Experiences Beyond 1999 - Diane Loresca

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Everyday, there are a lot of people needing an organ transplant because their organs either works poorly or already failing. Organ donation is a surgical procedure of removing an organ or tissue from the organ donor and placing it into the recipient’s body. It is one of the great advances in medical field and the organs that can be donated includes the liver, kidney, pancreas, and heart. In 2017, according to World Health Organization (WHO), deaths due to different end – stage organ diseases involved 230,000 Filipinos and this diseases can be prevented by organ transplantation. However, the need for an organ donor is way greater than those who actually donate. It was way back before that this subject is being studied and in 1954 at Peter Brent Brigham Hospital in Boston, Joseph Murray and his colleagues performed the first truly successful kidney transplant from one twin to another. It was believed that they Kidney is the first human organ that was transplanted from one person to another successfully. In organ transplant there are so many things to consider and these are the effects to both donors and recipients and the law and the issues that arises regarding this surgical procedure.

Organ transplant is worldwide acceptable because of its effectivity to the recipient. It improves the survival rates and it enhances the quality of life of a sick person that’s why doctors and their clients with organ failure are encourage to undergo the procedure of transplantation. Organ transplants bring various benefits to the recipient and this are living a longer and healthier or less painful life because there failed organs will be remove and will be replace to a more functional one and with that their life will not be endanger anymore. The recipient will also spend their time less in the hospital and will only be needing fewer surgeries and medications because they finally have a functional and healthy organ that will bring wellness to their health. However, this procedure poses at risk to the recipients because sometimes their body rejects the organ that was transferred to them because the client’s immune system detects that the organs antigens that was being replaced to them doesn’t not matched to theirs and it is the reason why it triggers blood transfusion reaction. The client might also experience post – surgical complication such as infection because of anti – rejection and other transplant – related drugs that are being prescribed to them to take after their surgery.

Organ Transplant is allowable here in the Philippines following the Republic Act No. 349 an act to legalize permissions to use human organs or any portion or portions of the human body for medical, surgical, or scientific purposes, under certain conditions and more recently a Republic Act No. 7170 known as the Organ Donation Act of 1991, as amended by Republic Act No. 7885, organ and tissue donations from donors who have been declared brain dead has been allowed. It proves that living and brain dead person can donate their organs so that they can help save and improve the quality of life of those sick clients who are in need for transplantation. However, even if this procedure is already accepted there are some ethical dilemmas that could arise and these are violating the non – maleficence to the donor and the illegal selling of organs because of financial incapability. One of the vows that doctors promised and also included in Hippocratic Oath is to follow the principle of non – maleficence or do no harm to the people. In organ transplant, this principle might be violated because of the potential harm that it can inflict to the donor that includes the short and long term health risks of the surgical procedure, organ function, and psychological problems like depression and anxiety. And because of the prevalent mentioning of organ transplantation, Filipinos found a way to earn for a living and that is through illegally selling their organs to those client’s in need just to have money that could help them to their everyday needs. They took the advantage of low number of organ donors and made it as their form of living.

Some people may not like the idea of organ transplant because they thought that removing one might impose a great risk to their health. They are too afraid that something bad might happen to them and that they will not return to their normal functioning since their organ has been removed. But this perception should be eliminated because organ transplant can actually save lives of other people who are now terminally ill. Organ transplant should be allowed here in the Philippines because a single donor can actually save eight lives and can improve up to fifty lives. We should consider organ donation and supports Department of Health campaign called “Dugtong Buhay: Ako, Kabahagi Mo!” to prove that the unity or bayanihan spirit still exists here in the Philippines. We should help those people who are in need for organ transplant because it opens a lot of opportunities to them when they starts to feel fine. The feeling of rewarding to help other people is very overwhelming because you know to yourself that you are brave enough to donate your organ that many people are afraid to do so. Donating an organ is a noble and altruistic act because you are actually saving a life of a person.

