ROXAS CITY, Philippines (PIA) – The Excellence in Local Governance (EXCELL) Awards will be implemented in all the local government units (LGUs) in the country next year.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo disclosed during the recent awarding ceremony in this year’s Western Visayas EXCELL Awards in Bacolod City that he will make a directive for the adoption of the search nationwide. Capiz DILG Operation Services chief Llanie Destacamento, quoting Robredo, said that the EXCELL Awards which is only implemented in Region 6 will be adopted in all regions by 2011.

Robredo, she said, appreciated and recognized the value of the said competition for local government units as it is very beneficial for the people because LGUs are trying to give the best governance to their constituents.

The EXCELL Awards started in 2008 by the DILG in Region 6 under Regional Director Evelyn Trompeta which recognizes the best managed local governments in the regions that demonstrate the best practices, achievements as well as innovations in governance, administration, social services, economic development, environmental management and local legislation.

PNP, AFP, step up operations
CAMP SEGIO OSMEÑA, Cebu City, Philippines – To intensify and level up measures in dealing with peace and security concerns particularly in the Visayas region, the Police Regional Offices (PROs) in the Visayas together with the Central Command (CentCom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently inked an agreement for a Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center (JPSCC).

JPSCC was created to ensure peace and security in the Visayas which consist of three regions – Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.

It is patterned on the Joint Regional Security Council Center (J-RSCC) which was created during the last May 10 elections, where the military and police joined hand in keeping peace and order. The signing of the said agreement was done in PRO 7, which was attended by a number of police and military officers in the Visayas.

The agreement aims to improve the coordination between the police and the military in solving crimes including counter terrorism in Central Visayas. (Phoebe Jen Indino)

VSMMC ready for emergency
CEBU CITY – The Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), a tertiary hospital under the Region 7 office of the Department of Health (DoH 7) announced that it is ready to accommodate some 800 patients in case of emergency during the holidays, although it hopes to have lesser firecracker-related injuries this year.

Jesson Morata, health promotions assistant of DoH 7) disclosed that VSMMC is ready to serve 500 to 800 possible patients in line with the full operation of its Saint Arnold Janssen Trauma Center (SAJTC) recently donated by the University of San Carlos.

The SAJTC is a facility equipped with comprehensive emergency medical services that caters to patients suffering traumatic injuries such as vehicular accidents and bullet wounds.

It is observed that despite the massive campaign against the use of hazardous firecrackers during Christmas and New Year celebrations, a number of people still suffer from holiday-related injuries like burns, and vehicular accidents due to excessive alcohol intake while others suffer from hypertension and diabetes due to the abundance of food. (Phoebe Jen Indino)