TACLOBAN CITY – The Commission on Population and Development (Popcom) and the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO) in the region recently forged a memorandum of agreement to strengthen the Responsible Parenthood and Family Planning (RPFP) program through the conduct of classes in the workplace of government offices.
Popcom Regional Director Elnora Pulma said that there is a great demand for information and discussion on responsible parenthood, family planning, and clarification on the common myths and misconceptions of various contraceptive methods in workplaces, thus, RPFP is now being brought to the workplace.
Under the re-strengthening of the National Program on Family Planning (NPFP) under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration, workers’ access to family planning information and services need to be increased by promoting RPFP in the workplace to include those in large companies, in various, informal economies and government offices.
“We have been bringing RPFP to the grassroots. It’s about time we bring it to our partner government offices because our workers also need family planning information and services,” Pulma said.
RPFP Program aims to help couples/parents exercise responsible parenting to achieve their desired number, timing and spacing of their children, and to contribute in improving the maternal, neonatal and child health, and nutrition (MNCHN) has been made in harmony with DOLE’s Family Welfare Program to which its first component is the RPRH.
The AGIO-8, which is under the auspices of the Philippine Information Agency, is a group of government information officers, who assists in all program advocacies of all its government partners.
Popcom tapped the AGIO-8 recognizing their role as potent partners in advocacy and help to ensure women workers to have access to comprehensive family planning, and to support their right to decide whether, when, and how many children they want to have.
As part of the agreement, AGIO member-agencies are to identify participants to undertake the appropriate programs/ lectures/ symposia and trainings in relation to RPFP who will be made aware of the FP programs and services under the principle of Informed Choice and Volunteerism (ICV) during the orientation; cascade and disseminate content information on RPFP through social media; and institutionalize the program by including RPFP as part of their Gender and Development and Health and Wellness Program.
(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)
Popcom forges partnership with gov’t info association to better promote family planning program
Sec. Andanar brings FOI closer to Region 8
TACLOBAN CITY- Close to 500 students, barangay officials, and sectoral representatives got clearer understanding on the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill as the roadshows of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) rolled out in the region on March 28 and 29, 2019.
PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar led the team that flew-in for the special event in Calbayog City and Tacloban City.
In both fora, Andanar informed that the FOI Team has been holding fora around the country because they want people to get a clearer view of what FOI is and how people can better understand and appreciate it.
He said that the FOI of President Rodrigo Duterte is unprecedented that it was one of his top priority agenda when he assumed office.
In fact, soon after his assumption, Pres. Duterte signed Executive Order No. 2 which is aimed to “encourage people’s participation for a better transformation of their lives for the better.”
“Freedom of information is freedom for you to choose what is right that given the correct information, it will be your option to choose which can be better for you, your actions and behavior,” the PCOO Secretary said.
He cited for an example, the number of people who perished in the war on drugs.
According to him, it has been spread that more than 20,000 people have already died in the campaign but in truth, if one would just check the FOI portal, it will be gathered that no more than 5,000 people died in actual operation.
In the midst of fake news proliferated by a number of critics with their self-vested interests, Sec. Andanar further urged the audience to avail of the information that are made available in the FOI portal, where everything is true and correct.
“The FOI ideal is information for transformation. Clearly, it is not merely about knowing how our government functions, but a matter of acting about that knowledge for improving the work in government and the status of our people,” said Andanar.
The FOI team members included Usec Joel Egco and Asec Mon Cualuping who both welcomed questions during the open forum to the delight of the participants. (LDL/AEN/PIA-8)
Surveys say Rep. Ong is sure of reelection
For Leyte’s 2nd congressional district
TACLOBAN CITY- Second district Representative Henry Ong is grateful with all the support he has been receiving months before the mid-term elections on May 13.
He was recently endorsed by President Rodrigo Duterte in one of the sorties of Hugpong ng Pagbabago in Isabela, presidential daughter Sarah Duterte and former special assistant to the president ‘Bong’ Go.
“I am humbled and honored by their endorsement, it makes me more eager in my campaign knowing that their support is tantamount their support to the people of the district,” Ong said.
What makes the lawmaker happier is the result of the latest survey of Pulse Asia Limited Inc. where he remain the top choice of the voting population in the second district of Leyte.
Ong garnered an overwhelming 74% trust rating compared to other candidates listed in the coming elections.
In the survey conducted last January 14-16 by Pulse Asia with 900 respondents from the 14 municipalities in Leyte’s second district, Ong got the people’s nod compare to 11 % of other congressional hopeful Karen Javier and 4 % for Niccolo Villasin.
About 11 % of the respondents are undecided.
He was unanimously chosen from the towns of Carigara, Burauen, and Dulag which has the largest voting population in the second district.
Ong also garnered significant statistical points against opponents from other vote-rich towns such as Dagami, Capoocan and Pastrana.
On January 26-29, the Social Weather Station SWS also conducted survey and the result overwhelmed the lawmaker for the people of the district still chose him to be their representative.
Ong receive the highest percentage of votes with 71% of the total 900 respondents included in the survey compared to other candidates in the upcoming elections.
Javier garnered 14% while Villasin got 3%, the other 12% remained undecided.
