Camarines Norte DPWH materials testing lab rated One-Star Category

DAET, Camarines Norte, March 4 (PIA) -The Camarines Norte District Engineering Office (CNDEO) has been named, classified and categorized as One-Star Materials Testing Laboratory of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) central office recently.

This was after the district office had satisfactorily complied with the provisions of Department Order No. 11 series of 2013 otherwise known as “Star Rating of DPWH Regional and District Materials Testing Laboratories”.

District officer-in-charge Elmer R. Redrico said that the Star Rating Certificate was given to Materials Testing Laboratory of the Camarines Norte Engineering District by DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson.

Earlier to this the Bureau of Research and Standards (BRS) has conducted an ocular on-site inspection at the CNDEO’s Quality Assurance Section.

The Department Order No. 11 series of 2013 emphatically emphasized the materials testing capabilities of the implementing offices in order not jeopardize the quality of the project to be or being implemented within its jurisdictional authority.

The system classifies the testing laboratories into One-Star, Two-Star and Three-Star Categories based on the following criteria: availability of testing equipment and apparatus; capability, competence and knowledge of the laboratory personnel to conduct specific tests on materials; observance of health and safety standards; working area of the laboratory; calibration of apparatus/equipment; and third-party certification.

The Department Order encouraged every Regional Offices as well as all 1st class District Engineering Offices in the country to exert concerted efforts to attain the one-star rating status within one (1) year from the date of its affectivity, whereas, the 2nd and 3rd class was given two years grace period.

It demands all Regional Offices to upgrade their status to Two-Star rating within two years and thereafter, all laboratories shall work towards upgrading their rating.

The CNDEO’s Quality Assurance Section is administered by its chief, Engr. Agnes B. Villaluz. (MAL/RBM/CNDEO/PIA5/CamNorte)

DOH Bicol launches Belly Gud for Health Season 2015

By:  Rolia B. Lotivio

LEGAZPI CITY, March 2, 2015 (PIA) - In an effort to promote healthy lifestyle, the Department of Health (DOH) Regional Office V launches this year’s Belly Gud for Health Program in a registration, orientation and screening activity with local health units and other stakeholders last February 26, 2015 at La Roca, Legazpi City.

The Belly Gud for Health program was initially launched for DOH personnel last year here in the region.  This year, in line with its mandate to promote and protect the health of the people, DOH expanded the program and opened it for “challengers” from other government agencies.

Belly Gud for Health is a light, fun and enjoyable six-month waist reduction program wherein the challengers will undergo healthy diet and physical activity interventions to achieve their desirable waist circumference.  The normal desirable waist circumference for male is 90 centimeters and 80 centimeters for female.

DOH Healthy Lifestyle Program Manager Windalyn Baluis said that the greater the waist circumference, the higher risk of a person to acquire non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension and other lifestyle-related diseases.

“To achieve the desirable waist circumference, there should be a balance of three factors: consumption of healthy diet, regular physical activity or exercise and positive attitude,” she said.

Baluis explained that positive attitude and determination will play a lot for one who desires to lose weight and finish the program.

The mechanics of the program and the importance of healthy diet and suitable physical activity were also discussed.

Challengers from each agency will be considered as a team.  Each team is encouraged to have their respective nutritionist and fitness mentor and assign a team leader or a healthy lifestyle coordinator.

A monthly monitoring and recording of the challengers’ waist circumference will be also be made.

The technical working group will deliberate the results and a ranking will be prepared.  From then, the best achievers will be identified.

The challengers were also encouraged to be truthful and not resort in taking slimming teas, products and procedures to avoid any possible complications or adverse reactions.

Meanwhile, DOH Regional Director Dr. Gloria J. Balboa announced the prizes for this season’s Belly Gud for Health Program. There are three major prizes at stake. The best achiever wins P50,000, the first runner-up gets P30,000 and the second runner-up receives P20,000 with a 70/30 sharing ratio; 70 percent of the price will go to the achiever and 30 percent will go to the team as compensation for the team effort exerted.

Fifteen challengers who have made significant results on their waist circumference based on the ranking they have achieve after the six-month program will also be given P2,000 each as consolation prize.

Balboa asked for the commitment of all the challengers to finish the program.

