Maternal and child health care center in Albay now in full swing operation

LEGAZPI CITY, Sept. 8 (PNA) -- The provincial government of Albay has announced Wednesday that the P27.8 million project on Basic Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BMONC) centers are now in full operation.

Albay governor Joey Salceda said that BEmONC is a project of the Department of Health, supported by the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para Desarollo (AECID).

“Primarily,the facility with complete equipment will provide services to women and children specially for those pregnant as well as lactating mothers,” he said.

“The goal of the facility is to help reduce or eradicate maternal and child mortality rate,” Salceda said.

According to him, BEmONC is not limited for birthing home it will provide pregnant mothers with adequate and affordable basic emergency obstetric and newborn care, and encourage pregnant women deliver their babies in health centers and hospitals as birth delivery outside a health facility is commonly practiced especially in far-flung areas.

“In such settings, many newborns who might otherwise die can also be saved,” Salceda said.

He point out that all births should take place in appropriate health facilities, as is the case in all countries that have managed to significantly reduce their maternal mortality.

“In the interim, before such a long-term goal can be reached, universal access to emergency obstetric care requires that all women and newborns with complications should have rapid access to well-functioning facilities, whether that is a mobile health unit, a district hospital or an upgraded maternity centre.”

To manage obstetric complications — the life-saving component of maternity care — a facility must have at least two skilled attendants covering 24 hours a day and seven days a week, assisted by trained support staff.

According to the governor not providing appropriate and adequate maternal care is a human rights violation.

All pregnant women should have access to quality services before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth. At the same time, women must always be able to make free and informed decisions about their health.

Only the province of Albay has been given equipment and ambulances to be deployed in various BEMOnC.

The 9 areas covered by the P27.8 million BEMOnC facility are the municipalities of Tiwi, Oas, Jovellar, Bacacay, Libon, Manito, Sto Domingo, Polangui and Ligao City.

Another P17 million pesos has been allocated and approved by the AECID for the second batch BEMOnC construction five areas of Albay. (MAL/MDR/LGU Albay)

Solid waste board tackles issues on hospital wastes management in Sorsogon

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY , Sept. 8 (PIA) -- Issues and concerns on the proper treatment, management and disposal of hospital wastes here in the province have been the focused-issue tackled yesterday during the 3rd quarterly meeting of the Sorsogon Provincial Solid Waste Management Board (PSWMB) held at Uncle Tat's Function Hall, in Pilar town.

Engr. Leonisa Madeloso , representing the Environment Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR) RO5 tendered a report on the monitoring, evaluation and assessment conducted by EMB of the several hospitals here in the province following the guidelines provided in RA 6969 in the proper disposal of hospital and hazardous wastes.

According to Madeloso, here in the province of Sorsogon they have conducted an evaluation of one public and one private tertiary hospital ; four secondary private and 2 secondary public hospitals and how these hospitals managed their wastes.

In the findings, Madeloso said that all these hospitals use chlorine and lysol as the standard chemicals for disenfecting hospital wastes.

Most of these 8 hospitals are without waste water discharge permits, some are without solid waste management reports and most of the mercurial wastes from busted florescent lamps are not safely disposed together with sharps and other hospital wastes.

EMB has already issued notice of violations and that they have dialogued with the responsible personnel on how these wastes should be managed so as not to affect the environment and create another public health problems.

Madeloso also recommended that proper signage should be placed on what kind of waste are these especially on the sharps that were just placed on plastic containers and not properly provided description.

"Sharps and syringes used should always be properly managed and placed in plastic containers and these containers should again be placed in cans and with proper signage and should never be disposed together with other hospital wastes" Madeloso said.

She also reported that some hospitals do not have Pollution Control Officers (PCOs) or if there is, most are not properly trained and should still undergo training.

"We at the EMB would like to recommend to the local chief executives through the PSWMB to make proper representations to the provincial government to ventilate these findings so that we can work together to help and assist in the concerns raised " Madeloso expressed.

"Proper report on what wastes are generated, volume and how these are treated, and disposed should also be made to keep track of the implementation of RA6969 which hospitals are required to do", Madeloso explained

Local chief ececutives present during the meeting were Mayors Alejandro Gamos of Sta Magdalena, Roque Carranza of Magallanes and Dennis Reyes of Pilar.

A consensus to raise the issue during the meeting of the League of Municipalities was recommended so that LCEs will be informed on how to ventilate the issues raised during the PSWMB meeting and how these issues can be resolve to make the hospitals within their municipalities compliant to the provisions of RA6969.

Also tackled during the meeting was the need to organize a Provincial Monitoring Team specifically for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating the implementation of RA6969.

Through the PSWMB it was agreed that a letter will be sent to the hospitals identified in the report given by Madeloso.

The letter will reiterate the compliance of the hospitals on the provisions of RA 6969 according to the agreements made in the meeting of the PSWMB.(IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

UNEP Chorale in Ad Congress

by Lizel S. Macatangay

PILI, Camarines Sur, Sept. 8 (PIA) -- As the biggest assembly of entrepreneurs, business tycoons, advertisers and other stakeholders draws near, so is the anticipation of the members of the world-renowned University of Northeastern Philippines’ (UNEP) Chorale who was chosen by the Program’s Committee Chair as the official singing group of AdCongress22.

