Outstanding Kapampangan cites importance of health services

• Source:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/2015/12/15/outstanding-kapampangan-cites-importance-health-services-447117
• Tuesday, December 15, 2015

By Ian Ocampo Flora

CLARK FREEPORT -- Sr. Eloisa L. David, O.S.B., a native of Porac, Pampanga, shortly after she received the Most Outstanding Kapampangan Award (MOKA) in the field of social service at the Holiday Inn Clark on December 11, highlighted the importance of health and social services in nation building.

“The services on health touch the lives of people,” David said.

David, who celebrated her 73rd birthday one day before the highlight of the founding anniversary of the province, issued the statements after she was asked on why she and Governor Lilia Pineda are both passionate in delivering health services to the people.

“The projects of the governor on health are admirable. They are really needed by the people. We must really help, especially the sick and poor ones,” said David, sister of the late Porac Mayor Roy David.

A registered nurse and doctor, David is the aunt of former Second District Board Member and Porac councilor bet Fritzie David-Dizon and Porac Vice-Mayor Dexter David.

“I am happy for Fritzie and Dexter. They are in public service just like their parents,” said David. The late former Acting Pampanga Governor Edna De Ausen David was the wife of the former mayor.

“I do my mission differently compared to them. But we serve the same people,” she added.

David organzied the The Kapansanan ng Kawarayan at Kakurian Foundation, Inc. (KaKak) Foundation. Inc. It operates in Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Pampanga, Bukidnon and Antique.

Last October, Mayor Condralito De La Cruz, Vice Mayor David and David-Dizon led the opening of the Mother Bles Birthing Clinic at the Porac Model Community, a resettlement area for Mt. Pinatubo victims in Barangay Pio. The birthing clinic is under the supervision Kakak whose chief operating officer is David.

David-Dizon said the establishment of the birthing station “is most welcome in a thickly populated area such as the one in Pio where there are many young people and teenagers.”

She cited data of the United Nations Population Fund-Philippines (UNFPA). It said pregnancy among girls under the age of 20 increased by 65 percent over a 10-year period, from 2000-2010, despite a reverse trend in teen marriages, which is on the decline, according to the National Statistics Office (NSO).

In 2010, live births by teenage mothers registered with the NSO were 207,898, compared with 126,025 in 2000. On the other hand, teenage marriages registered with the agency shows a slow but steady decline from 14.8 per cent in 2000 to 13 percent in 2010.

The Department of Health said there is a high risk of maternal deaths among young mothers.

“We hail both the governor and my aunt, Sister David for focusing on health and pregnancy problems,” said David-Dizon. Vice Mayor David said their aunt recently sent four Aetas to Leyte. They will study midwifery.

“Their expenses, including transportation and scholarships, were shouldered by Sister David,” said the vice mayor.

“Once they are done studying, the four Aetas will help in running the birthing stations of Kakak in the Porac Aeta villages, including Barangay Kamias,” he added.