DSWD-7 receives cash, other donation for Habagat victims
CEBU CITY, Sept. 2 (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the region (DSWD-7) received cash worth P17,330 and other kinds of donations from various organizations, government offices and individuals for the Habagat victims in Metro Manila.
During the 4th weekly meeting of the “Task Force Tabang for Habagat victims in Luzon” in Cebu City, the members encouraged their respective offices to donate for the needs of the people affected by the recent typhoon that struck Northern Luzon.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama also urged everyone to continue this program and be united to help more people if such calamities may again occur.
It was also discussed to change the name of the group from “Task Force Tabang” to the Regional Development Council Quick Response Team (RDC-QRT) since its members are those sitting at the regional development council in the region.
In the same development, the Cebu Provincial Government had shipped two 20-footer container vans via Phil Span Asia Carrier to the province of Laguna and four 20-footer container vans to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) that are full of assorted goods and supplies for the disaster victims.
The province also turned over to DSWD, 17 sacks of assorted used clothing/food stuff and one cartoon of canned goods from the Capitol drop-in center courtesy of the Provincial Employees Association of Cebu (PEACE).
DSWD-7 will continue to receive donations and will work hard to deliver these to Metro Manila as soon as possible.(mbcn/HFG/PIA-7)
PNP head urges personnel need for teamwork and optimism
CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Aug 21 (PIA) — P/Chief Inspector Elmer Soria urged his people to develop an atmosphere of optimism and teamwork during the awarding of four Samar PNP elements with Medalya ng Papuri at Samar Police Provincial Office, Tuesday.
“Enhance your campaign against illegal logging, illegal fishing, illegal gambling, illegal mining and illegal drugs,” Soria said.
He also said that he would visit all police stations to be informed of the real situation on the grounds.
The PNP official also took pride in saying that Police Regional Office – 8 ranks number one in Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPs) and ranks number four in curbing illegal gambling.
“We will also encourage the low-ranking elements and non-uniformed personnel to bring forth their bright ideas,” he said. He urged them to help solve criminality through their bright ideas.
“Like what I said when I assumed office, I can not do this alone, I need everyone’s help.”
Meanwhile, Samar Provincial Director Eusebio Mejos confirmed that they have contained illegal gambling in Catbalogan.
“May nahuli na kaming apat (We have arrested four suspects),” said Mejos although he did not divulge the identity of the four suspects. (NBQ-PIA 8, Samar)
New organic agriculture council in Negros Oriental created
DUMAGUETE CITY, Aug 21 (PIA) — The provincial government here created a council that will implement measures in making Negros Oriental the organic food basket in the country.
Gov. Roel Degamo has issued an executive order organizing the Negros Oriental Agriculture Management Council (NOOAMC).
The ordinance called for the creation of a council that will oversee the implementation of this law, Sedillo said.
The council’s members have met with the governor during which Gov. Degamo made clear of his goal of seeing a more developed food production in the province as a result of natural farming methods. (RMN-PIA7 Negros Oriental)
Cebu City health office intensifies anti-dengue measures
CEBU CITY Aug 14 (PIA) — The Cebu City Health Department (CCHD) continues to strengthen its defense measures against dengue amid the rainy season where cases are likely to spread despite a significant decline of dengue cases in July compared to the previous month.
Durinda Macasocol, assistant city epidemiologist of the City Epidemiology Surveillance and Statistics Unit of the CCHD said they do not want to be complacent just because cases of dengue went down last month by slightly over 50 percent from 388 cases in June to 195 cases in July.
“Each barangay in the city have their own barangay dengue brigade intended to initiate immediate measures and actions in the continuing anti-dengue campaign drive,” said Macasocol. There are 80 barangays in Cebu City.
Barangay health workers together with the CCHD continue its ongoing house-to-house education and information campaign to educate residents to make it a habit of maintaining clean surroundings and destroy possible breeding sites of mosquitoes, Macasocol said.
Since the start of this year, the city health team in coordination with the local barangay officials, barangay health emergency response teams, dengue barangay brigade and other non-government organizations regularly conduct search and destroy operations for the breeding sites of mosquitoes and other insects that carries not only dengue fever.
The assistant city epidemiologist further said they emphasize the importance of early consultation when on-and-off fever is noted and of immediate admission to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) for confirmed & severe stage of the disease to prevent unnecessary deaths.
A fast lane for dengue consultation has also been established at the CCMC’s out-patient department to easily address dengue cases, while there is also a dengue ward with available supplies and medicines.
There are also seven satellite laboratories all over the city for free complete blood count, platelet counting and monitoring for those with recurring fever suspected to be dengue.
