Dengue included in Philhealth’s new case rates
by Gideon M Gapayao
QUEZON CITY, August 22 (PIA) — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) has included dengue in their new case rate packages to be implemented on September 1.
According to Aquino, the cases included by Philhealth comprise 50 percent of all claims from recent years.
The case rate system will be implemented to give sponsored members an idea on the amount needed for the medical and surgical treatment they require. Dengue I or grades 1 and 2 and Dengue II or grades 3 and 4 treatments under the new Philhealth case rates are worth P 8,000 and P16,000, respectively.
Dengue I is characterized as early and milder cases of dengue with initial symptoms such as whereas Dengue II cases include patients experiencing severe symptoms such as shock, hemorrhage and organ failure.
Philhealth caters to all members for public and private hospitals. However, sponsored members who receive treatment from government hospitals will not be charged, through the new No Balance Billing policy. On the other hand, patients treated in private hospitals will be obliged to pay for expenses exceeding the amount of the Philhealth case rates.
Department of Health Assistant Secretary Enrique Tayag, who was also present at the forum, lauded Philhealth for its effort in alleviating dengue treatment nationwide. Tayag also discourages reliance on home- remedies for the disease and urges the public to consult medical help immediately.
“Dahil po sa ginawa ng Philhealth, inaasahan ng mga kababayan natin na hindi na kayo magsasagawa ng pagtitinda ng mga halaman at ugat. Ang kailangan niyo po ay Philhealth card, pumunta na po kayo sa ospital.” he said
(Because of what PhilHealth did, we are expecting that our fellow countrymen will stop selling herbs. You just need a PhilHealth card and you can go straight to the hospital)
In relation to the campaigns and programs against dengue, DOH, together with PIA and the Philippine National Red Cross will be conducting bloodletting programs nationwide starting August 26 and every Friday onwards. (PND GGPIA-GHQ)
Isabela farmers hope high prices of rice, corn continue
by Merlito G. Edale, Jr.
ILAGAN, Isabela, August 20 (PIA) — Farmers from this province who have already started harvesting their rice and corn products have expressed happiness over the existing high prices as they expressed hope that it will continue up to the last harvests of September.
Provincial agriculturist Danilo Tumamao said farmers are expecting that the high prices will be sustained so that they can regain their losses caused by the onslaught of calamities in the province in previous years.
Danilo Juan, a rice and corn farmer in Cabatuan, Isabela said he is satisfied with the present prices of rice and corn and he expects that it will remain until the last harvest of this cropping season.
He also appreciated the continuous price support fund of the provincial government for it will be beneficial for them in regaining their huge losses in previous years.
“I am satisfied with the present price of rice and corn and I pray that the price of P17 per kilo on rice and P11.50 for corn will stay as it is until the final harvests”, Juan said.
Junior Tejada, a corn farmer in Reina Mercedez, Isabela whose corn plants are about to be harvested, said if the high price of corn will be sustained, he can regain his losses in the past cropping seasons.
“I hope that I can regain my losses in the last cropping, the good standing of my corn plants plus the good price would mean that I can gain a lot this cropping season”, Tejada said.
Tumamao said farmers are also advised to sell their products to the National Food Authority (NFA) to avail of the provincial government’s price support assistance for farmers.
The provincial government has allocated P2 per kilo for corn and P1 kilo for rice wherein if farmers will sell at the NFA, the price of rice will reach up to P19 per kilo and P13.50 per kilo for corn.
Isabela province is known for being the country’s top producer of corn and second for rice. (B/MGE/PIA Isabela)
Pangasinan bangus growers vow to unite and save industry
LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, August 22 — Major aquaculture stakeholders from this province vowed to work closely with the provincial government and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) – Region I in formulating a comprehensive plan that will strengthen the bangus industry which suffered a setback as a result of the fishkill last May.
BFAR Regional Director Nestor Domenden presented the status of the bangus industry and the needed technological packages to ward off threats to the province’s signature business enterprise.
A fishkill during the summer months hit western coastal towns Anda and Bolinao resulting in huge market losses and adversely affected bangus growers from other parts of the province to include Dagupan and Alaminos cities and the towns of Mangaldan and Binmaley.
Owing to the fishkill experience, Domenden said there is a need to adopt a systematic strategy even as he urged stakeholders to “harmonize their efforts and husband their resources to win back market patronage of Pangasinan bangus.”
Some of the problems he presented has to do with what he called “syndicated pricing” even before the fishkill, lack of unity among stakeholders, and mismatch of production trend as against the demands of consumers.
OPAG officer-in-charge Dolly Moya said that the provincial government under the leadership of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. is keen on implementing doable actions to help save the industry. With bangus as a major cash crop, Pangasinan is considered as the region’s “food basket,” she noted.
