by anyajulia | Aug 10, 2009 | Headlines, National News
OFW Philhealth members, prospective members and their dependents can now easily avail of the services of Philhealth. This is through the DBP’s accredited remittance partners/subsidiary offices abroad. Recently, the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has signed a memorandum of agreement(MOA) authorizing the Bank to collect PhilHealth premium contributions of OFWs under its National Health Insurance Program (NHIP). (DBP)
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by anyajulia | Aug 7, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
FROM the site of its 10 bed infirmary, San Miguel town has erected a 25 bed health facility in line with its vision of making health service even more accessible to a bigger number of its residents in this hinterland town.
And the local government’s decision to inaugurate the new facility than during the nutrition month culmination activities last Friday, July 31 is never even more prudent, says town information officer Menandro Pesquira in an interview.
Pesquira pointed out that the old infirmary operated initially from funds generated from the town’s Nutrition Month activities as well as Countryside Development Fund of the District Representative.
Using help from LOGOFIND, the town tapped funds to complete the P45M facility while putting in about P18M from the local coffers, he said.
Mayor Claudio Bonior, during the hospital inauguration admitted that the dream facility would finally unsettle his poor constituents who then had to sidle in for the ten beds they can only offer.
Attending the inauguration were Congressman Roberto Cajes, Boardmembers Amalia Tirol, Ma Fe Lejos, DILG Provincial Director Rustica Mascarinas, Pureza Chatto, DOH 7 Dr. Sofia Mancao. Resident physician Dr. Eduardo Abellar, head nurse and administrator Peter Nuez and Vice Mayor Jonathan Reyes.
From an infirmary that responded to a diarrhea outbreak in 1994, the San Miguel Hospital now stands on the old site and promises the same if not better health assistance program to the town.
The local officials decided to resettle the infirmary to a private residence while the construction went on, independent sources tell.
Since there were cases, which needed financial assistance, the Confederated Health Councilors Association, composed of Barangay Kagawads who were chairpersons of the committee on health in heir respective barangays formulated the health assistance program which provided interest-free loans fro purchase of medicines of admitted patients.
The seed money has been increased with the membership fees of P50.00 per household.
The Municipal Health Officer, who reports to the Local Health Board oversees the operations of the 10-bed infirmary managed by a resident physician with the help of visiting doctors, nurses and midwife in tandem with barangay health workers act as nursing aides and provide laundry and janitorial services.
In addition to the health care services, san Miguel also put up health assistance scheme, health education seminars and trainings are conducted on disease prevention, management and control, first aid and other basic health skills.
As a result, there is improved health care, increased knowledge on health, improvement in sanitation and reduced incidence of infectious diseases and increased family income.
And from a decade old Gawad Galing Pook awardee for outstanding health program in 1996, it may not be long for a town hospital to duplicate a feat in keeping the infirmary and in running a health assistance program that snagged national attention back then. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Aug 7, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
TALL order, comments Police Provincial Director Edgardo Ingking on the mandate to account for about 60 loose firearms in Bohol every month.
But PSSUpt. Ingking believed that starting with the last known addresses of delinquent license holders who fail to renew their licenses in time for the final amnesty this October, the figure may not be impossible to reach.
He added that Camp Dagohoy has a list of the 2,567 gun holders with expired licenses, guns which are now technically defined as loose fire-arms.
Loose firearms, Ingking explains, are those in the keeping of threat groups, criminal elements and delinquent license holders.
During a press conference on the National Firearms Control Program (NFACP) held at the Philippine Information Agency Tuesday, the top cop in Bohol also revealed that the local police would also go after the at least 1665 in their aggressive drive to run over the illegal possessors.
For those intending to go by the book and avail of the gun registration and licensing amnesty, they revealed that the local police authorities have started processing application since August 1 to 31 to beat the October 1-31 deadline.
At an earlier talk, Ingking cited Philippine National Police statistics detailing that about 97.8% of gun related crimes in the country involve the use of loose firearms.
By accounting the loose firearms and keeping their records upon registration, police authorities can identify by ballistics examination any slug belonging to which firearms used in any crime.
The government move also becomes timely with the coming elections would be approaching the problem of accounting loose firearms in two ways.
He said aside from aggressive interdiction operations through checkpoints and choke points, the police would also lobby for their legislative agenda amending RA 8294 and put up stiffer penalties for illegal gun possession especially in organized crime groups.
He believed that the NFACP would finally solve the problem of loose firearms which often end up being used in crimes.
