Thursday, October 9, 2008

PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008



Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. and Ambassador Alistair MacDonald of the European Commission share light moments during the opening of the two-day Pangasinan Health Summit held on September 25-26 at Oxford Hotel in Clark, Pampanga. The EC has donated Php 140 million grant to the province of Pangasinan to boost its health development programs. Pangasinan is one of the country’s 16 provinces that benefitted from the P3 billion grant under the EC’s Health Sector Policy Programme in support to the Department of Health’s FOURmula One for Health. (PIO Photo by Bob Sison/PIO)

PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008


Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. and Ambassador Alistair MacDonald of the European Commission share light moments during the opening of the two-day Pangasinan Health Summit held on September 25-26 at Oxford Hotel in Clark, Pampanga. The EC has donated Php 140 million grant to the province of Pangasinan to boost its health development programs. Pangasinan is one of the country’s 16 provinces that benefitted from the P3 billion grant under the EC’s Health Sector Policy Programme in support to the Department of Health’s FOURmula One for Health. (PIO Photo by Bob Sison/PIO)

PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008


Gov. Amado T. Espino welcomes the delegates of the European Commission (EC) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Pangasinan mayors, vice mayors, Sangguniang Bayan’s chairman on health, municipal health officers, non-government organizations (NGOs) and other health stakeholders during the opening of the 3-day 2nd Pangasinan Health Summit held last September 25-27 at Oxford Hotel in Clark, Pampanga. Looking on are (from left) Dr. Aye Aye Thwin of the USAID, Vice Gov. MArlyn Primicias-Agabas, EC Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, Dr. John Cardona, Team Leader of USAID delegates, and Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico, national president of the League of Mayors of the Philippines (LMP). (Photo by Bob Sison/PIO)

PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008

PAGSUGPO SA KRIMINALIDAD AT MAPANATILING MAAYOS AT TAHIMIK ANG PANGASINAN ITO ANG NAGING HAMON NI PANGASINAN GOVERNOR AMADO ESPINO JR SA BAGONG UPONG PNP PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR.
ISINAGAWA KANINANG UMAGA ANG TURN OVER COMMAND CEREMONY SA PANGASINAN PROVINCIAL POLICE OFFICE.MATAPOS ANG MAHIGIT ISANG TAONG PANUNUNGKULAN NI PSR/SUPT ISAGANI NEREZ BILANG PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR SI PSR/SUPT PERCIVAL BARBA ANG PUMALIT SA PWESTO.SI BARBA AY GRADUATE NG PHILIPPINE MILITARY ACADEMY TAONG 1982 NAGMULA SA CAMP CRAME SA
DIRECTORATE FOR PLANS.

BUO NAMAN ANG LOOB NI GOVERNOR ESPINO SA BAGONG PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR NA SI BARBA DAHIL NAPATUNAYAN NA RIN NITO ANG KANYANG GALING AT KATAPATAN SA SERBISYO HABANG AKTIBO PA ANG GOBERNADOR SA MILITARY SERVICE SA ANGELES METROPOLITAN DISTRICT COMMAND AT NARCOTICS COMMAND SA REGION 3.
NANGAKO NAMAN SI BARBA NA HINDI MABIBIGO ANG GOBERNADOR SA PAGPILI SA KANYA AT LALONG PAIIGTINGIN PA ANG PAGSUGPO NG KRIMINALIDAD SA LALAWIGAN MALUTAS ANG ILLEGAL DRUGS AT MAGKAROON NG PAGBABAGO.
SA NGAYON BAGONG HAMON NAMAN ANG SUSUUNGIN ANG IBINIGAY NA POSISYON KAY OUTGOING PROVINACIAL DIRECTOR ISAGANI NEREZ KUNG SAAN SIYA NAMAN AY MAGIGING NCR CHIEF NG CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND DETECTION GROUP O CIDG. (PIO/Janice Doria)
PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 2, 2008

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) recently celebrated its 108th Anniversary with the theme; Republic Service: Kabalikat ng Bayan sa Panahon ng Paghahamon.

Highlighting the month-long affair were various activities which includes Quiz Bee, Open House and the Visitation of CSC provincial Director John Rivera to the different offices in Western Pangasinan.

Out of the ten team participants for the quiz bee, Pangasinan State University (PSU) team emerged winner while Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) and LGU San Fabian placed 2nd and 3rd respectively. The questionnaires were about CSC’s existing procedures, rules and regulations.

A trophy and cash prizes which ranges from P3,000.00; P2,000.00 and P1,000.00 were awarded to each winning team which composes of two individuals.

