den Haenden eines "Wunder"heilers mit einer deutlichen Besserung des Krankenbildes nach Deutschland zurueckkehrte. War ich ein Naivling oder gar Simulant? Die Roentgenaufnahmen (VORHER/NACHHER) konnten von den Aerzten nicht erklaert werden... .

Es ist schwierig, Antworten zu finden. Fakt ist jedoch, dass ein Grossteil dieser Heiler Urchristen sind, die dem Heilgebot der Bibel folgen - und, dass wahrscheinlich viele Heilungen ganz einfach mit dem Placebo-Effekt zu erklaeren sind.