The Rotary Balita no. 679 (August 30, 1951)

Doctors crowded the head table including Doc Vic Buencamino as Secretary of Health Juan Salcedo Jr. reported on the health of the nation. "There are roughly 67,000 more babies. born every year today than five years ago," said Secretary Salcedo. He indicated that there are about 69,000 less people dying every year than five years ago. Infant mortality rate decreased from 125.45 per 1000 live births in 1946 to 101.60 in 1950. These reductions were largely brought about by the extensive campaign of immunization and vaccination, the enforcement of sanitary control over food and water, the establishment of permanent sanitary improvements and by the wide-spread dissemination of health information to the masses. Since the organization of the Bureau of Hospitals in 1947 the improvement and expansion of hospital facilities and accommodation had been progressive. The facilities for the cure of leprosy had been expanded and the management of sanitaria has greatly improved. The provision of several hectares of land devoted to agricultural projects and designed to make the sanitaria self-sufficient, especially supply, has made their maintenance easier their food and has created a very wholesome and satisfactory environment for the inmates. The country had been spared from the visitations of dangerously communicable and quarantible diseases from foreign lands, due to the vigilance and effective and efficient work of our quarantine service. All incoming planes and vessels whether carrying passengers or cargo thoroughly. Those that were found are inspected harboring rats were carefully fumigated and disinfected. The Public Health Research Laboratories had conducted and continue to carry extensive work in the fields of parasitology, leprosy research and in clinical researches in typhoid and dysentery. Philippine BCG laboratory, the first of its type and magnitude in Western Pacific and Southeast Asia, has recently been activated at the Alabang Laboratories Compound. He said that Public Health Nutrition is one of the recent trends in public health to which they have admirably kept pace. He claimed that white plague commonly known as tuberculosis is still widely spread among our people. Surveys proved that 10 out of every 100 persons examined are having pulmonary tuberculosis. This disease generally affects people during the prime and productive years of their lives. Salcedo informed the Rotarians of our existing international health relations. Manila will become the permanent seat of the Regional Office of the World Health Organization for the Western Pacific. Before the start of the luncheon meeting, a 1-minute silent prayer was said for the soul of Rotarian Ramon Oriol who died recently. A report on the District Assembly and the first Homeside session was made by President Vince. Vince introduced Rotary protegee Miss Gloria Cruz. Gloria went through Mapa High School and then obtained the degree of A.B. in the University of the Philippines with honors, both courses being financed by the Manila Rotary Club. The blind Full-bright scholar who traveled abroad alone and came back with Anna, the first "sight-seeing" dog to reach the Philippines, gave a short remark of her experiences abroad. She took a one year Harvard course in 1950 at the Perkins Institution for the Blind at Massachusetts. She thanked the Rotarians for the support given that enabled her to study abroad. She recalled that one of the most pleasant results of her travel is that she was able to build self-confidence in herself. Anna, her guiding dog was donated to her by the International Guiding Eyes of California. Vie Buencamino then explained his presence at the head table when he helped display the beautiful German Shepherd guiding dog and later as fine master imposed a dividend of P20.00 from Pacoy Lopez for his accomplishment in giving shareholders of Mayon Steel Windows a dividend of 7%. For knowing the number and nicknames of all the Hernandezes in the Rotary Club, Max Hernandez was fined P5.00. Emy Javier for writing against Councilor Phodaca's pet project, the Promenade Park, was fined P5.00. President Vince then fined Hans Menzi P41.00 on the occasion of his birthday and what he said over the radio about Hans we cannot repeat.