By Leonardo Micua
The Sunday Punch’s photojournalist, Butch Uka, visited me at my house on December 30, riding his motorcycle after covering two successive fires in Dagupan City.
Butch had often passed by before but had been sidelined by recurring diabetes that had become nearly life-threatening. This condition led doctors to amputate two gangrenous toes on his left foot.
For the first time, Butch admitted that his blood sugar had soared beyond 500 when he drove to Cato, Infanta, early one morning in August. He was covering a holy mass celebrated by Archbishop Socrates Villegas of the Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese at 7:00 a.m. The event was held on the shore of Infanta, followed by a fluvial parade near Scarborough Shoal, where prayers were offered for the protection of fishermen against Chinese poachers and militias in the West Philippine Sea.
Despite his life-threatening condition, Butch did not back out from the trip. He agreed to take his fellow Punch photojournalists Willie, Cesar, and Ray in his car. Departing Dagupan before dawn, Butch and his companions picked up Cesar in Lingayen on their way to Infanta.
Hearing his story filled me with guilt, as I had asked him to secure photos of the mass and fluvial parade. However, Butch expressed no regret, considering it his duty as a photojournalist to cover the religious protest against the Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.
Upon reaching Barangay Cato and attending the mass, Butch decided not to join the fluvial parade as he was feeling unwell. Despite his blurred vision caused by diabetes, he managed to drive his colleagues back to Dagupan. Upon arriving home, he asked his wife to take him to Luzon Medical Center, where he received immediate medical attention.
Doctors, led by his physician Dr. Caro, recommended the removal of two gangrenous toes. After the surgery, Butch returned to work within a month, appearing stronger and maintaining his characteristic jovial, loquacious personality.
Butch expressed deep gratitude to his doctors, particularly Dr. Caro, for saving his life and helping him manage his diabetes. Previously, he consumed a family-size bottle of Coke or Tru Orange with every meal. Now, he drinks only water and follows a strict diet of half a cup of rice per meal, paired with vegetables or fish. He alternates Metformin with the juice of the Esporelina plant grown by his wife, drinks Red Tea, and uses Glucerna milk and brewed coffee without sweeteners.
With these changes and God’s help, Butch’s blood sugar levels have dropped significantly, now ranging between 105 and 120—far from the 500-plus levels he once had.
At The Punch’s Christmas Party on December 20, I caught Butch sneaking a small pinch of lechon into his mouth, explaining with a grin, “It’s allowed, Kuya Ding—but only one pinch.”
Our conversation shifted to another topic, the mountain of garbage at the city dumpsite in Bonuan. I assured him that it was not Mayor Belen Fernandez’s fault, as the Sanggunian had refused to approve the funds needed to address the situation.
But maybe, things will soon get better after her allies seized the majority in the council and already passed the much-needed supplemental budget and next year’s annual budget to support her administration’s projects.
With the passage of the delayed supplemental budget. the city now has four new garbage dump trucks and is awaiting the delivery of a backhoe and a pay loader that will be used to ensure more efficient garbage management at the dumpsite.
Then he told me his only son is soon graduating in Civil Engineering at the University of Luzon, where he is enjoying a full scholarship, a privilege given to their family for being one of the first and original shareholders of the university.
And then he told me he had a classmate in B.S. Criminology at UL, who is the official photographer of Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. And when he
visited him at the City Hall of QC, and Mayor Belmonte was alighting from her car, his classmate introduced him to the mayor. The mayor told Butch. So, you are from Dagupan. What’s happening in your city council? It’s one-of-a-kind, terrible!
Mayor Joy is a good friend of Mayor Belen. The two are active members of the League of Cities of the Philippines.