On the other hand, the open house activity was aimed at showcasing the newly-built CSC-office located opposite the finance building where Council of Personnel Officers (CPO) later conducted their meeting and discussions.

The Open House was graced by Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan who represented the governor.

In his speech Baraan disclosed that public service is a very noble time and call. It is some kind of a calling that is based not in terms of monetary compensation but in terms of self-fulfillment.

Likewise, he encouraged to live a modest life and to look at public service as public trust.

“Give your best for whatever compensation you may be getting for somewhere along the way, you will be rewarded. Whatever you sow, you will reap for if you do something good, something good will happen to you. Just keep on working and do your best and don’t think of the return for it will come”, he further said. (PIO/Chona C. Bugayong)

36,627 Health Cards ready for Distribution

PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 2, 2008

The provincial government is all set to distribute another 36,627 PhilHealth cards for the indigent families of Pangasinan from the third class municipalities.

The new batch of cards is in addition to the 26,005 PhilHealth IDs distributed by year end of 2007 covering the fourth and fifth class municipalities.

As of September 22, 2008 the provincial government has already enrolled 84,088.

“The governor wants the distribution to be made earlier but due to the huge volume of card production from Pangasinan, the printing machine of PhilHealth bogged down,” Provincial Population Officer Luzviminda N. Muego said.

“This is the first time that the province has enrolled a large volume of indigents,” she said.

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. wants to enroll all indigent families of Pangasinan to PhilHealth to provide them ready access to public hospitals for free.

The governor is also renovating all the 14 government hospitals in Pangasinan to provide quality health care for all the people of the province especially the indigents.

Mrs. Muego explained that the true economic status of indigents was identified through the Living Standard Survey (LSS) designed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the province of Pangasinan.

Scheduled to receive the PhilHealth IDs in the first district are: Bani, Bolinao, Dasol, Mabini, Sual; in second district: Aguilar, Binmaley, Bugallon, Lingayen, Mangatarem; third district: Bayambang, Calasiao, Malasiqui, Sta. Barbara; fourth district: Mangaldan, Manaoag, San Fabian, San Jacinto; fifth district: Laoac, Pozorrubio, Alcala, Bautista, Binalonan,; sixth district: San Manuel, Asingan, Balungao, Sta. Maria and San Nicolas.

It can be recalled that during the first Pangasinan Health Summit, European Community Ambassador Alistair MacDonald lauded Gov. Espino for enrolling the indigents to PhilHealth which he described as “the best way to reach out the needy which gives them a great privilege to have a free access to quality health care services and facilities.”

Likewise, USAID Philippines Office of Health Chief Aye Aye Thwin also commended the provincial government “for providing health services to the poor by enrolling indigents in the National Health Insurance Program, at the same time investing in hospital upgrades to make available to these clients quality medical care.”

PhilHealth assured that another batch of PhilHealth IDs will be released this week. (PIO/Ninia F. Nicolas)
PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008

The provincial government joins the nationwide celebration of the 19th National Statistics Month (NSM) for the whole month of October with lots of exciting and meaningful activities in store.

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. created the Provincial Steering Committee through Executive Order No. 0040-2008 to formulate and ensure the success of statistical activities in the province with Board Member Danilo B. Dizon as its chairman.

This year’s theme "Demand-Driven Statistics: Key to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development," focus on the use of statistics in guiding, developing and growing the business of the entrepreneurs specially the micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Provincial Administrator Raffy Baraan, who represented Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. in the opening ceremony at Lingayen I, Central School in Lingayen, said that based on statistics “there are more small business in the Philippines that are really sustaining our economy.”

Mr. Baraan further urged the National Statistics Office (NSO) to translate surveyed data into useful informations.

On his message to the high school students, he encouraged them to study harder and be the best of what they can be now because “we are living in a very competitive world where there is no room for mediocrity.”

Likewise, Alaminos Credit Cooperative, Inc. President and businesswoman Clarita Fajardo encouraged the students to try business also aside from nursing and care giving course.
Based on Statistics, 55% of the work force is hired by the SMEs while big industries only hired 2.98%. This means that there are more jobs in SMEs.

Meanwhile, the education sector also expressed their earnest support to the NSM activities as DepEd officials issued a memorandum mandating all private and public elementary and secondary schools to integrate NSM celebration in one of their lessons for the whole month of October to instill awareness among the youth of the value of statistics.

Various contests will also be held to engage these students to NSM activities such as: oratorical, poster-slogan making and essay writing and statistical quiz.

Other activities in line are: advocacy forum, online business name registration and one on one business counseling on October 16 at the City Auditorium and AVR City Hall of Alaminos City; kite making and flying contest at the Lucap Wharf, Alaminos City on October 25 at 8 a.m, while the closing and awarding ceremony will be on October 29 in Alaminos City.

