UNDERSTANDING THE SELF: INTERVIEW

Interviewer: Bethany Jane Mascardo BPE

Interviewee: Mary Beth Montecino
Age: 32 years old
Date and Time: September 27th, 2019, 3;40 pm

[00:00]

Mary: Hi Beth, Good afternoon.

Bethany: Good afternoon, I just want to ask you a few questions about how you see
contraceptives.

Mary: Contraceptives, for me is an artificial way of preventing pregnancy but the effectivity
matters on the user, the complacency and compliance of using or taking the contraceptives.
And also mo depend pud siya if like, your body can adopt to it healthily. For example, there are
people nga mag IUD sila but then the side effect of IUD, one of the side effects of IUD is
bleeding, temporary but for others mag non-steep sila ug bleeding. So, for me contraceptives
usage depends on the person using and how her body adopts to it.

Bethany: Next, in your life as a couple have you experience using one? Did you attempt to use
contraceptives?

Mary: Yes, Actually I just use one type, the contraceptive pill. I use it for, um, convenient
purposes because though we have the natural method, it’s still a form of contraception but I
chose an artificial way that is taking pills because it’s convenient for me. And it’s not invasive
because you just take it, you just take it orally.

Bethany: When did you use contraceptives? After ni Buding or before niya?

Mary: After, after my first pregnancy. During my first few months, or after giving birth I used
the progesterone only pill. This is a type of pills, a type of contraceptive pills that’s safe for
breastfeeding women because though we have the lactating amenoria which is a form of
contraception for a breastfeeding mom. Progesterone pill for me kuan siya kanang mas
assured gani ko nga dili ko ma pregnant.

Bethany: What’s in the progesterone?

Mary: Progesterone only because naa man nay two types Progesterone only pill and Estrogen
pill. Progesterone only pill is safe for breastfeeding but ang problem ana is for
example mo take kag progesterone pill and then na miss ka then after missing it naa moy contact
sa imong husband and then naay chance of fertilization pag mo take ka balik ato, it will promote
pregnancy.
Bethany: Ahh ngana diay na siya?

Mary: Oh Ngana na siya. So, careful kaayu ang progesterone, dapat complaint jud ka
kay mo stop gali ka it will promote pregnancy.

Bethany: Dili ra maapektohan ang bata ana te?

Mary: Dili gyud siya, it is healthy for pregnancy. Kana nga type. Pero ang
estrogen mao na siyay abortifacient,
meaning maka pa laglag gyud kung imong ipadayon or dili ma laglag ma deform gyud ang
baby.

Bethany: Okay next, how come you we’re attracted to it?

Mary: Yeah, because it’s convenient for me, for the type of lifestyle I have.

Bethany: How many years have you use contraceptives and how come you stop using it?

Mary: I stop using it this year and years of using it is 3 years kay 3 years naman si Buding.
Then usa siya nasundan. Ni stop ko ug use because I experience side effects like abdominal
cramps, spotting dayun sometimes irregular akoang menstruation so dili ko kabalo kay naa may
times nga dili ko mag menstruate so I wouldn’t know if pregnant nako or just because of the
pills. So, murag malibog ko ba. So, malibog nako maong ni stop ko ug use. So, mao to.

Bethany: How about the psychological effects?

Mary: Yes, stress, dali ra kaayu kang ma attrack, dali ra kaayu kang maapektuhan ug stress.
Sa imong mind daghan na kaayu siyag kuan and its hormonal. Very little things ma stress naka.

Bethany: How about your physiological effect?

Mary: And also, in physiologic effects kay kuan we have abdominal cramps, spotting, bleeding
sa akoang case kay kuan sleepiness. Sige ko ug katulog niya pag-abot sa work
kay makabantay ko and then increase of appetite.

Bethany: Ah mao diya to te?

Mary: Oh baling nakong dakoa ato.

Bethany: Unsay bation nimo te if mo take kag pills? Mawala ba imong desire nga makig contact
sa imong bana?

