Albay, transport and health sectors ink partnership for health care

By Sally A. Atento

LEGAZPI CITY, July 17 (PIA) -- The Albay local government led the recent signing of a health care agreement with representatives from several transport groups, health service providers, and health offices in the municipal and provincial levels as part of Albay's continuing efforts in advancing and sustaining health programs here.

The initiative is under the program Salud Express, wherein priority lanes will be designated in a transport and traffic system for easy and safe transport of patients especially during emergency situations.

Salud is the Bicol and Spanish word for health.

Board member Herbert Borja, chairman of the Committee on Health Sanggunian Panlalawigan, said the program aims to address the medical needs of the residents of Albay particularly the complications related to pregnancy and delivery which may result in death.

“It's Salud (health express) po. There will be a coordination with the transport sectors (tricycle, jeep, bus, boat, etc) and the health team from a barangay where a pregnant mother is scheduled to give birth or any resident needing medical attention is rushed to the medical facility."

This aims to support and sustain the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 which aims to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health by 2015.

“No mother should die giving birth for Albay's achievement/sustainment of MDG 4 & 5; and in pursuit of our governor's goal - zero casualty,” Borja added. (MAL/SAA-PIA 5, Albay)



DSWD completes Kalahi-CIDDS projects in CamSur

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, July 17 (PIA) -- A total of 483 barangays in 18 municipalities in Camarines Sur have successfully carried out development projects under the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDDS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The DSWD website said the aim of the program is the “empowerment of local communities through improved participation in local governance and involvement in the design and implementation of poverty reduction projects.”

Some 175 barangays from the municipalities of Balatan, Minabalac, Pasacao, Del Gallego, Siruma, Garchitorena, Presentacion, and Sangay have implemented access projects under the Makamasang Tugon modality which included water systems, health and educational facilities, environmental protection projects, and socio-economic facilities, said DSWD 5 assistant regional director Evelyn M. Lontok, during the quarterly meeting of the provincial inter agency committee (PIAC) last week.

Lontok added that the 94 sub-projects funded under the Makamasang Tugon cost P105.9 million, with P78.4 million coming from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) grant and P27.5 million from the local counterpart contribution.

Under the regular KALAHI program, there are also 308 barangays that benefited from the said projects. It includes the municipalities of Baao, Bato, Bula, Bombon , Cabusao, Caramoan, Gainza, Libmanan, Ocampo, and Ragay.

Aside from the implementation of the projects, DSWD also recognized some of the milestones that they have been achieved in line with the implementation of the KALAHI-CIDDS program. Part of this is the empowerment of the community through direct participation in several project being implemented in their levels.

Throughout the course of the programs’ implementation, DSWD was able to train community volunteers. These endeavors have promoted greater transparency, encouraged participation of the people, and have raised the awareness of the grassroots on the importance of social accountability.

Makamasang Tugon is an incentive to the municipalities which are also recipients of the sub projects of the KALAHI-CIDDS which are already completed. These are projects which were already implemented and have significantly helped the community in achieving economic and social gains.

Community members have played a significant role in development planning activities. Some of the significant efforts that they have executed during their barangay assemblies, are the commitment to increase the percentage of attendance for every barangay activity and the drafting of barangay resolution accepting the KALAHI-CIDDS KKB Project and the formulation of grievance committee volunteers among others.

Lontoc believes that the program will continue to empower the poor communities by making them a part of every community endeavor. (MAL/LSM-PIA 5, Camarines Sur)