Voters’ registration in most areas nationwide set
Cebu, March 16 (PIA) -- The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has announced that the system of continuing registration of voters and validation of registration records is set to resume starting April 1, 2011 until October 31, 2012.
“It is the policy of the Commission to establish a clean, complete, permanent, and updated list of voters through the adoption of biometrics technology (photograph, fingerprints and signature) in the registration process,” the COMELEC en banc said in Resolution No. 9149, promulgated February 22, 2011.
The COMELEC said “applications for registration, transfer of registration records, change/correction of entries in the registration records, reactivation of registration records and inclusion of registration records/reinstatement of name in the list of voters”, shall be personally filed at the Office of the Election Officer of the City/Municipality where the applicant resides.
Applications will be received from Monday to Saturday, inclusive of Holidays during regular office hours at 8:00 o’clock A.M. to 5:00 o’clock P.M., the COMELEC stated.
However, the poll body said that the registration process will take a breather starting December 22, 2011, and will resume on January 3, 2012.
Satellite registrations shall also be established to “ensure wider voter participation” according to the COMELEC. Satellite registrations for detainee voters in detention centers shall also be conducted starting January 12, 2012.
COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez said any Filipino citizen who is at least eighteen (18) years of age, a resident of the Philippines for at least one (1) year and in the place where he intends to vote, for at least six (6) months immediately preceding the election; may file their application for registration.
Applicants need only bring any valid ID when they register. Community Tax Certificates (Cedula) and Certifications from the Barangay will not be honored as valid identification documents, the COMELEC said.(PIA-7/mbcn & National Youth Commission-Visayas Area Office)
DOH-7 trains almost 400 hilots on childbirth delivery
Promoting maternal health care in celebration of March as Women’s Month
Cebu City (16March) - Almost 400 traditional birth attendants or ‘hilots’ have been trained by the Department of Health (DOH)-7 in Central Visayas to acquire the necessary professional skills in childbirth delivery to decrease the high incidence of maternal deaths.
DOH-7 Family Planning Coordinator Dr. Lutgardia Herbias bared that 14 batches composed of 28 participants have undergone the 11-day training course on child birth delivery under its program dubbed Maternal Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN).
“Postpartum hemorrhage is the most common cause of maternal deaths which is why we are treating all pregnancies as high risk,” according to Herbias.
Herbias was one of the guests during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA this morning that tackled the MNCHN as part of the celebration of March as Women’s Month and also discussed the incidence of tuberculosis and measles.
Under the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Philippines is committed to reduce maternal and infant deaths by 2015. The targets stipulated under the MDGs are to reduce maternal deaths to 52 per 100,000 live births and infant mortality rate to 19 per 1,000 live births.
Herbias said reducing maternal deaths is a toll order as currently, the country’s record on maternal mortality rate is 162 deaths per 100,000 live births. “We are really doubling our efforts as we admit chances are slim in attaining the MDG goal for this particular area,” the DOH-7 official said.
But Herbias said decreasing infant mortality rate is more attainable as the country’s record stands at 31 deaths per 1,000 live births. For Central Visayas, infant mortality rate stands at 29 to 30 per 1,000 live births, this is said.
The DOH-7 is strengthening its efforts to promote the BEMO or the Basic Emergency Obstetric Care which is identified as the key measure to reducing maternal mortality rate.
BEMO refers to lifesaving services for maternal complications being provided by a health facility or professional in the hospital, rural health units and birthing centers, this is said.
“We are discouraging childbirth in the home because the risk of maternal complications is high as well as increases the chances of death.
This is why we are training the traditional birth attendants and we place emphasis on childbirth delivery in health facilities that are equipped with the necessary tools to address any signs of complications,” Herbias said. (PIA-Cebu/Fayette C. Riñen)
Cebu to host nat’l celebration of World TB Day
Cebu City (16March) - Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona will be in Cebu City next week for the national celebration of World TB (Tuberculosis) Day as the city hosts the annual observance on March 24.
Department of Health (DOH)-7 National TB Prevention Program Regional Coordinator Dr. Enrique Sancho said the launching event will be held at the Plaza Sugbo at the Cebu City Hall grounds.
Sancho said the incidence of TB is decreasing in the country but that cases of drug-resistant TB are rising as the government through the DOH strengthens its advocacy on adherence to complete treatment.
Cebu has one TB treatment center, the Eversley Child’s Sanitarium, which caters to drug-resistant cases.
“We are currently treating 117 drug-resistant cases at the Eversley,” Sancho disclosed. Patients treated at the Eversley are provided free medicines as it is a recipient of the Global Fund, a non-government organization.
