Camiguin welcomes I-Rice positively

MANY poor families in the island depend on the government-subsidized rice to meet their day to day needs, but few were aware of the iron enriched variant.

To boost up its acceptance and usage, the government simultaneously launched this week the “I-Rice” project, renamed from its old Iron Fortified Rice Program to give it a fresh and competitive stance.

Various sectors, retailers and consumers’ group expressed their support to the National Food Authority (NFA) during the I-Rice launching at the Mambajao gymnasium.

Camiguin Governor Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo, acknowledged the importance of the project with his presence, to convey to his constituents the need and advantages of patronizing I-Rice, as an intervention to combat poverty by keeping a healthy citizenry.

Meanwhile, NFA Camiguin Chief, Mila P. Tanguamos, encouraged consumers to patronize I-Rice saying that fortified rice is best for children and lactating mothers, to help counter risks in malnutrition due to iron deficiency or anemia.

I-Rice is available in all accredited grains retailers outlets in the province at the price of P27.00 and P28.00 per kilo for regular and well milled rice, respectively.

Also present during the launching were Councilor Rodolfo D. Salcedo, President of the Camiguin Retailers Asso., Telesfora G. Madelo, Provincial Nutritionist and Dietician, and, Dr. Annabelle Cacho, Mambajao Municipal Health Officer. (Jorie C. Valcorza-PIA 10)

Foundation donates medical supplies to Mahinog

The Municipal Council led by Vice Mayor Rogerio C. Acle, 4th from left, formally turned over the medical supplies to municipal health officer Dr. Juanita K. Llacuna, 3rd from left, at a simple ceremony at the municipal hall

THE municipality of Mahinog has once again benefited from a donation of medical supplies from the Heetens Helpgood Center Philippines, a non-governmental foundation based in The Netherlands devoted to assist people and communities in developing countries improve lives and promote international cooperation.

Boxes filled with medical supplies from Heetens Helpgood Center Philippines (H.H.C.P) were turned over by Vice Mayor Rogerio C. Acle to the Municipal Health Office led by Dr. Juanita K. Llacuna on Monday at a simple ceremony in the municipal hall.

The medical supplies include three units Gooseneck lamp and stand, 3 minor surgical kits, 9 sphygmomanometer, 9 stethoscope, 5 OB bag, 3 nebulizer, 1 crib and 4 emergency kits.

This donation is one of many humanitarian projects initiated by Jo A.M. Schoorlemmer and Truss Schoorlemmer, couple directors of H.H.C.P.

Mr. & Mrs. Schoorlemmer, who were declared adopted son and daughter of Mahinog, have been actively involved in charity projects in the Province of Camiguin, and in the municipality of Mahinog since 2002 until the present.

Camiguin tightens standards on sewage disposal

WORKING to preserve the beauty of its pristine spring waters and beaches, the island-province of Camiguin now sharpens its policy on sanitary facilities.

Governor Jurdin Jesus Romualdo recently formed a technical working group to specially look into establishments selling food items or providing accommodations such as hotels, motels, lodging houses, resorts, restaurants, beach cottages, canteens, and kitchenettes.

The team, composed of the Provincial Health Officer, Provincial Sanitary Inspector, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator, Provincial Engineer and the Provincial Tourism Officer was ordered by the Governor to inspect immediately all target establishments.

Initially, the group has covered almost all operators in Mambajao, where most number of the business establishments is also located.

Provincial Sanitary Inspector Vergelio W. Oyan said that the establishments they have inspected as of press time were all found to be sanitary although he noted that most of the septic tanks checked were old and needs to cleaned or better yet replaced with newer septic tanks, designed to retain and recycle waste water.

Aside from the sewage disposal system, the team also looks into the water supply level, manner of solid waste disposal, as well as on status of the cottages and buildings.

After series of inspection, the local government will formulate and adopt plan and programs that will help maintain safe sanitation in the province.

Being a tourist frequented island, the Governor felt the need to prioritize the protection of seawater from any source of contamination. (Jorie C. Valcorza, PIA 10)

LGU Mahinog holds People's Day in Barangay San Jose

OVER 100 residents at Barangay San Jose this municipality have availed of various basic services offered for free by the municipal government of Mahinog during the People Day's Program (PeDaP) Thursday, September 16.

Municipal Mayor Alex R. Jajalla led municipal and national department heads of office and employees in the delivery of basic services to the residents in said barangay.

With its theme: "Alang sa katawhan ihatag sa katawhan, serbisyong para sa kalambuan sa tanan, gikan sa lokal nga kagamhanan," the People's Day Program is now running on its 3rd year since it was launched by Mayor Jajalla in 2008.

The program is a one-stop community outreach program that aims to bring the government closer to the people.

