JPE after 2013

Those who were impressed by the performance of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (JPSE) as presiding officer at the Impeachment Trial, were again impressed listening to him recount his political history at the membership meeting of the Philippine Constitution Association (PHICONSA) Monday evening. The bright little boy from Aparri made good when he moved to Manila where he would demonstrate his academic skills and serve in different capacities under the administrations of six presidents (Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and now, P-Noy), be jailed but freed twice, serve Congress (as a congressman for one term and as senator for three terms) then, at the apex of his fame, led the Impeachment Trial. He told the distinguished PHILCONSA officers and guests that he had not succumbed to pressures from different fronts to move the trial along a certain direction, but he told them he was deciding the case not on the basis of what the public wanted, not out of friendships or relationships, but that he would render justice according to the laws of the land.

The 88-year old solon, who had served as PHILCONSA president in 1978-1981, 1987-1988 and 2002-2003, received the prestigious body’s “The Most Exceptional Statesmanship Award,” for, among others, “his excellent, cerebral and inspired discharge of his solemn constitutional duties as Presiding Officer of the Senate, acting as the Impeachment Court, in the trial of the Chief Justice of the Philippines.”

Asked about his plans after 2013, he said he might operate a fishpond or go farming. And finally finish his book which I’m sure will be a bestseller.

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A recent news item was on the suicide of a young boy who jumped to a rushing river and got carried away by the strong current, his lifeless body found later in a still corner by the riverbank. Stories about suicides - about young boys and girls jumping to their deaths and adults taking their lives by some device - always make us grieve and ask a lot of questions. Why did they kill themselves, did they have problems their relatives knew nothing about? Did the people close to them not sense their depressed mood? Could they have been shamed by what they, or their relatives, had done, or not done? And always, our hearts go out to the loved ones inflicted with guilt for having possibly caused the death of a member of the family. A suicide note tugs at the heartstrings, but a quiet departure is just as piercing as the sound of a gun fired in the bedroom.

Suicide is a global problem, according to a monograph prepared for the World Health Organization by a group of mental health specialists. It says suicide poses a serious public health problem worldwide, accounting for nearly one million deaths and an estimated 10 million attempted suicides each year. It is estimated that approximately 32 percent of all suicide deaths have occurred in the Western Pacific Region, which is disproportionately found in this area consisting of 37 countries and areas with a total of 1.78 billion people or about 29 percent of the world’s population. It is estimated that in this Region, the suicide rate is calculated to be about 19.3 per 100,000.

In the Philippines, Dr. Dinah Nadera, a psychiatrist connected with the University of the Philippines Open University, told a group of media practitioners, that “suicide is not perceived as a problem.” In an international ranking of countries’ suicide rates (per 100,000 population), the Philippines was ranked No. 90, with a suicide rate of 2.1. Lithuania ranked No. 1, with a suicide rate of 34.1; South Korea, No. 2, with 31.2, and the People’s Republic of China, No. 10 with a 22.23 suicide rate.

For some reason Philippine statistics on suicide are incomplete. Dr. Dinah Nadera said there is still no systematic reporting on non fatal and suicide here, as reliable data are not regularly recorded in hospitals and police records. This situation makes it, said Dr. Nadera, “difficult to observe general patterns of suicidal behavior.”

Dr. Nadera did say that suicide among teenagers and young adults in the Philippines is increasing. Studies she mentioned show that the greatest proportion of suicides are from 20 to 29 years, and that the mean age of non-fatal-suicide cases (33.85) was similar to the mean age of fatal suicide (33.16).  

Sex ratio is 4:1 for fatal (completed) suicides, and 1.7:1 for non-fatal (intervened or unaccomplished) suicides, said Dr. Nadera. Over all, the mean age of females who exhibited suicide behavior (30.5 years) is lower than that of the males (34.0) particularly among the fatal suicide group.

Interestingly an anthropological documentation (by MacDonald, C. (2003), of consistently high occurrence of suicide takes place among a small population of tribal inhabitants of Southern Palawan over a period of 20 years. The yearly rate, one of the highest in the world (as high as 173 per 100,000), is established. Unfortunately there is not much data on this tribal group.

Dr. Nadera said a great majority of the suicides behaviors (85 per cent) are carried out in the home. The leading method for fatal suicide is intentional self-harm by hanging, strangulation and suffocation. For non-fatal suicide, the leading method is intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other and unspecified chemicals and noxious substances.

At the media meeting, it was discussed that the media plays a big role in the demystifying of suicide. Some reporting glamorize and valorize suicide as a graceful exit for the perpetrator. Ideation could also inspire younger adults to do a “copy cat” suicide, meaning, following  the steps of celebrities taking their lives.  

Research shows that increased awareness about suicide and mental illness, together with reducing the misunderstandings, may be considered as one of suicide prevention strategies. Suicide rates reflect the mental well-being of the community as a whole. For instance, mental illness, including depression, is one of the strongest risk factors of suicide. That is why it’s surprising that young people are killing themselves in the Philippines where close family ties and social relations are believed to be strong.

A school in Metro Manila has a program of intervention to reduce possible suicide attempts. In other countries, such as in Switzerland and Austria, intervention programs including downplaying of suicide cases in the media, have reduced suicides and suicide attends. In the United States, a program among air force personnel has also proven successful in drastically reducing suicides.           

Police reporting of suicides is also remiss, in that suicides are classified as mere crime, not suicide, in their blotter. This misreporting is believed (although it might be changed) to spare victims’ relatives from the stigma attached to suicides, as families left behind prefer privacy and no publicity.

Dr. Wang Xiangdong, leader of the team on mental health and injury prevention, said “media (are) a king without a crown.” He explained how informed media coverage of suicide helps reduce  the stigma attached to suicide.”

Timothy O’Leary a consultant with the WHO, said, “There is no simple explanation for suicide.” But an informed media delving into the causes of suicides can help reduce the number of people taking their own lives.

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Our congratulations to Imee Masangcay-Tanpinco, who was recently appointed branch manager of the RCBC, Meralco Avenue Business Center. The branch was inaugurated yesterday, with Congressman Roman Romulo as guest of honor. Among the guests was Philip S. Lim, executive vice president of Nobleland Ventures, Inc., builder of the Exchange building housing the bank located on the ground floor. Imee’s mother, Elizabeth, was an officer of Banco Filipino Kamuning Branch before it closed. Her father, Ed Masangcay, is vice president of RCBC Japanese & Ecozone Segment, Corporate Banking Group.

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My e-mail: [email protected].