Government allows training in TESDA-accredited centers
The government is allowing individuals to take vocational courses and training handled by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in areas classified under general community quarantine and modified general community quarantine......»»
New eco-friendly health center improves lives in Pastrana, Leyte
Procter & Gamble Philippines, the leading consumer goods manufacturer of health and hygiene products such as Safeguard, Tide, Joy, Head & Shoulders and Oral-B, recently completed the construction of an eco-friendly health center in Pastrana, Leyte to ensure the community has access to quality health services. This marks the second health center P&G has built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Philippines, as part of its commitment to highlighting the importance of health and hygiene among Filipinos. "The new health center will greatly improve access to basic essential healthcare for our residents, making a profound impact on our community's well-being. We sincerely appreciate P&G's unwavering support and commitment to enhancing the lives of Filipinos by promoting the importance of health and hygiene," said Maritess Marcos, mayor of Pastrana. “This project empowers vulnerable sectors, including women, children, persons with disabilities and senior citizens by addressing health, hygiene and sanitation challenges while giving them access to health services,” she added. The health center is built using eco-bricks made from 64 kilograms of plastic waste produced by the Homeowners Association of North Tacloban Eco-Hub in Kawayanville, Tacloban. The center, equipped with essential medical equipment and facilities, serves as a vital resource for approximately 1,100 individuals, catering to their healthcare needs and giving access to proper pre- and post-natal care for pregnant women as the center features accredited birthing, labor and treatment rooms. "We are grateful for the support of partners like P&G in providing much-needed health centers for Filipinos in rural areas. The community in Pastrana can now have improved access to quality health care and services," said Lala Baldelovar, chief development officer of Habitat for Humanity Philippines. For over 87 years, P&G has remained steadfast in its dedication to supporting Filipinos by promoting health and hygiene through its products, partnerships, business and investments. In April 2021, P&G built its first health center in partnership with Habitat for Humanity in Marilog, Davao to improve the lives of nearly 2,000 individuals in Barangay Baganihan by implementing a comprehensive health and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) program. The project also focused on educating marginalized and vulnerable groups about health, hygiene and sanitation. In addition to training sessions and workshops, P&G also provided hygiene kits containing its trusted products from well-loved brands such as Safeguard, Tide and Whisper to promote proper hygiene. The post New eco-friendly health center improves lives in Pastrana, Leyte appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl lacks drug rehab centers
The Philippines is not only lacking in human resources for mental health but also in drug treatment and rehabilitation centers, the Department of Health said Wednesday. During the launch of the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center-Bicutan’s addiction training programs, Health Assistant Secretary Charade Mercado-Grande said that not all provinces in the country have their own TRC. “We can say that in the Philippines not all the provinces have a TRC but our TRC referral network located in different parts of the country is working,” Mercado-Grande said. She added: “We recognize the need to increase (TRCs) but we cannot say the department is not responding because they are given a chance to enhance their facilities every year. The same goes for their patients in terms of their budget.” Presently, there are only 32 government-accredited TRCs in the country. Under Section 75 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the national government shall “establish at least one drug rehabilitation center in each province.” Based on statistics from the Dangerous Drugs Board in 2019, there were 4.7 million lifetime users of drugs aged 10 to 69, of which around 1.67 million were considered current drug users. Likewise, the country is in dire need of human resources for mental health, particularly for addiction treatment, she said. “Are there enough drug rehab or drug care workers in the country? I will say no, we are lacking,” said Dr. Alfonso Villaroman, TRC-Bicutan Chief of Hospital. Citing a World Health Organization situational assessment for mental health, Villaroman said the current ratio of psychologists in the country is 0.1 percent per 100,000 population. “There is a lack of nurses who practice addiction. Only 200 social workers work as addiction specialists or addiction workers. Especially, doctors, there are only a few of us in the government, so we are really lacking,” he said. To cover the lack of drug rehabilitation facilities in the country, the Health Department said it is increasing the bed capacities of existing TRCs. Dr. Manuel Panopio, health program officer of the DOH-TRC, said the addiction training program is the “first of its kind” in the long history of the country’s fight against the use of illegal substances. “The services that are being provided by the different drug rehabilitation centers exist. What we did was to formalize and, at the same time, standardize the training programs for the development of our patients,” he said. “It’s like, we should know only one thing, we should provide the same services to our patients,” he added. “We do not have a formal or standardized program.” Mercado-Grande said the agency will look into adopting addiction training programs that will standardize programs in all public treatment and rehabilitation centers in the country. “This is one of the programs that we will consult with the department where all TRCs may meet and adopt a standard training. We will discuss it,” she said. During the training, trainees will learn how to assess the mental health and well-being of people who use drugs, TRC-Bicutan said. Likewise, trainees will learn to analyze addictive behaviors and related issues. The post Phl lacks drug rehab centers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
