IT RAINED CATS AND DOGS: My first ten hours at P.A.W.S.

The statue located infront of the office of PAWS.

            When our professor in CWTS-2 Dr. Arminda Santiago announced in class that our 20-hour immersion will be at the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, I doubted my capacity to handle dogs and cats. I was a dog-lover before but when my favourite dog died five years ago, I never had a dog to love so I just ignore some canine in our house, while cats keep on scarring me with their paws so I never appreciated them.

Ma'am Anna of PAWS

            During the orientation held on February 7, Ma’am Anna’s statement “Walang asong gala, kung walang may aring pabaya,” really got my attention. It is indeed true, that no dogs and cats will be in the streets especially here in UP Diliman campus, if we are just responsible pet owners. And she said that Spay and Neuter is one of the solutions that can properly manage the increasing number of pets.

Ma'am Anna as she shows us around PAWS Rehabilitation Center

            I asked her during the orientation about the stand of PAWS to animals used in laboratory for scientific experiments, she answered that they are not against it as long as the 3 Rs are observed: Reduce, Replace, and Refine. She said that if you are going to use animals for experimentation, you are reducing the number of animals, therefore you need to replace it, and to refine it. Just like when cutting trees in forests, to properly keep the balance in the nature you need to replace the ones that you cut. Maybe, it’s just a cycle of life which is observed not only in tresst in the forests, but also to animals.

This is Lala as she gets Kina from the kennel.

            In PAWS, I learned so much about dogs and cats- from proper way to introduce yourself to them, to the proper way to bathe these pets. I never imagined there is such a way and manner to introduce yourself to your pets! It’s a special case since our Ma’am Armi taught me how to please cats, while a senior volunteer in PAWS named Lala taught me how to introduce myself to a dog and how to properly bathe it.

The proper way to bathe a dog: Do not wet its head first. 

           

            The afternoon right after the orientation, I came back. My first task in PAWS is bathing Kina- a dog who just underwent spay, thanks to Lala for the proper guidance on how to bathe Kina! After bathing her, I took her for a walk. She is like any other dog who likes running and playing around, but her condition keeps her some sort of uncomfortable so after 45 minutes of walking with her, I brought her back to her cage.

            After my very first task with Kina, I just opted to clean the garden in front of the place where the names of the dogs and cats who passed away are located. I thought that by doing so will make these pets happy, even in such a very simple way. And after that tiring task, I went to the cattery and saw the food bowls in the washing area, so I just grabbed the opportunity to wash those up.

This part of the PAWS Rehabilitation Center touches me most. Love is beyond life.

            I was requested by the partner of Ma’’am Anna who is an alumna of the UP Film Institute, to scoop some soaps. I did it and I was able to scoop a sack of soaps in just one sitting! Because of PAWS, I am learning so much about myself, even this skill which I also consider as a talent, perhaps.

            The second day that I visited PAWS, another senior volunteer helped me out in bathing two dogs! I am thankful to Joneca for guiding me again in bathing Boogie and Miles. These two dogs are the most energetic dogs that I have ever seen, except for my best dog friend, Chubby. After bathing the two dogs, I played around with the other dogs but I was warned that a certain dog bites so I better keep away from it. I got scared so I just transferred but Ma’am Anna requested me to do something.

            I never thought that I will literally get a headache after doing the task given by Ma’am Anna. She asked me to count cats inside the cattery and kittenery according to their colors. These cats are playful and that it has given me headache counting them. On my first try, Ma’am Anna said that she was disappointed because it was far from her record. I got frustrated so I really observed and counted the cats again. On my second try, Ma’am Anna said that it’s almost correct however her records are also questionable so she can’t really decide if I get the numbers right. So far, that’s the most difficult task that I have ever had.

            I arrived at PAWS minutes before 10 in the morning and that made me happy that I will finally complete my first ten hours and will be able to see my favourite PAWS pets again. The last hour of my first ten hours was more on cleaning and doing some errands posted on the to-do list. I cleaned the back of the Multi-Purpose Hall, the cattery, and also the enormous amphitheatre. I got so sweaty on these tasks but it’s all worth it because these pets deserve a clean surrounding. It’s just saddening to know that Ma’am Anna who served as the administrator who checks me, is absent on the day I finished my first ten hours of internship at PAWS, so I just asked the senior volunteer Kuya John to sign my immersion form.

           

            I will forever be indebted to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society and to my CWTS-2 class for instilling in me and for cultivating the love that I used to have for these wonderful pets. I will take then lessons I learned to our pets at home. I just wish my best dog friend Chubby is still alive so that I will share to him these wonderful learnings I just acquired at PAWS. To Chubby, this is for you buddy, I miss you!

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society. Be a volunteer now!

CWTS Symposium: Break Glass in Case of Emergency

       The Philippines, being an archipelago and belonging to the Pacific Ring of Fire, is subjected to a lot of natural hazards such as tropical storms, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes.  Another factor that contributes to the disasters that struck our country is the lack of discipline among Filipinos that result to man-made hazards such as food-poisoning, environmental pollution, and road accidents. One question that we must ask ourselves is how we can be ready if hazards struck the University of the Philippines Diliman campus. 