The provincial steering committee is co-chaired by Mr. Dante L. Pescador of National Statistics Office (NSO) with the following member agency: Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Dagupan, BAS, DOST, TESDA, PNP, PPDO, PPO, PIO, APSCU, PEDPF, LGUs, DepEd Pang I, II, Dagupan City, San Carlos City, Alaminos and Urdaneta City. (PIO/Ninia F. Nicolas)
PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008

Newly installed provincial Pangasinan PNP Director P/Sr. Supt. Percival Barba (left) receives the unit of symbol from PNP Regional Director P/Chief Supt. Luizo Ticman (right) on Oct 3,2008 at Pangasinan Provincial Police Office Grandstand. Seated from left are Sta. Barbara Mayor Reynaldo M. Velasco and Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr., Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas and sixth district Board Member Tyrone Agabas (partly hidden) while witnessing the turnover. (Photo by Bong Laure)



Mayor Velasco defends shotgun issuance to barangay chieftains

PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008

Sta. Barbara Mayor Reynaldo Velasco defended on Friday the issuance of shotguns to barangay captains provincewide, as he called the act “a legal tender in compliance with the Philippine firearms law.”

“The issuances of the firearms are in order and did not violate any regulation or policy,” Velasco told newsmen in an “ambush” interview after the turnover of command rites of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) where Sr. Supt. Percival Barba replaced Sr. Supt. Isagani Nerez as police provincial director.

“The barangay captains are persons in authority and so are qualified to handle firearms for peace-keeping efforts,” the mayor, a former chief of the Philippine National Police Firearms and Explosives Office in Camp Crame, said.

“What is needed is a uniform regulation that will safeguard the use of these firearms so that barangay officials will not be discouraged to do their jobs and will not be put in ‘hot water,’” the mayor pointed out.

“We should not be afraid of the few who would commit mistakes, but be more concerned with the many who will keep the peace,” he said. .

“They (barangay captains) are responsible officials and are duty-bound to protect their constituents,” he said, adding that the firearms will be of great help in the upkeep of peace and order in the areas.
But Velasco warned that the firearms can always be recalled and any barangay captain will be meted the appropriate penalties if found to have violated the firearms law.
The issuance of the firearms by the provincial government, Velasco stressed, was duly authorized by the provincial board through a resolution allocating funds for the purchase of the peace-keeping equipment.
Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. in a separate interview clarified that the firearms can be returned to the provincial government anytime through the PNP.
He reiterated that the purchase and issuance of the shotguns were made in response to the clamor of the barangay captains more than a year ago to be equipped with peace-keeping equipment.
The governor issued the statement following reports that Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, was not in conformity with the issuances.
Gov. Espino said: “If Mayor Braganza is against it, that’s alright. May 17 na mga kapitan nya, ang tumanggap. Kung ayaw ng barangay, ayaw ni mayor, sabihin niya sa barangay isoli mo. Kung gusto isoli ng kapitan, isoli niya pero kung sabihin ng kapitan na kailangan niya yun, medyo ibang bagay na yan. Ipagtatanggol ko yung karapatan ng kapitan dahil gobernador din niya ako.”
All the other 46 towns and cities of Pangasinan, except Dagupan City which is a chartered city, support the shotgun distribution. About 98% of all barangay captains received the shotgun to maintain peace and order in their respective barangay. (PIO/Rafael Manuel III)
PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008

LINGAYEN--- Binalonan Mayor Ramon Guico, national president of the League of Mayors of the Philippines (LMP), thanked the provincial government, Department of Health, United States Agency for International Development, and the European Commission for the holding of the Pangasinan Health Summit for the province of Pangasinan.

Guico described the summit as “a very timely” activity as the country needs health reforms even as he stressed that “providing the proper health care to our constituents lies solely on the LGUs using the FOURmula One for Health.”

He encouraged the mayors “to start establishing linkages and networking with NGOs and funding institutions along with setting policies and advocating policy changes, discovering new channels of action, creating partnerships and gaining cooperation among concerned agencies to achieve this goal.”

“The challenges are insurmountable, and need a high calling of renewed cooperative spirit, refreshed sense of selflessness and restored spirit of altruism,” Guico said.

In the same occassion, Guico has informed the mayors of the LMP’s new program called “Kung Maliit ang Pamilya, Kayang-Kaya” which aims to promote the advantages of “small-family set-up” in their localities.

“Having a small family is an advantage to the LGUs as we could effectively deliver quality health services and other basic services,” he said.

