TACLOBAN CITY-Generic medicines offer substantial health and economic benefits to patients, their families, and the national health system according to Angelica Marie Bolos of the Department of Health Regional Office- 8.
“Despite the affordability of these medicines, it contains the same active ingredients and therefore should work as well as the more expensive branded products provided that they have passed the safety and quality requirements of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA),”Bolos said.
Health authorities assured that a generic drug is a pharmaceutical drug that is equivalent to a brand-name product in dosage, strength, safety, and quality.
Bolos advised to “Always ask for the generics name of medicine every time you buy in a drugstore.”
However, patients or consumers are advised to buy medicines only from FDA-licensed outlets which are properly authorized to dispense medicines.
September of every year is generics awareness month. Hence, DOH strengthens its advocacy campaign to educate patients on the benefits and rational use of generic drugs in accordance with the provisions of the generics law.
Bolos, a pharmacist of the Department of Health Eastern Visayas, was the guest during DOH-PIA on AIR program aired over a local radio station in the city. (PIA8)
Generics drug has the same ingredients with branded products – DOH-8
Baybay city gov’t to loan P250 million to finance new city hall building
TACLOBAN CITY – The Leyte provincial board recently approved an ordinance granting an authority to the city of Baybay to loan P 250 million to finance the construction of its new city hall.
Vice Governor Carlo Loreto said they unanimously approved the ordinance granting authority to City Mayor Carmen Cari to enter into a term loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
The terms and conditions of the ordinance were further ratified to include the P 250 million loan amount and the accrued interests will be paid within a 15-year period or in 144 months in equal monthly installments.
The construction of the new city hall is certified to be a local infrastructure and socio-economic development in accordance with the approved local development plan and public investment program for this fiscal year.
The proposed loan will partially fund the four-story structure project which is estimated to cost a total of P400 million.
Cari, in an earlier interview, said the new building is set to accommodate Baybay’s growing offices and departments in dispensing for the needed services for the people.
The new city hall building will rise along the city’s new diversion road where some new government facilities are now located. It will have a floor area of 42,000 square meters, with elevator and wider parking space. It will also house the local legislative building.
The existing city hall being occupied presently is an old one and has been seat of the local government prior to its cityhood in 2009. It saw some renovations and upgrading in 2013.
This old city hall located along Ramon Magsaysay Avenue will not be demolished as it will be leased by the city trial court, it was learned.
(AHLETTE C. REYES)
Items sized during the ‘Oplan Galugad’ burned by Cruz
CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, PALO, Leyte– Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent Gilberto Cruz led in the burning of items confiscated during massive greyhound operations last week.
The destruction and burning of the confiscated items was held at the grounds of the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP), this town, on Monday(September 18), attended by representatives of different jail facilities in the region.
Cruz said that they have to burn the items, which included a drone, computer and television sets, and illegal drug paraphernalias, to show the public that they don’t recycle them.
“We want to show to the public that the police are not using them,” the police regional director said.
Last week, Cruz launched the ‘Oplan Galugad’ targeting all jail facilities in the region aim to ensure that no inmate will be in possession of contrabands and items prohibited inside the detention centers.
Destroyed and torched were 193 drug paraphernalia; 13 live ammunition and 9 fired cartridges; 276 deadly weapons; 249 electronic equipment and 233 other items including cash of P3,861 in nine detention facilities.
Cruz said that he will meet with detention officials to come up with mechanisms to ensure that no that contrabands and other illegal items would enter the detention facilities.
He said that more greyhound operations will be conducted in the succeeding days to ensure that they could achieve their objective.
“We suggested to the jail wardens to tighten their security and put closed circuit television cameras in the facilities,” Cruz said.
(VICKY C. ARNAIZ)
DOE to bring ‘E-Power Mo’ to the Visayas
CEBU CITY- The Department of Energy (DOE) will bring to the Visayas its “E-Power Mo” campaign as part of its commitment to empower energy consumers and stakeholders in the country.
Through “E-Power Mo,” the DOE hopes that people in the Visayas can avail of vital information about recent developments in the energy sector, including, but not limited to policies, programs, and plans.
“We will empower energy consumers and stakeholders through education on their energy options so that they can make informed choices,” DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said during the opening of the Energy Investment Forum and Stakeholders Conference at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel here.
