JOHN ARLO JAVIER ORAL COMMUNICATION

GRADE 11 STEM ST. THOMAS MRS: ARLENE A. BONDAD

Topic: Euthanasia (Mercy killing)

A pleasant morning to all of you Grade 11 STEM students. I am here

in front of you to help you be aware of what euthanasia is. Let’s begin! Euthanasia
is translated from Greek as “Good death or Easy death”. Euthanasia, also called
mercy killing, is the painless killing of a patient suffering from incurable and
painful disease or in an irreversible coma. Euthanasia is sometimes divided into
different categories, “ voluntary euthanasia” is when a person is killed upon that
person’s request for reasons of ending suffering. While “involuntary or non-
voluntary euthanasia” is the mercy killing of a medically or legally incompetent
person, such as a child or a demented elderly patient at the request of or by; a
caregiver or family member. The word euthanasia was first used in a medical
context by Francis Bacon in the 17th century. Euthanasia is performed by the
attending physician administering a fatal dose of a suitable drug to the patient on
his or her express request.

In April 2002, the Netherlands became the first country to legalise

euthanasia. It imposed a strict set of conditions; the patient must be suffering
unbearable pain, their illness must be incurable, and the demand must be made
in “full consciousness” by the patient. In 2010, 3136 people were given a lethal
cocktail under medical supervision. Like Netherlands, Canada, Albania, Colombia,
Japan and United States have legalised euthanasia too. But here in the
Philippines, euthanasia is not legal for the reason of predominance of the
religious communities with or which hinders the ratification of the euthanasia
which is the bill of legalising passive euthanasia. Also, the majority of the Filipinos
value the Christian doctrine as the foundation of their conviction. However, it is
still practiced by some, mostly are from the poor segment of the country. They
have no choice but to use euthanasia. Additionally, medical technologies and
professionals here in the Philippines are not entirely advanced. Commonly Filipino
physicians may have inadequate skills to efficiently cure complicated diseases. If
medications reach to the point of life-or-death matter operations, at times, result
to failure, making all treatments paid by the relatives of the patients result in vain.
Likewise, medical technologies are not completely available to cure various
diseases; if ever it is, it will cost a tremendous price. The primary positive effect of
euthanasia is to limit the further suffering of the person. That is, it is judged that
ending the person’s life is more helpful to the well-being of the person than
requiring the person to continue to wait for a “natural” death. While the primary
effect of euthanasia is the act itself. The government and church are still debating
to this issue. In the law of the church, it is forbidden, because it says, it could be
seen as “devaluing life” of one’s life.

Even though, medical and physician team here in the Philippines is

not yet so equipped to handle chronic and incurable diseases, we must value the
life that was given by God. We just need to wait for some signals for us to
undergo euthanasia. Undergoing euthanasia is not wrong nor right but if we know
our limits and do the right, in the eyes of our lord, everything that you do is right
whatever it is. It is our whole life we’re talking about, and remember we only life
once. Thank you!