Septuagenarian's Notes (4)

 By Ba Ipe (April 12, 2024)

 ON SMOKING E-CIGARETTES, VAPING

 In the April 11 youth roundtable discussions on tobacco regulation policies in the country, I came to understand that smoking and vaping are one dog with two different collars. From the discussions of three resource persons in a forum attended by young people, smoking and vaping are being promoted and nurtured by tobacco companies to give the same deleterious effects to smokers and vapers alike.

One of the discussants, Dr. Riz Gonzalez, chair of the Tobacco Control Advocacy Group of the Philippine Pediatric Society, likened by analogy that smoking and vaping is no different from jumping off from the same building. “What difference will it make if you jump off from the 40^th floor of a building or the 10^th floor of the same building?” she mused before a crowd of young journalists, students, and public servants. “You’ll end up dead anyway with your body mangled beyond recognition.”

The other discussants were Dr. Maricar Limpin, chair of the steering committee of the Philippine Coalition on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, and Au Quilala, advocacy and partnerships manager of the Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development. The roundtable forum was hosted by Vital Strategies, an NGO.

The forum tackled the pressing issues on the promotion of vapes and e-cigarettes among young people. Just a personal note: Despite my advanced age of 70, I was fortunate to be invited to participate. It gave me a pleasure to interact with young people. “Anyway, I was once a young person like you,” I said. It was my way to lighten the situation and squeeze in the discussions.

The discussants noted that with the vape and e-cigarette industry targeting Filipino youth, turning the country into a manufacturing hub for e-cigarettes puts the nation at risk of an epidemic of EVALI, or e-cigarette or vape-associated lung injury. “According to the latest Global Youth Tobacco Survey, one out of every seven Filipino youth aged 13-15 is now using vapes. This alarming trend is not a coincidence but a result of the tobacco industry’s calculated marketing tactics targeting the youth,” said Limpin.

“We’ll not sit idly by and turn a blind eye to the predatory practices of this industry. By allowing the Philippines to position itself as a manufacturing hub, we are essentially paving the way for an EVALI epidemic,” Limpin said According to her, the PHL has at least seven recorded EVALI cases, but the number could go up suddenly as many young people develop addiction to the substances and chemicals used in vaping products.

EVALI is a medical condition that causes lung damage from the substances and other chemicals contained in vaping products. It is different from lung cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the two diseases associated with smoking. But the discussants said EVALI patients tend to be younger people. While cancer and CPD usually develop to smokers in their 40s, EVALI strikes even those, who are in their 20s or younger.

There are no available data on deaths and injuries arising from use of vaping products herer, but the discussants feared an equally sudden rise of EVALI cases here because of increased vape activity. Shortly before the outbreak of the global pandemic, or sometime in Nov., 2019, the Department of Health (DoH) reported the first EVALI case in the country – a 16-year old girl from the Visayas, who was using both cigarettes and vape. In 2020, or shortly the pandemic, the U.S. has more than 3,000 reported EVALI cases with 66 deaths.

For her part, Quilala spoke on the necessity to revisit the existing public policies on vaping, which the possible return to 21 years from the current 18 years the legal age to vape and the mandate for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), not the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI, to regulate vaping in the country. She also called for stricter implementation of the vaping laws and regulations.

Gonzales, meanwhile, debunked what manufacturers claimed that vaping is risk free and that it could be a good alternative to smoking. That was the line being propagated by e-cigarette and vape product manufacturers, she said. It was because data were limited during the pre-pandemic days, she said.

But when further researches were made and data have tickled it, using e-cigarettes and vaping could be equally as dangerous as smoking, she said. Manufacturers have been using substances and chemicals that could cause addition and lead to debilitating effects to the user’s health, she said. This was something that was not exactly considered by policymakers.

The three discussants agreed on the perceived existence of a strong pro-vaping lobby to favor the use of e-cigarettes and vaping products. They also agreed to the perception that they have been employing “trickery” to influence the policymakers. #

SEPTUAGENARIAN'S NOTES (3)

By Ba Ipe (April 11, 2024)

GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

IT was my first time to attend a marriage renewal ceremony. I did not know a damn thing about its nature, mechanics, and commitment. I was fortunate to be invited by netizen friend Gilbert “Bing” Mayores to attend his marriage renewal ceremony with wife Erma in the middle class Marikina City. It was their 50th wedding anniversary. It was held last Saturday, or on April 6.

Going to the renewal ceremony was an ordeal for an old man like me (am 70 yo). I got lost in the urban jungle of Marikina City. As a long-time Kyusi resident, I’m not familiar with this shoe capital city. To make the long story short, I arrived late at the Church ceremony. But I took the matter into my own hands and went straight to the reception restaurant in another barangay. I arrived on time as the reception ceremony was about to start.

I met Bing and Erma, family, and friends. I sat next to Bing’s classmate and childhood mate and best friend, the prominent retired Ambassador Shulan Primavera, a career diplomat who represented the country’s mission in Egypt, Indonesia, and Kuwait, his wife, and brother Noel, and several other friends. We had grand time exchanging notes. But that was another story.

