Tag Archives: Health

Non-Profit Organizations – Governments’ Partners in Socio-Economic Development

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Non-profit organizations (NPOs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) or People's Organizations (POs) to some countries, absolutely play a significant role in pursuing development-related activities, particularly in advocating endeavors that promote quality of life, whether in least developed countries or in advanced and industrialized economies.

As the name implies, NPOs, NGOs or POs are traditionally not in equal terms as that of regular business enterprises where profit is the end goal. Majority of non-profit organizations and other similarly situated groups (e.g. civil society, etc.) are not earning companies, in fact, they rely heavily on donations from large private profitable companies, philanthropists and generous individuals via fund raising efforts and campaigns. NPOs and its variants  have been established to support development projects of Governments worldwide, such as in poverty alleviation, environment, education, health, community development and other social services.

Throughout the globe, there are probably millions of NGOs, NPOs, POs and related small and medium scale cooperatives (farmers, fisherfolks, etc.) that are currently active and operational. In the United States alone, there are about 1.6 million NPOs based on the National Center for Charitable Statistics, with total assets of approximately $2.6 trillion. The bulk of the non profit organizations in the U.S. are located in California numbering 159,516 and New York which has about 99,765.

However, not all of the said organizations in the U.S. are accredited by the U.N., which means that there is a large number of  NPOs and NGOs which have not been  granted special consultative status with the U.N. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and therefore do not have privileges to put forth their respective advocacies in the UN meetings and in other large fora and gatherings.

One example of a non profit organization in NYC which has been very actively involved  in helping disadvantaged and poor orphaned children in certain developing countries is the Orphans International World Wide (OIWW). The company is not even a full-blown teenager yet, it has been in existence for roughly 12 years since its conceptualization in 1999 to respond to the call to help orphaned kids worldwide. OIWW represented by its founder, Jim Luce, was physically present and took the initiative in caring for some of the children who have lost their parents during the tsunami in Sri Lanka and Indonesia and likewise during the hurricane in Haiti. 

OIWW provided an infrastructure in the said places where the orphans can be taught and served with their daily basic needs on a “full-care” basis. Fully cognizant of the fact, however, that these orphaned kids could very well adapt to the situation and live as normal kids if they will be with their close relatives (grandparents, aunts or uncles and other relatives) who may be willing to raise them just like their own, OIWW changed its strategy to adopt the so-called “family-care” scheme. This  strategy was proven to be more effective and community-friendly as it did not only maintain the ideal family environment but it also provided the orphaned kids to have normal lives, taking into account their emotional and psychological mindsets.

(photos are courtesy of oiww.org)

The said “family-care” strategy was an innovation of OIWW and a change from the conventional orphanages where all orphans are housed and administered by a particular organization. Under the new set-up, OIWW provides the monthly stipend for the kids' school fees, including, medical and dental, clothing, and even after school related activities while the kids continue to be with their foster extended families. The kids performance are being overseen and monitored by OIWW's local volunteers who reports the same to the mother office which is based in NYC via internet and other modern technology.

In view of recent developments, OIWW's founder recently formed a related organization (visit lucefoundation.org for more details), the mission of which is to support “young global leadership” related programs.  It has  partnered with other NGO's which also share the same interests, in line with UN's Millennium Development Goals. The Foundation's plan to join forces with other NPOs was mainly for cost reduction measures in terms of operational and administrative expenses.  This is  quite a practical move especially for start-up non profit organizations.  

One of the Foundation's prime and initial fund raising efforts was the 21st Anniversary Black Tie Gala Dinner held recently in NYC, in tandem with the United Nations SRC Aux Antilles Club and in conjunction with the United Missions of Haiti, Cape Verde, Hungary and Czech Republic in support of its International University in Haiti. Proceeds from the said event were specifically earmarked for the "construction of the new Educational Pavillon on Uni Haiti's Academic Campus and funding for their second year English-language Leadership and Mentoring Program for Haitian University students in Leogane. "

So, my dear friends, readers and generous lurkers, if you have the passion to help global youths who can be effective potential leaders and the poor orphans too, please visit their websites at oiww.org and lucefoundation.org and feel free to directly coordinate with them.

I have personally been involved in one of their endeavors once upon a time and a staunch supporter  for this cause.

So guys, come on let's support the aforesaid projects. A few of your green bucks, big or small, can make a difference to a bright young orphaned kid and other children worldwide to be future global leaders.

A Glass of Water, Please?

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Definitely, the above-captioned subject with a big question mark does not emanate from some of us who have access to and can afford to pay for an adequate supply of potable drinking water and who have the luxury to splurge in the use of other related daily water requirements. Rather, the said plea comes from those who are facing water scarcity or even the lack of it in their homes, in their communities, or in other parts of the globe.

With the current high water tariffs, the water-borne related deaths and problems worldwide affecting our environment and personal health, we can't just sit down and ignore, but instead do something about it as water is such a very important commodity from the time it was linked to health issues. I said commodity because it's no longer free of charge, it's being traded for mankind's consumption. Gone are the days when our forefathers were privileged to have plenty of free water as long as they want. Once again, gone are the days when our forefathers can save water from the pouring rain, safely drink and use it for their day to day needs. Nowadays, we can't use anymore rain water as it may be acidic and could be harmful to us and the environment. In order to get safe water these days, we have to go out of our way, have our homes installed with legally authorized water meters monitored by public or private water distribution companies, only for us to receive a bill at the end of the day! While water, in itself, would be forever a natural resource, it would no longer be served on our tables for free anymore. We have to pay for it to have better health and for survival. We can't go on living without water, it's a very basic essential human need. We will all expire if we don't drink water, if we don't take a bath, if we don't have water to clean our surroundings and the like. But, not everyone of us could have access to water, which is a basic vital need and helps sustain life, much more if it's clean and inexpensive. It is for this reason that the said plea to spare a glass of water for those in dire need is something worth pushing for.

