News Release

Women’s Health and Safe Motherhood Phase 2 Accomplishments

By: Irma A. Guhit

Sorsogon City, (PIA) – A team assessment on the World Bank (WB) health-funded programs in the province of Sorsogon implemented under the Women’s Health and Safe Motherhood Project Phase  2 (WHSMP2) covering a 4-year period from 2006-2010 was conducted by the World Bank Supervision Mission Team here last week.

The World Bank Supervision Mission Team comprised of Dr. Eduardo Banza, WB Health Team Leader, Mr. Tomas Sta. Maria and Mr. Stephen, both WB funding specialists and Mr. Buddy Destura, WB project assistant. They were assisted by WHSMP2 regional coordinator Ms. Divine Dawal of the Department of Health Region 5.

Dr. Edgar Garcia, Sorsogon Provincial Health Officer, presented to the WB Supervision Mission Team the official document of the 2^nd Phase of the four-year program implemented from 2006-2010 through the WHSMP2. The accomplishment focused on health facility upgrade primarily hospital buildings, purchase of needed hospital equipments, capacity building and enhancement of health personnel, summary of fund utilization report and the summary of Payments of Performance-Based Grant. The end goal of the WB Health Funded Program is the attainment of a reliable-sustainable support system for public health.

Under the WHSMP2, the province was able to renovate the Donsol District Hospital and Pilar Rural Health Unit thru the LOGOFIND and Provincial Local Government initiatives.

The construction of Casiguran, Irosin, Gubat and Bacon Rural Health Units were local initiatives derived from Performance-Based Grant and enrolment to Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) or Philhealth.

Thru the AECID Fund, the construction of the Rural Health Units of Castilla, Juban, Barcelona, Bulusan and Sta. Magdalena were accomplished while one Barangay Health Unit in Pilar is still on the process of construction.

The seven Basic Emergency Obstetric Newborn Care (BEmONC) hospitals were provided with necessary health equipments.

Part of the highlights of the 4-year WHSMP2 program implementation was the organization of Service Delivery Teams. Eight hundred seventy one (871) Women’s Health Teams were organized and trained from five hundred forty one (541) barangays. A total of one thousand and fifty (1,050) Barangay Recruitment Teams were organized and oriented which included some members coming from   the Women Health Team.

BEmONC teams were also organized comprising of twenty four (24) properly oriented and trained health workers teams with six (6) more teams of health providers to be trained at the Bicol Regional Teaching and Training Hospital (BRTTH).

Two Social Hygiene teams were also organized and made functional. One (1) Provincial Itinerant Team was reactivated with members comprising of representatives from the Inter-Local Health Zones and one Provincial Maternal Review Team was also organized.

Under the WHSMP2 Environmental Safeguard Implementation program, two (2) Environmental Management Units were established in compliance of Environmental Certificate requirements, and for Waste Management Focal Persons in BEmONCs twenty four (24) waste management focal persons were designated.

For Capacity Enhancement for Personnel, twenty four (24) BEmONC teams were trained, a Maternal Death Review Protocol (MDRP) was also formed with two (2) Maternal Death Review (MDR) and Neo-natal Death Review (NDR) conducted for 2010. Under Data Management, seventeen (17) nurses were trained last 2009 on data encoding with nineteen (19) more nurses for training. Seven hundred forty one (741) Women‘s Health Team Functions (WHTF) were oriented on the amended provincial ordinance and its related functions.

Gender Sensitivity and Health Training were also provided to thirty nine (39) health personnel last Nov. 18-20, 2009 and eighty nine (89) health workers underwent capability enhancement training on Team Capacity Building last Nov. 16-17, 2009.

Under the Performance-Based Grant for facility-Based Childbirth, for the first tranche of funding received out of Php3,374,119.00 per Fund Utilization Resource (FUR) Php7577,000.00 and 2^nd tranche Php746,199.01 both were liquidated. The third tranche in the amount of Php6,091,000 was deposited last August 3, 2010. The amount of Php2,717,280.00 was already disbursed and the balance as of December 2010 for FUR was Php3,374,119.00.

