Maternity Care Package in lying-in clinics available for Philhealth members
By: Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, September 28 (PIA) --- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) informed its members who may opt to give birth by normal delivery in lying-in clinics accredited by PhilHealth could now avail of the PhilHealth Maternity Care Package effective September 1, 2011.
PhilHealth increased the benefit coverage for normal spontaneous deliveries of pregnant women in accredited lying-in clinics and Level 1 hospitals to P8,000 from P6,500.
Currently, there are 55 lying-in clinics accredited by PhilHealth in the region, 37of which are in Cebu province, 16 in Bohol and two in Oriental Negros.
There are also 90 accredited hospitals in the region, with 46 in Cebu, 30 in Bohol, 12 in Oriental Negros and two in Siquijor.
The benefit package has two components: the facility fee and the prenatal care. The facility fee amounting to P6,500 includes coverage for the professional fee of the midwife or doctor.
The prenatal care fee of P1,500, which covers among others prenatal expenses such as laboratory tests, drugs and medicines and consultation fees, is payable to the member.
When the new case rates for select medical conditions and surgical procedures was implemented through PhilHealth Circular 11-2011, the No Balance Billing policy was introduced for sponsored members availing of medical services in PhilHealth accredited government hospitals for the conditions or operations covered under the new case rates.
However, a key amendment to the Maternity Care Package—the benefit package for normal deliveries in lying-in clinics—is the implementation of the No Balance Billing policy for ALL members or qualified dependents.
This means that members or dependents giving birth in PhilHealth accredited lying-in clinics will pay no other fees or expenses above and beyond the package rate.
Normal spontaneous deliveries in Levels 2 to 4 hospitals remain to be covered at a package rate of P6,500, inclusive of prenatal care and professional fee.
PhilHealth also increased the Newborn Care Package from P1,000 to P1,750 to ensure complete provision of quality newborn care.
The services covered under the package now includes immediate drying of the newborn, early skin-to-skin contact, cord clamping, non-separation of mother-baby for early breastfeeding initiation, eye prophylaxis, Vitamin K administration, weighing of the newborn, BCG vaccination, first dose of Hepatitis B immunization, Newborn Screening Test, Newborn Hearing Test, and the professional fee.
The increased coverage for normal deliveries in lying-in clinics and Level 1 hospitals; the application of the No Balance Billingpolicy for all members giving birth in accredited lying-in clinics; and the increased coverage under the Newborn Care Package is in line with the national government’s Universal Health Care policy which includes, among others, commitment to the millennium development goals (MDG) of reducing maternal and child mortality.(PIA-7/HFG & Philhealth)
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MGB warns anew 80 barangays in Cebu for possible landslides and flooding
By: Hazel Gloria
CEBU CITY, September 27 (PIA) -- Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-7) in Central Visayas warns anew the 80 barangays within Cebu province on the possibility of of landslides and flooding as a result of typhoon “Pedring” that brought more rains and winds.
According to PAGASA, typhoon "Pedring" was etimated based on radar, satellite and surface data at 40 km East of Casiguran, Aurora (16.4°N, 122.7°E) with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.
“It is forecast to move West Northwest at 19 kph.
Forecast: Northern and Central Luzon and Bicol region will experience stormy weather while the rest of Southern Luzon and Western Visayas will have rains with gusty winds.
The rest of Visayas will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms while Mindanao will be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.
Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Southwest will prevail over the rest of the country with moderate to rough seas,” it added.
Alburo also issued today features that might be noticed prior to major land sliding and these include springs, seeps, or saturated ground in areas that have not typically been wet before.
Aburo also showed other features such as new cracks or unusual bulges in the ground, street pavements or sidewalks; soil moving away from foundations; ancillary structures such as decks and patios tilting and/or moving relative to the main house; tilting or cracking of concrete floors and foundations; broken water lines and other underground utilities; and leaning telephone poles, trees, retaining walls or fences.
He also urged local chief executives and other LGU officials to make use of the geohazard maps, and implement the necessary measures to reduce the impact of landslides and flooding within their areas of responsibility.
“Landslides and flooding incidence are triggered by prolonged and heavy precipitation aside from other geologic factors,” he said.
“It is highly important that local chief executives should pay attention of critical areas that are found to be highly vulnerable to flooding and landslides which have been known to them an indicated in the geohazards threat advisory issued to them,” Alburo stressed.
Areas which have been declared as “highly susceptible” to flooding and landslides by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau should be carefully monitored by the local government officials.
Alburo said the assessment reveals that there are five barangays in Cebu City that are considered to be most hazardous to flooding and these are Kasambagan, Kinasang-an, Labangon, Mabolo, and Bonbon; and seven barangays in Mandaue City to include Subangdaku, Mantuyong, Umapad, Opao, Alang-alang, Guizo, and Pakna-an.(PIA-7/HFG & DENR-7)
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Filipino seafarers in demand in global shipping sector, POEA-7 says
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, Sept. 27 (PIA) – Filipino seafarers are increasingly getting in demand in the global shipping industry with 8,000 out of 10,000 shipping crew needed are preferably Filipino nationals.
“Most manning agencies largely prefer Filipino seafarers for deployment to international shipping companies,” disclosed Fenita Berdon, public information officer (PIO) of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) -7.
Berdon cited the work attitude of Filipino seafarers and the ability to communicate English well as major factors that make them more employable.
Despite the real threat of piracy attacks, Filipino seafarers continue to opt to work for international shipping lines, Berdon said.
“Obviously, even with the dangers of piracy attacks and becoming hostages, our Filipino seafarers prefer to land a job in foreign shipping vessels for economic reasons,” the POEA-7 PIO said.
Of the recorded 500 hostages of different nationalities by pirates as of 2010, 103 of these are Filipinos, according to a report by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Measures are now being mapped in place to ensure the safety of global shipping crew including a proposal for foreign vessels to hire armed security personnel to ward off pirates especially those that traverse in high-risk areas prone to piracy attacks, this is said.
As the Philippine celebrates the National Maritime Week from September 26 until October 1, the maritime sector chose the theme ‘Piracy: Orchestrating the Response,’ in view of the issue on piracy.
Berdon said the POEA has issued a memorandum circular to all manning agencies throughout the country to conduct an Anti-Piracy Awareness Training Program (APATP) to all Filipino seafarers under its care.
“The APAT Program will guide Filipino seafarers on what to do and how to act in case of a piracy attack,” Berdon declared.
The POEA-7 is likewise conducting anti-piracy awareness briefing to Filipino seafarers as part of their pre-departure orientation, Berdon further said. (PIA-Cebu)