P17-M set aside for equipment upgrade of Bayawan City district hospital
by: Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 13 (PIA) -- Recognizing the dire need to upgrade the facilities at the Bayawan City District Hospital, Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo has allocated a total of P17 million for the purchase of new hospital equipment and building renovation of the hospital.
This came as a result of the governor's visit to the local government unit (LGU) hospital on April 9 where he saw the status of the hospital's facilities and the number of patients seeking medical help.
The Bayawan District Hospital is a secondary level hospital with 125 beds and is currently undermanned.
By upgrading the Bayawan City District Hospital, Degamo believes this will help address the congestion problem at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital (NOPH) as patients from Bayawan City's neighboring LGUs will no longer feel the need to travel all the way to Dumaguete City to seek medical help at NOPH.
Bayawan City is a fifth class component city 102 kilometers away from the province's capital Dumaguete City where NOPH is located. (RMN/PIA-7 Negros Oriental)
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NegOr step up drive against TB
by: Jennifer Catan-Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, Apr 14 (PIA) Several mayors, lawmakers, and health officials in Negros Oriental are converging in Dumaguete today to intensify campaign against tuberculosis and launch the TB Sugpuin, Sama-sama Kayang-Kaya program.
The meeting, headed by the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Negros Oriental chapter, aims to ensure local chief executives’ support and commitment to work for the passage and implementation of ordinances that will improve TB program services and financing.
Mayor Reynaldo Tuanda, chapter president, said he hopes this can provide deeper understanding on TB particularly its magnitude and impact in their respective localities.
It is also hoped that the mayors and their health personnel will commit to support and sustain existing initiatives such as: provision of annual funding, capacity-building of all concerned key players, ensure DOTS accreditation, strengthen convergence of all stakeholders, among others, Tuanda said.
Gracing the occasion today are Gov. Roel Degamo; Vice Gov. Apolinario Arnaiz, Jr; Dir. Susana Mandarieta, DOH regional director; Dr. Edgardo Barredo, provincial health officer, Board Members, city and municipal health officers, mayors, and SB members.
The LMP has already achieved major milestones with its LGU-initiated TB control program dubbed as TB Sugpuin, Sama-sama, Kayang-kaya program.
To date, the TB program has been cascaded in 16 of the 18 priority provinces in the country through an approved LMP resolution pushing for the implementation of the TB Control Program. (PIA NegOr/JCT)
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Negor gov describes first 100 days "not a bed of roses"
by: Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 14 (PIA) --- As the first 100 days of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo comes to a halt, the governor, whose climb to the gubernatorial seat was one for the books, described his "honeymoon period" as "not a bed of roses."
Degamo faced the local media at the Capitol today during which he presented the highlights of his accomplishments since he took over the highest political seat in the province on January 5, 2011, following the consecutive demise of two governors before him- first, the late Gov. Emilio C. Macias II and his successor, the late Gov. Agustin Perdices.
Degamo called his honeymoon stage as "a period of frenzied activities." "It was one piled up on top of the other, to sum it up into one very hectic schedule," he said during the press conference.
The first 100 days of a political leader is traditionally called the "honeymoon" period, a transition stage marked by general good will between the elected official and his constituents.
Although his administration can still be considered in its infancy stage, Degamo said he has received more positive feedback from various sectors. "This tells me that we are moving in the right direction," he stressed.
After Degamo hastily took his oath after the unexpected demise of former Gov. Perdices, he hit the ground running as he tried to finish the programs left by his predecessors and at the same time come up with his own program of government.
On March 31, the governor launched the "Sa Probinsya, MagDEGAMO Ta!", a program hinged on his centerpiece program of government dubbed HELP or Health, Education, Livelihood Programs.
Under HELP, several projects are now underway the Governor outlined in his speech, foremost of which is the construction of 29 additional classrooms, upgrading of the six community primary hospitals, construction of support infrastructures for local tourist spots, among others.
The governor added that he intends to finish the infrastructure projects started by his predecessors.
About 70 projects are currently ongoing amounting to some 46 million pesos, some of which were programmed and funded during the term of former Gov. Macias.
Degamo vowed to triple his efforts for the next days under his administration. “As your governor, I want to see all of you live a healthy, peaceful and happy life,” he said. (RMN/PIA-7Negros Oriental)
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NegOr government seeks private partnership for hotel completion
by: Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 14 (PIA) --- The provincial government of Negros Oriental is currently looking at striking a partnership with the private sector for the completion of the Negros Oriental Hotel and Restaurant.
Degamo, in a press conference after his First 100 Days speech at the Capitol today, said he has earmarked P3 million for the ongoing hotel construction.
But the hotel will need around P50 million more to complete its construction.
The governor said that he is open to private entities who might be interested in pouring in funds for the hotel's completion as well as oversee the management of the Negros Oriental Convention Center. "I don't want these buildings to end up being a white elephnt," said Degamo.
Degamo plans to form an Economic Enterprise Office that will look into how the provincial government will manage its income-generating facilities.
The four-floor, 45-room hotel was started in 2006 under the administration of then governor and now Second District Cong. George P. Arnaiz.
Capitol Information Officer Adrian Sedillo said that when former Gov. Emilio C. Macias stepped in after the administration of now Cong. Arnaiz, the total amount needed for the hotel completion was pegged at P100 million.
Then Gov. Macias sunk around P58 million into the hotel's construction under his term, said Sedillo.
Over the years, the hotel's construction work thrived on sporadic funding allotment from the provincial government, even as the latter continues to pay the loan it earlier availed from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to start said construction.
The provincial government in 2004 entered into a loan agreement with DBP for P150M which bankrolled the construction of the now completed Negros Oriental Convention Center worth P120M while the rest of the money kicked off the construction of the hotel and restaurant. (RMN/PIA-7 Negros Oriental)