REFERENCES:

Organ Donation and Transplantation. (2016). Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11750-organ-donation-and-transplantation
DOH pushes for organ donation from brain dead persons. (2018). Retrieved from https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1012467
Villines, Z. (2019). How organ transplants work. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325631.php
Kidney Transplantation: Past, Present, and Future. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://web.stanford.edu/dept/HPST/transplant/html/history.html
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. (2010). Success rates for organ transplants are increasing, but organ donations are decreasing, study shows. ScienceDaily. Retrieved from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322092051.htm
Republic Act No. 349. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno349.html

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One of the most talk issue here in the Philippines is the legalization of LGBT+ community in our society. LGTBT+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and others. To further more explain, lesbian and gay is a person who is sexually attracted to people on their own gender, bisexual is a person who is sexually attracted to both genders, trans is transgender or transsexual is when a person went to a medical procedure for transition of one sex to another, and + or others is when a person is not LGBT and also not fitted into traditional categories of gender or sexuality. LGBT+ community faces a lot of challenges because many people are still not accepting them due to different opinions and beliefs. They are still struggling to fit in the world where they live in because they are still subject for discrimination because of the family code, bible verses, and the so called mental illness associated with them.

In Executive Order No. 209, The Family Code of the Philippines (July 06, 1987), Article 1 stated that, “Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life.” And in Article 2, it also stated that, “No marriage shall be valid, unless these essential requisites are present: (1) Legal capacity of the contracting parties who must be a male and a female;” The law stated that marriage is acceptable if it’s between a man and a woman because they can have a family on their own that will make the society. If same – sex will be together, it is impossible to make a family that could lead the nation someday because they cannot produce one on their own. However, In Philippine Constitution Article II, Section 11 stated that, “The State values the dignity of every person and guarantees full respect for human rights.” And in Article III, Section 4 said that, “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of expression.” This just proves that people should respect the chosen identity orientation of one person and the identity orientation of their partner because they are just enjoying their right of expression through choosing who they want to be with. LGBT+ should not be denied with the rights that the 1987 Constitution is already stating because if there rights is not being respected then their capability to decide or choose for themselves is being stolen. It doesn’t mean that a family will only revolve to man and woman and their children because a same – sex couple can make a family too through adaption and also not only same – sex couple will not be able to produce their own children but also to homosexual couple that couldn’t conceive due to fertility problems.

In the bible, Mark 10:6-8, quoting Genesis 2:24, it is written that, “From the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh…” What the verse implying is that the man is for woman and woman is for man only. Being in a relationship with other people with their same gender is a sin because they denies God’s teaching by being a greedy a person. However, there is also a verse written in Ephesians 4:15, “Speak the truth in love.” This verse wants to tell us that there is no place for hatred and rejection towards all people and LGBT+ community are part of it. LGBT+ are human too and they are being created by Him and Jesus teaches us that humans have a permanent value, worth, and dignity and we must not degrade it.

There are some people saying that being LGBT+ is actually a mental illness because they are different from others and they make their own gender orientation. But according to American Psychological Association and American Psychiatric Association, LGTB+ are not disorders because there are no association between these sexual orientations to psychopathology. These orientations is a normal form of human experience and the relationship that could arise from them is a normal form of human bonding too. Actually, being an LGBT+ is not really a mental disorder but they some of them are suffering from a mental disorder because they are not acceptable by the society. They always receives negative judgements and discrimination on the way they portrait themselves and this is actually the sad truth.

LBGT+ are humans but there are some people who compare them as worse than the animals just because they cannot accept them freely. Some are too conservative and there not yet open with this kind of changes because they chooses not to leave their comfort zone. However, we should acknowledge their existence as LGBT+ because they are also people who are hurting if they are being disowned by their society. Let us be fair and give them what they deserve, and that is respect. We should not discriminate them because they are vulnerable enough to receive your bashes and hatred. The rights that we are enjoying must be enjoyed by them too because rights are being created for everyone and we don’t have the power to steal it from them. We should not deny them because we are living in a world full of flaws where perfection doesn’t exist. Let us open our eyes and acknowledge the four corners so that we will be able to practice equality and fairness for all.