Under the Philhealth Universal Insurance coverage, PHIC’s total reimbursement from 2006-2009 amounted to Php16,151,917.51.

Ensuring a reliable sustainable support system, the accomplishments undertaken by the WHSMP2 showed nine (9) out of the fifteen (15) Rural Health Units were MCP-Accredited by PHIC; for MCP Accreditation of BEmONC, hospitals were also accredited by PHIC and two (2) Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric Newborn Care (CEmonc) hospitals were also accredited by PHIC.

Under the Safe Blood Supply Network Support System, twelve (12) LGUs through an Executive Order created their Municipal Blood Councils (MBC) and fifteen (15) LGUs conducted blood collection. Blood donations with 299 units of blood were collected in 2009 while 2,677 units of blood collected in 2010. (PIA Sorsogon)

Tagalog News

Sorsogon City nananatili pa ring may pinakamataas na crime volume rate sa lalawigan sa taong 2010

By: Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, (PIA) – Mula Enero hanggang Disyembre noong nakaraang taon, ang Sorsogon City pa rin ang may pinakamataas na crime incident rate sa buong lalawigan ng Sorsogon.

Kasama sa kabuuang bilang na ito ang mga kasong mula sa mga barangay sa iba’t-ibang mga munisipalidad at lungsod.

Sa statistical record ng Sorsogon Police Provincial Office isangdaan limampo ang index crime committed sa Sorsogon City at sinusundan ito ng mga bayan ng Irosin na may walumpu’t dalawa, Bulan at castilla na may limampu’t-pito, at Juban na may limampu’t-lima. Pinakamababa dito ang Barcelona at Sta Magdalena na labing-anim lamang sa buong taon.

Tulad ng taong 2009, lumalabas na physical injury ang pinakamataas na index crime habang sinusundan ito ng mga kaso ng theft, robbery at murder.

Nakapagtala naman ng animnaraan animnapu’t-pitong index crimes o mabibigat na krimen ang Philippine National Police Provincial Command sa lalawigan ng Sorsogon sa buong taon ng 2010 habang 1,328 naman ang naitalang non-index crime.

Sa kabuuang bilang ng mga krimeng naganap dito, isangdaan at anim ang konsideradong solved cases na ang ibig sabihin ay nasampahan na ng kaso at naaresto ang mga suspek habang nasa tatlong-daan pitumpu’t-pito naman ang cleared kung saan nasampahan na ng kaso ang suspek subalit nananatiling at large ito at pinaghahanap ng mga awtoridad.

Sa kabuuan nasa 15.06 ang average monthly crime rate ng lalawigan ng Sorsogon.

Ayon kay Police Provincial Director PSSupt Heriberto Olitoquit, sa kabila ng mga nailahad na istatistiko, maituturing pa ring generally peaceful ang lalawigan ng Sorsogon lalo pa’t karamihan sa mga suspek ay nasampahan na ng kaso habang ang iba naman ay naaresto na rin.

Sa kasalukuyan, patuloy pa rin aniya ang kampanya ng mga kapulisan laban sa kriminalidad at ang panawagan sa publiko na makiisa at suportahan ang kanilang kampanya laban sa krimen at ireport agad sa mga kinauukulan ang anumang mga paglabag sa batas na nalalaman ng mga ito. (PIA Sorsogon)

Tagalog News

Provincial GAD naghahanda na para sa women’s   month celebration

By: Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, (PIA) – Tuloy-tuloy na ang ginagawang paghahanda ng Provincial Gender Advocacy and Development (PGAD) Council para sa nalalapit na selebrasyon ng Women’s Month ngayong darating na buwan ng Marso.

Sa inisyal na pagpupulong na ginawa ng konseho, inilahad na ang mga mungkahing aktibidad na tatampok sa papel ng mga kababaihan bilang tagapagtaguyod ng pag-unlad ng lokal na komunidad.