GSIS seals auto insurance deal
State pension fund Government Service Insurance System or GSIS has signed an agreement with the Autohub Group to secure an open credit line and exclusive discounts for automotive services for GSIS-insured vehicles. The signing took place last 3 July 2023 at the GSIS Head Office in Pasay City. Under the partnership, GSIS-insured vehicles will receive a 10 percent discount on parts and a 15 percent discount on labor and materials at Autohub service centers. The Autohub Group, accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry, operates as a consortium of service centers and 31 automotive dealerships nationwide with 2,000 personnel employed in 20 companies. “The Autohub group has a proven track record in delivering excellent service which is aligned with our thrust to give our members and pensioners the ultimate client experience,“ GSIS president and general manager Wick Veloso said. No more hassle “With the open credit line arrangement, Autohub will no longer require a ‘check-upon-release’ scheme. After the repairs, clients who have Autoshield insurance can immediately get their vehicles and Autohub will just bill GSIS,” Veloso explained. GSIS members, pensioners and immediate family members may apply for Comprehensive Auto Insurance and Third Party Liability Insurance from GSIS at very competitive rate. The post GSIS seals auto insurance deal appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
'BawalAngPlastik: Converge bats for reduced plastic use
Leading fiber Internet and technology provider Converge ICT Solutions Inc. is taking a stand against plastic pollution with its recently launched #BawalAngPlastik (#NoToPlastic) campaign, which urges its employees to opt for more eco-friendly materials at work to gradually eliminate plastics from its waste footprint. This is the second phase of Converge‘s Countdown to Zero Waste movement, a company-wide initiative to reach its goal of zero solid waste to landfill by 2030. Converge chief strategy officer and chief sustainability officer Benjamin Azada said that as a signatory of the UN Global Compact, Converge is committed to ensure that its operations would not cause harm to the environment. “If we want to respect humanity and the environment, one of the things that we really need to do is reduce the negative impact that we have on people and the planet,” Azada said. As part of this campaign, plastic bottle bins were installed at Converge headquarters in Pasig to encourage employees to donate their plastic bottles and containers, which will be upcycled into sustainable materials through the company’s recycling partners such as GreenAntz Builders Inc., an accredited plastics recycling company of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. At the #BawalAngPlastik launch, Converge FiberXers forward Kris Porter and guard Adrian Wong held a one-minute “Basketbottle” shootout with employees. Team Wong snagged victory with 12 points during the 30-second overtime. Converge VP and head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations Jay-Anne Encarnado said the campaign is the company’s way to help mitigate the negative impacts of plastic consumption to the environment, especially to marine biodiversity. “It is alarming that the Philippines is now among the world’s biggest contributors to plastic pollution. And the situation is pretty dire. Studies have shown that, by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish at sea if we don’t act now,” Encarnado said. For his part, SVP and Head of Human Resources Albert Custodio encouraged employees to embody the company’s sustainability commitments even outside Converge, to help create positive ripple effects within their respective communities. “It starts with one person, one family, one community. And here at work, it starts with us, our colleagues, and teammates,” Custodio said. Last year, Converge launched the Countdown to Zero Waste campaign as a response to the country’s solid waste crisis. In line with this movement, zero waste bins were placed in its headquarters and business centers nationwide where employees and customers could drop their discarded waste electrical and electronic equipment, or e-waste, for proper treatment and disposal through Converge partners Jontrix Trading and Green Antz. Converge also started upcycling its used tarpaulins into reusable items like bags and mats with the help of women-led social enterprise KREations PH. “We have an obligation to our younger generation to give them a good future and give them the earth, the same way we have enjoyed it. To save the world, it is really a collective effort from all of us as citizens of the world, and as citizens of Converge,” concluded Converge VP and Head of Program Management and Change Integration Bryan King Kay. The post #BawalAngPlastik: Converge bats for reduced plastic use appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Disaster resiliency must be prioritized