UN-MDG Goal 7.c. envisions that by 2015 the proportion of the population without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation would be reduced by half. UN fact sheet currently shows that there are 884 million people who lack access to clean water and nearly thrice of which (2.6 billion people comprising 39% of the world's total population), don't have appropriate lavatories and toilets. ADB (Asian Development Bank) data indicates that approximately 580 million people have no access to safe water supply in Asia, while AfDB (African Development Bank) data estimates that 300 million Africans have no access to safe drinking water. Assuming the UN figures are accurate, it can be deduced that almost all of the 884 million people who have no access to safe drinking water are accounted for by Asians and Africans. With the UN MDGs target by 2015, and with positive thinking and strategic action plans in tow, hopefully an additional 442 million people will be given the opportunity to avail of clean water to safely quench their thirst! Not bad, right?

The above statistics are no longer new to us. As mentioned in myusefultips earlier blog articles, the residents in developing and underdeveloped countries are those facing hard times coping up with the current water crisis. You are a little bit fortunate if you happen to live in urban areas of the said countries as improvements in water infrastructures have already been introduced. But what about those in far flung areas where simple water wells are not even erected? Yes, these could probably be the places where the water related deaths came from. As mentioned by the experts in water.org, one of the  non profit organizations advocating access to safe water and sanitation, more than 3.5 million people die each year from water-related diseases, of which 84% are children and that 98% happen in developing nations. Yes also, these are the very same people who live below the poverty line (having $1 or $2 daily income benchmark) who are much affected with the said discomforts in life.

The water crisis is felt not only in developing economies but also in advanced nations but only from a different angle. The United States, for instance is one of the best examples where water related infra and technology have been experimented and become successful. New York City is an example which has good quality in drinking water. As a matter of fact, it is one of the large cities in the US which is no longer required to filter its water, based on the US Environmental Protection Agency standards. However, there is a catch to this. The residents pay for the good quality. For 2011, a typical New York single family home will have to pay about $800 per year for water and sewer bills while an average multi-family unit pays for about $500/year/dwelling unit. Said water rates have been increasing time and again in all U.S. states and the reasons are varied: either due to operational expense, construction and maintenance of water utilities. But even with the state of the art technologies, some of its residents especially those in the lower bracket are likewise feeling the hit of the problem, so to speak. There are times that water supply are being cut off due to unpaid bills. Just as I said, water is no longer free for all, especially  for the poor!

In the recent drought being experienced in the horn of African country, one of which is Somalia, the United Nations through its Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, appealed from all concerned groups for funding to assist the famine stricken areas with about 12 million affected people. We have seen so many photos and videos of what's happening in said areas. I have seen myself via telecast a woman carrying her child, suffering from severe malnourishment, and feeding him with water placed in a cellophane. That photo shown thru a local tv network was too excruciating to see that I told myself to be more sensitive in the use of water. The picture below which I temporarily used is equally agonizing on their part , even if the mother utilized a glass or mug to feed her malnourished child.

Sometimes, we ask ourselves. How come all these things are happening in poorer areas? Some say, it's due to climate change, some say it's political and armed conflicts, while others say it's purely the economic situation in said regions. But regardless of the reasons behind it, our concern should be more on what help could we offer There are times, we ignore these calls for help as we seem to have been “immuned” to various forms of disasters everywhere. But not this time. So, how can we help them avail this right to drink water? How can we spare a glass of water to these children?

Oh, there are various ways and means to assist those in authority.  You know what I mean.  It's not easy but surely you can.  Please?

Trial By Publicity: Its Joy and Agony!

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How would you feel if you were the subject of scrutiny, embarrassment and humiliation in public? Darn, right? You see, in any humiliation, there are always two faces of the coin, a sad face and a happy face, i.e, there are always two opposing parties involved. Sure, you may already have an idea what I'm driving at , but if you decide to continue reading this, you will clearly understand the perspective from my side.

I am not going to dwell on petty embarrassments like fashion blunders, farting in subways and in other public places, being insulted by a professor in school, being bullied by an arrogant classmate, office mate or boss, or just an annual naked “freedom” run of a certain fraternity or sorority organizations. These kinds of shameful incidents could be merely considered as a sheer joke or a hoax to treat or trick a particular group of audience, as an excuse to ignore the feelings of shame.   These forms  of humiliations, at least,  could also serve as a challenge to strive more and be successful  in the long run.    

But, there are moments in our lives that we face a sense of ignominy as a consequence of our bad moves or by other people's wrongdoings which we end up bearing the brunt, and which could have adverse impact on our persona as a whole, our self-esteem, and particularly on our health, such as stress,  depression or in worst case, tragic incidents.

Thus, what will be discussed here rather is the type of embarrassment or humiliation faced in public trials wherein the entire personal background information and properties of the person concerned are being exposed, investigated, questioned, showed and reported via the tri-media, thus affecting not only the reputation of the person being probed but also that of his or her extended families, despite the person's declared innocence. The said trial could involve so-called “big ticket” illegal activities such as malversation, corruption, bribery, immoral acts and the like, allegedly committed by certain top managers in Government or by the “big fishes” in large quasi-public or private institutions.

The Agony

The televised long hours of public hearings regardless of the venue (be it judicial or legislative ) and the valid provocative interrogations posed upon by the investigating body could very well affect the physical, psychologicall and emotional state of the person subject of the probe, irrespective of whether the person is guilty or not.  Gathering the relevant materials to prove one's innocence and responding to the queries are definitely tedious and mind boggling on the part of the person being questioned. The person's private life will be uncovered, without consent, especially if the pertinent documents (Internal Revenue Tax Payments, Transfer Certificate of Titles for real estate properties, Statement of Assets and Liabilities, etc.) are publicly accessible and available. There are times though that the investigating body via the media will attempt to unravel the person's deepest secrets, dirty or not,  so as to find out if there's something that could directly or indirectly affect the person's integrity, especially so if he or she has obviously committed wrong but still keeps denying the allegations.

