Senate move to revive NBN-ZTE issue draws flak
The Senate Blue-Ribbon Committee headed by Senator Richard Gordon has set for Tuesday the reopening of the investigation on the botched $329 million NBN-ZTE project.
Congressman Elpidio Barzaga, Jr. expressed surprise why a “dead” issue that should have long been resolved would be resurrected at this time when our country is facing a more serious problem on the economy arising from global recession,
He said previous hearings on the issue already served its purpose by determining the truth based on several witnesses’ testimonies. “We have had enough of these hearings and what the public is anxious about is for the senate committee to come up with its long overdue report.”
Barzaga wondered why such a report had been withheld when earlier, committee chairman Dick Gordon already announced that his draft committee report was ready for perusal by the committee members.
For his part, Surigao del Sur Congressman Philip Pichay raised doubts as to the true intent of the new Senate hearing on the NBN-ZTE issue, questioning its timing and asking why an expose that had long been relegated to the background suddenly appears at this period of political season.
Pichay said conducting further hearings on the issue would result to nothing except perhaps the political mileage benefiting only the complainants led by Joey de Venecia and Jun Lozada who are both angling for a senate seat.
Just the other day, the Ombudsman came out with its decision on the probe in the National Broadband Network deal with the ZTE Corp. of China. Cleared of graft was First Gentleman Miguel Arroyo while former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos and SSS Administrator Romulo Neri were indicted.
Meanwhile, Caraga Governor Vicente T. Pimentel, Jr. hailed the Ombudsman for coming out with its findings on NBN-ZTE “so we can move forward leaving the matter to proceed according to judicial processes.”
Pimentel said the clearing by the Ombudsman of President Arroyo and the First Gentleman was expected as “we the governors did not believe insinuations of the First Family’s involvement in the scandal.”
Commenting on the senate move, Surigao del Sur League of Mayors President Manuel Alameda, Jr. of San Agustin municipality said the intention to reopen the NBN-ZTE issue is obvious as some senators are using it, given its explosive impact, as platform for gaining publicity and earning points in the ongoing political surveys. (PIA)
Feature: Reducing maternal mortality in Region 8
However, as the title of the ordinance is somewhat negative, perhaps, what the Department of Health should emphasize is its advocacy to strengthen facility-based services for pregnancy and childbirth by providing local governments with a strategy for implementation and strengthening public-private partnerships.
Thus, a legislation must be passed, to the effect that pregnant women must only give birth in a health facility under the care of the Barangay team the focus of which is providing proper Maternal Health care.
The lifetime risk of maternal death in the Philippines is 1 in every 140, according to UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children 2009 report. Each day, about 11 Filipino mothers, or 4,500 each year, die because of hypertensive disorders, severe hemorrhage or other labor or abortion-related problems. The country is also part of a group of 68 countries where 97% of worldwide maternal, neonatal and child health deaths occur.
“We need to understand why despite the available health care services for them, many of our pregnant women choose to deliver without the proper care of skilled health workers,” the UNICEF representative. A huge effort is needed to improve public reproductive and maternal health services and educate mothers, that is why UNICEF seeks involvement through partnering with government and non-government actors, as well as other U.N. agencies in building capacities and upgrading facilities to serve pregnant women and newborn babies, she said.
The major factors underlying the medical causes are the lack of political commitment and inadequate financial and technical input; poor quality of care and referral system; and childbirth with untrained personnel.
True enough, of the total births in Region 8, only 42.9 percent were attended by health professionals such as doctors and midwives. The remaining 54.5 percent were attended by a hilot.
This was shown in the result of the 2006 Family Planning and Maternal Mortality Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office, which noted that the country has a high maternal mortality ration of 162 per 100,000 live births.
The same survey showed that only 29.9 percent of births in the 5 years preceding the survey were delivered in health facilities while the remaining 70.1 percent were home deliveries.
The percentage of births attended by trained health personnel is a process indicator of maternal health status. The low percentage of trained personnel in attendance during delivery does correlate with the level of Maternal Mortality Rate.
