DTI Usec Castelo: Bohol

goods cheaper than SRP

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Nov 9 (PIA)--Believe it or not, there are more consumer products in Bohol malls that are priced lower than Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) suggested retail prices (SRP).

This was the observation of DTI undersecretary for consumer protection group, Usec. Ruth Castelo, who swung to the malls Saturday, November 9, to check and monitor the prices of basic commodities as controlled by the government.

Usec Castelo, who flew into town to attend the ASEAN Consultative Committee Meeting on Standards and Quality, Nov 5-8 at the Hennan Resort in Panglao, took a time off her schedules to monitor prices here and assure Bohol consumers that prices of basic goods are right.

This, DTI Bohol Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy said, assures minimum wage workers that they can still get the best value for their money.

Although there were a few products that were not compliant with the SRP, she advanced the information that the store is open to rectifying the price difference.

The SRP is well implemented, [in Bohol] overflowing ang supply and mas advanced nga [in terms of set-up and security], nakakapagcomply sa SRP, Castelo, who is a self-confessed Manileña, told media during the price monitoring sortie at the Island City Mall, Saturday.

And, despite all these, she assured that the local DTI Consumer Protection Division would be continuing weekly the price monitoring, so make sure that the October 31 SRP will be followed until Christmas.

"We do not expect any price movements until next year, or until a now SRP advisory comes out then," Usec Castelo assures.

Among the goods the DTI official inspected are the noche buena items: queso de bola, cheese, sandwich spread, mayonnaise, pasta spaghetti, elbow and salad macaroni, spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce and creamer products, among the 134 products which has the DTI SRP issued since October 31.

In Bohol, where there is an ongoing entry ban on pork meat products as the African Swine Fever continues to be a threat, DTI said there is still one product that displays ham and processed meat, and they have sufficient supply.

Besides, insiders said the hams were earlier prepared, way before the ASF scare exploded, and this should make the products safe for human consumption and ASF free.

There is still one brand that is now displayed in the Visayas that we can be assured ASF-free.

What is important is the availability of the products to consumers, and the one that is available follows the SRP, she bared. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

PICKING ON THE HAMON. DTI Undersecretary Ruth Costelo examines the round ham as she swings by a mall here to inspect on prices of basic needs and prime commodities it they are compliant with the suggested retail price which the government mandates, amidst what many believe is an economic crunch. With her is DTI Bohol Provincial Director Maria Soledad Balistoy. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Tourism stakeholders

Inspect new products

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, November 9, (PIA)—Taking cue from the projections in tourist arrivals in the next few months, Bohol Tourism Office under the Office of the Governor ventures into inspecting new tourism products developed to help decongest the main circuits and spread the benefits of tourism to other areas.

A team from the BTO composed of tourism product development specialists Gina P Kapirig, Cristopher Boncales, Bohol Federation of Tour and Travel Operators (BEFETTO) represented by Lourdes Sultan, Lenlen Bullecer, and Sarah Dejaresco, the Philippine Information Agency and some tour guides visited newly developed products November 5.

We want to inspect these newly developed destinations and accommodations, update them of the standards that we are following, make sure they also follow the minimum and still come up with a uniquely Boholano experience for tourists, Kapirig explained, during the ocular visit.

This also helps our tour and travel operators to see for themselves and think of creative ways to packaged and sell these destinations and accommodations, as our way of helping them out, she added.

It may be recalled that Bohol has put up a vision to become a prime eco-cultural tourism destination with a strong agro-economy and information, communication technology since then.

With this, the team also looks at how resorts and accommodations as well as newly developed destinations support the over-all vision and be guided by it.

In the itinerary for the day was Bung-aw Eco-Farm of Bugtongbod, Clarin, RJ Javier Tropical Fruits Farm in Cagawasan, Pilar, Bohol Foods (cacao) Farm in Tambo-an Carmen.

The team was also supposed to go to Pangas Falls in Barangay Dagohoy, Bilar but the team run out of time for that.      