Mary: Dili pud, dili pud. So far, ah but i tried one pill kay ni try man kog different pill.

Bethany: Unsa man nga mga pill te?

Mary: Ahm naka try kog trust nga pills, naka try kog diane nga pills katong tag 700. Naka
try napud ko ug other kanang kuan ra siya nga pill nga dili ragyud kaayu sa ngana ka
branded ba pero wala gyud koy nauyunan. Nakauyon ko sa Diane but
then mo decrease akong libido. Libido means
is kanang kuan kanang imohang contact, mo decrease imohang murag affection, imong arousal.

Bethany: Ah, lahi napud diay na siya Ate?

Mary: Oh lahi napud na siya. Ang katong Progeterone only kay

Daphne na pills, makauyon ko ato niya then ni stop rako ato kay same kuan ba same ra nga side
effects. When you say side effects man gud, it comes with the medicine, so ang adverse effect,
kana nana siyang unique ra nimo nga effect nga wala sa uban. Ang side effect kay common to
the takers of the medicine. So, dili man ko kauyon gyud.

Bethany: Ah, adverse effect diay tawag ana.

Mary: Oh, adverse effect na siya, for example ikaw ra, ga massive bleeding ka then same
pill imohang gigamit. Side effect is common to everybody. Naa puy uban tawo nga dili ka
experience ani nga side
effect naa puy uban maka experience pero kuan gani, dili siya abnormal dili gyud siya, kanang to
the point nga makaingon na gyud ka nga abnormal nagyud ni kay ga massive
bleeding naman ka.
Pag stop nako, ni resort ko karun kay nag natural method naman mi. Safe is after
menstruation mao ragyud na amuon then withdrawal because kapoy jud siya kaayu kung ma
miss nimo then hala mahadlok naka, mura kag ma paranoid. Tinuod gyud na.

Bethany: So, That’s all ate. Thank you for taking time in this interview.

Mary: Ah, mao ra to siya? Kay ganahan pa unta ko mo chicka. Haha bitaw.

Bethany: Oh mao rato te, haha Thank you ate because I learn a lot in this interview.
ANALYSIS:

As what I observed while I interview miss Mary Beth, every woman has distinct perspectives
and reasons why they use contraceptives. But as per her, there are many reasons why she uses
contraceptives but she has also a lot of reason why she stops using it. And I understand that the
more knowledgeable you are in that matter the more careful you are in doing so.

What’s good in her is that she’s aware and sure regarding the matter since she is a nurse. She
said that contraceptives usage depends on the person using and how her body adopts to it. So, if
you find your body not been affected in taking contraceptives then you must stop using it. But it
depends on the couple if they want to use the natural method or the artificial one.
Interviewer: Bethany Jane Mascardo
Interviewee: Meca Batausa Mascardo
Age: 27 years old
Date and Time: September 14th, 2019, 9:00 pm

[00:00]

Bethany: Good evening, can I ask you a few questions about how you see contraceptives?

Meca: Good evening. Actually, pwedi mag bisaya? (Laughing)

Bethany: Yes Maam, okay ra.

Meca: Actually, never in my mind nga mo use ug contraceptive kay I been hearing a lot of
reports nga daghan na siyag negative effects. Pero, tungod kay
ang akong anak nagsunod, si Asheycah ug Rophekah, mura ko
ug natagam bah nga ang ilahang distance or gap sa ilang age is kay gamay ra.
So, ni try kog attempt. Sa pila ka months nakong observation wala koy nakitang changes or side
effects. So mao to, murag mao to siyay naka kuan nako nga walay effect sa akong lawas sa pila
ka months.

Bethany: para asa man diay ng contraceptives te?

Meca: para birth control. Dili ko gusto pa nga sundan pa bah kay luoy man gud ang baby.

Bethany: Naa pud nay mga physical effects like moniwang ka?

Meca: Ang uban, ang uban.