In the past, two basic strategies have highlighted efforts to address high maternal mortality ratios. These are the risk approach which focused on identification of high risk pregnancies for referral during the prenatal period and the training of traditional birth attendants. However, these strategies failed to reduce maternal mortality ratio in the country.
Thus, because of the above premises and the fact that the Philippines has committed to achieve the Millennium Development Goal on maternal mortality reduction from 209 to 52 per 100,000 live births by 2015, the Department of Health Region 8 submitted to the Regional Development Council of Eastern Visayas, its proposed resolution entitled “A Resolution Strongly Requesting the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Panglungsod and Bayan to Enact an Ordinance Requiring all child deliveries must only be done in health facilities under the care of trained health personnel.
Reducing maternal mortality requires coordination and long-term efforts. Actions are needed within families and communities, in society as a whole, in the health system and at the level of legislation and policy making.
Furthermore, interactions and interventions such as legislative and policy action, long term political commitment, is an essential prerequisite. When decision makers are determined to address maternal mortality, the resources needed will be mobilized and the essential policy decisions or legislation will be taken. (PIA 
Gov’t sector celebrates 109th aniversary of RP civil service in September
Tacloban City (30 August) — The Philippine Civil Service markds its 109th year in September with the theme “Honoring Our Heroes in Republic Service, Responsive, Ethical Public Servants with Vision, Impact, Commitment and Excellence.”
Through Memo Circular No. 27, series of 2009, Civil Service Commission Chairman Ricardo Saludo enjoined all those in the government service to honor the patriotism, integrity, excellence and sacrifices of the heroes in service to the public and the republic, from former President Corazon Aquino to the hundreds of Dangal ng Bayan, Lingkod Bayan and Pag-Asa awardees in the half-century since the passage of the Civil Service Law creating those distinctions recognizing exemplars in government.
Chairman Saludo said that the best way to honor the heroes is not just to extol and reward their achievements but to emulate their example through REPUBLIC SERVICE, Responsive, Ethical Public Servants with Vision, Impact, Commitment and Excellence, which encapsulates in an acronym the tenets and traits of honest, hardworking and honorable service in the government.
Chairman Saludo enjoined the bureaucracy to honor heroes in government service by learning and living the REPUBLIC SERVICE principles through service-enhancing initiatives and awareness activities in September and beyond.
All instrumentalities are also enjoined to complete their Anti Red Tape Act measures by the September 5 deadline. They are also encouraged to harness assemblies for understanding and propagation of the anniversary theme.
The Civil Service Commission has also lined up activities to enable all civil servants to actively and meaningfully participate in the celebration. The government-wide activities include the airing of a taped message by the President on September 1 and Simultaneous Flag-raising Ceremonies on September 7.
Another activity is the nationwide promotion of Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 and Honor Awards program through the posting ARTA posters and sharing vignettes or stories of outstanding civil servants during flag-raising ceremonies.
A special Civil Service Anniversary TV show entitled Republic Service will be shown every Friday, 9:15 to 10:00 in the evening over NBN-4. The program hosted by Chairman Saludo and NYC Commissioner Princess Abante, tackles issues of national relevance, showcases outstanding civil servants and informs the public on efforts by the civil service to address peoples’ needs.
A special edition of the Republic Service e-Newsletter will be produced and may be downloaded from the CSC website.
The CSC Regional Offices led activities may include Regional or Provincial Recognition and Awards Rites for HAP finalists, Gantimpala Agad Awardees, Bilis Aksyon Partners, and Top Rating Agencies in PASADA/Brigada Ahensiya.
Other suggested activities are the promotion of the anniversary theme; completion of Citizens Charter, help desks and anti-fixer campaigns and staff seminars on customer service; conduct of public service ethics and accountability workshops; conduct of dialogue with stakeholders; charity mission to nearby poor communities; adoption of output-based performance evaluation system; recognition of outstanding government employees and government express at the Malls. (PIA
DOH calls on public to take care of their eyes
The reminder was made as part of the national observance of this month as Sight-Saving Month whose theme is, “Excellence and Equity in Eye Care: A Human Right”.
