PALO, Leyte — The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 204 new cases of human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in Eastern Visayas in 2018, which accounts for 26 percent of the total cases detected since 1989.
There are already 774 cases with 48 deaths since the health department started its monitoring of HIV/AIDS in the region in 1989, said DOH regional information officer John Paul.
Roca said at least nine people died due to the infection last year.
“The youngest victim is 15 and the oldest is 49. About 90 percent of the newly-diagnosed cases got the illness through male-to-male sex,” Roca told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The increasing number of newly-diagnosed victims of this infection is triggered by the massive information drive and the establishment of testing and treatment centers in Tacloban City, Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Southern Leyte.
Based on the new cases documented in 2018, the region had an average of one case every day. Last year’s 204 newly-detected cases are 13 percent up than the 181 diagnosed in 2017.
DOH noted several cases in Tacloban City, Palo in Leyte, Ormoc City, Baybay City, Catbalogan City, and Calbayog City.
Tacloban, the regional capital has been included under category A for having more than 50 cases since 2010.
The city recorded 108 cases in the past eight years.
Of the 204 new HIV/AIDS new cases last year, 75 were reported in Leyte, 30 in Samar, 28 in Tacloban, 21 in Southern Leyte, 20 in Northern Samar, 16 in Eastern Samar, and 14 in Biliran.
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. If untreated, a person’s immune system will eventually be completely destroyed, according to Avert, an organization based in the United Kingdom.
AIDS, on the other hand, refers to a set of symptoms and illnesses that occur at the very final stage of HIV infection.
The DOH targets that by 2022, some 90 percent of all persons with HIV would be aware of their health status and would be taking medications.
Preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS is one of the targets under Goal 3 of the 17 goals of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals adopted by world leaders in September 2015. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO/PNA)

MAASIN CITY- The reason why the government should aim for a rabies-free local government unit is because rabies is 99.99 percent fatal, said regional rabies nurse coordinator Caryl Lapriza of the Department of Health (DOH) – Region 8 during the recently held Rabies Consultative Meeting in this city.
“Though it is 99.99 percent fatal, it is 100 percent preventable,” Lapriza said as she discussed the criteria for a municipality to be declared as rabies-free.
Lapriza said, “To be declared as a rabies-free municipality, the following criteria should be met: presence of Local ordinance on the prevention and control of rabies; presence of localized comprehensive rabies elimination program; existing comprehensive rabies vaccination program in place for two years; adequate lab-based surveillance system must be in place; and, enforcement of control measures to eliminate, destroy and dispose stray dogs.”
She added that other requirements include the information, education and communication campaign on responsible pet ownership; presence of effective rabies control committee; effective dog movement control measures; celebration of Rabies Awareness Month every March of every year, among others.
In an another presentation during the meeting, Dr. Francisco Cabarrubias, provincial veterinarian, said that out of the 18 municipalities and one city in the province of Southern Leyte, eight municipalities have already accomplished at least 70 percent of dog population vaccinated with anti-rabies.
The national target vaccination is set at 70 percent of the total dog population.
These municipalities are: Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Limasawa, Bontoc, Hinunangan, Liloan, Pintuyan and Maasin City.
The province had already accomplished 71 percent of dogs vaccinated of the total dog population now reaching 37,000.
Cabarrubias said, “Best efforts should come from the local government units in order to attain a rabies-free province by 2020 (Philippine target) or by 2030 based on the World Health Organization’s target.
The health department described rabies as a human infection that occurs after a transdermal bite or scratch by an infected animal, like dogs and cats and can be transmitted when infectious material, usually saliva, comes into direct contact with a victim’s fresh skin lesions.
(LDL/RGCadavos/PIA-8 Southern Leyte)

MAASIN CITY- Employers in the private and public sector must see to it that they do not just remit the total PhilHealth monthly or quarterly payment of their employees in one full sweep.
They should also submit a report containing a list employees’ names whose paid contributions each correspond to the period when such payment was applicable.
According to Misael Paigan, PhilHealth provincial manager, offices or agencies regularly paying contributions without the accompanying remittance report are subject to an unwarranted claim when an employee got sick and hospitalized, because the individual record was not updated.
“We can still proceed with the processing of proper benefits, as the office or agency had paid the contributions on time, but PhilHealth will charge those to the office/agency concerned. This is the unwarranted claim,” Paigan explained during the Kapihan sa PIA live at DYDM on Friday.
To avoid an unwarranted claim, the office or those in-charge of remitting PhilHealth dues must also submit a detailed names of personnel covered by the remittance, Paigan emphasized, adding that there are still some offices needed to be reminded about this.
Romulo Carbonilla, Jr., a PhilHealth staff who was also at the Kapihan, said updating of individual records is critical since the current policy for paying members to avail of claims was 9 out of 12, or nine months straight payment out of 12 months.
Meanwhile, Paigan reported that PhilHealth’s expanded primary care benefits (EPCB) will be extended to the employed sector sooner through EPCB accredited hospitals.
Also during the weekly radio program, Paigan announced that the point of service (POS) availment of non-PhilHealth members and inactive members confined in government hospitals was ongoing, as well as the renewal of indigent members like 4Ps and senior citizens.
A PhilHealth learner’s manual has been included to Grade 10 student curriculum in public and private schools in an effort to instill awareness of PhilHealth programs and services early on, Paigan said. (LDL/MMPedalino/PIA-8 Southern Leyte)