The laboratories complement the main lab at the CCHD and at the CCMC while the latter provides free hospitalization to city residents with suspected and confirmed dengue virus, Macasocol disclosed.
Last June 3, the city’s sanitary inspectors partnered with the Rotary Philippines in the conduct of larviciding activity in the identified stagnant pools of water in 20 city barangays.
Intensified campaign for proper waste disposal and regular collection of garbage as well as de-clogging activities were likewise conducted. These would be a huge help to eliminate possible breeding sites of mosquitoes and to ensure that canals in the city are freely flowing thereby lessening the possibility of stagnant water that may also serve as breeding sites for mosquitoes.
At present, the main focus of the city health department is to the raise the level of dengue prevention measures which has been effective with the decline of dengue cases last month, Macasocol said.
“But this is no reason to let up in our campaign and we are still raising the alert status because dengue cases are usually high during the rainy months. We are focusing much on prevention to prevent unnecessary deaths,” Macasocol added.
Macasocol said given the situation, the City Epidemiology Statistics and Surveillance Unit of Cebu through the CCHD and the CCMC continuously provides active, daily and on-going Fever SMS Surveillance covering the 80 barangays of the city. (FCR/AYS-PIA7, Cebu)
PDEA 6 reports drug situation on the downtrend
ILOILO CITY, Aug. 1 (PIA) — The illegal drug situation in the region is on a downward trend, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Western Visayas, on its 10th anniversary.
“This should give us more reasons to bring our fight further,” PDEA-6 Director Yogi Felimon Ruiz said in media interviews.
Ruiz said his focus has been on intensification of anti-drug operations on high value targets, with constant monitoring of identified drug dens or convergence areas.
He also noted that with the implementation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the national campaign against illegal drugs has become more vigorous, involving all sectors of society.
Ruiz said the efforts of PDEA-6 have been highly supported by the pillars of the Criminal Justice System, without which actions are not concerted.
“We have strengthened rapport with various agencies through memoranda of agreement, especially to lessen crime prompted by substance abuse,” Ruiz said.
“Likewise, our major program on supply reduction to decrease drug activities through arrests, seizures have gained headway,” Ruiz said.
The demand reduction program towards eliminating the possibility of being victimized by drug pushers through preventive education has been gaining grounds.
On the other hand, Ruiz said that his personnel are given quarterly workshops on intelligence work, equipping drug operations not only with skills in doing arrests but also with knowledge on legal battle to ensure conviction.
Ruiz said the first decade of their existence as an agency in the region, is just the start of more challenging and long journey towards a drug-free Western Visayas.
He also reported that from January 2011 to June 2012, PDEA-6 has recorded 455 positive anti-drug operations and the recovery of P6,207,451 worth of drug evidences, including weapons, communication equipment, vehicles.
Ruiz said, their efforts would be more vigorous, but their steps would be one at a time. (JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)
Aquino declares July 23 as a special (non-working) day in Bohol
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, July 16 (PIA) — President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared July 23, which falls on a Monday, as a special (non-working) day in the province of Bohol and Tagbilaran City in commemoration of its 158th Foundation day anniversary.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration through Proclamation No. 431 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. on July 12, to give the people in the entire province of Bohol and Tagbilaran City the full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
President Aquino granted the request of the Office of the Governor to declare Monday, July 23, as a special (non-working) day instead of July 22, which falls on a Sunday, which is the real date of the founding anniversary.
On July 22, 1854, Bohol was separated from Cebu and together with Siquijor, was created into a politico-military province during the Spanish rule in the Philippines.
Thereafter, it was recognized as a province during the American regime. (MBCN/ECB-PIA7 Bohol)
Iloilo to plant 1million trees in 2012
ILOILO CITY, July 16 (PIA) — The governor of Iloilo said one million tree seedlings would be planted in the province this year on the second year of the program of the provincial government dubbed Action for Re-greening and Transformation (ART).
the kick-off program of the tree planting activity on July 14 in Passi CityIloilo, Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said the local program is an initiative designed to support the National Greening Program (NGP) of the Aquino administration.
The NGP aims to rejuvenate the country’s forest covers with one billion trees by 2016.
The governor led the contingents of local government employees and participants from national government agencies, schools, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, business sector and civil society organizations in planting thousands of tree seedlings along river banks in Barangays Sarapan, Bayan and Agtambo of Iloilo’s lone component city.
The activity is being complemented by separate tree planting activities in the different municipalities of the province.
Defensor cited as an example the activity held by the municipality of Leon wherein 45,000 tree seedlings were planted. Other towns, he said, have also started their own activities.
