Surigao Norte gov awards Search for Outstanding
Barangay champs
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, July 20 (PIA) -- Governor Sol
Matugas announced on Wednesday the winners of the Search for Outstanding
Barangay of the Province during her Second State of the Province Address held
at the provincial convention center, this city.
Winners are Barangay Mat-I, Surigao City, for
city cluster; Barangay Sta. Cruz, Placer, Surigao del Norte, for the mainland
cluster; and Barangay Punta, Pilar, Siargao Island, for Siargao cluster.
Winning barangays received project incentives worth P250,000, P25,000 cash
prize and a plaque of appreciation from the provincial government in
recognition of their continuous efforts and commitment in the realization of
the present administration’s program and inclusive growth of the province.
Second prize winners are Barangay Washington,
city cluster; Barangay Cansayong of Malimono, mainland cluster; and Barangay
Nuevo Campo, San Benito, Siargao cluster. They were given project incentives
worth P150,000, P15,000 cash prize and a plaque of appreciation. Barangay Nonoc,
Surigao City, city cluster; Barangay San Jose, Mainit, mainland cluster; and
Barangay Poblacion 2 of Burgos, Siargao cluster are third prize winners with
P100,000 worth of project incentives, P10,000 cash prize and a plaque of
appreciation.
Special awards for Best in Health and Sanitation
Practices went to Barangay Taft, city cluster; Barangay Sta. Cruz, mainland
cluster; and Barangay Punta, Pilar, Siargao cluster. Best in Educational
Practices/Project Best went to Barangay Washington, city cluster; Barangay San
Pablo, Tubod, mainland cluster; and Barangay Pelaez, San Isidro, Siargao
cluster. Best in Agriculture/Aquaculture Practices was awarded to Barangay
Mat-I, city cluster; Barangay Cansayong, Malimono, mainland cluster; and
Barangay Nuevo Campo, San Benito, Siargao cluster. Best Practices in Promotion
of Welfare of Special Vulnerable Groups went to Barangay Canlanipa, city
cluster; Barangay Daywan, Claver, mainland cluster; and Barangay Punta, Pilar,
Siargao cluster.
Best in Disaster Preparedness went to Barangay
Mat-I, city cluster; Barangay Cansayong, Malimono, mainland cluster; and
Barangay Poblacion 2, Burgos, Siargao cluster. Best in Livelihood Program
Implementation to Barangay San Jose, city cluster; Barangay Sta. Cruz, mainland
cluster; and Barangay Punta, Pilar, Siargao cluster. Best in Solid Waste
Management to Barangay San Juan, city cluster; Barangay San Jose, Mainit,
mainland cluster; and Barangay Pelaez, San Benito, Siargao cluster. Best in
Barangay Governance to Barangay Washington, city cluster; Barangay San Pablo,
Sison, mainland cluster; and Barangay Punta, Pilar, Siargao cluster and Best
State of Barangay Governance Report to Barangay Nonoc, Surigao City, city
cluster.
Other participating barangays also received
plaques of commendation for their support and contribution.
This year’s search was conducted simultaneously
in three clusters: city cluster, mainland cluster and Siargao cluster by the
Provincial Awards Committee composed of the Provincial Governor’s Office as
chairman, with technical assistance from the Department of the Interior and
Local Government, representatives from the barangay development office,
provincial offices, provincial liga ng mga barangay, provincial SK federation,
Department of Education, Philippine National Police, Surigao del Norte NGO
Coalition for Development and the media. (RER/FEA/SDR/PIA 13-Surigao del Norte)
Bayan Muna Rep graces turnover of various
projects in Surigao del Sur
By Nida Grace B. Tranquilan
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 20 (PIA) --
Bayan Muna Representative Teddy CasiΓ±o visited the province of Surigao del Sur
recently to grace the turnover of several projects.
Makabayan Provincial Chair Nep Cuizon said the
project funds were taken from CasiΓ±o's Priority Development Assistance Fund
(PDAF).
Among the projects funded are the lamayan set in
Barangay Dagocdoc, Tandag City, P250,000; water system project in Barangay
Unidos, Tago, P1.25 million; medical support program for indigent of Surigao
del Sur, P400,000; scholarship program to Surigao del Sur State University
(SDSSU), P200,000; and the ambulance for LGU Tandag City, P1.25 million.
CasiΓ±o also turned over a netbook and LCD
projector to the student supreme government of Surigao del Sur State
University.
Meanwhile, a consultative forum joined by
different government agencies and media personalities here was also conducted
to address queries on national and local issues.
Governor Johnny Pimentel welcomed and expressed
gratitude to CasiΓ±o for the support and projects given to the province.
