DOH-FDA leads observance of Generics Awareness Month

LEGAZPI CITY, September 28 (PIA) -- The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) of the Department of Health (DOH) V pursues the need to increase awareness among the public on the availability of low cost, safe, and quality medicines in time for the observance of "Generics Awareness Month" this September.

The month-long celebration, pursuant to through Republic Act No. 6675, promote, require and ensure the production of an adequate supply, distribution, use and acceptance of drugs and medicines identified by their generic name.

This year’s theme “Generics para sa Kalusugan, Gamot Pangkalahatan Mag GENERICS na"

FDA stated that the use of generic medicines has already been patronized by the people in the wake of costly, expensive, abusively- priced medicines. All these years, these generic medicine companies have competed against their high-priced innovator counterparts.

Such competition has forced some of these high-priced medicine prices to go down to more affordable levels, just as it has further improved the quality of generic medicines through the years.

If more and more doctors prescribe generic medicines and more and more people use generic medicines, these offer more competition to further force medicine prices to go down.

Under RA 6675, also known as the Generics Act of 1988, physicians, dentist and veterinarians are required to indicate the generic names of all drugs prescribed whether through a personal prescription pad or a doctor's order sheet in the hospital chart.

It is required that generic names of all drugs must always be written first before a brand name which is optional and placed in parenthesis.

For violation of this act, the Secretary of DOH shall have the authority to impose administrative sanctions such as suspension or cancellation of license to operate or recommend suspension of license to practice profession to the Professional Regulation Commission as the case may be.

DOH encourages the public to ask for generic medicines to assure themselves of safe, quality medicines and to save money since generic drugs are cheaper than branded ones. (MALoterte, PIA V/Albay)

Albayanos pursue cleaner waters on Coastal Cleanup Day

LEGAZPI CITY, September 28 -- Representatives from various groups and organizations successfully conducted cleanup activities in selected sites in Albay last September 17.

Cleanup sites included the areas of Macabalo River, Brgy. Dapdap-Binanuaan and Puro; Victory Villages and Sabang; Pigcale, Baybay and San Roque; Rawis and Yawa River; and Sto. Domingo, Albay.

During the activity, participants were required to fill out data sheets that showed information on the debris and trash collected to determine the types and the total weight of trash collected in each area. The data gathered will then be analyzed and may be used in legislation, pollution prevention efforts, education of the marine debris crisis, and the creation of civic and environmental programs such as Adopt-a-Beach Programs and Plant-a-Mangrove Projects.

The Environmental Management Bureau 5 (EMB 5) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Rotary Club of Legazpi (RCLC) and Rotaract Club of Legazpi spearheaded the cleanup activity in the Albay area. Personnel of EMB 5 and RCLC oriented the participants on the proper filling out of data sheets and the main purpose of the activity.

Such cleanup activities are held annually and simultaneously on local, national and international levels in line with the observance of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day every third Saturday of September. Furthermore, EMB 5 encourages Bicolanos to conduct cleanup activities not only on the International Coastal Cleanup Day but all year round.

This year, the ICC Day had the theme "Trash-Free Seas" to augment the significance of clean seas, not only to aquatic life forms but to humans as well. Moreover, the celebration aimed to intensify public awareness and address the various issues on our environment and its seas.

The ICC Day is known as the world's largest volunteer effort in fostering a clean and debris-free environment. Said celebration began in 1985 as initiated by Ocean Conservancy, an organization advocating ocean health. Globally, the Philippines is the second country with the largest number of volunteers on said effort. (MAL/DENR EMB V)

ENR-EMB V has new regional director

LEGAZPI CITY, September 28 (PIA/EMB) -- The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office here will now be led by a new regional director in the person of Dr. Eva S. Ocfemia.

By virtue of Special Order No. 671 as issued by DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje, Ocfemia has assumed her post last September 19, 2011 after a turnover ceremony held at the bureau’s office.

Ocfemia replaced director Fernando P. Quililan, who will be assigned as regional director of EMB Central Visayas.

Prior to her designation, Ocfemia has more than three decades of involvement in government service. She has also been engaged in environmental management for more than 23 years as chief of the Pollution Control Division (PCD) of EMB V since 1988. In her early career, she worked at the National Pollution Control Commission (NPCC).

During her term as PCD chief of the bureau, Ocfemia has been awarded as Most Responsible Employee and Most Outstanding Division Chief.

The new director hails from Muñoz, Nueva Ecija but now resides in Guinobatan, Albay. She took up BS Chemical Engineering at the University of Sto. Tomas, and thereafter finished Masters in Engineering Science at the University of Melbourne. Furthermore, she is a holder of a Ph.D in Public Administration as well as a CSC and CES Eligibility.

Ocfemia is also involved in non-government organizations. She has been the president of the Philippine Institute of Chemical Engineers (PIChe)-Bicol from 2008 to 2010. MAL/STBonos, DENR-EMB V)

Virac to conduct SWM contest

VIRAC, Catanduanes, September 28, (PIA)- The municipality of Virac will conduct its ecological Solid Waste Management (SWM) contest for 63 barangays in the town.

According to Jose U. Alberto, Virac Mayor, the said contest will be launched on October 7, 2011. The amount of P700,000.00 has been allotted this year for the project which will end sometime in May 2012.

The barangays will be evaluated according to their compliance with Republic Act 9003 particularly in Awareness (presence of billboards and flyers, pamphlets and handouts, conduct of meetings or pulong-pulongs), Governance (functional SWM council, ordinances, and citizens participation), Waste Segregation and Composting (at the level of the household, commercial and institutional users), and Barangay Eco-Park (materials recovery facility, composter, garden and collection system and services).

The committee assigned with preparing the guidelines disclosed that they are considering three evaluation rounds, with the first two rounds promising adequate cash prizes to the complying and winning villages, with the bulk to be awarded by Reyes Haircutters.

The event will be eventually held every year. (EAB, PIA Catanduanes)