Pinoy Kidneys for Sale

A Filipino documentary on TV before featured kidney selling in the Philippines. The documentary created a stir and public debate since it is a social issue that is link primarily to poverty. The documentary discussed how foreign nationals exploited the poverty of the Filipinos by offering them big amount of money in exchange for their kidneys. People may question it but I really believed that the documentary is an eye opener to everyone including the DOH.

Just recently the Department of Health (DOH) said with finality that they will not anymore give consideration to foreign nationals when it comes to organ donation. The approval of Administrative Order No. 124 or the revised national policy on living non related donors and transplantation prohibit organ donations to foreigners.

I congratulate the DOH for the job well done. I hope that this will be an end to organ transplant exploitation.

Luchi Cruz Valdes

I really admire Luchi Cruz Valdes. She has an unquestionable credibility. She’s an asset to the Philippine News Industry. I recently learned that the QC RTC has junked the breach of contract lawsuit filed by GMA Network against Luchi Cruz Valdes. If you remember Luchi resigned from GMA Network in 2001 and accepted the offer of ABS CBN News and Current Affairs. GMA Network then filed a case against Luchi that prevented her from working for over 8 months (28 December 2001 – 20 August 2002).

Luchi said in an interview a couple of years ago that being unable to work for about a year is a blessing in disguise. A baby was conceived during that period and she was able to take a much needed rest. Winning the case for Luchi against GMA Network is just a bonus. To Luchi! Congratulations and God bless.

Enrile says no to Senate Inquiry on MV Princess of Stars

The capsized MV Princess of Stars is another media mileage for aspiring presidentiables in the senate. It is therefore not surprising if the publicity hungry senators would want to open up an investigation on the ill fated ship. We all know that Philippine Senators abuse their power to investigate. They would always insist that their investigations are done in aid of legislation. However, years of investigations on several issues did not produce any laws. Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, the Senate Chair on Services Committee that gave away franchises to shipping companies, refused another Senate Inquiry saying that that the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) should deal with the investigation process. The results of BMIs investigation can be used by the senate in order to formulate new laws that would prevent another sea tragedy in the future.

The Princess of the Stars Tragedy

I couldn’t understand why the Philippine Coast Guard allowed the ‘Princess of the Stars’ to sail despite the fact that a typhoon is brewing in the country. Ships sinks on good weather but the propensity of Ship sinking in a bad weather is so much higher. We are now left with hundreds of grieving families of the passengers who died when the ship capsized.

The government, Sulpicio Lines (owner of the capsized ship) and the families of the victims are now pointing fingers on who really are responsible for the tragedy that could have been prevented. I pity the families of the victims because no amount of insurance money could commensurate to the lives that were lost.

The government is now on the process of retrieving the dead bodies of the passengers and officers. Identifying the dead bodies will follow. It is very important for the families get their corpses (dead relatives) in order to have a closure.

This will never be the first or the last sea tragedy. The Philippines is an archipelago and sea disaster is very common. The safest travel so far is the air travel. The airline industry should come up with inexpensive and affordable fares so that passengers will have an alternative to the very dangerous sea travel.