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THE PHILIPPINE RED CROSS ILOCOS NORTE CHAPTER

Last September 4, 2015, we were oriented about the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Ilocos Norte
chapter on their organization, mission, vision, fundamental principles and the services they offer.
The PRC is a non-profit, donor-funded volunteer human organization and it intends to help the
poorest of the poor by having professionally trained staff who are always ready to lend a helping
hand to people in need without consideration of nationality, race, creed, gender, social status,
religious belief or political affiliation.
The organization provides eight major services namely membership program, national blood
services, disaster management services, safety services, community health and nursing services,
social services, volunteer service and Red Cross youth and promotion of International
Humanitarian Law (IHL). And they are guided by seven fundamental principles of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Movement humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary
service, unity and universality which guide all the staff and volunteers since being in Red Cross
is a way of life. At present, the PRC now focuses on a more holistic approach in uplifting the
condition of the most vulnerable and provides a wider area of compassionate services such as
preventive interventions, counseling, youth leadership and more.
In the Philippine Red Cross, being focused, fast and flexible are given emphasis because their
aim during disasters is to alleviate and shorten the time of human suffering. They are also always
anticipating needs in terms of future emergencies emphasizing disaster preparedness. Since the
organization depends on donations from international organizations, local individuals and
revenue-raising projects, they need to work with foreign humanitarian organizations. It is also
important to cooperate with local government and collaborate to achieve a common goal.
Moreover, training the community to become flexible in anticipation of future disasters is
another must. Resiliency meant that one is able to use his or her knowledge to react to disasters
and to cope using his or her resources.
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Ilocos Norte Chapter is doing a good job in providing
services to the local community while upholding the fundamental principles. However, in todays
climate change, the increase in population and decrease in resources especially the poor and
vulnerable, the PRCs work should be geared more toward disaster preparedness and risk

reduction and climate change adaptation. The organization should continue to improve in using
their resources, strengthen their connections to donors, and mobilize the community through
appropriate training and preparedness because disasters are getting bigger and bigger.

Name: Aileen Concepcion M. Agustin MD-1

Date: 09/29/2015

PUBLIC HEALTH MEDICINE

According to the American College of Preventive Medicine, the work of public health or
preventive medicine physicians is focused of the population rather than individual practice that
is, assuring the availability of essential public health services to a population using skills such
as leadership, management and education as well as clinical interventions. Since the inception
of organized public health programs, physicians have been seen as essential to the delivery of
good public health services. However, with the increase in the population and the occurrence of
emerging and re-emerging diseases, greater number public health physicians are needed to
ensure an adequate public health physician workforce. In order to achieve this, the advantages
and good reasons for pursuing public health as a career after finishing medical school must be
presented.
First, the job market is on the rise and the demand for work force will continue to grow. Second,
self fulfillment and satisfaction knowing that the work you are doing is improving the lives of
those around you. Third, public health opens doors to diverse cultural experiences that will you
grow as a person and become exposed to a variety of challenges and opportunities. Fourth, broad
application when it comes to applying public health skills including medical, dental, social work,
governmental and more. Fifth, inter-professional collaboration and work towards the common
goal of building a more patient-centered and community/population-oriented system. Sixth,
working in public health puts you at the forefront of the major technological advancements and
breakthroughs that benefit the local, national, and global community. Seventh is an opportunity
for leadership, with the constant growth and demand for expansion within the field of public
health. These experiences will expand your skills, prepare you for more responsibility, and build
a solid foundation of knowledge. Lastly and most importantly, is improving communities. At the
end of the day, being part of public health is most rewarding since you are involved in the effort
to improve the lives of people all around you. From assisting in a local health care policy, to
volunteering in rural communities, everything you do is for the betterment of the general
population.

To strengthen the reasons mentioned, we must know that public health is a multi-disciplinary
discipline in on itself. Many physicians than are currently recognized engage in public health
activities at some point in their careers. First, all physicians intersect with public health in many
activities of their practice and can be viewed as participating in public health activities. Second,
the practices of some physicians include some public health elements. These physicians include
infectious disease physicians investigating health care-associated disease outbreaks, pediatricians
working in school health, and emergency medicine specialists serving as the medical directors of
emergency medical services. Beyond their day-to-day duties, the stories that they can tell of
prevention efforts that have not been practiced may be a critical factor in public policy making.
Finally, some physicians have careers in public health; that is, they can be identified as
specializing in public health, whether they practice this specialty for their entire career or enter it
as a change in specialty at some point in their career. These public health physicians work in a
variety of settings, including nongovernmental organizations, managed care organizations,
occupational medicine, aerospace medicine, academia, public hospitals, and governmental
agencies.
In summary, public health teaches critical thinking skills, and this enhanced perspective
reinforces adaptability and enables a physician to care for populations through the greater
understanding of how decisions made for individual patients shape the entire community. Health
communities require more than medications. They need clean water, fresh air, safe food,
effective waste management and a watchful eye on communicable diseases. And in order to
achieve these goals, public health physicians must be available and adequate for the betterment
of society.