Most of the time, people being subjected to public trials with media coverage are the who's who in Government and other large institutions implicated in scandals and irregularities. The investigating body and its staff will  look for data from all possible sources to the extent of even utilizing irrelevant information,  which turns out to be helpful in   finding  out if there's something that could affect the person's reputation at the end of the day.  In this case, the media serves as an ally of Governments in a way but of course there may be other selfish reasons behind media's involvement. Media people would not waste their air time minutes on “small scale” transactions by the way. They would always be present in celebrated or sensational  cases, even willing to use their prime time to telecast the event, and also trying to unearth provocative information about the person in question for certain reasons, which sometimes could be  perceived as going beyond their journalistic responsibilities. This is the reason why people being probed feel so embarrassed, harassed, and humiliated, leaving with no option and as advised by their lawyers and cohorts  to exercise their rights of privacy and privileges against self incrimination. But we all know that the said rights and privileges under the law must be beyond any cloud of doubt so as not to raise further questions from the probing body and the public as well, otherwise, it would only make the person being investigated look like blameworthy.

I have witnessed people being questioned in congressional enquires, people in power who have been accused of amassing government funds or diverting funds contrary to law . Even if the person is confident that he is innocent, the fact however, that there are allegations against him and  he or she is being invited to shed light on the issue, is already humbling on his part. How much more if there are substantial proofs and credible witnesses that could pin the person down? The legislative and judicial proceedings can be so vexing and wearisome, as such I can simply understand the sorrows and agonies of these people. Some of them became frail and sickly due to sleepless nights, and of course aside from the reputation damage caused by the said enquiries, impacting on the person's future career , political life and professional growth. But these are harsh realities of life, one has to pay penalties for a wrongdoing and these investigations merely serve as preliminary step of the never ending legal process.

We've read two recent examples about the allegations thrown at two men of esteem and respect, the IMF Chief Executive Dominique Strauss-Kahn and NY Representative Anthony Weiner in relation to sex related scandals. But due to the said allegations, these men were forced to leave their high-profile posts and may have probably lost their self-dignity and pride, by just a “click of their fingers”, their fault so to speak! Imagine, these people worked for so many long years to build their unquestionable and honorable reputation but because of the said humbling experience, all what they have, seemed to have all gone, including their much loved professions and some close friends around them, i.e., on the assumption that so called honor, reputation and laurels are still important to them.

Another situation pertains to that of a Cabinet Secretary and a top brass military chief who committed suicide because of severe depression as a result of the enquiries related to corruption in the military. I could only surmise that he was not able to manage the televised blow-by-blow proceedings which basically downgraded his stellar academic and professional background due to serious allegations hurled at him and his family. It was a tragic incident as he pulled the trigger on his head, his blood flowing on his mother's grave. Just like the investigative committee and the public observing the hearings, I don't have any idea whether the man was guilty or not, he was supposedly still innocent until proven guilty in court, but what happened was truly saddening and shocking.  Similar tragic incidents of this nature also happen in other countries. Japanese officials guilty of irregularities for example do opt to  commit hara-kiri (death penalty), due to shame and embarrassment.

 

The Joy

In a scenario where the person being questioned appeared to have committed or actively participated in the alleged crime based on evidences presented, the public opinion can easily be elicited and overwhelming. Press freedom, the role of media and public perception are highlighted in this case. This is where people are in awe on how the person involved was able to squander the resources of government in so many years without being discovered immediately. The social networking sites are quite successful in polarizing and provoking its readers to comment on this kind of issues.

While investigations of this sort have many drawbacks, two  of which are sometimes labeled as plain political grand standing or  witch hunting, we can't also deny the fact that most of the times, the allegations can apparently be true at the end of the day, after a court ruling is served convicting the accused even if it started only from a simple hearsay or mere allegations . As others would say, where there's smoke, there's fire and that small things come from big things. As such, these kinds of deliberations in any investigative venue are warranted in order to catch those people who have allegedly contributed to a particular country's economic downfall because of inefficiency, unethical behaviors and corruption. This is where the joy and success of trial by publicity comes in. The investigative body with the help of the media and the public can be efficient in disclosing information that would be able to assist Government in curbing and eradicating the said illegal activities through formulation of  new reforms, enhancement of existing laws and enactment of new  laws.

There have been studies which showed that public opinion really matters in effective governance. Transparency and accountability are deemed important in any major government transactions. People handling projects or any operations for that matter should be accountable for whatever is lost and should pay the price for what has been badly done. The said incidents are not isolated, it is also happening in any parts of the globe. Inviting and bringing accountable people for any alleged wrongdoing to any investigative body for questioning should always be welcomed. It should not be considered as a “slap on their faces”. In fact, it should serve as a grim reminder not only to the accused person but for all of us, to learn from our mistakes.   Who knows, the one being invited could even treat the same as a slap on the faces of the members of the investigative body, especially if he or she is truly innocent about the accusations.

However, there are times that we question ourselves, why should we be worried or feel humiliated if in our hearts we can prove to the whole world that we are innocent and has got nothing to do with the allegations? Why would we be afraid and stressed out in responding to valid and offensive queries, for the betterment of our Governments?   Wouldn't we be  proud to participate in said deliberations?  WHY? 

What do you think my dear readers?

UN Zeroing In On Zero Targets For HIV/AIDS : HELLO?

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Last week, the United Nations General Assembly (GA) convened a high-level meeting to discuss critical issues, particularly on how to address the global problem on HIV and AIDS. As mentioned in myusefultips earlier blog under MDG (Millenium Development Goals) category, one of the targets (Target #6) ) included in the UN-MDG is to combat HIV-AIDS by halting and reversing the spread of the disease by 2015 via adoption of various strategies. The said meeting lasted for three days and Government leaders and its representatives in attendance reaffirmed previous commitments and came up with resolutions which shall serve as guidelines of each country to respond to the various issues confronting the subject matter within the next five years or so. Worth noting to mention is the statement made by GA's President Joseph Deiss, in a press conference, encouraging world leaders to implement certain strategies that would result in “zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.” This is quite a brave call from a smart and honorable man, challenging the world leaders to exert more effort to completely eradicate the spread of the disease. I share and echo the said worthy calls because it's beneficial for mankind, not a tinge of doubt about it.