REFERENCES:

LGBT+ mental health. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.rethink.org/advice-and-information/living-with-mental-illness/wellbeing-physical-health/lgbtplus-mental-health/
The 1987 Constitution of The Republic of the Philippines – Article III. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines/the-1987-constitution-of-the-republic-of-the-philippines-article-iii/
Biblical Perspective on Homosexuality and Same – Sex Marriage. (n.d.).Retrieved from https://www.focusonthefamily.com/family-qa/biblical-perspective-on-homosexuality-and-same-sex-marriage/
Sexual Orientation & Homosexuality. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt/orientation

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Abbiocco Alternative Filipino Food features a 70% redefined Filipino classic dishes complemented by 30% of Italian, Spanish and Western cuisines. It is located at G/F Metro Stonerich Building #3 Scout Rallos St. corner Mother Ignacia Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City. It is open Mondays to Sundays 11 am until 11 pm and until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Abbiocco is an Italian term that means a sleepy or drowsy feeling you get after a big satisfying meal. I must say that after trying their foods, all I want to do next is to sleep or do some siesta because my stomach is very satisfied with the food that they are offering.

The place is a family restaurant with its modern look. It is very aesthetic with their cute chairs and plants that is scattered in every corner. It is also very homey that is why after you eat here you can feel that the bond of your family and friends become closer. When you see their menu board, it is quite overwhelming because the name is already delicious to read and there is a lot to choose from. The menu board that you can see here is only the half of the food that they are offering. They are still preparing for more and eventually will include it in their final menu board.

The money that you will spend here is very worthy because of their large servings per meal that could actually cater 3 – 5 persons. My cousin and I tried their famous dishes and I will not question it anymore why it is star – rated because all of it are deliciously mouth-watering. You’ll know it’s Abbiocco when in each big bite, your senses instantly come alive. With each dish intricately planned and plated down to the last detail, expect to discover a new dining experience that will make you want something bolder, bigger, and better than your usual favorites. The food that I’ll be stating here is arranged from my top favorite.

First is the Pinoy BBQ Baboy Back Ribs for 698 pesos. It is slow cooked tender and lean pork ribs marinated in local lime, soy sauce, and honey served with garlic mashed potato, whole kennel corn, and buttered vegetables. What I like in this food is that it looks hard to munch in but actually it is not. It is easy to bite and chew and the seasoning that they put perfectly blends together.

Second is Anton’s Salted Egg Fried Chicken Wings for 348 pesos. It is a fried chicken wings coated with salted egg sauce and Mango Avocado Salsa served with homemade fries and special dip. What makes me choose it is the name Anton because it is the name of Father which is also the name of Abbiocco’s chief. What I like in this chicken is that it tastes like Shakey’s Mojos but only in chicken wings form. I super like Mojos that’s why this food instantly become one of my favorite.

Third is Artle’s Garlic Confit Rib – eye Salpicao for 598 pesos. It is pan seared tender chunks of rib eye with garlic confit sauce, served with buttered vegetables and garlic rice. It is soft but chewy in a good way. One of the daughter of the owner suggested that this food is one Abbiocco’s specialty. So you might want to try it too when you visit them.

Fourth is the Guinataang Alimasag Sa Aligue for 998 pesos. It is steamed Visayan blue crab with salted egg sauce is coconut cream. This one is good too but it takes time to actually eat it because you have to peel the crabs first. I really don’t like eating food that needs to peel off first because it takes my time to do it but good thing Abbiocco have a plies to help me with my problem. I can finish eating it right away. With the taste, it never fails me because it is good and satisfying.

You may want to check the menu first because some of their dishes already have a rice. But in case you want to order a rice, they have varieties to choose from. We tried their Shrimp and Salted Egg Fried Rice for 188 pesos. It is a flavorful fried rice of salted eggs and shrimp. Of course, we ordered this because Filipinos are known to love fried rice and we can never missed trying out theirs.

They have different juices to choose from and we chose their mango juice and all four season. They also have a bar counter section if you want to have a chill night. The wines that you can see here is not yet complete because they still have a lot of liquors to be added.

Abbiocco offers a lot of room according to your liking. They have the common room which is the one that you can see upon entering the restaurant. The semi – private room which is located at the back if you want some intimate moment with your loved ones. The outside part of the restaurant if you want to feel the night or rain breeze. They also have a VIP room if you really want a privacy that can cater 8 people that costs 8,000 pesos for 2 hours.

They also have acoustic live band from 9:00 PM to 2:00 AM to make your Fridays and Saturdays more enjoyable. Craving already?! Get ready for a new dimension of flavor. A Gratifying, unique, and timeless. Welcome to Abbiocco Alternative Filipino.