The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released the 2023 Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) amounting to P500 million to the Department of Health (DOH).
The amount is part of the DBM’s comprehensive fund releases at the start of the year.

According to DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, this is an affirmation of the government’s commitment to boost the health and welfare of Filipinos suffering from cancer.

“For many years, cancer has been one of the leading causes of death in the country. Sadly, Filipino families, even those in the upper-income brackets, are vulnerable to catastrophic health spending due to high treatment costs and limited coverage of cancer care under public programs. Based on 2019 estimates, around 60 percent of the total public cancer expenditures comes from out-of-pocket payments and private insurance. Naiintindihan kong mabigat ‘yon sa bulsa at balikat ng ating mga kababayan,” said Secretary Pangandaman.

The CAF aims to complement and supplement existing financial support mechanisms for various cancer care and control services that are not yet covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and only partially covered by Malasakit Program.

“I hope we are able to shine a ray of hope to every Filipino battling the disease—the DBM is behind you and wants to give you a fighting chance,” Sec. Pangandanan added.

The fund will defray outpatient and inpatient cancer control services, including but not limited to, diagnostics, therapeutic procedures, and other cancer medicines needed for the treatment and management of cancer and its care-related components.

In addition, the CAF includes funding the needed diagnostics and laboratories in relation to eight priority cancer types.

These are breast cancer; childhood cancers; gynecologic cancers; liver cancer, including colorectal and other digestive tract cancers; adult blood cancers; head and neck cancers, including thyroid; lung cancer; and prostate, renal, and urinary bladder cancer.

In 2022, the DBM released P529.2 million for the CAF, P230.8 million of which was utilized by the DOH. The balance of P298.4 million may still be used until the end of 2023.
The execution of 2023 CAF will be based on the new guidelines to be released soon by the DBM and the DOH. (PR)

Leading digital solutions platform Globe closed 2022 with record-high capital expenditure (CAPEX) of P101.4 billion, 9% above the previous year’s figures. This is the largest annual investment the company has ever made for its mobile and fixed network, with the goal of providing a #1stWorldNetwork for its customers nationwide.

Globe has allocated the majority or 86% of its total cash CAPEX to data requirements to ensure its subscribers have access to the latest digital solutions and best-in-class connectivity wherever they are.

It has been investing in record levels of CAPEX over the past few years to build a #1stWorldNetwork. In 2022 alone, Globe put up 1,702 new cell sites, upgraded around 13,600 mobile sites to LTE, and installed 2,267 new 5G sites nationwide.

Globe’s strict governance processes have enabled the proper deployment of capital over the last few years, allowing it to finally focus on capital efficiency and cash flow optimization. This will bring CAPEX in 2023 down to $1.3 billion, over 30% lower than the 2022 peak level, with the mid-term target of reducing this further to $1 billion by 2024.

The reduced CAPEX will allow Globe to bring its free cash flow back to sustainable levels, as it reaps the benefits of the investments made in its infrastructure in the past few years.

“Globe is proud to have made record-high investments in our network in the past few years, allowing us to build a significant network backbone to support the demands of our customers. In 2023, we will focus our efforts on streamlining our capital deployment and maximizing the infrastructure we have on the ground, while ensuring we continue to provide the best digital solutions to our subscribers,” said Globe Chief Finance Officer Rizza Maniego-Eala.

With its commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction, Globe is poised to continue providing top-notch internet experience to its customers nationwide. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – Lea, not her real name was only 16 when she got pregnant last year and undeniably, changed her life.

For almost seven months, she kept her condition a secret to her grandmother – who had been hearing rumors that she was pregnant.

As a cover-up, she wore loose shirts to hide her belly. It was only when she reached seven month of pregnancy when her grandmother finally accepted that she is bearing a child.
“I can’t do anything about. It’s already there. I felt that I was a failure in raising her but I don’t have control over her and cannot guard her all the time,” she said.

“When it was already confirmed that she was pregnant, I talked with her and the parents of her boyfriend because I wanted to make it clear that I don’t want them to stay in one roof together despite having a child because they are still minors and they have still have better future ahead by continuing their studies,” she added.

As a first-time mother, Lea said that one of the hardest parts is taking care of her son and providing for his needs especially when he get sick.

“Right now, I’m the only one who is taking care of my son. It’s very hard especially when he gets sick as I don’t have my own money. I don’t have a job. I thank my grandmother for helping us because my child’s father does not care about us,” she said.

Lea is one of the recorded teenage mothers in the city last year which, according to Jemima Dalorpe, adolescent health and development coordinator of the City Population Office, had slightly increased.

Of the 138 barangays in Tacloban, four villages had posted the highest cases of teenage pregnancy cases: Barangays 105, 97, 106, and 104 – all are located in the northern part of the city where families whose houses were totally destroyed due to Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in 2013 were relocated by the city government.

