TACLOBAN CITY- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is stepping up its partnership with stakeholders with just less than two months left before the full implementation of Universal Health Care (UHC) law.
PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Morales said on Tuesday (Nov.12) they have been refining the mechanism for the full implementation of the law, constantly conducting forums to deliver proper information to the stakeholders and come up with unified action to their concerns.
“With the approval and publication of the implementing rules and regulations, the first year of implementation would be next year starting in January and from now until then, we will put all the elements together and will be conducting similar forums in different parts of the country,” Morales said.
Morales led a forum at the Summit Hotel here attended by governors, vice governors, mayors, hospital executives, and national government agencies officials in Eastern Visayas.
The state-run health insurance firm has requested P153 billion from the central government to finance the first year of UHC law implementation, however only P63 billion was approved.
“We will still be negotiating this to the Congress and Senate to provide the fund requirement at least for the first year of implementation,” he said.
Morales warned if the proposed budget will not be released, the UHC coverage will just be limited to the direct members or those who pay the insurance premiums.
As of now, there are 55 million registered PhilHealth members or a total of 104 million Filipinos covered including their dependents.
The figure comprises 98 percent of the country’s total population.
“By next year, 100 percent of the country’s population will be under this program that is around 106 to 108 million Filipinos, but of course they have to register to avail the UHC,” Morales said.
Aside from the premium of the direct members, fund sources for UHC include the Department of Health’s annual budget, PhilHealth subsidies to indigent families, allocations from the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corporation and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, PhilHealth membership contributions and sin taxes on alcohol and tobacco.
The UHC, signed last February 20 by President Rodrigo Duterte, ensures that every Filipino, including overseas Filipino workers, are eligible for preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative care upon automatic enrollment to the government’s health insurance program.
Under the law, all Filipino citizens are automatically enrolled in the government’s health insurance program. (PNA)
PhilHealth braces for full implementation of UHC law
Gov. Petilla calls on the farmers to help in climate change mitigation
TACLOBAN CITY- Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla is calling on the farmers to design and practice farming activities that will lessen methane and other greenhouse gases emission to the atmosphere and help in climate change mitigation.
Petilla, in an interview, said that farmers should design and practice farming systems that will lessen methane emission and other greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
He pointed that methane gas is one of the primary greenhouse gases along with water vapor, nitrous oxide, ozone and carbon compounds which causes greenhouse effect and eventually warming the Earth resulting to climate change.
The governor said that the deadly super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ that pummeled the province and the rest of Eastern Visayas six years ago was a product of climate change.
Petilla suggested that the farmers should not burn farm wastes because in the process, carbon dioxide is emitted to the atmosphere or let them decay in the open as the decaying matter produces and emits methane gas to the atmosphere.
These farm wastes should rather be made into compost and be made as fertilizers to lessen farm production costs, the governor said.
Petilla claimed that under his agricultural program, dubbed as “More Income in the Countryside,” farmers were being taught to practice farming systems and activities that lessen the emission of methane gas and other carbon compounds.
He said that the livestock program of his administration is designed to lessen methane gas emission in the process like the “babuyan walang amoy.”
Petilla added that the program is also teaching the farmers for composting of the farm wastes and make them organic fertilizers to lessen the methane emission to the atmosphere.
It was learned that methane gas which is flammable and being used as a fuel by several countries producing greenhouse gas.
It was further learned that the major sources of methane gas include the decomposition in natural wetlands, decay in landfills and leakage from the oil and gas industry.
But most sources of the methane gas are from human activities like in livestock production, farming systems and biomass burning.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
East Samar officials condemn NPA attack
(Photo Courtesy)
With six soldiers killed, 20 others wounded
BY: ROEL T. AMAZONA, JOEY A. GABIETA
TACLOBAN CITY – Eastern Samar officials led by Rep. Maria Fe Abunda issued their strong condemnation on the killing of six soldiers and the wounding of 20 others by the members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Borongan City on Monday (Nov.11).
The officials said that the deadly attack staged by the rebels against government forces would only further erode to any efforts to achieve peace in Eastern Samar, in particular.
The soldiers, all belonging to the 14th Infantry Battalion based in Oras, Eastern Samar, were ambushed by around 50 rebel members in sitio Bangin of Barangay Pinana-an, a remote coastal village of Borongan City, at past 5 pm.
While the government troops were able to engage the rebel members to a 36-minute firefight, they were still overwhelmed by their enemies who simultaneously detonated six improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
This resulted to the death of six soldiers and injured 20 others.One rebel member was confirmed to have been killed in the gun battle.
Rep. Abunda, in a statement, lamented that while making the province a peaceful and orderly one, this could not be achieved if atrocities will continue.
The congresswoman said that her office is open for a dialogue between the two warring groups that could lead to ending the armed struggle that has often been cited as among the reasons why Eastern Samar remain to be economically depressed.