With theme “Good Governance Leads to Good Health, Good Health is Governance,” the summit has served as catalyst to know the health situation of the Pangasinan and its municipalities, discuss strategic interventions needed to address the health gaps, align and synchronize priorities, and share good practices for replication.

The two-day activity was in support to the FOURmula One on Health, a roadmap for health reforms from the national down to local levels via effective service delivery, governance, financing and regulation. (Merly R. Tibalao/PIO)
PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 3, 2008

LINGAYEN---The provincial government’s health care program got another shot-in-the arm after a covenant was forged by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr, Vice Gov. Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, Pangasinan mayors and committee on health chairman of the various Sangguniang Bayan at the closing rites of the recent two-day Pangasinan Health Summit at the Oxford Hotel in Clark, Pampanga.

The signing of covenant firmed up a multi-sectoral commitment to address the health care needs of the people in Pangasinan, particularly the marginalized sectors.

The pledge underscores “the need of political will for vital reforms in health sector and the importance of synergy and multi-sectoral efforts to address critical health reforms at all levels as well as to provide quality, equitable and accessible health services especially the disadvantaged and underprivileged Pangasinenses.

Earlier, the LGUs have expressed their support to implement the health sector reforms and development program as indicated in the Provincial Health Summit Plan of Action.

With the theme “Good Governance Leads to Good Health, Good Health is Governance,” the summit has served as a venue of all provincial officials, local executives, municipal health officers, non-government organizations, and other health stakeholders “to discuss various health concerns affecting local residents.”

The summit was also aimed at building partnership among the different sectors toward a sustainable health program; identify health gaps and discuss strategic interventions needed to address these health gaps; align and synchronize priorities; share good practices for replication.

The holding of the summit is in support of the Department of Health’s FOURmula One for Health, a roadmap for health reforms from the national down to local levels via effective service delivery, governance, financing and regulation in joint undertaking with the European Commission (EC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (Merly R. Tibalao/PIO)
PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
October 2, 2008
Lingayen, Pangasinan

LINGAYEN - Gov. Espino thanked the Pangasinan mayors led by Mayor Ramon Guico, president of League of Mayors of the Philippines including the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, non-government organizations (NGOs), chiefs of district hospitals, health stakeholders and provincial department heads for attending in the summit.

“The idea of gathering here is for us to be involved in health development efforts for our province. I am putting my priority to this along side with peace and order as I firmly believed this is the easiest way we can do for Pangasinan to be able to serve our constituents,” he said.

He added that “our province has been longing to become industrialized, best manufacturing province or best IT province, but perhaps we can also make our province of Pangasinan a most healthful province to its inhabitants.”

While noting the limited financial and human resources as common identified health gaps in most municipalities, Gov. Espino expressed optimism that health services could be effectively delivered to its target constituents “without spending too much.”

He pointed out that “teaching children the proper personal hygiene, giving them tips to prevent dengue disease, sending them to health centers for immunization, teaching the mothers the right nutrition for their children, and to ensure that every pregnant woman is seen by a health worker are the simple basic health services that require no funding.”

“Before we think of big things to spend, let us first think the very practical, pragmatic and sensible things that we can do so that we could be able to deliver the most needed health services for our constituents. Let’s start with the basic, and make simple things become our foundation,” Espino stressed.

“At bago natin isipin ang ating ganansya, isipin muna natin kung paano mapabuti ang ating serbisyo,” he added.

However, Espino made an appeal to the mayors, vice mayors and Sangguniang Bayan to augment the appropriation fund for health services.

As for the province’s counterpart, Espino pledged a minimum of two ambulance for each community hospital and additional laboratory equipment for district hospitals.

Espino said that six months from now, the provincial hospital in San Carlos City would be competing with other hospitals in the province as it will soon be equipped with high-end medical equipment.

He added that the province is also embarking on an air-conditioned birthing rooms in rural health units to encourage pregnant women to choose health care facilities over the traditional home birth to ensure their safety.

The BHWs, according to the governor, would also be given radio communication igadgets for easy transport of their patients to district hospital or provincial hospital in case of emergency situation.

In her message, Vice Gov. Primicias also thanked all the participants of the two-day summit especially the United States Agency for International Development, the European Commission, DOH, LGUs and other health coordinators.

“Let us not let this day be forgotten. Let this day be marked as a significant turning point in the health program of the province of Pangasinan. Let such commitment be in our hearts as we go back to our respective units after this event,” she said.

