Minors recruited for work saved at Dumaguete Port
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 12 (PIA) -- Security personnel at the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) here rescued five minors from illegal recruitment at the Dumaguete City port on March 29, 2012.
The minors aged 14 to 16 years old were about to board the Manila-bound Superferry vessel when they were intercepted by guards from Lockheed Security group, a security agency contracted by the PPA.
The port police stopped the minors, one of whom is a deaf-mute, from boarding the ship after they noticed that there was no adult accompanying the minors.
The PPA police, under the supervision of PP/SInsp. Cenando Catalan who heads the port’s operations, immediately rounded up the minors after they failed to present pertinent documents such as identification cards that will verify their age.
Local Labor and Employment Officer Sandra Delfin of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) here said the PPA police immediately called them to interview the minors for age verification and to determine if they were victims of illegal recruitment.
“We were able to confirm that these minors were illegally recruited to work in Manila,” Delfin told the Philippine Information Agency here in an interview.
The minors claimed that they were promised babysitting jobs in Manila.
They were turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Tanjay City, said Delfin.
DOLE is now eyeing to implement livelihood programs in Brgy. Azagra where the minors live.
“These programs will not only be for the families of the rescued minors but also for others in their village that might possibly fall victim to illegal recruiters,” she said.
Delfin said the Visayan Forum also pledged to provide educational supplies for the rescued minors if they decide to go back to school.
Visayan Forum is a non-government organization that is actively involved in protecting victims of human trafficking, forced labor and other modern-day forms of slavery.
Delfin, who is also DOLE’s focal person on child labor here, said there is a need for local governments to craft ordinances to prevent the illegal recruitment of minors in their areas.
“There should be an ordinance either by the provincial board or the local government units that will require minors to seek clearance from DSWD if they will travel without an adult,” she said. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental)
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149 health workers under RN Heals deployed to Negros Oriental
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 12 (PIA) -- A total of 149 healthcare workers were recently deployed to hospitals and other health facilities in the local government units in Negros Oriental under the Registered Nurses for Health Empowerment (RN Heals) program of the Department of Health (DOH).
Of the total, 107 are nurses and 42 are midwives, according to data provided by DOH-Cebu.
RN Heals and local service is implemented by DOH to address the shortage of skilled and experienced nurses in the country. This is the third batch of midwives and nurses that were deployed in the province under said program.
Dispatched to the province earlier were 48 nurses and 59 midwives under Batch 2, and 102 nurses under Batch 1.
Prior to their deployment, the nurses and midwives attended an orientation conducted by DOH in coordination with PhilHealth in Cebu City.
A statement from PhilHealth said the two-day pre-deployment orientation also familiarized the health workers on PhilHealth-related concerns that they are likely to encounter in their assigned areas.
“As part of the broad objectives of Universal Health Care, RN Heals nurses and midwives are expected to take note and report on patients’ PhilHealth membership status,” said the PhilHealth statement in Cebu.
DOH is also partnering with the Department of Social Welfare and Development in organizing the deployment of the RN Heals midwives and nurses to ensure the delivery social services to all Filipinos. (RMN-PIA Negros Oriental)
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Dumaguete City, NegOr to host Philippine National Games
DUMAGUETE CITY, April 12 (PIA) -- Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental will host this year’s Philippine National Games on May 26 to June 3 with a P25 million budget from the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
PSC Commissioner Jolly Gomez said the sporting event will have 25 different games with over 5,000 national athletes, officials and coaches participating.
In a coordination meeting with local officials recently, Gomez said the host city and province will have minimal expenses by providing police personnel in the games' venues for security of the participants; health or medical services; and some janitorial services in the different play venues.
However, some 2,000 student volunteers will be hired to assist the working committees during the event.
Gomez said economic activities during the eight-day sports event is expected to increase. He asked tourism-related businesses such as food, hotels, transportation, among others to prepare for the influx of visitors.
Dumaguete City mayor Manuel Sagarbarria said the city is closely working with the province to discuss the needed preparations for the event and with the Philippine National Police for the safety and security of the participants and guests.
The city government is also coordinating with the Department of Education (DepEd) as some of the schools will be used as venues for games and accommodations.
The PNG is the number one competition for Philippine sports as venue to choose the top athletes for the country to represent international sports. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)