Medical consultation from the Municipal Health Office led by Dr. Juanita K. Llacuna and distribution of free medicines from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes (PCSO) topped the most number of clients served with 66 patients, while 51 families each received 2 kilos rice assistance from the municipal government.

Other services include free haircut; free manicure, issuance of cedula; acceptance of tax payments, business, electrical and building permits; real property assessment, birth registration, among others.

Among the national agencies who also offered their services were Department of Interior and Local Government, Bureau of Fire Protection, Social Security System, National Census and Statistics Office, Bureau of Internal Revenue, among others.

The Office of the Mayor has announced the next schedule of the People's Day Program as follows:

Barangay Owakan, September 30, 2010; Tupsan Pequeno, October 26; Hubangon, October 29; Pontod, November 9; Poblacion, November 25; Tubod, December 9; San Roque, December 14; Benoni, January 12, 2011; Binaliwan, January 25; San Isidro, February 8; San Miguel, February 24; Catuhogan, March 9.

Campaign vs rabies gets boost in Benoni elementary school

by Lucita B. King

Head Teacher, Benoni Elementary School

Contributor

THE anti rabies drive of the municipal government of Mahinog has received its needed boost from public school with having anti rabies program to be part of our teaching curriculum.

Rabies awareness campaign will be a school-year round campaign in Benoni elementary school through making it part of our teaching/health curriculum.

Recognizing that rabies remains a serious public health problem in the country, public schools play important role to build rabies awareness among school children by teaching them how to prevent and control rabies.

We all know that children are vulnerable to dog bites. They often play with animals and are less likely to report such bites or scratches to their parents.

According to the Department of Health, rabies is an infectious disease that destroy the nerve cells of part of the brain and this can cause death. Towards this concern, the municipality of Mahinog is implementing an ordinance to control and eliminate rabies.

Under the municipality's rabies prevention and control program, the Department of Education was tasked to strengthen rabies education program through school health/teaching curriculum. This will integrate proper information and education on responsible dog ownership in the relevant subjects in the elementary and high school levels.

The province is also continuously implementing the program including massive anti rabies vaccination and encouraging resident to bring their dogs to the municipal agriculture office for proper registration and vaccination.

And to complement dog vaccination, health personnel is also conducting massive free vaccination of children around the province to provide them protection against rabies.
In the municipality of Mahinog, there are four pilot elementary schools where school children have received free rabies prophylaxis. Rabies prophylaxis is administered in three doses, day 0, day 7 and day 21/28.

The four pilot schools include Benoni Elementary School, Mahinog Central School, Puntod Elementary School and Hubangon Elementary.

Camiguin steps up drive against dengue; Mambajao tops list of dengue cases, Mahinog, Catarman second

THE Provincial Health Office (PHO) recorded a total of 100 dengue cases all over the province covering January to June this year, a far cry from the 22 cases recorded in the same period last year, or a total of 91 cases reported by the end of 2009.

Mambajao tops the list with 58 cases followed by Mahinog and Catarman with 17 cases, 7 from Sagay and 1 from Guinsiliban, latest report shows.

The report showed that 58% of the cases monitored for the first half of 2010 were reflected on the month of January.

Although there is increase of dengue cases in Camiguin, the figure is still lower when compared in other parts of the region.

With these reported cases, health officials in the province have strengthened its dengue awareness drive giving emphasis on the prevention aspect.

The target group includes Barangay Captains, the Sangguniang Bayan Chairman on health, School Principals and Head Teachers, Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman, Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO) members and spouses of the Barangay Health Workers (BHW’s).

The first set of orientation was conducted in Mambajao starting August 11 and will continue until all 58 barangays in the province will be covered.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Government of Mahinog vigorously implements "Lex's Clean Mahinog Program" to promote a clean and healthy environment to avoid the spread of the disease.

Councilor urges LGU to enforce anti rabies ordinance

Councilor Merlito G. Abao

Mahinog, Camiguin – SB member and health committee chairman Merlito G. Abao on Monday urged the executive department to revive municipal ordinance 99-042 or anti rabies ordinance of 1999, a move to maintain the status of the municipality as rabies free.

The Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) once declared Camiguin as "Rabies-Free Province."

Mahinog has zero-incidence of rabies cases.

As this developed, the Provincial Veterinarian’s Office (PVO) has intensified its Anti-Rabies Program in line with the National Rabies Control Program which seeks to attain a Rabies- Free Philippines in year 2020.

An information drive on the Anti-Rabies Act was conducted in Mahinog last week involving key officials from the municipal level down to the barangays.

Veterinarian Amor D. Labis, from the PVO presented the national rabies prevention and control program and the implementing mechanisms in sustaining rabies-free areas.

The ordinance requires owners of dogs 3 months of age and older to register their dogs and submit them for vaccination against rabies.

A Municipal Rabies Control Committee will be formed and vested with the main authority to implement the ordinance and other rabies control related measures.

