Bagumbayan reborn

To people in search of better governance and a leader, the launching of a Bagumbayan, a national movement composed of more than 30,000 volunteers was a clear sign that a political party has been formed and the candidacy of Richard Gordon sealed.

Two thousand delegates who paid for their own way from all walks of life and every corner of the country, including overseas Filipinos, flocked to the movement’s grand launching and national convention held at the Manila Hotel and contributed P17 million through individual contributions. Dick was quoted earlier as saying he left it to the party to nominate its presidential standard bearer in the 2010 election, and that if nominated and elected, he will accept.

I spoke with a senior-looking guy wearing an expensive embroidered barong what he thought of the launch and Gordon. He removed his eyeglasses, wiped them with a handkerchief and said, “It’s high time that we had a party like Bagumbayan, and a leader like Dick Gordon, who is an action man, who has demonstrated that social change must start with change in the hearts of individuals.”

The delegate, seated three rows behind Dick and wife Kate, looked around the sea of delegates wearing red shirts and blouses, and said, “Everyone here, plus thousands and thousands of our relatives, will vote for a leader like Dick.”

Leon B. Herrera, president of the Bagumbayan-Volunteers for a New Philippines Movement, said the party’s launch was timed with the anniversary of the Battle of Mactan because Lapu-Lapu, the first Filipino hero, is one of the movement’s inspirations.

Dick added to Lapu-Lapu the heroism of Jose Rizal and the citizens of Olongapo (when he was mayor there) who volunteered to rebuild Subic Naval Base after its devastation by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption and its abandonment by the US military forces. He talked about the volunteerism that young men demonstrated: world flyweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr., CNN Hero nominee Efren Penaflorida, Journey band lead vocalist Arnel Pineda, and Chikka.com founder Dennis Mendiola.

A teary-eyed Dick said there is a need to abandon the “transactional politics” of the country’s “corrupt leaders.” He said, “Change ourselves first, before we change our leaders.” The crowd roared in agreement. He added, “What this country needs is not just a change OF men, but a change IN men.”

I have personally seen Dick work as a legislator and administrator — as the youngest Constitutional Convention delegate, as Olongapo City mayor, as head of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, as secretary of Tourism, and as senator.

Opinion polls have named other presidentiables, but not him. But the Issues and Advocacy Center (The Center), in its Pulso ng Pilipino yearend poll conducted from Jan. 6 to 9, 2009, showed him as registering a two percent increase in voters’ preference for president as compared to the previous survey of October 2008. According to a press report, the independent survey firm explained that people are more likely to choose leaders who actually work on curbing corruption in the country.

Dick was quoted as saying, “I am glad and humbled that our people appreciate the work we do in the Senate. This modest gain however validates what the people demand from their leaders, that is to lead a no- nonsense fight against graft and corruption.”

At the Bagumbayan launch, Dick said people have asked why Bagumbayan was chosen as the party’s name. Because, he replied, it was in Bagumbayan (the Luneta) where Rizal was killed, and it is from that scene that a new nation is born.

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A word on Dennis Mendiola, who is a volunteer with the Philippine National Red Cross, of which Dick is president. Dennis had seen, and admired, the leadership qualities of Dick at Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority. He held the position of deputy administrator for corporate planning at SBMA, where he primarily oversaw the development and privatization of SBMA’s facilities. Dennis graduated summa cum laude at the Wharton School in Pennsylvania, and finished his MBA with honors from Harvard Business School. He won several awards for business and public service: TOYM 2007, Agora Award for Marketing, Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Technology, and Go Negosyo Award for Entrepreneurship. Dennis is the founding CEO of Chikka, and managing director at Next Century Partners, a company he helped to set up for Philippine investments.

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In the aftermath of the suicide of broadcast personality Ted Failon’s wife Trina, the question on why people commit suicide has been in the air. Why, indeed, do people commit suicide? What factors contribute to their decision to end their existence voluntarily? Could they have been prevented from killing themselves?

These questions were answered at last Tuesday’s Bulong Pulungan sa Sofitel by Dr. Ma. Cynthia Agustin, medical specialist, assistant chief of outpatient department of the National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong, and Dr. Geoffrey Cruzada, medical officer for the same center. Both doctors emphasized the need for relatives and confidantes to listen — and not just hear — to expressions of potential suicide victims. Many depressed persons say they want to end their life, and some even give details as to the means to do so, like rope for hanging, and pills. “Suicide is a cry for help, not of cowardice,” said Dr. Cruzada. “We should watch for signs, we ought to be watchful and supportive.”

Dr. Agustin said 95 percent of suicides are caused by mental illness, and 80 percent of these by depression. Suicide is most common among 45 and above males, and from 15 to 44 years old for women. More males commit suicide, but more females attempt it. The males, said Dr. Cruzada, use more aggressive means like shooting and by hanging, and the females use the slow-ending means like taking an overdose of drugs. 

The most common causes of depression leading to suicide occur among divorced persons, some singles, the unemployed, and those living in “chaotic” family situations.

There are no statistics on suicides in the Philippines, but the specialists said more incidents take place in urban areas where emotional pressures are high. Figures in the US for 2003 said 30,000 committed suicide, making suicide the eighth highest cause of death. Altogether, 600,000 attempted suicide.

There are institutions that do “crisis intervention,” that is, to help counsel potential suicide victims. The counseling services are provided by psychiatric trainees from Makati Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center, Medical City, and UERMMMC for free.

If it’s any consolation, a good number of doctors also commit suicide — psychiatrists, ophthalmologists and anesthesiologists, and that’s presumably due to the emotional burden they bear from exposure to suicide victims, and their having access to death methods as medication.

Although it was not said at the Bulong Pulungan, I remember when I was young, Jullie writing something that should prevent depression from broken relationships, “No man is worth shedding more than one tear.” Amen.

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