DSWD-7 solicits public's support for vigilance against Text scam
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, March 2 (PIA) --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) warned the public against text scams especially those which target Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.
In a press statement, DSWD-7 said that the text scams target also Pantawid Pamilya implementers and other stakeholders, including media partners.
DSWD-7 information officer Aileen Lariba noted that these scammers identify themselves with the Office of the President.
“Text scams is one of the dirtiest and most shameful source of livelihood. Those practicing this act are swindlers capitalizing on man’s needs and destroying whatever trust individuals built on society they are in, creating an atmosphere of mistrust, false accusations and false hopes,” Lariba stated.
These scammers want to make their texts look legal by citing DTI permit numbers, promo title and unbelievable winning amounts making the recipients believe that they are going to be instant millionaires, DSWD-7 press release read.
However, unwitting victims are asked to deposit certain amount as miscellaneous fees or pre-paid loads prior to the release of the winning amount, Lariba said.
According to the release, most text scams would look like this: “Congratulations! From: PRESIDENT NOY-NOY AQUINO FOUNDATION. 4PS-PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM. Your SIM# won! PHP950,000.00 2nd prize winner, “Handog pang-kabuhayan” raffle promo! DTI 0154s’11. CALL ME NOW LEA RAMOS #09152655877.”
DSWD-7 asks the public to immediately report to Pantawid Pamilya’s Grievance Redress Hotline at tel. no. 0918-912-2813 any similar text/SMS received.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a poverty alleviation strategy of the national government that gives conditional cash grants to poor households with children 0-14 years old for their health and education.
Pre-set conditions for health include pre and post natal check-up for pregnant women, immunization, weighing and attendance to family development sessions in order to receive the P500/month grant. (mbcn/hfg/PIA-7 & DSWD-7)
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C. Visayas police exceed target for served warrants of arrest‘mandate is part of PNP 10-Point Agenda’
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, March 2 (PIA) -- Most police offices in Central Visayas exceeded its monthly target in January, this year in the number of arrest warrants served to wanted persons in the region.
S/Supt. Mariano Natuel Jr., chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division (RIDMD) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 said that except for Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) and Siquijor Provincial Police Office (SPPO), the rest of the city and provincial police offices in Central Visayas accomplished more than its monthly quota in the service of warrants to wanted criminals.
“Each police office has a monthly target of five percent out of the total number of arrest warrants that must be served so that these cases filed in courts could prosper,” Natuel declared.
“This means that police offices have different targets per month. And the number of arrest warrants accumulate every month so this is the challenging part of every police office in meeting its target because it could either increase or decrease depending on the performance of the police office and the issuance of the arrest warrants by the courts,” Natuel added.
The five percent mandate for 2012 in the serving of arrest warrants is part of the priority thrusts under the PNP 10-Point Agenda. But the target will be increased to 10 percent next year, this is learned.
Natuel cited the case of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) which received 329 arrest warrants for December 2011 and 163 for January 2012 for a total of 492 arrest warrants.
“The CPPO needs to serve at least 25 service warrants to achieve its five percent monthly target. But it was able to serve 70 service warrants or an accomplishment of 284 percent,” Natuel said.
The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) on the other hand, also registered 185.8 percent accomplishment in the number of arrest warrants served. “They need to serve 23 service warrants out of the total 452 but the CCPO was able to give out 42 arrest warrants,” Natuel disclosed.
Likewise, the Bohol Provincial Police Office and the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office accomplished more than 100 percent of its target in serving arrest warrants to wanted persons.
But the SPPO only had an accomplishment of 26.32 percent where out of the 76 arrest warrants, only four were served, Natuel disclosed.
The MCPO on the other hand, recorded 88 percent where only 19 persons were served warrants out of the needed 22 monthly target for January. It needed to serve a total of 431 arrest warrants.
“The number one reason why arrest warrants are not served is because the concerned party is no longer found in the address provided for in the warrant,” Natuel said.
Natuel proudly reported that the PRO 7 topped among all other regional police offices nationwide in the service of arrest warrants. (PIA-Cebu)
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PDEA 7: 92 anti-illegal drugs operations yield 116 arrests in C. Visayas for past 2 months
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, March 2 (PIA) -- For the first two months this year, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7 in combined efforts with the police and other law enforcement agencies has conducted 92 anti-illegal drugs operations in the region that resulted to the arrest of 116 drug personalities.
Atty. Mauro Licen, legal officer of PDEA 7 said the estimated dangerous drugs value they have confiscated from January 1 to February 29, 2012 is pegged at P280,180.
“We have already filed 119 cases against the concerned individuals,” Licen declared.
Licen said their agency is trying very hard to solve the illegal drugs problem in the region especially here in Cebu, which he admitted is second to Manila in terms of market demand.
“Illegal drugs thrive in highly-urbanized areas” because the economy is always an indicator for a market demand, claimed Licen.
Licen however, said the problem of illegal drugs in the region is not that alarming. “It is manageable and under control,” he added.
In Cebu Province, 104 persons were arrested for the first two months this year due to illegal drugs.
P/Supt. Rodolfo Albotra Jr., chief of the Cebu Provincial Police Office-Provincial Intelligence Branch (CPPO-PIB) said they have elevated 75 cases in the proper courts.
