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Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Aguilar: The doctor is in
By Ed Aguilar
THE doctor is in - Congress. She's there not to medicate but to legislate. Dr. Anna York Puyat Bondoc is the new congresswoman from the 3rd district of Pampanga. She takes the seat that her late father and younger brother had occupied one after the other. Emigdio "Midging" Aliwalas Bondoc was congressman from 1987 to 1998. His death on Nov. 24, 1997 kept the Doctor of Laws from fully serving his third and last term. Juan Pablo "Rimpy" Puyat Bondoc followed in the wake of his father. He ran in the 1998 congressional election and won against former NHA general manager Mars Pineda. No one opposed his reelection bid in 2001. The district representation in the House passed from an illustrious father to an illustrious only son to an illustrious only daughter. "Nu man carin queni o queta, mana-mana ing pulitica."
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A legacy of public service seldom comes amiss to any political family. The neophyte congresswoman plumes herself on what's handed down to her. She made much of it at the hustings to win in the last May election. She defeated former DOTC asst. sec. Rene Maglanque, retired PNP Gen. Ramsey Ocampo, and movie actor Tony "Ferrer" Laxa, her townmate in Macabebe. Seven of the eight municipalities that comprised the district voted her in. These are San Luis, Apalit, San Simon, Santo Tomas, Macabebe, Masantol, and Minalin, the place where her figure doubled whatever that means. The final Comelec tally showed Ms. Bondoc with 85,791 votes, Maglanque - 44,755, Ocampo - 44,640, and Laxa - 1,700. The 41,036 vote-winning margin is the highest in the district history and it inspires her to do good in all the way she can. Thus, like father like son and an outstanding performance in Congress promises well. "Lundag ning gaindung kambing ing bisero antimurin."
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The old hands at legislation divided the Committee share-manships among themselves. They winked at the greenhorns and left them with no spoils to enjoy. Yet with no offense intended, the gentle lady from Macabebe deserves to head the Committee on Health. A high education and wide experience speak for her qualification. The B.S. in Psychology degree holder and Doctor of Internal Medicine took up special studies abroad. She specialized in lung cancer and pulmonary oncology and pulmonary support for bone marrow transplants and oncologic patients. She also specialized in surgical and medical intensive care and acquired caregiving skills inside an ICU. As a matter of fact, there are only five "critical care" specialists in the Philippines and she is one of them. Such a distinct honor makes the warm bodies of the 13th Congress suffer by comparison with her. But, they can count on her and need not fear an attack from taking too much pork, nonetheless. "Ing matas a beluan malaut ya dasnan."
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Although she is the scion of the rich and famous Puyat clan, Dr. Bondoc nevertheless paddles her own canoe. She worked hard to bag the prestigious "outstanding young intern" award in 1993 and was later named as one of the top 20 Young Doctors in the U.S. of A. She ranged far and wide in following her profession and has been to Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Europe, and America. She's professionally trained with a fellowship on Pulmonary Medicine Critical Care Medicine at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. Likewise, she's a rotating fellow in divers field at different hospitals, here and abroad. The associate consultant at St. Luke's Hospital is also a consultant at Cardinal Santos Medical Center. Virtually, she has gained in the wisdom of setting up a condition of optimal well being for all and sundry. "Kabiasnan ning malagung dalaga, mabanglo anting samyo ning sampaga."
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The doctor-turned-legislator has many pieces of legislation in mind. Foremost of these is the thought of putting more teeth into the medical law. She longs to see an end to the malpractice of medicine by imposing stiffer penalties on erring doctors, real or quack. She would like that everybody have an access to cheaper though potent medicines by sourcing it elsewhere if not available here.
She wants senior citizens and those who have less in life to have more discounts on medical treatments. In the same manner, she thinks of putting the unfinished viable projects of her brother and father through on her term or terms. Rimpy's Third River has to be expeditiously done to draw floodwaters out to the sea. Apung Midging's mangrove plantation must grow thicket along the tidal shores to prevent further riverbanks erosion. The feasibility of a Candaba Swamp Authority must be looked into. She told these and more in her recent free wheeling discussion with the Society of Pampanga Columnists (SPC) chaired by Bong Lacson, the hard-hitting column writer and broadcaster. "Atin pamalac, atin panasbuc, agyo ng gawan ing makatutuk."
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Initially, the promising young representative introduced House Resolution No. 146. The resolution calls for an inquiry into the toll fee increase at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) and its economic impact on end users. It says that the increase was from 33 to 52 centavos per kilometer for private vehicles and from 66.5 centavos to P1.04 per kilometer for PUVs and from 99.8 centavos to P1.55 per kilometer for trucks. It further says that such an increase becomes an added financial burden to the manufacturers, farmers, and the commuting public simply because it increases the cost of transporting agricultural and manufacturing products. Soon the appropriate House Committee will be conducting public hearings on it. Too bad there is such an increase. Worst yet, another 500 percent increase in toll fees looms. Unless the administration takes the side of the road users, the NLEx issue will stir the hornet's nest. Good enough, the doctor is in - Congress. "Ing presyo kakatas-kakatas, ing ngeni aliwa na bukas."
(October 12, 2004 issue)
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