The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) bagged two bronze awards in the 2020 Asia Pacific Stevie Awards.

Post from The BCDA Group

HAPPY NEWS! We are pleased to announce that the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) bagged two bronze awards in the 2020 Asia Pacific Stevie Awards.

Winning under the category "Award for Innovation in Annual Reports" is the BCDA 2018 Annual Report themed "Clark. It Works. Like A Dream."

https://bit.ly/2Or2tTO

The other win is for the BCDA newsletter, "Collective," which won bronze in the category "Award for Innovation in Government Publications."

https://bcda.gov.ph/newsletter

The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, widely considered to be the world's premier business awards, is the only business awards program to recognize innovation in the workplace in all 29 nations of the Asia-Pacific region. For more details on the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, visit http://Asia.Stevieawards.com/

COVID positives to be provided medical care, assistance in quarantine centers under ‘Oplan Kalinga’

Posted by THE BCDA GROUP on THURSDAY, 16 JULY 2020

The government’s “Oplan Kalinga” is being implemented precisely to “take care” of COVID-positive patients by providing them with medical treatment and assistance in designated quarantine facilities, and to reduce community transmission of the virus, National Action Plan Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vince Dizon said Thursday.

“In order to curb the spread of the virus in our communities, especially in densely populated communities, which is a significant portion of our area in our big cities like Metro Manila, we need to make sure that those who test positive for the virus are isolated from other people especially their loved ones who can easily be infected,” Dizon said in an interview.

“This is meant to take care not only of our kababayans who are going to get sick, but most importantly, take care of their loved ones and the community at large,” he stressed.

He said Oplan Kalinga was already implemented in Navotas and Malabon, and almost 100 COVID-positive patients are now being taken care of at quarantine facilities.

Dizon allayed fears on Oplan Kalinga, saying the local government units and barangay health workers are the ones who will be referring and transporting COVID-positive patients to designated quarantine facilities, with the assistance of law enforcement units.

“It’s not true that the way this will be implemented is for policemen to be knocking on doors and picking people up from their homes. That is absolutely false. I want to assure everybody that that is not what’s going to happen,” he said.

“We are asking all of our citizens, huwag kayo matatakot dahil para sa inyo ito at para ito sa kapakanan ng inyong mahal sa buhay,” Dizon said.

COVID-positive patients with mild symptoms or are asymptomatic can undergo home quarantine provided that they can be isolated in a separate bedroom, they have their own bathroom, and they are not living with vulnerable individuals.

Dizon also emphasized that one of the most important factors in the fight against COVID-19 is still basic discipline in wearing masks, good hygiene, and practicing physical distancing.

“We have to enforce these standards on our people and we have to communicate with them that we need to do this. Our people have to take the responsibility of fighting COVID-19 to ourselves. We have to be responsible in really making sure that we protect ourselves and other people, especially the vulnerable,” he said.

SAFELY BACK HOME. Close to 400 Overseas Filipino Workers have arrived at the Clark International Airport on Wednesday, July 22.

Post from The BCDA Group

Close to 400 Overseas Filipino Workers have arrived at the Clark International Airport on Wednesday, July 22. This week, 1,008 repatriates have been accommodated at the airport and tested upon arrival. They are currently under quarantine in Clark while awaiting for results, and will be sent home once they test negative. The OFWs flew in from Singapore, South Korea and Dubai. Swab samples collected from the repatriates will be processed at the JB Lingad Memorial Center, and test results will be available within 72 hours.

Assistant Secretary for Project Implementation - Mindanao Cluster Eymard D. Eje donated 160 sets of personal protective equipment (PPE) gowns.

Post from Department of Transportation - Philippines

PATULOY ANG BAYANIHAN!

Lubos po ang aming pasasalamat kay Assistant Secretary for Project Implementation - Mindanao Cluster Eymard D. Eje sa kanyang handog na 160 sets ng personal protective equipment (PPE) gowns.

