PhilHealth to orient stakeholders on Natl Health
Insurance Act of 2013
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 5 (PIA) – The Philippine
Health’s (PhilHealth) Social Health
Insurance Academy (SHIA), in coordination with PhilHealth Regional Office
Caraga will be conducting an orientation on the National Health Insurance Act
of 2013 with partner stakeholders including media and information officers of
government agencies on August 18, 2015 at Almont Hotel’s Inland Resort, this
city.
“The Social Health Insurance Education Series
(SHInES) for media and information officers is intended to orient our partners
on the salient provisions of Republic Act 10606 or the National Health
Insurance Act of 2013. It also aim to orient the target participants on the
important roles they play in promoting the PhilHealth program,” disclosed
Johnny Sychua, regional vice president of PhilHealth Caraga.
It was also learned that PhilHealth officers from
the head office, as well as in Caraga region will serve as resource speakers
who will provide comprehensive information and updates on the following topics:
1) The National Health Insurance Act of 2013; 2) New and Enhanced PhilHealth
Benefits; 3) Membership programs; and 4) The Role of Media and Information
Officers in Advocating the National Health Insurance Program.
For more information, PhilHealth Caraga ca be
reached at telephone number: (085) 225-7026 local 108 or e-mail at
info.procaraga@philhealth.gov.ph. (JPG/PIA-Caraga)
DOH Caraga deworms over 400,000 pupils
By Daisy Jane M. Apit
BUTUAN CITY, August 5 (PIA) – Some 400, 617 public
school children in six cities and 65 municipalities in Caraga participated in
the Regional Launching of the National Deworming Day last July 29.
The figure represents 87.6 percent of the
elementary population of the region, it was learned.
According to Department of Health (DOH) Caraga
regional director Dr. Jose Llacuna, the deworming campaign was a success and
there were only few cases of minor side effects and that no reported cases of
hospitalization due to the said activity.
The regional launching was held at Butuan Central
Elementary School, this city where partner agencies like the Phil. Dental
Association - Agusan del Norte and private sectors like Jollibee Foods
Corporation and Shell Gas Station helped and sponsored the deworming campaign.
The National School Deworming Day themed
"Oplan Goodbye Bulate para maging malusog at masigla ang inyong mga
anak," was a nationwide joint force project of the DOH, Department of
Education and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. (DJA/PIA-Caraga)
DOH-Caraga to conduct mass immunization
By Daisy Jane M. Apit
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 5 (PIA) – The Department of
Health (DOH) Caraga will conduct the 2015 School-Based Immunization (SBI)
program for the entire month of August to give students ”lifetime immunity
against tetanus and also provide protection against mumps, rubella and
diphtheria.”
Ma. Jasmin Sarce, DOH Caraga program coordinator
of Expanded Program on Immunization, said that they will immunize school
children to interrupt the current measles transmission of the older population.
She added that the target children for the 2015 School Based Immunization are
71,620 for grade 1 and 51,413 for grade VII students.
DOH Caraga regional director Dr. Jose Llacuna, Jr.
said that all school children shall avail the vaccination services. He also
said that booster dose for Tetanus-Diptheria (Td) and the second dose for
Measles-Rubella (MR) shall be given to the students.
“In distinction to the three doses of tetanus
vaccine given during the first year of life, the booster shots given to
children as they reach grade 1 and 7 will prepare them and give them lifetime
immunity especially during calamities,” Llacuna explained.
Llacuna also emphasized that the mass immunization
that will start next week is certified safe. "But of course we are taking
precautions and only those children with parental consents will be
immunized," Llacuna added.
Llacuna said that the consent form is a proof that
the parents have understood and have given the consent that their children must
be vaccinated with the recommended vaccine appropriate for their age. "It
is better that they will also know the possible side effects of the vaccine.
But the importance and benefits of the immunization far outweighs the possible
side effects of it,” he said.
The school-based immunization or vaccination of school-aged
children is one of the programs of the DOH to protect the health of the
students.
The said program is another joint project of the
DOH, Department of Education and the Department of the Interior and Local
Government to be held in public schools. (DJA/PIA-Caraga)
News Feature: Healthy tips for kiddie meals during
school days
By Josefina T. Gonzales
Preparing meals for school children needs careful
planning especially if you are a working mom.
Planning ahead will save time and effort and will
enable you to come up with a healthy and nutritious kiddie meal.
There are potential dangers when kiddie meals are
not well-planned. The kid’s regular breakfast fare can consist of a lot of
processed foods. These foods are usually high in sodium and preservatives. A
possible effect of preservatives on kids is hyperactivity.
Children are eating away from home so many parents
just give money for lunch. Left to decide on what to eat, kids are less likely
to consume the nourishment they need.
Although processed foods, fast foods, and other
low-nutrient foods can be offered once in a while so children won’t feel
“deprived”, they should not have the foods as part of their daily meals.
Here are some tips to ensure that kids get healthy
meals during school days: Provide alternatives, such as lean meat, sandwiches
with low-fat cheese and some veggies or fruits as snacks; encourage them to eat
more fruits and vegetables, as well as complex carbohydrates, like boiled corn,
banana cue, kamote cue, biko, suman and other native delicacies.
