TACLOBAN CITY- On top of the vaccine, breast milk could have minimized the number of measles-infected babies and infants in the region.
So said Dr. Exuperia Sabelberino, assistant regional director (ARD) of the Department of Health 8 (DOH-8) during the inauguration ceremony of the Human Milk Bank on Thursday, Feb. 28, at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC), here.
“Babies are protected from diseases when mothers breastfeed them exclusively from birth to six months and up to two years,” she said.
“However, there is a very low coverage in the region, of mothers who are feeding their babies with their milk only, despite the best quality that is being told them by health workers and media,” she added.
Sabelberino recalled that in the olden days, there were lesser babies who were affected by measles, six months after birth, because they were fed exclusively with their mother’s milk.
“In the recent days, however, babies as young as three months were already reported to have been infected with the highly viral disease, some even died,” she lamented.
“It could be because many mothers today, either are not aware or refuse to believe that the human milk is filled with substances that are not present in animal’s milk nor in other commercial formula,” she pointed out.
“Breastfeeding should be a multi-sectoral concern, from correct information, advocacy campaign to behavior change and practices, because breastfeeding is more than just a nutrition,” Dr. Sabelberino concluded.
(AEN/PIA-8)
Breast milk saves babies, infants from measles — DOH-8 official
Mayor Cristina officiates “Kasalang Bayan” for 129 couples
TACLOBAN CITY-Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez officiated the wedding of 129 couples from 37 barangays at the Tacloban City Convention Center (Astrodome) on March 1, 2019.
The couples enjoyed the free ‘kasalang bayan’ or mass wedding, a regular program of the city government through the City Civil Registrar’s Office (CCRO).
Fees for marriage applications and marriage licenses were also waived for the newlyweds and a free wedding reception was sponsored for them by the local government.
Mayor Romualdez, in her message during the mass wedding ceremony, reminded the couples that marriage is a covenant between the couple and advised them to be steadfast in their relationship.
Sixty Seven-year-old Eduardo Penidillo and Clarita Enosario, 65 were the oldest beneficiaries of the program. The couple who were unable to hold a wedding because of poverty has been living together for 30 years.
Coinciding with the event was the launching of the #iLabaYu advocacy campaign of Oxfam with celebrity influencer Camille Prats.
According to Oxfam, the campaign encourages men to share in household chores, particularly laundry and contribute to raising a future generation of Filipinos that live out the true meaning of respect and equality beginning at home.
Prats was accompanied by Oxfam Country Director Rosario Felizco. The non-government organization partnered with the CCRO for the free civil wedding program.
Philippine Statistics Authority Leyte Director Wilma Perante, City Social Welfare Officer Remedios Buna and CCR Officer Imelda Roa also witnessed the Mass Wedding.
Before the event on Friday, the couples attended a pre-marriage orientation and counseling activity conducted by the City Population Office, in coordination with the CSWDO that had topics on “Marriage and Relationships”, “Responsible Parenthood,” “Child Rearing” and Family Planning.”
According to the CCRO, Pre-Marriage Orientation and Counseling is “pre-requisite” activity for would-be spouses to help ensure a strong and healthy married life.
(HENRY JAMES ROCA/CIO)
Town mayor denies claim he plays politics in identifying gov’t-sponsored housing project
In Biliran
TACLOBAN CITY – The mayor of Culaba town in Biliran denied that he delisted families from the list of a housing project.
Mayor Lorenzo Reveldez said that he was surprised on the allegation saying that the list has been drawn three years ago.
These families are living in coastal areas identified by the government as risk areas reason they are to be resettled in safe zones.
“The final list was submitted to the National Housing Authority in 2016,” Reveldez said in an interview conducted by online website Biliran Island on March 2.
The NHA constructed about 700 housing units in Barangay Guindapunan.
“Who told them that if they will not vote for me and my brother ,who is running for mayor, will be delisted? How can we not award them the house if their name is in the list? Reveldez said in the same interview.
Earlier, some residents of the town claimed that their names were either delisted from the list of the housing resettlement project or purposely lifted out due to politics.
They also alleged that Mayor Reveldez asked them to ‘vote straight’ and in return, would be included in the list.
Reveldez is running for vice governor of the province in this year’s May 13 elections with his brother, Rodito, who is an incumbent town councilor, running for mayor.
“I don’t want to accuse but I know politics has to do with this issue. We know that election is coming and issues even they are untrue will come out to destroy other candidates,” Reveldez said.
