An Afternoon with ‘No Other Papi’

Got up and found that it was rainy day. Having second thoughts on going through the Tagaytay trip but told myself I already accepted the invitation so I dragged my feet to head out.

The morning is chilly and wet so I boldly put on my leather jacket for its test run and braved the pouring rain. I was a bit late at the meeting spot but was graciously welcomed by the hosts. They offered me breakfast which I enjoyed – the BLT sandwich from Aristocrat upon they recommendation. Not really surprised that other attendees backed out, we headed to our next stop at the SLEX Petron station.

Most media friends were there when we arrived having their first meal of the day. I sighed with relief when the sun came out amidst the cloudy skies but the morning really got brighter when the star of the day came in. Derek Ramsey was very gracious and, from the small talk, everybody was very impressed with his demeanor. He was casual the way he dressed and carried himself that easily warmed him up with the group

The ride to Tagaytay Highlands was very smooth and foggy. We were greeted with a pineapple with mint quencher and enjoyed the crisp, fresh air. After the group photo session, we transferred to the Midlands clubhouse for the business of the day.

EastWest bank, our host, treated us to a hearty buffet lunch and shared highlights of their current campaign, the Dream Big, Win Big Raffle promo. Derek spoke to the group and delighted us with tidbits of his many road trips.

Most then got giddy when the one-on-one interview session got underway. In a very Pinoy-like manner, everyone pretended to be shy at first but eventually couldn’t resist being starstruck with Derek. I, for one, could not come up with any questions and just proceeded to have a picture taken to complete my day. I’m planning to come up with a business piece, anyway (excuses! excuses!)

Feeling a natural high, the mood just got a notch higher when the trivia game started. We were on our toes with the question on entertainment, geography and EastWest’s campaign. (Hey, the Free Gas promo is still on until November with every auto loan at EastWest bank!) With luck on our side, our group won. Thanks to the quick raise of the hand of Joba (had a nice time with you, girl).

Rain started to pour again as we headed back to Manila. For a kilometer or so, visibility was just beyond 8 to 10 feet. With an afternoon with ‘no other Papi’, this day is one for keeps.

Helminths among us

The country has three main endemic soil-transmitted helminths, the trichuris, ascaris, and hookworms. Helminth is a worm classified as a parasite.

Most infections are found in children and the number of worms that can infect a child vary. Moderate to heavy infections can result to poor absorption of nutrients, blood loss and poor utilization of iron. Helminths infection can lead to malnutrition and anemia, which in turn can lead to poor performance in school work, physical fitness and poor growth.

In a national study commissioned by the World Health Organization and performed by Dr. Lydia Leonardo of the Department of Parasitology showed that the prevalence of helminths vary widely for each worm.

According to the study, the most frequently encountered worm is trichuris. In 6 out of 39 provinces surveyed, more than half of the population has this worm. In 3 of these provinces, 7 to 8 out of 10 individuals would have trichuris. Children with trichuris, also known as the whip worm, suffer from poor performance in their verbal abilities. Three out of 10 children are infected by the whip worm.

In 3 out of 39 provinces, more than half of the population had ascaris or the roundworm. Five out of 10 children are infected by roundworms. Due to this particular infection, the children performed poorly in memory tests.

In 1 out of 39 provinces, hookworm was found in half of the population. Only one out of 10 children have been found with hookworm. This type of worm causes blood loss, anemia and eventually, stunting of physical of growth.

To protect your child from infection, imbibe in them the simple habit of hand washing seriously. Deworming treatment prevents transmission. Children should take deworming drugs twice yearly to be totally-free of helminths.

Other information courtesy of Dr. Juan Antonio Solon, Associate Professor, Dept. of Parasitology, College of Public Health, UP Manila