PNRC initiates convenio project in CamSur
By Lizel S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, (PIA) - The Philippine Red Cross Camarines Sur Chapter together with the Spanish Red Cross and the Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion Internacional Para El Desarrollo (AECID) marked another landmark project in selected towns and barangays in Camarines Sur as the Convenio Project formally kicked off in Camarines Sur.

In a simple yet remarkable launching of the Convenio Project and the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between PRC and its partners/stakeholders held at the Regent Hotel here, Nanette Rodrigazo, PRC-Camarines Sur Chapter administrator expressed her gratitude for the support of other Red Cross chapters, particularly the Spanish and Australian Red Cross for pursuing these projects in the most vulnerable areas of the province.

Complementing the PRC’s role are its partner agencies, specifically the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The towns of Lagonoy, Siruma, and Garchitorena were among the lucky recipients of the project. For the first time, PRC will also include groups and members of the indigenous communities located in the city of Iriga and the town of Buhi. Interventions concerning vulnerability on health and disaster preparedness will be undertaken in the aforementioned areas.

The project aims to contribute in the reduction of the vulnerability of selected communities to health risks and the risk to natural disasters. Specifically, it also aims to strengthen the capacity of the members of the community and the local structures herein for the improvement of their health management and risk reduction for natural catastrophes.

The beneficiaries’ inclusion in the project is based on the donor’s criteria, citing among others their poor access to health services, specifically those from remote areas with high prevalence of water borne diseases and malnutrition; areas with limited sources in terms of livelihood, areas with highly populated puroks/ sitios; areas without or with poor access to potable water and areas which are prone to natural disasters.

The donors also chose the areas where there is good acceptance of the project while exhibiting high potential for synergies with LGUS and other agencies/projects.

The local government of Camarines Sur, through Governor LRay Villafuerte, has also expressed its 100 percent support for the full implementation of the Community Health Management and Disaster Risk Reduction Program of the Philippine Red Cross. (PIA Camarines Sur/mal)

OPD of Bicol Med. Center to cater to the needy
By Lizel S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, (PIA) - Soon to accommodate the increasing number of patients coming from various parts of the region is a newly inaugurated out-patient-department (OPD) of the Bicol Medical Center here, graced by no less than Health Secretary Enrique Ona as the guest of honor and speaker.

Congressmen Rolando Andaya and Luis Villafuerte, representatives from the first and third districts of Camarines Sur respectively, were also present during the occasion.

Ona, in his speech, cited recent findings that most of the patients, particularly those who come from the low-income bracket are not enrolled in PhilHealth. This sector, he said, is the most vulnerable sector who can hardly afford to pay their hospital bills.

Fortunately, he added, government, through the Universal Health Care Program of President Benigno Aquino III dubbed as Aquino Health Agenda or AHA, is determined to push a health reform program prioritizing families from the poor sector as its main beneficiary and one of the strategies to attain this goal is through the financial risk protection agenda which will be realized by expanding the NHIP enrolment and benefit delivery of Philhealth members.

Dr. Efren Nerva, the newly-installed medical chief of the Bicol Medical Center, revealed that the hospital is trying to accommodate every patient, even those coming from the neighboring provinces, not withstanding the category of BMC as a tertiary hospital.

“We are running at the rate of 149 percent occupancy here at BMC, and even if our mandate as tertiary hospital dictates that we should only cater to tertiary cases, we are morally obliged to attend to some other needs as a professional health worker and practice humanitarian act to those who need our assistance, irregardless of their condition.”

In the absence of a provincial hospital, Congressman Villafuerte proposed that the BMC be upgraded as a modern medical hub equipped with state of the art facilities which will cater and accommodate the needs of its increasing patients.

Following this thought, he said that once realized, we will be able to attain our Millennium Development Goal commitment to reduce child and maternal mortality and improve the health conditions of every Filipino. (PIA Camarines Sur/mal)

Bicol Kalahi-CIDSS project management now hiring

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Bicol needs 15 new employees to implement projects funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

Regional Director Remia Tapispisan of DSWD Bicol said interested individuals may submit their applications to the regional office located at PBN-Buragwis, Legazpi City addressed to the Office of the Regional Director.

Needed fo the project are: deputy regional project manager, deputy regional community development specialist, deputy regional community infrastructure specialist, infrastructure assistant, regional financial analyst, financial analyst III, financial analyst II, monitoring and evaluation officer II, regional training assistant, procurement assistant, regional bookkeeper, budget assistant, administrative assistant II who shall function as cash clerk, administrative assistant I and an administrative aide IV who will be designated as driver.

Among the three projects funded by the MCC Account-Philippines is the $120 million Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) which is being implemented in 187 municipalities of six regions, Bicol among them.
DSWD implements said KC-MCC over a period of five years starting 2011 until 2015.

Interested applicants may download the application forms and send same along with the letter of application to kalahi.dswd.gov.ph. (PIA V/Albay/mal)

“Devil’s advocate” needed to enact RH Bill – Lagman

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — There is need for devil’s advocates so that the Reproductive Health bill can be canonized into final enactment, stressed one of author staunch advocates of the bill in the Congress.

House Minority Leader and Albay I District Rep. Edcel Lagman, in an email to PIA Bicol News Service, said that if 55 anti-RH legislators have been listed to interpellate the sponsors of the RH bill, then why is it that no one is prepared to interpellate despite the readiness of the RH authors to answer questions in the plenary since last Monday, 14 March 2011.

Lagman stressed that there is need for an immediate high level confrontation through plenary debates even as the RH advocates are certain that their measure will survive the furnace of interrogation.

