Aquino leads Billy Esposo's book launch
President Benigno S. Aquino III led Friday in
Makati City the book launch of Philippine Star columnist and Philippine Legion
of Honor Awardee William Esposo about his struggles to cope with Chronic Kidney
Disease (CKD).
The launch of Esposo’s book entitled “Surviving
Chronic Kidney Disease: The Billy Esposo Kidney Diaries” was sponsored by Anvil
Publishing Inc., Powerbooks and Novartis Healthcare Philippines Inc.
The book puts together the journals of Esposo, a
certified foodie, diagnosed with chronic renal disease in 1999. These 94
entries of his hemodialysis and kidney transplant experiences span a period of
28 months.
Esposo heeded the advice of his colleagues and
doctors to share his kidney saga in a book. Physicians said Esposo’s wealth of
experience after undergoing hemodialysis in 25 months and 10 years of
experience in kidney transplantation could help new and potential sufferers of
CKD.
In his message, the President said Esposo’s book
is a good weapon to help Filipinos who have the same illness.
“I’m sure that this book will find its way into
the shelves of many nephrologists and become a useful resource for many of our
countrymen,” the President said. “This book might come as a surprise especially
as it gives an account of not only the physical trials, the terror of
cyberspace he had to endure but also the spiritual and emotional trials that
came with it.”
The President said that while he, as government
servant, works to strengthen public health programs and coverage, and while
medical professionals attend to the health and needs of their patients, Esposo
is attacking the problem from a different angle.
The book seeks to make sense of suffering and
illness without compromising the painful realities of such condition and to
show other sufferers not to give up, he said.
“I’m certain and I speak for everyone when I say
that we are all glad to be here today. Twelve years after he began his dialysis
treatments to celebrate a milestone in both the health and career of a good
friend and perhaps even a milestone for all others who continue to battle this
disease,” the President said.
CKD is listed by the health department as the
10th leading cause of mortality in the Philippines. Around 10,000 Filipinos are
afflicted with CKD each year.
There are over 100 million in the world who
suffer from the painful disease. Global data notes that there are 240 million
diabetics in the world and around 40 percent of them will have CKD.
Hypertension is the major cause of CKD,
according to health experts. Currently, there are one billion people throughout
the world who are hypertensive.
Aside from being a terminal health problem, CKD
is one of the costly diseases to treat. Global figures estimate that treating
all afflicted person could cost $1 trillion a year, a very huge expenditure
that could strain the budgets even in developed countries. (as/1:32pm)
Palace renews commitment to bring perpetrators
of Maguindanao massacre to justice
Malacanang said it remains committed to bring
the perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre to justice as the country marks
1,000 days of the brutal killings that happened in November 2009.
Journalists, press freedom advocates, families
of victims, and artists will hold a vigil this Sunday in Quezon City marking
the 1,000th day since the infamous Maguindanao massacre claimed more than 50
lives on November 23, 2009.
“On the part of the Executive we do continue to
listen to their concerns. We have said this in the past, the offer of security
still stands if there are families of the victims who would like to avail of
that security, of that protection,” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail
Valte said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.
“Likewise, the order of the President to our
prosecutors istill stands to avoid any delay on the part of the prosecution,
and also to fight any delay that maybe proposed, any dilatory tactics that
maybe done by the other party. That order still stands,” she added.
According to the National Union of Journalists of
the Philippines the vigil will start at 4 p.m. at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani
near the corner of EDSA and Quezon Avenue. The vigil will last until 9 a.m.
Monday.
Among the media organizations joining the vigil
are the NUJP, Philippine Press Institute, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa
Pilipinas, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and networks ABS-CBN
and GMA7.
The Ampatuan clan, which controlled dozens of
militiamen, has been blamed for the Maguindanao massacre. Among the victims
include the rival Mangudadatu clan members, their supporters and media workers
who were traveling in a convoy when they were halted by gunmen.
Of the 196 officials, police and militiamen
accused in the case, 96 were arrested and 76 were arraigned. However 100 of
them, including some of the Ampatuans, have remained at large. (as/3:53pm)
