CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — The Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU) of the Department of Health Central Visayas field office showed that there were lesser cases of dengue for the first two weeks of this year.

Based on the RESU data, there were only 45 cases recorded from January 1 to 15, 91 percent lower compared to last year during the same period when 510 cases were registered.

There were no reported deaths so far while last year, health officials recorded six with a case fatality rate of 1.2 percent.

Age range of the said victims is from one-year-old to 27 years old with most of the affected age group ranging from 1 to 5 years old. (Phoebe Jen Indino)

NEW ILOILO CAB RATE OK’D

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines (PNA) — Land Transportation and Franchising Board (LTFRB) Director Romulo Bernardes confirmed that a new flag down rate will take effect on January 24 here in Iloilo city.

Bernardes said the new flag down rate is P40 or P10 more than the current P30. He urged taxi operators and drivers to install their taxicabs with the requisite taxi meters. Also, taxi operators and drivers must have their meters resealed.

The Iloilo taxi operators and drivers have petitioned for the adjustment of their flag down rates taking into consideration the several hikes in oil prices occurring in the recent

L.G.U.S ASKED TO BE ALERT VS FLOODS

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Philippines (PIA) — Newly appointed deputy officer for Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) Angelo Tiongson is asking local government units (LGUs) to take precautionary measures while rains continue due to the northeast monsoon and the tail-end of a cold front affecting the province.

Tiongson said that in coordination with the local Civil Defense Office, an advisory has been issued for the LGUs to assist the barangay in monitoring rivers and its identified risk and vulnerable areas for possible flashfloods and landslides.

NO PUBLIC SMOKING IN ROXAS CITY

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Philippines (PIA) — Roxas City is stepping up its efforts to strictly ban smoking in public places with renewed enforcement of its anti-smoking ordinance.

The campaign is particularly apparent at the Roxas City hall as plenty of anti-smoking posters were stuck at various spots around the government center.

Even city government employees were warned that they will be laid off if they are caught smoking inside their offices. Roxas City Mayor Angel Alan Celino supports the campaign.

A task force will apprehend violators who will be penalized with a P1,000 fee on first offense, P2,000 for the second offense and P3,000 fee on the third.

SOLO PARENTS GET AID

LA CARLOTA CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI recently extended cash assistance to 40 single parents in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, through seed capital to jumpstart their chosen micro-enterprise.

DSWD 6 Regional Director Minda Brigoli led the turning over of the cheque for P186,000 to the Tanging Ina SEA-K and the Quindecillion SEA-K. These associations were organized under the Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) Project of the DSWD.