Measles immunization is almost up

by Juju Manubag

CEBU CITY,May 24 (PIA) – The vaccination teams of the Department of Health (DOH)-7 are conducting mop up operations to ensure that all eligible children aged nine to 95 months old in the region will be given measles and German Measles immunizations.

Dr. Nayda Bautista, DOH-7 Measles-Rubella Program Coordinator, disclosed in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Cebu that although the date of the anti-measles-rubella immunization campaign is extended to May 30, the vaccination teams in the region are doing mop up operations in all barangays to reach all eligible children who just turned nine months old during the extension of the measles vaccination and those children that have been failed to be vaccinated during the house-to-house campaign.

Bautista said that as of May 20, a partial report shows that eighty three percent (83%) of the targeted 1.4 million eligible children in Central Visayas have been vaccinated against measles.

“The vaccination teams are doing mop up operations in the barangays by making return visits for missed children in the earlier visits. Either the child was not around during the earlier visit or the child will be nine months old on their return visit,” Bautista said.

Bautista also reported that Cebu Province garnered the highest percentage of turn-out of theMeasles and German Measles immunization among the four provinces in Central Visayas with 88 percent.

Negros Oriental came in second with 78 percent, followed by Bohol with 71 seventy one and lastly, Siquijor with 62 percent.

In Cebu, Lapulapu City compared with the rest of the cities province-wide exceeded the target with 120 percent accomplishment as of May 20, Bautista said.

Talisay City likewise already hit the 100 percent mark while Mandaue City has accomplished 90 percent rate, according to Bautista.

Cebu City on the other hand, had 84 percent accomplishment rate, Danao City with 79 percent and Toledo City with 74 percent.

In Negros Oriental province, Tanjay got the highest percentage of the targeted population to be vaccinated with the Measles and German Measles immunizations with 94 percent.

Canlaon City came next with 82 percent, Bais City and Bayawan City tied with 73 percent accomplishment rate and lastly, Dumaguete City with 65 percent.

Bautista bared their target for the region is 95 percent of the 1,399,233 population of the eligible children aged nine to 95 months old.

The Philippine’s intensive campaign against measles is aimed at eradicating measles by 2012 with its battle cry “Iligtas sa Tigdas ang Pinas.”(FCR/JSM/PIA 7-Cebu))

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4P’s implementation in its much faster proceeding than expected

CENTRAL VISAYAS, May 24 (PIA) --- The implementation of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is gaining much faster progress defying skeptics that the P21-billion fund for the said program will not be fully utilized. The Department of Social Welfare and Development programmed to get the P2.34-million for 2011 but it immediately reached 81.6 percent or 1.9 million indigent household-beneficiaries have already been registered as of end-April, four months after putting in action the said program. The said data is according to Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad with today’s press release prepared by the Department of Budget and Management. Abad added that according to Secretary Dinky Soliman, 1.47 million household beneficiaries have started receiving their financial assistance at the end of May. It would be 77 percent of the registered households and 63 percent of the target. There is also a possibility that as early as September, cash subsidies will be given to 2.34-million indigent household-beneficiaries noted that all targeted beneficiaries would have been registered by the end of June. Based on DSWD’s report the five regions with the biggest number of registered household-beneficiaries as of end-April are: Bicol Region (205,436); Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (201,316), Zamboanga Peninsula (194,393), Northern Mindanao (175,530); and Eastern Visayas (145,049). (PIA-7/mbcn/Ailene G. Limutan, CTU)]

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Pag-Ibig Fund - Cebu South Branch allocates over P2.840B for multi-purpose, housing loans

By: Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY, May 24 (PIA) --- Pag-IBIG Fund-Cebu South branch has allocated a budget of P2.840B for 2011 representing some P1.543B and P1.297B for its multi-purpose and housing loans respectively.

These amounts are available to all its members located in Cebu City , all cities and municipalities in Southern Cebu, Province of Negros Oriental and Siquijor Province .

Its Multi-Purpose Loan (MPL) Program continues to be a readily-available source of additional funds for various needs of members ranging from house repair to appliance purchase; from augmenting one’s educational budget to financing entrepreneurial ventures, this was learned.

At a very affordable interest rate of 10.75 percent per annum or barely 0.9 percent per month, members with at least 24 monthly contributions may avail of an MPL to be paid through salary deduction for two years.

Pag-IBIG Fund is taking the lead role as a stable partner to its members that provide timely assistance during emergencies and calamities.

Meanwhile, it’s a dream of every Filipino to own a decent home located inside a peaceful communities.

With its very responsive and affordable Housing Loan Program, homeownership ceases to be a dream as all Pag-IBIG members can now own a condominium or house and lot unit.

Members can purchase a lot and build a house thereon; improve or renovate their existing home; or refinance their existing mortgage with home improvement or house construction.

According to Pag-IBIG, a housing loan can be availed once a member has at least 24 monthly contributions.

To avail for instance of a P400T housing loan, a member must have a net disposable income of P5,995.51. With this, the member will have a monthly amortization of P2,398.20 per month at an interest rate of 6 percent per annum.

For a loan of P750T, a member is required to have a net disposable income of P12,474.41 and he/she pays Pag-IBIG a monthly of P4,989.17 at 7 percent interest per year.

For P1M housing loan, a member must have a net disposable income of P19,222.83 and he/she pays a monthly amortization of P7,689.13 at an interest of 8.5 percent per year.

