Fathers and the flavor of caring

I loved my father. Although he passed away in 1999, I can still feel him today. When I talk to people who are close to their fathers, there is a flavor of caring that is specific to fathers. Of course, not everyone is the same. Still it is safe to say that there is a flavor of caring that is more or less peculiar to fathers.

Generally it is quieter and runs deep. Men are by and large not emotional or overly expressive but that doesn’t make their caring any less profound.

My father was this really beautiful person who cared deeply about his children. He was also a very busy man but we always had dinners together and several times a year we would go out as a family. These were always fun events. Often we would go out on Miss Iloilo — the family yacht.  My father loved the sea so up till now I have an affinity for the sea. In fact, when he retired, he had gotten himself a beautiful yacht. His dream was to travel around the Philippines — to the different islands.

I can remember discussions during Sunday breakfast where he would show me the newspaper. “See? We are number one! Both stations are number one and two,” he shared with pride. When he was bringing in Superman and other shows from the US, we knew beforehand: ABS-CBN was his baby. It was something he was very excited about. He was a visionary. He liked to dream big — and he got a big kick out of building. Gabby is like that as well. ABS-CBN has blossomed into so many interrelated companies: cinema, cable, news, etc.

In some ways I am similar, though my sphere of interest is public service. On the Enneagram scale (a personality test), I am an 8: a doer, a boss. So is my dad, and Gabby. In fact Daddy and Gabby and Ernie (president of ABS-CBN Publishing) are all dragons. I am a snake.

So this Father’s Day, what are my reflections? Quality of being. That’s the most important thing. One may make mistakes, but it’s the quality of being that will see one through and leave a lasting impression on one’s progeny. That’s how I feel about Daddy. There is a sense of his beingness that I can feel up to now.

And that’s why personal growth is so important to me. It’s not what we do, it’s what we are that makes all the difference.

So for all the fathers out there: keep the light shining, especially in yourself. It is the quality of “your light” that will be remembered and revered long after you have gone.

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Last week I wrote about Calauan. Unfortunately due to space limitations the picture of the SM Health Center did not come out. It really merits mentioning because it is crucial to the quality of life of the residents there. From one baby every day (because we had no electricity) to about five a week. It is still pretty overwhelming. I love the center, especially the mural.

The SM Health Center in Calauan is a key factor in the basic services of Bayanijuan. It operates six days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 pm. It has two doctors, two full-time nurses, one midwife and 14 community health workers. It averages 90 patients per day. Consultations and medicines are free in the clinic.

Preventive care is through community health teaching and is undertaken with the Rural Health Unit of Calauan.

A key program is 1,000 days, a maternal and child health nutrition program undertaken with Impact Philippines headed by Dr. Christine Perfecto and Dr. Florentino Solon, president of the Nutrition Council of the Philippines. Its first cycle involving the close monitoring of 50 pregnant women until they give birth and until their children are two years old have brought significant results which are substantially higher than national statistics. For example, on breastfeeding within the first hour after delivery, the clinic registered 100 percent while the national data is 51.9 percent and Calabarzon is only 38 percent.

For exclusive breastfeeding for one month or more, the clinic registered 100 percent while the national average for three months is at 51 percent. If you are interested to know more about this program, please contact Dr. Perfecto at 0915-8843397 or e-mail at impactphilippines@gmail.com.

Other programs the SM Health Center in Bayanijuan is undertaking are: deworming program, healthy lifestyle/sanitation information campaign, and a capability-building project with the Zuellig Foundation. AusAid also recently approved a grant for birthing equipment for the clinic.

Around the health clinic is an herbal garden. Tessie Sy deserves commendation for immediately coming to the rescue in terms of this relocation site.

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I can be reached at regina_lopez@abs-cbn.com.