Abunda expressed her condolences to the families of the six soldiers who died in the gunfight.
Killed during the firefight were Sgt.Rex Jadulco; Corporal Ronaldo Go; Cpl.Limar Banug; Private First Class Kent Loyd Agullo; Private Charlie del Rosario and Private First Class Junmar Buranday.
Injured were Sgt. Kenneth John Arcina; Sgt. Cyril Baja; Sgt. Rando Soria;Pfc Albert Abegonia;Pfc Denmark Gonsaza;Pfc Dandreb Gealon;Pfc Reil Bilason;Pfc Gilbert Renegado;Pfc Rex Batis;Pfc Jerwin Omrob;Pvt Darwin Aborquez;Pvt Joshua Pacuan;Pvt Roger Moore Ditche; Sgt Marlon Orsal;Cpl Dominador Antonio; Cpl Aljon Aguillos; Cpl Linlito Donayre; Pfc Mark Geric De Leon; Pfc Rene Abuda; and Pvt Jayson Beros.
Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda said that he is personally condemning the treacherous attack staged by the rebels who used the prohibited IEDs against the soldiers.
“I am personally condemning this incident, especially so that they used IEDs against the soldiers some of them could be young being just privates,” Agda said.
The city mayor, however, insisted that while the deadly encounter happened within the city, Borongan remain to be peaceful and orderly.
“It’s an isolated case. The area of incident occurred 30 kms away from the city proper and which could only be reached by a six-hour sea travel,” Agda said.
Also expressing his grief on the incident was Mayor Roland Boie Evardone of Arteche town, where one of the killed soldiers, Private First Class Agullo, was a resident.
Mayor Evardone, in a brief statement, shared that it was a ‘sad news’ for the whole town of Arteche to learn that one of its sons perished in a battle.
“Kent Lloyd is a son, a brother, a friend, a hero and a proud Artechehanon. Until his last breath, he made us proud to be an Artechehanon,” Mayor Evardone said.
“The LGU and the residents of our town are in grief with the news and we express our condolences with the family of soldiers who perished and praying for the speedy recovery of those who are wounded,” he added.
Mayor Evardone said that his administration will stand firm with their decision to declare the NPA as persona non grata in their town.
The municipal government passed a resolution on August 16 of this year condemning the relentless atrocities of the communist group and declaring them persona non grata.
And in a statement, the 8th Infantry Division, based in Catbalogan City and under the command of Major Gen. Pio Diñoso III, also condemned the attack as they honored the dead soldiers, calling them heroes for their gallantry and bravery.
”The heroes fought gallantly and bravely until the last breath and last drop of their blood,” it said.
The division will provide assistance to the families of the soldiers who were killed and wounded during the attack as they are now conducting their pursuit operations against the rebel members.
The division said that the soldiers were in the area to provide security to families who were said to have been victims of extortion in the form of money and food stuff by the NPA.
Major Gen. Diñoso earlier said that they are determined to end Eastern Visayas’ insurgency problem by 2020 as mandated by President Rodrigo Duterte.
Rice Awareness Month
Not many people know that November, the month we are in now, was declared National Rice Awareness Month, that’s by virtue of Proclamation No. 524 signed on Jan. 5, 2004, by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
This observation coincides with the anniversary of the Philippine Rice Research Institute created under Executive Order No. 1061 dated Nov. 5, 1985. Tasked as the lead agency for this observation is the Department of Agriculture itself, with the participation of other agencies concerned, be they public or private.
The observance draws its relevance from the fact that rice, among Filipinos, is the staple food on the table. Families gather for major meals every day, but these are not complete without rice on their plates. It seems that Filipinos cannot survive without rice for even when they go overseas where rice is hardly available, this is the food stuff that they look for.
Part of this awareness campaign is to let the Filipino people see the value of rice in their lives in particular, and in their families in general. We cannot afford to waste it; instead, we should make full use of it by converting it into other delicacies when, for instance, oversupply makes consumption impossible. Better yet, share it with the hungry if such situation occurs rather than allowing rice stocks to rot in corners.
As a symbol of life, or life itself, for Filipinos, rice ought to be valued and treasured, its production prioritized. Support our local farmers that produce it. Save every grain of it for the survival of hungry Filipinos.
Giant Christmas tree lighting set at Robinsons North Tacloban
Robinsons North Tacloban finally opens the merry months of the Holidays with the Giant Christmas Tree Grand Lighting event on November 5, 5pm!
The world-class and breathtaking Christmas attraction will definitely be a perfect backdrop for your selfies and shopping, this generation’s favorite indomitable duo. During the launch, there will be a gift-giving activity for the selected students of Anibong Elementary School. Adding to the good Yuletide vibe are performances from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) band, Guadalupe Youth Choir, Kusog Performing Arts Group, and Mascots appearances. (PR)