Energy corporation highlights corporate social responsibility programs

By: Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY , NOVEMBER 18 (PIA)….. Anchored on a five- pronged community development agenda, the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) through its Community Partnerships Department CPD) has released their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program component in a meeting held here at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan focusing on Health, Education, Livelihood, Small Scale Contract and Environment.

Engr. Liberato S. Virata, plant manager in his signed report provided their company's commitment to provide social prosperity and environmental stewardship through the implementation of a comprehensive, responsive and sustained program under their CSR program in partnership with their stakeholders and in keeping with the company’s objectives.

Senior Supervisor of the EDC-CPD, Eduardo Jimenez explained that under the CSR-CPD, 43 primary partner barangays with 17,680 households, 121 community associations, 71 schools and 47 health center in their host barangay-communities are beneficiaries of their CSR programs.

Under their Health Services Program, 47 health centers were continuously supported with trainings like drug abuse prevention with the enhancement of knowledge and capabilities of 65 health workers, medicine supply assistance, 36 medical and dental outreach conducted, improvement of several Barangay Health Centers..

Their health promotion support included trainings also of households on responsible parenthood,proper nutrition and health and sanitation practices while improving community access to basic medical facilities and services.

Total intervention under this program amounted to P5.7 M with 8,972 beneficiaries.

Jimenez cited that their environment programs focused on information education campaigns on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, promoting the BINHI program that diversify the planting of trees in four categories.

Their environmental protection enhancement is zeroed in on their continuous planting and reforestation of  the 250,000 ha reservation area as their legacy of greening and their commitment to promote geothermal projects sites as eco-tourism destinations by maintaining their butterfly garden, bat sanctuary, wildlife park, twin falls and boiling pond sites.

Under their Livehihood Program, 44 livelihood projects are maintained under the Social Development Project (SDP) assisting farmers in rice production, vegetable gardening, fertilizer assistance, mud crab production, aquasilvi farming, and lambaklad project benefiting both land and sea based beneficiaries within the host communities

Jimenez said that their CSR beneficiaries under the livelihood component totaled to 7,528 with 122 organized farmers association.

Education has been one of their CSR pilot programs were host barangays' pupils and students were provided yearly school supplies including bags, miscellaneous fees payment assistance, and scholarships where 25 students in the secondary schools every year are chosen and sponsored with provisions of tuition fee, book allowance and monthly stipend.

A total of 26,330 individuals benefited from the regular education projects with a total amount of P 11.4 M intervention.

Meanwhile their Small Scale Contracts amounted to P43.2 M and this was awarded to cooperatives in the local communities for labor contracting.

Jimenez underscored that the total amount of intervention provided by the company in their CSR program  amounted to P 99.5 M from 2005-2009 that benefited 41,244 individuals and group beneficiaries.. (PIA-SORSOGON)

Philippine Red Cross Sorsogon campaigns support to the Million Volunteer Run

By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, NOVEMBER 18 (PIA)….. The province of Sorsogon will lend support to the international statement vision of of the Philippine Red Cross in making the Philippines as the Red Cross Volunteer Capital of the World.

This was the agenda taken up by the members of the board of the PRC Sorsogon chapter here during their regular monthly meeting held last week to highlight the Red Cross 143 program in the campaign for support to the Million Volunteer Run scheduled this December 4

The Philippines in 2009 was identified as the top ranking highly vulnerable disaster prone country and in 2010, it ranked third among countries frequently hit by disasters and natural calamities, thus PRC to address this concern has engaged the mobilization of millions of RC volunteers through the RC 143 program here in the Philippines.

Atty. Arnulfo Perete, chair of PRC Sorsogon explained that the Philippine has a highly organized PRC 143 program where 44 volunteers (1 leader and 43 members) in each of the 42,000 barangays in the country who are now highly trained to cope with and reduce the risks of disasters, enabling them to respond accordingly to any catastrophic event in their respective communities.

With the declaration of the United Nations of the year 2011 as the International Year of Volunteers via Resolution 52/17, the PRC seeks to awaken the spirit of volunteerism in every Filipino through the Red Cross Million Volunteer Run.

This ground breaking event will be held in all key cities and 1,494 municipalities nationwide on December 4.

Here in Sorsogon, the approved plan is a 5km fun run around the city on the said date at 5:30 AM , assembly will be at the Provincial Capitol Park and at exactly 6:00 AM the fun run starts.

A registration fee of P500.00 is required and funds derived from this activity will be given to countries as assistance specially those areas affected by natural calamities.

