The Freudian Slip Of A Bacolodnon

After having survived T.S. Frank, I am back in business in my area of assignment, Candoni. The first thing I did when I arrived was to attend to administrative concerns (e.g. payroll, papers, vouchers, etc). I then attended the Municipal Nutrition Council meeting which was also attended by all department heads and representatives from other lead agencies. The mayor of course, Mayor Cicero Borromeo, presided over the meeting. The agenda was largely about the upcoming Nutrition Month activities. The MHO will be spearheading the Well-Baby Contest. The winner of the contest will represent Candoni during the Interlocal Health Zone Well Baby competition. The following day, Representatives from the D.O.H. conducted the training workshop for Botika ng Barangay operators in Candoni. I have always wanted to establish BnB's in Candoni. When I met with the Barangay Captains earlier in January 2007, I was already pushing for them to put up their own BnB. As of this morning, all 9 barangays have...

T.S. Frank wanted us all to stay in Bohol and so we did. Yesterday, T.S. Frank arrived in the vicinity of Central and Western Visayas. All trips coming in and out of Bohol were cancelled. There was no leaving the island of the tarsiers. In fact, during the Bohol tour the day earlier, the weather was already uncooperative. We did manage to enjoy the tour though despite the bad weather. We went to the Blood Compact monument, visited the tarsiers near Loboc, climbed 214 steps to see the chocolate hills frosted in early morning fog, went on a river cruise in Loboc River over a floating restaurant, entertained by youngsters singing on a floating raft at the very end of the river and visited the Baclayon Church, the second oldest church in the Philippines. From there we went to a souvenir shop to buy "pasalubong". But it was really a tough day yesterday. We spent the entire morning in the pier waiting for news. By around 1 pm the management declared all trips cancelled. Good thing ...

After a week of imbibing the lessons taught, insights learned and stories shared, I have decided to write down my own personal learnings from this experience. Let me say at the onset that I am thankful for such an opportunity. Lessons Learned About Myself. I am unique. I am different. I have a different set of values, a different set of beliefs, a different background. While I share some of these values and beliefs with other people, I am mostly distinct. I can be imitated but I can never be duplicated. I can be emulated but never replaced. No body in the world is exactly like me. I see things differently. I have formed within myself a different set of principles. These are perhaps brought about by the influences of my family, my school, my religion and my community. I have acquired from each domain fragments from which I have formed my image of self. Nonetheless, my awareness of my uniqueness is not, and should never be, a source of self-righteousness or vanity. While I take pride o...

Second day here in Bohol and I am beginning to learn more about myself, and especially about others. I am learning my type of personality and how I can improve on my strengths and intervene in order to correct my flaws. This morning we have learned the 7 habits of effective people by Steve Covey. It was my first time to hear about these 7 habits and I found them to be very very effective. According to Steve Covey, there are three things which one should deal with life in order to be effectve: Private Victory, Public Victory and Renewal. He then divided the 7 habits according to their respective domains. The first three habits belong to the Private Victory. They are 1) Be Proactive 2) Begin with the end in mind and 3) First things first. The second three habits belong to the Public Victory. They are 4) Win/Win 5) Seek first to understand then to be understood and 6) synergize. The last habit is more of a renewal, 7) sharpening the saw. Somehow I am beginning to learn how to deal with my...

I'm here in Bohol, once again, this time attending the Health Leadership and Management Program Training, sponsored by Zuellig Foundation. Our venue is in Bohol Plaza Resort, a nice hotel nestled above the mountains of Panglao Island. It has a nice view overlooking the main Bohol island. From here I could almost imagine the chocolate hills. The last time I was here was during the AMHOP. I wasn't able to join the tour then because I had to go home early. I had scheduled an important activity in Candoni that I needed to be there by Sunday. This time, I heard an extra day will be spent for us participants to go on tour around Bohol. I was in Cebu yesterday and spent the night there. This morning, I rode on a ferry and travelled to the venue along with doctors from Leyte. I am blogging from the mess hall of the hotel. Their wi-fi is kinda expensive: 100 pesos for an hour. "Daw na dudla ko" but since "nagasto naman lang gid" I decided to link up and update my ant...

In honor of our first year anniversary as doctors. Dream sky high, Class 2006.

Here are snapshots of the Independence Day Celebrations in Candoni, Negros Occidental.

I will be leaving for Bohol next week, for another training this time sponsored by the Zuellig Foundation. The training is modular, with three modules. The first module is scheduled this June 16-20. The training is entitled Health Leadership and Management program. It was designed specifically to help supervisors, administrators and health managers become better equipped as health leaders. I will be travelling to Bohol via Cebu by bus. Accommodations are covered by the Zuellig Foundation. I was told that of the many applicants, only 30 were allowed per batch. Prior to attending this training, I was sent a questionnaire to answer and a survey form to reproduce. I needed 3 people to answer the survey, sort of an evaluation about me. I asked my DOH representative Mrs. Eleanor Manzano, fellow doctor Dra. Annabelle Guardiario and Mdiwife-NTP coordinator Mrs. Raelyn Siervo, to answer the evaluation form. I am happy that Mayor Cicero Borromeo, Mayor of Candoni, allowed me to attend this 5-day...

pictures taken from boracay 2008