“From January to February, this year, we have seized illegal drugs with a dangerous drugs value of P1,165, 456.00,” Albotra disclosed.
Albotra said the latest raid they conducted was in the municipality of Badian, 97.6 kms. southwest of Cebu where they uprooted fully-grown marijuana plants.
The police official however, did not give the estimated value of the marijuana plants they uprooted.
“The Badian operation was based on a tip from a concerned citizen,” Albotra bared as he urged the public to be more responsive and help the police fight the illegal drugs problem.
Albotra said the CPPO is continuing their education drive against illegal drugs and other anti-crime programs by attending Parent-Teacher-Community Association (PTCA) meetings.
“All section chiefs are ordered to attend PTCA meetings to reiterate support on the battle against criminality including illegal drugs which the youths are main recipients of the education campaign,” Albotra said. (PIA-Cebu)
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Cancer center urges the public to undergo early screening to prevent colorectal cancer
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, March 2 (PIA) --- In celebration of the Colorectal Awareness Month in March, a Cebu-based cancer Center urged the public to undergo early screening to fight colorectal cancer.
The Eduardo J. Aboitiz Cancer Center (EJACC) of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) also advised the public to observe a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise and maintenance of a well-balanced diet.
EJACC project coordinator Ronald delos Reyes urged the public to take this counsel seriously to prevent against this type of cancer.
Colorectal cancer is a disease in which cells in the colon or rectum become abnormal and divide without control forming a mass called tumor, Delos Reyes said.
It is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among Cebuanos, based on the Cancer Registry of EJACC.
The Metro Cebu Population-based Cancer Registry of EJACC recorded 653 cases in 1998-2002 and 364 reported who have died of it.
In 2002-2007 the Cancer Registry recorded an increased number of reported cases in Metro Cebu to 862 and 489 cases died of the disease.
Individuals age 40 and above who have a sedentary lifestyle, who are eating high fat and low fiber diet, who have family and medical history of the disease, and who have polyps and ulcerative colitis, face higher risks of acquiring colorectal cancer, Delos Reyes noted.
“The most important thing to know about colorectal cancer is that it often exists without any symptoms. This is why regular screening is very important. It can detect polyps at an early state before cancer develops or when it is most curable,” delos Reyes added.
He also pointed out that the colon and rectum which comprise the large intestine are vital in turning liquid stool into formed fecal matter. (mbcn/hfg/PIA-7 & RAFI)
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DSWD-7 implements family access cards in quake sites
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, March 2 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will implement the use of the family access cards (FAC) in earthquake-stricken areas to ensure that no one is left unattended.
This is also to avoid duplication of goods and services received by the quake victims.
With this development, the DSWD will be able to identify and track who among the disaster victims have received and benefited from the relief supplies (food and non-food items) coming from both government and private sectors as well as the different services they have availed of, such as psychosocial intervention, medical, and shelter.
The cards contain detailed information on all the clients served inside and outside the evacuation centers (family composition, specific address, the number and kind of assistance received, signatures of the head of the family, service providers, social workers) as well as local officials (barangay captains and mayors).
So far, 61,027 victims have been served, amounting to more than P24 million.
A total of 3,526 houses have been recorded to be totally destroyed and 5,978 houses partially damaged.
There are now 39 evacuation centers left in the province of Negros Oriental with 8,723 displaced families who are currently and still temporarily taking refuge as aftershocks continue. (RMN-PIA-7/HFG/DSWD-7)
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BFP-7 urges public to take part in fire prevention
By Amor Saludar
CEBU CITY, March 1 (PIA) --- The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Central Visayas is seeking the cooperation of the community as well as the public and private sectors in setting up measures to prevent fire incidents.
BFP-7 Chief for Regional Operations Chief Inspector Ronaldo Orbeta relayed this during the recent Kapihan forum held by the Philippine Information Agency in line with the celebration of Fire Prevention Month this March with the theme, “Makiisa, Makialam at Makipagtulungan Upang Sunog ay Maiwasan.”
Orbeta is also reminding the public to get involved in the program facilitated by the bureau to lessen fire cases in the region as he reiterated the vital role of each individual in the community in fire prevention.
“Dili mi successful kung wala ang tabang gikan sa all sectors of the community (We will not be successful if not for the support from all sectors of the community)," Orbeta said.
BFP-7 Information Officer Sr. Insp. Fritzie Manatad added this involvement will simply start in their respective household by practicing the habit of good housekeeping, checking electric circuits, and to always unplug appliances after using.
Manatad also adviced the public to immediately dispose unused materials which cannot be recycled, specifically those made of light materials.
She recommended every household to always stock water, which can be used to put out fire.
She further reminded the public to distance from walls those that are made of light materials, as well as curtains and other cloth while cooking for this is also one of the causes of fires in residential structures.
Aside from this, Manatad also adviced parents and adults to keep lamps and matches away from children’s reach.
Lighted cigarette butts should also be put off before being thrown in waste baskets.
Lastly, the bureau encouraged the public to have the following fire hotline numbers posted at home or in offices: 160 for Cebu City fire station and 117 for DILG hotline number. (rmn/AS/PIA-CEBU)