Pimentel also said his constituents would
benefit from those projects and programs and will lead to the development of
Surigao del Sur. (RER/NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
“Biyaheng Kulambo” advocacy campaign arrives in
Surigao del Sur
By Nida Grace B. Tranquilan
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, July 20 (PIA) --
“Biyaheng Kulambo” of the Department of Health (DOH) arrives in Surigao del Sur
today.
The travelling net or “Biyaheng Kulambo”
symbolizes the advocacy campaign to heighten public awareness and prevent and
eliminate malaria disease in support to the nationwide campaign for Malaria
elimination by 2020.
During the ceremonial program held at the
provincial capitol lobby here, Provincial health officer Dr. Romeo de los Reyes
said the province of Surigao del Sur has suffered malaria cases in the previous
years, but these cases went down after the implementation of Global
Funds-Malaria Component Project.
“Our province suffered much of the malaria cases
in the previous years but since the implementation of Global Funds-Malaria
Component Project in our province, cases of Malaria dramatically went down,” de
los Reyes said.
De los Reyes also said the activity will really
strengthen the quest for a malaria-free Surigao del Sur in the future.
In behalf of Governor Johnny Pimentel, Executive
Assistant Tomasito Pareja said all programs of DOH are supported by the
provincial government. Pareja further said health basic services/project
implementation is part of the flagship program of the present administration. (RER/NGBT/PIA
13-Surigao del Sur)
NSO to conduct forum on family reg’l health
survey data dissemination
By Danilo S. Makiling
BUTUAN CITY, July 20 (PIA) -- The National
Statistics Office (NSO) – Caraga Region is set to conduct a forum on 2011
Family Health Survey (FHS) Regional Data Dissemination on July 31, 2012 at Prince
Hotel, Montilla Blvd., Butuan City.
The forum aims to raise awareness of
stakeholders and data users on the importance and relevance of the survey data,
said Ricardo Galarse, regional director of NSO-Caraga OIC.
The forum will also tackle fertility, family
planning, maternal and child health.
Galarse added that among the forum objectives
are: to determine the contraceptive prevalence rate and contraceptive method
mix; to determine the reason for non-use of family planning methods; and to
measure percentage of births where mothers and their children are subject to
elevated risks of morbidity and mortality.
The event will be participated in by different
government line agencies, civil societies, non-government agencies, religious
organizations, women’s group, academe, media and the local government units in
Caraga Region. (RER/DSM/PIA-Caraga)
DENR Anti-Task Force seized illegal lumber in
Trento
By Eric F. Gallego
BUTUAN CITY, July 20 (PIA) -- Operatives of the
anti-illegal logging task force-Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) have confiscated 1,396 undocumented lumber products worth about P373,000
during a raid in the remote barangay in Lankilaan, Trento, Agusan del Sur on
Wednesday, July 18.
Reports said the raiding team found several
pieces of lumber wood products of lauan and yakal species scattered in several
places when they arrived in that barangay.
Trento Police Station headed by PInsp Ma. Gemma
Christina Corbeta has taken custody of the apprehended wood products for
safekeeping.
The raiding team led by Louie Ceniza and Ret.
Philippine Army Col Harry Taladua, was backed up by the Community Environment
and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Bunawan forest officers, Philippine
National Police (PNP) Trento, Agusan del Sur and the 13th Regional Public
Safety Company headed by Police Inspector Clark Abeya. (RER/NCLM/DENR-13/PIA-Caraga)
Malnourished kids in Agusan Sur down
By Alexis Cabardo
AGUSAN DEL SUR, July 20 (PIA) -- The prevalence
of malnutrition among children in this province has dropped.
Laniebelle T. Angchangco, provincial nutritionist,
said malnutrition among children 10 years old and above has declined to 9.51
percent in 2011, from 10 percent in 2010.
Angchangco said this can be attributed to the
local government's efforts to intensify poverty alleviation programs, as well
as to implement strategies and assessment as part of the monitoring scheme.
Feeding in different schools is also considered
one of the reasons for the decrease, Angchangco said.
Angchangco also said the government's two (2)
percent target reduction this year will be achieved.
She said they are constantly conducting mass
weighing and height monitoring for the nutritional assessment of school
children in the province.
Anchangco also encouraged parents to regularly
serve vegetables to their children to keep them healthy. (RER/DMS/PPIO-AGSUR/PIA-Caraga)
Butuan receives more donations from WMR
By Maria Luisa Dianah Z. Generalao
BUTUAN CITY, July 20 (PIA) -- The city
government here has received the second batch of donated medical supplies and
equipment from World Medical Relief, Inc. (WMR) for use at the Butuan City
Medical Center.
WMR was founded in 1953 by Irene M. Auberlin to
help orphaned children during Korean War. It later expanded into a global
mission to aid millions of sick and poor people around the world. WMR’s first
batch of medical supplies here arrived in January 2011.