A total of 111 challengers with high waist circumference registered and underwent screening and risk assessment for the program.     (AAN/RBLotivio-PIA 5)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/761425886533/doh-bicol-launches-belly-gud-for-health-season-2015-#sthash.ae74Vpk7.dpuf

PNP Camarines Sur honors exemplary policewomen, jumpstarts Women’s Month Celebration

By: Ana-Liza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Mar.3 (PIA) ---  The month-long Women’s Month celebration in the province of Camarines Sur kicked off with an inspiring activity – that of honoring dynamic women in uniform who have shown dedication, perseverance and commitment as public servants and as keepers of peace in their respective areas of responsibilities.

Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office Director Police Senior Superintendent Primo B. Golingay spearheaded the simple ceremony by personally awarding the medal of commendation to five (5) police women officers stationed at the Camarines Sur Police Public Safety Company (CSPPSC), Camarines Sur Police Provincial Office (CSPPO) and various municipal police stations (MPS).

Medalya ng Papuri or PNP Commendation Medal recipients include Police Inspector Judith F. Concina (CSPPSC), SPO4 Nenita O. Sarcia of Ragay MPS, SPO2 Maribel S. Layosa (CSPPO), PO3 Madeleine H. Hernandez (CSPPO) and SPO3 Daisy A. Ditalo of Bula MPS.

The PNP Medal of Commendation is given to members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who demonstrated exemplary efficiency, devotion and loyalty to their duty assignments.

The said endeavor served as one of the highlights of the celebration of Women’s month along with other activities which is meant to acknowledge the significant role of women in the society.

Meanwhile, the Naga City Police Office (NCPO) through its Police Community Relations Branch (PCRB), 9th Infantry Division, Philippine Army (PA), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Naga City District Jail and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Naga City Fire Station also participated in the kick-off ceremony held at the NCPO compound.  A motorcade and parade was also done in the main thoroughfares of the city.

NCPO has invited Naga College Foundation (NCF) Graduate Studies Dean, Dr. Josephine Francia R. Villanueva, as guest of Honor and Speaker.  MGen. Yerson E. Depayso of the 9th Infantry (Spear) Division) Philippine Army based in Pili, Camarines Sur, Naga City Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Jail Warden JCINSP Metz MiltonT. Placencia and FCINSP Alberto D DE BAGUIO, City Fire Marshall, BFP, Naga City also graced the said occasion.

With the theme “ Juana, Desisyon Mo ay Mahalaga sa Kinabukasan ng Bawat isa, Ikaw Na!, the celebration especially devoted for women aims to empower the said sector and recognize their rights as a valued member of  the community.  It also endeavors to showcase women’s great contribution in disaster preparedness, their role in decision-making and even in local governance.

The celebration commenced on the first day of March and will end on the last day of the said month. March was declared as Women’s month pursuant to Proclamations 224 and 227 series of 1998.  Republic Act 6469 also stipulates the conduct of various activities in observance of the Women’s month celebration.  (LSMacatangay, PIAV/Camarines Sur)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/861425371698/pnp-camarines-sur-honors-exemplary-policewomen-jumpstarts-women-s-month-celebration#sthash.3pCbh5qY.dpuf

BFP drumbeats safety as it commences Fire Prevention month celebration

By: Ana-Liza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Mar.3 (PIA)--- Fire fighters from various Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) offices here in the province launched the Fire Prevention Month 2015 through the simultaneous conduct of “Walk for  a Fire-Free and Fire-Safe Nation” activity in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

BFP Naga started the celebration with a Unity Walk, together with fire volunteers coming from Naga White Volunteer Fire Brigade, Chin Po Tong Volunteer Fire Brigade, representatives from the City government of Naga (LGU), non-government organizations, students, professionals and other stakeholders.

City Mayor John Bongat personally joined the tread and led the participants composed of personnel from the Naga City Central Fire Station and the Office of the Provincial Fire Marshall. The walk was also joined by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Public Safety Office (PSO), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), University of Nueva Caceres (UNC) Criminology interns, Naga College Foundation (NCF) college students, Barangay Tanods and members of the Integrated Institute of Electrical Engineer Camarines Chapter.