Bung-aw Eco Farm is a pool resort and eco-garden nestled on top of a cliff overlooking the panoramic Inabanga-Clarin sea and distant Cebu.

Boasting of its manicured sweeping lawns, garden trails, horseback and all-terrain vehicle rides as well as a splendid panorama as it overlooks Clarin and Inabanga towns, Bung-aw also boasts of unique accommodations: spoke-shaved bamboo huts like the ones you see displayed along the highways here.

Owned and operated by Angie Hoffman to offer Panglao guests with an entirely different recluse, Bung-aw also offers overnight packages and pool use, and with a small restaurant that seats about 30 people, one can be assured of a delectable menu and service that is at par with international tastes.   

On the other hand, as soon as the farm gate opens, a colorful flower garden and an opportunity to ground with the earth on a barefoot earthing walk sets the tone for a tour ate RJ Javier Tropical Fruits Farm in Cagawasan, Pilar.

The arthing walk also ushers one to the sunflower alley, which leads to the sprawling tropical fruit farm that boasts of hectares upon hectares of tropical fruits, 22 kinds of them and only two or three have not been fruiting.

Foremost among their produce are the guapples (guava-apples), pineapple, lemons, guyabano, rambutan, passion fruit, veggeis and herbs as the owners RJ and Roel Javier also offers pick and pay schemes.

The farm also offers tours and farming lectures and inputs that include balancing the soil’s acidity, pollination, organic fertilization and other sustainable agriculture technologies.

Bohol Food Farm is a primarily papaya, cacao, and vegetable farm on the outskirts of Acacia Glamping Camp in Tambo-an, Carmen.

A farm located in the generally flat-lands of the barangay, growing a papaya variety that is suited for ripening is the farm’s main attraction.

Among its sprawling tracts of farm however is cacao, the plant whose seeds from its pod, when roasted, is the material for everyone’s favorite chocolates.

A cacao farm tour can be arranged, while tourists can also pick and pay from the farm. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

FROM THE BEACHES TO THE MOUNTAINS. Decongesting Panglao has been one of the goals of the owner of Bung-aw Eco-Farm as she opened a mountain resort with a panoramic view of Clarin and Inabanga. The farm resort has a well-maintained swimming pool for adults and a separate one for kids, homey overnight accommodations and farm tours. Here BTO team makes use of the panoramic background in this souvenir photo. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

FOR THOSE WHO CANT CLIMB TREES. RJ Javier Tropical Fruits Farm in Pilar is a little bit over four year old farm with a flower garden park that welcomes guests. The farm boasts of 22 tropical fruits, vegetables, and tours that explain sustainable agricultural technologies, including a barefoot walk on the flower garden pathway designed to trace the outlines of a tree, so those who have dreamt of climbing one, can do that here. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

BASKETSFUL OF KNOWLEDGE. BTO team complete the RJ Javier Tropical Fruits Farm with their buys: freshest harvest and even more practical knowledge on farming and living from the brothers RJ (in short pants) and Roel (on boots). Rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Drinking beer after

Blood-letting, bad

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, November 9, (PIA)—In appreciation to somebody who volunteered to donate blood for our patients, we give them a bottle of beer, to recover, at least. Right?

Wrong.

Nurse Milagros Israel, blood services coordinator at the Provincial Health Office said drinking beer after blood donation may not be a very good practice and could be bad for the donor.

Beer, like any alcohol is more diuretic, and it acts on the kidneys making one urinate more than your usual take in, according to Professor Oliver James, Head of Clinical Medical Sciences at Newcastle University.

His study also noted that for every gram of alcohol drunk, urine excretion increases by 10ml.

Moreover, messes the body and reduces the production of vasopressin hormones. These tell your kidneys to reabsorb water rather than flush it out through the bladder. With the body's natural signal switched off, the bladder is free to fill up with fluid.

And why is this bad?

According to healthline.com, around half of the blood you donate is made of water. This means you'll want to be fully hydrated before you donate.