In an article posted last year about MDG, when it was first time introduced  in this blog site, it was viewed that the MDGoals are rather time bound and pretty ambitious, thus it may not be achievable within the specified  timetable. For this particular goal No.6, it would be interesting to monitor on a regular basis, on whether or not the same is on track as far as targets are concerned.

Now, let's zero in on the 3 zero targets. Briefly, hereunder are some humble opinion from an ordinary blogger  like me.

1. Zer0 new infections:

UNAIDS data for the past 10 years, showed that about 182 countries made significant strides on rate reduction of new HIV infections, reduction of transmission from mother to child, and the expansion of treatment access. The said report, however, mentioned that despite the said considerable achievements, five people are still infected on daily basis, even including children, where most infected individuals are unable to access the necessary drugs or medicines  to save and prevent them from infecting others.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, in one of the hearings with civil society groups, urged the latter to assist them to achieve the said MDG target for the same purpose. He recommended courses of action that are “cost effective, efficient and sustainable”, within which all stakeholders are requested to implement and do their part for this meaningful endeavor, for an HIV-free world. The said action plan includes, among others, the promotion of health, respect of human rights and the dignity of each person, especially women. Said plans are pretty straightforward and easy to read with our naked eyes , but the implementation of which, on the contrary, is tedious and requires a lot of explaining to do.

While UN's recommendations are generally laudable to many, they may also be plausible to some good conservatives out there. A target of zero infection may be too bold to say for now. While UN, World Bank (WB) and other advocacy groups could go on and on spending billions of dollars giving assistance and educating everyone about the disease but unless people's values and attitudes towards sex are changed, there will always be tragic incidents of this nature. The WB alone for instance has already provided about $4.5 billion for HIV prevention and treatment related activities, including support programs in developing countries. Rather, a massive information dissemination should be actively undertaken about the dreadful effects of the disease especially to people in rural communities and adolescents in urban areas and metropolis who are perceived to be more sexually active and susceptible to making spur-of-the-moment related decisions. Conducting seminars to merely inform them about prevention and adoption of safe sex methods may not be the solution, after all. Normally, when a person learns that engaging in sexual activities without cautiousness can jeopardize one's health and may result in death at the end of the day, he or she will think twice before doing the same compared to a situation wherein a person learns that there is always an option for said activities, under certain requirements, like the use of condoms.

While UN's HIV/AIDS experts could have thoroughly studied the benefits of the use of safe sex related procedures, based on reports and experiences, however, the use of said methods (e.g. condoms, etc.) is neither a guarantee nor effective, in reducing transmission of HIV/AIDS from an infected person to an uninfected clean individual.

It would still be best to adopt the natural means of curbing and preventing HIV and AIDS, such as abstinence from sex and loyalty to husbands and wives or partners. UN and other multilateral agencies could probably use a chunk of their coffers by extending financing aid to poor countries to strengthen health systems through proper education, thus improving the health condition of the people. Better still, UN and other large institutions could probably likewise promote the conservatives' view of abstinence only and one-man-woman or one-woman-man relationship! Seriously, come to think of it, hmmn.

2. Zer0 Discrimination:

As enunciated earlier, this blog site echoes UN's call for human rights for victims of HIV and AIDS. There is no reason not to, especially with the sad condition they are facing. These people are not only physically in pain, but they're also emotionally and spiritually in need of someone to understand and sympathize their situation.

However, even with all the technical assistance and ad campaigns on this matter from large institutions, e.g. tapping prominent figures and celebrities to promote their programs, what is happening in the real world is different. Perhaps it could be the lack of proper education and right information on the subject. In a specific workplace, for instance, when someone tells you that Mister so and so is infected with the virus, the natural reaction would be to pity the person but at the same time to start to be cautious in dealing with the concerned individual. Most, if not all, of the people would start distancing themselves from the infected person because of fear that he or she might get it, unless he or she is a close friend or a member of the family. This is how serious and dreadful not only the disease is but the attitude of some of the people as well. This is in fact the reality regardless of the country's economic status and in contrast to statements that HIV/AIDS is no longer a “shunned disease”.

To avoid the said problem on discrimination, a solid and concrete tri-media campaign, including search engines (Bing, Yahoo and Google) and social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) should be done repeatedly and aggressively, on a weekly basis, to educate the people about the facts and figures of HIV/AIDS. Rather than publishing or twitting on non-sensible matters and engaging in gossips, search engines and social networks should play an active role in this meaningful endeavor. As such, people especially the younger generations would then be able to learn about the ins and outs of the deadly virus, including the fact that the infected person should not be treated as someone different. We all  know  that ignorance can actually lead to social stigma in people with disabilities, much more those with HIV and AIDS. If these people are being feared, for sure they'll feel inferior and would hide from people due to shame, embarrassment and even to the extent of harassment, thus not being given an opportunity for an immediate treatment and counseling. As such, it should be emphasized that it is never correct to put a bad impression on an infected person as it has already been proven that doing so would only serve as barrier to HIV treatment.

3. Zer0 Related Deaths:

 This is a worthy move to save lives of people already afflicted of the disease as well as to keep everyone from facing further similar deaths.  

For the benefit of those who do not even bother to learn about the disease, from the time HIV/AIDS was discovered, UNAIDS data to date estimates that about 60 million people have been infected by HIV and close to 25 million people have been killed related to the disease. At present, majority of people living with the virus are found in Sub-Saharan Africa, followed by South and South-East Asia. Note that North America is only in the third place and fourth is occupied by Latin America. This is quite alarming for the South East Asia to place second.

