Thursday, December 12, 2013

Operation Smile benefits 33 children in Ozamiz
By: Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental, Dec. 10 (PIA) – At least 33 children in the city is set to benefit for Operation Smile by the Whispering Hope Surgical Mission (WHSM), from Nov. 24 to Dec. 12, this year.

There are 22 are males, while 11 are females, all below 15 years old, with harelip problems or congenital deformities consisting of divided upper lips, who will be given surgical services by WHSM.

 Aimed at “Creating Smiles All Over the World,” the WHSM is headed by Dr. Geoff Williams, a plastic surgeon of the International Children’s Surgical Foundation, who came all the way to Ozamiz from Idaho, USA, to give the children their Christmas gift to be able to “smile” properly.

 This is the second time for Williams to come to the city to perform surgical operations to harelip children, Dr. Jesus Martin S. Sanciangco III, Chief of Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro, Sr., Regional Training and Technical Hospital (MHARS-RTTH) in the city, said.

Sanciangco said Williams and his surgical team composed of seven medical personnel from Idaho, have been doing the operations, in a facility within the MHARS-RTTH, from one to two patients, daily, except on Sundays, during the period.

The operation is free of charge, for those without the PhilHealth Insurance Cards and if there is no medicine available in the MHARS-RTTH Pharmacy, these will be bought by the sponsors of Operation Smile, among which is the Rotary Club of Ozamiz, Sanciangco said.

On the other hand, the case studies of the children for Operation Smile were gathered by the Community of Hope Special Education Center in Catadman, this city, which is also one of the sponsors of the project. (RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)


Ozamiz CDRRMC forms TWG to provide technical data of 51 barangays
By: Rutchie Cabahug-Aguhob

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental, Dec. 10 (PIA) – Ozamiz City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) formed a technical working group (TWG) on disaster management.

Among others, the TWG is tasked to provide an updated technical data of the city’s 51 barangays relative to disaster management activities, Mark Vincent C. Israel, CDRRM Officer, said.

Also to be updated is the data on population based on gender and age groups, lifelines, infrastructure, livelihood, shelter, evacuation, mobility and hazards in all the barangays of the city, he said.

Meanwhile, the TWG is tasked to conduct the rapid damage and needs assessment analysis and perceived disaster situations, as well, as make recommendations as to the declaration of a state of calamity in times of disasters in the city.

On the other hand, the TWG is headed by the CDRRM Officer and composed of at least 12 offices in the local government unit, but not limited to the following representatives:City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), City Agriculture Office (CAO), Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Division (FARD), City Health Office (CHO), City Engineer’s Office (CEO), and City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), City Veterinary Office (CVO), City Nutrition Office (CNO), Solid Waste and Environmental Management Office (SWEMO), Department of Education, Division of Ozamiz City (DepEd-Ozamiz), and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). (RCA/PIA10-Misamis Occidental)


ARMM increases awareness campaign on AIDS

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 11 (PIA) --- In line with the World AIDS Day commemoration, government health workers in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) embark on a month-long awareness campaign on human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in the region this December.

“We want to raise the level of understanding of residents in ARMM on HIV/AIDS,” said Saida Alih, Department of Health (DOH)-ARMM information officer. 

Alih said they have tapped the help of religious scholars in providing key information about AIDS in a manner that recognizes the cultural sensibility of the region’s vastly Moro population. 

DOH-ARMM has recorded four cases of AIDS in the region in 2010. No case has been reported this year. 

Kadil Sinolinding, ARMM’s health secretary, said they don’t put aside the possibility of unreported cases considering the stigma attached to the disease. 

He said they want to help eradicate AIDS by educating people about the disease. (Kistine P. Abatayo, OJT – Bureau of Public Information-ARMM)


Women’s perspectives on peace and security sought
By Apipa P. Bagumbaran

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Dec. 11 (PIA) --- Selected women in the two Lanao provinces are being consulted on the various aspects of peace building and normalization.

The capability building cum consultation held in De Luxe Hotel in Cagayan de Oro from December 10-12 is organized by the Women Engaged in Action on 1325 (WE Act 1325) in collaboration with Al-Mujadilah Development Foundation, Inc. and with the support from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

The three-day activity aims to strengthen women’s meaningful involvement in mechanisms that can help provide peace and stability particularly on the process of normalization.

The inputs and perspectives that will be gathered during the activity will be conveyed to the Transition Commission to ensure that woman’s perspectives on peace and security will be adequately reflected in the Basic Law, said Jasmin Nario-Galace, co-convener of the WE Act 1325.

Aside from the updates on the peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the capability building cum consultation also features discussions on human rights and international humanitarian law, conflict resolution and mediation, arms control, early warning and early response, gender in Islam and indigenous people’s traditions.