And when you lose fluids during the blood donation process, your blood pressure can drop, leading to dizziness.

With this in the offing, drinking beer which could facilitate the release of more fluids, a donor who will have beer may be at a position when it could take a longer time for him to recover the lost blood fluids than necessary.

This would then run contrary to the intention, that medical practitioners would rather call drinking beer after bleeding a myth.

Furthermore, health authorities say the recommended period between donations is three to four months.

This just means that one can line up for blood donation three or four months after the last bleeding, Israel shared during the Kapihan sa PIA this week.

And while different blood components take different lengths of time to replenish, the fresh whole blood volume is usually restored within ten minutes.

Upon blood donation, blood collection facilities would get a fresh whole blood (FWB), which can be broken down into its components, as needed by a patient.

For anemic patients, a blood component called packed red blood cells (PRBC) is needed, and this component can be separated from an FWB by centrifugation and the removal of most of the plasma, another blood component.  

Plasma is another blood component, often referred to as fresh frozen plasma (FFP) which is beneficial to a wide variety of patients including cancer and leukemia patients, those undergoing liver transplants, bone marrow transplants, and severe burn patients, while hemophilia patients need donated plasma for clotting.

Platelets are tiny cells in your blood that form clots and stop bleeding. These are essential to surviving and fighting cancer, chronic diseases, and traumatic injuries. These do not last long though, and these must be used within five days.

Plasma taken from the body can be recovered within 24 hours, platelets within 72 hours and red blood cells in two to four weeks. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

NOT BEERY GOOD. Nurse Milagros Israel bared the myth that giving out beer to blood donors may not be the best idea after all. Beer is diuretic and may cause one to frequently pee, triggering dehydration, which is bad for one who has donated blood. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Voluntary blood donation

rising, patient’s need up

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, November 8 (PIA)—Voluntary blood donation in the recent year has gone up over 300 times more than usual, but with trauma cases on the rise, there is still a need to stock up more blood units.  

Thanks to the National Voluntary Blood Services Program (NVBSP), which is part of the implementation of Republic Act No. 7719 or the National Blood Services Act of 1994, things have eased up a bit, said Provincial Health Office blood services coordinator and nurse Milagros Israel, over at Kapihan sa PIA, Thursday.

The NVBSP promotes voluntary blood donation to provide sufficient supply of safe blood and to regulate blood banks, while inculcating public awareness that blood donation is a humanitarian, and is thus a heroic act.

A program under the Department of Health, the target is to be able to stock up on blood for least 1% of the entire population as World Health Organization pegged goal.

With about 1.3 million population, Bohol would ideally have to store 13,000 units or about a thousand units in a month.

But the local collection has been far from the ideal, until recently, Israel shared.

Data from the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) Blood Service Facility, showed the recent increase in blood collection after the NVBSP.

Laos noted is the reversed trend from blood replacement to voluntary donation as the main source of supply, a comparative tracking chart on blood collection here between 2012 to 2018 showed.

According to the data as provided by GCGMH Blood Bank Section Head Nestor Bompat, voluntary blood donation in 2018 reached an unprecedented 8,641 blood units, from a very low 340 blood units seven years ago in 2012.

That same year, hospital blood centers were able to collect 5,120 blood units from replacements as patients and their relatives labored to tug a blood donor to the hospitals to for bleeding so the family could replace any blood unit used by their patients.

This was amidst all the government interventions to stock up on fresh whole blood as life saving measure to help replace lost blood due to injury or surgery.  

In 2012 for example, blood from voluntary donations only comprise 15% compared to the 85% from blood replacements.

In 2018 for example, of the 11,285 blood unit collected for the entire year, 8,641 blood units were sourced out from voluntary blood donation while only 2,644 have been collected as replacement blood.

“We have been going to the barangays, LGUs, schools, companies, religious groups and other possible source to explain to them about the importance of blood donation and the need to stock on them with the increasing number of hospital cases needing blood transfusion,” Israel shared.

Then when the government included in its scorecards for LGUs the NVBSP, things even got better.

