00:00On a street in Puerto Princesa, City of Palawan, a woman was seen lying on the street while residents were surrounding her.
00:16The woman had already reached the point of giving birth on the street.
00:23A few minutes later, people from the City Health Office of the area arrived.
00:33Along with other residents, they helped the woman while she was giving birth.
00:44In Lemery, Batangas, a woman was also given birth on the street.
00:49Residents helped the woman while she was giving birth.
01:04While they were in the tricycle, the child's head was coming out.
01:08Thankfully, she was wearing a diaper.
01:10She reached the point of giving birth right here in this place.
01:14Can you imagine the fear of the child and the pain she experienced while giving birth here on the side of the street?
01:23You can also hear in the video that the woman refused to go to the hospital.
01:28They came from the emergency. They know that our patient is about to give birth.
01:35They took her out. Is it right that they did this to her?
01:40We are here on the street. She is giving birth on the street.
01:46Here is the child.
01:53In Cebu City, a woman also gave birth on the side of the street.
01:57But she was brought back to life after she refused to go to the hospital.
02:06Her child also died before she was able to give birth.
02:15What is the story behind these incidents?
02:18The child is pregnant.
02:21Can those who gave birth on the side of the street be given access to maternal health care?
02:28It's already 7 in the morning this October 8 in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
02:32A woman is lying down surrounded by people on the side of the street.
02:37The child is poor.
02:38The 31-year-old Jennifer Persa, who gave birth on the side of the street, is about to give birth.
02:46A woman is lying down surrounded by people on the side of the street.
02:50The child is poor.
02:51The 31-year-old Jennifer Persa, who gave birth on the side of the street, is about to give birth.
02:57Here is the baby. The two hands are moving.
02:59The respondent from the City Health Office of the area immediately arrived.
03:04Together with several residents, they helped to cover Jennifer's white blanket.
03:11While the woman was in a good mood, Jennifer was abandoned while giving birth.
03:16Here is the baby. The two hands are moving.
03:19Later on, her cry will be heard.
03:34The baby is healthy.
03:36Yes, it's big.
03:40The baby is healthy.
03:43After the birth of Jennifer,
03:46She was lucky. Even on the side of the street, she was able to give birth.
03:51The City Health Officer immediately took the baby and placed it on a table to be cleaned.
04:02A week after the birth of Jennifer, we asked the mother how she was doing.
04:07Here is her story.
04:08On October 14, she set the due date of giving birth.
04:12The child is poor.
04:14But while her husband was selling rice at the terminal on October 8,
04:19His stomach suddenly ached, so they tried to rush him to the hospital.
04:24But before he could reach the hospital, he was already on his way to give birth on the side of the street.
04:30I couldn't recognize my mom.
04:32When I was about 58 years old,
04:34The nurse told me that I needed to take off my shirt because the baby was about to be born.
04:39When I sat down, the baby was about to be born.
04:43I couldn't think of anything else.
04:45I couldn't think of what to do.
04:54I felt very sad.
04:56All I could think of was to ask my mom
04:59to take care of the baby.
05:02After giving birth, Jennifer didn't go to the hospital first.
05:06She was worried about the expenses.
05:09Of course, we were prepared.
05:14But we didn't know how much the expenses would be.
05:21That's why she was temporarily sent to a resident's house.
05:25The first thing I did was to help her.
05:28I went to her house.
05:30I went to the owner of the store.
05:32She was the one who took care of the baby.
05:35I went to her house.
05:38We also found a barangay health worker who helped Jennifer while giving birth.
05:48Lolita Reyes has a story.
05:50When I got there, the baby was already out.
05:53My body was shaking.
05:55I didn't know what to do.
05:57When I got there, the baby was already out.
06:03When Jennifer gave birth, she also helped with the cleaning of the baby.
06:09Oh, there's dirt.
06:11Oh, it really fell on the floor.
06:14I told the kids to get a towel to wipe the baby.
06:19The baby's body was shaking.
06:23Even her head was shaking.
06:26A week later, on October 16, 2024,
06:30Lolita was accompanied by a barangay health worker
06:33to get a checkup at the barangay health center in their area.