“E-Power Mo” serves as President Rodrigo Duterte’s energy policy agenda with the following objectives: to develop and utilize the energy resources available to Filipinos for wealth creation and global competition (E-Power Mo); undertake safety and savings measures through energy efficiency (E-Safety Mo); secure the delivery of quality, reliable and affordable energy services (E-Secure Mo); and empower consumers through a wide range of options in utilizing conventional, renewable and alternative energy sources (E-Diskarte Mo).
“Why we are here? We are here as part of our intensified information and education campaign. It’s intensified because we gathered all stakeholders from different energy sectors,” DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said.
“We in the DOE are intensifying our dissemination of program and activities. We like to ensure sustainable, stable, secure and sufficient accessible and affordable supply of power in propelling energy development,” DOE-Visayas Director Antonio Labios, for his part, said.
The DOE also launched the documentary “Lampara ng Pangarap” which tackles options in coping with energy poverty using alternative energy technology and solutions. (PNA)
Science and technology week observance aim to touch base with the communities, says official
TACLOBAN CITY – The regional office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-8) is putting a “mass appeal” into this year’s Regional Science and Technology Week (RSTW).
This year’s celebration has a theme “Science for the People”.
The RSTW will highlight technology investment forum, science and technology services, technology-aided entrepreneurship and the regional invention contest and exhibits to show the public how science and technology can better the lives of everyone.
“In science and technology nowadays, among our focus is community empowerment and how we can help them improve and develop,” DOST-8 Regional Director Edgardo Esperancilla said during the ‘Panginsayod’, a press conference held at the regional office of the Philippine Information on Monday (September 18).
Esperancilla added that the regional science and technology office have already touched base with the community promoting entrepreneurship and integrating science and technology to help increase and improve production and identified products in the region.
The conduct of the regional science and technology(S &T) week will showcase the products and services of local scientists, engineers, researchers, inventors, and innovators, the regional director disclosed.
This year’s S&T week will likewise feature the Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE), a nationwide activity conducted in different regions to recognize the indispensability of the Filipino inventors in the Philippine society and in the landscape of national economic development.
The invention contest encourages inventors to use their inventive capability by competing for cash rewards.
Entries this year will compete in six categories that include Outstanding Invention (Tuklas Award); Outstanding Utility Model, Outstanding Industrial Design, outstanding Creative Research (Likha Award) and Outstanding Creative Research (Sibol Award) for high school and college students.
RICE aims to recognize the contribution of science and technology in the development of the country and garner support from the public and private institutions for its sustainable development.
Among the activities lined up for the RSTW that runs from September 19-21, 2017 are technology investment forums on VICAARP technologies, product packaging, label and design forum, technology exhibits, judging of RICE entries, SETUP forums and awarding ceremony. (AHLETTE C. REYES)
TESDA extends training assistance to drug surrenderees in Southern Leyte
MAASIN CITY- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Southern Leyte Provincial Office has extended its assistance to the drug surrenderees in the province through its scholarship/training program.
TESDA focal person Merlina Alvarez bared that they will gather the training preferences of the applicant to determine the program they will avail.
“The said program will follow its process,” said Alvarez.
This process, which serves as the basis in the recruitment of aspirants, include: to attend the assessment conducted by TESDA (whether low, medium or high risk – basing on the Office of the Lady of Assumption (OLAP) report where the drug surrenderers attended first their community-based rehabilitation program); endorsement from the barangay chairman and the local government unit; and the application form from TESDA to avail of the scholarship program.
Alvarez disclosed that out of the 122 aspirants who underwent the assessment, 12 availed the TESDA scholarship program.
Three (3) enrolled in cookery with national certificate II (NCII);five for driving NC II; three for welding; and one for food and beverage services NC II.
Alvarez said that the said scholarship belongs to Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA).
She added that those who were not able to avail the PESFA will automatically be considered for the Training for work scholarship program (TWSP).
Other scholarship programs being offered by TESDA are also available in some school/colleges throughout the province like the Maasin City College for Agricultural Crops Production for 38 days; St. Joseph College–Vocational Training Center for driving – NC II for 25 days; shielded metal arc welding- NC II for 125 days and electrical installation maintenance- NC II for 25 days; and Saint Joseph College for health care services- NC II for 125 days and security services- NC II for 28 days.
Other schools such as Saint Thomas Aquinas Academy, Systems Technology Institute, the College of Maasin and Acedilla Technological Institute also catered some of the TESDA scholarship programs.
(PIA-MAASIN CITY)