The lack of adequate education and preventive measures, coupled with low public awareness especially in developing economies contributed to the increase of afflicted individuals worldwide. Education on the subject should really start at home. Parents who heads the family,  which serves as the command center of a child's social life, including value formation, should take the responsibility in molding and guiding their children to the right path so they will not commit mistakes in the long run. The respective Governments on its part, should take the initiative and  be conscientious enough in doing their job and commitments by enacting related laws and regulations and not just wait for and rely on grants and aids from international communities in order to implement the same.

HIV and AIDS remains a global challenge, not only for the Governments but also for all of us. We have to be informed and take part of our own accord, we don't have to wait to be recognized and compensated for what we do, contribute something in our own little way so as to achieve the set goals, ambitious as they are, but good for all of us , for our world to live in, for a clean, uninfected, HIV-free environment. 

Feel free to say your piece, it would be greatly appreciated.

P3s: What Does It Mean To The Poor-A Quick Glimpse- Tips and Thoughts

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Now the buzzword in the blogosphere for Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), P3s have re-emerged as a result of the global economic crisis and as one of the fiscal reforms adopted by certain Governments throughout the globe, primarily to expand needed infrastructures and generate revenues for priority expenditures, among other objectives.

I came to know P3s when I used to head an office on an ad-hoc basis which serves as a technical staff to the Chairman of a cabinet-level policy making body overseeing privatization related matters.  It was during this time when the non-performing assets under the first wave of privatization have been bailed out and almost been disposed of.   The Government, in consultation with multilateral agencies, was exploring other possible options on how to attract foreign investors to manage and operate its existing public utilities which were in dire need of fresh funds to expand and enhance its operations. Additionally, these corporations posed as major factors for the persistently large budget deficit purportedly due to mismanagement and bad policies, which turned out to be a major problem not only to the Government but to the entire economy as well.

P3s are simply one of the privatization strategies under the third wave of privatization. In the 90’s, P3s would normally involve large scale transactions and initiatives meant for big-ticket public utilities in the water, power, transport, airports and the like. It could be undertaken via joint venture arrangements, build-operate-transfer schemes and its variants, including financing through the private sector or individuals (e.g. bonds). It differs from privatization, in its strictest sense, as the latter primarily involves a full or partial transfer of ownership, management or operation of state-owned assets or shares of stocks to the private sector with the view that the latter can effectively and efficiently handle and operate said assets and companies. Just like in the fashion industry, privatization has latest trends and innovations and in this case, P3s are considered as the avant-garde and arty ways of allowing the private sector to build, manage and operate the needed infrastructures or to engage in social services (health and educations sectors) in collaboration with Governments for economic development, so to speak. Through the years, P3s have evolved and these days, they  are also being employed for other non-public utility, small and medium scale  transactions (i.e. providing cheaper medicines, encouraging people to plant more, etc. ) which could likewise assist developing economies in meeting their MDGs.

So, how would P3s be part of the cause of the UN under its MDG?  Briefly, MDG Goal No. 8, Target 8f, calls for global partnership for development in cooperation with the private sector, specifically in information and communications. This is especially true and imperative in least developed countries where information technology and telephone systems are lacking but are  essential to effectively address key humanitarian challenges such as health, education and other social services. The US Government and other more affluent nations like the European Union, in partnership with the UN and other private foundations have started and continued to encourage initiatives that supported the MDGs by reducing child mortality through immunization, improving maternal health, preventing malaria deaths, launching state-of-the-art information and communications technology, promoting opportunities for adolescent girls in the developing world, and helping the poorer nations to have access to clean energy. However, despite these aids from rich donor countries and private foundations and agencies, the developing countries are still struggling to overcome global challenges and meet the MDG targets. Hence, the need for developing economies and its Governments at all levels to strive to attain the MDG via P3s for the people’s well being.

While socio-economic development is the primary responsibility of the Government, the private sector and likewise the citizenry can also make the first move to complement the efforts of the Government, specifically on areas of healthcare, education, pension funds and other socio-economic services. On the other hand, there were instances wherein even if the Government and the private partners are willing and able to institute and implement changes but if the majority or the affected people cry no, consequently the purpose is defeated. There will always be skeptics and oppositions along the way and as such, it is always best to gain public support and acceptance for such complicated and large scale financing arrangements especially in the provision of social services. Thus, I believe that all stakeholders should be involved in this undertaking coupled with appropriate policies, transparency and disclosures and right directions to make P3s-related activities successful.

Public-private partnerships in industrialized countries like the US have been proven to be advantageous and essential in helping the poorer nations. As a matter of fact, NYC area alone has thousands of large and small non-profit organizations and foundations which help or even initiate various socio-economic projects in least developed economies. The UN Foundation itself have had successful partnerships in the past embarking on P3s, making both the public and the private sectors work together through them. One of its recently launched project is the Girl Up Campaign which basically helps adolescent girls in developing nations in certain areas such as health care and life skills education to keep them from violence. The Girl Up Campaign has adopted a unique way of partnering with the private sector, not under the traditional “corporate partnership” but thru other means. Under its existing set up, American girls are given the opportunity to interact with their counterparts in the other side of the globe who are not as fortunate as they are. This is just one example of a PPP activity undertaken by a large organization, like the UN Foundation. However, it is also equally worth noting that there are small non government organizations here in NYC which have been actively helping families in poorer countries even before the formulation of the MDG. One case in point is the advocacy of Orphans International which, for the past years,  has partnered with corporate or individual donors to provide monthly stipends for the financial, health and educational support of certain poor families of the orphaned child in a developing country. Orphans International  has been able to send orphaned kids to school, including after school tutoring and has provided decent shelter to them. It also exposed the kids to information technology from around the globe via the internet. This is also one excellent way of achieving certain goals of the MDG.