Immediately after the fishkill, the governor spearheaded a series of consultation-dialogues with stakeholders from the affected coastal towns for the adoption of measures to prevent another fishkill, she said. (JCR/DOS-PIA 1 Pangasinan/PIO)
PDEA nabs ‘psycotrophic’ drug pushers
by Jerome Carlo R. Paunan
MANILA, Aug. 14 (PIA) — For allegedly selling 60 pieces of ‘psychotropic’ capsules to a PDEA agent at a gasoline station along the North Luzon Expressway, two ‘pushers’ were arrested recently by elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Jose S Gutierrez Jr. identified the suspects as Samuel A. Hernandez, 27, a resident of 27 Bangkal St., Makati City; and Pinky S. Tashi, a 20-year old Filipino-Japanese single-mom of Short Horn St., Project 7, Muñoz, Quezon City.
Initially, the two were suspected of selling ecstacy, an entactogenic recreational drug banned in many countries.
The confiscated capsules, however, after being turned over to the PDEA Laboratory Service (PDEA-LS) for laboratory examination, yielded negative to Methylenedioxymetamphetamine (MDMA), or ecstasy,
But the capsules tested positive for the presence of 43 grams of Midazolam, another dangerous drug. Midazolam is included in the in the Schedule IV of the United Nations convention on Psychotropic Substances as enumerated in Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Midazolam belongs to the benzodiazepine family with hypnotic, anesthetic and sedative properties similar to the effects of barbiturates and diazepam. Benzodiazepines are commonly abused in combination with alcohol.
Gutierrez said the arrest of the two suspects was the result of OPLAN: SHIELD orchestrated by PDEA Regional Office 3 (PDEA RO3).
Hernandez and Tashi now face charges for selling illegal drugs in violation of Section 5, Article II of RA 9165. They are presently detained at the PDEA RO3 detention facility in Camp Olivas, San Fernando, Pampanga. (PDEA/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)
Phl hits all-time harvest record for palay, corn
QUEZON CITY, August 10 (PIA) — Doubters will soon eat their words, for recent agriculture harvests presupposes that yes, the country will achieve self-sufficiency soon.
The Philippine agriculture posted two record-breaking statistics in the first semester of 2011 as rice (unmilled rice) and corn harvest reached 7.577 in million metric tons (MT) and 3.309 million MT, respectively.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said the leap in rice production was 14.4 percent higher than 2010’s January to June’s harvest of 6.621 million MT; while the corn produced for 2011 first semester is 37 percent better, in the same period, than that of 2010 at 2.415 million MT.
The previous highest first semester harvests of rice were recorded in 2009 (7.376 million MT) and in 2008 (7.121 million MT), and for corn, in 2008 (3.293 million MT) and in 2009 (3.218 million MT).
Alcala attributed the boost in rice and corn production mainly to the expansion of harvest area and increase in average yield per hectare.
The total harvested rice area for the first semester of 2011 increased to 1.993 million hectares, 9.6 percent more than 2010’s 1.819 million hectares.
The expansion is backed by the increase in irrigated area through the rehabilitation and repair of irrigation facilities.
For non-irrigated areas, appropriate rice varieties dependent of rainfed water from favorable weather during the first six months of 2011.
The increase in harvest areas were particularly noted in Western Visayas and Cagayan Valley.
In the same period, the average palay yield per hectare for the first half also improved to 3.8 tons (or 76 cavans of 50 kilos each). This is roughly three cavans more than last year’s average yield of 3.64 tons per hectare.
For corn, Alcala said the new record in harvest was also enhanced by the 13.8 percent expansion in harvested area coupled with the 20.4 percent improvement in average yield.
Aside from the good weather condition, DA’s continuing promotion of higher quality hybrid corn seed has also contributed much to higher yields.
DA is vigorously implementing its rice and corn programs to attain its 2011 targets — in prelude to its self-sufficiency target in rice, corn, and other staple food by 2013 — in partnership with farmers’ groups, particularly irrigators’ associations, LGUs, rice and corn industry stakeholders, NGOs, academe, and other concerned agencies. (DA Information Service/RJB/DBNV- PIA-NCR)
PCSO to put-up sub-office in Catanduanes
by Edna A Bagadiong
VIRAC, Catanduanes, August 9 (PIA) — Congressman Cesar V. Sarmiento said that Congress has started the budget deliberations to consider/review the 2012 budget submitted to Congress.
On August 2, 2011 Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and PAGCOR briefed them on their performance for the period covering July 1, 2010 to present and their plans/projections for the coming year.
According to Sarmiento, during his turn he asked PCSO if it is possible for them to put up a sub-office in the province – considering that Catanduanes is an island and Catandunganons find it difficult to travel outside of the island owing to financial problems. He added that PCSO responded positively to his request.
If a PCSO sub-office is established in Catanduanes – the people of Catanduanes will be benefited well specially those needing medication/hospitalization.
They could be extended assistance right away and it will no longer be difficult for them to travel to the mainland since they will be taken care of by PCSO. (MAL/EAB, PIA Catanduanes)
Vice President Binay to lead housing caravan in the Ilocos Region
by Cristina Arzadon
LAOAG CITY, August 8 (PIA) — Vice President Jejomar Binay will lead the housing caravan for local government units during its launching in the Ilocos Region on Tuesday, August 9.