“And from this day forward, let us usher in the glory days for healthier Pangasinenses,” she stressed. (Merly R. Tibalao/PIO)
PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE
Capitol Bldg., Lingayen, Pangasinan
October 2, 2008
Provincial Population Officer Luzviminda N. Muego inspects some of the 36,627 PhilHealth IDs of eligible indigents before the distribution to 3rd class municipalities. The new batch of cards is in addition to 26,005 PhilHealth IDs distributed by yearend of 2007 to the fourth to fifth class municipalities. The recipients would entitle them to PhilHealth benefits when confined in accredited hospitals. Gov. Espino wants the distribution earlier but due to huge volume of enrollees from Pangasinan, the printing machine of PhilHealth bogged down. (PIO Photo by Bob Sison)

Governor ATEs Keynote Speech Pangasinan Health Summit (Sept 25-27, 2008) Oxford Hotel, Clark Economic Zone, Angeles City

“GOOD GOVERNANCE LEADS TO GOOD HEALTH
GOOD HEALTH IS GOOD GOVERNANCE”


His Excellency EC Ambassador Alistair Macdonald, EC Team Leader Dr. Jose Cardona, DOH Regional Director Eduardo Janairo, Ms. Marichi De Sagun-Deputy Chief, Office of Health, USAID, Dr. Aye Aye Thwin-Chief of Health, USAID, Vice-Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, and the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, League of Municipalities National President Ramon N. Guico, Jr. and our city and municipal mayors, vice-mayors, sangguniang bayan members, municipal health officers, provincial department heads, our friends and partners from the EC-F1 program, the USAID, the DOH, NGOs, friends, ladies and gentlemen:

Permit me, first of all, to thank all of you for being here to grace, and to take part in this provincial health summit for the province of Pangasinan.

I am genuinely overwhelmed. I guess your valuable presence underscores the crucial importance of this particular affair.

This important event has been made possible because of the generosity of the European Community (through its Health Sector Policy Support Program), the USAID (through its HealthGov, TB LINC, PRISM, A2Z, and HealthPRO Programs), and the Department of Health.

These three indispensable partners/donor agencies, also paved the way for Pangasinan to be included as one of only 16 beneficiary provinces that are now pursuing aggressive strategic directions in health, and implementing relevant interventions, under the FOURmula One for Health Strategy.

FOURmula One stands on the four pillars of health program implementation, namely: services delivery, financing, regulation, and good governance

On top of sustained USAID technical assistance, the EC and the DOH will invest some P140 million grant for Pangasinan for five years up to 2010.

So far, Pangasinan has received P17.7million cash from the program, part of which has been spent for local trainings, and part will be used to upgrade our hospital and other public health facilities.

What can be more important than the life, the health, and the total well-being of our people?

The people are our reason for being. And their health and well-being deserve our utmost priority.

But that is precisely the problem. It appears that health ranks very low in our order of priorities.

Over the last 5 years, the average share of health in the annual budget of LGUs in Pangasinan is 21.74% for the province, and only 7.5% for municipalities/cities.

It is, therefore, not surprising that one year ago, the Regional Center for Health Development ranked Pangasinan number two from the bottom in health program implementation in Region I.

It is evident that we have not performed well enough during the past few years. Thus, we need to work hard to catch up, and to keep in pace, with the rest of the region.

But first, we must accept that health care is everybody’s concern. It is a collective responsibility, where each of us has an important role to play.

And if you do not do your part, you would leave a big gap in the overall effort to promote good health, and miss the privilege to promote the quality of life and the quality of our people.

For my part, I have put the provincial health program as the ultimate measure of my success as a governor. This is based on my firm belief that the most destitute person in our province is the poor man who is sick.

If the government is not capable of providing quality and adequate health care for the poor, then who would take care of them?

It is even worse if the government refuses to take care of the poor, even if it has the resources, and the capability (no matter how limited) to do so.

It is the job of the government to take care of the poor.

In the case of health and medical care, the government is the equalizing factor.

Unless the government deliberately makes way for the poor, adequate and quality health care will remain a virtual monopoly of the rich and those who have the personal capability to afford it.

Today, there are positive factors already in place that make it easier for LGUs to do their part in the overall effort for health promotion and care.

For one, medical insurance comes very handy and affordable through the national health insurance program. Through the capitation fund, Philhealth multiplies the limited capability of LGUs to provide health care to the poor.

There is, therefore, no reason why health and medical care should remain inaccessible to the poor in our midst.

Our dream is that the poor head of family in Pangasinan will have no fear for himself, or any member of his family, getting sick, fully confident that he and his entire family can get the best and adequate medical care in our RHUs, and in our provincial hospitals, through Philhealth insurance.

Over the last 15 months, the provincial government has exerted earnest efforts to achieve a universal enrollment of indigent families in Philhealth.