Napakalaking tulong po ang inyong donasyon para sa ating medical frontliners sa Kagawaran na masigasig na naglilingkod upang pagsilbihan ang ating mga kapwa-empleyado sa kabila ng matinding banta ng COVID-19 pandemic.

Ang DOTr, sa pangunguna ni Secretary Arthur Tugade, ay buong-pusong nagpapasalamat, Asec Eymard, sa inyong ginintuang kalooban.

Maraming maraming salamat po!

Residents get disaster-resilient homes, training, livelihood opportunities

Published July 20, 2020, 3:20 PM

by Danny Estacio

A total of 86 families relocated from high-risk coastal areas to a new, disaster-resilient and sustainable housing development built for them by San Miguel Corporation (SMC), and will be getting more than just a new start in life: they have also remained coronavirus disease (COVID-19) free – in large part due to the measures taken by SMC to make sure they are safe amid the pandemic. (Photo courtesy of SMC / MANILA BULLETIN)

SARIAYA, Quezon – A total of 86 families relocated from high-risk coastal areas to a new, disaster-resilient and sustainable housing development built for them by San Miguel Corporation (SMC), and will be getting more than just a new start in life: they have also remained coronavirus disease (COVID-19) free – in large part due to the measures taken by SMC to make sure they are safe amid the pandemic.

The development, called the San Miguel-Christian Gayeta Homes, sits on a 5.4-hectare area in Sitio Curba, Barangay Castanas, and has benefited from the full assistance of SMC throughout the pandemic. It was built in partnership with the local government.

SMC, which has led private-sector efforts to help the Philippines deal with the crisis, had put in place strict health and safety protocols, including the installation of handwashing stations, equipping guards with thermal scanners, and mandating the wearing of face masks.

It also provided regular food supplies to residents to reduce their need to go to the market and risk exposure to the virus.

“Mabuti na lang at nakalipat kami dito sa San Miguel-Gayeta Homes bago dumating yung pandemya, dahil maganda yung lugar at naalagaan kami dito,” said Larry Eborde, 38, one of the early settlers in the new community.

Eborde used to work as a tile setter in Manila, but quit his job before the lockdown to be with his family. Together with neighbors Jojit Magsino and Edin Corral, they co-own the fish store near the village gate.

Prior to the move, Eborde and his family lived along the coastal area, which was classified as a hazard zone as it exposed settlers not only to the elements but also to flooding or inundation, due to high tides.

Apart from gaining safety and security, families like Eborde’s also now have properties and homes under their names.

SMC is building a total of 450 homes—all titled properties—for relocates. The company, which is building an integrated agro-industrial zone with port facilities in the coastal area — has already, completed 300 units, with the remaining 150 currently under construction. 

It started distributing the house-and-lot packages–with corresponding land titles–for free to qualified relocatees last year.

“Napaka swerte ng Sariaya dahil sa pagdating ng San Miguel.  Hiniling ko kay Boss Ramon Ang na walang babayaran ang mga dapat lumipat sa subdivision. Nagpapasalamat ako ng sobra sobra sa tulong na ito ng San Miguel sa aking mga kababayan,” said Sariaya Mayor Marcelo Gayeta.

Each residence at the San Miguel-Gayeta Homes has a lot area of 54 square meters, with built homes that can fit a bedroom, toilet and bathroom, kitchen, and dining area.

All houses are being constructed using “Green Tough” (GT) panels, designed and manufactured by Fadz Design and Construction, Inc., to be far better than conventional concrete and hollow-block houses.

The panels are termite-proof, sound- and heat- insulated, wind-proof, earthquake-proof, and environment-friendly.

“This village is our way of ensuring that relocatees from the coastal area will have good homes that they can pass on to their children. San Miguel has had a lot of experience building large housing communities that we’ve donated for disaster victims all over the country. We have used that experience to try to develop a comfortable, sustainable, and disaster-resilient village here—especially since the residents are coming from a danger zone,” said SMC President Ramon S. Ang.

The community, which was built following Housing Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) standards, has its own overhead water tank with 136,000-liter capacity, a dedicated sewage treatment plant made of natural reed beds, a multi-purpose hall, park, daycare center, and clinic.

