CEBU CITY – In an effort to help at least 250 indigent patients, the Region 7 office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has signed a pact with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PHIC) for health packages. Beneficiaries of the accord are indigent patients in Metro Cebu who are perennial clients of the DSWD’s Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU). In this undertaking, the DSWD will take charge of identifying and enrolling qualified indigent families as well as allocate and ensure timely release of funds worth P600 per beneficiary serving as premium counterpart for the enrollment of identified households. The accord was signed by William Chavez, PHIC’s Regional Vice-President, DSWD7 Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre and Josette Bacalso, Jenet Anna Advincula, and Dr. Francis Javier of the PHIC. The undertaking offers two packages: one for the in–patient and out-patient package and the other for out- patient consultation and diagnostic package. In the first package, in-patient clients are entitled to room and board, health care professional services, diagnostic, laboratory and other medical examination services, use of surgical or medical equipment and facilities and prescription drugs and biologicals, while outpatient care include health care professional services, diagnostic, laboratory and other medical examinations services, use of surgical and medical equipment and facilities, personal preventive services and prescription drugs and biologicals. (Phoebe Jen Indino)

Comelec prepares for barangay polls

DUMAGUETE CITY (PNA) – The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Negros Oriental is preparing for barangay elections scheduled October 25 this year. Provincial Elections Officer Atty. Eddie Aba said the poll body has scheduled a separate registration for members of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and for Sangguniang Barangay. Registration for the SK is scheduled from July 22 to July 31 for those who will turn 15 years old before October 25 this year while the registration for regular members of the barangay is from August 1-10, 2010 only. Aba made it clear that unless amended, barangay elections will push through with a budget of R3 billion nationwide. He explained that those interested to run for barangay kagawad or punong barangay must be a registered resident in the barangay where he or she intends to run for at least one year. The reckoning date for the one year period is the date of his or her registration in said barangay.

Iloilo City mayor gives water district 1-year reprieve

ILOILO CITY, (PNA) – Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog gave the water district here one year reprieve before talks on privatization on condition it must first resolve the current water crisis by delivering substantial water supply to concessionaires. The mayor's move will give the Metro Iloilo Water District (MIWD) management and board of directors a chance to do well their mandated duty to render good public water service to the franchised area. Earlier, Mabilog challenged both MIWD management and its board to resolve the water crisis within 30 days or until the end of July by settling their differences. The city mayor said he will personally lead an indignation rally in front of MIWD offices if both management and board refuse to settle their internal differences.