At yearend in 2007, the province had enrolled 26,096 indigent families. As of September 22, 2008, the total number of certified indigent families enrolled solely by the provincial government has reached 84,088 (and still counting), or 34,088 families from the 4th to 5th class municipalities, and 50,000 families from the cities and 1st to 3rd class municipalities.

The sole basis for Philhealth provincial sponsorship is the living standards survey or LSS, an instrument developed by the USAID to determine the economic status of families.

In short, only certified indigent families are enrolled by the province, regardless of their political color, or party affiliation.

For us in the provincial government of Pangasinan, health care is a non-partisan concern.

This is not the place to play politics. On the contrary, this is one perfect venue and opportunity for good governance.

After all, good governance leads to good health. Good health is good governance.

Combined with those sponsored by our congressmen, some LGUs, and NGOs, we now have a cumulative total of 129,149 families (out of about 151,000 indigent families in Pangasinan) now enjoying Philhealth insurance.

That means about 85% coverage for the poorest 25% of the population, as of last count a few days ago.

If you multiply that figure by an average of 5 members per family, this means a total of at least 645,745 individual Pangasinenses eligible for paid health and medical care in our government health facilities.

It is, therefore, crucial for our health care facilities, starting with our RHUs, and the province’s 7 community hospitals, 6 district hospitals, and 1 provincial hospital, to be properly accredited with Philhealth, physically fit, properly equipped and adequately manned to attend to all these prospect paying patients.

Unfortunately, out of the 68 RHUs in Pangasinan, only 38 are accredited for Out Patient Benefits, only 28 are accredited for TB DOTS, and none at all for Maternity Care.

If the private hospitals and clinics in the province are up to it, and we in government are not prepared, the main bulk of the financial benefits of the national health insurance program will simply go to private health care providers, and we in local governments will miss the opportunity to increase our financial and organizational capability to provide quality health and medical care to the people.

For our part in the provincial government, all our 14 hospitals are now in various stages of rehabilitation and improvement.

Each of them will have a separate birthing or neo-natal care facility, a better-equipped laboratory, an ultrasound unit, an ECG, a functional X-ray machine, among others.

All wards, whether for pay, or for charity, will be air-conditioned. Who said that it is only the rich that deserve air-conditioned accommodations?

Our ultimate goal, among others, is to make sure that no pregnant woman will be left to deliver her baby at home, but instead will invariably receive competent care and attention in a government birthing facility.

We will institute a system of communications and referrals to enable the barangay to inform the nearest provincial government hospital to pick up every woman due for delivery by ambulance.

Right now, all of our hospitals are being re-arranged to ensure work efficiency and the logical flow in hospital procedures, and to make them comfortable and convenient both for our hospital staff and the patients.

To underscore the prime importance that we place on health in the provincial order of priorities, I have personally met with our doctors and chiefs of hospital more that 30 times over a period of 15 months. I have met each of the other groups and offices at an average of 5 times only over the same period.

As reward for our efforts, our hospital chiefs have now come to realize that they are not just medical specialists attending to patients, but more than anything they are hospital managers whose main responsibility is to attend to the smooth operation of their respective hospitals.

It is our dream to make the provincial hospital in San Carlos City the benchmark for hospital operations in Pangasinan, even for the best private hospital in the province.

But on top of hospital and curative health care, we also need to strengthen our capability to promote good health, and healthy lifestyles and practices, and to invest more in disease prevention through an aggressive public health program.

I have often said that we have no business designing and pursuing very complicated and fancy health programs, if we are not yet able to provide the most basic things such as disease immunization, adequate potable water sources, sanitary toilets, drainage canals, waste disposal systems, and other environmental sanitation needs, and if we have not yet succeeded in teaching our people basic personal hygiene practices like washing their hands before eating, or regularly brushing their teeth, and to practice proper nutrition, which should be affordable and does not have to be expensive.

The aim is to promote personal good health among our people so that our hospitals and public health care facilities will have less and less sick people to treat.

I believe it is the moral obligation of every LGU to strengthen its public health promotion and disease prevention capability.

It should not be very difficult to craft a good public health program. All you have to do is to visit the poorest community in town.

The state of the people, and the physical environment thereat should give you a good idea on how to improve the health conditions of our people.

And it looks like we are now doing okay, and moving in the right direction.

The latest evaluation across the country reveals that Pangasinan ranks number two, along with Eastern Samar, in the overall implementation of the FOURmula One for Health Program.

Today, the small province of Capiz is number one. Tomorrow, it will be Pangasinan. And that’s not just an empty threat. It’s a promise.