According to the same ordinance, unregistered dogs over the age of 4 months or stray dogs regardless of age shall be seized and humanely destroyed.

Owner of a dog who has bitten any person is liable for all the treatment and expenses incurred by the bite victims.

The Importance of Handwashing

by Jocelyn O. Abao

Head Teacher III, Mapa Elementary School

Contributor

ACCORDING to the Health Reports, every year more than 3.5 million children below 5 years old all over the world die of diarrhea and pneumonia. In our country, 10,000 children die every year from diarrhea and pneumonia, which was reported as the 3rd leading cause of death among kids under five. Same report says seven out of 10 children and three to 12 years of age suffer from intestinal worms. Meanwhile, H1N1 flu virus has been fast spreading in recent months.

All these can be minimized through proper handwashing.

Using the DepEd's essential health care program (EHCP) guidelines on proper handwashing we can reduce health problems. The EHCP is a simple, cost-effective school-based health program of DepEd in partnership with the local government units, the private sector and other

community stakeholders, to keep school children healthy.

It is a challenge to all of us. We don't want to be robbed of our future because of poor hygiene and sanitation. Handwashing is a simple and cost effective solution to health problems such diarrhea, respiratory tract infection, pneumonia and intestinal worms.

Handwashing, if done properly, is the simplest way to avoid getting sick.

Mahinog gets medical equipments from Dutch couple Jo and Truus Schoorlemmer

Mahinog, Camiguin – A Dutch couple who became Mahinog's adopted son and daughter by virtue of a resolution passed by the municipal council have once again donated medical equipments for the rural health unit here.

Jo and Truus Schoorlemmer, a couple director of the Helpgood Center Philippines from Holland recently turned over the donated medical equipments to the municipality in a simple ceremony at the municipal health office.

The donated items include 20 units Flex digital thermometer, 4 units Rossmax nebulizers, 1 unit diagnostic set, 10 units Baxtel BP monitor with deluxe stethoscope, among others.

Vice Mayor Rogerio C. Acle received the donated health equipments on behalf of the municipality in the presence of Municipal health officer Dr. Juanita K. Llacuna.

Mr. & Mrs. Schoorlemmer have been actively involved in charity projects in the Province of Camiguin and in the municipality of Mahinog since 2002 until the present.

A major project of the organization is sending containers of medical and hospital equipment, including hospital beds, and medical supplies every year.

Aside from the medical equipment, the organization also provided school desks and chairs, school supplies and audio-visual equipment which benefited pupils in several schools in Camiguin.

In 2008, the Municipal Council passed a resolution conferring on Jo A.M. Schoorlemmer and Truss Schoorlemmer the title "adopted son and daughter" of Mahinog in recognition of their numerous contributions to the municipality in uplifting the living condition of its poor residents.

Camiguin Representative Pedro P. Romualdo expressed his gratitude to the couple for their continued support to the health needs of the province.

"Your support will assist our rural health personnel to effectively address the health needs of our patients in Mahinog," he said in his thank-you letter to the couple.

"Through the years, we have been consistently upgrading their (rural health units) facilities," the solon adds, "but the population is growing and additional supplies are required to meet these needs."

Mayor Alex R. Jajalla, for his part, personally thanked the Schoorlemmer couple when they paid a courtesy call at his office last February 5.

"We thank you for coming to support our health program and sharing our concern for our people," he says, adding: "your donation helps improve health care services in our municipality." (Homer R. Jajalla – Mahinog IO)

Dengue prevention drive up in Camiguin

Mahinog, Camiguin— The rise of dengue cases alarmed residents here prompting local executives to mobilize its health personnel for a continuous dengue prevention drive.

Immediately, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) in coordination with the Municipal Health Office here (MHO) convened all barangay captains and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) leaders to discuss crucial concerns of the disease and measures to control its spread.

The measure is to heighten public awareness on the preventive measures against the dreaded dengue disease.

The latest surveillance report on dengue in Camiguin went up from 27 cases in 2008 to 91 reported cases in 2009.

With the recorded rise of 64 additional cases last year, the PHO however assures the public that there is no outbreak as these cases are sporadic in nature.

Areas with the highest number of reported cases are in the towns of Mambajao with 61 and Sagay recording about 18 dengue cases.

In Mahinog, there are 5 dengue cases admitted to Camiguin General Hospital for this month alone, a report from the municipal health office showed.

Earlier, a 5-year-old child from barangay Hubangon who lived in Mambajao had succumbed to dengue.

The PHO is now closely coordinating with the Department of Education (DepEd) for a massive dengue prevention and control information drive during parents-teachers meet.

About nine (9) parents-teachers meeting undertaken dengue orientation for this month alone and the information drive will continue for the rest of the year.

