Entrepreneurial Farmer

Ambrosio R. Villorente

Health Care In Oregon, USA

Dr. Makarius Tel Aviv Dela Cruz III is one of the members of the Group Study Exchange (GSE). As such, he visited the State of Oregon, USA in April – May 2013.

GSE is one of the people to people program of the Rotary International. It is geared to promote mutual understanding between and among countries visited. It is also aimed to foster friendship and promote peace among nations.

Dr. Dela Cruz’ GSE team of five members was composed of other professionals from Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Zamboanga. They were sponsored by their respective Rotary Clubs. The Rotary Club of Kalibo (RCK) sponsored Dr. Makarius Dela Cruz. Out of 18 finalists, five of them were finally selected by the search committee to compose the team.

During the regular meeting of RCK held on Tuesday evening, July 30, Dr. Dela Cruz rendered his travel report through a power point presentation. 

He talked about his travel experiences, people he met, their activities, places and projects visited. Dr. Dela Cruz reported about his host families in Oregon and their impressions about Filipinos and the Philippines. 

Since he is a practicing physician, Dr. Dela Cruz gave more attention to the health care program. He showed more pictures of and commented on the hospitals he visited, its medical staff, financing, administration, supplies and materials with particular emphasis on patient management. 

He described one hospital situated in a small city in Oregon which he compared with the Ati Atihan town of Kalibo, having a hospital 10 times the size of DRSTMH.

Hearing this, one in the audience remarked: In Oregon, they build hospitals, in New Washington they build cemetery.

Three Years of 

Binay As Vice President

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay rendered his accomplishment covering the period July 2010 to June 2013.

As a housing czar of the Aquino Administration, he reported the production of 333,133 housing units constructed valued at P26,299.52 million. 

Specifically, Binay led in the following: 1. the awarding of 16 initial housing units to Nabuklod Aeta families in Floridablanca, Pampanga; 2. ground breaking of Philippine Heart Center Housing Project in Marikina City; 3. provide 2000 housing units to Badjaos in Sibitu, Tawi Tawi; 4. Construction of 2,775 housing units for a business firm in Zambales; 5. construction of houses for 21,800 soldiers and police officers; 6. some 8,534 housing units in Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal will be fully completed in 2014; 7. In Manila, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Pasig, Mandaluyong, and Navotas Cities, some 6,680 housing units will be completed in 2014.

Well and good. So much housing units are constructed in Luzon especially in Metro Manila. No mention of Visayas and Mindanao except in Tawi Tawi.

This provision of low cost housing projects in Metro Manila magnetizes the people in the provinces to go to these said places.

It is now overdue to improve the social and economic conditions in the Visayas and Mindanao to halt the exodus of people to converge in Metro Manila. The government through Vice President Binay must review the housing program and give more attention to the housing needs of people in the Visayas and Mindanao.

People in the depressed areas will refrain from leaving their places if their socio economic conditions are being improved. 

The provision of proper housing is one of the needs. /MP