I wish to emphasize that it is very important for the local chief executive, the local sanggunian, the municipal health officer, and the mayor’s key staff to have an adequate working knowledge of the overall health situation in their locality.

These local officials should be able to guide not just themselves, but also the other partners in health such as the DOH, the province, the NGOs, and donor institutions like the EC and the USAID on local health priorities.

It is a sad and embarrassing story, if the local government officials, instead of leading the way, have to depend more on the dictates and prescriptions of other external health partners, because the LGU officials themselves are not aware of their own situation, and consequently, do not actually know what’s good for their respective constituencies.

Indeed, the challenge for LGUs looks quite overwhelming.

But if we sincerely wish to give the best kind of care and service to our people, and if only we put our minds to it, we would soon have in Pangasinan the healthiest group of Filipinos that ever lived in this country.

I must be dreaming again. But isn’t that why we are all here today, because we have big dreams for our people, because we have that bold vision of Pangasinan as the best place to live, to work, to invest, and to raise a family.

Why not? Let us all go ahead and dream big.

And guided by our dreams, let us move forward, and together conquer new ground, and reach greater heights of progress and prosperity for our people, and our beloved Pangasinan.

Good afternoon.

I really hope we will have a fruitful two-day interaction in this second Health Summit for the province of Pangasinan.

Friday, October 3, 2008

EC gives P 140M grant to Pangasinan for HealthGov

LINGAYEN--- The European Commission (EC), the world’s renowned funding institution, would be giving out a total of P140 million grant to the province of Pangasinan for five years up to 2010.

Ambassador Alistair MacDonald, in his speech during the opening of the two-day Pangasinan Health Summit, noted the efforts of the provincial government for making health care as its priority program.

“These sustained efforts have enabled us to channel more budgetary support for the province of Pangasinan,” Alistair stressed as he also recognized the province’s sustained good public finance management status.

“I salute the work of the province of Pangasinan not only in promoting effective and inclusive public health care across the province but also of its stable and good public-finance management which made our projects run smoothly,” he said.

The EC has started its development partnership with the Philippines in 1995 through the Department of Health carrying with a mission to strengthen health care across the country with Women’s Health and Safe Motherhood Program as its pioneer project.

He said that Pangasinan was among the 16 provinces in the country that benefitted from the P3 billion grant under the EC’s Health Sector Policy Support Programme, in support of the Department of Health’s FOURmula One for Health Strategy.

Alistair said the provincial government of Pangasinan under the leadership of Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. has already installed the “best health strategy” by way of identifying the “indigents” and have them enrolled in Philhealth.

“This is the best way to reach out the needy which gives them a great privilege to have a free access to quality health care services and facilities,” he stressed.

For her part, Dr. Aye Aye Thwin of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has commended the LGUs and local executives for joining in the health summit

“This summit is being made to jumpstart major initiatives of the province, cities and municipalities in strengthening their various roles and responsibilities to ensure continued health improvement for the people of Pangasinan,” she said.

Working on in Pangasinan since 1975, the USAID has been in the forefront in providing technical assistance to the province’s health care providers especially on maternal and neo-natal health care, tuberculosis, family planning, and child care programs.

Likewise, Dr. Thwin had congratulated the executive and legislative officials along with mayors and vice-mayors for supporting health services improvement by giving budget allocation to support these programs.

“With collaborative efforts among health stakeholders, it will not be long in coming when Pangasinan realizes its vision of being the best place to invest, to work, to live and raise a family,” she said reechoing Gov. Espino’s core vision for Pangasinan.

The 2nd Pangasinan Health Summit with a theme “Good Governance Leads to Good Health, Good Health is Good Governance” was facilitated by the Provincial Health Office headed by Dr. Jackson Soriano.

Held in Clark, Pampanga, the summit was attended by municipal mayors and vice mayors, municipal health officers, Sangguniang Bayan chairman on health, non-government organizations, coordinators of inter-local health zones, and chiefs of hospitals.

It was well-represented by the executive and legislative branch headed by Gov. Espino, Vice Gov. Marlyn-Primicias Agabas, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and departments heads. (Merly R. Tibalao/PIO)

Avian Flue-free Seminar Held

Pangasinan has always maintained its Avian Flu-free status however, with the continuing outbreak in the neighboring countries, Philippines is at high risk of the said disease.

Philippines and Singapore remains the only countries that have not yet been affected by Avian Flu.