With 36 member organizations and networks nationwide, WE Act 1325 was launched in November 2010 to help implement the Philippine National Action Plan (NAP) on UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) 1325 and 1820.

Galace said the Philippine NAP seeks to empower women to build peace, prevent war and resolve conflicts.

It is a shared space between peace activist, women activist, and human rights activists focused on preventing war and building peace, she further said.

Accordingly, Philippine is the first country in Asia and 18th in the world to develop a NAP on UNSCRs 1325 and 1820.

The NAP is incorporated in the Philippine Development Plan 2010-2016 and embedded in the Magna Carta for Women. (APB/PIA-10)


Dads OK grant of PEI to City Hall employees

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 10 – Cagayan de Oro City Hall workers have something to look forward to before Christmas.

The City Council headed by Vice Mayor Caesar Ian E. Acenas during its regular session on Monday, December 9, presided over by Councilor Ramon G. Tabor enacted Ordinance No. 12697 granting Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) to City Hall officials and employees equivalent to their one month salaries.

Legislators also approved an ordinance reverting so much amount from the continuing appropriation of prior years to be made available for the purpose.

Also enacted was Ordinance No. 12699 granting P8,000 each incentives for Job Order employees of City Hall. (CdeOSP/PIA)


Just compensation payment OKd

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 10 -- City Hall continues to settle its obligations with lot owners whose properties had been affected by city projects.

At the City Council regular session on Monday, December 9, presided over by Councilor Ramon G. Tabor, legislators  earmarked P333,782 from the Continuing Appropriation CY 2011- “Non-Office: Land Acquisition/Expropriation” in the 2013 Annual Budget to be made available for the full payment of the claim for just compensation for a property affected by a road project in Barangay Consolacion.

The ordinance was favorably endorsed by the committees on subdivision and landed estate, on finance and ways and means and on laws and rules chaired by Councilors Alexander S. Dacer, President D. Elipe and Ramon G. Tabor, respectively. (CdeOSP/PIA)


Solon appeals to companies to donate rubber boats for Oro’s disaster preparedness

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 10 – Councilor Zaldy Ocon, chair of the City Council committee on environment and natural resources, is appealing to companies to consider donating rubber boats capable of carrying 10 to 15 persons and other rescue equipment to the city government.

According to the councilor said Cagayan de Oro experienced devastations and loss of lives during the typhoon Sendong tragedy in 2011. Efforts have been exerted to ensure that it will not happen again but climate change has made it difficult to predict weather conditions and the magnitude of its effects, he added.

Councilor Ocon said the administration of Mayor Oscar Moreno is preparing for calamities that may hit the city anytime and is working to strengthen disaster preparedness and response.

He said the donations will greatly help the city and will help save lives.

The councilor said the possibility of giving tax credits to donors who will help the city in the campaign to ensure zero casualties during calamities will be studied. (CdeOSP/PIA)


Cash incentive to medalists in sports activity okayed

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 10 – Cash Incentive awards will be given to two athletes who competed and brought home medals during the recent Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (PHILSPADA) National Games held at the Laguna Sports Complex.

The City Council during its regular session Monday, December 9, presided over by Councilor Ramon G. Tabor appropriated an amount from the lumpsum appropriation of the item “Non-Office: Social Services-Rewards and other Claims-Sports Incentive” in the 2011 Annual budget to be made available for the purpose.

The appropriation ordinance was favorably endorsed by the committees on sports and youth development, on finance and ways and means and on laws and rules chaired by Councilors Sunshine Mae C. Obsioma, President D. Elipe and Ramon G. Tabor, respectively.

Ordinance No. 7927-2013 establishes guidelines for the grant of cash incentive award to deserving local athletes who won medals and awards in national or international competitions of individual or team sports. (CdeOSP/PIA)


Public U to tackle water services application of firm

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Dec. 10 -- THE application of A. Brown Company Inc. for the renewal of its Certificate of Public Convenience and authority to extend its service to St. Therese Subdivision and Xavier Homes, Barangay Upper Balulang, this city will soon be tackled by the City Council committee on public utilities chaired by Councilor Roger Abaday.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, thru the National Water Resources Board furnished a copy of the second notice of hearing to the committee regarding the matter.

A. Brown Company is an authorized operator of the waterworks system within Xavier Estates Subdivision.

Based on the proposed rates, residential/institutional/public will be charged with P288.00 per cubic meter in 0-10 minimum rate consumption while in commercial/industrial, P1,440 per cubic meter in 0-25 minimum rate consumption.

According to Elenito Bagalihog, OIC-executive director of National Water Resources Board of the DENR, the said application will be heard by the board on January 13, 2014 at NIA Building EDSA, Quezon City. (JBD/CdeOSP/PIA)

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