Lagman, the principal author of House Bill No. 4244, the consolidated substitute RH bill, also said Deputy Speaker Raul Daza and Rep. Amado Bagatsing, who are known opponents of the bill, told him that they would be ready to interpellate only in May when sessions resume after a long break.

“ The procrastination of the oppositors of the RH bill is a signal victory for the reproductive health measure because it validates the reality that the RH advocates have the superiority in arguments as well as in numbers while the oppositors are merely employing dilatory tactics,” he said.

Lagman added that “Delaying the passage of the RH bill is a defeatist strategy.” (MALoterte/PIA Albay)

MDRRMC Virac to convene on disaster preparedness
By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, (PIA) -- In line with the provisions of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction Act of 2010 or RA 1021, that local Municipal Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC) is to convene once every three(3) month or as necessary, the mDRRMC of Virac is set to assemble on Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at the Office of the Mayor.

The purposes of the meeting is to formulate Local Risk Reduction and Management Plans; to conduct drills on tsunami evacuation, typhoon surge evacuation, floods evacuation, fire evacuation and to establish a Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.

Expected to attend are the following members of the MDDRMC of Virac Dr. Artemo Q. Rivera (DepEd). P/Chief Supt. Alvin L. Gruba (PNP), Lt. Col. Danilo P. Aquino (PA), William Aldea (DILG), Neil Vargas (Red Cross), Dr. Arlyn Arcilla (Municipal Health Officer), Ma. Rosario M. Arcilla (Liga President, SB Ex-Officio Officer);

F02 Danilo Tayobana (Municipal Fire Marshall), Nieva Santelices (Acting PDRRMO), Urgel Santelices (Municipal Planning Development Officer), Josefina T. Ramirez (MSWDO), Henry M. Quinones (Municipal Budget Officer and Cipriano Almojuela Jr. (Municipal Engineer). (PIA Catanduanes/mal)

CSC turns over PCARRD-donated ICT equipment to 6 LGUs
By Edna A. Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes- Catanduanes State Colleges turned over a complete set of brand new desktop computer with LCD monitor, computer table and chair, HP printer, digital camera, two cellular phones and a Smart Broadband plug-in with free one-year subscription to municipal government units of Bato, Bagamanoc, Gigmoto, Panganiban, San Miguel and Viga.

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment grant was funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) for its Techno Gabay Program - Farmers Information Technology Services (FITS) Center with CSC as its partner member agency.

Gigmoto Municipal Mayor Edgar Tayam, San Miguel Mayor Edna Bernal, Bato Municipal Councilor Domingo Prensader (representing Mayor Eulogio Rodriguez), and the municipal agriculturists of the six LGU beneficiaries, accepted the ICT equipment from CSC President Dr. Asuncion V. Asetre.

The turnover held on March 8 was witnessed by CSC VP for Research, Extension and Production Dr. Susan T. Santelices, Extension Director Sonia R. Vargas and Techno Gabay Partner Member Agency Focal person Ananias Deuda and Mrs. Nelia B. Teves, Provincial Agriculture Services Office FITS Center Manager.

Dr. Asuncion V. Asetre, CSC president, said that the turnover is just one activity to equip FITS centers with necessary facilities for a more efficient delivery of services to the farmers.

The CSC President assured the recipient municipalities of CSC’s continued support by providing consultancy services, and transfer of technologies especially those derived from researches. She also encouraged the FITS centers to produce a Magsasakang Siyentista (MS) awardee in the province.

The Magsasakang Siyentista, which is part of the Techno Gabay FITS, provides technical support and hands-on training and share experiential insights to on-farm visitors. They also render technical assistance during training, seminars, field days, and lakbay-aral visits.

With the encouragement of the CSC President, San Miguel Mayor Edna Bernal said that she would fully support the program since San Miguel is the only town in the province that is predominantly agricultural, in which 90% of its population is into agriculture.

“Napapanahon ang FITS center sa San Miguel sapagkat ang aming LGU ay nag-o-operate ng Barangay Bagsakan Project at ito ay nanalo na sa Gawad Saka award sa Region V as Outstanding Barangay Bagsakan Center – LGU Category at naipanalo na rin namin ito hanggang sa National Level”, Mayor Edna Bernal said.

The FITS center is one among the modalities of the Techno Gabay Program, a program of PCARRD to bring science-based information and technology services to end-users in agriculture, forestry and natural resources sectors. CSC is a partner member agency (PMA) of the program.

FITS centers are also slated to be established in Caramoran and Pandan and it is now waiting for the confirmation of the Department of Science and Technology, according to the CSC President.

The provincial and municipal LGUs take charge of the Farmer’s Information Technology Services (FITS) Centers established by PCARRD through CSC. (PIACatanduanes/CSC/mal)

DPWH assures safety of buildings and bridges

LEGAZPI CITY, (PIA) — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bicol reactivated its Task Force on Building and Bridge Inspection upon receipt of instruction from Secretary Rogelio Singson.

“We witnessed the tragedies experienced by our neighboring country, we have to do our part to mitigate these disasters and thus save lives,” said DPWH Bicol Regional Director Danilo Dequito in an interview after attending a meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (RDRRMC) here.

In a memorandum issued by Singson, he directed the Task Force to conduct re-inspection and assessment of all public buildings and bridges along national roads. Priority shall be given to inspection of public schools and hospital buildings.

“The inspection of these structures will be done annually and immediately after an earthquake of at least magnitude 5 or Intensity IV as maybe determined by PHIVOLCS,” explained Asst. Regional Director Jesus Salmo.

The members of this inspectorate team are representatives from Planning and Design, Construction, and Maintenance Divisions of DPWH regional office, concerned District Engineering Offices and also representatives from the Philippines Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE), Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP) and Philippine Association of Building Officials (PABO). (LVCastaneda, DPWH V/PIA Albay/mal)