DOH-7 to conduct ‘door-to-door’ measles immunization campaign
By: Hazel F. Gloria
Cebu City , March 7 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH-7) in Central Visayas will conduct a door-to-door campaign against measles due to the alarming increase of measles cases nationwide.
In a phone interview with PIA-7, DOH-7 Information Officer Jesson Morata said, this is a nationwide campaign dubbed as “Iligtas sa Tigdas ang Pinas.”
The campaign aims to reduce the number of children at risk of getting measles or being susceptible to the disease that have built up since 2008 and to achieve at least 95% measles immunization coverage of all targeted children in the country.
Morata said this is timely for the launching of the Measles Surveillance Campaign in April and there will be free measles-rubella vaccinations for all children nine months to seven years and 11months old or those children who were born from May 3, 2003 to July 2010.
Measles, according to Morata is a highly contagious viral disease which is capable of producing epidemics.
Its symptoms include cold, cough, fever, red eyes and watery, sensitive to light, rash covers the face and spreads all over the body and as the rashes disapper, skin oftenbegins to peel, Morata added.
A preventable disease through immunization, measles can last as long as two weeks and can cause pneumonia and ear infections as complications, it is learned.
Maintaining the highest level of immunization against measles is the best preventive measure, Morata said.
Measles vaccine may be given on or after a child's first birthday, but it is recommended at 15 months of age.
Measles vaccine may be given alone or in a one-shot combination vaccine that protects against measles and rubella (MR) or measles, mumps and rubella (MMR).
“The vaccine is highly effective and one injection usually produces lifelong immunity,” Morata declared. (PIA-7/HFG)
Sen. Trillanes stays ‘neutral’ on RH Bill
Senator pays courtesy call on Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma during a recent visit
Cebu City (07 March) - Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV bared he is ‘neutral’ on the highly-debated controversial Reproductive Health (RH) Bill as he is still carefully studying its provisions.
During a press conference with Cebu media last Saturday afternoon at the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) in Mandaue City, Trillanes said he paid a courtesy call on Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and admitted that the bill was casually discussed.
Trillanes however, said the Cebu prelate did not pressure or ask him to oppose the bill and that his opinion about the bill was not asked.
The senator, said there are ‘contentious’ items or provisions of the bill citing in particular the teaching of sex education to preschool students which he finds not right.
“Sex education should be left to parents as they know best when their child is ready or not,” according to Trillanes.
Budgetary allocation for contraceptives on the other hand, is not a priority at the moment for the country, Trillanes revealed.
Trillanes’ was in Cebu to grace the two-day meeting of the leaders of the Samahang Magdalo – Visayas Chapter at the CICC where local concerns were discussed and identify solutions to promote and advance the welfare of the people in the Visayas.
The Samahang Magdalo, co-founded by Trillanes is a socio-civic organization established by the Magdalo, a group of reformist former officers and men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Its ultimate goal is to have a government that exists solely to protect the interest and welfare of its citizens.
The Visayas convention is the first of a series of meetings the Magdalo plans to hold as preparations are also underway to hold similar meetings in Luzon and Mindanao, this is said.
While in Cebu, the Senate Committee Chair on Civil Service and Government Reorganization also paid a courtesy call to Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and met with a number of his alumni from the Philippine Military Academy of which a major discussion centered on the reforms within the AFP to continually fight graft and corruption within the institution. (PIA-Cebu/Fayette C. Riñen)
Women's rights is not a battle of the sexes, it is giving opportunity to everyone, says Legarda
Manila, March 7 (PIA) -- Women's Rights is not a battle of the sexes, says senator Loren Legarda,this is an issue of giving equal opportunity to everyone, of respecting the rights of every person regardless of gender, of providing a chance to all citizens to excel in their chosen discipline in order that each and every individual may be able to live a fruitful life and contribute to nation building,
Legarda said that despite having several laws on women’s rights, the country is yet to achieve a society where men and women are considered equal.
She sought for the strict implementation of the country’s laws on gender equality and women empowerment as the nation celebrates Women’s Month.
According to Legarda, the role of women in our society has continuously evolved through the years. As more women have gained access to education, more have also joined the workforce, even participating in work and activities previously considered ‘exclusive’ for the male populace.
However, more is not always equivalent to enough. More women participating in decision-making, whether within the family, the community, or the nation, does not mean they are already considered equal to men, she said.
Legarda explained that the Philippines already has laws such as the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act, the Anti-Discrimination Against Women Act, the Women in Development and Nation Building Act, the Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act, and the Magna Carta of Women, among many others, yet statistics still indicate that the country is far from achieving equality between men and women.
Based on the records from the Philippine Commission on women, there are more girls enrolled in elementary and secondary education, but in terms of employment statistics, the male populace is still dominant.
In the October 2009 Labor Force Survey (LFS), the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for females is at 49.3 percent and for males at 78.8 percent.
Participation of women in politics and governance is still at a minimal level with only 18 percent of the elected posts in the 2010 Elections won by women candidates.
Furthermore, violence against women (VAW) continues to surge even with the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act of 2004 (RA 9262) already in place.
Legarda cited some statistics. Following a six-year downward trend from 2001 to 2006, the number of violence against women cases reported to the Philippine National Police rose again in 2007 with 5,729 cases.
There was further increase in 2008 with 6,905 cases, and more in 2009 with 9,485 cases.
Legarda said, our country has passed so many laws addressing women's issues and it is considered as one of the best in terms of legislation with measures on various societal issues already in place.
"However, legislation is just one phases of the overall effort to achieve gender equality and women empowerment. These laws need to be strictly and faithfully implemented,” the Senator declared.(PIA-7/Minerva BC Newman with reports from the office of Senator Legarda)
Int'l criminal court judge shares knowledge on Rome Statute
Manila, March 07 (PIA) -- President of the International Criminal Court Judge Sang-Hyun Song is in the country as primary resource person at the PHL Senate for a lecture on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Rome Statute.
Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations welcomed Judge Sang-Hyun Song as the Senate's primary resource to share his knowledge and experiences on the Roman Statute.
The ICC is an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The ICC is based on a treaty, the Rome Statute, which governs its jurisdiction and functioning, the release read.
According to Legarda the Philippines shares the principles upon which ICC’s mandate is anchored upon.
"It is our fundamental duty, as articulated in our Constitution, to protect human rights, including the right to human life and dignity, and we remain steadfast in our policy to condemn and penalize perpetrators of the most atrocious acts,” she added.
The Senator noted that as a nation that gravely condemns the most heinous acts against humans, the Philippines now has a law, Republic Act 9851, that defines and penalizes crimes against international humanitarian law, genocide and other crimes against humanity.
Legarda added that the country, by Mr. Song’s visit, can learn from the wisdom of ICC’s experiences.
“As millions of Filipinos are deployed or reside in various parts of the world, we cannot help but be deeply concerned with the events that occur in foreign lands especially when circumstances become a threat to the lives and safety of our citizens," Legarda went on.
The current situation in Libya, for instance, where thousands of our countrymen remain trapped amidst the continuing unrest, makes us all the more persistent and eager in seeking ways to strengthen the protection of our citizens’ life, welfare and rights, Legarda concluded.(PIA-7/Minerva BC Newman & reports from the Office of Senator Legarda)