This call was made as about 3.4 Million Filipinos are visually impaired, according to the 3rd National Blindness Survey conducted in 2002. Of these, about 3.2 million have visual impairment in one or both eyes, while 461,121 are blind in both eyes.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III informed that “we have coordinated a nationwide eye screening and cataract surgery with selected government and private hospitals, so I urge the public to have their eyes checked up to prevent blindness later in life.”
The same survey showed that blindness was most common among the elderly and the poor who have little or no access to health services, the Department of Health report stated. As one grows older, one gets more prone to have an error of refraction, or glaucoma, or cataract, or blindness due to diabetes, hypertension.
Based on the same survey, the top three causes of visual impairment are cataract, error of refraction, and glaucoma. Cataract is the number one cause of reversible blindness in the country, with prevalence highest among the poor and underserved. Errors of refraction can usually be corrected with eyeglasses.
Experts said that glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that gradually lead to loss of vision, often without warning. This disease is hardly preventable when blindness has set in. What is important is early detection; however, this can only be done with high technology equipment. This makes the number of glaucoma cases under-estimated.
Quality and affordable eye care must be made accessible to all Filipinos of all social strata. This is a basic right that should be accorded to everyone, without discrimination as to age, sex, gender, religion, race, or social standing. The challenge now is how to bring affordable and excellent eye care to all areas of the country.
This year, the DOH and its partner agencies and organizations under the National Committee for Sight Preservation, aims to put up local Committees for Sight Preservation in the different regions and provinces of the country. Under their local chief executives (LCEs), these committees will coordinate the delivery of eye care services at the local level, such as eye screening and cataract surgery programs for the indigent constituents of the community.
A local Committee for Sight Preservation will be composed of ophthalmologists, optometrists, local health care personnel, representatives of civic organizations and non-government organizations, and volunteers from the community. (PIA
South Leyte solon to share meal with indigent senior citizens on natal day
By Erna Sy Gorne
This time, the Southern Leyte solon has invited some 100 indigent senior citizens in the city to be accompanied by their escorts, a total of two hundred persons will be served with special meals in the afternoon at the prestigious Kinamot sa Abgao restaurant in Maasin City on the same day.
In close coordination with the Limasawa Development Foundation (LIDEF), a non-government organization based in the locality, will also prepare for gifts to be given away for each the solon’s especial guests such as milk, rice, soap, biscuits, among others. They will also receive a T-shirt from the birthday celebrant.
As early as 6:00 in the morning, Congressman Mercado will lead in the massive tree planting to be conducted in Barangays Bogo, Dongon and San Jose, all of Maasin City simultaneously. It was learned that some 2,000 seedlings shall be planted in three barangays to mark the 58th natal day of the representative.
Then a holy mass will be celebrated at Barangay Bogo at 10:00 in the morning. It will be followed with shortly with a signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Visayas State University (VSU), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Congressman Mercado. However, the details of the MOA were not known yet, as of this writing. (PIA Southern Leyte/esg)
Maasin City dad gears up for more waves of year-round Brigada Eskwela
By Erna S. Gorne
Maasin City (August 28) — Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco has geared up for another wave of year round Brigada Eskwela as he dispatched a group of city personnel to tackle on the repairs, painting of the classrooms and its roofs and cleaning up the surroundings at the Maria Clara Elementary School, this was learned during his interview over DyDM.
Last year, Maasin City government has been a regional awardee for its own version of brigade eskwela throughout the year, a continued effort to see to it that the atmosphere of the schools in the city division. To ensure that public schools are conducive for learning even beyond the usual one-week brigade eskwela which were usually conducted before the opening of classes.
Mayor Samaco sent the personnel from the Office of the General Services of the city government to pursue the local brigade eskwela as the city government’s manifestation of an all-out support to the children’s education, a legacy that he wanted to left behind by his administration.
