Thank-you note
Allow me to clarify some reports about the state of my health. I have been confined since last Wednesday at the Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital initially because of chest pain that I started experiencing when I was in Bangkok and initially ignored as a muscle spasm.
Then last Monday, while attending the wake of Jing Escaño, who died of cardiac arrest, I experienced another episode of chest pain that quickly disappeared.
On Wednesday, while I was in the parking area of the Cebu Catholic Television Network waiting for the start of my TV program, I again experienced chest pain that prompted me to go directly to the hospital emergency room.
After a thorough examination, my cardiologist Dr. Leah Villamor decided that I would be confined in the cardiovascular unit for further examination and observation. Luckily for me, my condition has been stable and I was transferred to a regular room yesterday.
The good news is that the angiogram may be required later to determine my heart abnormality before I proceed with angioplasty.
At this point, let me express my sincerest gratitude to my doctors Dr. JJ Serrano for kidney care, my cardiologist Dr. Leah Villamor, Dr. Cindy Tan for my diabetes and my former classmate Dr. Peter Mancao, cardiovascular surgeon.
Thanks also to the nurses and doctors of the CDUH cardiovascular unit for their attention and care.
I hope to be discharged tomorrow, and with a lot of prayers to God fully recuperate and return to normal life. Thanks also to all who offered prayers for me and to God our Father for His healing power.
And finally, thank you to my wife Dr. Naomi Poca for taking care of me when I was hospitalized. Now I am perfectly okay and my health is nothing to worry about.
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Let me congratulate our Cebu media for the celebration of the 17th Press Freedom Week that opened last Sunday with a parade.
The continuing challenge for the media is for more vigilance in the search for truth. More effort is needed to report events factually and accurately and to be fair to the subjects of our reports.
I think Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma’s reminder to media practitioners to renew efforts in verifying reports is very timely and relevant.
It is public knowledge that competition is stiff among our local papers but I still believe that professionalism in reporting especially in our quest for the truth should never be sacrificed.
Another challenge for media leaders is to protect the welfare and upgrade living standards of media practitioners who are poorly paid especially those in the broadcast sector. This situation is lamentable.
This is the reason many broadcasters engage in other services and professions to make ends meet, thus sacrificing sometimes the work of verifying reports.
Much is expected of the media from the community especially in terms of professionalism but the need for better pay should be looked into.