This year for example, since blood banks started their mobile blood donation activities, about 122 mobile blood donations have been organized from January to September of 2019.

And of the 122, 92% of the activities were LGU coordinated, 20% were from companies in their corporate social responsibility and 6% were from religious groups. Schools also contributed about 2% of the entire activities this year.

When there are already positive signs of increase, GCGMH chief Dr Mutya Kismet Macuno is also apprehensive that the trauma victims arriving at the hospital emergency rooms are also on the rise.

Vehicular accidents are among those with the biggest need for blood transfusion during surgery or to replace certain lost blood components.

Other than trauma victims, other hospital treatments that need more plod supplies for transfusion are cancer patients, dengue victims and ceasarian delivery. (rahc/PIA_7/Bohol)

BLOOD STOCKS INCREASING. The active participation of LGUs in the blood donation program has heaped much on the stocks but this does not mean that we stop from donating, because we have seen the increase of trauma cases due to motor vehicle accidents, said Mila Israel of PHO. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

GCGMH opens new

modern blood bank

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, November 8 (PIA)— Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) inches its way to be true to its mantra, when it opened its new hospital blood bank, to serve more Boholanos, in fitting ecumenical services November 7.

A blood bank is a facility where blood gathered from blood donation is stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion. Aside from storage, a blood bank also performs proper testing to reduce the risk of transfusion related adverse events, and the systematic separation of blood components for specific blood transfusion needs of patients.

Rev. Fr. Abelardo Omping, PACEM and GCGMH in-house preacher Pastor Felix Bernaldez joined forces during the blessing and launching of the new blood bank which is or spacious, better equipped and more modern blood collection and storage center inside Bohol’s lead blood service facility.

Now adopting a brand of service in its mantra “so kind, so Gallares,” the only tertiary public hospital which used to be limping with allegations of inefficiency, mismanagement and lousy care has now picked up pace to claim its rightful place in its promise to provide the highest standards of hospital service to its constituents.

Hospital Chief Dr. Mutya Kismet Macuno congratulated the hospital’s pathology department headed by Dr. Anette Salillas for the momentous and grandiose milestone with exponential effects to their patients.

“This means another [opportunity to] manifest our commitment to help patients in need,” the hospital director said.

Meanwhile, Dr Salillas stressed that the new development only shows how Gallares is committed to provide the highest standards of care.

“The bigger and more improved blood bank marks another milestone in GCGMH promise of service to the Boholano people,” she said.

“Small, the steps maybe, but by these, we get closer to where we want. With every step, we can travel farther,” she pointed out.

Dr. Macuno then recalled how Gallares was hunched with issues of unavailability of blood and the request process if there are, fells like going past seven hills. Macuno, who runs trails, said she knows how tough it can get past one hill.

When we were faced with the challenge, we rise up to the occasion, faced the challenge and struggled to win over the challenge, Macuno describes her general stint at the hospital.  

She recalled that it was once Dr Juanita Arcay, the pathology department head then, who conceptualized the blood bank and achieved the status as one of the most sought after residency training hubs.

Now equipped too with a modern apheresis machine, the blood center now has a capacity to receive blood from a patient or donor and separate it into its various blood components: plasma, platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells.

Or the machine can only take the needed blood component, and return the other components to the body.

The new blood bank, with its two standing refrigerators, can accommodate about 400 blood units a day, and the apheresis machine even expands the blood bank’s string capacity as it can already extract platelets via the machine which needs no refrigeration anymore.