06:38Hello.
06:39How are you?
06:41Are you feeling okay?
06:43Yes.
06:44What happened?
06:46My advice to you is that you should know the signs that you are pregnant.
06:55I was surprised when you gave birth.
06:58You were on the street.
06:59You didn't have any bruises.
07:02How's your chin?
07:05Is it painful?
07:07After examining Jennifer, she followed up with a checkup of her baby.
07:12How much does this weigh?
07:152.4 kg.
07:172.4 kg.
07:192.4 kg.
07:202.4 kg. means that it's not heavy enough.
07:24We call it low birth weight.
07:27We need to give her ferrosulfate.
07:32We will give her ferrosulfate for 6 months
07:37so that her brain can develop properly.
07:42If it's not heavy enough, she's considered premature.
07:48Her brain is not developed yet.
07:50She needs ferrosulfate.
07:52We will give her ferrosulfate.
07:53She was diagnosed with low birth weight.
07:57How's your baby?
08:00She's strong.
08:01She's strong.
08:03The barangay and the City Social Welfare Development Office
08:08of Puerto Princesa,
08:10are thankful to Jennifer and her newborn baby.
08:13We are thankful to the people who helped us.
08:17Even though we met new people and new friends,
08:23we are really thankful to them for helping us.
08:32Our patient is about to give birth.
08:36Just like Jennifer,
08:37a minor was also born on the street
08:40that we named Hazel.
08:44She was placed on a carton as a cover
08:46and covered with a blanket while giving birth on the street.
08:50She's pregnant.
08:51We're here on the street.
08:53She's giving birth on the street.
08:55Oh my God.
08:56There's the baby.
08:57There's the baby.
08:58You can also hear in the video
09:00that a hospital refused to take care of Hazel.
09:04I feel sorry for you.
09:05Why didn't you understand our patient?
09:07They know that our patient is about to give birth.
09:12They took her out.
09:14Did they do the right thing?
09:17We're here on the street.
09:20The patient is about to give birth.
09:22Hurry up.
09:25Thank you, Lord.
09:28When the baby was taken out,
09:30the residents took Hazel home
09:33to let her rest.
09:36There you go.
09:38The next day,
09:39Hazel was taken to the hospital
09:41to be examined
09:42as well as her newborn baby.
09:49Thank you very much.
09:53A week after the birth of Hazel,
09:56reporters went to the notebook
09:58of Hazel's mother and baby Chesca.
10:00Her name is not her real name.
10:02Hazel refused to give an interview
10:04because of the trauma she experienced
10:06while giving birth on the street.
10:08But we talked to her mother
10:10that we will hide her name, Elena.
10:13This is where we found out
10:14that Hazel tested positive for COVID-19
10:16so the hospital refused to take care of her.
10:19They took her out.
10:21They said she was positive for COVID-19.
10:25But while they were taking her home,
10:27Hazel's car suddenly exploded
10:29so she got out of the car.
10:33And on the dirty road of her baby.
10:37While they were on the tricycle,
10:39the baby's head was coming out.
10:41Thankfully, she was wearing a diaper.
10:43But when she was about to give birth,
10:45right here in this place.
10:47So can you imagine
10:49the fear of the baby
10:51and the pain she experienced
10:53while giving birth
10:55on the side of the road.
10:57Elena will never forget
10:59Elena witnessed the hardship
11:01of her child while giving birth on the street.
11:04She was already violent.
11:05I didn't know what to do.
11:09I told her,
11:10my child, where is your head?
11:12It hurts.
11:13I didn't know
11:15what to do with my child.
11:18There's the baby.
11:19There.
11:20She's giving birth.
11:21We're on the street.
11:22I told her,
11:23why are there hospitals here?
11:25It's for the poor.
11:27Why did they make my child
11:29look like a dog?
11:31It's so hard for the baby.
11:33I don't know what to do now.
11:35The baby is not giving birth
11:36on the street.
11:38Is it right for them
11:39to let this patient go?
11:41This is the life of a human being.
11:42This is the life of a mother.
11:44They shouldn't have done that.
