BFP-7 urges public to take part in fire prevention
BFP-7 Chief for Regional Operations Chief Inspector Ronaldo Orbeta relayed this during the recent Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agency in line with the celebration of Fire Prevention Month this March with the theme, “Makiisa, Makialam at Makipagtulungan Upang Sunog ay Maiwasan.”
Orbeta is also reminding the public to get involved in the program facilitated by the bureau to lessen fire cases in the region as he reiterated the vital role of each individual in the community in fire prevention.
“Dili mi successful kung wala ang tabang gikan sa all sectors of the community (We will not be successful if not for the support from all sectors of the community),” Orbeta said.
BFP-7 Information Officer Sr. Insp. Fritzie Manatad added this involvement will simply start in their respective household by practicing the habit of good housekeeping, checking electric circuits, and to always unplug appliances after using.
Manatad also adviced the public to immediately dispose unused materials which cannot be recycled, specifically those made of light materials.
She recommended every household to always stock water, which can be used to put out fire.
She further reminded the public to distance from walls those that are made of light materials, as well as curtains and other cloth while cooking for this is also one of the causes of fires in residential structures.
Aside from this, Manatad also adviced parents and adults to keep lamps and matches away from children’s reach.
Lighted cigarette butts should also be put off before being thrown in waste baskets.
Lastly, the bureau encouraged the public to have the following fire hotline numbers posted at home or in offices: 160 for Cebu City fire station and 117 for DILG hotline number. (rmn/AS/PIA-CEBU)
Philhealth vows to pursue health care program for the poor
ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Feb. 29 (PIA6) — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) vows to provide access to health care to more poor Filipinos through the government’s health insurance program.
Since January this year, the premium contributions of beneficiaries of government’s poverty reduction program shall be increased to P2,400 per year. The beneficiaries have been identified by the Department of Social Welfare and Development through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR). The beneficiaries are enrolled under the Sponsored Program.
The Sponsored Program identification card issued to intended NHTS-PR beneficiaries shall be valid or two years.
Diaz also said that the premium contributions for the local government units or sponsors as well as for the individually paying and overseas workers programs will likewise be increased toP2,400 per year starting July 1,2012. However, the concerned LGU or sponsor and individually paying and overseas workers will be able to avail of the P1,200 annual premium should they pay the same in full within the first semester of the current year.
Too, the P1,200 annual premium could also be availed should the LGU/sponsor or individually paying and overseas workers members will sign an undertaking and commit to pay their contribution for two consecutive years or until 2013, he stressed.
He also revealed that self-employed professionals who are earning an average month income of more than P25,000 shall pay their annual premium contribution of P3,600.
Accordingly, the premium contributions from the employees and employers in the formal sectors shall be computed at three percent of the basic monthly salary of the employee starting January 2013 and shall be continually shared equally by its employees, provided that the monthly salary base is determined at P7,000 with a P2,520 annual contribution and a monthly salary ceiling is at P50,000. (JCM/JBG/PIA6-Capiz)
Kalibo farmers set to plant new rice varieties
KALIBO, Aklan, Feb. 26 (PIA) — Selected farmers in the municipality of Kalibo are set to plant new varieties of rice seeds from June to October of this year to test the qualities of these new varieties.
The foundation seeds, according to the report, will be planted in Barangays Tigayon and Estancia.
The new varieties include NSIC 240, NSIC 238, NSIC 236 and NSIC 234.
Meanwhile, 23 members of farmers’ organizations of the municipality are also set to undergo training on Asexual Plant Propagation March 15 of this year.
The town’s agricultural services division will also be conducting a Varietal Techno-Demonstration Cum Farmers Field School for Integrated Pest Management and will also coordinate with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) about the Bakhawan Planting Project.
This, according to the agricultural services division, is in response to the call of BFAR for farm councils willing to plant Bakhawans with corresponding compensation. (JSC/VGV-PIA 6 Aklan)
DOLE 8 stresses importance of correct giving of minimum daily wage
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Feb 22 (PIA) — The top official of the Department of Labor and Employment in Eastern Visayas stressed the importance of the implementation of Wage Order Number 16 for all business establishments in the region.
Sarcauga, who sits as chair of the RTWPB, said that most violators are foreign owners like Taiwanese, Chinese and Koreans.
Being foreigners operating business in the region is not an excuse for not following the labor standards, Sarcauga said. He said it is imperative for them to know the labor laws of the land.