Ong said that his first term as congressman was fulfilling as he was able to facilitate the completion of several projects that has brought impacts to the ordinary lives of the people from his district, he also authored laws that made significant effects on Filipino lives.
It was Ong’s honor to be named as the chairman of Congress’ committee banks and financial intermediaries which is a feat for a first termer congressman like him. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Police B/Gen. Carlos lead in the distribution of P24M worth of security facilities and office equipment
CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON,PALO,Leyte- The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) through its Communication Electronic Service-Regional Communications Electronic Office 8 (PNP CES-RCEO8) distributed around P24 million worth of internal security operations (ISO) and office equipment to line units and offices.
Police Brig. Gen. Dionardo Carlos, police regional director, said that last Monday (April 1), distributed the ISO and office equipment at the PRO8 Grandstand during the morning flag raising ceremony.
PBGen.Carlos reported that the P24 million worth of equipment are the Harris very high frequency (VHF) low band radios and the Codan high frequency (HF) manpack radio.
Carlos said that as a backgrounder, Harris VHF radio is a portable and interoperable tactical radio ideally used for traditional combat and delivers a highly secured, clear, reliable voice and data communication.
The Codan HF manpack radio, meantime, is a tactical radio that is used for long range communications and provides highly reliable secured full voice communications.
Each unit of Harris VHF radio costs P1.14 million while the Codan manpack costs P366,400.
The recipients of said ISO equipment are the Regional Mobile Force Battalion and its provincial headquarters in Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte.
Likewise, 10 units each of air conditioning and laptops were distributed by the regional PNP headquarters to its different offices.
“PRO8 is more than happy to have these newly procured equipment which will definitely boost our operational capability and mandated functions,”PBGen Carlos said. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT, LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA, RONALD O. REYES)
8 private hospitals in EV inks agreement with PhilHealth on no billing balance policy
TACLOBAN CITY- Eight private hospitals in the region have entered a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to fully implement the no balance billing (NBB) policy being promoted by the government.
The eight private health facilities that entered an agreement with PhilHealth were St. John Hospital in Catbalogan City; Ponferrada Polymedic Hospital in Guiuan, Eastern Samar; St. Scholastica Hospital in Catarman, Northern Samar; Oras Doctors Hospital in Oras, Eastern Samar; Leyte Baptist Hospital in Hilongos, Leyte; Domingo Casano Hospital in Dolores, Eastern Samar; Borongan Doctors Hospital in Borongan City; and Dr. Leon Domingo Memorial Infirmary Clinic in Llorente, Eastern Samar.
According to Dr. Leo Douglas Cardona, PhilHealth regional vice president, said that they are happy with the decision of these eight health facilities to enter with this agreement with their agency as this will further realize the vision of the national government under its universal health care (UHC).
Under the policy, all Filipinos are considered to have access to medical care, particularly in all government health facilities.
“This is the first of its kind not only in the region but in the entire country,” Cardona said in an interview after the signing of the agreement held on April 2 held at the PhilHealth office, this city.
These private hospitals, under the agreement, are to cover all case rate benefits in their implementation of the NBB policy in their ward accommodation.
The idea came from Cardona himself who want to ensure that all the Filipinos, especially the poor ones, would have access to medical care as being mandated under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Cardona said that the eight participating private health facilities voluntarily agreed to enter with partnership with PhilHealth reason why he is doubly happy.
He hope that other private hospitals in the region would also ink a similar agreement with them.
There are about 39 private hospitals operating in the region.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
N. Samar town mayor resumes post three years after he was dismissed by the Ombudsman
CA reverses the 2015 decision
TACLOBAN CITY – A town mayor in Northern Samar was reinstated after he was earlier ordered dismiss from his post by the Office of Ombudsman for allegedly falsifying a public document.
Mayor Manuel Aoyang’s return to his position was by virtue of an order issued by the Court of Appeals (CA), reversing an earlier decision of the Ombudsman in 2015.
The CA, however, said that the anti-graft court failed to establish the guilt of Aoyang, reason that the administrative and grave misconduct complaint against him should be dismissed.
Aoyang, who is seeking for a posible third term in this year’s elections, welcome the decision of CA.
“I was a victim of bad politics and the slow resolution of cases in court, but still I am happy,”the mayor, reached on his phone, said.
To recall, the Ombudsman dismissed Aoyang from his post after he was found guilty of tampering a resolution titled ‘“A Resolution Approving the List of Anti-Poverty Reduction Projects in the Municipality of Palapag, Northern Samar” and reportedly forging the signatures of Councilors Sonia Evardone and Anacorito Javier to make it appear that they were present during a special session on Feb.17,2015.
Both claimed that they were not around and initiated in the filing of the complaint against the mayor.
“Although direct proof is essential to establish conspiracy, it must be established by positive and conclusive evidence. Proof, not mere conjectures or assumptions, should be preferred to indicate that the accused had taken part in it. Mere allegation and speculation is not evidence and is not equivalent to proof,” the CA said on its decision.
Aoyang formally return to his post on Thursday (April 4) when he took his oath before provincial local operations officer Danny Laguitan.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)