First in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY– Eastern Visayas has a confirmed death due to pertussis as the Department of Health (DOH) reported of seven confirmed cases.

Jelyn Malibago, the regional information officer of the DOH, said that the casualty involved a three-month-old baby boy from Gamay in Northern Samar.

The baby died on April 11 and was said vaccinated.

Malibago said that he was first brought to Gamay district and was later transferred to the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital in Catarman where he died.

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a highly infectious bacterial disease involving the respiratory tract that mostly affects infants.

Malibago said that due to the rising pertussis cases in the region, they are advising the public to continue to practice the minimum health standards which include using masks, handwashing, observe cough etiquette, and seek early medical assistance upon onset of the symptoms.

Among the symptoms of the disease include runny nose, nasal congestion, red and watery eyes, fever, cough, and extreme fatigue.

Malibago said that there are 48 suspected pertussis cases in the region as of this week.
Of this number, seven are confirmed cases validated from sample results by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine(RITM).

The seven confirmed cases are from Tacloban City,2; and one each from the towns of Santa Fe, Jaro, Pastrana, and Abuyog, all in Leyte; and Can-avid in Eastern Samar.

Also, 35 of the victims were children one year old and below and of which 33 of them were unvaccinated.

Based on the record of the DOH-8, Leyte has the highest number of pertussis cases at 30; followed by Northern Samar at 7; Eastern Samar, 6; three in Southern Leyte; and two in Samar.

Biliran is the only province in the region which has no reported pertussis cases.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

MAASIN CITY-An employed member of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) can access the benefits offered by the healthcare agency even if their employer fails to pay the monthly premium contribution.

“Delinquent employers will be dealt with separately for their responsibility by sending billing statements with interest and penalty,” said Floyed Patual, PhilHealth manager of Catbalogan.

Patual clarified that the previous process of reckoning a PhilHealth member’s record based on the last three or six months of payment from both the member and employer has been replaced. Instead, the new process simply involves asking if the member has a PhilHealth ID without considering the updated premium contribution payment.

In case the individual does not have a PhilHealth ID yet, they will be assisted through the point-of-service, where they can avail of the PhilHealth package of medical benefits.
According to Romulo Carbonilla, an employee of PhilHealth Maasin, Rowena Dolinog’s case serves as an example of a member whose employer failed to remit contributions. Dolinog, who is 48 years old and from Macrohon town, has not had contributions remitted on her behalf since April 2013.

“She had received benefits after being admitted to the Maasin Maternity and Children’s Hospital during the Holy Week,” Carbonilla said, adding that her category was adjusted from the formal economy to point-of-service.

Misael Paigan, PhilHealth Maasin manager, encouraged the journalists to disseminate the information that members can verify online through the PhilHealth website and report if there were any unpaid months.

“Members themselves should be concerned, verify online, and report to us so that we can investigate,” Paigan said, quickly adding that members and employers in their area of coverage are very religious in their payments.

According to Henry Madula, the PhilHealth manager in Ormoc, voluntary or self-employed members with missed payments can still access PhilHealth benefits if they are hospitalized in an accredited facility. They can simply resume their payments at a later time.
(MMP, PIA Southern Leyte)

TACLOBAN CITY– The local office of the Commission on Elections(Comelec) in Isabel, Leyte has dismissed the petition against former congressman Vicente ‘Ching’ Veloso relative to his transfer of registration to the town.

Veloso served as a congressman of Leyte’s third district for six years, has filed his transfer of registration to Isabel, part of Leyte’s fourth congressional district, last March 11 of this year.

But during the hearing conducted last April 15, the petition filed against Veloso by Rhodora Basilio was dismissed by the Election Registration Board(ERB) of Isabel headed by its elections officer, Maria Sarah Lanugan due to lack of merit.

”The issue to be resolved on the instant case is whether or not the respondent is qualified of registration records to Barangay Mahayag, Isabel, Leyte,” the board said.

“(But) after presentation of evidences and hearing both sides, the board unanimously decided to approve the application of herein respondent (Veloso) after establishing his residence in Brgy. Mahayag,” the four-page decision of the ERB said in dismissing the petition.

It used section 13 of the Comelec Resolution Number 10963 as to who are qualified to register, namely, at least 18 years of age on or before the day of the national or local elections and a resident of the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein he or she intends to vote and for at least six months immediately preceding the conduct of elections.

To recall, Basilio claimed that Veloso’s petition of transfer of registration should be denied by the Comelec saying that the former congressman has only a commercial building in Brgy. Mahayag and not a residencial house.

Veloso has earlier admitted that he is mulling of running as a congressman of Leyte’s fourth district which is currently held by Rep. Richard Gomez.
The country is set to hold next year a midterm elections.