It was learned that the labor department will undertake its routine inspection of establishments in the region to check which establishments are violating this specific law.
DOLE reported that out of the 43 establishments visited by the agency last year, 73 percent of the visited establishments complied with the labor standards which include giving the daily correct wage.
The labor director also said that the department will include the mining industry in its routine visits to check if the said industry is employing minors.
DOLE and the regional office of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) will be working closely and coordinate in the matter. (PIA-8)
NSO info drive on civil registration on
NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Feb. 23 (PIA6) — The National Statistics Office here highlighted the celebration of the Civil Registration Month by conducting an information drive to college students on civil registration.
Sollesta gave an overview about civil registration and presented the highlights of the 2007 Census of Population.
Meanwhile, Oreto discussed the uses and importance of civil registry documents such as live birth, marriage certificate, death certificate.
“These are important in transactions like acquiring a passport, school/employment requirement among others,” Oreto added.
Oreto discussed also to the students the administrative arrangement of the system and on how and where they could obtain their civil registry documents.
The NSO enjoins the public to participate in the month-long Civil Registration Month.*(JCM/EAD-PIA6/NSO Negros Occidental)
Reproductive health system to empower women
BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Feb. 21 (PIA) — A woman’s rights advocate lawyer believes that a comprehensive reproductive health program in the country can empower women in the country.
Development of Active Women in Negros representative Atty. Andrea Si said that the Reproductive Health bill will allow women to have an informed choice on the number of children they want to have.
Si cited the plight of many women who have no choice but bear children, sometimes against their will, and are living miserably because of their economic situation.
She added that husbands who enter into extra-marital affair is also a form of abuse against women because sometimes, its leads to domestic violence.
She clarified that despite her stand on the RH issue, she remains a good Catholic.
Si recently guested in the program ‘Pamilya kag Banwa’ aired over Premiere TV 14 hosted by Social Science professor Joy Vingno.
The passage of the Reproductive Health bill ensures affordable and access to couples on reproductive care, giving them choices on the size of family they want to have and could financially maintain.
While its approval is still much awaited by supporters, the government nevertheless, admits an additional funding is needed in health infrastructure because there is limited fund for health facilities such as Basic and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care facilities, according to the Philippine Development Plan.
To improve access to and quality health facilities, the government will invest in health Facility Enhancement Program, link provincial and city plans to the national allocation of investments for health, and improve access to specialized services in sub-national health facilities like the Rural Health Units and Barangay Health Stations. (JCM/LOL-PIA6)
PNoy instructs DPWH to restore road network in NegOr
NEGROS ORIENTAL, Feb 8 (PIA) – President Benigno Aquino III has directed the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials to submit next week the connectivity plan to restore the road network destroyed by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Negros Oriental on February 6.
During the disaster management meeting with the President today, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson said, the agency will mobilize 15 teams composed of engineers, local government units and national government agencies to assess and inspect the roads, bridges, schools and other establishments for the safety of people.
Thirteen bridges on the national road were damaged in Negros Oriental due to the earthquake that hit the province on Feb 6, Singson said.
On the other hand, Department of Telecommunications Secretary Mar Roxas reported that there are two (2) coast guard vessels and one (1) helicopter deployed in affected areas to bring the relief goods and rescue teams to La Libertad and Guihulngan City.
Roxas committed to repair ports of the province if needed. He is just waiting for the report coming from the Cebu Port Authority.
Relief goods for the victims and rescue teams from Cebu arrived today in Guihulngan through the Philippine Navy, said Secretary Dinky Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Phivolcs chief Dr. Renato Solidum presented the tsunami hazard map of NegOr during the disaster management meeting. He also explained the movement of the earthquake and the things to prepare if an earthquake occur in an area. (mbcn/hfg/PIA-7)
Massive tree-planting in Eastern Visayas targets 2.1 M trees in 2012
TACLOBAN CITY Leyte, Feb 1 (PIA) — For the year 2012, the massive tree planting campaign in Eastern Visayas is targeting 2,115,500 seedlings to be planted in 4,231 hectares of land, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said.
Purificacion Daloos, information chief of DENR Region 8, said that this is much higher than last year’s target which exceeded with the help of partners from government and private sectors. This year, Eastern Visayas had been chosen as the pilot area for the National Greening Program.
The regional office of DENR here is currently consolidating efforts to implement the Greening Program.