TACLOBAN CITY- A councilor of Albuera, Leyte survived an attempt to his life while he was on his way to attend the regular session of their legislative council on Monday (Feb.18).
Alberto Sumaljag, village chairman of Barangay Binolho and who is the town’s president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen (ABC) who sits as an ex-officio member of the town council, was on board of his vehicle, a Toyota Corola, while cruising along Barangay Cambalading of said town at about 8:20 am, when a Sedan-type vehicle overtook him.
One of the two suspects stepped out from the vehicle and peppered the vehicle where the 60- year old victim was on board with bullets, Chief Inspector Salvador Apacible Jr., town police chief, said in a phone interview.
“He was actually being tailed by the suspects and while they were in Brgy.Cambalading, one of the suspects stepped outside from the vehicle and peppered him with bullets but Councilor Sumaljag miraculously survived without being hit,” he said.
About 10 empty shells from M16 rifle and caliber 45 were recovered from the crime of the scene.
He was brought to a clinic to check his condition and later escorted back to their house in Binolho, Apacible said.
Apacible said that they are still conducting their investigation as to what could be the motive of the suspects.
Sumaljag is a long-time barangay chairman of Binolho.
The town came into national spotlight after its former mayor, Rolando Espinosa and his son, Kerwin, were linked to illegal drug trade.
The former mayor was gunned down on November 5, 2016 inside his cell at the Leyte subprovincial jail based in Baybay City by the members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group while serving him warrant for illegal possession of firearm while Kerwin is still detained at the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame due to his alleged illegal drug trade.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

Party-list system being abused?

TACLOBAN CITY –It’s still the voters choice whom they want to become their leaders.
Thus said both Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez and former congressman Florencio ‘Bem’ Noel, defending themselves on claims that they are using the party-list system to further cement their hold on power.
Both Romualdez and Noel are in the running for this year’s midterm elections under the party-list system.
Romualdez, who is the current congressional representative of Leyte’s first district, is the first nominee of Tingog, while Noel is seeking to return as a congressman as being the first nominee of the An Waray party-list, a position currently occupied by his sister, Rep. Victoria Isabel Noel.
The Leyte solon and Noel said that it is not totally correct to say that they are taking advantage of the party-list system to get elective posts as they are also soliciting votes from the voters through election.
Both claim that they are not abusing the party-list system saying they are represents the marginalized sectors.
“We are going through a democratic process. We’re going into an election so people are allowed to vote and vote whom they want. We didn’t force them whom they should vote for,” Romualdez said.
Noel: ”Everybody can run. People will vote them (candidates) or not.”
The former solon said that while he admits to be ‘guilty,’ he never sought for any elective post other than being a congressman under the party-list system though he would be replacing his sister, if An Waray wins.
Noel’s wife, Josephine “Jaye” Lacson-Noel, was a former representative of Malabon City for one term and is running for the same post in this year’s elections.
In the case of Rep. Romualdez, she is serving on her first term as a congresswoman representing Leyte’s first district.
Her husband, Ferdinand Martin, is running for the said post he held for nine years that ended on 2016.
Election watchdog Kontra Daya said that of the 134 party-list groups participating in this
Year’s midterm elections, at least 62 are with links to political dynasties or official elected in other position.
Aside from Tingog and An Waray, there are also other party-list groups in the region who have relatives holding elective posts or in the running in the May 13,2019 elections.
These are Aangat Tayo whose nominees includes its incumbent representative Neil Bayan with his wife Milliscent Ann as third nominee.
Rep. Abayon is a son of former Northern Samar Governor and 1st District Representative Harlin Abayon.
Grace Evardone, the wife of Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone, is among the nominees of An Waray.
Ako an Bisaya, another party-list group has former Northern Samar Vice Governor Ramp Nielsen Uy, three-term Samar 1st district representative Rodolfo T. Tuazon and former Leyte congressman Eduardo Veloso, as its nominees.(ROEL T. AMAZONA/JOEY A. GABIETA)