The donations, which originated from Detroit,
Michigan, USA, have reached some P40 million.
This second 40-foot container van was filled
with P17 million worth of beds, cushions, wheelchairs, tables, crutches and
other medical supplies and equipment.
Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante, Jr. expressed
gratitude to WMR for playing a vital role in the LGU’s cause to improve the
health services of the city. He added he will continue to provide means to
strengthen the said advocacy.
The donated medical supplies and equipment were
formally turned over by World Medical Relief Ambassador of Health Dr. Dave Lee
Zarate to Amante at the regional government center on Wednesday, with the
presence of City Councilors Virgilio Nery and Ramon Carampatana, SK Federation
President Rauzil Carampatana, Butuan Medical Center OIC Director Dr. Josephine
Chua and other officials of the city government. (NCLM/Butuan-PIO/PIA-Caraga)
PhilHealth moves forward with universal health
care
MANILA, July 20 (PIA) -- PhilHealth is rapidly
expanding its program in support of universal health care by providing heath
insurance coverage for all national government-paid 5.2 million poor families
and an additional over five million families paid for by local government
units.
As of May 2012, PhilHealth has paid out over P16
billion of benefits and expects to further expand benefit payments to over a
billion pesos weekly starting July 2012.
It has improved its hospitalization benefits for
members with case payments and the deployment of 530 nurses (PhilHealth Cares)
in hospitals all over the country.
It has implemented several new benefits to
address the heath needs of its members including primary care benefits and the
Z benefits for catastrophic illnesses. Enhanced benefits are now being enjoyed
by its members.
With over a hundred billion pesos of reserves,
PhilHealth is committed to ensure true financial risk protection for its
members particularly the poor.
With regards to its alleged delayed claims
payments, PhilHealth has been addressing this issue since late last year.
In 2011, the average number of claims was around
340,000 a month. During this period, the average claims turnaround time (TAT)
was more than 60 days. Thirty eight percent of submitted claims were paid
beyond 60 days.
By the end of June 2012, despite an increase in
the number of claims to 450,000 a month, the TAT even decreased to 48 days.
The TAT for claims paid by case rates is even
lower at 46 days. As to the percentage of claims paid beyond 60 days, this has
been reduced to 26 percent for all claims, and 23 percent for claims paid by
case rates.
As to allegations of old unpaid claims,
PhilHealth has been working with hospitals to reconcile these claims with
PhilHealth and they have harmoniously conducted the reconciliations since last
year.
Still, the Corporation recognizes that they need
to do more. A shift to all case rates and electronic claims processing are key
to attain claims efficiency that everyone will be happy with.
Thus by September 1, PhilHealth will start to
pay hospitals electronically provided that they have LandBank account. By
October 1 , PhiliHealth will start to receive electronic submission of claims.
By the end of the year, all claims by case rates are expected to be paid. (PhilHealth/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog news: Agarang pagpapatigil ng iligal na
pagmimina sa Agusan del Sur, inirekomenda
By David M. Suyao
AGUSAN DEL SUR, Hulyo 20 (PIA) -- Inirekomenda
ng Agusan del Sur Environment and Sustainable Development Council (ASESDC) kay
Agusan del Sur Gov. Adolph Edward Plaza ang agarang pagpapatigil ng pagmimina
sa Barangay Das-agan, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur.
Ayon kay Ranulfo Paler, provincial environment
at natural resources officer – local government unit (PENRO-LGU), ang operasyon
ng pagmimina diumano'y tinutustusan ng ilang mga Tsino at nag mimina nang
walang kaukulang permiso.
Binubungkal at hinuhukay ang lupa gamit ang
malalaking kagamitan na siyang naging sanhi ng malaking pinsala naidinulot sa
lugar at ng mga karatig na barangay.
Sa ginanap na pagtitipon noong nakaraang linggo,
ipinakita ni Paler sa mga miyembro ng ASESDC ang mga larawan kung paano pinapatakbo
ang pagmimina. Binubungkal ang mga lupa at inilipat sa pamamagitan ng isang
backhoe at binobomba nang malakas na tubig para ito ay maanod hanggang ito ay
dumaloy pababa patungo sa mababang lugar kung saan sila ay inipon para
iproseso.
Dahil sa malaki na ang lugar na tuluyan ng
nawasak, makikitang bagsak ang mga puno, malaki man o maliit, ay nakakalat,
kasama ng iba pang mga produkto ng kagubatan. Wala na ring makitang ligaw na
hayop o ibon sa lugar, ayon kay Paler.