Daloos said that DENR 8 regional executive director Rogelio T. Trinidad met with the field officials and program implementers to download the 2012 targets to the Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices from all over the region.
As agreed, each CENRO was assigned a target in terms of the number of hectares and corresponding number of seedlings to be planted. Per estimate, a hectare of land should be planted 500 trees.
The province of Leyte will plant about 625,000 seedlings in 1,250 hectares of land in 2012. Biliran targets to plant 104,000 seedlings in 208 hectares of land while the province of Southern Leyte targets to plant about 153,000 seedlings in 306 hectares of land, this year.
Meanwhile, Samar province will plant 271,500 seedlings in 543 hectares of land; Eastern Samar will plant 541,000 of seedlings in an area of 1,082 hectares of land; and Northern Samar targets to plant 421,000 seedlings in 842 hectares of land.
As part of the activities in project implementation, CENROs have been directed to conduct surveys, mapping and planning activities to identify the exact location of each project.
The National Greening Program aims to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares from 2011 to 2016 for poverty reduction, food security, livelihood development, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Through the National Convergence Initiative, 16 government agencies, non-government organization and private corporations, have joined hands in the implementation of the program as volunteer planters, long-term plantation stewards, or donors. (PIA 
Aklan’s rice supply to last four months
KALIBO, Aklan, January 30 (PIA) — Aklan has enough rice supply to last four months, according to the National Food Authority (NFA) here.
According to NFA-Aklan Provincial Manager Procopio B. Trabajo II, this is because of the continuous rice planting activities of Aklan farmers.
“Because of our unpredictable weather, our farmers take advantage of the presence of water in their rice fields. If there is water, they plant,” Trabajo said.
Trabajo said Aklan has a current inventory of 375,593 bags found in households, commercial establishments, and government warehouses. He also revealed that Aklan has long been a rice-surplus province, along with Capiz, Antique, and Iloilo.
The only province in Western Visayas with insufficient rice produce, according to the NFA, is Negros Occidental, because it is more on sugar cane production. Negros Occidental’s rice needs are addressed by the rice surplus provinces in Region 6, Trabajo revealed.
Guimaras, on the other hand, is not a rice surplus- province, however, its produce is enough for the needs of Guimarasnons.
Besides Negros Occidental, NFA- Western Visayas also supplies the needs of other areas like Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Zamboanga.
Despite supplying the rice needs of other provinces, Trabajo assured that Aklanons will not run out of supply, because there are also stocks coming from other provinces that enter Aklan.
He cited Mindoro, Antique and Capiz, whose rice stocks are also brought to Aklan and sold at public markets here.
“When we send out our rice, stocks from other provinces also enter our province, and so Aklan is far from experiencing a rice shortage,” Trabajo assured Aklanons. (JCM/VGV PIA6 Aklan)
PhilHealth 17th anniversary features ‘Tiangge ng Manggagawa’
by Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Jan. 29 (PIA) — The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is spearheading this year’s nationwide observance of the month of February as National Health Insurance Month and its 17th anniversary celebration on Feb. 14.
Marimar Zabala, PhilHealth Tacloban information officer made the pronouncement during the ‘Suruswerte Ka’ PIA radio program over DYVL, saying that the state-run health insurance agency is currently gearing up for the annual celebration which has been institutionalized by Presidential Proclamation No. 1400 issued in 2007.
Among the activities which will be featured during the month-long celebration is the holding of Tiangge ng Manggawa on Feb. 13-15 at the PhilHealth Tacloban Office, Zabala said.
The tiangge will be held at the PhilHealth Office so that clients and members dropping by will not only be able to transact business with PhilHealth but will also be able to buy things they need at the tiangge, Zabala added.
Zabala called on the PhilHealth members who are exhibitors to contact the PhilHealth Tacloban Office on how to join the tiangge. This is also one way the PhilHealth could help its members, the information officer added. Other activities will be announced in later date, she said.
This year is considered a milestone as PhilHealth celebrates its 17th anniversary introducing innovations, better member benefits to be of better service to the members as it carries the administration’s Universal Health Care for all Filipinos program.
PhilHealth is very much a part of the Universal Health Care by ensuring that all Filipinos are given the financial access to quality health care through PhilHealth insurance, Zabala said.
An attached agency of the Department of Health, PhilHealth received the mandate to administer the former Medicare program for government and private sector employees from the Government Service Insurance System in 1997, the Social Security System in 1998, and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration in 2005. (PIA-8)
