100 percent im in full support of this. I think we all have a shared experience of only learning about it in school once and then were on our own 😅

Kasi growing up parang kailangan pa na kayo lang ni mama mo magkasama para mapag-usapan niyo siya

Yes! And I think dapat libre and/or easily accessible ang period products sa schools ;-;

Absolutely! While there are already existing modules, the "how" it's being taught leaves a lot of gaps, but is a lot of opportunities.

At Sinaya Cup, we have a 4-session program (12-hours of comprehensive experiential discussions and activities) in the attempt to fill this gap. We call it the CUPacity Caravan sessions, which we have conducted to more than 4000 public high school students.

I came from a public high school and back then hindi masyado naiincorporate ang MHM. It just happens usually pag may program or sponsors coming to our school. Happy to hear improvements when Dr. Dumlao talked about it last May 9 at the forum.

Agree! It would be a great help for our young girls and boys to understand that it is a natural process of the body

Yes. I personally think that menstruators should be properly equipped with the knowledge they need to handle their periods with confidence. Also, openly discussing it in school may help talaga in destigmatizing periods. :>

Ini-imagine ko na lang how my life would be if at a young age pa lang ay alam natin na we have different options to use during periods. Baka mas maaga ako nakapagtry ng menstrual cup if ever! :D

Here’s Audrey doing her thing at one of our CUPacity Caravans! 💙🙌🏼

Oh yay! How is the response naman to your caravan sessions?

I think most of us are taught na ang product lang na pwedeng gamitin ay pads. It's nice to see that menstruators have different options now to see kung among pinaka-comfortable silang gamitin. After all, we lead different lives so it's nice din to have choices on what products to use ♡

This one (among many) was from last year.

Great initiatives!! @Audrey of SinayaCup.com @Gabby of SinayaCup.com

It's been positive, while we also leave a lot of space to improve the sessions. We conduct our sessions with a lot of games and interactive activities, so initially the students we have conducted it with enjoy having a different pace of activities.

One of the modules we wanted to develop is how to involve the boys/non-menstruators in our programs. We did find that the students were more engaged when they had an all-female space to discuss these matters.

Great to see young girls getting to attend events like this! <3

Oh considering the response of the girls, may separate or other module ba designed for the boys? Or are boys and girls in one session lang talaga?

We have tried both. Sessions where there are boys, may tendency kasi to make fun of the topics, as the sessions were designed to be casual and interactive. So for sure exploring different modules that is customized to the audience is a worth it pursuit.

Interesting approach to combining the two genders, i wonder what adjustments would need to be made (if any) for that session @Audrey of SinayaCup.com

It's exciting to explore this. One of the topics we discuss with care is the concept of consent. I think it would be very powerful to include it, where we can also raise awareness for all genders the concept of body autonomy.

I wonder - have you noticed anything about Filipino culture that made periods taboos in general?

Here’s another image from one of our caravans! Part of our program is asking the students how they’d approach their friend to tell them na natagudan sila. They go wild and they have fun with this part!

Can you trace it back to anything? Parang secretive lang talaga yung naalala ko, na getting your period or kapag you need to change your napkin - patago pa dapat. And someone has to hide yung tagos if ever.

And here’s another caravan, with boys!

Cute activity!! I can imagine how I'd personally react if I was their age 😅

We'd love to join one of your caravans in the future to see how it goes in person!

I think there’s so much shame involved with hygiene—especially menstrual hygiene!

Off the top of my head, I would love to have a session where we can take boys on an empathy exercise, where we can give them ideas of the kind of language or support they can provide for their menstruating peers. Our education sessions also focus on reproductive health topics, so basically hitting two birds with our sessions.

Oo parang mahihiya ka talaga!! Even until now actually conscious ako matagusan especially in public places. Pag meron ako, I make sure to bring a jacket or a coverup para ready akong magtakip ng tagos in case :/

One hour is too short talaga to talk about our experiences and passion about menstruation. I really hope we get to have more platforms, especially for young girls, to get more knowledge about menstrual hygiene and management in general :)

Grabe rin 'yung "backstabbing" ng iba 'pag may tagos ka, magiging passive-aggressive talaga huhuhu

Empathy exercise! This is such a nice initiative. Somehow it builds the emotional understanding of boys at a young age. Hoping na maging norm ito especially in schools :)

Surprisingly, times are changing. I grew up with the topic of menstruations being very taboo. It's now quite open with the younger generations, but there is still a lot we can improve on. We were so surprised when we asked students if they still feel shame about buying pads in the store, and majority didn't feel so much shame anymore.

I think since menstruation is regarded as "dirty", hindi talaga sya pinag-uusapan in public. :(

Yes :( there's much to learn and much more we need to do talaga! And it can all start with info dissemination ano? :c hoping we can be part of this change!

Anyway, it's past 7 pm, we're wrapping up. In closing: How can we educate ourselves (and our circles) when it comes to menstrual health? Is there gradual change you'd want to see? :)

But we don't have a wide-scope study on destigmatization, but just from our recent experiences with the students, it's so much less taboo than in my times. (Hello 90s kids!)