While providing aid and delivering the needed social services to poor countries are laudable, it may be necessary to monitor the progress of said donations, particularly on how it helps the marginalized groups. Otherwise, the benefits of P3s may not be received and felt by the lowly and the disadvantaged, especially if “chunks” of foreign assistance are being wasted or diverted to few people’s pockets.

 In my involvement on privatization for the past decade, the private sector investment have had contributions to economic growth in a developing country, including, among others, deepening the capital market, generating revenues, broadening ownership base, attracting foreign investors, which leads to generation or increase in employment . In the same manner, private sector participation related activities especially in the water and the power sector have provided enhancements, although there were some hitches and perceived anomalous transactions found down the road ( I refrain to elaborate on this, in the next succeeding blogs perhaps). While water and electricity were serviced to the poorest sector of the urban community, the impact on their lifestyle was minimal as the provision of said services was limited. On the part of the Government, there were financial and related risks (e.g. market risks, foreign exchange risks, and other negative shocks) associated to said P3s, leaving the Government shouldering the bills and the public consumers paying more, especially if government guarantees have been provided!

The benefits of P3s could have fruitful impact on and could be meaningful to the lives of the poorer sector of the society if the proivision of social services is done propery, as earlier mentioned.   The payback of P3s are evident and clear to the poor if: a) they will have access to communications technology so they can easily be in touch with health services; b) they will have access to energy that will make them productive and that the poor children can study their lessons and do their assignments at night; c) they will have access to farm- to-market roads so farmers can deliver their produce on time  and sell the same fresh to consumers, thereby earning more; d) they will have access to clean water and sanitation so as to prevent them from acquiring diseases and so on and so forth.

 

As previously indicated,  while the Government is accountable for delivering public services and infrastructure, the private industry has a crucial role to play in helping the Government steer the economy, much more in alleviating poverty thru designing and building the needed infrastructures and in the provision of social services sans guarantees from the Government.

With this, I say “kudos” to the private sector who has the genuine “heart and soul” to sincerely help the Government of poorer nations, ESPECIALLY to those with no hidden dubious agenda!

Please let me know your thoughts about this article. Thank you!

Unmasked Faces of Poverty – Tips and Thoughts to Ponder for Policy Makers and Everyone

 

Ever since my childhood, I have seen the sad reality of disparity and inequality between the rich and the poor*. This gap continues to widen through the years and is almost similar and happening in all parts of the globe, particularly in underdeveloped and developing countries where people are predominantly poor. As of 2008, about 80% of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening. This bleak scenario becomes even worse when victims, particularly the children, of the creeping disaster of poverty can no longer open their eyes and would have no other choice but to wait for their time to die of hunger, to die of lack or absence of health and medical care, and other facets of poverty.  As a matter of fact, UNICEF’s latest data show that about 20,000 to 25,000 children die each day due to poverty and these are mostly happening silently in the poorest villages on earth.  Indeed, this is a sad reality wherein even those in power cannot or may not be able to help contain or lessen the widening gap between the two social classes either because of selfishness and greed in the guise of corrupt and uncaring people who may not want to end poverty. 

When I briefly described the overview of UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) in my earlier blog,  I was a little bit skeptical of how the formulated  goals and the tasks to be undertaken can be achieved by 2015 in view of the many inherent factors and problems attached to it.   I don’t doubt the wisdom and the expertise of the world leaders and the superheroes appointed by the UN to facilitate the project when they committed to and accepted the said grand and bold targets, so to speak.  I just hope this is not like one of the studies that were undertaken by tapped consultants with hefty professional fees, and later only to find out in an archive, with no concrete solutions and tangible results.  In hindsight, poverty is something complicated characterized by a plethora of moving ways and styles, a fundamental and critical issue which deserves some serious consideration by all of us.   It’s like a serious illness that has been there for centuries and decades and could not be eradicated even if attended to by experts or the who’s who in economics or even with the recent discoveries of health and science and new state of the art technologies.     

Nevertheless,  as I am an advocate of quality of life and alleviating poverty is one,   I do firmly believe that this particular MDG goal (Goal #1) can be attained and a big change can happen only if the  respective Governments and big ticket corporations have political will which can provide political direction for this cause.   I further believe that we can get on with this and ultimately overcome poverty, only if each one of us, the luckier ones, will sincerely unite and provide our share for this worthy undertaking.  What is being required from all of us is a simple cooperation and willingness to make a paradigm shift, not only in terms of economic variables but also in ourselves, our attitude towards life, and our moral and social responsibility and concern for the impoverished. 

I don’t consider myself poor and I don’t consider myself rich either.  I certainly am no expert on this field but I am fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to have a decent education to make me relate and understand the people’s miserable state, people with no access to basic needs in life: food, shelter, clothing, education, health, livelihood and the like.   This is where all of us can unite and it is may be the right time for us to extend help to our neighbors with no or scarce resources.   I don’t want to delve on the history and the series of events why people become poor. I don’t want to blame anyone why these faces of poverty are happening.  What I would like to do now is how I can help and share in my most humble way, realize the dreams of our brothers and sisters who were not lucky enough to experience at least even a piece of the good things in life.  

The topic on poverty is absolutely heart wrenching, especially from my vantage point.  This is not merely based on recounts from people throughout the globe but exact graphic recollections of my actual experiences and observations on how rural and urban poor in the country where I was born and raised cope with their sad condition.     I have come face to face with the realities of poverty in both urban and in far flung areas.   In the rural areas for example,  I have seen boys and girls walking on barefoot under the scorching heat of the sun with big rattan baskets or a sackcloth on their back filled with local produce, apparently helping their parents who till the soil of a landlord, to liquefy the said produce into cash.   It really pained me to see those small kids forced to help their parents to earn for a living and being denied the right to go to school and being exposed to health hazards because of economic deprivation.    Another story is that of a man and his neighbor carrying on foot the former’s sick pregnant wife in a hammock–like carrier to the nearest health center which is located lakes and plains away from their place and only to find out after reaching the place that his wife has already expired due to absence of immediate medical attention.   This is just one of the genuine tragic stories and misery plights that do happen and being experienced by some of our less fortunate brothers primarily due to faulty economic policies, i.e., lack of government support on health and maternal care and inefficiency of support services, particularly in the remotest towns and villages.