Typhoons occur very often in our country. Located along the typhoon belt in the Pacific, the Philippines is visited by 20 typhoons on average yearly. Some have been more devastating than most — ravaging lands, destroying properties, and claiming the lives of our affected Filipinos. And because of climate change, in addition to our geographical location in the Pacific, the Philippines is exposed to natural calamities that are getting more often and more severe. While we can’t prevent the entry of typhoons, we could very well stay one step ahead to minimize the damage brought by these natural disasters and hopefully save more lives through a more prepared and proactive approach, better coordination among concerned government agencies, and stronger cooperation from the public. As super typhoon “Betty” entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday, I pray for the safety of all our affected kababayans and hope for an efficient restoration of normalcy once the typhoon passes. I commend our frontline government agencies and local authorities who, days before the typhoon’s entry, so far have reportedly already made necessary preparations to deal with this and its aftermath. These preparations and more go a long way in securing the lives and property of our affected Filipinos. Nevertheless, considering our country’s vulnerability to natural calamities, we must continue instituting measures that will ensure more proactive and effective disaster preparedness and response. Thus, I continue advocating for several disaster resilience measures, including the establishment of the Department of Disaster Resilience through my proposed Senate Bill No. 188. If the bill is enacted into law, the DDR shall serve as an empowered and highly-specialized cabinet level-department with a clear unity of command, responsible for ensuring safe, adaptive, and disaster-resilient communities. It shall lead the crafting and implementation of programs and activities to reduce the risk of all types of natural hazards and effects of climate change and manage the impact of disasters. I have also filed SBN 193, or the proposed Mandatory Evacuation Centers Act, which seeks to require the establishment of evacuation centers in every province, city, and municipality throughout the country that shall provide basic needs and assistance to all evacuees. Also, I have introduced SBN 192, also known as the Rental Housing Subsidy Act, in a bid to provide disaster victims better and more affordable access to the formal housing market through the provision of rental subsidies by the government. Finally, SBN 1709 proposes to amend the provisions of the “Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010” to mandate the grant of hazard pay to the personnel of respective Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices and Barangay Risk Reduction and Management Committees, as well as all accredited community disaster volunteers enlisted to their respective territorial jurisdictions during the State of Calamity declared by the President. Under the proposed measure, all personnel of the LDRRMOs in all provinces, cities, and municipalities and all accredited community disaster volunteers, regardless of their employment status, shall be granted a hazard pay of P3,000 every month if it is enacted into law. This is in recognition of their invaluable sacrifices and contributions in looking after the safety of our people in the face of disasters and even at the risk of their own lives. Similarly, our dedication to public service never ceases. From Monday to Sunday, our work inside and outside the hallowed halls of the Senate continues. On top of our Senate sessions, I led the distribution of aid to 1,663 indigents from Gapan City, municipalities of Cabiao and Peñaranda in Nueva Ecija; 1,000 in Pasig City, as well as 1,201 fire victims in Sta. Cruz, Manila last week. On 25 May, I also visited Davao de Oro for the groundbreaking of the Super Health Center, inspect a two-story multi-purpose building, and led a relief activity for 1,000 residents in Maco town. We attended the groundbreaking of Super Health Centers in Libertad town and Barangay Balubal, Cagayan de Oro City, and spearheaded three relief operations for 1,000 indigents in Libertad, and 2,000 in Barangay Balubal, and another 300 in the city on 26 May. Apart from the groundbreaking of the Escalante City Super Health Center in Negros Occidental on 27 May, I aided 2,000 residents of the city composed of fisherfolks, tricycle drivers, solo parents, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens. I joined the 25th Manlambus Festival where I was able to watch a carabao race and provided aid to 200 carabao owners. On 28 May, I inspected the Sariaya Super Health Center in Quezon province and helped 1,000 indigents in the town. In Lucena City, 1,500 residents received aid. I also joined the Pasayahan Festival and inspected the Lucena City Promenade, whose funding I supported. My outreach teams extended aid to 400 barangay health workers and nutritionists in Macalelon, Quezon; 373 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority graduates in Argao, Cebu; and 1,200 tricycle drivers in San Luis, Pampanga. Indigents, including 81 in Llanera, Nueva Ecija; 500 in Binuangan, Misamis Oriental; 250 in Dipaculao and 233 in San Luis, Aurora. Also, our office joined the dental and medical mission of 150 indigents in Pandan, Antique. In the face of inevitable natural hazards, we all must exert efforts to build a more disaster-resilient nation. Through effective measures, preparations, proper coordination, and widespread cooperation, we can all save lives, help each other recover, and rise again even stronger. The post Disaster resiliency must be prioritized appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Transport group blasts LTMS