A similar major activity as the July 14 ART tree planting will be held for the annual “Piyesta sa Kakahuyan” in September to achieve the one-million tree target for 2012.
ART was launched in 2011 as one of the reforestation initiatives of the provincial government, which aside from the “Piyesta sa Kakahuyan” also has a similar program covering the province’s watershed areas. It targets to plant one million trees in the province every year.
Defensor told the participants that 65 percent of the tree seedlings planted last year under the ART program survived. Likewise, he said that as a result of the reforestation activities launched by the provincial government, the forest of the province has improved from two percent to 12 percent.
“We will continue to upgrade the forest cover of Iloilo,” said Defensor.
He also thanked the participants from various sectors as well as Passi City for hosting the tree planting activity. Joining the governor at the activity were his wife Cosette, Passi City Vice Mayor Joey Palmares, Punong Barangays Armando Nueva of Sarapan, Melchor Padernal of Bayan and Jose Dennis Padernal of Agtambo, other local government officials, and heads of participating groups. (JCM/JSC-PIA6)
PNP announces entrance exams
CATARMAN, Northern Samar July 9 (PIA) — Entrance exams for the police force will start on July 13. This was announced by the Northern Samar Provincial Police Office (NSPPO) and the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM).
Interested individuals who want to join the PNP can submit until August 31.
PNP added that NAPOLCOM exam for PNP entrance is slated on October 14. It will be conducted at the Leyte Normal University, Tacloban City.
For more details and information, interested parties can see the Provincial NAPOLCOM Office, Camp Delgado, Quezon St., Catarman, N. Samar or visit NAPOLCOM Official Website at www. Napolcom.gov.ph. (AND/PIA8-Northern Samar)
BSP Dumaguete initiates Clean Note Policy ad campaign
DUMAGUETE CITY, July 9 (PIA) — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Dumaguete Branch initiated the production of two infomercials supporting the BSP’s Clean Note Policy.
The two 60-seconder videos, in English and Cebuano versions, were introduced to the public for the first time during a launching ceremony on July 6 at Robinson’s Place, this city.
The videos were produced by BSP Dumaguete Branch in cooperation with the Silliman University Student Government’s Infomedia Committee.
The committee members volunteered their talents during the production of the infomercials.
The infomercial videos aim to change old ways and convince Filipinos to make it a habit to properly care for their money, said Divina Labitad-Salve of the Economic and Financial Learning Center at the BSP branch here.
Presidential Decree No. 247 prohibits the defacement, mutilation, tearing, burning, or destruction of Philippine bank notes and coins.
This also includes the stapling of notes, a common practice among Filipino consumers, noted Salve.
“Don’t staple your money or fold your bank notes or put them inside coin purses where they will be crumpled. This shortens the lifespan of the notes, making it unfit for circulation,” she said.
Under BSP’s Clean Note Policy, notes and coins that have been badly soiled, mutilated, or marked with writings are considered unfit for circulation. “We destroy these unfit notes and coins and replace them with new ones,” said Salve.
Every month, the central bank retires or takes out of circulation more than one million pieces of bank notes in Negros Oriental alone.
If consumers handle their money properly, they will not only help the government save on production costs involved in printing new money but also help protect the environment.
Salve explained that Philippine money is made of 80% cotton and 20% Philippine abaca.
By taking good care of their money, Salve said consumers will help conserve the country’s natural resources. (RMN-PIA7 Negros Oriental)
Pneumonia tops cause of death in Southern Leyte – NSO
MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, July 2 (PIA) — The National Statistics Office (NSO) reported that for the first quarter of 2012, there were 672 deaths in Southern Leyte with pneumonia topping the leading cause.
According to the NSO June 2012 special release, of the 672 deaths, 331 were caused by the top 10 leading causes of death and the remaining 341 were due to other causes.
The release added that all other causes contributed less than two percent of the total deaths in Southern Leyte for the first quarter of 2012.
The top leading causes of death were pneumonia (11.0 percent), essential primary hypertension (6.1 percent), pneumonia hypostatic (5.1 percent), stroke (4.9 percent), cardiac arrest (4.6 percent), other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (3.7 percent), heart failure congestive (3.7 percent), acute myocardial infarction (3.6 percent), respiratory tuberculosis (3.4 percent), and hypertensive heart disease without congestive heart failure (3.1 percent), it further said.
The data on vital statistics presented by the NSO June 2012 special press release were obtained from the copies of the certificates submitted by the 19 City, and Municipal Civil Registrar’s of Southern Leyte.
These include events that occurred in Southern Leyte from January to March 2012 and have been reported at the National Statistics Office, NSO added. (EOT/ESG-PIA8)