Mao bitawng wala kaayu ko paghuman nako ni Asheycah wala ko dayun ni try ana kay naay uba
n man gud report nga modako niya mo ang kuan daw mo saputon. Ing-ana. Next question.

Bethany: So, naka experience naman ka te noh?

Meca: Oy mangutana ka kung unsa akong na experience. So, after 2 years kay si Rophekah, 2
years kung nga naggamit pero ana nga year, ana nga span sa time dre nako sa 2
years naka experience nga naay nanggawas nako nga nga rash, ug nag hair loss ko. I don’t know
sa pills bato or tungod rapud kay na imbalance ba ko or sa akong nutrients bah.
Wala bakoy kuan.

Bethany: Paghumag gamit nimo or katong naggamit ka?

Meca: Naggamit ko, so nag stop ko dayun. Maong tong pag stop nako, na buntis ko dayun pud.
Mao nas Asher. Hahaha

Bethany: Ahh maobah te

Meca: Pero dili ko sure ha nga tungod sa pills nga nagka rashes ko or nag hair
loss basta kay mao akong nabantayan.

Bethany: Nganong ni stop man ka te nga dugay naman kang nigamit ato?

Meca: Mao to, nahadlok ko nga basin mao to.

Kay abi nako, ang akong hunahuna tungod atong nanggawas akong rashes niya nag hair loss
ko mao to iyang effect. Pero sige gyud kog research nga naa gyud siyay mga side effect ang
pills.

Bethany: Katung gi research nimo nga mga side effect naa puy na tinuod sa imoha.?

Meca: Kato raman akoa oy, katong hair loss ug

rashes. Naay uban man gud nga mugana ilang appetite pero akoa murag wala man,
same raman gihapon. Kato ra lagi, nahadlok ko nga katong rashes ba kay mudaghan.

Bethany: How about your thoughts te? Wala raba ka nasaputon or nisamot kag kahilomon?

Meca: Okay raman siya, lantaw nimo nako ga <husband> wala man
to ga noh? Murag wala oy, depende raman pud sa situation gud kay
kung saputon, saputon gyud ug naay kuan.

Bethany: How about your physical effect? Wala rakay nabantayan?

Meca: Wala raman. Wala ra. Same ra.

Bethany: Ah same ra gihapon. So, unsa nga contraceptives imong gigamit te?

Meca: Hahaha, trust pills. Oyy pang commercial haha. Pero naka try baya pud ko ug Diane
pills pero kausa rapud to siya kay ingon sila for beautification
purposes daw na siya . Lahi lahi man kay unsa toy something sa Diane nga maka nindot sa skin.
Mao sad na akong kasagaran nadungog pero wala rako nakakitag effect sa iyaha kay kas-
a raman sad ko nigamit.
Pero didto gyud ko nagdugay sa trust kay ngano? kahibaw ka ngano? Very Barato hahaha.
40 raman siguro to siya e kompara nimo sa Diane nga tag 700

Bethany: I thought ang trust te is for male condoms only.

Meca: Naa siyay for breastfeeding moms, naa pud siyay normal
ra na kuan. Niya ang katong trust
okay raman pud siya nako wala raman koy gibati nga kuan kato lang gyud after pila na ka
years naay nanggawas while nag use ko.

Bethany: Wala ray mga physiological effects sa imoha?

Meca: Wala raman.

Bethany: Dili pud mawala imong sexual desires te?

Meca: Wala man, ay naa dae, dili diay. Ang akoa wala ko ahm dry ko. Dili
ko ganahan. Naa may uban effect nga baliktad, mag long hinuon sila sa ilang husband.
Pero akoa wala man. Wala ragyud ko nagpangita nga nagpangita gyud.

Bethany: Pero katong wala pa ni take, mao ra gihapon?

Meca: Mao raman.

Bethany: Okay te, thank you so much for answering my questions and taking time for this
interview.

