Spox Roque dare cooperatives to

venture into health care provision

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol July 10 (PIA) – Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque dared Boholano cooperatives to unite now more than ever to grab the opportunity to fill in the gap left unserved by the scant hospitals and medical institutions, as the country implements the Universal Health Care Law.

Speaking during the Consultative Meeting with Cooperatives and Farmer Leaders at the Modala Beach Resort Conference Hall, July 10, 2021, Spokesperson Harry Roque banked his argument on the Universal Health Care Law (UHCL).

The UHCL allows for three dialysis sessions a week, which technically is free dialysis as provided by law, but the current reality shows that there are not enough dialysis machines available.

This is where the cooperatives can go as the government has already assured (free dialysis) payments, the Malacanang spokesperson cited.

Three dialysis sessions per week for persons with renal failure is 12 dialysis sessions per month and by 12 months, this is an assured 144 sessions paid for by the government to Filipinos as provided by law.

Roque said this is a golden opportunity for cooperatives as the government has assured a ready source of revenues.

If we help put up other businesses, why do we not cooperate on our health with the government as our client? Roque cast the big poser to the tenured coop members and farmer leaders representing peoples’ organizations across Bohol gathered at the beachfront hall of Modala.

Roque’s challenge in fact went beyond simply putting up dialysis facilities into the bolder uniting towards the establishment of cooperative hospitals.

We can unite and put up hospitals with private paying wards, there is accredit facility that offers 1% interest, Roque, whose candidacy in the 2019 elections was foiled by health issues, pushed.

According to the former Kabayan partylist congressman, the World Health Organization (WHO) which came up with a hospital bed to population ratio, showed that the Philippines is still in need of 52,000 beds.

Moreover, the implementation of the Mandanas Rule by next year opens up more opportunities for cooperative groups to get a share of the 37% more Internal Revenue Allotment for local government units, Roque said.

Cooperatives need to benefit from this, Roque, who is an international human rights lawyer, upped the dare for Bohol civil society groups to unite.

The former congressman also opened up the possibility of coops venturing into ocean going fishing vessels, and move away from the overfished marginal fishery areas to the rich fishing grounds in the pacific and the disputed islands.

“Now more than ever, we need to cooperate and use our savings as a capital for more investments,” the palace spokesperson ended his keynote address at the consultative meeting hosted by Cooperative Development Authority Administrator and Chairman of the Board Benjie Oliva. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

COOPERATE AND OPERATE. Spox Harry Roque laid before Boholano cooperators the open options for investments: the medical service sector, offshore fishing or service provision to help local government units when the Mandanas Rule provisions become available next year. With Roque are Congressman Anthony Bravo of COOP NATTCO. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

YOUNGEST CDA ADMINISTRATOR and the SPOX. Boholano Chairman of the Board of the CDA, along with SPOX Harry Roque engaged local cooperatives and farmer leaders calling them to unite and hitch into the development bandwagon as the government embarks on development initiatives that would benefit local investments. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Kuya Bong Go joins NHA, PAV Dino in

awarding housing units to servicemen

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol July 9 (PIA) – A home at last.

Members of the country’s uniformed service basked in simple pride as they stood brandishing their housing certificates of awards July 9 here as they finally received proofs of ownership to their own units of row houses in the National Housing Authority’s (NHA) Saint Michael Village.

This too as the government realizes what President Rodrigo Duterte promised: better lives to the country’s heroes in the service.

No less than Senator Christopher Lawrence “Kuya Bong” Go, National Housing Authority General (NHA) general manager Marcelino Escalada Jr., Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino and local officials handed out the certificates of award to personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) for a unit they can now call their own and make homes out of these houses.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Berondo, Army Major Aaron Alorro, Fire Officer 1 Pearl Marie Pogoy, Jail Officer 1 Glicerio Salamaña and Police Captain Rufo Potane each received their Certificates of Awards from NHA GM Escalada, Senator Go, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Dino, Gov. Arthur Yap and host Dauis Mayor Merriam Sumaylo.

