Uncovering the Problems

by: Peter James Vitug

When we first set our feet on Mirangan, a sense of pride dawned upon me. Though I was a bit nervous during our first day of community exposure, I know that I’m one step closer in my desire to help transform not only an individual's life, but an entire community.

As we were trudging our way, we have come to a conclusion that indeed, this hidden paradise is faced with different problems that can surely affect the health status of its members.

First and foremost, through our tedious survey, we have found out that the people living in the barangay have poor health-seeking behavior. For them, being sick is just a normal episode in their lives. Majority of them believe that by self-medication, by drinking herbal decoctions, and employing the services of a hilot, their ailments will simply be cured. A small percentage of the population visit the health center for certain reasons like distance, time and the perceived necessity to go for a check-up. We also found out that they have this certain notion that sickness can’t pull them down and that they need to stress themselves to work hard even if they are still sick just to have income for their families.

Next, the environmental sanitation poses a health threat to its constituents too. Based on the exhausted data, we have found out that there is no garbage collecting scheme within their vicinity. The people also have a little knowledge on waste segregation. Toilet facilities were determined to be unsanitary too. Almost 70% of the population are still using *buho* and some of them throw their “waste” anywhere. It is somehow alarming for the spread of diseases are very certain because of these practices.

A squat-type toilet made of planks of wood.

Water potability and accessibility, I for one, would like to raise it as a top problem that this Barangay is currently facing. At first, I was really shocked that this community is getting water from a shallow well popularly called “Tabay” and at times, if luck comes their way, rain would pour just to feed their needs. Almost all of the population is practicing filtration as their method in making the water “potable” for them to use in their daily needs. Plus the accessibility of the tabay is another problem since they have to traverse difficult routes making them more susceptible to accidents.

The people of Mirangan get water for their daily needs in this shallow well,
known to the locals as tabay.

Last, but not the least, the community’s problem on malnutrition. After doing the initial height and weight recording of children below 5 years old, we have found out that 50% of them are undernourished. And only 24% of the family perceived lack of food as a health hazard. We also found out from a RHU data, Mirangan ranked 5th in terms of Malnutrition. With these alarming data, it poses the danger to paralyze the future of Mirangan.

Accordingly, he is seven years old. His weight is that of a five year old.

With these problems identified, we hope that we can come up with an appropriate comprehensive health plan to solve them. We are hoping to hear from the residents on what might be the contributing factors of these problems. Hopefully, the people will cooperate and share their ideas in solving these problems. I believe that a solid partnership with the community would be a good starting point for this.

Our goal to have a healthy community is indeed a challenge. But I still believe that the passion and cooperation of both our group and the members of the community, with the guidance of our Almighty Father, we can truly achieve a Mauswagong Mirangan by 2015 and beyond!