 On the other hand,  the face of poverty in urban and metropolitan areas are sometimes depicted by so-called impoverished informal city dwellers and their condition may even be worse than those in the rural areas.  As all of us may know,  the urban poor are mostly composed of migrants from the rural areas who have moved in to try their luck in cities.  These are homeless people proliferating citywide with no permanent addresses and were left with no choice but to live under bridges, along railroad tracks and most of the times in so-called “smoky mountains” or smoking garbage dump site, so to speak.  I had the chance to observe how these people try to cope with this kind of a desolate lifestyle and try to make do the little that they have in order to get by.  There was one time I visited a family living under the bridge located probably just few miles from the Presidential Palace.   This family of five lives with the other squatters who seem to have formed a community under the bridge.  They live in a shack made of scrap cardboard/carton boxes and rusty tin roof, erected on a more or less 5 sq.m. area.  However, above where they stayed was a newly repaired concrete bridge and decorated by local officials with glittering lights for the upcoming Christmas celebration, exactly the opposite of what was actually happening under it.  This situation was a classic example of irony at its fullest.  I recall the mother told me that everything is being done in the very small area.  His husband and their three children eat, sleep,   and do their personal needs there.  Their focus everyday was on how they can feed their small children and how to survive and it was impossible to think of other needs like the health and education of their children.   In fact, the older kids, about 7 to 10 yrs old helped their father look for food, scavenging or sifting through the garbage of nearby restaurants and food chains for leftovers to eat and recyclables which can be sold for a song, so to speak,  to a scrap dealer.    I had goose bumps while listening to her story and I knew from that moment that there are many other families suffering the same plight, families who got used to a slum lifestyle scavenging  food for survival.

In the Philippines,  for instance, ADB data, shows that there are over 3 million people who live in slums around Metro Manila and guess what,  this is about the same number of people living in Chicago.   Based on UN’s figures,  Metro Manila is considered as one of the largest cities (ranked as 15th) and populous cities (ranked as 11th) in the world with a total population of about 12 million people, although some accounts show a higher number at over 16 million.  On the other hand, New York City, an industrialized and well developed city has a population of only about 8 million people, the bulk  (2.7 million people) of which come from the Brooklyn area, based on a 2008 survey.   The Metro Manila situation probably could be similar as in other countries having the same socio-economic hardships.  

For many of us who are fortunate to have an affluent lifestyle, who have the luxury of buying nonessential things,  who have been  given the chance to have steady decent jobs and sufficient income,   would it be hard for us to spare a piece of bread, so to speak,  to these people who live on less than $2 or even $1 a day?  Can we afford to be blind not to see the unmasked faces of poverty in poor countries in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and Africa?  How can we help?  How can some of us receiving huge bonuses or decent salaries from our respective work and realizing substantial gains from our businesses, help alleviate poverty in the poorest of the poor nations?  Our extra money spent on luxuries could help feed so many starving children throughout the globe.   So, instead of attending gambling sessions,  frequenting saloons and bars for drinking spree or beauty salons for facial and aesthetics purposes, or shopping all the time for unnecessary things, would you not feel happy if you share something for the poor or form a group among your family and friends, which I am doing now by the way, for something more valuable, not only in the eyes of man but also in the eyes of God?  There’s happiness in helping the poor, by the way, and that’s the best gift that you’ll receive after helping.

 For policy makers out there and government authorities in power, I hope you will do your very best to do more for your country and constituents.  You have been bombarded with so many complaints from your critics but nothing much has changed.   Some of you out there may have stolen from coffers or squandered resources of an impoverished economy either thru mismanagement or “kickbacks” from implemented projects without oversight and auditing, this is your opportune time to renew, give back and show that you deserve to be the leader of your country.  Majority of the people have still high regard in your sincerity, dedication and commitment to public service, particularly in improving people’s lives.  

Finally, the beauty of the world where we live is that,  it has vast and rich natural resources to provide food for everyone, to provide clean water, shelther, education and the like.   With appropriate government policies coupled  with the right attitude and contributions from all of us,  I firmly believe that we would  be able to help alleviate poverty and eventually save our less fortunate brothers and sisters from the shackles of poverty and build a better world for all of us.

 I have so many things in mind to write about the subject, its causes and impact on economy and the community as well, but the topic on poverty is just so enormous.   I know I have not covered all of it but my blog is quite lengthy already.  I would therefore invite you to give your comments and feedback and it will be greatly appreciated.   Thank you!

 

 

Noteyou!!! 

 

 

Making Noise for UN’s Millennium Development Goals – Series of Tips and Thoughts

11

 

While this is not my first involvement as one of the bloggers of Bloggers Unite (BsU), a month ago, I was invited via email by one of the organizers to participate in the campaign to make some noise for the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Briefly, UN MDGs cover a broad spectrum of policy framework adopted by the world leaders in 2000 and is spearheaded by the UN with certain “ambitious” end goals and indicators to achieve. Said development goals include, among other things, 1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; 2) achieve universal primary education; 3) promote gender equality and empower women ; 4) reduce child mortality; 5) improve maternal health; 6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases ; 7) ensure environmental sustainability; and 8 ) global partnership for development.

I mentioned earlier the word “ambitious” since the said 8 development goals are time bound and with quantifiable targets to accomplish by 2015. It is envisioned that should targets be met, the “world poverty will be cut by half, tens of millions of lives will be saved, and billions more people will have the opportunity to benefit from the global economy. “ Wow, this is great!