The reception ceremony started with a Christian pastor, whose name I did not get, leading another marriage renewal ceremony. I was astonished to learn in his preceremony remarks that the phrase “till death do us part” was essentially a biblical phrase in the Book of Ruth and that the phrase was mentioned by the husband not to his wife but to his in-laws.

The ceremony proceeded smoothly with the pastor, asking a series of three questions to reaffirm and reconfirm the couple’s undying commitment to keep the marriage until their last breath. I could only heave a sigh of surprise on what appears to be the ultimate necessity for reaffirmation on a marriage that has been working over the last fifty years.

The approach was a superfluity, although I have kept my distance and avoided unnecessary comment. But I was deeply impressed by the solemnity of the occasion. I could only marvel at the couple’s will to continue and keep what they pledged fifty years ago. What dawned on me was the strength of the couple's determination to finish on a high note what they have started many moons ago.

I saw Bing and Erma’s kids and partners, and grandkids too taking the center stage during the reception ceremony to indicate what I could describe a basically happy marriage. They wore those smiles to show their love and care for the couple on that special occasion. I’m reminded by what Ann Landers, an American advice columnist, said: “Sensual pleasures have the fleeting brilliance of a comet; a happy marriage has the tranquility of a lovely sunset.”

Of course, the marriage renewal ceremony had the usual clichés restating that it is a function of years of the couple’s struggle to weather all the storms in their marriage. The couple was more than glad to reconfirm that theirs is a never smooth sailing process and the moments of trepidation and bewilderment have their funny and tragic share during the course of their union.

On that note, I could say in my heart what the French author once said: “A happy marriage is a long conversation which always seems too short.” I could only raise my glass of wine to toast Bing and Erma’s fulfilling marriage. #

Septuagenarian’s Notes (2)

By Ba Ipe

(April 4, 2024)

ON TURNING 70

AN apocryphal post by a netizen-friend is most poignant and touching: “Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many.” True. Reaching 70 is a privilege. It’s a blessing by all means. But it entails imperatives. What if I reach 70? What do I intend to do?

In my case, I’ve encountered serious introspection. Now that I’m 70, what follows? What’s next? This introspection is tantamount for setting goals in the last quarter of my life. Frankly, I want to end everything not with a bang like the suicide bombers of some Middle East countries or the mad assassins in the U.S., who shoot and kill every person in sight for no apparent reason. I want to end it my way, so the old song goes.

I’m healthy at 70. Except for back pains caused by sciatica when I had an accident in mid-20s, I’ve no other health issues. My heart is pumping well. My blood does not get sweeter unlike others. I urinate well because my prostate is not huge to block its flow. I savor the sweet sound of my favorite songs and ogle at the beauty of every passing woman. Except for the loss of hair in my mid-20s, I’m a winner of the genetic lottery.

Moreover, my thought process is intact. I still remember the many details that have happened in my life. My memory remains keen – almost pornographic, er, er photographic. I am always proud of my functioning and intact memory, which I ably used in my journalistic career. I can still use it even if I settle for a second career n retirement.

In my estimate, I’m good for another ten or 15 years. If I am a little lucky, I could follow the way of my Ingkong Nick, my diminutive maternal grandfather, who took life at his own terms. He did not get sick all through the years. When he felt it was time to go, he just quit living and died in his sleep at 96. He was never a burden to his kids. I don’t intend to reach the sweet centennial age and earn a windfall of P100,000.

Frankly, I have come to terms that I’ve reached 70, an age that could be the start of being a real senior citizen. They say it’s the “senior of the seniors,” or just “very senior,” to be exact. Hence, I’ve set goals, which I expect to fulfill in the coming years. Since writing is my training and skill, I intend to use it to fulfill my objectives.

I intend to focus on bookwriting, aiming to finish at least three books this year. I’ve finished the first and printed copies came out in December last year – “KILL KILL KILL Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines; Crimes Against Humanity v. Rodrigo Duterte Et Al.” My first book is a documentation of the bloody but failed war on drugs of the madman from the South. It is now undergoing second printing and new copies will come out in May.

I am finishing my second book – “BUMPS Fifty Years of Dictatorship and Democracy in the Philippines (1972-2022).” I expect to complete it by the end of this month. My second book chronicles the events that transpired on the conflicting themes of authoritarianism (or dictatorship) and democracy over the last 50 years of our political history. Printed copies could come out by July this year.

Immediately after the completion of my second book, I intend to work on the third book, which is the compilation of my posts – serious, sarcastic, humorous, or borderline – over the last 15 years I was in social media. The materials are readily available. All I have to do is to sort them out in the three or four months and a book is in the offing. It has no title yet.

I intend to write two or books for 2025 and one of them could dwell on the peace talks between the Philippine government and the outlawed National Democratic Front (NDF) and the various forces under its wings. It is an open and close negotiations and I intend to document the peace process. It is still up in the air. Nothing is final yet.

