TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Health (DOH) reported that the rate on child mortality here in the region has shown a tremendous decline. With the decrease of child mortality rate in the region, they are pinning hope that the rate of maternal death will also decline, said Jose Llacuna, regional health director. Llacuna said that currently, of the 1,000 babies born in the region, only seven of them die which is comparatively lower compare to the previous record of 40 babies. “It decreases and it’s a very good advance. In fact, we are up to expectations of everyone even in the national scale. We had a good performance in the infant mortality rate,” Llacuna said.
“If we can do that to the infants, hopefully we can do it to the mothers,” the health regional director added, referring on the maternal death cases of the region. Based on statistics of the World Health Organization, everyday, approximately 800 women die from pregnancy or childbirth – related complications. Statistics also showed that maternal mortality is higher in women living in rural areas and among poorer communities. Furthermore, Llacuna advised pregnant women living in the rural areas especially those who are on the remote areas to be prepared and be on the nearest birthing centers before their labor.
The DOH has devised several programs and steps on its effort to curb the child and maternal mortality rate in the country. Among these programs is the strict enforcement of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) a practice involving parents and other family members of the new-born baby to observe a skin-to-skin contact and promote breastfeeding. (SHERYMAE P. SESO, LNU-INTERN)
TACLOBAN CITY – After it was damaged during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda, the dietary building at the Leyte Provincial Hospital (LPH) is now being utilized. The construction of the dietary building at the LPH in the amount of P7 million was by virtue of its getting the Seal of Good Housekeeping under the Department of the Interior and Local Government(DILG)’s PCF.
The PCF, whose sourced was from the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program, is a financial incentive awarded to qualified local government units to jumpstart their development initiatives aligned with the national government’s programs for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, tourism and local economic development, disaster risk reduction and management and solid waste management.
The provincial government of Leyte received the Seal of Good Housekeeping in 2011 wherein it identified the construction of a dietary building at the LPH. The construction of the facility was finished on October 2013 but was later destroyed when Yolanda pummeled Leyte on November 8, 2013. But it was repaired by the members of the South Korean contingent and was turned over to the provincial government. The completed dietary building now serves as a place for preparation of daily food requirements for the patients in the hospital, wash area, sanitized garbage disposal area, and including the storage space of utensils, food provisions and other kitchen supplies.
Presently, it provides space for the dining area of hospital doctors, medical staff, guests, patients’ visitors. Hospital staff and nutritionists of the LPH are thankful that a clean and spacious building is now available for use to ensure safety and cleanliness of food prepared for their patients. The facility is also an infrastructure requirement towards accreditation of the hospital with the Department of Health. (AHLETTE C.REYES)
Mayor Gerardo “Tidot” P. Miranda led the 45th founding anniversary of the municipality of Rosario with series of activities lined up to enliven the celebration which had a theme “Rosario @45: Aasenso sa tulong n’yo.”
Mayor Gerardo “Tidot” P. Miranda led the 45th founding anniversary of the municipality of Rosario with series of activities lined up to enliven the celebration which had a theme “Rosario @45: Aasenso sa tulong n’yo.”
ROSARIO, Northern Samar- This bustling town celebrated its 45th founding anniversary as Mayor Gerardo “Tidot” Miranda detailed various projects and programs undertaken by his administration aim to boost the quality of life of his constituents.
This year’s founding anniversary had a theme Rosario@45:Asenso sa tulong n’yo.
Among the activities held during the founding anniversary of the town were a civic parade;kinis festival; band presentation and marine and agricultural products trade fair; sports exhibition; medical and blood-letting missions; clean-up drive and the search for Miss Little Rosario.
In his state of the municipal address on July 27, Mayor Miranda identified the programs and projects that he initiated since he assumed the post on 2013.
Among the projects that he initiated were the following: a new municipal hall constructed at P3 million source from the 20% economic development fund, and P5 million from former Deputy Speaker Raul Daza congressional fund; purchase of medicines and laboratory equipments for rural health unit (RHU) worth P720,000;repair of the bridges in Barangay 1 and 2, concreting of Real, Abata, San Isidro, Sta. Cruz Streets and pathway extension of Galos Street of Ligaya and Buenavista Villages and repair of drainage canal of Barangay 1 Commonwealth.
He also released the Rosario Educational Assistance Program (REAP) to 61 beneficiaries college students amounting to P1.3 million with each student getting P 2,500.00 each per semester and 50 CHED barangay full scholarship program.
The town mayor also extended assistance to individual in crises situation (AICS) and medical assistance to the indigents.
Also, his administration procured a mini dump truck for the municipal government Solid Waste Management Program; purchased new motorboat for the municipal Bantay Dagat program to combat illegal fishing and other illegal activities.
The town mayor also initiated for the improvement of Rosario Public Market and organization of Rosario Public Market Vendors Association (RMVA) and for the revision of the municipal tax revenue code to improve the revenue collection.
