UNICEF holds consultative review of 7th Country Program for Children in Regions 5 and 8

by Irma A. Guhit

LEGASPI CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) -- The Philippine Government through the National Economic Development Activity (NEDA), with the assistance of the United Nations International Children Educational Fund (UNICEF), is currently preparing the Country Program Action Plan for the 7th Country Program for Children (CPC 7) covering the period of 2012 to 2016.

The three-day program review is currently held here at St. Ellis Hotel, Legaspi City with the participation of the Regions 5 and 8 CPC implementors from August 15-18, 2011.

The province of Sorsogon as one of the implementors of the CPC 4 was one of the provinces identified to provide the program review inputs and come up with sectoral operational mechanisms to flesh out the steps in the pathway of change of the CPC 7 program for adoption and implementation by these regions which was originally drafted during the national workshop consultation.

According to the UNICEF, this regional consultation now being conducted here hopes collate the different concerns, suggestions and lessons learned from the implementation of these provinces from these regions and finally provide refinement to the strategies and interventions to be implemented.

It will also come up with a provincial management plan by province implementing the CPC and will be presented in the plenary session for critiquing and finalization..

NEDA Deputy General Augusto B Santos , also chair of CPC 6 Executive Committee and National Steering Committee, in a communication sent to the Sorsogon Provincial CPC Technical Working Group, spelled out the need to ensure relevance, acceptability and thematic consultations with provinces implementing the program.

He hopes to come up with a deliberative process involving key implementors before coming up with the final draft of the CPC 7 program and before this will be sent as a working draft.

It can be recalled that the CPC seeks to address equity of the most deprived and disadvantaged children in the areas with multiple vulnerabilities in health, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, education and children protection,

Comprising the CPC TWG participating in the program review are representatives coming from the Provincial Planning and Development Office, Provincial Health Office, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Philippine Information Agency and the Department of Education.(MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

Public satisfied with Philhealth services and benefits, survey says

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) -- More than half of those who are aware of the government’s national health insurance program are satisfied with its services and benefits, according to a regional official of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) regional office here.

Philhealth V director Dr. Veronica Mateum said the agency’s central office relayed to the regional office that the results of the 2nd quarter Social Weather Stations (SWS) nationwide survey conducted from June 3-6, 2011 showed that 77 per cent of respondents who were aware of Philhealth were satisfied with the government agency’s programs, services and benefit, nine percent were undecided and 11 percent were dissatisfied, for a net satisfaction score of +66.

“In SWS’ terms, the net satisfaction rating is ‘very good’ and is higher than Philhealth’s net score of +57 in May 2005,” Mateum said quoting the same survey .

Mateum added that the same survey also showed that agency’s net satisfaction rating in terms of its support and protection to its members and dependents remained very good at +67 in June 2011, up from +60 in February 2009.

The survey also found that 99 percent of members, 98 percent of dependents and 93 percent of non-members are aware of at least one of the agency’s services and benefits.

She said that awareness of any of PhilHealth’s services by the members, dependents and non-members increased, compared from two years ago.

Meanwhile, Philhealth president and CEO Dr. Rey B. Aquino underscored in the same information relayed to the agency’s regional office here that the most significant increase however, was noted among non-members where it rose from 54 percent in February 2009 to 93 percent in June 2011 as the study showed.

“This development is very significant, as this indicates a growing interest among non-members on the benefits that may be availed of from the National Health Insurance Program,” said Aquino.

“This means that we have to work doubly hard to persuade those who are not yet members to enlist themselves into the NHIP and be granted access to these benefits as well,” Aquino added.

When asked what their top sources of information on Philhealth are, respondents who were aware of Philhealth cited television (40 percent), friends and acquaintances (33 percent) and family (30 percent).

The other sources of information mentioned were their own experience, Philhealth personnel, radio, newspaper, barangay hall/barangay official, brochures, leaflets, pamphlets, agency/employer and government official/employee.

“We are happy about the results of the recent SWS survey and I would like to assure our members and other stakeholders that we will continue to improve on our service delivery mechanism as an embodiment of true public service,” Aquino said, adding that “survey results like these only strengthen our resolve to do better, and we are committed to do just that.” (MALoterte, PIA V/PHIC V)


Sorsogon City lays down plans on MRF and Eco Park

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, Aug. 17 (PIA) -- Two high ranking officials of the national government served as key signatories to the Memorandum of Agreement for this city in the implementation of a Material Recovery Facility and the putting up of the Eco Park here.

Sorsogon City Mayor Leovic R Dioneda welcomed Senator Francis Joseph G. Escudero and Secretary Ramon Paje of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, last Saturday here during the presentation of the plans for the duo projects.