Native foods or kakanin are cheaper and healthier
than refined carbohydrates like chips, fries, burgers, cakes and pastries.
These food items are usually high in fat, sugar and sodium which are not good
for growing children.
As a parent, be a role model for healthy eating.
Make an effort to eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables when you’re hungry.
Chances are, your children will eventually follow.
Involve your children in planning meals.
Take them to the grocery to help select items for
your weekly menu. They are more likely to eat something they have chosen.
Include easy, healthy choices like fruit juices and milk in their diet.
For more information on food and nutrition,
contact Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research
Institute, Department of Science and Technology, Gen. Santos Avenue, Bicutan,
Taguig City, Metro Manila, Tel./Fax:
8372934, 8373164; FNRI-DOST website: http//www.fnri@dost.gov.ph,
email:mar_v_c@yahoo.com, mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph; FNRI Facebook page:
facebook.com/FNRI-DOST; FNRI Twitter account: twitter.com/FNRI-DOST. (FNRI-DOST S & T Media
Service/PIA-Caraga)
‘No Bio No Boto’ COMELEC campaign gets final push
in SurSur
By Greg Tataro Jr.
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, August 5 (PIA) – The
Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) of the Commission on
Elections (COMELEC) in Surigao del Sur has already made “the final push” on
Monday, August 3, for the “No Bio No Boto” via conducting a synchronized
province-wide campaign.
Atty. Ernie Palanan, provincial election
supervisor (PES) here, issued a memorandum dated August 1, 2015 to all election officers (EOs) and their
respective assistant election officers (AEOs), pointing out that the course of
action is in consonance with the efforts of COMELEC to maximize the drive.
He told all concerned local COMELEC officials “to
coordinate with our Election partners to make this activity a success,”
including “notifying” those without biometrics for them to be duly informed of
their voting status so to become aware.
Meanwhile, in the second quarter statistical data
of 2015, which Atty. Palanan also labeled “with/without biometrics and voters
who applied for validation,” the COMELEC here indicated that only “five
percent” or equivalent to 15,673 registered voters are left to undergo
biometrics capture through the validation procedure.
The statistical data also showed 3,477 number of
voters who applied for validation this quarter.
Surigao del Sur has a total of 346,279 registered
voters; 330,606 of which or equivalent to 95 percent has already the required
biometrics information, the COMELEC provincial chief revealed.
Voter registration is only until October 31, 2015,
Palanan reminded.
Failure to do so would cause for the deactivation
of the registration records of the concerned voter, which in effect is going to
bar the same to exercise the right to vote in May 2016, it was learned. (NGBT/Radyo
ng Bayan-Tandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
PSA reports economic performance of Caraga region
BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 5 (PIA) - The Philippine
Statistics Authority Regional Statistical Services Office of Region 13
(PSA-RSSO13) conducted a news conference on the report of the Economic
Performance of Caraga Region last July 30, 2015 at Big Daddy Hotel and
Restaurant, this city. The report highlights the Gross Regional Domestic
Product (GRDP) of Caraga Region. GRDP is usually reported in terms of growth
rate in real terms or at constant prices.
Caraga’s economic growth slowed down from 8.1
percent in 2013 to 7.8 percent in 2014. The slowdown was attributed to
downturns in Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing (AHFF) and Services.
Services accounted for the biggest share to the
region’s GDP at 45.7 percent. Industry and AHFF’s shares were at 34.7 percent
and 19.6 percent, respectively.
Services decelerated to 8.7 percent in 2014 from
9.1 percent in 2013. The deceleration was due to slowdown in the following
subsectors: Finance, from 11.5 percent to 6.0 percent; Other Services, from 6.5
percent to 1.9 percent; and Real Estate, Renting and Business Activities
(RERBA), from 6.5 percent to 5.4 percent. Transportation, Storage and
Communication (TSC) however grew by 16.6 percent from 14.0 percent. Trade and
Public Administration and Defense (PAD) posted faster growths from 6.4 percent
to 7.9 percent and from 4.1 percent to 5.0 percent, respectively.
Industry accelerated to 11.1 percent in 2014 from
7.3 percent in the previous year. Construction and Mining and Quarrying (MAQ)
expanded from 8.7 percent to 23.5 percent and from 7.1 percent to 7.9 percent,
respectively. Manufacturing rebounded from negative 2.2 percent to 12.7
percent. Electricity, Gas and Water Supply (EGWS) however plummeted to 6.6
percent from 24.7 percent in the previous year.
AHFF decelerated to 0.6 percent in 2014 from 7.2
percent in 2013. Agriculture and Forestry eased off from 10.0 percent to 0.6
percent. Fishing however recovered from negative 6.1 percent in 2013 to 0.5
percent in 2014.
Services and Industry contributed 4.0 percentage
points and 3.7 percentage points to the region’s GRDP, respectively. AHFF added
0.1 percentage point.
The event was graced by the presence of National
Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Caraga regional director Mylah Faye
Aurora B. Cariño, PSA Central Office - Management and Corporate Planning Unit
(MCPU) Interim Director Candido J. Astrologo and Regional Statistics Committee
member agencies. (PSA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