The new community is within easy reach of schools (Castanas National High School and Castanas Elementary School), local government centers, services, and business opportunities.

SMC has also taken the extra step to give adult residents who did not finish high school a chance to do so, and become entrepreneurs through the government’s Alternative Learning System (ALS).

News from mb.com.ph

RP’s next agri-aqua industrial business corridor to rise in MM soon

Post from www.da.gov.ph

Author Author: DA Communications Group | 20 July 2020

The Department of Agriculture is set to transform the City of Taguig as another “Agri-Aqua Industrial Business Corridor,” which targets to enhance farmers’ productivity and boost the national economy at the same time.

“With all the existing facilities now by the Laguna Lake, I see a bigger potential for Taguig,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said on July 20.

He added that the city could be the gateway to Metro Manila in many ways with the whole of Laguna Lake as a major ecosystem that needs to be rehabilitated to support aquaculture and be developed in a sustainable fashion.

“Farmers and fisherfolk from Rizal and Laguna could come directly to Taguig using their boats to bring their products and see to it that we have all the cold storages, the warehouses, and of course the open markets for people to come in a big way,” Secretary Dar said.

Bigger plans for Taguig City were identified during the signing of Memorandum of Agreement for the Urban Agriculture Project (UAP) and meeting for the Multi-Agency Agricultural Government Assistance Program (MAAGAP) Para sa Kinabukasan sa Taguig on July 20, 2020.

According to the secretary, MAAGAP is just Phase 1 of a bigger concept of an agri-aqua industrial business corridor.

“Let’s build up from here and plan for bigger than what we have today,” he said.

Under the overarching framework for a food-secured and the resilient Philippines with prosperous farmers and fisherfolk, the program applies the ‘New Thinking in Philippine Agriculture” and explores rural-urban symbiosis and public-private community partnerships.

Specifically, the UAP and MAAGAP for Taguig aim at enhancing urban food security and nutrition, providing an additional source of income through processing and improving efficiencies in the food value chain, addressing social integration of vulnerable communities, and contributing to urban ecological management.

Taguig City Mayor Lino Cayetano committed to supporting the DA’s vision for food and water security. He also presented the city’s plan for supporting its agriculture and fisheries sector for sustainability.

House Speaker and Taguig City–Pateros Representative Alan Peter Cayetano and Taguig Representative Maria Laarni Cayetano, who were at the event, also expressed their support for the agriculture sector.

Taguig City will be next to the New Clark City, which is set to host the country’s first agri-aqua industrial business corridor. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)

Dedicated port in Borac Coron

News from Department of Transportation - Philippines

NOON, walang dedicated port ang Borac sa Coron, Palawan, kaya kung saan-saan lang humihimpil ang mga bangka at iba pang sasakyang pandagat mula at papunta sa lugar.

Upang magbigay ng mas maayos, mas maginhawa at mas ligtas na paraan para sa mga pumapasok at lumalabas sa isla, sinimulan ang port development project dito noong Nobyembre 2018.

NGAYON, dahil sa pagsisikap ng Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) sa pamumuno ni GM Jay Daniel Santiago, sa ilalim ng paggabay ni Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade, may bagong pantalan ng maipagmamalaki ang Borac.

Ang pantalan ay 100% COMPLETE na, gayundin ang back-up area nito. May naka-install na rin na mooring at fender system, upang maiwasan ang pagkasira ng pantalan at mga sasakyang pandagat na hihimpil dito.

Dahil dito, tiyak na aangat ang antas ng kalakal at turismo sa lugar.

Opisyal na natapos ang proyekto noong Nobyembre 2019. Pinasinayaan na rin ito ‘virtually’ noong ika-12 ng Hunyo 2020.

Salary grade of entry-level nurses raised

Mary Grace Padin (The Philippine Star ) - July 19, 2020 - 12:00am

A health worker prepares a swabbing booth for mass COVID testing at a Quezon City hospital. A pay upgrade for entry-level nurses in public hospitals gives them a salary of P32,053-P34,801 from the previous P22,316-P24,391.

