Agusan Norte solon seeks additional benefits and
privileges for pregnant women
By Eldie N. David
BUTUAN CITY, August 8 (PIA) – Agusan del Norte
First District representative Lawrence “Law” Fortun has filed a bill in
Congress that seeks to provide additional benefits and privileges for pregnant
women and their families.
The proposed measure, House Bill 00361 entitled,
“An Act Providing for the Benefits and Privileges to Pregnant Women and their
Families, Appropriating Funds Therefor and for Other Purposes” gave emphasis on
the “policy of the State to promote the family as the foundation of the nation,
strengthen its solidarity and ensure its total development. Towards this end,
it shall develop a comprehensive program of services to pregnant women and
their families to be carried out by the Department of Labor and Employment
(DOLE), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of
Health (DOH) and other related government and non-government agencies.”
If approved and becomes a law it will provide
assistance to “any pregnant woman whose income in the place of domicile falls
below the poverty threshold as set by the National Economic and Development
Authority (NEDA) and subject to the assessment of the DSWD worker in the area.”
Among the benefits and privileges that will be
enjoyed by the beneficiary are: 1) flexible work schedule, 2) protection from
any form of discrimination, 3) medical leave of one day during each month of
the woman’s pregnancy on top of the existing privileges under existing laws,
and 4) medical assistance from the Department of Health and the local
government units.
“It has been my advocacy for the government to
come up with a comprehensive program that would benefit pregnant women who are
employed in the course of their pregnancies. I hope that the proposed measure,
if passed into law, will aid pregnant women during the course of their delicate
condition at the same time ensure that their employment will remain secure
while they are pregnant,” Fortun said in filing the bill. (FEA/OLF/PIA-Caraga)
NSO gears up for 2013 National Demographic &
Health Survey
By Villa S. Bayotas
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 8 (PIA) -- The National
Statistics Office (NSO) Caraga will conduct the 2013 National Demographic and
Health Survey (NDHS) from August 12 to September 24, this year.
This survey is the tenth in a series of national
demographic and health surveys conducted every five years since 1968 to collect
data on fertility, family planning and health in the country.
Fertility rates, under-five mortality rates,
antenatal care coverage, and births attended by skilled health professionals
are among the indicators derived from NDHS. These indicators are being used by
the government in tracking the country’s progress in achieving the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs). Same with the 2008 round, this years’ NDHS will also
collect data on Violence Against Women. This undertaking is part of the
worldwide Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) Program.
The NDHS will involve interviewing all women who
are 15 to 49 years of age in the sample households. These women will be asked
questions about their background, the children they have given birth to, their
knowledge and use of family planning methods, the health of their children,
reproductive health and other information which will be helpful to policymakers
and administrators in the health and family planning fields. It aims to provide
information on fertility, family planning, and health in the country mainly for
use by the government in monitoring the progress of the programs on population,
family planning and health.
The 2013 NDHS has these specific objectives to
collect data which will allow the estimation of demographic rates, particularly
fertility rates under-five mortality rates by urban-rural residence and region;
to analyze the direct and indirect factors which determine the level and
patterns of fertility; to measure the level of contraceptive knowledge and
practice by method, urban-rural residence and region; to collect data on
health, immunizations, prenatal and postnatal check-ups, assistance at
delivery, breastfeeding, and prevalence and treatment of diarrhea, fever and
acute respiratory infections among children below five years old; to collect
data on environmental health, utilization of health facilities, prevalence of
common non-communicable and infectious diseases, and membership in PhilHealth;
to collect data on awareness of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dengue fever
and tuberculosis; to determine the knowledge of women about AIDS, and the
extent of misconception on HIV transmission and access to HIV testing; and to
determine the extent of violence against women.
A total of about 16,000 households throughout
the country have been scientifically selected from the sample Enumeration
Areas. Each of these households will be visited and interviewed using the
Household Questionnaire. All women aged 15 to 49 years in the sample households
estimated at around 19,000, will be interviewed using the Individuals Woman’s
Questionnaire. This sample size will allow the generation of reliable estimates
of indicators stated above for each region. In Caraga Region, our Field
Interviewers will be visiting around 720 households.
The NSO Field Staff and selected trained Field
Interviewers in Caraga will do a comprehensive door-to-door interview to the
sample households during enumeration period. As provided in Section 4 of CA 591
(Confidentiality Clause), NSO assures the respondents that all information
furnished to the FIs are strictly confidential and shall not be used as
evidence in court for purposes of taxation, regulation or investigation. (FEA/NSO-13/PIA-Caraga)