In a briefer to the event, NHA GM Escalada said these row houses were completed in 2016 and became a part of the 35,000 units of the old AFP/PNP Housing nationwide inventory which remained unawarded, as he came to the helm of the NHA.

Upon new orders of the President, he said the government has authorized the NHA to re-award these units as soon as possible.

The row houses remain unoccupied because they are small, located far from the civilization and ugly, he said.

The residential lots, each measuring 22 square meters have front setback of 2.5 meters and back setback of 2 meters and are already with tiled toilets and pail flush type water closets, jalousie windows, kitchen sink and water closet, and can be added a loft that can be enough for a masters bedroom and another spare room.

But for the beneficiaries, the units are a good start, especially for those starting to raise a family.

In fact according to GM Escalada, for beneficiaries whose adjoining units remained unawarded, they can apply to the NHA to get the other unit.

The units are available on an easy and affordable P200 a month for the first 5 years and succeeding P1,000 for the next 20 years.

This is still easy and affordable and beneficiaries can even complete the payment in just a few years, Escalada said.

Another reason why there were no takers of the housing units is that Saint Michael Village, a community of 350 completed row houses and 150 more for its phase 2, has still to tap electricity and water from the local power utilities provider, NHA said with the help of Senator Go, power supply would now be provided by Bohol Electric Cooperative while its water supply would be provided by Richli Corporation.

The 3.6 hectare property already has provisions for water and electricity and only needs these to be tapped to the utilities source, for the units to be livable.

That day, NHA awarded the 100 units of the 350 units available to beneficiaries.

Built as a community about a kilometer from the Songculan Church, Saint Michael Village has ten meters of concrete paved roads and alleys, reinforced concrete pipes for its drainage system and concrete power posts for the power needs of the community.

Under the Duterte Administration however, a newer design with a lot bigger floor space than the present 22 square meters loftable units, come with privacy partitions for its two bedrooms, and can come in a condominium design, according to Escalada. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol).

GOVERNMENT SERVICE TO SERVICEMEN. The NHA through GM Marcelino Escalada, Sen Bong Go and PAV Dino with local officials handed over Certificates of Award to servicemen who now start owning their units in the 350 affordable row houses which the NHA built for the country’s servicemen. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

UNAWARDED. These row houses which remained to be unawarded since 2016, now goes to the AFP/PNP/BFP/BJMP Housing Program beneficiaries as the NHA turned over proofs of ownership to these conventional loftable housing units that can be had at low and affordable costs. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Feature:

EHAP and how Carmelita

starts counting blessings

She would never have thought her luck for the day would be that much.

It was in April 17, 2021, when Carmelita J. Garcia woke up early and went to the town market to haggle for provisions the family would need.

Her husband was already out to work and in her daughter’s hut next door, she and her kids were still asleep when she left the house.

Living with husband Luciano, 63 years old, and an unmarried daughter single mother to two kids as well as another unwed child, Marcelina has inherited the ancestral house and has allowed her daughter to put up a small house close to her parent’s old house.

My mother lives with me, but she was visiting my sister’s house on that fateful day, Marcelina, 68 years old of Kalauman Poblacion Talibon, Bohol said.

“I came home that morning and saw her house razed by fire. We were just lucky no one was injured, but the fire ate up everything we kept, including our clothes,” Carmelita, who was on a sleeveless V-necked red blouse and dark grey pants recalled.

A relatively simple grandmother, Carmelita’s blouse, pants, light brown semi-open faux-leather shoes she was wearing, are all donations from neighbors and well-meaning citizens who pitied their circumstances.

She has barely enough money to pay for her way to Dauis July 9, 2021, to attend the ceremonial release of the government’s financial assistance by the National Housing Authority and Senator Bong Go, to fire victims like her.

It was accordingly an faulty electrical circuit which caused the fire, and the memories I and my sisters had with the old house is now ashes, she said, visibly controlling her lips from shaking.

The Garcia family has since lived on a 12 by 16 feet Balay sa Kabus which the family received from the private sector’s efforts.