He said the NFACP mandate is in line with Executive order 189 which President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo enacted and consequently churned local police organization into high gear to account for an estimated 4,232 loose firearms in Bohol alone. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Aug 7, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
DEPUTIZATION of police officers as anti drug agents start this week, reveals the local office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to the discomfort of people whose interests are now threatened by the additional narcotic enforcement man power.
At the weekly Kapihan sa PIA, the PDEA, through Intelligence officer Steven Valles said they welcome the move as it increases the manpower by lending its authority to the towns based local law enforcement officers.
While a deputized police officer can not go on operations without coordinating with the PDEA, Valles said the new deputized narc agents in uniform can apprehend and raid as long as they can get a raid control number from the regional office, one that the local office can facilitate.
Survey indicates that Boholanos do not consider drugs as a huge problem, nevertheless, the PDEA has already netted 11 convictions, reads Valles from his reports.
PDEA is now into aggressive demand reduction by going into information awareness campaigns and rounding schools to discuss on the ill effects, symptoms of drug use and how communities can do their share to stop the menace.
This is amidst intelligence reports that illegal drugs continue to enter Bohol through the northwesthern towns facing Cebu.
As regards deputization, Valles said the training set this august 10 to 14 would include the standard operating procedures for police as quasi-drug interdiction agents.
He said most drug cases that get dismissed in court involves technicality proceedings and are being extensively used by depends lawyers.
PDEA however said that pending the finalization of memorandum of agreement among the PNP, PDEA, PIIB and other drug enforcement agency and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and Capitol, the legal assistance for effective law enforcement program may not be totally be available for officers who get entangled with the law while performing their duties.
He added that owing to the undermanned PDEA, the office accepts independent reports and information from well-meaning citizens about drug related operations.
He assured that the information passed would be treated with confidentiality. (PIA)
by anyajulia | Aug 7, 2009 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
HOPE springs alive to the residents of Bohol’s 21 Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCs) who have yet to taste intervention promised by the government when it offered the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.
The 21 ARCs happened to be left out as 28 other Bohol ARCs race to get the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) help through government and foreign donors until the program expired June of last year.
But with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo inking the consolidated version of the bill extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) by another five years last Friday, it was a momentous day for the life of residents of the remaining ARCs here.
The most awaited CARP extension gives more hope to residents of three ARCS in Bohols First District, to 8 communities in Bohol II and to 10 communities in Bohol III.
Already pushed for inclusion into the list of ARCs awaiting intervention both from local and foreign donors especially with the recent Asian Development Bank’s Agrarian Reform Communities Project (ARCP/ADB) project are ARC CAMPVILPAPPINS, Tubigon, ARC Upper Loon, Loon and Special ARC CHABMANS, Catigbian, data from the local DAR office show.
In Bohol II district, pushed for consideration by the DAR are ARC Eastern Trinidad, Trinidad, Special ARC Mainland Bien Unido, Bien Unido, Special ARC VILLASANBOPO, President Carlos P. Garcia, ARC Buenahill, Buenavista, ARC Inabanga, Inabanga, ARC KASSU, Sagbayan, ARC SMART, San Miguel and ARC VEBACALAMPOSAN, Dagohoy.
For Bohol III, recommended for intervention are ARC Loboc, Loboc, ARC Cabacnitan-Cambigsi, Bilar, Special ARC Garcia-Batuan, Special ARC BuenaLapta, Carmen, ARC EL PROMONTEVILLA, Carmen, ARC POBSCANTAM’S N LAS VILLAS, Sierra-Bullones, Special ARC KC, Alicia, ARC Guio-ang, Guindulman, ARC Jagna, Jagna and ARC Loay, Loay.
For beneficiaries from these communities, their pleas, resounding with the millions of farmers and agricultural sector workers all over the country finally gets heard.
The CARP Extension with Reforms (CARPER) Bill is the government’s reply breathes new life to a social justice program that has stirred economic development in the country’s farming areas.
CARP, the land redistribution scheme mandated by Republic Act No. 6657 expired in December 2008.
Congress, by joint resolution extended CARP for six more months, to allow DAR to continue its mandated tasks pending the enactment of a new law to extend the program.
Under the CARPER Bill, P100-billion has been allocated as outlay for land acquisition and distribution, support services, agrarian justice delivery, and other funding requirements during the extension period.
The bill likewise covers all public and private agricultural lands as provided in Proclamation 131 and Executive Order No. 229, including other lands of the public domain suitable for agriculture.
The measure stipulates that prioritization of coverage “is not necessary” and that after June 30, 2009, the modes of acquisition will be limited to voluntary offer to sell and compulsory acquisition.
The bill further provides for the creation of a joint congressional oversight committee to be composed of three members each from the Senate and the House. (PIA)