“We are spending P400,000 for every drug-resistant TB case as the complete treatment period ranges from 18 to 24 months,” Sancho revealed.
Tuberculosis is the sixth leading cause of mortality rate among Filipinos, Sancho declared while in Central Visayas including Cebu, it is the ninth leading cause of deaths.
TB incidence is pegged at 133 cases per 100,000 while we see a four-percent rise of new TB cases with 21 percent of the total cases turning to drug-resistant TB, this is said.
But Sancho said that overall, the TB incidence in the country is decreasing whereas back in the 80s, about six Filipinos out of every 1,000 population is afflicted with the disease which declined to three cases out of every 1,000 in the early 90s and today, an average of two Filipinos out of every 1,000 cases develop the disease.
Sancho said the male population is more affected than the females. “Six to seven out of 10 TB cases affect the Filipino males,” the DON-7 official continued.
The trend of rising new TB cases is caused by the reporting of cases from private doctors required by the DOH. “About six percent rise of new TB cases is contributed from the private physicians as the DOH-7 has five affiliated TB units in five tertiary hospitals in the region of which four hospitals are based in Cebu,” Sancho said.
Officials from the Global Fund and World Health Organization will also be present during the World TB Day celebration in Cebu.
The World TB Day this year carries the theme “Isulong ang Laban sa TB. Malusog na Kabataan, Pag-asa ng Bayan.” (PIA-Cebu/Fayette C. Riñen)
Tree plantation project for fashion accessories in Borbon
By: Hazel F. Gloria
Cebu City , March 16 (PIA)-- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) in Central Visayas, Fashion Accessories Manufacturer and Exporter (FAME) Foundation Philippines, Inc. and Borbon Tree Farmers Association, Inc. (BTFAI) with people’s organization, recently inked a memorandum of agreement for the establishment of a 10-hectare tree plantation project for fashion accessories in Magdolinog, Borbon, Cebu .
DENR-7 regional executive director Maximo Dichoso, FAME president Janet U. Chua, and BTFAI president Lucilo Armenton singed the memorandum of agreement.
The MOA states that DENR is the government agency responsible for the conservation, management, development and proper use of the country’s environment and natural resources.
BTFAI on the other hand, undertakes the raising of seedlings, plantation establishment, maintenance, care and protection of the established 10-hectare and subsequently receives compensation as payment.
It also states that they will assist the DENR and FAME to monitor and evaluate the progress of the activity.
The MOA further stated, among others, that FAME allocates and disburses funds based on the approved work and financial plan, provides market of timber products harvested and the preferential right to buy the raised Mamalis seedlings and the products derived from the established plantation.
The Fashion Accessories Manufacturer and Exporter (FAME) Foundation Philippines, Inc. has established the “Go Green Project”, a five-year activity that intends to hasten the replenishment of the wood-based natural resources particularly those species being utilized for fashion accessories within its Community-Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA) in Magdolinog, Borbon, Cebu.
Some 30,000 seedlings will be planted within the five-year period at the cost of PhP310,082.00.
Dichoso said this partnership with FAME and Borbon Tree Farmers Association demonstrates an expression to contribute for the protection and maintenance of the environment in collective effort, at the same time addressing the need of our people’s organization for a modest income by growing and maintaining trees.
DENR-7 will conduct a survey and mapping of the site allocated for the Go Green Project, including the marking and charting of the trees planted and documentation, and conduct of capability building and strengthening activities.
It also provides technical assistance to people’s organization and FAME in the implementation of the project through coaching and hands-on training and assists the people’s organization in the preparation and recommends the approval of the resource use plan (RUP) and other permits needed to harvest and transport the timber products.(pia7/Hazel Gloria with data from DENR-7)
CCMC will continue to apply for grant
By: Hazel F. Gloria
Cebu City , March 16 (PIA)—The Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) will still pursue its application to Japan for International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the expansion project of the hospital.
CCMC acting hospital chief Eduardo Sedoripa said they are still complying all documents needed for their application in spite of what happened in Japan.
“We will continue to prepare all the supportive documents including the current condition of the hospital until we can hear feedbacks from them,” Sedoripa added.
Although CCMC official admitted that their chances of getting the grant application is now uncertain due to the recent earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan .
The CCMC applied for a $10-million grant from JICA for the construction of a new CCMC building which they plan to make as annex to the 48-year old hospital facility.
The grant must be used to build a new structure because mere renovation of the current hospital building is not allowed under the conditions set by JICA and part of it would be utilized in purchasing brand new medical equipment.
Sedoripa expressed their sentiments of what happened in Japan and they understand if JICA would freeze the release of grants considering the status of their country. (pia7/Hazel Gloria)