11:46There.
11:47She's still on the street.
11:48I don't know
11:49what time it is now.
11:51The mother and the baby
11:54are both dead.
11:56I feel sorry for my child.
11:58Why didn't they understand
11:59my patient?
12:00They know
12:01that our patient
12:02is about to give birth.
12:04They let her go.
12:07Is it right for them
12:08to do this?
12:09There.
12:10We're outside.
12:12They let her go.
12:13They let the patient
12:14go.
12:15Hurry.
12:20We also found
12:21another resident
12:22who helped Hazel
12:23while she was giving birth
12:24on the street.
12:25According to Sheila,
12:26they thought
12:27the baby was already dead
12:28because her head
12:29was turning black.
12:31I held the baby
12:32in my arms
12:33until I was able
12:34to move it.
12:36I held the baby
12:37in my arms
12:38until the baby
12:39started crying.
12:43Thank you, Lord.
12:44That's where we lived
12:45when we heard
12:46that the baby was crying.
12:47So the baby
12:48didn't cry
12:49when the baby was born?
12:50Yes.
12:51It didn't cry
12:52when the baby was born.
12:53I held the baby
12:54in my arms
12:55and I held the baby
12:56in my arms
12:57until the baby
12:58started crying.
12:59I think it took
13:00about 30 minutes
13:01for the baby
13:02to cry.
13:03That's when I knew
13:04that the baby
13:05was already dead.
13:06Because she was a minor,
13:07it was very dangerous
13:08for Hazel to give birth.
13:09Especially if she was
13:10outside the maternity
13:11clinic or hospital.
13:13According to an OB-GYN
13:14ecologist,
13:15there are many problems
13:16that can happen
13:17to a mother.
13:19Two to five times
13:20the risk of
13:21giving birth to a baby
13:22is higher than
13:23the risk of giving birth
13:24to an adult mother.
13:26While the risk
13:27of giving birth
13:28to a baby
13:29is three times
13:30higher than
13:31the risk of
13:32giving birth
13:33to an adult mother.
13:36When they are
13:37teenagers,
13:38they are already
13:39categorized under
13:40the high-risk group
13:41because of their age.
13:42There are many risks
13:43and potential complications
13:44for anyone
13:45in general
13:46who delivers
13:47outside of
13:48a controlled environment.
13:49There is also
13:50a high chance
13:51that someone
13:52will give birth
13:53to a baby outside
13:54of a controlled environment
13:55like on the street.
13:56Having sepsis
13:57in a mother
13:58because she is exposed
13:59to an open wound
14:00means that
14:01the bacteria that
14:02go to the wound
14:03want to have
14:04an infection.
14:15Reporters went
14:16to the hospital
14:17to find out
14:18if Hazel had
14:19any symptoms.
14:21Hello?
14:24Hi.
14:26Good afternoon.
14:28I'm Mackie Pulido
14:31from GMA 7.
14:33I'm with the
14:34reporters' notebook.
14:36It's okay.
14:37You don't have a video.
14:42We talked to
14:43the officer-in-charge
14:44of the hospital.
14:45He said that
14:46they couldn't
14:47give a statement
14:48because they want
14:49to talk first
14:50before giving
14:51a statement.
14:52What the medical
14:53director wants
14:54to talk to
14:55is the doctor
14:56who looked at
14:57the child
14:58who is about
14:59to give birth.
15:00The problem is
15:01that the doctor
15:02is out of town.
15:03There is no reason
15:04to give a statement
15:05but he said
15:06he is out of town
15:07and they can't
15:08say when he will
15:09come back.
15:10Three months
15:11later,
15:12we checked
15:13Hazel and baby Chesca
15:14again.
15:15According to Elena,
15:16Hazel's condition
15:17was good
15:18after giving birth.
15:19She didn't have
15:20any illness.
15:21She didn't have
15:22any illness.
15:23She didn't have
15:24any illness.
15:25She was okay.
15:26The mother
15:27was healthy.
15:28Even though
15:29she said
15:30that she
15:31wasn't
15:32giving birth,
15:33the child
15:34was okay.