Under its bannered theme “Kaligtasan sa Sunog: Alamin, Gawin at Isabuhay Natin,” BFP wish to constantly remind each members of the community on the importance of vigilance and awareness in saving lives and properties especially of their loved ones.

BFP Naga City Fire Marshall F/CINSP. Alberto D De Baguio also highlighted the activities that they will continue to advocate as part of their campaign to lessen, if not totally eliminate grave damage to lives and properties caused by disastrous fire incidents.  

Part of which is the house to house fire safety information campaign as part of their Barangay Ugnayan program which endeavors to inform the household dwellers how to avoid fire occurrence by following simple safety rules like checking the LPG tanks for leaks, fixing faulty electrical wirings, plugging out appliances before leaving the house and putting off candle fire before going to bed, among others.

De Baguio personally handled Barangay Ugnayan activity at Barangay Iguladad, this city just recently as BFP’s way of reaching out to the public, especially those in the barangay.  Reminders and preventive measures to avoid the occurrence of fire at home are also being reiterated during the conduct of the activity.

Just this February, BFP-Naga already responded to ten (10) fire calls, although two of them are considered small fire incidents.

BFP-Naga also continues to conduct on-site fire drill and seminars to various local government units, schools, boarding houses and establishments.  They also conduct weekly Troop Information and Education (TI &E) every Monday morning right after the flag raising ceremony where new policies, memorandum and other communication are being shared to the members of the BFP. To ensure that BFP men are also physically fit, a regular physical conditioning activity is also being done every Thursday at the BFP compound.

For the entire duration of the Fire Prevention month, BFP will continue to highlight safety awareness drive through visibility image campaign like lectures on fire prevention, inspection of all establishments, identification of fire-prone areas, conduct of pre-fire planning to identified areas and familiarization of their respective areas of responsibilities among others.  (LSMacatangay, PIAV/Camarines Sur)  

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/861425362953/bfp-drumbeats-safety-as-it-commences-fire-prevention-month-celebration#sthash.RPD4aLJ9.dpuf

Parents of fallen Bicolano SAF trooper receive employee compensation benefit

LEGAZPI CITY, March 2 (PIA) – The parents of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) trooper Max Jim Ramirez Tria, one of the fallen SAF 44 troopers, received recently P20,000 as employees’ compensation funeral benefit through the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) field office in Virac.

Guillermo Tria, 54, and Epigenia, 53, of Virac, Catanduanes, were given the employees’ compensation benefits in behalf of their son was among the police commandos killed in an encounter with some Muslim rebels at Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.

The Employees’ Compensation Commission Regional Extension Unit V (ECC-REU5), together with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 5, sought for Senior Inspector Tria’s beneficiaries following an instruction from Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz.

Baldoz ordered the ECC Regional Extension Units, through ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis, to coordinate with the families of the 44 police commandos and the GSIS branches in their areas.

GSIS Virac Branch Manager Joel Defeo informed ECC-REU5 that they immediately took action in locating the beneficiaries of Tria after the Mamasapano clash.

ECC-REU5 and GSIS officials personally awarded the initial funeral benefit to the parents of the fallen trooper. Defeo and ECC-REU5 will follow up the beneficiaries to gather the necessary documents for the lump sum Employees Compensation (EC) death benefit.

Earlier, the ECC Board signed a resolution directing GSIS to immediately release the disability benefits of the wounded SAF troopers and initial death benefits to the beneficiaries of the fallen 44 SAF troopers.

Baldoz, who heads the ECC Board, expressed that this monetary relief can never equal the gallantry and dedication to service of the PNP SAF Troopers in the Mamasapano Incident.

The ECC is a government-owned and controlled corporation mandated by Presidential Decree No. 626, as amended, otherwise known as the Employees’ Compensation and State Insurance Fund of the Labor Code of the Philippines, to provide meaningful and appropriate compensation to workers and/or their beneficiaries who met work-related sickness, injuries or death.

Uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and Bureau of Fire Protection are still covered by the ECC notwithstanding their exclusion from the coverage of Republic Act No. 8291, otherwise known as the GSIS Law. (MAL/JJP/YBonavente-ECC5/PIA5)

- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/2591425285103/parents-of-fallen-bicolano-saf-trooper-receive-employee-compensation-benefit#sthash.A8i0gTJS.dpuf