 I'm Marcia Joyner, the host of Navigating the Journey. Navigating the Journey is dedicated to exploring the options and choices for the end of life care and to assist people to talk about their wishes. It's time to transform our culture so we shift from not talking about dying to talking about it. It's time to share the way we want to live at the end of our lives and it's time to communicate about the kind of care we want and what we don't want for ourselves. We believe that the place for this to begin is not in the intensive care unit. Together we explore the various paths of life's ending. Together we can make sure that these difficult conversations are easier. Together we can make sure that our own wishes and those of our loved ones are expressed and respected. If you're ready to join us, we ask. Navigate the Journey. Now, you know, over the last six months, we have invited members of various religions and traditions to talk about the end of life customs in their culture. Today, our guest is a friend whom I have known for, I don't know, since we ended the Harris administration. I look forward to talking to him because he is from the Filipino community and that is the one community that we have not had a guest to talk about and it's a big community here in Honolulu and it has all kinds of things and all kinds of people and one of the joys and pleasures of living in Hawaii is that we get to share in everybody's culture, the food, the songs, the dance, everything and it's just wonderful and JP has been one of those people that has shared his culture, not only with me but with everybody. So Aloha JP. Aloha. JP is the Executive Director of the Filipino Medical Association of Hawaii. Did I get that right? That is correct. Welcome JP. Mabuhay. Mabuhay. Yeah. So tell us all about JP and then about the medical association, the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii. Well, JP, I would say in a few words, is a knot who wants to share whatever is God given talent or resources that he has with the people before he gets to end the journey. JP, I have to tell you, is the person at the Mayor's Office of Culture and Arts who taught me how to make magic. Okay, stop. Okay. That was a long time ago. But he is so good at creating and making things happen. So tell me about, now, where were you born? I was born in the Philippines, Namo Kamarini Sur is my town. Where? Say that again. Namo Kamarini Sur. It's at the southern tip of Luzon, as opposed to Ilocos up north. So you're Ilocano, is that the language? Bicolano. Bicol. Bicol. Bicol. Bicol. It's Bicol. Oh, okay. B-E-C-O-O-L. But B-I-C-O-L is the correct pronunciation and spelling. And we're kind of, well, very devoted to the Lady of Benyar, France, who is enshrined at Salt Lake. It's a Catholic icon. Catholic. Yeah. It's very miraculous and helps heal the sick and all that stuff, so devotion. Oh. So anyway, that's a little bit, it's a part of our culture, actually. Okay. Now, tell me about the Baha'i. Baha'i? No. The clinic. Oh. Bayanihan. Bayanihan. Bayanihan Clinic without walls. Bayanihan Clinic without walls is an affiliate of the Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii. But now it's a clinic without walls. It's a clinic without walls. Graphically, people go to clinics without walls because there is no bounds to it. Like we have an office, like this is at our office, but it's the language leap of Lanakila. They assign immigrants without medical insurance to doctors if they need medical assistance for free. It's a free service that we give to newcomers to Hawaii since 1997 when it was founded. So with that, we serve like 100 immigrants a month. Wow. And that's for free. And we have volunteer doctors, about 100 of them, from the Filipino community. And we serve not all the Filipinos, but all other ethnic groups. So, but I would think that because the Filipino doctors, you don't have a language issue like you would if you went to— No. Luckily, we don't, because education in the Philippines is very much ancient. Oh, really? Yeah. Oh. Yeah. We have Tagalog subjects. Well, I was just thinking that as your immigrants come in, the language, that's not an issue. It is an issue when it comes to like expressing the emotional sentiments of like we say in the vernacular, Ulau, if you understand that. What is it? They could be dizzy, and dizzy can mean so many things in English, and they would not know how to explain or explain that thing. So it's always good to—it's advisable that you see a doctor who is familiar with your culture. I mean, not only for Filipinos, but also for other ethnic groups. So you see what, 100 new people a month, you said? Yeah. Oh, some of them are repeats, but we are—since they don't have any insurance, they qualify, they're marginalized, you know, we take them. How many doctors do you have? We have like 100, these 300 doctors, providers, volunteers, and this is not limited to Filipinos. We have not Filipino doctors who are serving this group of people. So this is only on Oahu? Now we are expanding to—it's in the drawing board, we're expanding to Kauai for now at Big Island. Oh, wonderful. Yeah. Because rural medicine is just—in Hawaii is terrible. It is, it's just terrible. So I'm glad to hear that. Yes. Like 1997, this is when it started. And you've been there all that time? Yes, in a way, doing my favorite shows, fundraiser for them, until I got into the administrative part in 2007. So now you've talked about your shows. So the doctors do the show? This is the main fundraiser of Bionean Clinic Without Walls. We call the production company doctors on stage. And these are doctors who have special talents, talents to sing and dance and be hands and be themselves and this stress—unstress themselves after the clinic hours. They love it. And you take it on the road, do you? Or do you perform? How do you—people come—you know, where do you perform? Well, the first show we had was in—we tested it in Maui, and it worked, then the Hilton. And then we had Blaisdell Concert