Balay sa Kabus is a small amakan house built on semi concrete foundation, and is conventionally built without divisions, she said, adding that they would have to put up blankets to cover the makeshift bedroom and provide privacy.

“Our neighbors also helped,” Carmelita said, clearly thankful with the blessings of health.

Carmelita, along with Dominador Sitoy of Balilihan, Seigred Wabe of Balilihan and Arthur Nudalo of San Isidro, Bohol are just some of the beneficiaries of the government’s Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) which the NHA dispenses.

For Garcia and the rest of the beneficiaries, they are entitled to P30,000 assistance to improve whatever it is that they have transitioned to when fires gutted their houses.

“Daku na ni og ikatabang, makahimo na mi og usa ka kwarta, unya magbutang og extension nga kusina, aron modako na og dyutay ang among balay, (This is already a big help, we can construct a bedroom and put up an extension as our kitchen so would small house can have a better space inside) she humbly said.

The biggest thing, she said is that she can already pay her way home to Talibon, some 124 kilometers away.

Carmelita, whom Senator Christopher Lawrence saw in her flat shoes, called her to give her a new pair of rubber shoes, one she reluctantly put on with the senator personally assisting.

When she stood up, the envelop of EHAP cash assistance clutched tightly under her breasts, the senator again gave her a Bench wristwatch, another blessing she got, just by coming to the event.

For Carmelita and the rest who are in tight situations, sometimes when the cycle moves, a single stroke of good luck could also mean pouring of more blessings to start life’s up-cycle. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

START COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS. Carmelita Garcia, also a fire victim still managed to keep her family thankful for escaping the fire unharmed. A beneficiary of the NHA’s Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP), Carmelita finds blessings in Senator Bong Go’s new shoes and sports wristwatch, apart from the P30,000 cash assistance. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

TRADEMARK FIST BUMP. When handshakes are a no no, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go offers the fist bump, which is an alternative greeting, to Carmelita Garcia, whose family is a fire victim. That day, Garcia also came home with a new pair of shoes and a wristwatch from the senator, apart from the P30,000 assistance from the NHA. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

SET TO GO. Senator Bong Go talks to the EHAP beneficiaries of the National Housing Authority, who have P30,000 emergency housing assistance to family fire victims. The P30K aid would allow families who are now on makeshift houses to improve their lot by rehabilitating their houses. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Bong Go bares 10 K more

COVID vaccines for Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol July 9 (PIA) – Amidst the sputtering delivery of vaccines to Bohol and the alarming increase of deaths credited to the coronavirus disease, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go announced the delivery of 10,000 more vaccines to Bohol anytime soon.

The announcement came as a relief as local authorities in Bohol have identified the lack of vaccine supplies arriving in Bohol as the main reason why local vaccination teams could only accomplish as much.

As of last count however, vaccines have reached 102, 511, or about 10% of the Boholanos.

The figure however is inclusive of those who have been given their initial doses as well as those who have completed their full vaccination, based on the report from the Provincial Health Office dated July 7.

Bohol has since received 142, 830 free vaccines from the national government which it sourced out after buying or after getting donations from its international allies.

With over 50 vaccination sites and each vaccination site capable of inoculating 150 persons daily, Bohol keeps a 7,500 as ideal minimum vaccination accomplishment, with teams now getting used to a system that allows for a faster operations, reports Bohol Inter Agency Task Force on the management of Emerging Infectious Disease spokesperson Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez.

Dr Lopez, who is also the acting Provincial Health Officer however admitted that the lack of vaccines delivered has kept Boholanos from getting vaccinated fast.

“For Bohol, some 10,000 vaccines would be sent by Secretary Carlito Galvez to allow Bohol to continue its vaccine roll-out,” declared the photo-bomber who got elected into the lofty seats of the senate.

Go, whom Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino called a man of action, extremely hardworking, came to Bohol to assist the National Housing Authority in handling out certificates of awards to the 100 units of row houses for the country’s servicemen in Sungculan Dauis, also reportedly proposed a P30,000 subsidy for the P240,000 housing projects for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail management and Penology and the Bureau of Corrections personnel.

