by Alyanna Nicole Hidalgo | Ikirara
Pursuant of its goal to embody the advocacies of Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health (VYLH), The UPLB Genetics Society (GeneSoc) spearheaded the second virtual orientation of VYLH-Los Baños Division on August 28, 2021 via Zoom. As one of the pioneer members of VYLH-Philippines, GeneSoc hosted the event and invited individuals and representatives from other partner organizations in hopes of further spreading awareness about VYLH and its campaigns.
To kickstart the orientation, Assistant Professor Ivy Amor Lambio, the current Junior Adviser of The UPLB Genetics Society, warmly welcomed everyone with her opening remarks.
The first speaker of the event was Ms. Mary Antonette Perez, secretariat of Proactive Kabilin, which is a team that aims to provide health education activities for women in the reproductive age and training for the youth and health workers in the community. Ms. Perez’s discussion focused on the importance of folic acid to the human body. She shared how 70% of neural birth defects (e.g. spina bifida and anencephaly) are avoided with the regular intake of folic acid, accompanied with a proper diet. She then emphasized that everyone, especially pregnant women and women of reproductive age, needs to take action by taking 0.4 mg of folic acid daily.
Ms. Perez mentioned that there is a call for intensive campaigns due to the low awareness of the significance of folic acid supplementation in the country. In utmost conviction, she empowered everyone by highlighting how each individual can become advocates for a healthier future by joining their campaign while also reiterating her main point of the universal importance of folic acid supplementation.
The next speaker was Ms. Jeanne Ruth Basas, the current Vice President of VYLH NCR-South Cluster. She shared an insightful discussion on the importance of preconception health, wherein preparations made by both men and women before conception or during the early stages of pregnancy can help identify and modify the risks to a woman’s health and pregnancy outcomes. She mentioned that birth defects are one of the top 20 causes of death in the Philippines, with poor preconception health being one of the 10 leading causes of infant conditions such as congenital malformations. Assessment of preconception health could be done through the comprehensive Healthy Lifestyle, Infection Prevention, Proper Nutrition and Weight Management, and Contraception and Planning of the Family (LINC) framework.
“Our goal as the youth, as VYLH, is to help educate the masses”
At the end of her segment, Ms. Basas invigorated the youth by manifesting their role on preconception health awareness by educating the masses through the creative use of their skills, along with the power of social media. As the country’s future leaders and the future generation’s nurturers, the youth play a significant role towards securing a healthier and brighter tomorrow.
The last speaker for the event was GeneSoc alumnus Mr. Rufus Thomas Adducul (Enhanceosome), 30th President of GeneSoc and the current President of VYLH-Philippines. He shed a spotlight on the topics of newborn screening, rare disease, and birth defects. For the early identification of disorders such as metabolic and endocrine disorders, newborn screening has been mandated by the Republic Act 9288 (Newborn Screening Act of 2004). Mr. Adducul emphasized the importance of on-time conduction of newborn screening done after the 24th hour of life for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, which can help in the avoidance of the irreversible effects of infant disorders. Therefore, being more aware of topics such as folic acid and preconception health discussed by the other speakers are extremely important.
Mr. Adducul then proceeded to discuss rare disease awareness, describing that rare diseases have no universally accepted criteria, but rare disorders in the Philippines are those that have a prevalence of 1:20,000 or less. He explained that rare diseases are also known as “orphan disorders” since they lack an existing network of support to aid them due to their rareness. Adducul also mentioned that pharmaceutical companies do not focus on these disorders since there is a small market demand. On March 3, 2016, the late former Philippine President Benigno Aquino III signed the Republic Act 10747 or the “Rare Diseases Act of the Philippines”, however, there is still no existing effective cure for most rare diseases, possibly due to the lack of research attributed to these disorders. Nevertheless, the said act promulgates a comprehensive policy in addressing the needs of persons with rare diseases and creates a system that is caring for people with rare diseases, including management, education, advocacy, and care.
In the latter part of his discussion on birth defects, Mr. Adducul restated the need to advocate and to be more aware of rare diseases as the calls need to be all-encompassing. Campaigning for VYLH’s advocacies knows no time and situation, thus the world should continue to strive for the inclusivity of everyone’s right to a proper healthcare system.
Ultimately, all three speakers shared one message: there is still so much that so many people underestimate or do not know about regarding their health and their future children’s health, may it be on the awareness of folic acid and preconception health, or the importance of newborn screening. Thus, this is the time to step up and help others understand the very essence that VYLH’s advocacies stands for.
About VYLH-Philippines
VYLH-Philippines is a network of proactive, service-oriented, empowering, and visionary youth leaders equipped with the right tools to mobilize the youth towards a healthy Philippines. VYLH currently has 4 advocacies, namely: folic acid awareness, preconception health, newborn screening and rare disorders. Composed of youth leaders from different community-and-university based youth organizations throughout the Philippines. Currently in its 12th year, VYLH currently has over 850+ trained volunteer youth leaders as of 2021, over 70+ partner youth organizations, and is one of the 11 recognized Youth Lead Global Top Model Youth Leadership Programs from 2015 to 2016.
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