The National Public Transport Coalition on Sunday slammed the new foreign-made information technology platform of the Land Transportation Office — the Land Transportation Management System — for allegedly charging “enormous service fees” to the motoring public transacting with the agency. In a media interview, NPTC national convenor Ariel Lim revealed that the LTO charges drivers, vehicle owners, auto dealers and operators a minimum of P75 per transaction when paying through the LTMS and the service fees are allocated for the online portal’s accredited payment gateway, Paynamics. Instead of providing convenience, Lim lamented that the LTMS became an added financial burden to the motoring public, especially to the low-income public utility vehicle drivers, adding that since the government already owns the LTMS, the public should not be charged these additional fees. He also alleged that with the move, the system is being used by some as a “money-making” scheme and a vehicle for corruption. Lim also questioned the selection process of the payment gateway partner as to whether it underwent proper bidding and accreditation, and the basis of such a price for a service fee as it is higher than the usual rate of P25 to P45. He disclosed that aside from the P75 service charge, some motorists resort to paying P100 to P200 to “fixers” just to open an LTMS account. To recall, the NPTC revived its call to the Senate and Congress to investigate the alleged system glitches and irregularities of the LTMS project due to the failure of LTO’s foreign IT provider – Dermalog -- to deliver its output on time despite receiving full payment amounting to P3.19 billion. Based on reports of the Commission on Audit, the LTMS project has been extended at least 14 times, and yet the government did not impose any penalties. Previously, the NPTC and other local transport groups in Davao filed a case against the Department of Transportation and LTO officials for the continued operations of Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers which they alleged as unconstitutional. The Davao Oriental Regional Trial Court is expected to act on the groups’ call for a temporary restraining order soon. Meanwhile, during a hearing of the House Committee on Transportation held on 11 May, committee chairman and Antipolo 2nd District Representative Romeo Acop questioned the capability of Dermalog to deliver the IT needs of the LTO, since in a letter dated 29 March 2023, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Jose Arturo Tugade asked its long-time IT provider – Stradcom -- to continue its operations until the LTMS is fully operational. It is also unclear if this presumably requires another contract extension for LTMS. The LTO chief explained that he only requested Stradcom to stay until the migration of data from the old system to LTMS has been completed. He has earlier committed that the LTO will be fully utilizing the LTMS by 31 August 2023, despite the reported glitches and incomplete system functionalities. The LTO revealed it is already working closely with the Office of the Solicitor General to compel Dermalog to fulfill its contractual obligations. The post Transport group blasts LTMS appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
COVID-19 testing lab opens in Las Pinas
A laboratory for the processing of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) tests has been opened in Las Piñas City. The COVID-19 testing facility is located in the Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (LPGH-STC) and is equipped with GeneXpert and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machines to process specimens collected from suspected and probable COVID-19 patients. Senator Cynthia Villar welcomed the development and expressed hope that similar facilities would be set up and accredited in other areas in the Philippines. “DOH-operated hospitals should have their own testing centers, I hope the Department of Health (DOH) could fast-track their application because we really need to improve our testing and tracing capacity and the accuracy of reporting of cases in this fight against COVID-19,” Villar said in a statement. Villar said the establishment of the testing laboratory will improve the country’s testing capacity and recovery rate. She said the RT-PCR machines have already passed the assessment of experts, as well the laboratory personnel who passed the proficiency exam and were found to be competent to handle the GeneXpert technology. Next week, the personnel will undergo proficiency exam in using the RT-PCR testing machine. She acknowledged that the Las Piñas facility needs to go through a multi-stage process of laboratory assessment. Earlier, the Villar family donated the equipment to the hospital to be able operate its own COVID-9 testing center, such as a donated a laboratory freezer, biological refrigerator, autoclave sterilizer and passbox. They also provided assistance in ensuring that the renovation or retrofitting of the area assigned as a Covid testing laboratory will conform to the standards approved by the DOH and World Health Organization. The RT-PCR machine, meanwhile, was donated by San Miguel Foundation to LPGH-STC and will start to operate next week......»»
