A FILIPINO physician has been named to the first Southeast Asian “120 Under 40” list.
Marvin Masalunga, 27, was in the United States for a series of training and orientation on reproductive health, when the announcement was made.
Masalunga is one of the recipients of the 120 Under 40 Campaign of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute.
The project recognizes persons who champion the cause of reproductive health.
A native of Cavite, Masalunga, whose nomination was initiated and recommended by the Forum for Family Planning and Development, is the only Southeast Asian to receive the citation. He joins nine other selected awardees in a string of talks on ways to improve maternal and child care among locals of their respective countries.
Masalunga will discuss the state of reproductive health in the Philippines in Baltimore, Maryland. The next sessions will take place in Washington, D.C., and New York, where talks on the use of contraceptives and the future of reproductive health will take place, respectively.
When asked about how he feels with the recognition, he says, “it’s a validation of what I and our group of rural health workers in Palawan do for the people. Aside from that, it speaks that I am probably doing something right in my service.”
Medical work in Palawan
MASALUNGA works in the district hospital of Coron, Palawan, as the deputy town health officer. In his work, he meets and treats local patients day in and day out.
The latest figures show that among all the provinces in the Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) region, Palawan has one of the highest maternal mortality rate (MMR)—or the number of women dying due to pregnancy and childbirth complications.
Records from the Provincial Health Office reveal that Palawan’s MMR rose to 182 in 2014, from 125 MMR per 100,000 live births in 2012.
While Coron is one of the popular tourist spots in Northern Palawan with its pristine waters and captivating landscapes, little do most people know about the plethora of health issues that beset its locals, especially the women and the youth.
Coron has a total land area of 689.1 square kilometers—making it bigger than Metro Manila (which is at 613.9 square kilometers). Coron is made up mostly of coastal villages. And out of its 23 barangays, seven are flourishing, while the rest are far-flung and underdeveloped.
“Some areas don’t even have electricity and access to health facilities. Tara, the farthest barangay, can be reached from Coron via a three-hour boat ride,” Masalunga shared.
‘Kasal sa banig’
TEENAGE pregnancies, aside from risky and complicated ones, are also health issues that need to be addressed in Coron. According to Masalunga, “One out of 10 pregnant women in the town is a teenager.”
Culture may be one of the factors for this increasing rate. He cites the story of tribesmen—Tagbanuas, in particular, believe that any woman who gets her first menstrual period is free to marry and have children, regardless of age.
The Tagbanua people have what they call the kasal sa banig. In this ceremony (that’s symbolic of marriage), the man will have to pin a woman down, and lock her by the ankle. After this, the latter is left with little choice but to marry the man.
Future plans
MASALUNGA’S work in Coron will end this month. After this, he plans to take up Pathology as specialization, as he further pursues his medical career.
With the experience he has gained out of working in a far-flung area, plus the recognition that allowed him to go places and develop a global perspective on the state of reproductive health, he can confidently embark on a project that will allow him to push for his advocacies a notch higher.
He reveals his plan for next year, that is to come up with an adolescent forum (in partnership with different groups). This activity will aim to empower the youth to know more about their reproductive health rights, and how they can take care of themselves better.