SAN JOSE, Antique (PIA) – Indigenous people (IP) from Antique towns availed of food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the Food for Work Program. DSWD-6 Regional Director Minda B. Brigoli distributed said packs  food packs to the IP locally called “tumandok” during the Provincial IP’s Day in Antique last August 9. Some 350 families availed of food packs with rice and noodles and canned goods meant to provide for poor IP families during the current lean months, particularly those affected by monsoon rains last week, said Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Lazaro Petinglay.

CALAMITY ASSISTANCE 

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PIA) – The Iloilo provincial government, through its Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PRRDMC), will extend financial assistance to towns declared under a state of calamity in the province. The PDRRMC passed and approved a resolution for the transfer of calamity fund from the provincial government to said towns. PDRRDMC Executive Director Jerry Bionat said four of 16 affected towns in Iloilo - Guimbal, Alimodian, Leon and Leganes - were declared under a state of calamity due to strong winds and heavy rainfall brought by the southwest monsoon and enhanced by tropical storm “Gener” in past weeks.

GRAND AWARDS

CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) – The National Nutrition Council (NNC) recently hosted the 8th Regional Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs) Congress and 2012 Grand Nutrition Awards (GNA) at the City Sports Club Cebu, Cebu Business Park, this city. The regional congress, now on its eighth year, will be held simultaneously with the regional nutrition awards ceremony. The event convened NAOs from the provincial to barangay levels which received useful information regarding better management and understanding of the nutrition program.

BEST FACILITY

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PIA) – The National Nutrition Council in Region 7 (NNC-7) has awarded the septage facility in Brgy. Camanjac here as Best Innovative and Good Nutrition project in the region. The facility was recognized for being a world-class low-cost septage management system during the 2012 Grand Nutrition Awards and 8th Regional Nutrition Action Officers Congress held earlier this month in Cebu City. NNC-7 cited said facility, existing since May, 2010, for satisfying the need for a sanitary sewerage system due to high pollution levels in Dumaguete’s coastal waters.

NBB ADOPTED

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte (PIA) – Indigent members of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) in Eastern Visayas are benefited with the adoption by 15 of 28 privately-owned hospitals in the region of the No Balance Billing (NBB) policy which is implemented by state-run hospitals. The scheme will benefit some 2.89 million poor PhilHealthmembers in the region listed under various sponsored programs, accounting for 62 percent of 4.31 million total members in Eastern Visayas. Listed in the sponsored program are Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries; poor families identified by the National Household Targeting System (NHTS); and other indigent families with insurance premium shouldered by local government units.