Mayor Tidot, as he is fondly called, also disclosed some of his ongoing and propose projects as follows:
1. Covered court/evacuation center with an existing funds of 4.4 million pesos from 2014 municipal general budget, and 5 million pesos from former congressman Raul Daza.
2. NCCD Building for day care pupils of Barangay 2 inside the campus of Rosario Central School- 2.3 million pesos.
3. Mini-park and landscaping of the municipal compound.
4. Completion of RHU building approved by the Department of Health and additional P1.8 million fund.
5. DOH P3 million grant for 2 barangay health stations.
6. Construction/repair of drainage system of Barangays 1, 2, and 3 worth P400,000.00
7. Pathway constructions from Real Street to Sitio Camcaman,P 100,000 fund.
8. Pathway of Sitio Puro, Brgy bantolinao,P100,000 fund.
9. Pathway of Tagalog to Marobo Streets in Buenavista Village,P100,000 fund.
Before he won as mayor, he was a three termer LIGA president, representing Barangay 1 Commonwealth as village chairman.
The municipality of Rosario is situated in the northwestern part of Northern Samar with a land area of 7,125 hectares.
The town, with a population of more than 10,600 spread on its 11 villages, was created as a town by virtue of Republic Act Number 5867 on June 21,1969.(PR)
TACLOBAN CITY- Pope Francis’ visit to the region early next year is expected to boost its tourism industry. Businessman Oliver Cam said that the January visit of the Holy Father is expected to help improve Eastern Visayas economy with the influx of tourists, both coming from other parts and outside of the country.
“It will be significant as well as a big challenge to the community. Both international and regional domestic tourism are going to be boosted. As early as now, most of the hotels are already fully booked from December to 3rd week of January” Cam, vice president of the Welcome Home Pensionne, said. Francis is to arrive in the country on January 15 to 19, 2014 and is expected to visit Leyte where he is to hold a mass and had expressed his desire to meet with victims of supertyphoon Yolanda.
Earlier, a team from the Vatican arrived Tacloban to conduct site inspection where the Holy Father would conduct a mass. The team also visited the town of Palo for a possible site of the incoming visit of the Holy Father who would become the first ever Pope to visit Eastern Visayas, home to more than 4 million Catholics.(ARCHIE FAYE V.BELCHES,LNU Intern)
ORMOC CITY-The Ormoc City Parole and Probation Office observed the anniversary of the Parole and Probation Administration on July 18 with series of activities. The entire staff attended a two day refresher course on restorative justice on July 22-23, 2014 at Leyte Parole and Probation Office in Tacloban City. On July 24, 2014, clients were transported to barangay Naungan, Ormoc City courtesy of the city government of Ormoc which provided two vehicles where the anniversary program was held.
It started with a Thanksgiving Mass celebrated by Reverend Father Dennis Soon. His homily is filled with inspirational message when he said, “You should value your freedom and the opportunity to be survivors of the super typhoon “Yolanda”. He even cited examples of some clients that he knows and the changed on their lives.
They should always treasure their learning experiences while they were in prison, and to share it to their children and grand children so they may not make the same mistakes. Also to be grateful to the Parole and Probation Office for their efforts in assisting them to change and to become better citizens. A short program followed with an inspirational message from barangay chairman Rafael Taneo.He narrated that he used to be a “barumbado” like the clients of the PPA but second chance granted to him by law made a difference on his life.
Another momentous event during the program was the cleaning of the coastal area of Naungan. Tree planting, consisting of 400 seedlings of miape and pagatpat, was also held as part of the PPA founding anniversary. (NELIDA M. PALCONITE, chief Probation and Parole Officer)
CATBALOGAN CITY- While this city was already declared as “manageable conflict affected and development ready,” presence of soldiers would still be felt. This was announced by Brigadier General Wilson Leyva, commanding officer of the 801st Infantry Brigade, as Catbalogan became the latest area in the region to be declared as such. The declaration of Catbalogan, one of the three newest cities of Eastern Visayas and the provincial capital of Samar, as manageable conflict affected and development ready was formalized in a document signed by Leyva and Mayor Stephany Uy on July 28. But while Catbalogan was declared as such, Leyva assured its people that soldiers would continue to be seen. “The notion that once an area is declared as such, the Army will leave the area,” the Army official said. It is in Catbalogan where the main base of the Army, the 8th Infantry Division, is based. Leyva added that “good governance” is the real solution to the insurgency problem hounding a municipality. He said that since the mayor and other leaders are doing good governance, the issue on insurgency has been reduced and is now downgraded as police matter. “Please spread our peace advocacy; that problems and issues can be resolved through peaceful means and not necessarily by violence,”Leyva said. Mayor Uy, meantime, said that she consulted with all the 57 barangay officials of the city as well as other stakeholders like the business sector. “We struggled to reach the parameters that we are in now,” she stressed. (ROGER SORIA)