The group will be singing the Philippine National Anthem on November 17 signifying the official opening of the said confab.

Margot Torres, Programs Committee Chair of AdCongress22 formally informed the chorale thru the university’s Media Relations Director, Melody Ordonez of their significant role during the opening of the Congress. Ms. Deli Alfelor-Tibi, UNEP’s Executive Vice President and concurrently EVP for Finance, was also elated upon hearing the good news.

“Being given a chance to sing in front of attending business dignitaries, magnates and business moguls who came all the way from different parts of the country is indeed a great honor. The chorale, having been invited to similar events, and even in international functions always looks forward to such great occasions as part of their commitment of sharing their God-given talents,” Ms. Del said in an interview.

The 22nd Philippine Advertising Congress which is set to take place from November 16 to 19 at the world-class Camarines Sur Water Sports Complex (CWC) is expected to draw thousands of delegates who would either update themselves with the latest trends in the business world, or promote their own wares and services. The event will also serve as a venue where industrialists can look for potential business interests or even clienteles who would enhance their respective businesses.

Dubbed as the event of the year, the Ad Congress will also enhance the business industry with its potential to soar under its “the Game-Changing Generation” theme which is also aptly pertinent to the new genre of the chorale’s members.

“Majority of our members are new aspirants who want to make a difference in the realm of singing and those who want to enhance their performance thru various song interpretations. I think it perfectly rhymes with this year’s Ad Congress theme – it’s really a game changing generation of which UNEP is ready to venture on,” Ms Deli quips.

UNEP Chorale need not prove their expertise when it comes to quality presentation. They have won the the Highest Silver Diploma Award in the 4th World Choir Games held in Xiamen, China in 2006 and bagged another victorious feat in the 2008 HONGKONG INTERNATIONAL YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL competition held at the former Crown Colony’s Cultural Center in Hongkong

In 2009, it was cited by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) as one of the recipients of Ani ng Sining Awards in line with the celebration of this year’s Philippine International Arts Festival (PIAF). It was also named as Sumagang Awardee for its outstanding achievement in music and culture during Iriga City ’s 41st Charter Anniversary Celebration in 2010. (LSM, PIA Camarines Sur)

Rep. Sarmiento allocates P1.5M for TESDA Scholarship

by Edna A Bagadiong

VIRAC, Catanduanes, September 8 (PIA) -- Congressman Cesar V. Sarmiento of the lone district of Catanduanes announced last week an additional P1.5 million allocation for scholarships in technical and vocational courses for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

The allocation is for scholarship slots at the newly-started training centers in Viga and Pandan, while some will be given to the TESDA-operated Cabugao School of Handicraft and Cottage Industries in Bato.

According to Sarmiento, the additional funding will make the scholarship program more proportionate and balance with those from the northern towns requiring less expense in studying closer to their home.

He likewise urged scholars to be diligent and creative in learning and using their skills in preparation for the job opportunities that will come their way from considerable number of vital infrastructure projects set to be implemented in Catanduanes.

Of the P1 million charged to Sarmiento's Priority Development Fund (PDAF) and the P1.5 million released from he Private Education Student Fund Assistance which is allocated to congressional districts nationwide, a total of 349 scholarships slots have been opened for Catanduanes Youths.

The scholarship slots are divided in the following courses: Massage Therapy (37), Bartending (54), Computer Hardware Servicing (70), Commercial Cooking (70), Food and Beverage Services (30), Housekeeping (52) and Front Office Services (36). (MAL/IAG, PIA Catanduanes)

4 drug pushers arrested in separate raids in Vinzons and Labo towns

by Rosalita Base-Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, September 8 (PIA) -- Four (4) drug pushers were arrested in separate buy bust operations conducted by the joint elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Provincial Anti-Crime Task Force (PACTF) on Illegal Drugs.

PACTF Chairman Governor Edgardo Tallado during the press conference this morning lauded the PNP and the PDEA for the job well done in the apprehensions of the four suspected drug pushers in the province.

The Governor said that he has already directed the PNP to be aggressive in the fight against illegal drugs with his vision to become a drug free province.

PDEA Security Officer II Cristopher P. Viaña said that some P200,000 worth of suspected illegal drugs were confiscated during the buy bust operations conducted yesterday afternoon and early this morning in the towns of Vinzons and Labo.

He said that suspects arrested during the buy bust operations included Marlon Glory Aloc nabbed at Purok 3 Barangay Sto. Domingo, Vinzons with 13 sachet of heat sealed transparent plastic of suspected shabu; Eduardo Morales Labeste and Venus Tabarina Guisadio in CM Apartelle, Purok 2 Barangay Kalamanding, Labo with 2 big heat sealed transparent plastic sachet and 7 small heat sealed plastic sachet of suspected shabu; and Cristopher Palomado Peña in Purok 3 Barangay Talobatib, Labo with 1 big heat sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu. All are members of the Calauag Drug Group.

He added that the success of the operations was due to the close coordinations and collaborations of agencies concerned in the province.

PNP Deputy Provincial Director for Administration Police Supt. Jesus C. Martirez assures that cases will be filed immediately against the 4 suspects and ensure that proper process will be undergone to avoid loopholes. (MAL/RBM/PIA Camarines Norte).