Binay, also chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, will also meet regional local chief executives in a forum titled “Strengthening local government units in housing delivery and local development planning.”
The two-day caravan, which begins today, seeks to assist local government units (LGUs) in financing residential plans for government workers.
The national government has earmarked P50 billion for housing loans for 2011. Out of the funds, LGUs can borrow P20 million for each subdivision project and P40 million for a medium-rise condominium project.
Binay had advised local governments to update their comprehensive land use plan and define commercial, industrial, agricultural a reas as suitable sites for housing.
The vice president will also meet heads of key shelter agencies namely the National Housing Authority, Home Guaranty Corp., Housing Land use Regulatory Board, National Home Mortgage Finance Corp., Social Housing Finance Corp., and the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pagibig fund which is hosting the affair. (ANL/CCA-PIA 1 Ilocos Norte)
Nat’l greening takes off in Baguio with 4,500 seedlings planted
by Joseph B Zambrano
BAGUIO CITY, August 7 (PIA) — Around 4,500 various seedlings have so far been planted by employees of government agencies, barangay officials, students and private groups in this mountain resort city under the National Greening Program (NGP) since it was launched last June.
According to Ed Flor, City Environment and Natural Resources Officer, the rainy season is the best time of the year to plant tree seedlings.
‘Tree seedlings need a lot of water in order for them to grow healthy, he explained.
President Benigno S. Aquino issued Executive Order (EO) Number 26 creating NGP to pursue sustainable development for poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaption.
In the Cordillera region, 3,400,000 trees covering 6,838 hectares are targeted to be planted for a period of six years.
Flor said that in order to ensure the successful implementation of the NGP, all students identified by the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and all government employees shall individually required to plant a minimum of ten seedlings a year.
Private sector and civil society groups shall likewise be encouraged to participate in the NGP with the assistance from the government and shall primarily responsible of maintaining and protecting the established plantations, Flor added. *(JDP/JBZ-PIA CAR)
CSC launches Civil Service Institute
QUEZON CITY, August 4 (PIA) — The Civil Service Commission (CSC) launched recently its Civil Service Institute (CSI) as a premier training institution for state workers.
“With the opening of the CSI, the Commission has reached a milestone in its efforts to develop a public sector workforce driven by service excellence and integrity,” said CSC chair Francisco T. Duque III during the institute’s launch last July 26, 2011 at the CSC central office in Batasan Hills, Quezon City.
“We hope that the CSI will eventually be at par with learning institutions of other countries such as the Civil Service College in Singapore or the National Institute of Public Administration in Malaysia,” he added.
Duque said the training programs under the CSI are specifically designed to enrich the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of state workers in line with the CSC’s mandate in transforming every civil servant into a lingkod-bayani or servant hero.
Initial course offerings include CSC’s flagship training programs on values and governance, namely, Values Orientation Workshop, Public Service Ethics and Accountability, Basic Customer Service Skills, Service Excellence Delivery Program, Gender Sensitivity Seminar, and Administrative Justice.
New training programs will also be introduced, such as Creating a Learning Mindset, Financial Planning Workshop for First Level, High Performance for Public Supervisors, Project Management, Powerful Media Relations, Ethical Decision Making for Public Managers, and Future Leadership Program.
These courses will be available to all civil servants beginning September 2011. From August to November 2011, the CSI will also offer the six flagship courses to officials and employees of the “First 20”, or the 20 provincial governments chosen by the CSC to receive human resource interventions.
They will be the first batch of scholars under the CSC’s Local Scholarship Program (Modified) or LSP, which means they can take the courses for free.
The “First 20” is composed of the Provincial Governments of Abra, Apayao, Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Sarangani, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Oriental Mindoro, Northern Samar, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Negros Oriental, Occidental Mindoro and Masbate.
Aside from conducting trainings, the CSI will offer scholarships to deserving state workers, also under the LSP, beginning 2012. The scholarship can be used to complete a diploma or masters program that meets the needs of the agency where the scholar is employed. (CSC/RJB/ DBNV-PIA-NCR)
National Youth Commission to hold youth plan consultation in Dagupan
by Venus H. Sarmiento
DAGUPAN CITY, August 1 (PIA) — The National Youth Commission (NYC) is set to hold a regional consultation on August 8, 2011 at the Multi Purpose Hall of the University of Luzon in Perez Boulevard, this city, for the formulation of its Philippine Youth Development Plan (PYDP).
Area officer Armando Angeles of NYC Northern Luzon said the Commission has formally started the process of formulating the PYDP as a companion document of the recently approved Philippine Development Plan of 2011-2016.
Angeles said the PYDP will apply an inclusive process and identify several factors like the key issues facing the youth; opportunities, enabling conditions and proposed strategies and policies which the government and other stakeholders should further create and; provide the appropriate role and activities which the youth should perform in the economy, society and local community.
Youth focal persons of public and private agencies have been invited to the consultation and are asked to fill up a workshop template to share with the group. (ANL/VHS-PIA 1 Pangasinan)