Aniya, bago ang pagtipon ng ASESDC, sinulatan ni
Mayor Jenny de Asis si Gov. Plaza upang humingi ng tulong sa pagpapatigil ng
operasyon ng pagmimina at kung maaari ay kumpiskahin ang mga kagamitan na
ginagamit sa pagmimina. Inutusan din kaagad ni Gov. Plaza ang ASESDC ng agarang
pagsusuri ng mga kaso na iniulat ni de Asis.
Sa mungkahi ni Danilo Lastimosa, miyembro ng
ASESDC at sinang-ayunan naman ni Dr. Rex Linao, ang isang resolusyon ay naipasa
na nagrekomenda sa gobernador ng agarang pagpapatigil ng operasyon ng pagmimina
sa Barangay Das-agan at pag kumpiska ng kanilang mga kagamitan habang masusing
pagsisiyasat ay gawin, sa mga nasangkot sa ilegal na pagmimina.
Ayon sa napagkasunduan ng mga miyembro ng ASESDC
pag naaprubahan ni Gob. Plaza ang naturang resolusyon tutulong ang pulis na
miyembro rin ng ASESDC upang maipatupad ang kautosan sa pagpapatigil sa
operasyon ng pagmimina. (DMS/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
Cebuano news: DOH gitin-aw ang mga reporma sa
healthcare system ubos sa administrasyong Aquino
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Hulyo 20 (PIA) -- Gibag-o sa
administrasyong Aquino ang health care system, gipulihan ang karaan nga dole
out method sa bag-ong universal healthcare, matud sa opisyales sa maayong
panglawas kagahapon Huwebes.
Sa press briefing didto sa MalacaΓ±ang si Health
Undersecretary Teodoro Herbosa mipasabot nga ang pagwagtang sa mga charity
wards sa mga panggobyernong hospital ug gipuli niini ang health insurance alang
sa kabus nga mga benipisyaryo.
Dugang pa ni Herbosa nga kaniadto, kung ang
kabus masakit, moadto sila sa pampublikong mga hospitals ug adto ibutang sa
charity beds. Kasagaran ang mga pasyente sa charity wards maoy mopalit sa
kaugalingon nilang mga medisina, mobayad sa x-ray ug CT scans ug mga laboratory
exams, matud pa niya.
Aron masagubang ang mga kagalastuhan, ang mga
kabus sagad nga mangayo og tabang ngadto sa mga pulitiko, non-government
organizations ug mga religious organizations o maningkamot nga makakita og
ilang kaugalingong kwarta, matud pa ni Herbosa.
“What we do now is what is called the universal
healthcare. Ito na ‘yung tinatawag nating Kalusugang Pangkalahatan,” dugang pa
ni Herbosa nga ang nahibutang sa alanganin sa karaan nga sistema mao ang mga
kabus nga katawhan.
Apan ubos sa administrasyong Aquino, ang
Department of Social Welfare and Development nakahimo na sa pag-ila sa mokabat
5.2 milyon ka mga tagbalay, nga gikonsiderar isip pinaka-kabus sa populasyon
pinaagi sa national targeting system.
Gi-esponsoran sa gobyernong nasyunal ang health
insurance alang sa mga kabus ubos sa PhilHealth, dugang pa ni Herbosa, nga
gibayran na sa gobyernong nasyunal ang insurance niadtong mga tagbalay nga
nakalista isip pinaka-kabus. "Ito ang 5.2 milyon, ang budget that government
allocated for this year is P12 billion, which is a big budget. It used to be
the budget of DOH in the past. And now, it’s just the budget to enroll the
poorest Filipinos,” dugang pagpasabot ni Herbosa.
Karon, tungod kay ang mga kabus mga miyembro
naman sa PhilHealth, sila makapahimulos na sa mga health benefits human sila
masulod sa national health insurance. Ang tanang mga hospital sa gobyerno
kinahanglan modawat niadtong nakasulod na sa sponsored program nga “no-balance
billing” system sa DOH, matud ni Herbosa.
“That means, no additional payment, they’ll just
have to come with their PhilHealth membership cards. So you go to the hospital
if you’re sick and get the health benefit that PhilHealth is supposed to give
you. Ang government hospital na ang bahalang mag-bill sa PhilHealth to pay us
back for the services we gave you,” dugang pa niya.
Ang opisyales sa maayong panglawas miingon usab
nga ang ideya mao ang hingpit nga pagwagtang sa charity wards sa mga
panggobyernong hospital o ang dole out concept ug pulihan kini sa halapad nga
universal healthcare coverage.
"The government is close to reaching a
100-percent universal healthcare coverage," si Herbosa miingon. "In
fact, according to PhilHealth, the total percentage of the population already
covered is more than 80 percent of the population, as of today."
(RER/SDR/PCOO/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