The Red Cross vision is to engage all first aiders, blood donors, health and welfare volunteers in every home school, business and community all over the Philippines to join in this event to make a statement of making the Philippines as the Volunteer Capital of the World through this activity.

In the meeting, the board committed to show solidarity in this PRC vision and will campaign here for various sectors to join and support this undertaking.

Dr. Alfred Adrian O. Lopez was designated as chair of the activity while Mrs. Zita D. Hababag was chosen as chair of the Fund General Committee. (PIA-SORSOGON)

Drug Abuse Prevention Seminar isinagawa

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

Lungsod ng Sorsogon, Nobyembre 18 (PIA) – Isang seminar na tumatampok sa pagsugpo sa pag-aabuso sa droga ang isinagawa sa The Lewis College (TLC), Sorsogon City kahapon ng umaga, sa pangunguna ng Police Community Relations (PCR) Speaker’s Bureau ng Sorsogon Police Provincial Office (SPPO).

Ayon kay PCI Martin G. Batacan, hepe ng PCR ng SPPO, ang aktibidad na nilahukan ng mga guro at mag-aaral sa 3^rd year at 4^th year sa TLC ay isinagawa bilang bahagi ng pakikiisa sa pagdiriwang ng Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week.

Ayon kay Batacan, ang pagdiriwang ng Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week ay alinsunod sa Presidential Proclamation No 124 na inilabas noong ika-21 ng Nobyembre, 2001 na nagdedeklarang bawat ikatlong lingo ng Nobyembre taon-taon ay ipagdiriwang ito.

Ngayong 2011 ay ipinagdiriwang ito mula Nobyembre 13 hanggang sa Sabado, Nobyembre 19 kung saan may tema itong “Global Action for Healthy Communities”.

Naging mga tagapagsalita sina SPO2 Nestor J. Aguirre kung saan tinalakay nito ang tungkol sa iba’t-ibang mga epekto ng mga ipinagbabawal na droga sa katawan ng isang indibidwal na gumagamit nito.

Tinalakay naman ni National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) Sorsosgon Provincial Officer Atty. Louie Toldanes ang Republic Act 9165 o ang Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2001. Ipinaliwanang din niya ang mga penalidad o parusa na nakapaloob sa nasabing batas.

Maliban sa ginawang seminar na ito sa TLC, tiniyak ni Batacan na magpapatuloy pa ang pagsagawa nila ng mga serye ng seminar ukol sa ipinagbabawal na gamot sa mga paaralan dito sa lalawigan ng Sorsogon sa mga darating na araw kahit tapos na ang selebrasyon ng Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Week. (SPPO/PIA Sorsogon)

13th month pay ng mga pensioner ng SSS Sorsogon matatanggap na

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

Lungsod ng Sorsogon, Nobyembre 18 (PIA) – Inansunsyo na ng Social Security System Sorsogon Branch sa mga pensioner nito na matatanggap na nito ang kanilang 13^th month pay ngayong taon kasabay ng kanilang pension para sa buwan ng Nobyembre.

Ayon kay SSS Sorsogon Branch Manager Alberto R. Bonafe, Jr. minabuti nilang ilabas na nang maaga ang pondo upang magamit na ito ng mga pensioner bilang paghahanda sa darating na holiday season.

Sinabi din niyang taunan na nilang ibinibigay ng mas maaga ang 13^th month pay upang makatulong ito sa pangangailangang pinansyal bago pa man dumating ang kapaskuhan.

Tiniyak din ni Bonafe na bukas ang kanilang tanggapan sa pag-aksyon sakaling magkaroon ng suliranin ang mga pensioner ukol sa pagtanggap ng kanilang mga benepisyo. Maging sa panig umano ng mga regular na kasapi ng SSS ay laging handang umalalay at tumulong ang SSS Sorsogon Branch sakaling may mga katanungan o reklamo ukol sa benepisyo at serbisyong ibinibigay ng SSS sa pamamagitan ng pagtawag o pagbisita sa kanilang tanggapan.

Dagdag ni Bonafe na sa ngayon ay patuloy din ang pag-aayos nila ng kanilang data base system kung kaya’t hindi pa niya matiyak ang eksaktong bilang ng mga pensioner kasama na ang mga bago ngayon dito sa lalawigan ng Sorsogon. (PIA Sorsogon)

EDC- BacMan trains host communities in disaster risk reduction

By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, NOVEMBER 17 (PIA)….. A total of 2,500 participants from the 5 schools of the host communities of the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) here underwent a training on disaster risk reduction early last week to provide them the better preparation should there be natural calamities like typhoons and earthquakes.

