Y-2-xtulepinoy Report

Reynaldo O. Joson, MD

March 7, 2004

2003 was Y-2-xtulepinoy.

Xtulepinoy is an advocacy against routine circumcision in the Philippines.

The advocacy officially started in April 25, 2002 in the Department of Surgery of the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center.

1. The Department will NOT include Operation Tule in its Operasyon Pinoy (in-house surgical mission).

2. The Department will NOT conduct "circumcision" missions within or outside the hospital.

3. The Department will discourage routine circumcision. It will perform circumcision only when indicated such as recurrent urinary tract infection with phimosis (abnormally small opening of the foreskin).

4. If circumcision is performed, the procedure should preserve the frenulum. The procedure can be a dorsal slit or at most trimming part of the foreskin but with preservation of the frenulum.

5. The Department will conduct public health education on the myths and facts of circumcision as part of its social responsibility program.

Advocacy efforts and initiatives were mainly along the line of promoting public as well as physicians’ awareness that routine circumcision is not necessary.

In 2003, advocacy efforts and initiatives started in 2002 were intensified and began as early as January, 2003 in anticipation of the summer ritual of circumcision.

Manifestos and stands

Surgeons Against Routine Circumcision – A manifesto

January 17, 2003

Perinatal Center, Philippine Children Medical Center

February, 2003

Support from the City of Manila Mayor’s Office on NO to Operation Tule in Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center

March, 2003

Philippines Society of Pediatric Surgeons – NO to routine circumcision!

March, 2003

Philippine Society of General Surgeons – NO to routine circumcision!

August, 2003

Publications:

2002	2003
May 23, 2002, Philippine Daily Inquirer – Circumstitions – by Dr. Mike Tan (Pinoy Kasi)	February 11, 2003 – Phil. Star – Is circumcision in males necessary? Dr. R. Joson and Dr. R. Castillo
May, 2002, Manila Bulletin – Is circumcision in males necessary? Dr. R. Joson	February 25, 2003 – Phil. Star – Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan’s Column
June 14, 2002, Philippine Daily Inquirer – Case of rite of passage to manhood – by Dr. Raffy Castillo (Medical Files)	Xavier Alumni Times, September, 2003 Routine circumcision not necessary anymore! R.Joson
June, 2002, Abante – Dr. Margie Holmes	ICA-XS Connection (http://www.ica-xs.com Routine circumcision not necessary anymore! RJoson
June, 2002, Abante – Dr. Roberto Zaide
October, 2002, Family Reader – The Unkindest Cut – by Ms. Nina Gamboa
November, 2002, Medical Tribune – Surgeon group campaigns against routine circumcision – by Mr. Eric Santos
December, 2002, Health Today – Surgeons campaign against routine circumcision – by Mr. Eric Santos

2003

Television

ABS-CBN Cheri Mercado, Magandang Umaga, February 27, 2003

Talks

To cut or not to cut? Philippine Academy of Family Physicians’ Convention, Feb. 28, 2003 – Dr. Antonio Catangui

Circumcision – A Panel Discussion (RJOSON – one of the panelists)

Philippine College of Surgeons Postgraduate Course, October, 2003

Letters sent to organization to discourage Operation Tule

Rotary Club

Lions Club

Manila Jaycees

Medical Organizations

School Physicians

Xavier School

Maribel Guerrero, MD

Informal assessment of outcome of 2003 advocacy efforts and initiatives:

1. NO more Operation Tule in Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, PGH, Zamboanga City Medical Center

2. More lay people now aware that circumcision is not a must afterall

Plans for 2004: More advocacy efforts and initiatives to start January, 2004

Targets:

Less Operation Tule, if not zero

Less routine circumcision, if not zero

Less neonatal circumcision, if not zero