BORONGAN CITY– Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go is pushing for additional allocations for health as the deliberations for next year’s proposed budget is now in its final deliberation.

Go, who is the chairman of the committee on health in the Senate, said on Thursday (Nov.17) that with more budget allocated to health services, the payables especially the allowances and incentives for the frontliners who sacrificed their lives to address the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic could be released.

‘This is just a small amount compared the services they rendered. I will fight for this,” said Go.

Go informed that the committee reports were already passed for amendments which include the salaries and benefits for health workers hired during the times of pandemic, expansion and strengthening of the epidemiology and surveillance system, for the transitioning of the COVID-19 surveillance system to regular surveillance activities.

The senator also said that the amendments also include mental health commodities under public health program in which many people were affected especially with depression, the cancer assistance fund, operation of hospital command centers, strengthening of the immunization activity of the Department of Health, and specialty hospitals like the Lung Center and the National Kidney Institute.

With a bigger budget, poor patients could also be provided with assistance, he added.
Go visited Borongan City for the distribution of livelihood assistance under the Department of Social Welfare Development sustainable livelihood program to 328 former rebels and sympathizers.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

ORMOC CITY-The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Wednesday (Nov. 16) issued a red tide warning at Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City.

The BFAR said that based on the shellfish meat sample collected from Irong-Irong Bay, is positive with paralytic shellfish toxin (saxitoxin) based on the laboratory examination conducted by their fisheries laboratory.

Thus, the public is asked to refrain from gathering, selling, and eating all types of shellfish like the ‘alamang’ or ‘hipon’ from Irong-Irong Bay.

The BFAR also reported that local red tide advisories are still imposed in San Pedro Bay in Basey, Samar, Guiuan in Eastern Samar, and Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City.

BFAR said that fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs from these aforementioned areas are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY-Police in Samar province launched the ‘Bantay’ tourist bike patrol in support of the eco-tourism programs of the provincial government.

The tourist bike patrollers will focus their activities to safeguard the tourists as well as the tourist destinations of the province, says Samar police director Colonel Peter Limbauan.
“This project will also be replicated and strengthened in all local police stations with identified tourist destinations,” he added.

Samar provincial tourism officer Marvin Piczon lauded the initiative, adding that his office through Governor Sharee Ann Tan will provide support the program.

Meanwhile, Limbauan maintained that having a safe and crime-free tourist destination will encourage more tourists to visit Samar.

“(And) in turn, will provide economic advantage to the locales or village folks since the Province promotes a community-based eco-tourism industry,” the police officer said.
Samar, one of the poorest provinces in the county, has lunched the Spark Samar Development Agenda to highlight its tourism and agriculture potentials.

On October 19, 2022, the Samar provincial government formally unveiled its P80-million San Juanico Bridge Aesthetic Light and Sound Show Project to invite more tourists to the province.

In July 2022, it also announced the proposed P1.2 billion Spark Samar Sports City complex to transform the province into a world-class sports destination. (RONALD O. REYES)

ORMOC CITY-A driver of a passenger tricycle was injured while his two passengers were unhurt after a huge Gmelina tree fell on top of the tricycle they were board on Thursday (Nov. 17) along a national highway area in Barangay Libertad, Cabucgayan, Biliran.

Town police chief Lt. Eris John Salomon identified the wounded passengers as Junie Sanico, 60, married, tricycle driver, and passengers Samson Morales, 22, student, and Jessie Potot, 38.

Investigation conducted by the local police disclosed that the tricycle where the three victims were on board was on going to Brgy. Bunga, coming from the town proper at about 3 pm.

However, when the tricycle while moving along a national highway in Brgy. Libertad, a Gmelina Tree fell down, landing on the top portion of the tricycle.

The driver sustained abrasions on his head and wounds on his nose and was immediately brought to the town’s rural health unit for immediate medical treatment but later referred to Biliran Provincial Hospital, Naval, Biliran.

The two passengers were not hurt or injured during the incident.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY-Environmental advocates and other civil society groups in the country joined in another call for climate and economic justice as global leaders and policymakers met in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, and Bali, Indonesia for the COP27 climate summit and G20 summit.

“The majority of peoples and communities in Asia bear the brunt of the worsening climate crisis. This is on top of the multiple crises we face such as the food, social service, and health crises,” Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD), said.

“We demand from COP 27 and the G20 summit the delivery of adequate, grants-based, and accessible climate finance, the establishment of a loss and damage fund, as well as reparations for the climate debt owed by rich countries to the Global South,” she added.
In a joint statement, Nacpil lamented the “failure of governments of rich countries to deliver climate finance.”

Lawyer Aaron Pedrosa of Sanlakas said world leaders gathered at COP 27 and the G20 summit “must deliver a commitment to rapid, just, and equitable transition to 100% democratic and renewable energy systems and low-carbon development.”

Based on the 2022 Adaptation Gap Report, which was released ahead of the COP27, annual adaptation needs are between $160 billion to $340 billion by the end of the decade, and up to $565 billion by 2050.

Ian Rivera, national coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), urged the governments of rich countries, multilateral banks, and corporations “to immediately stop funding and supporting fossil fuel projects.”

“We really have to end fossil fuels now. There must be no more new oil, gas or coal if we are to save humanity. Shift those financing to clean energy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Leody de Guzman, national chairperson of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), called for “a wealth tax to cover the cost of climate change impacts and support the poor facing multiple crises and unjust taxation.”

“This is among the many necessary steps towards achieving economic redistribution, and eventually, the much-needed system change that prioritises people over profit,” he said. (RONALD O. REYES)