For more details and information, Pag-IBIG members are enjoined to visit the Cebu South branch. (PIA-7 & Pag-IBIG-Cebu South Branch)

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Pag-IBIG expands its membership coverage

By: Hazel F. Gloria

CEBU CITY, May 24 (PIA) --- Pag-IBIG has expanded its membership coverage to include job-orders, contractual, household helps, drivers, news reporters, farmers, fisherfolks and other workers who are earning at least P1,000 per month.

Pag-IBIG-Cebu South Branch officer-in-charge, Rio Teves announced recently that the expanded membership in the fund is already mandatory by virtue of RA-9679 or the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009.

For the new entrants in the labor force and for those who have transferred to a new employer, membership with the Fund shall start immediately on the date of employment, Teves said.

He further encouraged the Pag-IBIG members to enjoy the benefits of their Fund membership through accessing the Multi-Purpose and Housing Loan Programs.

He also called on them to visit their branch office at Pag-IBIG Fund - WT Corporate Tower, Cebu Business Park , Cebu City or its Dumaguete Extension Office at Philippine National Red Cross Building, Legaspi Street , Dumaguete City for any information or question about the Pag-IBIG fund.

Members can also call the following numbers: for Multi-Purpose Loan, 4158311 / 2342778; Housing Loan, 4155008 / 4155009; Membership Registration, 4155002 / 4155003 and Dumaguete Ext. Office, 2257713. (PIA-7& Pag-IBIG-Cebu South Branch)

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Senate opens its doors to Panay fabrics and artifacts exhibit

(in celebration of Heritage Month)

CENTRAL VISAYAS, May 23 (PIA) --- In celebration of the National Heritage Month, the Senate of the Philippines opened its doors to an exhibit entitled “ Panay : Memory and Enchantment.”

The cultural exhibit showcased the enchanting history of the Panay Island , its costumes and artifacts from the Atis and Panay Bukidnons—the indigenous groups that live in the island; and the world-class artworks, handicrafts, fabrics and other products from Panay particularly from the provinces of Aklan and Antique.

The event that was organized by Senator Loren Legarda and opened on May 18 at the 2^nd floor Hallway of the Senate was in partnership with the National Museum , the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the National Commission of the Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)

Federico Caballero, a Gawad ng Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) awardee, performed a special chant during the opening ceremony.

Caballero is a chanter of Panay epics, a talent that was passed on from his great grandmother to him.

Legarda hopes that through such events Filipinos’ interest in the nation’s rich heritage embedded in every chant, artwork, handicraft and fabric is reawakened.

The senator has organized other exhibits at the Senate such as the “Isang Habi, Isang Lahi” and the “Mangyans of Mindoro: Myth and Meaning,” to showcase the various unique local cultures and heritage that define the Filipino people.

She said the conduct of exhibits is another way of reviving our culture. As people see, hear, touch and feel how our ancestors lived, one is taken back to one's roots, sort of an immersion and also a reawakening. (PIA-7 with reports from the Office of Senator Legarda)

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Wala nagamit nga pundo alang sa kalamidad mamahimong gamiton sa laing katuyoan

CEBU CITY, May 23 (PIA) --- Ang wala magasto nga pundo sa kalamidad sa pangagamhanan sa siyudad sa sugbo sa miaging tuig mamahimong gamiton sa laing social services alang sa kinahanglanon sa siyudad diin ang pundo mabalik sa retained operating surplus sa siyudad ubos sa kinatibuk-ang pundo. Ang gobyerno sa siyudad mibutyag nga P47M ang wala magasto sa miaging tuig. Ang City Treasurer’s Office misulti nga ang P47M mamahimong gamiton sa ubang mga katuyoan karong tuiga tungod kay wala pa man mimando nga ibutang kini nga kantidad sa special trust fund nga gikinahanglan sa bag-ong napasaka nga Republic Act 10121 o ang Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction ug Management Act of 2010. Sa Section 21 of RA 10121 gimando nga ang wala magasto nga Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) idugang ngadto sa special trust fund alang sa usa ka rason mao ang pagsuporta sa disaster risk reduction and management nga mga kalihukan sa konseho sa LDRRM sulod sa umaabot nga lima ka tuig. Ang konseho sa siyudad sa miaging buwan mipahinumdom sa CTO sa pagbutang niining wala magasto nga calamity funds sa special trust fund tungod mao kini ang anaa sa balaod. Apan si City Treasurer Ofelia Olivia mitubag nga ang pangagamhanan sa siyudad dili kinahanglang ibutang ang wala nagasto nga pundo alang sa kalamidad sa miaging tuig ngadto sa special fund tungod ang Department of the Interior and Local Government mi-isyu ug memorandum sa paghupot niining pagpadayon sa karaang balaod sa paggamit niining pundo alang sa kamalidad.  Ang RA-10121 naaprobahan isip usa ka balaod sa miaging presidente nga si Gloria Arroyo sa Mayo 27 sa miaging tuig. Ang DILG miingon nga sa higayon nga ang RA-10121 naaprobahan isip usa ka balaod, daghang LGUs ang naaprobahan na ang nagkadaiyang ordinansa nga naghatag ug katungod sa annual appropriations niatong tuiga. Tungod niini, ang DILG nagsulti nga ang RA-8185 ug uban pang balaod mamahimo pa sa pundo alang sa kalamidad sa LGUs sa Fiscal Year 2010. (PIA-7/mbcn/Ailene G. Limutan-CTU)