Lack of supervision of parents was one of the reasons that the population office sees as a reason why some adolescents had engaged to pre-marital sex.

“Though we still have no clear study on that, we are looking at it as one of the key reasons why there are cases of teenage pregnancy, especially in these areas,” Dalorpe said.
With travel restrictions now lifted, they project an increase of teenage pregnancy in Tacloban.

Based on the record of the City Population Office(CPO), adolescent pregnancy or teenage pregnancy in the city was already declining from the high number of cases recorded in 2016 (729 cases); 560 in 2017; and 324 in 2018.

The number increased in 2019 at 457 cases, then decline again in 2020 at 350; 303 in 2021; and a slight increase in 2022 at 306.

Dalorpe added that three 13-years old became mothers last year.

To address the problem, the Dalorpe said their office is advocating the ‘ABCDE’ strategy which stands for abstinence (not having sex before marriage), B for be responsible, C for convert to recreational activities, D for do not use drugs and other alcoholic beverages, and E for early detection.

Teenage pregnancy is identified as one of the most pressing issues among Filipino youth today with the United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) study said that those who begin giving birth before the age of 18 are less likely to complete their secondary education.
The non-completion of secondary education impacts employment opportunities in the future and total life earning of families. UNFPA study shows that due to early pregnancy, the country losses around P33 billion every year because teenage mother losses their employment opportunities.

Although for some their future is already ruined after giving birth at early age, Lea is still determined to achieve her goal.

“My goal is to be a good mother to my son, be financially ready. To provide him whatever he needs, send him to school, and to make sure that he will grow a good person and will not do the mistake that I and his father made,” Lea said.

“I will tell him the consequences of engaging to pre-marital sex, especially that he is a boy; its effects if they get a child at an early age, and having a child while still studying,” Lea added.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

BORONGAN CITY– Over a thousand Estehanons have availed of the medical services provided by the Bulig Kablas Medical Mission (BKMM) conducted on January 30-February 9, at the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital (ESPH), this city.

According to ESPH chief, Dr. Jessica Sabalberino, for the 17th medical mission this year, the team from Joliet, Illinois, USA composed of 48 EENT specialists, obstetrics gynecologist (OB-Gyne), surgeons, neurologists, internal medicines, anesthesiologists, and pediatricians, came to render free services.

Some 20 doctors from the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVMRC) in Tacloban City also joined the said medical mission.

Another team from ESPH, the doctors from five (5) Inter Local Health Zone (ILHZ), served as augmentation force composed of 100 doctors, nursing staff, and administration staff.

Sabalberino disclosed that 295 patients availed of the services for major operations on gall stones, goiter, hernia, and ovarian cysts, while the services offered for minor operations include cataract, lip repair and palate, and appendicitis.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,195 outpatients were served on prescription of medicines while 355 outpatients availed of free consultations with free medicines.

Sabalberino emphasized that during the BKMM, all patients underwent screening and cardio-pulmonary clearance before operation.

“For those patients who have undergone operation, they followed the international standard of surgical cases, that they should undergo the Reverse Transcription – Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test. Also, the health workers who are symptomatic specially the Health Care Workers have undergone the Antigen Test,” Dr. Sabalberino said.

Sabalberino emphasized that the effort was realized to ensure that the poor and the needy will be given access to free surgical and medical services.

The Provincial Government of Eastern Samar, through the leadership of Gov. Ben P. Evardone, has also allocated P3-M for the said activity.

BKMM, which started in 2004, is a tripartite initiative of the Diocese of Juliet, Illinois, USA; the Diocese of Borongan; and the Provincial Government of Eastern Samar.
(MMP/SDC/PIA E. Samar)

TACLOBAN CITY– The bee farming project of the city government here will be more intensified as the Office of the City Agriculturist commences the bee/apiculture project orientation.

In partnership with DepEd-Tacloban, the three-day activity was held at the Leyte National High School, with the beekeepers from Cebu as the resource speakers.

City Agri Head Romelo Anade shared that the program primarily aims awareness among Taclobanons on the importance of bee farming, hence the initiative to partner with the city DepEd thru different school heads and representatives.

Bee farming’s ultimate goal is food sufficiency.

According to studies, the presence of bees increases agricultural crops up to 35%. It also decreases production expenses as bees destroy harmful insects and pests which is economical to farmers as to insecticide expenses.

Meanwhile, the bee farm established in Tacloban North last November 2022, being the pilot area for Apiculture in Eastern Visayas, is in a satisfactory and reliable status, Anade shared.
Stingless bees locally known as “kiwut” which is native to the Philippines, known for the production of the healthiest honey in the world, are surviving and are multiplying in the area. With this promising state of the bee farm, the official is positive that in due time, Tacloban will be famous for the production of world-class honey.
(VIA RPAC/CIO)