Ayon kay Board Member Rebecca Aquino, chair of the Committee on Women and Family Relations, tututok ang pagdiriwang ngayong taon sa iba’t-ibang mga mukha ng kababaihan na ipapakita sa pamamagitan ng iba’t-ibang mga patimpalak na bubuksan sa lahat at ang criteria ay ipahahayag s pamamagtan ng Philippine Information Agency Sorsogon Information Center.

Isa din sa magiging proyekto ng PGADC ay ang Coffee Table Book na tatampok sa tinatawag na “Empowered Women of Sorsogon” na ilulunsad naman sa susunod na taon. Ipapakita dito ang mga empowered women sa lalawigan na hindi matatawaran ang kakayahan at naging kontribusyon sa kani-kanilang mga komunidad, dito o sa labas man ng lalawigan.

Ilan sa mga aktibidad ay ang photo contest, PGAD logo-making, poster making at extemporaneous speaking competition. Kasama din sa patimpalak ang handicraft at Kakanin making contests na magpapakita ng galling at abilidad ng mga kababaihan ng bawat munisipalidad.

Mabibigyan din ng pagkakataon ang mga kababaihan sa isang forum na mailahad ang kanilang opinyon ukol sa ilang mga isyu partikular sa iminumungkahing pagrebisa ng Juvenile Law, pangangalaga sa kalikasan at ang muling paglulunsad ng Character program na inumpisahan ni former Governor Sally Lee.

Isasara ang pagdiriwang ngayong taon sa pamamagitan ng isang Fun Run na sasalihan ng mga kababaihan mula sa iba’t-ibang mga bayan at selebrasyon sa gabi na tataguriang “A Night for the Empowered Women of Sorsogon” at dito ay pararangalan ang mga mahahalagang ambag ng kababaihan sa larangan ng pulitika, negosyo, akademya, media at iba pa. (PIA Sorsogon)

Pagpapalawak ni P-Noy ng Organic Farming, magbibigay sigla sa Organic Farm program ng Sorsogon

Tagalog News Release

Sorsogon City, (PIA) – Magandang balita ang hatid sa Sorsogon ng balak na pagpapalawak ni Pangulong Noynoy Aquino ng organic farming sa bansa lalo na’t itinataguyod din ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ng Sorsogon ang organic farming.

Ito ang naging pahayag ni Patricia Guevarra, executive director ng Paaralang sa Masa o ang Sorsogon Mobile Agricultural School na itinatag noong pang 2004. Aniya, nakatuon noon ang kanilang kampanya sa edukasyon sa ilalim ng slogang “Dagdag Adal, Dagdag Hanapbuhay”, kung saan bumibisita sila sa mga malalayong barangay.

Naging kaagapay nila diumano sa programang ito ang TESDA at Sorsogon State College kung saan nagkaroon sila ng mga recipients na nakapag-aral ng computer literacy, marine course, food technology at iba pa.

Nang maupo bilang gobernador si Sally Lee ay natuon ang programa sa organic agriculture at naitatag ang Go Organic Agricultural Movement of Sorsogon (GOAMS) sa tulong ng Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) kung saan nakapaglaan ito ng $25,000 para sa fertilizer machineries at sa pagpapatayo ng proposed organic fertilizer production facility sa lupang binili ng lokal na pamahalaan sa barangay Abuyog, Sorsogon City.

Sa ilalim ng GOAMS ay tinuturuan ang mga magsasaka na gumawa ng kanilang sariling organic fertilizer na nakatutulong sa pagtataguyod ng organic farming, kasabay ang oportunidad na sila’y kumita ng mas malaki hindi lang dahil sa kanilang produkto kungdi maging sa ginawa nilang organic fertilizer.

Maliban sa barangay Abuyog, ang organic farming program sa ngayon ay mayroon na ring demo farms sa mga barangay ng Roro, Baribag at Barayong.  Mayroon na rin itong humigit kumulang sa tatlumpong mga farmer cooperators kung saan sa pamamagitan ng organic fertilizer na inilalaan sa kanila ay sinusubukan ang organikong paraan ng pagsasaka.