            The seminar that the class conducted on September 30,2010  at the CMC Auditorium as project was really essential for it did help us to understand the paradigms of disasters from different perspectives since we have speakers from the geological sciences, from food science, and from communication science in application to UP Diliman campus and students herein. 

            The welcome remarks of the College Secretary of the College of Mass Communication, Professor Danilo A. Arao was interesting. He said that such undertaking is a significant move towards the campaign on disaster awareness and preparedness in the campus which students can apply outside the campus if they graduate since hazards do not have fixed time when they will occur.

            Dr. Santiago’s message informed the audiences on what they can expect from the seminar and also introduced the speakers. I really liked it because madam’s better half Sir Ramon J. Santiago is so supportive to ma’am and also to the class. Maybe without sir Santiago’s friends self efforts, we would not have conducted such a seminar.

            The first speaker is the Director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Dr. Rene Solidum. He talked about earthquake preparedness or the things that we should do before, during, and after an earthquake. I like his argument that preparing for an earthquake is not like preparing for a typhoon wherein the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) can give typhoon signals for the people to be ready for possible flood if their area is prone to flood. Preparing for earthquake is being aware all the time of the positions of things in relation to you. It was interesting how he said that my position, as the master of the ceremony in the event, was not a safe spot in case there is an earthquake, he rather went beside a strong post which is like one of the pillars of the building.

            I am grateful how PHIVOLCS actively participated in the event. They even provided leaflets and brochures on the things that students can do in case of emergency. I am sure that a lot of students who attended were given such and that they are more aware now on the things that they can do in case of this calamity occur. I hope we can disseminate more of these leaflets and brochures to more students in the campus since students here are coming from different parts of the country, the information that they have acquired can then be transmitted to their areas.

            Our second speaker Dr. Alfredo Mahar Francisco Lagmay of the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences talked about the Faults of UP and the Geological Profile of the university. One fact that I learned from him is that the rumour of UP Main Library having fault beneath it is untrue. I was amazed on how the architectural landscape beneath the university is planned. It’s like it was really strategically built for instance the path that lead to the water basin towards Commonwealth Avenue from the university. That must have been built for years and in the 102 years of UP, when was those built?  UP keeps on amazing me.  

            The third speaker was Dr. Leonora Francisco of the UP College of Home Economics and talked about the Disasters in Food which is all about food poisoning that can be classified into man-made hazards. It was interesting that Dr. Francisco had a very different framework but it was still significant because she presented a daily threat that might harm UP Diliman students, particularly on street foods such as isaw, fishballs, and others.  I learned that the foods that are sold on streets should be properly covered since it is exposed to the surroundings. She did a comparative analysis on the street foods before and its current situation. She said that the foods sold on the street now are more hygienic and safer than the years before since they now have sauce dispenser unlike before that the sauce are open. I also learned that foods should be exposed in a different temperature immediately so that bacteria will not be exposed to bacteria. All this time I thought that that practice is wrong since it might lead to fast rottenning of food but I must trust her since she had studies about this.

            The fourth and the final speaker was the Chairperson of the Communication Research Department of the UP College of Mass Communication, Dr. Elena E. Pernia who talked about the Disaster Rick Communication. I learned that it is difficult really how to properly communicate about disasters. And Dr. Pernia emphasized that ‘there is no good news here.’ And I think it is true, based on my experience before, during a calamity it is really hard to be vocal about it and to properly communicate your ideas especially if you are surrounded by the affected individuals. Dr. Pernia said that what matters most in such situation is to show that you care towards people especially if they have been affected.

            Applying the Disaster Risk Communication in the Hostage Crisis on August 23, 2010 at the Quirino Grandstand, the police have given too much care to their fellow Filipino General Mendoza and they gave everything he demanded. I think the police should have cared more on a number of lives that was at risk at that time. Though media kept on exposing the latest happening that have caused the hostage taker to be informed on the tactics and aggregated information with what the police did to his brother.  Disaster Risk Communication must be emphasised in institutions like the police and the military since they are vital in the protection of the Filipinos in case of hazards and disasters.

            I initially thought it would not have been possible to conduct such project for a lot of time will be needed to organize and to invite speakers. Luckily, this assumption was wrong for all the speakers were in the seminar and students from different colleges such as the College of Science and the School of Statistics attended it. It felt sad by the fact that our online campaign was not really valued and the guests who confirmed their attendance online did not attend the event. 

            On the lighter side, I am happy being part of this team who conducted the first seminar on such topic here in the UP Diliman, as what Dr. Solidum said. A fellow student from DZUP told me if she can interview me and I said yes. While we waited for the call, she asked me if it was really set on this day because it was in a week wherein we commemorate the first anniversary of the Typhoon Ondoy wherein a lot have died. And I said no, but it was a point that the seminar landed on this date since the seminar is about disaster awareness and preparedness, if a lot have been informed and are aware, we might lessen the number of affected individuals and casualties in case of such incidents.