I'm happy that it's different now! I can freely talk about my period without judgment. Hehe, it's nice din because I can ask my 14yo brother to buy pads for me and hindi ko sya narinig na nagreklamo na nakakahiya for boys to buy pads so I guess manifestation yun na slowly, nawawala na 'yung taboo towards menstruation. :D

Youre right @Steph when we have these convos it never seems to be enough time at all! But thank you Rappler for creating space for us to share our experienced

Thanks also for leading this important discussion! 💕

Talking about it may seem simple, but it does the job quite well. Once we get comfortable talking about something we collectively experience, more people will talk about their experiences as well. :D

Yes, thank you so much! It's the first time we experienced a chat event like this!

I believe in the power of having difficult conversations! I’m glad to be part of something like this, where we confront periods in the larger context.

Learned a lot from tonight’s chat event. Sana maulit ang mga discussions like this especially that there’s prevailing stigma about period. Hoping we could transcend our learnings especially to the younger audience 💕

I feel that weve only touched on the surface when we share our experiences and pain. The change I wish to see as our conversation (and society) evolves into understanding womens health more deeply is that we start to change how we live and work in a way thats more aligned with a womans cycle :)

Thank you Rappler for hosting this chat event! Menstrual health is something I started advocating for when I was in undergrad, and I'm grateful na I could talk about this in depth with all of you. May we all work towards creating a safer space for us to bleed. ♡

I learned a lot from our chat tonight!! Thanks to @Aiai Garcia of Nala Woman @Audrey of SinayaCup.com @Gabby of SinayaCup.com @Mille Graziella Lisse @Marianne Zen Therese @Steph 💕

Thank you guys :)

Before we go, I’d like to drop this!

Thank you so much, Rappler and everyone who participated in this chat event! <3

Thank you for the opportunity, and we’re so grateful for the response to the work we’ve done!

Isn't it suspicious how with regards to Bell Kenz, their main office is just walking distance from the Philippine Heart Center? I once applied for an internship and jobs there, so I know this as much. This, combined with their CEO being a visiting cardiologist at PHC?

Hi @here ! Happy Pride Month! 🌈 Check it out – Quezon City just launched the Trans Health QC Strategic Trans* Health Access to Resources and Services (STARS) program, which aims to make services for transgender individuals available in the city, such as gender-affirming primary care, sexual health services, and HIV prevention, treatment, and care, among others.

Hello from Zambales @here 🩺 reporters, journalists from different institutions are attending the Department of Health’s media literacy program! We’ll be hearing from different DOH and NGO officials over the next few days about the country and the sector’s plans & goals for the health of Filipinos.

‼️ Pertussis, measles cases in the country decline (based on cases recorded from May 12 to 25) @here

The Department of Health has deactivated its blue code alert (an emergency situation which means the hospital must have at least half of its manpower on duty) after the agency saw a 38% decline in pertussis cases and 37% for measles-rubella cases. Here are the numbers:

🔻 Pertussis
April 28 to May 11, 2024 - 301 cases

May 12 to May 25, 2024 - 187 cases

🔻 Measles-Rubella
April 28 to May 11, 2024 - 283 cases

May 12 to May 25, 2024 - 178 cases

The DOH said data on pertussis cases now are "a far cry" from the reports logged when the Code Blue Alert was raised in March 20. The department then had to increase public awareness on what pertussis is and encouraged the public to get vaccinated.

Hello and welcome to the channel @reyesmelinda @adachi @Jester Ivan :)

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Hi! Is it just me or ang daming nagkakasakit these days? 😭 Metro Manila thing lang kaya 'to or is it happening everywhere?

hello.
asking for any leads who do we contact in case we want to have a press release for a water, sanitation, and hygiene program? this project is under the eMpowering Youths Across ASEAN of the ASEAN Foundation in celebration for the Intl Youth Day in August

It's the first of many respiratory seasons we have annually. Usually we have two, another around the amihan season from October to January.

Hindi lang naman sa Metro Manila. Maybe, mas active lang sa balita or news yung MM about sa mga cases na nagkakasakit.

Hello, good afternoon! Hope you and your families are safe, especially after the onslaught of Typhoon Carina and the recent habagat 👋🏼 @here

Leptospirosis cases on the rise weeks after Typhoon Carina, southwest monsoon

https://www.rappler.com/philippines/leptospirosis-cases-august-2024/

Hello, happy Monday morning! ☀️ @here

We’re keeping an eye on the uptick of Leptospirosis cases. If you had no choice but to wade through floodwaters recently, I hope you were able to consult a doctor!!

In any case, sharing with you the Department of Health’s Lepto referral lines:

(02) 8531-0037
(0920) 283-2758

Leptospirosis cases are on the rise in Metro Manila weeks after the capital region was hit by severe flooding due to the enhanced southwest monsoon. Call these Department of Health hotlines to inquire about hospitals that can accommodate leptospirosis patients. @here