CEBU CITY, Philippines – Gearing up to make the country malaria-free by 2020, a top official from the Department of Health (DoH) expressed confidence that before the deadline the entire Visayas Islands will soon be declared as malaria-free. Dr. Mario Villaverde, DoH undersecretary who was recently here to grace the World TB-day Celebration, announced that for Visayas Islands that comprise the three regions of Eastern, Central and Western Visayas only two provinces have not been declared as malaria-free. The provinces were identified as Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental. (Phoebe Jen Indino)

FILARIASIS REHAB CENTER NAMED

TACLOBAN CITY – The Abuyog District Hospital in Abuyog town, Leyte is being tapped by the Department of Health (DoH) in the region as a special rehabilitation center for filariasis. DoH-8 Regional Director Edgardo Gonzaga said Abuyog Hospital will be getting a big chunk out of the Hospital Facilities Enhancement Program budget of the DoH this year as they have identified the hospital’s specified role as rehab center for filariasis patients. As its role suggests, the hospital will be equipped with the facilities and medicines to treat victims of filariasis. (Jack Gadaingan)

P1-M PROTECTED SHELLS SEIZED

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The provincial government made new gains in its fight to protect the environment after authorities seized at least P1 million worth of protected seashells from a shell craft factory in Barangay Bakilid, this city,  on Thursday afternoon. Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 assisted by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 swooped into the compound of Perlae Trading Corp. along A.S. Fortuna Street after confirming reports that the factory were collecting protected shells for export. (Mars W. Mosqueda Jr.)

C.H.E.D. CALLS FOR SCHOOL LENIENCY

ILOILO CITY – The Commission on Higher Education (CHED 6) has urged officials of the University of Iloilo (UI-Phinma) to let all its criminology students graduate despite pronouncements that only 106 are eligible. “For humanitarian reasons, the future of graduating students shall not be sacrificed to produce quality criminology graduates,” said CHED 6 regional director Dr. Virginia Resurreccion. Initially, approximately 300 senior students from the College of Criminal Justice were stripped of the eligibility to graduate by UI-Phinma President Dr. Chito Salazar after they failed the mock board exam given by the university. (Tara Yap)

CAPIZ SETS KIDS’ IMMUNIZATION

ROXAS CITY, Capiz (PIA) – More than 155,000 children in Capiz are being targeted by health officials for immunization next month. Expanded Program on Immunization coordinator Deborah Juanico of the Capiz Provincial Health Office disclosed that they are set to immunize 155,710 children against measles starting April 4 to May 4 this year. Juanico disclosed that from Roxas city alone, the target 9 to 75 months old children reached 29,964 while those from the 16 towns is noted at 125,746.