Let’s not worry about eating pork

While it’s true that we should be careful about what we consume, I think the worry about the African swine fever is being blown out of proportion. Certain cities and provinces have been tagged as positive for infected pork, but overall these batches are already being handled and culled properly.

Besides doctors have already assured consumers that the fever is only being passed from hog to hog and not from pig to human. I suppose though that it would only make sense for people to be scared considering all the news they’ve seen of animal diseases mutating and targeting humans. We’ve seen our fair share. And with the sudden rise in dengue again this year, people are being extra cautious.

However, caution should always be paired with insight and common sense as well. I’m not saying we should overindulge in pork. That is actually not a good idea as well. I’m just saying that we shouldn’t panic every time we read about things. We should do our own research and make informed decisions. This actually doesn’t just apply to pork, but to everything.

People tend to jump straight to panic when something happens, which is not a good thing because no good decisions are ever made during times of panic. As far as this pork issue goes, I think the most important pieces to read are the ones from doctors and scientists and then based on the information, decide on whether to keep pork on the menu.

Personally, I think pork once in a while is okay. We still continue to eat pork chops, chicken and pork adobo, and the like. But in limited quantities. Everything is okay in moderation and shouldn’t be overdone. Plus with the impact meat and processing have on the environment there is a good case for going meatless once in a while too. It’s not just good for our health, but good for Mother Earth too.

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In good news, on the other hand, there has been news this past week that pharmaceutical companies are going to reduce their medicine prices “substantially” to help Filipinos cope with the high healthcare and treatment costs in the country. This news came from the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP) and is welcome news for everyone suffering from illnesses and needing medication.

The cost of healthcare in the country is tremendous – one of the highest in Southeast Asia (if not the highest) – and anyone who has ever been sick or has had a loved one or family member be sick understands the burden of the entire medical process from diagnosis, to treatment, to after-care.

PHAP further went on to say that they would not only be looking at price reductions but would be working with their member organizations and the government to look for ways to reduce costs and hassles to patients for the whole medical journey. This would be such a worthwhile and welcome assistance to so many Filipino patients suffering from dreaded diseases.

Included in this initiative are several innovative medications that would otherwise be far too expensive for the average Filipino. Hopefully, if PHAP, the multinational pharma companies, and the government can come to a sustainable arrangement, the burden of care could be alleviated in the country and more people could afford the life-saving medication that will not only treat them but also elevate their quality of life.

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Last week, population control officials called on President Duterte to declare teenage pregnancy a national emergency that, if left unchecked, could lead to a further population explosion for the Philippines. As it is, we are already such a large population and growing by the day. We need to find ways to help curb this problem before it’s too late.

Overpopulation has always been a problem in the Philippines. Coupled with so much of our large population being densely packed into certain areas and we have a legitimate crisis. We see it daily in how many people are struggling to get by on limited resources. The lines to commute are ridiculous and there just doesn’t seem to be enough resources, jobs, or even just space for everyone.

Some companies are doing their part by opening offices in provincial areas and helping decongest the metro. But this is just one part of the multi-pronged attack we should be launching to help alleviate the population crisis.

Addressing the rising rates of teenage pregnancy is something we should do and soon. A combination of proper sex education early on is one step. Many children aren’t educated properly, which is part of the problem. And hopefully, they can make better more informed decisions. The reason this wasn’t discussed in schools before is that adults worried this reproductive health education may cause promiscuity, but think I we can all agree that no education is doing that too. It’s time to address the situation head-on.