Dumaguete health office warns public of heat stroke and dehydration
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 19 (PIA) -- The Dumaguete City Health Office has warned the public to take extra protection against heat stroke and dehydration due to extreme exposure to the heat of the sun this summer.
According to City Health Officer, Dr. Maria Sarah Talla, people are suffering from high temperature especially during summer season that may lead to heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses.
Heat stroke occurs when the body overheats due to the hot and humid weather and too much direct exposure to the sun which can be fatal.
Talla also warned the residents of having prickly heat or rashes because of hot weather and the clogging of sweat glands.
Too much heat exposure may also suffer dehydration that creates nausea, vomiting, weakness, headache and fatigue and sometimes increased respiratory rate, rapid pulse and strange behavior, said Talla.
To avoid summer heat illnesses, Talla advised the public to bring umbrellas or hats to cover their bodies and heads when outside their homes and offices.
Drink a lot of water to replenish what has been lost through their sweat and avoid physical activity for long exposure under the heat of sun, wear loose clothing with light color materials to circulate air in the body, she added.
Usually the elderly, infants, workers and athletes who are excessively exposed under the sun are at risk of heat stroke, the health official said. (RMN/JCT-PIA7 Negros Oriental)
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KALAHI-CIDSS to complement services of Pantawid Pamilya
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 19 (PIA) -- With the national government’s poverty reduction program KALAHI-CIDSS expanding to Negros Oriental this year, the beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya in the towns covered will see more improvements in their areas especially in infrastructure.
KALAHI-CIDSS or Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services aims to fund the construction of priority infrastructure projects in its coverage areas.
All 11 towns to benefit from KALAHI-CIDSS in Negros Oriental are also covered by the Pantawid Pamilya program, DSWD-7 Deputy Regional Project Manager Marilou Gallarde told the Philippine Information Agency in an interview.
Said towns are Ayungon, Bindoy, Jimalalud, Manjuyod, Vallehermoso, Mabinay, Basay, Dauin, Sta. Catalina, Pamplona, and Zamboanguita.
This will complement the social services already being carried out by Pantawid Pamilya or 4Ps, another anti-poverty program employed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Gallarde said.
One of the criteria set for a municipality to qualify for KALAHI-CIDSS is poverty incidence of 33 percent and above, similar to that of Pantawid Pamilya.
“KALAHI-CIDSS will support the social services that our 4Ps beneficiaries are already enjoying under Pantawid Pamilya,” said Gallarde.
She explained with 4Ps giving financial aid to send the recipients’ children to school, KALAHI-CIDSS can help provide classrooms or school buildings to give them easier educational access.
According to her, other projects that may be built under said program are day care centers, health stations, farm-to-market roads, solar dryers, and even access to electricity.
“These are support facilities that will further augment the living conditions of the Pantawid beneficiaires,” said Gallarde.
Mayors of the 11 towns identified to benefit from KALAHI-CIDSS signed on Tuesday a memorandum of agreement with DSWD, signaling the start of the poverty alleviation program in their areas.
For the first six months after the MOA signing, a rigorous “social preparation” process will be carried out in the barangays of said towns.
“This process involves educating the communities on how to identify the project that is most needed by their barangay,” said Gallarde.
Six barangay assemblies with 80 percent of the households in attendance are required before a village can finalize and submit a priority project for funding under KALAHI-CIDSS.
A municipal inter-barangay forum will then follow in every town during which each barangay will present and pitch their priority project.
A total budget of P103,050,000 is allocated for Negros Oriental under KALAHI-CIDSS.
Out of the total, the funding for each town for each year will be based on the following formula: P450,000 multiplied by the town’s number of barangays. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
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DTI, NOCCI, SU ink deal for FTA partnership
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 19 (PIA) --- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) inked a partnership with Negros Oriental Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (NOCCI), and Silliman University (SU) for the effective collaboration on Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (DBFTA for local entrepreneurs.
DTI, NOCCI and SU formally signed the memorandum of understanding Wednesday to signify their support in the conduct of education campaign among businesses and students on the benefits of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and how to apply tariff rates for specific products.
Bureau of Export Trade Promotion Senen Perlada of DTI said that while the Philippines is already implementing a number of FTAs, it was observed that many local businessmen have not been able to take full advantage of them.
Perlada said DTI is conducting the campaign to improve the utilization of FTAs and to assist and expand the export performance in the province as well as in the country.
SU representative Cleonico Fontelo expressed his support in the business undertakings with DTI as part of SU’s continuing education to make the students aware on DBFTA through feasibility studies and incorporate them in the curriculum.
For his part, Edward Du of NOCCI encouraged the existing local exporters in sugar and food industries in Negros Oriental to avail of the opportunity presented by FTAs, particularly on products with reduced tariffs under existing agreements.
The Philippine Trade Training Center in cooperation with NOCCI scheduled a series of trainings for stakeholders in the province to increase awareness as well as expand the program on the benefits and procedures for availment of FTA. (rmn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)