Category Archives: Law and Law-related issues

HEART PROBLEMS: NO LONGER OLD MAN’S DISEASE

Solon, advocates push for Trans Fat Free Philippines Law to ‘protect Pinoy heart’

A group of doctors, lawyers and a lawmaker on Thursday expressed alarm over the rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among younger Filipinos. In a press conference to commemorate World Heart Day, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) said that Filipinos who suffer from stroke and other heart conditions are getting younger.

“Heart problems are no longer just old man’s disease,” said Dr. Luigi Segundo, Director of PHA. “There is an alarming trend of Filipinos in their thirties having premature heart attack and stroke,” he added.

PHA linked CVDs to the high intake of trans fatty acids and a sedentary lifestyle, among other factors. Industrially-produced trans fatty acids or iTFAs are a toxic compound added by food manufacturers to their products to prolong their shelf life. Margarine, baked goods, and instant coffee are just some of the food items known to have high traces of iTFA.

Heart disease kills 345 Filipinos every day

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Atty. Ma-anne Rosales-Sto. Domingo of public interest law group ImagineLaw said that CVDs like coronary heart disease and stroke remain to be the top killer in the Philippines. “Every day, 345 Filipinos are killed by heart disease,” she said. “Eliminating trans fat in the Philippine food supply should be a priority to break this deadly chain and improve Filipinos’ heart health,” Atty. Rosales-Sto. Domingo added.

Dr. John Juliard Go, National Professional Officer of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Philippines, said that iTFA causes heart disease and deaths, and has no known health benefit. Trans fat elimination will save lives and prevent CVDs, according to the WHO.

“Trans fat elimination is a multi-sectoral work, and we encourage all stakeholders to support and work together to reduce premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases,” Dr. Go urged.

Trans Fat Free Philippines Law pushed

Early this year, Laguna 1st District Rep. Ann Matibag filed House Bill No. 1485 or the Trans Fat Free Philippines Bill that will prohibit the manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale of processed and prepackaged foods with high trans fat content.

“The bill will also provide for training for food manufacturers to allow them to switch to healthier fats and oils, and for research on other healthy alternatives,” said Rep. Matibag.

Counterpart measures were also filed in the Senate by Senators Nancy Binay, Risa Hontiveros, Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla, Jr., and Joel Villanueva. Four other similar measures were filed in the House of Representatives. All bills are pending in their respective Committees on Health.

ImagineLaw urged the House and Senate leadership to act on the said measures. “We urge the health committees of both chambers to set the hearing for the trans fat elimination bills, as soon as possible,” Atty. Rosales-Sto. Domingo said.

“The time to act is now – by removing trans fatty acids from the food [Filipinos] will eat, the risk of them contracting heart disease will be significantly reduced,” Rep. Matibag concluded.

Environment and Biodiversity Experts Renew Call for Stronger Measures to Combat Illegal Wildlife Trade

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On World Animal Day, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has reiterated its call for the approval of two Senate bills that seek to strengthen Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001.

DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau Director Datu Tungko M. Saikol said it is high time to amend the gaps in the law two decades after its implementation.

Badian, Philippines. Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

“We commend the House of Representatives for passing House Bill 9833 revising the Wildlife Act of 2001 on third and final reading and call on our good Senators to pass Senate Bills No. 2078 and 2079 to strengthen our fight against wildlife crimes. Almost 20 years after the Wildlife Act took effect, the threat of extinction of wildlife species in the Philippines is still not far behind, wreaking havoc to our biodiversity that supports our livelihood and economy,” Saikol said on Monday, October 4.

“Illegal wildlife trade, which is the second biggest threat to species survival globally, increases the risks of zoonotic diseases, or the transfer of diseases from animal to humans, leading to outbreaks,” Saikol said. “With the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic, it is imperative to pass a strengthened wildlife conservation and protection law without delay,” he also asserted.

Tarsier. Bohol, Philippines. Photo by Julian Paolo Dayag on Unsplash

The law, once amended, will effectively deter wildlife trafficking not only in the country but also in other global destination points. “As a result, it will prevent if not eliminate the incidence, at least in the Philippines, of another infectious disease such as Covid-19, which originated in animals and caused unprecedented loss of human lives worldwide,” he also said.

SB 2078 and SB 2079 were filed by Senator Cynthia Villar and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, respectively. Both bills seek the imposition of stronger and more specific penalties. They also seek to strengthen enforcement capacity and the removal of legal loopholes exploited by illegal wildlife traders.

Apo Reef. Photo by Farhan Sharief on Unsplash

From 2010 to 2020, more than 67,500 wildlife specimens worth at least P248M were confiscated from 523 suspected law violators. At least 153 criminal complaints have been filed in court, with 29 cases resolved and 47 criminals convicted.

The Philippines is one of the world’s 17 mega-diverse countries that host two-thirds of the Earth’s biodiversity. Unfortunately, the country has become an important source, transit, and destination point for illegal wildlife trade, now the fourth largest illegal trade worldwide behind illegal drugs, arms, and human trafficking.

The value of illegal wildlife trade in the country is estimated at P50 billion yearly or $1 billion, including the market value of wildlife and its resources, their ecological role and value, damage to habitats, and loss in potential ecotourism revenues.

The Birth Injury Guide for Parents

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Childbirth is supposed to be a joyful event for the family. A would-be mom does everything she can to take care of her unborn child. But, what if an unforeseen incident happened to her precious baby before or during childbirth? Childbirth defects or injury is a trauma no parents would want to experience.

Fortunately, there is a comprehensive birth injury guide for families coping with birth injuries and defects.

The Birth Injury Guide website, staffed by an advocacy group, works with professional writers and researchers, health care providers, lawyers, and other birth injury experts to provide the most comprehensive birth injury information source available.

The website is easy to navigate. You can search the types of birth injuries, symptoms and causes, the distinction between natural defect and birth injury, and if the child with birth injury will get better. All these questions are answered and explained on the Frequently Asked Question page.

The Birth Injury Guide estimates that around 28,000 babies in the United States are born each year with a birth injury. Unfortunately, many of these injuries are the result of negligence by health care providers.

The usual birth injuries include umbilical cord prolapse, birth trauma, C-section injuries, drug-related negligence, and epidural birth injuries. The website listed the treatment for a specific condition.

When the parents intend to pursue a case against a medical provider for allegedly inflicting the birth injury to their child, the Birth Injury Guide will provide legal assistance to help them get the justice they deserve.

The website clarifies that they are not trying to replace the information provided by medical and legal experts. They hope to provide readers with accurate information about birth injury.

If you are a parent coping with a child with a birth injury, the Birth Injury Guide will lead you to support groups to help you deal with the situation. The support groups will direct you to a network of families who have experienced a similar event.

Check on their website to know more about their advocacy. If you need assistance for a free case review, you can fill out a form or call toll-free at 877-415-6603.