“Maybe I am a threat (to them) that is why they are throwing issues against me. But I can’t dictate the people whom they should vote for. If they will choose me, then I will thank them but if not, I have to accept it,” Reveldez added.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
QUEEN MOTHERS
Homonhon Island declares a Chinese national as a persona non grata
GUIUAN, Eastern Samar – A Chinese national could no longer set his foot at the historic island of Homonhon, this town.
This after the officials of the villages of Canawayon and Casuguran filed a resolution declaring Yang Ming as a persona non grata.
Ming is the president of the Cambayas Mining Corporation (CMC), a mining company which entered into an agreement with another mining company, TechIron.
However, CMC lodged a complaint against TechIron claiming that the latter failed to comply their profit sharing agreement.
The persona non grata resolution against Ming was filed by the village officials of Canawayon and Casuguran on February 13.
Last Feb.6, Ming arrived at the historic island reportedly accompanied with a group of armed men purportedly to enforce a liquidation order issued by a court against TechIron without any sheriff with them.
This apparent show of force by the Chinese national not only alarmed the villagers but caused trauma to them, particularly the children, the resolutions said.
“They did not seek consent when they entered the island and give notice to our village officials including to the local government unit of Guiuan and the Philippine National Police. It cause alarm to this peaceful island that does not condone violence,” the resolution reads.
The Chinese national was accompanied by civilian men who were supposed to replace the current security team of TechIron and groups from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion, 8th Regional Public Safety Battalion and Guiuan Police.
The village officials of Casuguran also included in their resolution prohibiting the 20 armed men to enter their villages without proper approval from concerned government agencies.
Copies of the resolutions from the two villages were also forwarded to the municipal government of Guiuan and its local police as well as the provincial and regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
PSA says marriage results to legitimization of children
TACLOBAN CITY – After six-years of being together as live-in partners, Noela Cristine Tare, 28 and Genaro Adora Jr, 37 finally had their union blessed in a sacrament of marriage during a mass wedding sponsored by Oxfam, We Care Partners and the city government of Tacloban.
The mass wedding, held on March 1, served as the opening salvo of the activities lined up by the city government for the Women’s Month celebration.
Unlike the 128 other couples, Adora and Tare were both deaf-mute and were classmates since elementary and became a couple six years ago.
During the entire wedding ceremony, the couple had an interpreter who relayed to them what the host and the speaker were saying.
They both said their “I dos” through a sign language.
Adora said that while have they have wanted to get married before they could have children, lack of money hindered them to do it.
“We also don’t know how we can get married,” Adora said in sign language relayed by an interpreter during an interview.
When they learned about the mass wedding, they immediately grab the chance given by the city government and its partner Oxfam and We Care Partners since they were already living together for six years.
For a couple to avail of the mass wedding, they must be living together for about five years.
Legalizing union is very important because it will not only benefit couples but including their children, Wilma Perante, regional director of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
“We are happy that the city government and its partners came up with this program because Region 8 is rank second with the most number of illegitimate child in the country,” Perante said.
“This program will correct that problem because after this ceremony you will apply for legitimation even they are already using the father’s surname. This would change the status of your child and this is the greatest gift that you can give to your life after this marriage ceremony,” Perante added.
Based on the PSA data, as of June 2017, a total of 97, 834 babies were born out of wedlock or illegitimate child in the region.
“Giving legitimacy to your children will greatly affect them. This will take the stigma away from your children who sometimes suffer bullying because you are not married,” Perante shares.
Mayor Romualdez, who solemnized the wedding ceremonies, advised the newly-wed couples to always love each other and always show affection to them.
“As a couple who loves each other, you should learn how to be patient and knows how to forgive whenever your partner committed something wrong,” Romualdez advised.
Apart from the mass wedding ceremony, the campaign for equal distribution of housework between couples was also launched led by movie and television actress and care work advocate Camille Prats.
The campaign, dubbed as “I Laba Yu”, encourages husbands and wives to share household’s chores and responsibilities.
“Sharing houseworks with your partner is a best example that you can show and teach to your children, and to express your love to your husband or wife,” Prats said.
In the 2017 Oxfam’s Household Care Survey from Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, shows that women spend an average of 4.5 to 6.5 hours of households chores which is six times higher than men.
It also said that women spend a total of 11 to 12 hours of elderly or child care which is two to four hours times longer than men.
“Women disproportionately carry the burden of unpaid care work. It is time that we resurface and recognize it as shared responsibility by everyone. Equality should begin at home,” Oxfam Philippine Country Director Maria Rosario Felizco said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)