Ayon kay Guevarra, volume wise ay mas higit na marami ang produkto sa ganitong paraan ng pagsasaka at kung kalidad ang pag-uusapan ay mas nakakalamang din ito. Napatunayan na rin aniya sa mga pagsasaliksik na ang nutrient content ng mga produktong organiko ay mas mataas at kumpleto.

Ayon pa sa kanya, punong-puno ng pag-asa ang organic farming sa lalawigan, hindi lamang dahil buo ang suporta rito ng kasalukuyang gobernador Raul R. Lee,kundi lalo pa’t nais ng Pangulong Aquino na palawakin pa ito dahil sa tumataas na demand ng mga organic products.

Matatandaang sinabi ng Pangulo na alinsunod na rin sa Organic Agriculture Act of 2010 na inakda mismo ni Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala, dapat na alalayan ng Department of Agriculture ang pagpapalaki ng produksyon at pag-export ng mga organic products lalo na ang organic rice.

Ayon sa Pangulo, kailangang itaguyod ang international organic standards at inspections systems upang ma-engganyo din ang international market na tangkilikin ang produktong Pinoy. (Von Labalan-PIO/BAR)

Save the Children Foundation bibisitahin ang ilang lugar sa Sorsogon

Sorsogon City, (PIA) – Nasa lalawigan ngayon ang mga kinatawan ng Save the Children Foundation, isang international non-government organization (NGO), kung saan napag-alamang mayroon itong dalang magagandang project design para sa mga coastal barangays at mga kabataan sa ilalim ng DRRM (Disaster Risk Reduction Management) program nito.

Ayon kay OIC Head ng Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (SPDRMO) Jose Lopez, nakatakdang bisitahin ng nabanggit na organisisyon ang mga bayan ng Magallanes, Bulusan, Barcelona, Prieto Diaz at ang lungsod ng Sorsogon para sa pagkalap ng mga kaukulang datos upang beripikahin at ipadala sa USAID, ang katuwang na ahensya nito.

Ang Save the Children Foundation ay inaasahang makikipagkita sa tanggapan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan, Municipal at City Disaster Risk Management Officers, gayundin sa mga opisyal ng mga barangay na sakop ng apat na mga bayan at ng lungsod ng Sorsogon.

Ayon pa kay Lopez, inaasahang titingnan sa mga bibisitahing lugar ang kanilang level of risk at seguridad laban sa mga kalamidad. (Von Labalan-PIO/BAR)

News Release

SPDRMO, NGOs hold CapBuild Training for vulnerable barangays in Sorsogon City

By: Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, (PIA) – With the various mishaps that beset Sorsogon City over the past months, a three-day Capability Building (CapBuild) Activity tor Vulnerable Barangays is being conducted here to ensure that areas at risk in the city is prepared enough in times of calamities.

Said CapBuild activity slated February 16 - 18, was realized through the partnerships of the Federation of Associations for Communities and Children’s Empowerment (FACE) Incorporated and Batit Anay Project (BAP) through the assistance of the ChildFund Philippines and the Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Management Office (SPDRMO) as part of their disaster risk reduction effort.

“The first day’s activity was a success with the active participation shown by the members of the Barangay Development Council (BDC) from the six barangays of Sorsogon City, specifically barangays of Sirangan, Sampaloc, Balogo, Piot, Talisay and Bitano-Dalipay,” said SPDRMO OIC head Jose Lopez.

The training will capacitate the partner barangays of FACE, BAP and ChildFund Philippines so that they can keep abreast to the principles of R.A. 10121 (Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010) in crafting a Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan or Contingency Plan and at the same time to organize a Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee with representatives coming from the children and youth sector.

“It is also expected that by the end of the training, participants will be able to come up with their respective barangay profile and suitable maps that can be used as basis of their Disaster Contingency Plan,” said Lopez.

Risk and capacity assessments will be facilitated by the SPDRMO while representatives of Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) will discuss the geohazard and meteorological component of the CAPBUILD training. (PIA Sorsogon)