Maasin City government is the only local government unit throughout Eastern Visayas Region to have pursued the local brigade eskwela all year round, it was learned.
Mayor Samaco also sees to it that the all the grade levels of pupils were given notebooks each, as a component of his priority project, to promote the children’s education.
He also initiated for the establishment of a college education department almost fully subsidized by the city government. The Maasin City College now offers four bachelor of science courses namely on Public Administration, Agriculture, Social Services and Travel and Tourism. (PIA Southern Leyte/esg)
Roxas City to address urban squatters plight soon
by A. Lumaque
Roxas City (28 August) — The city government is coordinating with the National Housing Authority (NHA) for technical assistance to develop the 6–hectare lot at Barangay Tanza here as relocation site for the informal settlers.
“We’re surprised to register 13,000 settlers in the city that is why we created the Local Shelter Plan based on the Urban Development and Housing Act (UDHA) provisions,” said Roxas City Mayor Vicente Bermejo during his State of Roxas City Address (SORCA) last month.
He added that the development plan for the P6-million worth relocation site is expected to be finished by the city government before the end of 2009.
The city government will also buy a bulldozer in addition to its existing heavy equipments to speed up the immediate construction of access roads and development of the site early next year.
The SORCA report also disclosed the plan of the city government to buy another 32-hectare lot at Barangay Baliuagan, here that will benefit another 3,800 urban squatters.
The local initiative to address the informal settlers supports the national government’s agenda to provide Filipinos with decent human settlement and ample opportunities to improve their quality of life.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration has a “Pabahay sa Bawat Pamilyang Pilipino” program to make housing truly affordable and accessible to ordinary workers.
The program is among the major steps of the government in its fight against poverty. (PIA)
Feature: Uncovering North Samar’s secrets
Tacloban City (August 28) — The Eco-Tourism Program of the local government unit of Las Navas, Northern Samar gained momentum during the inauguration of the Pinipisakan Falls Cottage, the groundbreaking ceremony of the boat landing and viewing deck projects, and the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between the Samar Island Natural Park project management thru Dir. Manolito D. Ragub, Project Manager of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Samar Island Natural Park (DENR-SINP) and the Municipality of Las Navas represented by Mayor Arlito A. Tan.
Witnesses during the ceremonies were Ms. Josette G. Doctor, Provincial Tourism Officer of the Province of Northern Samar, the Municipal Council members of Las Navas and the Barangay Council of Barangay San Isidro.
DENR Regional Executive Director Regidor M. De Leon disclosed that pursuant to the said MOA, the DENR and LGU Las Navas shall jointly allocate, protect, develop and manage the Pinipisakan Falls and Ginagatusan Caves, and its surrounding ecosystem for recreational and ecotourism purposes.
It was Honorable Emil Ong, the representative of the 2nd District of Northern Samar, who first introduced the Pinipisakan Falls and Ginagatusan Caves to this writer.
Two days before the Presidential Visit in Las Navas town on July 16, the good Congressman was with a television crew, navigating the Catubig River, which traverses the entire municipality of Las Navas, on their way to shoot the awesome Pinipisakan Falls, his way of promoting the scintillating secret ecotourism destinations in his district.
With the use of a motorized banca, navigating the Catubig River is the primary thoroughfare for traveling in Las Navas. The same leads to the province’s best-kept secrets, Km 3, a subterranean natural pool, the Ginagatusan Caves and Pinipisakan Falls, a multi-layered cascading attraction.
At the upper most stream, the Pinipisakan Falls, a series of starlike waterfalls, a multi-layered cascading attraction, located 15 kilometers away from the town of Las Navas, Km 3, a subterranean natural pool, and the Ginagatusan Caves are the main attractions of the area and are only accessible by motor boats.
To get to these spots, take an hour-long boat ride and then enjoy a “short walk”, as the local guides describe it. This short walk, as one will discover, is actually a 3 kilometer trek that involves negotiating very steep upward and downward slopes as well as narrow dirt roads — a group will have to walk single-file, one person at a time.