According to Eduardo Jimenez, Senior Supervisor of the Community Partnerships Department CPD) of EDC, the school – based disaster risk reduction orientation activity were participated in by Tublijon Elementary School, Gayong Elementary School, Sto Nino Elementary and High Schoosl, and  Osiao Paglingap High School.

The activity was conducted with the team up of ABS-CBN Foundation Sagip Kapamilya Inc., EDC BacMan Safety Management Division, EDC Corporate Social Responsibility Department, Sorsogon City Department of Education and Sorsogon City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.

Participants from the two barangays here that can only be reach via sea travel, Osiao and Sto Nino were taught on the use and importance of a  life jacket when traveling at sea.

The local government has also issued a directive to all motor banca owners used as passenger vessel to have the necessary life jackets to be used by their passengers.

Meanwhile Marsha Alvarado of the EDC- CSR department explained to the participants the emergency preparedness tips contained in the poster calendar prepared by the company and were distributed to the schools, houses in the host communities after the training.

Volunteers from the Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines delighted the pupils and students with their amusing stories emphasizing the importance of disaster risk reduction preparedness during earthquakes and typhoons.

According to Jimenez, this activity is part of their company’s CSP program to enhance the knowledge and know-how of these local communities especially now that natural calamities have been one of the significant concerns here in the province and making communities aware of risk reduction.

According to Jimenez, EDc is committed to assist in providing information and training needs of these host communities and particularly to equip them with this timely training since Sorsogon is most frequented by typhoons.

He also emphasized that taking care of the environment is one of the key component in DRR significantly the planting of trees and avoiding illegal activities like cutting of trees, one of the reasons  why some areas experience flooding and landslides.

The training acording to Jimenez has been successful that Barangay Emergency Response Teams (BERTs) have been organized after the three-day training with a composite structure and lists of volunteers coming from the barangays now trained and well equipped. (PIA-SORSOGON)

PHO magkakaroon na ng Dialysis Center

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

Lungsod ng Sorsogon, Nobyembre 17 (PIA) – Inaasahang maisasakatuparan na ng Provincial Health Office (PHO) ang operasyon ng PHO Dialysis Center na ilalagay sa Dr. Fernando Duran Senior Memorial (DFBDSM) Hospital o mas kilala sa tawag na Sorsogon Provincial Hospital sa Enero sa susunod na taon.

Ayon kay Provincial Health Officer Dr. Edgar Garcia, handa na ang lugar at ibang mga kagamitan pati na ang medical staff subalit non-operational pa ito at tanging ang dialysis machine na lamang ang hinihintay nila.

Tapos na rin umano ang bidding para sa dalawang yunit ng dialysis machine at inaasahan nilang darating na ito anumang araw mula ngayon.

Sinabi ni Dr. Edgar Garcia na dialysis machine na lamang ang kulang upang tuluyan nang mag-operate ang bagong dialysis center ng PHO. Aniya, bunga ito ng tulungang pagsisikap ng Provincial Health Office at ng pamahalaang probinsyal ng Sorsogon upang matugunan ang dumaraming bilang ng mga nagkakasakit at isinasailalim sa dialysis na mga Sorsogoanon.

Sa inisyal din niyang pahayag ukol sa magiging sistema ng pagpapagamot, dapat umanong sumailalim muna ang magpapa-dialysis sa konsultasyon sa itatalagang nephrologist ng PHO sa DFBDSM Hospital.

Sa lalawigan ng Sorsogon, unang nagkaroon ng dialysis center ang Sorsogon Medical Mission Group Hospital at sa kasalukuyan ay mayroon na ring limang dialysis machine ang Sts. Peter and Paul Hospital na pinamamahalaan ng Metrohealth Clinic ayon sa kanilang napagkasunduan o pinirmahang Memorandum of Agreement.

Ayon sa pamunuan ng Sts. Peter and Paul Hospital, isa ito sa kanilang paraan upang maitaas ang kalidad ng ospital. Magkakaroon din umano sila ng expansion kasabay ang pagpapasinaya sa bagong intensive care unit ng hospital sa mga sususnod na araw.

Naniniwala si Garcia na sa ginagawa ngayong hakbang hindi lamang ng PHO kundi maging ng mga pribadong ospital dito ay mas matutugunan ang pangangailangan ng dumadaming bilang ng mga pasyente lalo na ang mga maysakit sa bato na nagpapa-admit sa mga ospital.

Subalit, mariin pa ring sinabi ni Garcia na dapat na maging maingat pa rin ang mga mamamayan at panatilihin pa ring malusog ang kanilang pangangatawan dahilan sa mas mahirap pa rin ang magkasakit lalo ngayong panahon. (PIA Sorsogon)