Also jokingly called a fireman, as he is always there to help communities during fires, Senator Bong Go, admitted the country faces an entirely different problem with coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Faced still with many people who refused to get the vaccines, which health experts believe is the best way to get people protected against the viral disease, Go appealed to Boholanos gathered at the Dauis Covered Gymnasium July 9.

“Salig intawon mo sa gobernor, salig mo sa bakuna, kay kini ra ang solusyon, ang susi para hinayhinay na kita nga makabalik sa atong pagpakabuhi nga normal, (Please trust in the government, trust the vaccines because this is the only solution, the key to allow us to slowly return to our normal lives), the senator urged fisherfoks farmers, rebel returnees and mayors gathered for the assistance to individuals in crisis situations by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The senator also gave out mountain bikes, computer tablets, shoes, wristwatches and P5M Local Government Support Funds for Bohol’s towns. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

ON THE GO. Senator Christopher Lawrence Tesoro Go also gave out pairs of rubber shoes, mountain bikes, computer tablets, vitamins, anti COVID protection in face masks and shields as well as food packs to program beneficiaries when he came to Bohol July 9. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

TRUST IN THE VACCINES. Senator Bong Go, who announced an additional 10,000 vaccines for Bohol appealed for those who hesitate on getting the jabs to just trust, so the country could slowly get back and revive the economy. With the senator is host town and Dauis mayor Merriam Sumaylo. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Bohol accomplishes nearly 1%

in flattening COVID curve goal

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol July 6 (PIA) – The countdown to leveling off the curve in Bohol’s coronavirus disease (COVID-19) affectation starts with the Provincial Health and Office (PHO) reporting 30,647 fully vaccinated Boholanos, as of July 3, 2021.

As to Acting Provincial Health Officer Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, citing health experts, as soon as a locality vaccinates 30% of its population, the place should have attained a flattened curve.

A flattened curve means the degree of the viral disease affectation levels off from its increasing trend, Dr. Lopez hints during the recent Kapihan sa PIA.

With the population of Bohol now at 1.3 million, 30,000 is nearly 1% of the 390,000 which should comprise the 30 percent of the local population.

The national government has rolled-out the national vaccination program in Bohol last March 6, believing that only by vaccination can the government keep communities protected of the viral disease that has killed 83 Boholanos since March of 2020.

Since then, after four months, Bohol vaccination teams have inoculated a total of 69,520 Boholanos from the medical and health front lines, senior citizens, persons with comorbidities and a few workers in the tourism frontline services, a report from the Provincial Vaccination Operation Center revealed.

Vaccinating at a daily rate of 580 Boholanos, local vaccination program rollout observers noted a very low turn-out.

Huge part of the low vaccination accomplishment however is far from what many think as refusal of the locals to get vaccinated.

There is a slow delivery of the vaccines from the national government, both Bohol Mayors William Jao of Tubigon town and Hilario Ayuban Loay shared.

In Bohol for example, health authorities at the Provincial Vaccine Operations Center have received 142,830 doses if Sinovac, Astrazeneca, Sputnik and Pfizer vaccines since March 6, according to PHDO.

Of that number, some 100,167 doses have been administered, the 42,663 balance would be spent in the next few more days of vaccination operations, health sources said.

According to Dr. Lopez, a vaccination center in Bohol has been trained to accomplish an average of 150 shots a day.

With an average of 1 vaccination center for each town and about a few more in Tagbilaran, Bohol’s daily vaccine accomplishment could go over an estimated 7,500 doses a day for all its vaccination sites.

But then, the problem is that, there has not been any definite schedule of deliveries of the vaccines.

The issue on the delivery of the vaccines to Bohol however is also dependent upon the vaccines that Manila receives from the international facilities like COVAX and the United Nations World Health Organization as well as the donations from other countries.

Reports have surfaced that there are already countries allegedly hoarding vaccine doses which are many times more that they need, while the poorer countries can only gape awaiting for the delivery of the vaccines for their people. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)