Government allows training in TESDA-accredited centers
The government is allowing individuals to take vocational courses and training handled by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in areas classified under general community quarantine and modified general community quarantine......»»
Contagious pertussis disease continues spreading in Philippines
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The contagious pertussis has continued spreading in the Philippines, where it has caused at least 40 death cases, after a province near the capital region reported an outbreak of the disease. In a social media post on Wednesday night, the Cavite government posted a resolution declaring the province under a state of calamity "due to the outbreak of pertussis" after logging 36 cases an.....»»
Cavite nagdeklara ng ‘state of calamity’ dahil sa ‘pertussis outbreak’
NASA ilalim na ng “state of calamity” ang probinsya ng Cavite. Ito ay dahil dumadami na ang mga nahahawa ng pertussis o whooping cough sa probinsya. Ayon sa provincial government, nakapagtala na sila ng 26 confirmed cases at kabaling na riyan ang anim na namatay dahil sa nasabing sakit. Narito ang datos ng Cavite kaugnay.....»»
Antipolo City throws support on Ajido
The Antipolo City government led by Mayor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III will provide support to Antipolo-born swimmer Jamesray Mishael Ajido, who won the country’s lone gold medal in record-breaking fashion at the recent 11th Asian Age-Group Swimming Championships......»»
Milk tariff collections rise by 31% to P2.4 billion
Revenues raised by the government from various imported milk products jumped by 31 percent to P2.36 billion in 2023, the highest in at least eight years, from P1.8 billion in 2022......»»
Infrastructure projects get better loan terms from Japan
The Philippines has secured better financing terms for two big-ticket infrastructure projects funded by the Japanese government aimed at improving public transport and road connectivity......»»
S& P: Philippines may miss growth goal this year
S&P Global Ratings sees the Philippines again missing its growth targets this year as it kept its gross domestic product growth forecast at 5.9 percent. While the projection is better compared to other economies in the region, it is again below the government’s 6.5 to 7.5 percent growth target......»»
Fisherfolk group urges gov’t to regulate fish prices amid Lent
Fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas on Wednesday urged the government to address the surge in retail prices of fish during the Holy Week......»»
Dingdong may bagong na-achieve bilang sundalo ng Philippine Navy
IBINANDERA ng Kapuso Primetime King at Box-Office King na si Dingdong Dantes ang pinaka-latest achievement na kanyang nakamit. Matapos sumabak sa isang matinding military training para sa pagiging reservist ng Philippine Navy, isa na rin siya ngayong certified naval combat engineering officer. Baka Bet Mo: Sharon ipinakilala ang isa pang ‘anak’ sa US: Napakaguwapo, iyan.....»»
No objections for e-motorcycle tax breaks in EO12 review
Views and position papers elicited from government agencies and EV industry stakeholders for the revision of an executive order have offered no objection to the inclusion of e-motorcycles in the tax incentives......»»
NTC to telcos: Block Binance
The government has ordered internet service providers to prevent Filipinos from accessing cryptocurrency giant Binance......»»
Mr. Nice Guy
There is a reason why the public and most people like Ralph Recto as a person, as the partner of Ate Vi, as a politician and as a government official......»»
PLDT puts up new unit for data centers
Telco leader PLDT Inc. has formed a new unit under its technology arm, delegating it with the task of building and operating data centers......»»