With this, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in coordination with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) recently conducted a three-day Avian Influenza (AI) Contingency Planning /Formulation Workshop for the Province of Pangasinan to sustain its present status held at El Pescador Resort Hotel, Bolinao

Attended by 35 representatives from the different program key implementors, the group has been clustered to map out strategies for the Contingency Planning (CP) workshop to ensure a province wide preparedness on AI which complements the national efforts and enhance the LGUs capacity to respond rapidly and effectively in case of avian flu incursion in our province.
“It is better to plan when it is not needed than to have no plans when it is necessary”, Jommel Merano, Training Officer OCD-Central Office Training Division disclosed.

Avian Flu / Bird Flu is an infectious and contagious disease in chickens, ducks and other birds which can be transmitted from bird to bird, bird to human. Infected human can directly transmit the disease to another person.

Bird to human transmission are called the handlers who are in direct contact with the affected chickens while human to human is the most alarming as the transmission is faster.
As of Sept. 2008, there were 387 AI cases reported worldwide and out of it were 245 reported fatalities but of no human to human recorded cases.

Indonesia and Vietnam were the leading AI affected countries.

In case AI sets in our province, the AI Task Force will report cases, implement strict surveillance, monitoring and quarantine of AI affected birds and humans in order to reduce risk and spread of the disease.

Only the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) is authorized to confirm and declare Avian Flu outbreak.

A series of meeting has been scheduled for the finalization and approval of the drafted AI policies and contingency plans.

Among the sectors present during the workshop were the host agencies DA and OCD, Department of Health (DOH), Region I Medical Center (RIMC), PNRC, LGUs , National Government organizations and the different provincial offices led by the Office of the Veterinarian. (PIO/Chona C. Bugayong)

Gov. Espino wants Pangasinenses as Healthiest Filipinos

Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. bared that he wants Pangasinan to be the province of the healthiest Filipinos in this country.

The governor made this bold statement in his keynote address during the first Pangasinan Health Summit held last September 25-26 at Oxford Hotel in Clark Freeport Zone in Angeles, Pampanga.

“If we sincerely wish to give the best kind of care and service to our people, and if only we put our minds to it, we would soon have in Pangasinan the healthiest group of Filipinos that ever lived in this country, he said.

Gov. Espino has considered health and well-being of the Filipino people as his utmost priority.

During the summit, the governor said that he has put the provincial health program as the ultimate measure of his success on his first term as governor. “This is based on my firm belief that the most destitute person in our province is the poor man who is sick.”

The governor laid out what he has so far accomplished for attending to the health care of the people of Pangasinan.

He said that over the past 15 months, “the provincial government has exerted earnest efforts to achieve a universal enrolment of indigent families in Philhealth.

By the end of 2007, the province had enrolled 26,096 indigent families. As of September 22, 2008, the total number of certified indigent families enrolled solely by the provincial government has reached 84,088.

The selection of indigent families being used by the provincial government, according to the governor is the living standards survey or LSS, an instrument developed by the USAID to determine the economic status of families.

“In short, only certified indigent families are enrolled by the province, regardless of their political color, or party affiliation,” he said.

The governor also said that all the 14 provincial government-owned hospitals are now in various stages of rehabilitation and improvement.

“Each of them will have a separate birthing or neo-natal care facility, a better-equipped laboratory, an ultrasound unit, an ECG, a functional x-ray machine, among others.”

He bared that all wards, whether for pay or for charity, will be air-conditioned. “Who said that it is only the rich that deserve air-conditioned accommodations?”, he stressed.

“Our ultimate goal, among others, is to make sure that no pregnant woman will be left to deliver her baby at hom4, but instead will invariably receive competent care and attention in a government birthing facility.

Governor Espino also envisions to make the provincial hospital in San Carlos City as the benchmark for hospital operations in Pangasinan, even for the best private hospital in the province.

The PPH will soon have a dialysis center with 12 dialysis machines.

The governor said that there is also a need to strengthen the capability of the province to promote good health, and healthy lifestyles and practices, and to invest more in disease prevention through an aggressive public health program.
The health summit also serves the opportunity for Gov. Espino to thanked the European Community (EC), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Health (DOH) for including Pangasinan as one of the 16 beneficiaries for health assistance under the FOURmula One for Health Strategy.
FOURmula One supports the province in four aspects such as: services delivery, financing, regulation and good governance.
The support agencies already granted P17.7-million to the province wherein part of it was spent for local trainings and some will be used to further boost the renovation of 14 government-owned hospitals.
The first Pangasinan Health Summit is also funded by the European Community.
The EC and the DOH has allotted some P140-million grant for Pangasinan.
“The latest evaluation across the country reveals that Pangasinan ranked number two along with Eastern Samar in the overall implementation of the FOURmula One for Health Program,” the governor disclosed. (PIO)