ANALYSIS:
Perspective of one’s mind is developed by what you heard from other people around you. Just
like my interviewee said, she didn’t use pills before because some said that it has a lot of
negative effects. But in years of using contraceptives, she observed that there are rashes appeared
and she also experienced hair loss.

But as per the interviewee, there are some body that can adopt the effects of contraceptives
and some cannot. Discontinuation happens due to some reasons other than to become pregnant.
Based on her answers, I realized that women are conscious about taking contraceptives rather
than men.
Interviewer: Bethany Jane Mascardo
Interviewee: JL Elvinia Loreto
Age: 19 years old.
Date and Time: September 27th, 2019, 11:20 pm

[00:00]

Bethany: How was your life then?

JL: My life. Obviously, it’s my sexuality, right?

A way back then, it’s really controlled and is so limited and it’s like they don’t have knowledge
regarding of our sexuality. They still don’t understand that’s why we are discriminated and
bullied.

Bethany: When did you discover that you are different?

JL: okay, so um... The time that I discover that I’m different is the time when the way I acted is
really different from the way what my sexuality is. Right. Like, I was born a man but the way I
act is really different.

Bethany: Did you feel that you are accepted in the society?

JL: Okay. So, regarding of acceptance, I still don’t believe that we are fully accepted. Sort of we
are not that accepted because if we are accepted, there will be no existing discrimination against
our sexuality, right? If we are accepted. If we are accepted there’s no ano, discrimination, there’s
no bully regarding us. I still don’t consider that we are accepted maybe they

Bethany: when you discover that you are different, what was your thoughts and feelings?

JL: Okay. So, my thoughts and feelings are still the same, it’s still the usual feelings that what
other, like me feel. Like yeah, discriminated and bullied. But I’m not making it majority. I’m not
making it general. But the, ano lang, ahm like some.

Bethany: How about your family, na feel ba nimo nga you are accepted?

JL: Yeah, sort of. I am accepted because if I am not accepted, I was not grown up today like I
was not born and I was not raised until now well, wala ko nila pakan-a
kung dili ko nila accepted.

Bethany: What is in your mind about your future?

JL: Regarding our future as a part of the LGTBQYA today so as a present time, there are
contradictions man gud with example the SOGIE Bill diba? There are still people who don’t
fully accept SOGIE bill because it’s kind of unfair daw it is not like kailangan gyud sa
Philippines. In my point, it’s sort of correct man pud kay there are still issues that needs to be
solved than that. This present, I think it’s would be the same lang gyud there are still
discriminations if ever they’re still a lack of understanding regarding our sexuality.

Bethany: How did you manage societal pressures?

JL: Okay regarding the societal pressure, I still don’t tolerate it. Because at the end of the day, I
am not the one who will suffer but they are because sila ra may mag ugtas nga ing-ana mi. Just
don’t tolerate them, go with the flow lang kung unsa imong ganahan nga kuan, go but in a good
way.

Bethany: Yeah, dili gyud nang sa point nga makasakit nag laing tawo sa?

JL: yeah

Bethany: That’s all, thank you so much for taking your time.

JL: Welcome.

ANALYSIS:
Identity crisis is very rampant nowadays. That’s why people want to enter the LGBTQ
community because they believed it is the place where they belong. What I see in my interview
is that they really want belongingness in the society. They want to live as a normal person just
like others because nowadays, open gays or lesbians receive unfriendly stares or even negative
remarks regarding their sexual orientation. The history of the LGBT community is complex,
because society does not perceive bisexuals, gays, lesbians and transgenders as a norm. Despite
the fact that according to the Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal,” the
LGBTQ community still has to struggle for real equality.

There are various forms of LGBT discrimination and that’s the reason why they feel that they are
still not accepted in the society. The discrimination and bullies are a serious concern especially
when it comes to quality pursuing. For those individuals who consider themselves homosexual or
still have to understand and accept their untraditional sexual orientation, social discrimination
and bullies are their major fear that should be overcome no matter what.