Earlier, the municipal health office under Dr. Juanita K. Llacuna advised residents to practice the “4S” which means search and destroy breeding places of mosquitoes, self-protection by wearing proper clothing, seek early consultation and say no to indiscriminate fogging.

Fogging is discouraged as it brings risks to individuals suffering from asthma.

Local health authorities call on everyone to cover water drums and water pails at all times to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, replace water in flower vases once a week, clean all water containers once a week and scrub the sides well to remove eggs of mosquitoes sticking to the sides.

Clean gutters of leaves and debris so that rain water will not collect as breeding places of mosquitoes, old tires used as roof support should be punctured or cut to avoid accumulation of water, collect and dispose all unusable tin cans, jars, bottles and other items that can collect and hold water.

According to the Web site of the Department of Health, dengue is an acute infectious disease manifested initially with fever. The transmitter of the disease is a day-biting mosquito, which lays eggs in clear and stagnant water.

Signs and Symptoms of the disease include sudden onset of high fever which may last 2 to 7 days, joint and muscle pain and pain behind the eyes, weakness, skin rashes - maculopapular rash or red tiny spots on the skin called petechiae, nose bleeding when fever starts to subside, abdominal pain, vomiting of coffee-colored matter and dark-colored stools.

The provincial capitol, schools and other government offices in Camiguin also undertake periodic clean up of its buildings and surrounding grounds to help stop the spread of the disease. (Homer R. Jajalla, Mahinog Information Office)

Guv JJ to distribute essential health care package to pupils

by Homer R. Jajalla

MAHINOG, Camiguin (1 July) –Governor Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo announced at Mahinog Charter Day program here that the government will distribute free toothbrush, toothpaste, bath soap, and deworming tablets to elementary pupils in public schools throughout the province starting this school year.

This is part of the memorandum of agreement that he signed recently on behalf of the provincial government with Fit For School Inc., Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) for the implementation of the Essential Health Care Package (EHCP) intended to improve the health conditions of elementary pupils in public schools.

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) stipulates that DepEd as the implementing arm should ensure the quality implementation and appropriate utilization of materials, and to manage overall accomplishment of the project while the local government provides the financial means to ensure timely procurement of needed materials.

Fit for school Inc., for their part, will assist DepEd and the local government unit (LGUs) by providing technical assistance and support in institutionalizing EHCP.

A basic orientation workshop immediately followed after the Essential Health Care Package MOA signing.

Camiguin Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Gretchen Cabalang attuned the participants by revealing the present health status of Filipino Children and EHCP interventions.

Democrito Figueroa Jr., Fit for School, Inc. Senior Project Officer, also disclosed common implementation deficiencies as well as best practices of well performing EHCP in other regions.

After thorough exchange of inputs, project implementers were able to come up with their own strategic action plan for this year.

Meanwhile, Xavier University also signed an agreement with Fit for School Inc. to provide scientific evidence with respect to health outcome, school attendance, school performance and behavior change of students under EHCP in the island province. (PIA-Mahinog Information Office)

Mahinog Public Market undergoes clean up, illegal structures cleared

MAYOR Alex R. Jajalla ordered a clean up operation of Mahinog Public Market and directed the Municipal Engineering Office to clear the market premises from illegal structures and makeshift extension that only hindered easy movement of market goers and vehicular traffic.

The gravity of the deplorable condition of the municipal market was brought to the fore after Coun. Manolo V. Tabamo delivered a moving privilege speech calling for the immediate clean up operation of our municipal market if only to maintain the good image of Mahinog as the gateway to the paradise island of Camiguin. The measure was then referred to the joint committees on health and public market chaired by Coun. Valentin F. Babanto and Coun. Jonard B. Labadan.

The joint committee, after a committee meeting, recommended for the regular sprinkling of water inside the market and nearby canals with the use of the firetruck from the municipal fire office and a regular inspection by the sanitary inspector to ensure that sanitary requirements are religiously complied by all stall holders. Immediately, upon request of the mayor, SF04 Heracleo T. Abian, Municipal Fire Marshall, conducted a sprinkling operation at the said market.

Coun. Tabamo observed that most of stall occupants have no garbage receptacles and under their tables filth abound and became breeding place of flies and insects. “There is a need to change the mindset of store owners and market goers alike towards the value of cleanliness and healthful environment,” the committee chairman of tourism said.

Under existing ordinance, stall holders are required to undertake the cleaning of their immediate environs and provide trash receptacles installed within their store premises.

“Health and sanitation is of paramount concern and I will not hesitate in enforcing ordinances that serve to the best interest of the people especially on health,” the mayor said.

He added, “market is essential in the soci-economic development of the town and, aside from being a trading center and a local economic enterprise that contributes LGU’s income, it also serves as a social inter-action center where exhange of ideas take place.”

“What our market looks like reflects very well our character and discipline as a people of Mahinog,” the mayor stressed. (Homer R. Jajalla)