MANILA, Philippines – Entry-level nurses working in public hospitals and health institutions will now enjoy higher pay after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) raised their salary grade.

Last Friday, Budget Sec. Wendel Avisado issued Budget Circular 2020-4, upgrading the pay of entry-level nurses to Salary Grade (SG)-15 from SG-11.

This means entry-level nurses in public hospitals are now entitled to a salary of P32,053 to P34,801, from a previous wage of P22,316 to P24,391, based on DBM National Budget Circular No. 579.

The adjustment shall be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2020, the date of effectivity of the circular, according to the DBM.

It covers all nurse positions, whether regular, casual or contractual in nature, full-time or part-time, in national government agencies, including state universities and colleges and state corporations, as well as local government units (LGUs) covered by the Compensation and Position Classification System (CPCS) under Republic Act (RA) No. 6758 or the Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989.

However, nurses in government agencies exempted from RA 6758 and implementing their own CPCS are excluded from the coverage of the circular.

With the upgrade of the salary grade for Nurse I positions, the DBM also modified the position attributes of other nurses.

Nurse II positions that previously had a salary grade of 15 are now under SG-17. Nurse III positions were also upgraded to SG-19 from SG-17, Nurse IV to SG-20 from SG-19, Nurse V to SG-22 from SG-20, and Nurse VI to SG-24 from SG-22.

According to the DBM, the new circular is pursuant to Section 32 of RA 9173 or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, which provides a minimum base pay of not lower than SG-15 for nurses working in public health institutions.

This provision was upheld by the Supreme Court in its “Ang NARS Party-list, et. al. vs. The Executive Secretary, et. al.” decision on Dec. 13, 2019, making it final and executory.

The DBM said national government agencies may source the salary upgrade against their available Personnel Services allotments.

“In case of deficiency, the agency may submit a request to the DBM for the release of funds chargeable against the MPBF (Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund),” the agency said.

For government-owned and controlled corporations, the amount required shall be charged against their respective approved corporate operating budgets.

For LGUs, the funding requirement shall be sourced exclusively from their funds, subject to the Personnel Services limitation in their budgets.

“Such amount shall be provided for in an appropriations ordinance to be enacted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan/Panlungsod/Bayan,” it added.

News from: www.philstar.com

JCI Manila launches Medical Clinic For Peace project in Talaingod

Published on July 17, 2020

By Rudolph Ian Alama

DAVAO CITY- Junior Chamber International (JCI) Manila, in partnership with  JCI Davaoeña Daba-Daba  has launched its Medical Clinic For Peace project in the far-flung town of Talaingod, province of Davao del Norte.

The project aims to build one whole health facility consisting of at least two prefabricated container vans that will cater to first aid and emergency response. This will provide medical assistance to the indigenous community in the town as they are located far from a major medical facility.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held at the site in the morning of July 13, 2020 in Talaingod. Attending the launch were JCI Daba-daba president Samantha Sasin, JCI Daba-Daba vice-president for community Angel Angliongto and JCI Daba-Daba director for business and community Jiill Chua.

According to Jet Tatel, project chairman of JCI Manila, the medical clinic is seen as an answer to the serious medical needs of the IPs (indigenous peoples) in the area. Considered as a doctorless community, the nearest medical care is hours away from their villages.

“We would like to give special thanks to a lot of our partners namely AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), Department of Health, UNILAB, Jardesign Construction Services, Angliongto Investment & Dev. Co.inc, and Trade- to-Donate Community who made this possible and will continue to make this a reality,” Tatel said.

In line with the project, they will be organizing an online fundraising concert dubbed as MUSIKARAMAY on August 15, 2020, at 7:00 p.m. and will be aired on the JCI Manila Facebook page.

Those interested to support the Talaingod medical clinic for peace project through monetary donations or in-kind and for any questions about the endeavor, they can contact Jet Tatel of JCI Manila (09778224145) or Celine Del Monte of JCI Davaoeña Daba-daba (09165719943).

