by magnolia_eic | Oct 6, 2010 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
AS the issue on reproductive health heats up, the government is calling for sobriety in efforts to promote a healthy dialogue on the methods of family planning.
In a media briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Malacanang welcomes any actions that would promote a dialogue on the issue instead of being confrontational.
“We are calling on all parties, the church and those who are for reproductive health to be sober in their actions and statements,” he said.
Lacierda said President Benigno S. Aquino III is looking forward for a meeting with the bishops.
The President, he said, is expected to clarify with the Catholic bishops that his position on responsible parenthood is not pro-abortion, which is totally against the Constitution.
Earlier, President Aquino expressed willingness to help underprivileged Filipinos in planning their families, leaving to couples the choice of the birth control method they want to use.
Lacierda said the Palace will study the pending Reproductive Health Bill, noting that the President has yet to read it. There are two versions of the Reproductive Health Bill pending approval in Congress and the Senate. (PCOO/PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 4, 2010 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
PhilHealth Sabado (October 2, 2010) is the start of a continuing advocacy program to
increase awareness and knowledge of every Filipino on the importance of becoming a
PhilHealth member that will ensure access to quality health services to the member and his/
her dependents.
The program intends the registration of non-member informal sector under the individually
paying program (IPP). It also provides for an opportunity to automatically register and
distribute PhilHealth cards to about 800,000 indigents identified in the National Household
Targeting System (NHTS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The registration will be conducted in all the regional and service offices of PhilHealth, along
with DOH Centers for Health Development and DOH-retained hospitals nationwide.
PhilHealth Sabado fullfill universal health insurance coverage within three years as
promised in the first State of the Nation Address of President Benigno S. Aquino III. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 30, 2010 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
President Benigno S. Aquino III is more than willing to sit down with the Catholic clergy if they want to hear his position on the controversial Reproductive Health Bill being pushed in Congress.
Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in an interview that sitting down with the church leaders is the best way for the President to explain his responsible parenthood position on family planning.
In his meeting with Filipino expatriates in San Francisco during his US visit, the President explained that the obligation of the government on family planning is to inform everybody of their responsibilities, and provide assistance to a particular method they want to employ for their family.
On the US grant of a $434 billion (P19 billion) financial assistance to the Philippines, Lacierda assured the Catholic leadership that the money will be spent wisely particularly on the administration’s anti-poverty program such as the Kalahi CIDSS, and strengthening the anti-corruption effort of the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
Lacierda issued the assurance in response to the allegation of Fr. Melvin Castro, executive director of the Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, that the President is “selling out the Filipino soul” in exchange for the US grant.
He stressed that such statement is unfair and below the belt because the grant has been approved by the US government and released only to President Aquino after he met the guidelines set by the United Nations Millennium development goals. (PCOO/PIA)
by boholbalita | Sep 20, 2010 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, Local News / Bohol Balita
IPAHIGAYON karong hapon ang province-wide nga massive clean-up drive batok sa dengue virus nunot sa pagsaka sa makamatay nga sakit.
Ang kalihukan nga gipasiugdahan sa kagamhanang probinsiyal ubos ni Gobernador Edgar M. Chatto pagasugdan ala 1:30 sa hapon hangtud sa alas 6 sa gabii.
Mga opisyal ug empleyado sa kapitolyo lakip na sa 47 ka mga lungsod ug sa siyudad sa Tagbilaran gitakdang mosalmot sa maong kalihukan alang sa kampanya batok sa dengue diin duna nay 1,412 ka mga Bol-anon ang nataptan ug siyam na ang namatay sukad sa bulan sa Enero hangtud sa Septiyembre 13 ning tiiga.
Lakip nga mosalmot sa kalihukan mao ang private sector, religious group ug non-governmental organizations.
Tuyo sa maong kalihukan nga malimpiyo ang palibot sa usa ka dapit ug ipangyabo ang mga tubig nga napundo aron wala nay maitlogan sa maong lamok nga nagdala sa virus.
Si Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot nibutyag kini sinugdana lamang sa ilang kampanya aron masumpo ang maong makamatay nga sakit ug mahimo kining masundan pa.
Ang dakbayan sa Tagbilaran nga maoy topnotcher nga dunay daghang kaso, gitakdang mohimo og clean-up drive sa barangay Cogon ug barangay Bool ug lakip sa ubang mga barangay nga dunay natalang daghang kaso. (Andy Nalzaro)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 25, 2010 | Headlines, Health and Medicine, National News
The Department of Education (DepEd) will closely coordinate with the Department of Health (DoH) to monitor the rising dengue cases in schools and protect school children from the disease.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said he will instruct all school officials to take necessary measures to prevent dengue which becomes prevalent especially at the onset of the rainy season.
Data from DoH show that about 80 percent of dengue cases belong to the 1 to 20-year-old age bracket. Parents are reminded to be vigilant because the fatality rate in this age bracket is greater than one percent in that age group.
DepEd and DoH officials plan to visit schools with high cases of dengue and will remind the parents and teachers on the most cost-effective ways to fight dengue such as keeping surroundings clean to destroy the breeding places of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
Luistro has also instructed all school officials to maintain sanitation in school premises and directed school health officials to conduct information dissemination campaign so that students and the community will know what dengue virus is, and what the community can do to prevent it.
As of August 14, a total of 54,659 dengue cases were reported nationwide. This figure is 74.9% higher for the same period last year. There were 429 deaths recorded. (PIA-Bohol)
by magnolia_eic | Aug 12, 2010 | Health and Medicine, National News
WALA pay desisyon si Presidente Noynoy Aquino sa gitanyag ni Health Secretary Enrique Ona nga dugang P4.50 nga buhisan sa sigarilyo samtang wala pay opisyal nga panaghisgutay bahin niini matud pa sa tigpamaba sa Palasyo niadtong Martes.
Sa usa ka news briefing, si Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda ni ingon nga kinahanglan pa unang tun-an ni Finance secretary Cesar Purisima, kinsa maoy in-charge on tax matters.
Kon seryosohon sa Presidente, kinsa usa usab ka tigpanabako ang maong tanyag kay naghiapil man kini sa promotion sa public health, si Lacierda nagkanayon nga sa pagkakaron, wala pay policy decision kay wala pa nahisguti sa Malacañang ang maong tanyag.
Matud pa ni Lacierda nga mayo man ang maong tanyag kay nag promote kini sa public health, apan mo agi pa kini una ni Purisima.
Sa usa ka pagpakig-pulong sa Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Alliance Philippines, si Ona ni ingon nga iyang suportahan ang laraw nga pagpahamtang og dugang buhis nga P4.50 kada stick, o P90 sa kada 20-cigarette pack. (PIA-Bohol)