Hall, big— Fill it up. Yeah, filled up. And we had it at the Kroc Center and the Filipino Community Center, Farrington Auditorium, we would have been a year after a year after a year, or actually at least every two years when we do the production. This is wonderful. And so that's the money that keeps the clinic going? Going, yes, yes, because we have sponsored patients, young people, young person who had leukemia and was history out of it now. If you had to send him to Cambridge, to California for special— So you have to pick up the tabs for— For some, yes. And so with leukemia, that means moving for a length of time— Yes, yes. —and his family, and that's—how much does something like that cost? I have no idea. Some of them are donated. But some doctors, they can talk to each other and have some accommodation. So not everything is free, but sometimes the board and lodging would have to be— Yeah, I would think that, yeah. Because if— So you've got to move the family, too? Yes. I guess. At least one. At least one, yeah. If the patient needs a chaperone, then— I would think that given the severity of the illness, they would like to have a family member. Yes, yes. And these are like very personal stuff, right? So what else do you see? What else do you—that your organization—what else do they do? We do medical missions to the Philippines. Medical missions. This is—we're now planning the 11th, sometime in July. This will be in Tancasinan. Where is that? Tancasinan is central Luzon, and maybe another marginalized area in Manila, Metro Manila, which we always do before going to the provincial areas. So with a medical mission, what happens? We have doctor volunteers and nurses and dentists, and we bring medicines. We get them from here. We solicit money from the community. Again, it's a big sharing and stuff. And so you collect money here to buy the medication and the transportation and then you take it— The doctors and the transportation and the hotels are shoulder by the doctors. Oh, they pay for that themselves? They pay for their own. That's why it's difficult to be volunteers because there are some strengths there. You have to pay for your own lodging and transportation. Well, that's tax deductible because they're doing business. Okay. Yes. Yes. But so how often do you do this? We're doing it once a year at least, some years two, twice. And like the Tacloban calamity where there was a tsunami, we were there in a month, within the month, right after it happened. So we're quite open to where the help is needed. But as large as the Philippines, my goodness. How many islands are there? 7,000. Oh, my. 7,000. 7,000. Yes. Yeah. So— Some—China, when you want some big funds, big— But how about— I mean, because you can't possibly serve all those people. No, that's why—when people say that they don't need a medical measure, I say, that's fine. But deep within, we know like the pyramid of economics in the Philippines is so broad at the bottom. Yeah. Almost everybody needs. Everybody needs. And with that, we give free medication, medicines we get from here. And we even leave continuing supplies for like three months, five months. Vitamins, even. And vaccinations and things. Oh, if needed. If needed. Well, we're going to go to break. And we'll be right back to talk some more about JP and these wonderful doctors. Now, you have to tell us more about the doctors. Sure. Thank you. We'll be right back. Thanks for watching Think Tech Hawaii, which streams live on ThinkTechHawaii.com, uploads to YouTube.com, and broadcasts on cable OC16 and Ollello 54. Great content for Hawaii from Think Tech. Now we're going to say some of your things from your webpage. Yeah. Oh, this is. What's your name? Naguira. They were doing. We don't want that. The words dance. The word. Dr. correct. And Dr. God's heart. They're brothers. And friends. When was this? So. Yeah. We're preparing for that. And maybe we'll have the bamboo band. What's a band? What is that? A band. All bamboo instruments. I know the bamboo instruments. Yes. Yeah. We're trying to get that one. Do you have one of those? Yes. Oh, good. That's right. Then the incoming president of the president right now wants to focus on. Yes. So. Now. Tell us about the Philcon Center. What is that? Oh. Philcon Center is. It's the building that was constructed for Filipino activities, mostly. By donation. By charity. And they still owe money. Yes. Well, that's quite a building. Yes. Because it's very nice. It is lovely. It's crawling on Waipahu Street. And it has a ballroom, a computer room, a musical room, some areas for rent, clinics and real estate people, dentists. Do you work out there? I was. I was when, I did when Toyaro was there. I remember, yeah. Yeah. He was like, come join. Let's see what happens after I retire from the city. Yeah. Now. Spent four years. Let's talk about the culture of the Philippines. Now, we know there's two different languages here in Honolulu, Tagalog and Ilocano. That's in Honolulu. Those are the ones. Yeah. So, what are the differences? Is it just the location? What are the differences? No, it goes back more than 100 years ago when they started recruiting farmers from the Philippines. To come here. To come here. Mm-hmm. Most of the people they invited, they got and were from the Ilocos region. Mm-hmm. There are some political innuendos about that, like why they went there. The secluded area and tried to get these people to come in here and find. So, that was more regional. And they got mostly Filipinos. The other regions came in on their own by other means, but like through the military when they started recruiting US Navy armies all the stuff and so on and so forth. So, it's the best. The joke here is like if you are Filipino when you're Ilocano and if you're Tagalog, you're not Filipino. Okay. No, no, it's a joke. It's a joke because like mostly like most of the people here are Ilocanos. Yeah. So, I'm a minority here. A minority among a minority. A minority among a minority. Come on. I'm bland. I'm