15:35She was healthy.
15:36But until now,
15:37baby Chesca
15:38is still not
15:39under the
15:40newborn screening.
15:41The baby
15:42is still
15:43under the
15:44newborn screening.
15:45The baby
15:46is still
15:47under
15:48the
15:49newborn screening.
15:50The baby
15:51is still
15:52under
15:53the
15:54newborn
15:55screening.
15:56The baby
15:57is still
15:58under
15:59the
16:00newborn
16:01screening.
16:02The baby
16:03is still
16:04under
16:05the
16:06newborn
16:07screening.
16:08The baby
16:09is still
16:10under
16:11the
16:12newborn
16:13screening.
16:14The baby
16:15is still
16:16under
16:17the
16:18newborn
16:19screening.
16:20The baby
16:21is still
16:22under
16:23the
16:24newborn
16:25screening.
16:26The
16:27baby
16:28is still
16:29under
16:30the
16:31newborn
16:32screening.
16:34If
16:35everyone
16:36all
16:39stayed
16:40home
16:43to save his life.
17:01Lorna tried to bring him to the hospital,
17:04but he refused to be taken to the hospital.
17:13I am a patient of yours. I am a patient of yours.
17:15I am just calling you.
17:17This is where the patient was signed a waiver form
17:20to prove his refusal.
17:23But a few hours later,
17:25Lorna's life was restored
17:27as well as his newly born baby.
17:30Even if the patient refuses,
17:32if they brought him immediately,
17:33maybe there's still a chance.
17:38We tried to get a statement.
17:40The Cebu City Disaster,
17:41Risk Reduction and Management Office,
17:43to find out what exactly happened in this case
17:46and what was the protocol
17:48in which the patient signed the waiver
17:50or refused to be taken to the hospital.
17:53But until now,
17:54they are not answering us.
18:01We also consulted an OB-GYNICOLOGIST
18:04to find out what was the possibility
18:05that Lorna could have died
18:06while giving birth on the street.
18:08Most obvious there would be the blood loss,
18:10the second would be the infection.
18:13Remember the baby was delivered
18:15but the placenta was not.
18:17So postpartum hemorrhage
18:19could have led to the death of this mom.
18:21There's a lot of issues that needs to be addressed
18:24in that scenario.
18:26The best thing that they did
18:27was really to immediately respond
18:30to the most urgent need
18:32which was to bring her to the hospital,
18:34give resuscitation methods.
18:38In the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority
18:41or PSA in 2023,
18:43the number of women
18:45who die due to giving birth increased.
18:48In 2021,
18:49more than 1,000 maternal deaths were recorded.
18:53That means,
18:554 per day while giving birth.
18:58More than 2,000 maternal deaths
19:01were recorded in 2022.
19:04That's equivalent to 7 mothers
19:06who die every day while giving birth.
19:08In the study of the United Nations Population Fund Philippines,
19:121 in 10 pregnant women
19:14do not give birth in health facilities
19:17and are not looked after by skilled healthcare personnel.
19:21In fact,
19:22the Department of Health or DOH has a program
19:25to provide access to services and facilities
19:28to those who deliver
19:30so that they can safely give birth
19:33regardless of their status in life.
19:35Or the National Safe Motherhood Program or NSMP.
19:39Unfortunately,
19:41the gap is translating these programs
19:45into something that is relatable
19:48to the target population,
19:50especially the indigent patients
19:53because we have to remember
19:55Class C, Class D,
19:57they really need that special care.
20:01We also tried to get permission
20:03from the Department of Health or DOH
20:05about their program for pregnant women
20:08but they did not launch an interview.
20:11Despite the government's programs
20:14to protect pregnant women
20:16and newborn babies,
20:18the number of deaths is still increasing
20:21like what happened to Lorna and her baby.
20:24That's why there should be
20:26an effective program for them
20:28because every minute,
20:30no one gives birth in the right facility.
20:32Both mothers are at the brink of death.
20:37Until next Saturday,
20:38I am Mackie Pulido.
20:40I am Dune Vanaracion
20:41and this is Reporters Notebook.
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