Junior Chamber International is a global socio-civic organization composed of young active citizens who want to improve their leadership in the context of sustainable positive impact in society.

Several JCI organizations have lent help to several IP communities in Davao del Norte. Another JCI chapter, JCI Duwaling was part of the whole-of-nation approach that assisted the very remote Sitio Tapayanon community in Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte.

(PIA/RG Alama)

DOST okays clinical trials for lagundi as COVID therapeutic Published July 18, 2020, 4:44 PM

Published July 18, 2020, 4:44 PM

by Dhel Nazario

Clinical trials for “lagundi” as a COVID-19 therapeutic or supplement have been approved by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD).

DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said that the University of the Philippines (UP)-Manila Research Ethics Board has also provided the ethics clearance.

The DOST started in April studying the effectiveness of certain herbal medicines against COVID-19.  Researchers repurposed existing medications or supplements with anti-viral properties such as lagundi and tawa-tawa. 

Tawa-tawa is known as a supplement for dengue, while lagundi is widely used as a cough remedy.

“Alam naman natin na yung lagundi ay tanggap na yan bilang gamot sa ubo, sa mga respiratory ailments at yan ang kauna-unahang halamang gamot na nacommercialize through a DOST research as early as the late 80s (We all know that lagundi has been accepted as a cough remedy as well as for respiratory ailments and is the first herbal medicine commercialized by the DOST as early as the late 80s),” the secretary said.

In an interview last month, Dela Pena said: “You can create new formulations with lagundi and tawa-tawa. Even tough it has evidence in treating other diseases, we will be making a different formulation.” 

The clinical trials will be conducted by the UP-Philippine General Hospital. 

Meanwhile, the application for clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the conduct of the trials is still ongoing according to the agency.

Meanwhile, Secretary Dela Pena said that tawa-tawa, a supplement for dengue, has also been approved by the DOST-PCHRD but has no clearance yet from UP Manila. 

News from mb.com.ph

DPWH is currently constructing dormitories for medical frontliners at the Ormoc City Health Office.

Post from DPWH Secretary Mark Villar

DPWH is currently constructing dormitories for medical frontliners at the Ormoc City Health Office.

Lung Center Receives Dorms Built by DPWH for Medical Personnel

Post from Department of Public Works and Highways and www.dpwh.gov.ph

Lung Center Receives Dorms Built by DPWH for Medical Personnel

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark A. Villar announced that medical personnel of the Lung Center of the Philippines will now have a temporary shelter within the hospital compound in Quezon City.

Secretary Villar said that the government has helped alleviate the daily operational challenges of healthcare workers of the Lung Center of Philippines by providing two (2) units of ‘We Heal As One Offsite Dormitory for Medical Personnel’.

The fully furnished offsite dormitories were officially turned over Friday, July 17 by Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain representing Secretary Villar to the management of Lung Center of the Philippines represented by Deputy Executive Director for Medical Services Sullian Sy-Naval and Deputy Executive Director for Hospital Support Services Dr. Victoria C. Idolor.

The preparation of the plan, construction management, and supervision of the completed dormitories were undertaken by the DPWH Task Force to Facilitate Augmentation of Local and National Healthcare Facilities headed by Undersecretary Sadain.

Also present in the turnover of the built facilities are LCP Dr. Gloanne C. Adolor of the Management Services and Dr. Antonio B. Ramos of Administrative Services; and members of DPWH Task Force namely Bureau of Maintenance Director Ernesto Gregorio Jr., Bureau of Design Director Aristarco Doroy, Bureau of Construction Director Eric Ayapana and Assistant Director Edgardo Garces.

The cluster dormitory is made of modular components fabricated to assemble 16 rooms with the middle space intended for the living room.

Each of the 16 air-conditioned rooms is equipped with double-decker beds for two (2) persons with toilet and water heater. Common dining and a separate area for laundry and kitchen with available appliances are also set up within the dormitories.