bland. I love these people. They are my people. Yeah. Yeah. So, you blend well. You know, I know the Filipinos are basically Catholic. Big, big, big, big, big. So, that makes it difficult for so many things, I guess. What do you mean so many things? Because they will always go back to, I'm a Catholic. I shouldn't do this. Oh. Oh. Okay. Okay. Well, now. I should just commit to sin. Okay. That kind of stuff. That kind of stuff. All right. Well, I just, now, for the people that are watching, we have been supporting this bill, medical aid and dying. And the biggest problem with that is the church. True. And my thought on that is that because this does not compel anyone to do it, what is the opposition? It would be different if we were mandating that everybody has to do this. But when it is just your choice, why is it that the church is in opposition when the bill is about choice? And it's not, it's only open to people that want to choose it. It's not, you don't mandate that the doctors do it. You don't mandate that other people. So, what's the issue here? Planning. There's so many issues in almost all sectors. Like, okay, I cannot answer for religion. No. Okay. Like that. But it's there. We all know. Yeah. We know it's there. Well, it's there. And they have their own concerns. The doctors themselves, I've heard them say, like, when I took my oath, it was to give life, to preserve life. So it's difficult for them to really, in a way, look at, um, medical aid, assisted. Well, no, it's not suicide. Assisted. That one. So. No. But let me tell you the difference. This is only open to people who are terminally ill and the cancer is killing them. They're not killing them. I was getting, I was getting to that too. Because, again, that's also one sector because, like, almost all of the doctors that I know talk to their patients about, uh, signing, um, what do you call it now? Medical aid and dying. Yeah. That one. So they talk to them and it's a choice. It's a choice. And you can always change. And you can change. You can change. Yeah. You can change. That's the problem because, well, there were instances, too, that people have been changing. Of course. Decisions. Of course. Because they find out, oh, I'm alive. So. Maybe I don't want to do this. Yeah. But that's part of it, too, that you, in the bill, it says you can rescind this. Yeah. You don't have to do this. And so many people that have gotten the prescription, don't take it. You know, they say, well, it's here if I want it. And then. Yeah. I think, um, one thing that's good with, with those is with, with the system that they're being asked to sign is they establish, uh, the protocol, right? Like who will you contact at this stage of your life and the people have their names, emails and everything and phone numbers that addresses. So it makes it easier for, for the providers to, to, to go through the thing. Otherwise they will not know what to call in the need. Now we had two Catholic priests early in the, and they suggest that you have a meeting with all of the family there. So everybody is on board. Everybody knows. You know, you have to talk this and your objections and your wants and no, but you have this conversation. So the family understands exactly not, not just this, not just medical aid and that, but exactly what the patient wants. So that you don't have somebody show up from California and say, oh, well you didn't do this to Grant Marner. Yeah. I guess, uh, it all, you know, it's a personal thing. Yeah. So instead of pointing at what other people do, let me just say, um, I think it's, it's better that you talk to your family about it before, before, before. Yes. So it's just like orienting them, educating them about what's happening in your life. And then things will be easier for them to cope up with when the need arises. Yeah. If it arises. If it arises. Yeah. So. That is really, um, in today's paper in the civil beat, they had a poll that says, um, let me read this to be sure it's right. Support is strong in Hawaii for medical aid and dying. And two thirds of the poll respondents say it's time to act. And it's exactly what you and I are talking about is choice. And that's what our program is about. That's why we have visited with people from all kinds of cultures and traditions and religions to talk about what they do, what, what is the culture. The Buddhist, uh, told us how they have a appreciation event before the person passes where you tell them all the things about how you love them and what you appreciated about them rather than what Christians do with a funeral after the person's gone. It becomes a little bit confusing and entertaining when you talk about how people do prayers about the dead or the dying. But, um, I guess another consideration would be economics, like, can you really afford it? Oh. Yeah. Nationwide, the statistics are $10,000 a day in the hospital. A day. Yeah, which of course will always say that that is not enough to, to end a life. Yeah. I mean, it will take whatever. So you should be home, you should be home, not hooked up with all those wires and things. So there's also a thing as, like, you talk to God, to your God and tell Him, Lord. Well, that's what the, uh, Muslims said they do. They sing and, and, and pray and talk. I've just done this a little bit. Yeah. And they talk and they, they pray you over to the next, uh, yeah. And it's, it's wonderful to see all these different traditions and the way people handle this. And it's been a pleasure spending time with you, as always, and you will come back and visit us again. Oh. If needed. What do you mean, if needed? Um, we have so many things going right here. We do. We do. But we, you will, and then you'll bring us the doctors and the music and what have you. Well, I'm fine. They're very busy. No, I'm at the, the table. Oh. Yeah. Um. You can do that. Sure. Okay. Well, you will come back. Thank you so much. Thank you. And thank you again for spending time with us. This is a real pleasure. Aloha. Thank you. Aloha.