CSC chief inspects employee evaluation system in Dumaguete

by Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 6 (PIA) --- The chief of the Civil Service Commission recently paid a visit to Dumaguete City Hall to observe the city government's implementation of the new performance evaluation system. 

CSC Commissioner Mary Ann Fernandez-Mendoza, in her visit to Dumaguete City on July 1, 2011, stopped by the Dumaguete City Hall and met with Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria and the city government's human resources division personell to check on the local implementation of the Philippine Government System-Performance Management System Office-Performance Evaluation System (PGS-PMS-OPES).

According to Benette Jan Javier, in charge of PMS-OPES in Dumaguete City, the city government adopted the new evaluation system early this year. "The system was launched in September last year but we started adopting it in January this year," she told the Philippine Information Agency in an interview. 

Javier explained that the PGS-PMS-OPES is a more effective evaluation system that uses scorecards to keep track of the quantifiable and non-quantifiable functions of each state worker related to his or her job. "It contributes to the productivity of each employee as it makes us more conscious of what we do in the office each day," she said. 

These new system is now being used by the nearly 2,000 city government workers, including the casual and permanent employees, in the 23 departments at the Dumaguete City Hall. 

Under the PGS-PMS-OPES, each staff can earn points that will help augment his pay. "The more points an employee earns, the higher his or her chances for a step increment and an augmented salary grade but with qualifications," stressed Javier. 

Each employee at the Dumaguete City government is given a target of 1,166 points for one year. 

Personell who fail to meet their required points will receive a reprimand for first offense and another chance to meet his outputs for second offense. "Third offense, however, will mean dismissal," she added.

According to the CSC website, the new system was developed following a re-assessment of the existing performance evaluation system, resulting to a "new strategy that will establish a culture of performance and accountability in the bureaucracy." (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)

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Sec. Ona assures health for all Filipinos
by Jennifer Catan-Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY,  July 5 (PIA) Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Enrique Ona disclosed that the 5.2 million Filipino poor families will now be enrolled with PhilHealth under the government’s health care program dubbed as “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan” or health for all Filipinos.

Secretary Ona led other DOH officials from regions 6, 7 and 8 at a Universal Health Care Conference held in Dumaguete City yesterday.

In a press conference, Dr. Ona said the government has to subsidize the minimum premium of P100 for the   more than 5 million impoverished Filipinos who do not have access to critical health services.

 “Every Filipinos must have access the essential health care at a cost that is affordable under PhilHealth law,” said Ona.

The Health Secretary expects to register all identified poor families with government health insurance before this year ends.

For this year, DOH allocated P3.5 billion as its counterpart in the enrollment of poor families in PhilHealth and with the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, the national government has a potential to provide Philhealth coverage to more 5 million Filipino families, Secretary Ona said.

The government’s aggressive health care program aims to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by improving and strengthen Rural Health Units (RHUs) facilities and reduce maternal mortality.

Ona also noted the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) makes healthcare more efficient in delivering universal healthcare. 

With P350 million funding for DOH-IT intends to utilize ICT, like Telehealth, which uses tools such as SMS for remote consultations, said Ona. 

The National Telehealth Project, which was initiated by the University of the Philippines, Manila National Telehealth Center (UPM-NTC), is seen as an ideal partnership between healthcare and technology, which would enable doctors to remotely diagnose patients in rural and far-flung communities. (PIA NegOr/JCT)

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DOST promotes alternative composting technology for LGUs

by Rachelle M. Nessia

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 5 (PIA) --- A low-cost and more environment-friendly technology for solid waste management is now being pushed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for local government units (LGUs). 

The Bioreactor Technolody developed by the Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI), a research and development branch under DOST, promises to generate savings of as much as P700,000 for LGUs compared to sanitary landfill costs. 

"Our composting technology will save the LGUs lots of money because it consumes lesser electrical power, requires very low solid inoculant requirements and can be operated by fewer personnel," explained Engr. Romeo Cabacang, chief of ITDI's environment and biotechnology division, during a seminar on ecological solid waste management held June 30, 2011 at BethelGuesthouse, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. 

Cabacang said the bioreactor facility has a faster composting process, converting biodegradable solid wastes such as spoiled or wilted vegetable and fruit peels into quality organic fertilizer. "You can use this compost to grow vegetable crops and other high-valued products," he told the seminar's participants composed chiefly of representatives from LGUs and members of the Dumaguete City Solid Waste Management Board. 

The technology will contribute much to addressing the LGU's problems on solid waste, which Cabacang said accounts for 52 percent of the solid wastes produced by the localities. 

"Waste segregation is becoming a challenge for us. Until now, we have yet to succeed with segregation efforts so many years after the solid waste management law has been enacted," he stressed. 

RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act was signed into law in 2000 but records from the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) show that compliance of the law's provisions among LGUs in the provinces remain low. 

Engr. Gilbert Arbon, provincial science and technology officer of DOST, said he has already offered said composting technology to Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria. "The mayor was positive to the this idea. The technology and the composting equipment will probably be put up at the Candau-ay Dumpsite area," he disclosed. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)

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Anti-smoking campaign requires political will
by Jennifer Catan-Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY, July 5 (PIA)  “The political will of a chief executive is the key to a successful implementation of the government’s anti-smoking campaign,” cited Amlan Municipal Mayor Bentham dela Cruz.

Speaking in a media workshop on tobacco control advocacy, Mayor dela Cruz stressed that local leaders should take the lead in the drive against smoking from drafting the ordinance until the implementation of the law.

Massive information drive on the fight against smoking should be done in the barangay level as smokers are getting younger and lung cancer, which is linked to smoking, ranks among the top ten causes of deaths among Filipino males, stressed Amlan Mayor. 

Amlan received the Red Orchid Awards of the Department of Health (DOH) and World Health Organization (WHO) a citation given to local government units (LGUs) for initiating an aggressive anti-smoking campaign. 

While the Department of Health (DOH) Region 7 cited Negros Oriental has the most positive response towards the Anti-Smoking Program among the four provinces in Central Visayas.

Aside from Amlan, the towns of Zamboanguita, Ayungon and Mabinay have also enforcing a smoking ban base on its local ordinances.

Under R.A 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, smoking tobacco is prohibited in public places such as: centers of children and youth activity such as schools, playgrounds, recreational facilities and youth hostels; elevators and stairwells; locations with fire hazards such as gas stations; hospitals and health centers, medical and dental facilities; public conveyances and public facilities such as airports, trains and bus stations except those with separate smoking areas; and, food and beverages preparation areas.

“Public conveyances” are defined as modes of transport servicing the general population such as, but not limited to, “elevators, airplanes, buses, taxicabs, ships, jeepneys, light rail transits, tricycles, and similar vehicles.”

The DOH campaign is not against smokers but that the need to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke is a right and that there should be a proper place for smokers that will not put at risk public health, dela Cruz said.

Accordingly, the provincial health department lines-up activities to launch the smoke-free local government units in Dumaguete City, Bindoy, Jimalalud and Amlan on July 12, 13, 14, and 17, respectively.