"These two projects are my brainchild in order to fully implement the Solid Waste Management Program of the city government and to significantly answer to the global call of climate change mitigation and adaptation," Dioneda said in his message.

He said that the putting up of the MRF and the Eco Park were finally formalized when Escudero committed to assist in its implementation by providing funding allocation in tandem with the technical assistance to be provided by the DENR, through Paje.

The presentation of the plan with its site development, the processes and the personnel structure component and on how it will be in operation were contained in the MOA and the two representatives from the 1st and 2nd districts of Sorsogon, Reps. Salvador H. Escudero III and Diogracias B. Ramos, respectively, were witnesses to the signing with the intention of also providing all the needed assistance to the city.

"We laud the city government through its efforts to come up with the needed programs specially here in the city as an answer to effects and challenges of climate change. Rest assured that through my office, we will be supporting the city and Mayor Dioneda in this program" Sen. Escudero said.

Meanwhile, Secretary Paje said that with the solid waste management initiatives the city government of Sorsogon is going to do specially in the putting up of the MRF , it will not only answer waste management but also provide additional livelihood through the recyclables and the materials still recovered to be of good use and be salable, the DENR lauds and supports these kind of undertakings.

A one ton shredder was also turned over to the city government so that the implementation of solid waste management be well accomplished.

Back to back with the MRF is the putting up of the city Eco Park and these two projects according to mayor Dioneda is complementary.

Waste shredded and turned into organic fertilizers can be used in the putting up of the City Eco Park where some of the indigenous trees found here in the province and the city will be planted.

The MRF will be located at Barangay Buhatan here and hopefully will be started this month.

The occasion was attended by several local chief executives, members of the local media, former Governor Sally Lee representing the governor and DENR Regional Executive Director, RO V, Joselin Marcus Fragada. (IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

20 vendors to receive Nego Karts from DOLE

by Rosalita B. Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, Aug. 17 (PIA) -- Some 20 vendors will be the beneficiaries of the “negosyo sa kariton” or Nego Kart Project of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Camarines Norte, in partnership with the local government here.

DOLE provincial chief Ruben L. Romanillos said that the project aims to give additional source of income and livelihood to qualified beneficiaries from the different barangays in the town of Daet.

The beneficiaries are those with small business and vendors in the market of the said town which were chosen by the Public Employment Services Office (PESO).

The Nego Kart is equipped with cooking stoves, utensils and products which include: fishball and kikiam stand or sago’t gulaman and burger stand amounting to P15,000 plus per nego kart with a total amount of P296,635.75.

The local government here has shared 20 percent of the total amount or P75,000, to include 20 units of bike, trainings and Philhealth contribution for one year.

The 20 beneficiaries will be designated in the different areas in the said town and will be monitored every quarter to evaluate the development of their small business.

He said that the Nego Kart will be distributed on August 30, 2011 at the Heritage Center of Daet.

The Nego Kart is one of the major project of the DOLE as part of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program. (MAL/RBM, PIA Camarines Norte)

Dengue cases drop in Camarines Norte

by Rosalita Base-Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, Aug. 17 (PIA) -- Dengue cases in this province has decreased to only 7 in the months of January to May to no cases in the months of June to August 12 this year, according to a provincial representatives of the Provincial Health Team of the Department of Health (DOH) here.

Dra. Jocelyn Murillo Iraola said the agency recorded some 15 dengue cases last year from January to May, with additional 45 cases in June to July and rose to 211 cases in the whole month of August.

Of the 7 dengue cases recorded this year, 2 cases each were reported in the towns of Daet and Mercedes and one case each in the towns of Jose Panganiban, Labo and Paracale.

She said that the decline was attributed to the massive or year-round campaign in the barangays through the Rural Health Units on the 4S Strategy against dengue and clean up drive or the 4o’clock habit.

Dr. Iraola further said that the agency has continued holding series of radio guesting in different stations here providing tips to the public on how to prevent dengue and what to do for those already infected.

Monitoring of cases, especially in the barangays, has been regularly done in order to provide immediate actions.

It will be recalled that last year a total of 410 cases were recorded, wherein the highest number of cases was noted in the month of August with 211 cases.

Also last year. area with noted high number of dengue cases were in the towns of Daet with 139, followed by 95 in Sta. Elena and 52 in the Labo town.

The 4S strategy against dengue include: Search and destroy for breeding place of dengue mosquitoes such as old tires, coconut husks, roofs gutters and others; Self-protection or wearing of long-sleeve shirts and long pants and using mosquito repellants are a must during day time; Seek early consultation when early signs of fever and rashes; and Say no to indiscriminate fogging except during dengue out break.

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever is an acute infectious disease caused by a virus and manifested initially with fever and was transmitted through aedis aegypti and aedes albopictus. (MAL/RBM, PIA Camarines Norte)