Once one has found what he has set out searching for, he will surely forget how difficult it was to get there, as the waters shimmer in an inviting shade of aquamarine, all that one will hear are the sounds of the currents and wonder at the magnificence of the Pinipisakan Falls.
Congressman Ong’s advocacy to promote the best-kept secret wonders of Northern Samar, was given a great boost, recently, as the local government of Las Navas thru Mayor Arlito A. Tan and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Executive Director Regidor M. De Leon inked a memorandum of agreement to take the responsibility of overseeing the development, management and maintenance of the Pinipisakan Falls and the Ginagatusan (unexplored) Caves at Barangay San Isidro. (PIA 8/DENR
Farmers’ Field Day showcases rapid composting technology
by Arlene Edna V. La Vega
San Jose, Antique (27 August) — A Farmer field day in Brgy. Odiong, Sibalom, Antique showcased the Modified Production Farms (MRCTPF) wherein farmers are taught the judicious use of chemical fertilizers in combination with organic fertilizers and compost from farm and home wastes.
The Rapid Composting Technology will also help farmers increased their production as well as the level of their income.
More than 200 farmers who attended the field day demo with the theme, “Rice Composting and Nutrient Recycling: Balik–Pataba sa Bukirin”.
Mr. Apolinario Tagle, a farmer cooperator in his testimony emphasized that practicing MRC not only decreases fertilizer usage but ensures increased sustainability of farm nutrients thus increased in production. The zero fertilizer must be achieved to preserve the farm nutrients which are basic needs of the plants.
Governor Salvacion Z. Perez told the farmers during the program that the Antiqueños should go with organic farming since it is good for the health. Further she said that supporting agricultural sector of the province is among the priorities of her administration.
DA- Chief for Soils Laboratory Helen Maquiling stressed that the program must be sustained with the support of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in collaboration with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).
Also present during the program were Provincial Board Members Dante Beriong and Fernando Corvera, Mr. Nicolasito S. Calawag (Prov’l. Agriculturist), Ms. Helen Maquiling (Chief, Soils Laboratory –DA –RFU VI), Mr. Eric Lotilla (ABC President of Sibalom)), Leo Retamar (Regional Soils & Water Coordinator- Reg. VI).
The activity was also supported by the Local Government Unit of Sibalom, Antique. (PIA)
Capiz officials cite media help in release of Capiceño workers
by A. Lumaque
Roxas City (27 August) — The media have been very instrumental for the immediate release and homecoming of 16 Capiceño contractual workers who arrived home August 25 after a miserable experience with their employer in Mindoro.
This was revealed by Pontevedra Mayor Esteban Jose Contreras during a press conference that was set by the Capiz Provincial Press Bureau (CPPB) immediately upon the arrival of the beleaguered fishpond workers here.
“When the media followed up the issue with Mindoro officials and authorities, it became easy for us to coordinate with our counterparts in Mindoro to bring back the workers,” said Tumlos.
The 16 workers who hailed from barangay Intongcan, Pontevedra were contracted to construct fishponds in Mindoro but they fled from their employer following misunderstanding and physical harm inflicted on them.
Capiz Gov. Victor A. Tanco has affirmed the role of the media in the resolution of the problem as he also attributed the success of bringing home the Capiceño workers “to the cooperation of everybody.”
Tanco also distributed a package of goods for the returning workers so that they will have something to bring to their respective families after the press conference.
“We will see if we can give them work,” Tanco stressed, as he added that the workers will be given priority by the provincial government.
During the media interaction, the workers displayed the Capiceños humility and trouble-free mentality as they never entertained the idea of fighting back their oppressors.
“We even agreed for settlement with our employer even if we are the aggrieved party only to avoid further trouble and return home,” said Chito Ballona in Hiligaynon.
Ballona is among the workers who left the province last July for Mindoro but was unlucky with his venture for work.
The press conference was also graced by Capiz Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Esteban Evan Contreras, Provincial Administrator Zoe Herrera, and CPPB Chief Edward Basilonia, among others. (PIA)
