A quality of life one deserves

SYDNEY — Australia started as a penal colony back in the 17th century for British convicts. According to our tour guide, crime was widespread in Britain — one out of eight people was involved in crime (like stealing bread or forgery) — that they needed to put them onboard boats by the harbor, and when that was not enough, the convicts were deported to 11 countries, one of which was Australia.

Centuries after, Australia is one of the favorite places of Filipinos for migration.

My Tita’s family lives here, that’s why we came to visit. Her husband, Tito Ike, is recovering from his heart condition.

When I set foot on their public hospital, I was very impressed. It is at par with our private hospitals. Patients are asked every day to choose from a menu of what they wanted for the day. They even have free ice cream in the fridge! And the social worker would constantly visit them in their room to ask them about their needs. Most of the enormous taxes go to healthcare, my Tita Evelyn tells me.

I’m happy for my Tita’s family and other Filipinos who live here because of their healthcare benefit. So many Filipinos die in our country because of poor access to healthcare services. Our government hospitals are also overcrowded and are short of supplies. Much has to be done and I say this with utmost respect to our healthcare providers.

My Tita’s family was witness to the poor health service. Back in the ’90s, Tito Ike figured in a vehicular accident at the North Luzon Expressway. He was already fighting for his dear life, but a government hospital declined to operate on him without any show money. I saw how desperate they were then.

Twenty years after, and now Australian citizens, they have not had the same problem even with Tito Ike’s critical heart procedure.

A small mechanism was placed in Tito Ike’s heart to help it pump (not a pacemaker). The technology is still new in Australia and is not available yet in other countries. It costs $150,000 or more than P6M, and the Australian government is spending for it.

Tito Ike, an engineer, gamely explains how the mechanism works and even jokes, “I am a million dollar man.”

I see their family once in a blue moon, and I don’t know if I will ever again because they do not have plans of coming back to the Philippines because of medical constraints.

I am saddened whenever a Filipino leaves our country, or when families are torn apart by practicalities, but I am truly happy when another country gives them the quality of life that they so deserve.

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