TACLOBAN CITY – At least 158 former rebels in Northern Samar have completed the reintegration program inside a residential facility built by the provincial government.
Since its opening in 2019, the facility has been helping former rebels rebuild their lives shattered by years of armed rebellion, said Northern Samar provincial information officer John Allen Berbon.

“Former rebels, which we call now peacebuilders undergo social healing, reconciliation, and spiritual enhancement sessions at the Balay Darangpan (shelter) for five to six months to prepare them for reintegration back to the mainstream community,” said Berbon on a phone interview Thursday.

Of the number assisted, 131 of them entered the facility in 2022 while others enrolled this year.

The Balay Darangpan halfway house is inside the provincial social welfare and development office compound in Catarman, Northern Samar.

Before admission, the peacebuilders attended an orientation on the center’s rules and regulations and were introduced to the peace-related policies and programs of the provincial government and its partner agencies under the provincial task force to end the local communist armed conflict (PTF-ELCAC) and the provincial task force balik loob (PTF-BL), which adopts the whole of nation approach to peace and development.

“The continuous operation of Balay Darangpan stands as a testament to the support of the provincial Government, the PTF-BL, PTF-ELCAC chaired by Governor Edwin Ongchuan, in cooperation with other stakeholders, in ending local insurgency in the province,” Berbon added.

Northern Samar is the most insurgency-affected province in Eastern Visayas, where two active NPA guerilla fronts operate.

The military said although front committees 1 and 15 are still active, they do not control any village in Northern Samar.

Front Committee 2, which used to operate on the boundary of Samar and Northern Samar, has been dismantled this year after the capture and surrender of some of its combatants and the recovery of several firearms.

The NPA front committee 3, which operates near the boundaries of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar provinces, has also been weakened after the series of operations by government forces.

The Philippine Army targets to wipe out insurgency in Northern Samar before the year ends. (PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY-For the whole month of August, the City Veterinary Office (CVO) has scheduled barangay visitations to offer its free veterinary services, such as anti-rabies vaccination and dog registration.

In an interview with CVO Head Dr. Eunice Alcantara, it was learned that around 18 city barangays have been scheduled for free veterinary services for the whole month of August.
The 18 barangays come from San Jose, Upper and Lower Nula-Tula, Bagacay, Cabalawan, Diit, San Roque, Tigbao, Basper, G.E. Palanog, Palanog, Anibong, Sagkahan, and Salvacion.
Alcantara confirmed that the schedules were coordinated with the chairmen of each barangay to ensure the widest dissemination to their constituents.

The CVO team already visited Barangays 83 Paraiso, 3 Upper Nula-Tula, and 74 Lower Nulatula from August 1–7, and has already registered and vaccinated 217 dogs.
Meanwhile, as part of its decisive anti-rabies campaign, the CVo reported that its dog impounding activities yielded 227 stray dogs during their daytime and nighttime operations in the past month.

During the past month, a total of 48 dogs were surrendered by pet owners, while 252 unredeemed dogs were euthanized by the office during the same period.

Alcantara assured that the operations conducted by their office were well coordinated with concerned barangay officials, and no mishandling happened in said operations.

“Gin-co-coordinate namon an amon mga dog impounding activities ha mga opisyal han Barangay san-o kami magpatuman han pandakop. Labot la nga ginsisiguro namon nga sakto ngan organisado an aktibidad, upod pa gihapon namon an mga opisyalis han Barangay,” clarified the official.
(H.J.ROCA/CIO)

TACLOBAN CITY – Hemodialysis remains the top procedure the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has been paying for this year due to the steady rise of chronic kidney failure cases.

Rosario Suyom, PhilHealth-Eastern Visayas healthcare delivery management division chief, said that during the first six months of the year, their office already paid PHP191.04 million for 54,584 hemodialysis sessions.

“It is estimated that about 50,000 patients in the region availed of the expanded package for patients with chronic kidney disease. It continues to remain the number 1 procedure that PhilHealth has been paying for in the region since the creation of all case rates in 2012,” Suyom told reporters during a press briefing here.

The official has no data showing the claims from hemodialysis patients in 2022, but she said the upward trend is consistent.

“It tops the list. That is the health status that we have in the country based on our data. We share this information with the Department of Health as part of the government’s effort to raise awareness of the importance of our kidneys to overall health and to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney diseases,” Suyom added.

Recently, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation has expanded its package for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 to 156 sessions from 90 sessions annually.
Under PhilHealth Circular 2023-009, the agency would be paying P2,600 every session or P405,600 per year for CKD stage 5 patients.

To avail of the package, patients must be recommended by a licensed doctor to have hemodialysis and must be listed in the PhilHealth dialysis database.
The number of sessions availed by the patient will be monitored by the facility administering the hemodialysis.

Hemodialysis is a treatment to filter wastes and water from a person’s blood, the function of a healthy kidney. Hemodialysis helps control blood pressure and balance important minerals, such as potassium, sodium and calcium, in a person’s blood. (PNA)

ORMOC CITY– A fisherman was rescued by local rescue groups after the motorboat he was on board capsized after encountering big waves about 9:30 am on Monday (Aug. 7) along the seawaters of Barangay San Antonio, San Ricardo, Southern Leyte.

San Ricardo chief of police, Lt. Jaraid Dollesin, identified the fisherman as Richard Novico, 43, single, a native of Brgy. Mabini, Cagdianao, Dinagat Island but now residing in Brgy. Esperanza, San Ricardo, also in Southern Leyte.

It was learned that while the victim was on the sea, a strong wave hit his motorized banca which resulted it to capsize.

The victim said that he was floating in the water for five hours before he was rescued by rescuers after a fisherman found him.

Novico was immediately brought by the Philippine Coast Guard to the rural health unit for medical attention and went home later as he did not incur any injury.
However, his motorized boat was totally damaged. (ROBERT DEJON)