Cancer and dengue patients specifically need huge storage of blood units which often congests their refrigerators, according to Blood Bank nurse Nickson Felix Epe. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

BETTER BLOOD COLLECTION, STORAGE. Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital director Dr. Mutya Kismet Macuno and Dr Anette Salillas along with Bohol Disaster Officer Anthony Damalerio formalize the operation of the new, spacious and  modern hospital blood bank with larger storage capacity to serve Bohol patients. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

JEWEL OF A HOSPITAL. From a public hospital that earned rants due to inefficiency in the past, GCGMH is now acclaimed one of the best jewels in the region, and the opening up of its new blood bank asserts its stake as the lead blood service facility committed to face the challenge of service, said hospital director Dr. Mutya Kismet Macuno. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

TESDA graduates 115

work-trained former rebs

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 28 (PIA)—Nurturing and guiding them back to the mainstream, government agencies in Bohol took convergence again to a new level showing the rare Bayanihan spirit in hand-guiding 115 former rebels towards self-sufficiency and productivity towards gainful employment and sustain a peaceful productive life away from the mountains.

Led by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Bohol and its and its partner agencies collaborated in the implementation of Executive Order No. 70 (E.O. 70) or the Whole-Of-Nation Approach in attaining development and peace-building initiatives in conflict-affected areas and worked hand in hand to train these acclaimed freedom fighters on the skills they would need to survive in peaceful environment.

While then brandishing arms to effect the change they want in the society, these former rebels who finally decided to go the way to peace still have the desire to make the change, what a better way than to make it by themselves through construction?

Seeing this potential, TESDA looked at the possibility of getting them the skills and the competence to bring about the help for the Build, Build Program of the government.

Enrolled in the different courses in the construction sector, the former rebels took on Shielded Metal Arc Welding with national certification 2 (NC II), Electrical Installation and Maintenance (NC II) in TESDA Pilar Training Center (PTC), while women went on to PTC Bilar for the Bread and Pastry Production NC II.

In some areas, some former rebels now companions in reform took the services of TESDA accredited private training institutions like the Cebu Science of Welding and Skills Technology, Inc. (CSWSTI), Dumaguete Christian School Inc. and the Maribojoc Demo Farm.

These centers also offer Carpentry NC II, Bread and Pastry Production NC II and Organic Agriculture Production NC II respectively, in support of the builders of the program.

Bohol TESDA Provincial Director Grace Corazon Castillo, the chairperson of Task Force Dagohoy, a provincial task force created to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) particularly the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) thanked the implementing institutions in providing skills training to this marginalized group.

“We are determined to help Boholanos particularly the former rebels rise, start anew and be ready to work with our government,” TESDA-Bohol Provincial Director, Grace Corazon C. Castillo, who has since retired from service said.

Castillo, who had served the government through the TESDA also expressed her gratitude for the combined efforts of the task force as she delivered her speech during the ceremony, held in Camp Rajah Sikatuna in Carmen Bohol last September 25, 2019.

That day was a happy day for the former rebels as they gathered anew, now in a happy environment, unlike the times when they huddle in some forests, ready to scamper to safety anytime a threat is seen.

This time, the former rebels took to the aisles in an army base, beaming with pride as their receive their certificates of graduation from the courses that would hand them sustainable livelihood, and off the time when they would feed their families with money extorted from some businessmen.

The mass graduation given by the country’s premiere technical skills education, and the success of the program would not also be possible without the presence and support of the of the provincial government of Bohol, governor, Arthur C. Yap represented by Mr. Pedro Budiongan, Leo Rubia representing Mayor Ricardo Francisco A. Turibio of the Municipality of Carmen, Jerome Gabin in behalf of Maria Soledad L. Balistoy of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources with Victor Doblas in behalf of Candido T. Samijon and with the all-out support of the Police and Military Forces.

TESDA specifically thanks the Philippine National Police (PNP) through Police Col. Jonathan A. Cabal represented by Police Lt. Conrado Manatad and the Philippine Army, with Maj. Jose Virgilio Pabon, Executive Officer of the 47 IB-Katapatan Batallion:  the country’s two strong forces directed to protect life, liberty and property in the country. (rahc/PIA_7/Bohol with Marichu Cua/TESDA)

FROM REDS TO BLUE. Former rebels who have chosen the way to peace here get certificates after getting trained on skills that could land them in blue collar jobs in support of the country’s infrastructure building activities. (rahc/PIABohol/with Marichu Cua /TESDA)