Displaced Filipino workers turn to selling own kidneys to survive amid pandemic Published August 23, 2020 9:21pm

Some displaced Filipino workers have turned to selling their own kidneys online just to get, by amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. In a “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” episode, “Gardo,” not his real name, shared that his license as a security guard expired and he was just about to look for another job when the lockdown was implemented in the Philippines. With no source of income for five months now, “Gardo” has been deep in debt and considered selling off his own kidney to survive. “Macoy,” not his real name, who worked at a horse racing field, also lost his job. “Macoy” then decided to sell his kidneys online. He found a Facebook group where members could sell their kidneys. Once they agree on a transaction, the two parties would discuss privately on Messenger and share their real names, details of the sale, and sometimes photos of the patients. According to “Macoy,” a person could sell his kidney for P350,000 up to P450,000. “Gagamitin ko sa maliit na negosyo. Kahit maliit na karinderya lang. Alam kong bawal, pero ite-take ko na lang iyong risk. Hindi ako matatakot magbenta ng kidney kahit pandemic ngayon dahil kailangan na kailangan ng pamilya ko dahil wala kaming pangkabuhayan (I’d use it to start a small busines. I know it’s illegal, but I’m going to take that risk. I’m not afraid to sell my kidney even if there’s a pandemic, because my family really needs the money),” Macoy said. “Lisa,” Macoy’s buyer, revealed that her father had Stage 5 chronic kidney disease. He’d been going through 10 months of dialysis and needed a kidney transplant, which costs around Php 1.5 million-2 million. Out of desperation, Lisa posted her plea for help in a Facebook group. She shared that almost immediately, people messaged her that they were willing to sell their kidney. “Nag-approach sa akin siguro more than 10. ‘Yung mga nakausap ko, mga hinihingi nila sa amin ay Php 350,000-500,000 (More than 10 people approached me. They were asking for Php 350,000-500,000),” she said. 1 of 5

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

POPCOM, gagamit ng ‘digital platforms’ para pagtibayin ang mga ugnayang pampamilya

Mas pinalalawig ng Komisyon sa Populasyon at Pagpapaunlad (POPCOM) ang adhikain nitong pagpapalaganap at pagpapabuti ng pakikipag-ugnayan ng mga nakakatandang Pilipino sa kanilang mga anak na nagdadalaga at nagbibinata. Nitong Setyembre 21, ang POPCOM ay nagsagawa ng isang “parent-teen talk webinar” gamit ang Zoom, kung saan ang isang “interactive program” ang nagbigay ng naaayon na kaalaman at kasanayan sa mga magulang, habang tumulong ito sa mga anak na teenager na maabot ang kanilang buong potensyal. Hinikayat din nito ang mga nanay at tatay na sumali sa malayang usapan, lalo na sa mga usapin ukol sa sex at sekswalidad, na nakikitang makakatulong upang bumaba ang mga bilang ng mga pagbubuntis sa hanay ng mga kabataan. Maaaring mapanood ang webinar sa https://youtu.be/lZ9jrJCjYas. Ayon kay Ikalawang Kalihim (Undersecretary) Juan Antonio A. Perez III, MD, MPH, “ang webinar ay naging isang tagapag-simula at ‘padaluyan’ ng pag-uu
Read more

UP Diliman Professors Share Scientists’ Procurement Struggles at Senate Hearing

By Harvey Sapigao Senate hearing of the revised procurement law (Photo credit: Senate of the Philippines) College of Science (CS) Dean Giovanni Tapang held up a little white device as he finished his presentation. “This is a ₱150,000 component,” he described. “Isa lang gumagawa nito sa buong mundo, pero ang hirap pilitin sila na magregister sa PhilGEPS,” he continued, referring to the requirement that foreign companies must first register to the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) before they can sell products to local scientists. Marine Science Institute (MSI) Deputy Director Dr. Irene Rodriguez explained that the small device is a resin that filters metals in water. “May budget tayo,” she said, “pero ang problema ko ay ‘yung resin na ito.” This and other bottlenecks brought about by the procurement law, or the Government Procurement Reform Act (RA 9184), slow down research and development in the country. UPD leaders were invited to the Senate he
Read more

Gaza war rages into fourth month as Blinken tours Middle East Adel Zaanoun with Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem, --- Agence France-Presse

The Israel-Hamas war raging in Gaza entered its fourth month on Sunday as the army again pounded the besieged Palestinian territory and US top diplomat Antony Blinken was back in the region seeking to avoid a wider escalation. Israeli airstrikes overnight and early Sunday killed at least 64 people in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory, said its health ministry. It said two journalists were killed when their car was struck. The ministry, medics, and witnesses identified them as Mustafa Thuria, a video stringer for Agence France-Presse, and Hamza Wael Dahdouh, the son of Al Jazeera's bureau chief in Gaza who earlier lost his wife and two other children in an Israeli strike. Israeli bombardment also claimed other civilian lives in the southern city of Khan Yunis and in the Rafah area near the Egyptian border, where many of the territory's displaced people have sought refuge, AFP correspondents reported. Relatives were mourning the dead at Khan Yunis' European Hospital, am
Read more