There is an old adage that the prize of life is when a person does the things he loves most. I love writing. It’s the only thing that I know best. My thinking at the moment is to use my skill to document what has happened in this country. Since so many people are obsessed to document a big part of our history. I intend to fill that gap.

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SEPTUAGENARIAN'S NOTES

 (April 3, 2024)

By Philip M. Lustre Jr.

Japan’s military governors in the PHL

Japan occupied the Philippines for three and a half years during the Second World War. In 1942-1945, Japan had four Japanese military governors: Masaharu Homma; Shizuichi Tanaka; Shigenori Kuroda; and Tomoyuki Yamashita. The High Command in Tokyo appeared not satisfied with the performance of the first three military governors. This explained they did not last long in their posts.

Unbeknown to many Filipinos, the four military governors had overseas stints as Japan’s military attaches in several countries like the United States and British India. Homma, the most senior, served as a military attache in United Kingdom. Kuroda was a military attache in U. K. (England) and British India, while Tanaka served as one in Mexico and the U.S. Tanaka studied English literature in Oxford University, mastering in Shakespearean works. Yamashita served as military attache in Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. Except Yamashita, who spoke fluent German, the three military governors were proficient in English.

Contrary to popular beliefs, the four military governors were not cruel or hard-driving military generals, who ordered or tolerated abuses by the Japan Imperial Army soldiers, a number of whom were Korean and Taiwanese conscripts, who were given Japanese names and assigned here. They had differing temperaments to indicate their high education. Despite the rise of Japanese militarism during their time, they were assigned here under varying circumstances.

The task to conquer the Philippines fell on Gen. Homma, the first military governor. Because he failed to deliver PHL surrender on time, he was said to have derailed Japan’s overall timetable to conquer East Asia. Homma was an Army general, who was said to be against abuses by his soldiers. Homma presided over the Battle of Bataan, where Filipinos and American soldiers fought with unparalleled ferocity to delay the Japanese advancement here.

Because of the atrocities committed in the Bataan-Tarlac “death march,” Homma underwent trial and was convicted and hanged in 1946. Scholars later found out that Homma was engaged in bitter power struggle with fellow generals who opposed his predominantly Western values in the conduct of war and lenient attitude toward civilians. His fellow officers gave Tokyo negative reports about his performance in the Philippines leading to huis relief immediately after the May 6, 1942 fall of Corregidor.

Tanaka replaced Homma days after the surrender of Corregidor, where the last American and Filipino soldiers held out. Tanaka was a serious, old school soldier, who became the hero of the August 15, 1945 rebellion of middle ranking officers to oppose Japan’s surrender to the U.S. Tanaka president over the consolidation of Japanese forces here. Tanaka’s tenure here lasted only nine months after he contracted malaria here and went back to Japan to recuperate. He committed suicide when Japan surrendered.

Kuroda replaced Tanaka and led in the participation of Filipino leaders in Japan’s Occupation. It was under the tenure of this reputed fun-loving general that the Japanese sponsored Philippine Republic emerged. Kuroda nurtured Jose P. Laurel Sr. and other Filipino leaders like Jorge Vargas, Camilo Osias, among others. He was the longest serving Japanese military governor at 14 months.

But Kuroda was known for his womanizing ways. He was said to have fallen into the charms of several beautiful Filipino women, some of whom were movie actresses and entertainers. He was reported to have hosted parties, of which his superiors in Tokyo did not appreciate. Because he became notorious for his hedonistic and complacent ways, he was recalled in Tokyo and given an inconsequential assignment toward the end of the war. He was extradited to face trial here, but was given amnesty in 1952 by then President Elpidio Quirino. He died in the same year.

Yamashita, who earned the reputation as “Tiger of Malaya,” because he led the Japanese forces to press for the surrender of much bigger and powerful British soldiers in the Malay Peninsula, took over in 1944 at the waning days of the Japanese occupation and American Liberation forces about to land here. Contrary to popular beliefs, Yamashita was not the general responsible for the spate of abuses committed by Japanese soldiers at the 1945 Battle of Manila.

The responsibility for these misdeeds fell on Rear Admiral Sanji Iwabuchi, who commanded the Japanese Imperial Navy forces, which took over Manila after Yamashita’s Army forces retreated to the Cordilleras in northern Luzon. Under the Japanese military structure, the Japanese Imperial Army is separate from the Japanese Imperial Navy. Iwabuchi forces committed the Manila Massacre, where about 100,000 persons died during the pivotal Battle of Manila in 1945.

Iwabuchi committed suicide when it was certain that his forces faced defeat toward the end of the Battle of Manila. Yamashita, meanwhile, underwent trial after he surrendered towards the end of the war. He was hanged in 1946. Yamashita was more famous for the alleged treasures he looted in Malaya and Singapore, which he took when he was assigned here. The four Japanese military governors were said to be highly educated. They were not barbarians as painted by some irresponsible and uninformed quarters.#