I was awed to read the invitation but I was more awed to read the “beauty” of the mission and vision of the said goals. Nonetheless, I am delighted to be part of this mission as from my vantage point, as a mere small time blogger and originating from a developing country, I would be able to shout out to the whole world, not in the streets but through written words, my outlook on the said goals which incidentally are in fact my blog’s advocacies. While my academic background is neither economics (specifically development economics) nor political science, I consider myself an economist/political scientist by heart! My several years in public administration, to which few of my younger professional years, I accidentally held positions of Economist to Senior Financial Economist, drew me more to actively participate in this meaningful and prestigious endeavor. To say the least, my active involvement in policy formulation on fiscal and financial reforms would help in assessing and monitoring the progress of how certain Governments undertake and implement said MDGs in both local and international level.

Bloggers Unite’s (BsU) role, by the way, is to unite bloggers in the blogosphere and harness its power to make our world a better place. For this particular effort, BsU tries to encourage bloggers throughout the world to promote the said activities and submit ideas and suggestions, provide possible strategies and solutions, which could have impact to any of the said goals, to their respective leaders and delegations to the forthcoming UN Review summit to be held in September 2010 at the UN General Assembly in NY.

So, to my legitimate readers, I may set aside from time to time the more manageable and glamorous topics to pave the way for a more significant and big ticket issues that will provide hopefully, a big change in our day-to-day lives. I don’t want to be pessimistic and entertain negativities on the proposed targets but all I can say for now, I believe in this, this is it what I wish for the world I live, and I ask, if you will,  for your help, to make it happen! As the UN MDG by line says: “This is our year, let’s make it happen”.

My next MDG blog is on poverty, the first goal. Just like football/soccer game, it has certain  goals and these goals are meant to be accomplished, not just written down!  :)

On a lighter note, congratulations to whoever would be the world cup champion for 2010.

Effective, Tested, Real and Useful Diet Tips

Reply

What? You’re on a diet! As unthinkable as it sounds, it is to some people who are not food conscious and who do not wish to think about the word "diet" at all! 

So, what is a diet? In relation to food, the web defines it as follows:

1. What person eats, the food that a person usually consumes;

2. Controlled intake of food and drink designed for weight loss, for health or religious reasons , or to control or improve a medical condition; and

3. Regular intake of something .

Among the three descriptions cited above, let’s focus on #2. The said meaning suggests that there are various schools of thoughts why people opt to go "on diet", it’s either for healthy, athletic and aesthetic purposes. Either way, would- be "dieters" need to pay closer attention to their eating and exercise habits. Some people play sports and want to be in excellent physical condition while others would think that they will look and feel better if they lost a few pounds. However, there are some of us who feel pressured to lose weight and try different types of diets . It’s unfortunate though that improving your eating habits (i.e. dieting) is not just the sole reason for losing weight. If you’re dieting and weight loss is your target , it will take you much easier if you diet  plus exercise.  Now, it makes more than an extreme challenge especially for people who have drastically chosen to change their lifestyle for the better. According to experts, going on a diet and losing weight is a lifetime commitment. You have to go into it 150%! I know it is hard to resist the sumptuous meal with all kinds of desserts served on the table, particularly during parties and holiday seasons . Here in the U.S., it may be hard for most of the people, to be slim as food is cheap relative to the earning capacity of the people. This is why obesity epidemic continues to rise in the U.S. compared to other countries.

Still, it is not too late or impossible to "hit the mark". You just have to have the determination, patience and perseverance to gradually undertake the steps and ultimately reach your goal. It’s a long term process – it’s not just for a week, a month or so , otherwise, you will just be gaining back the pounds you’ve lost for a while, thus defeating the whole exercise! Ouch! I am beginning myself to feel guilty!

The Diet Tips

Enjoy three meals and grab one snack each day and eat on schedule – It appears we are still on track, right? But wait, there is a collatilla to this – as much as possible you have to get away from salty and sugary foods. Salty eats promote bloating. Cutting, reducing or not adding sugar to your food intake will save you from considerable calories. As mentioned in my previous blog article about morning routine tips, having breakfast in the morning is a good habit. Based on research, people who eat breakfast do better in school or in the workplace, tend to eat less and are less likely to be overweight.

Drink lots of water (at least 4 to 6 8-ounce glasses) throughout the day, including water alternatives.  Other liquid options are tea or coffee (with 1% or skim milk only), sparkling water, and water with lemon/lime/orange wedges. For alcohol and soda drinkers, you will have to fast from these drinks. Alcohol and soda are a no-no in a healthy balanced diet. Based on research, alcohol adds a lot of empty calories to your diet while a can of soda has 150 calories of sugar and no other nutrients at all.

Start lunch (that is if you had a light breakfast) /dinner with a healthy appetizer such as fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are perfect diet foods –loaded with fiber to help you feel full and packed with vitamins and nutrients to help prevent disease. Example would be a tossed salad with a veggie soup or any plain vegetable (e.g. cucumber, beans, etc.). Unfortunately, potato chips don’t count as veggies! 

 

Engage in 30 t0 60 minutes of exercise everyday – Exercise is a must! Look for a sport you like, walk to school/office or subway and bus stops, or ride a bike or go for a swim a few times per week. For parents, it is important that your children learn the importance of being and staying healthy. The more physical activity can be for children, the better. Not all children who get home have the option to got outside and play. If they have Physical Education, at least they are guaranteed with a minimum amount of exercise.

Consult the experts – As I said, it would still be advisable to coordinate with your doctor, nutritionist, registered dietician, or a personal trainer to help you figure out what’s best for you. If you have a bit of reservations about consulting the experts due to budgetary constraints, you might wish to check with students who are studying nutrition-related courses at your local college/universities and for sure they will be available to assist you on this.

With all these in mind, I trust you will now have the option of whether or not to keep your weight under control and enjoy life at the same time. Remember the key words in any diet, "Eat in Moderation" and "Embrace Exercise". Adopting a healthy balanced diet coupled with an exercise and a positive attitude will leave you feeling refreshed, energized and slim! Come on, YOU CAN DO IT!