Victim of a decaying hospital system

Zion, the baby boy from Marikina who suddenly got ill, and for whom precious hours were spent looking for a hospital that would admit him, is dead. He passed away last April 12, after the gallant efforts of the doctors at Medical City to save his life eventually came to naught. Looking back now at the events that transpired on the day that Zion got sick, I wonder whether Zion would have lived, had the hospitals previously contacted agreed to take him in.

Dinna Gamboa-De Guzman, the aunt of Zion, who first brought Zion's tragic plight to my attention, expressed hope that my article has somehow served its purpose in stirring up the issue on the hospital system in our country. "Change is far from realization but we have taken the first step. It is a pity that the life of a three-month-old baby had to fall victim to the decaying system before anything can be done," Dinna said.

"What Zion had was a short but meaningful life. The whole family is devastated but we are drawing strength from people who have shown valuable support since this happened. In this time of grief, there has been an overflowing show of concern from people, some of them strangers who have written us to express their sympathy and to assure us that they are with us in condemning the bureaucracy in the hospital system," Dinna said.

Dinna asked me to convey the family's thanks to the following: Dr. Buenviaje of the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center in Marikina, for going out of his way beyond the call of duty, and exerting his best effort in saving Zion's life; to the residents and staff of Medical City in Pasig, for admitting Zion into the hospital and giving him a chance to live; to Drs. Buboy Santos and William Bayhon, who did not easily give up and went against all odds in saving Zion. "Their dedication to their chosen profession is truly to be admired and their compassionate manner of dealing with the patient and family members should be commended," Dinna stated.

"In every death, there is tremendous grief. We grieve for our loved one Zion who, in his short stay here on earth, has become an instrument in bringing about realizations on life's daily struggles. However, we do rejoice in the fact that he is now back with his Creator with his small wings spanning the horizons. His life may have ended but his struggle in effecting change in the system that was unkind to him has just begun," Dinna said.

"Thank you, Mr. Borjal, for being part of making Zion's message known to all. I truly hope our legislators can take this issue up in Congress for this is one that concerns the life of each and every Filipino who, at one time or another, will claim their basic right to health care," Dinna added.

In the meantime, the debate on the existing hospital system has begun to rage. I am now being deluged with reactions to my article about the ordeal faced by Zion's family as they raced against time to bring him to a hospital. In succeeding columns, I shall take up these comments, including pros and cons, hoping that these will serve as guidelines, should our legislators decide to pry into the existing hospital system which Dinna had tagged as "a decaying" system.

I was just out of college, at the Ateneo de Manila, when I first met Charito Lim Planas, at her ancestral home in New Manila, Quezon City. I was with civic leaders, among whom was then Judge Ines Luciano, and we were there to discuss projects for a socio-civic foundation. At that time, I already sensed the deep social commitment of Charito, to do justice to every man and to lend a helping hand to the less fortunate in life.

Through the years, I crossed many paths with Charito. And I always marvelled at the magnanimity and bigness of her heart. That she now continues to do what she has been doing for the past decades, serving the poorest of the poor, is a testament of the lofty ideals that are implanted in her heart.

On Friday, April 28, Charito marks her 70th birthday, with a simple and meaningful celebration. She will celebrate her life's milestone by sharing her blessings with those who have less in life. During the day, she will spend several hours with elementary and high school students, for whom she had done so much. After lunch with employees of the Quezon Memorial Circle, she will attend Holy Mass and baptismal rites for an abandoned baby boy at 5:30 p.m. Charito will spend the rest of the day in cultural shows at the Circle.

"Without lechon, a dinner box will be served. Please, no gifts. My book Escape will be on sale. Part of the proceeds and your sharing of your blessings will be for the deprived children of Saranggani province through the Kalinangan Foundation to assist them to attend school, for Art Borjal's continuing assistance to the less fortunate through the Good Samaritan Foundation, for the brightening of the Circle so that more people can enjoy the Park at night through the QC Park Development Foundation. Your presence will certainly inspire me with God to keep doing good," Charito said in her invitation sent to friends and kin.

Charito said her natal day is being celebrated "for you who have in one way or another touched my life, inspired me to keep on fighting against all odds in our quest to bring about good government, hid me in those dark days of martial law, unmindful of their own safety, visited me in prison, helped me escape, and while I was away from home, provided me many homes and joined me in silent prayer to keep on with the struggle for peace and justice."

Art A. Borjal's e-mail address: