LOOKING WITH HOPE INTO FUTURE Her name is Chonalyn, one of at least two babies born early Sunday, enabling the Philippines to surpass the 100-million population mark. She was born at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila. The other baby, Rian, was born three minutes later in Tacloban City. RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines—It wasn’t exactly the kind of birthday that first-time mother Dailin Cabigayan had anticipated for her newborn child.
Instead of warm cuddles and kisses from her, Dailin’s baby Chonalyn was greeted by blinding camera flashes, a colorful mocha-flavored cake and a group of well-wishers excited to get a first glimpse of one of the Philippines’ 100 millionth babies.
“She’s a gift from heaven,” Dailin, a household helper, told a news conference.
Chonalyn came screaming into earth at 12:35 a.m. on Sunday at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila—three minutes ahead of another baby girl, Rian, born at 12:38 a.m. at Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City.
Tacloban has been dubbed the Ground Zero of Super Typhoon Yolanda, which struck the city and other areas in Eastern Visayas in November 2013.
2.7 kilos each
Born 860 kilometers apart, Chonalyn and Rian each weighed 2.7 kilograms—or 6 pounds—at birth.
Chonalyn’s father is a delivery driver, Rian’s a businessman.
The Department of Health (DOH) earlier announced that it would give P5,000 in kind—not cash—to each of the 100 millionth babies born in the Philippines at 12:06 a.m., or minutes later, on Sunday. The money is for the babies’ basic needs such as cloth diapers.
Commission on Population (Popcom) Executive Director Juan Perez III said the milestone was an opportunity for the government to provide the best future for the 100 millionth babies across the country.
At Fabella later on Sunday, more gifts worth P5,000 were presented to newborn Chonalyn.
Long wait
The gifts included onesies, a bath tub, cloth diapers, towels, pillows and other beddings, and a framed certificate recognizing her as the “100 millionth Pinoy baby.”
She was also assured a lifetime coverage by the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
The wait for the 100 millionth baby in Metro Manila lasted for a while.
Two other mothers
Away from the prying eyes of the media, 27-year-old Dailin was not among the mothers in labor expected to deliver the much awaited “symbolic” baby.
Popcom officials were initially watching over two women thought most likely to give birth at 12:06 a.m. or a little later.
But 17-year-old Edralene San Pedro, whom watchers thought might have created a more interesting story depicting the increasing prevalence of teenage pregnancies in the country, delivered her baby a few minutes before the designated time.
Another would-be mother, Genelyn Rico, 35, had trouble pushing out her baby.
Dailin was not even aware that the government was on the lookout for the 100 millionth baby when she was rushed to the hospital by her 45-year-old partner, Clemente Sentino Jr., at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
‘It just happened’
Sentino said he was grateful for the government aid but expressed confidence that he could support his child and his partner.
He and Dailin Cabigayan are not yet married.
“She just happened to get pregnant. But we do have plans to get married,” he said.
“I make just enough to get by but at least my job pays regularly. We will find a way to make it fit,” he said.
Chonalyn was among the 70 or so babies born at Fabella in the course of 24 hours alone on Sunday, according to staffers.
‘Baby factory’
This was no surprise at all, since the government-run Fabella, the designated national maternity facility, has been branded as a “baby factory” because of the number of babies born there.
On July 2 alone, 80 babies were delivered in the hospital, its records showed. A “slow day”—translated to 30 deliveries in 24 hours—also occurred in the hospital sometime last month.
“We never expected that she would be [a contender for the 100th million Filipino],” said Rian’s father, Romnick Go, 26.
‘Hope and challenge’
Romnick and Denise have lived as a couple for four years now in Barangay (village) 83, San Jose District—an area that was pummeled by Yolanda on Nov. 8 last year. The couple already have an 11-month-old son, Rain.
“Baby Rian symbolizes hope and challenges, that she and her family could really overcome the challenges that would come their way and hope that they would emerge triumphant, especially after Yolanda,” said Dr. Paula Sydiongco, DOH Eastern Visayas assistant director.
Romnick said he and his wife were expecting the baby to arrive next week but on Saturday night, he had to bring Denise to the hospital because she began having labor pains.
After two hours, she gave birth to Rian.
Romnick said he would work harder to ensure the future of both Rian and Rain.
“We will do what we can to give them a good future, providing them all their needs,” he said.
Dr. Catherine Sarcia led the delivery of Rian.
Welcoming the arrival of the babies, Malacañang stressed the need to step up programs to ease the lives of the poorest of the poor.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte cited the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program and the universal healthcare system that would increase the number of indigent citizens covered by PhilHealth.–With reports from Nikko Dizon and AFP
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