Saturday, January 18, 2025

Tag: Dental

COMELEC Prepares for 2025 Elections, Issues Voter Guidelines

Posted on by cmn

MISAMIS ORIENTAL – The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that the number of registered voters in Northern Mindanao has surpassed 3 million, covering the provinces of Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, and Camiguin. Misamis Oriental leads with over 1 million voters

Atty. Carlito Ravelo, Misamis Oriental’s Provincial Election Supervisor, highlighted that Region 10 ranks among the Philippines’ vote-rich regions, with a total of 3,190,362 voters across five provinces.


“Region 10 ranks among the vote-rich regions of the Philippines, with 3,190,362 voters spanning five provinces,” Ravelo said.


Ravelo also provided a breakdown of voter distribution across two congressional districts in Misamis Oriental:
• District 1 (Balingasag to Magsaysay, including Gingoog City) has 302,235 registered voters and 429 clustered precincts.
• District 2 (Lugait to Jasaan, including El Salvador City) has 393,285 voters.


In Cagayan de Oro, the 1st District (24 barangays) has 212,016 registered voters and 233 clustered precincts, while the 2nd District (56 barangays) accounts for 204,885 voters and 249 precincts. Combined, Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro have 1,112,421 voters and 1,452 clustered precincts.


Election Schedules and Processes


As the 2025 elections approach, COMELEC emphasized the importance of key dates and processes:
• The national campaign period begins on February 11, 2025, and ends on May 10, 2025.
• The local campaign period starts on March 25, 2025, and ends on May 10, 2025.


Election Day, May 12, 2025, will see voting from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Special voting hours for persons with disabilities (PWDs), senior citizens, and pregnant women will be from 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with priority polling places operating from 5:00 AM to 5:00 PM.


Special arrangements will be made for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs), with special electoral boards ensuring that PDL voters can cast their ballots from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM.


Voters will elect 12 senators, one party-list representative, one congressional representative per district, a provincial governor, a vice governor, provincial board members, mayors, vice mayors, and municipal councilors. Misamis Oriental voters will elect five board members for each district, while Cagayan de Oro voters will select eight city councilors per district.


Ensuring Transparent and Secure Voting


COMELEC assured the public of the security of the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) used in the May 2025 elections. These machines are equipped with rechargeable batteries to prevent interruptions, and backup machines are on standby, along with technical personnel for repairs.


To prevent transmission issues, COMELEC will utilize satellite technology, including Starlink, to ensure 100% nationwide transmission from ACMs. The transparency of the process will be further supported by parallel counting conducted by accredited organizations and political parties, ensuring credible results.


Election results will be transmitted to the City/Municipality Board of Canvassers, Central Server, Accredited Citizens’ Arms 1 and 2, Dominant Majority, Dominant Minority, and Media Server.


Voters are reminded to check the list of registered voters posted outside their precincts to confirm their sequence and number. After identity verification and ensuring their finger is not marked with indelible ink, voters will follow the procedure to cast their ballots and feed them into the ACM.


Voters are advised to shade the circles fully on their ballots for accurate counting. Ballots contain security features, so it is prohibited to mark them in any way that may cause rejection. Voting receipts will be issued and must be deposited in designated compartments at the precinct.


COMELEC reiterated its commitment to upholding electoral integrity and maintaining public trust and encouraged citizens to exercise their right to vote and actively participate in the upcoming elections. (Jan Albert K. Araña/PIA-10)

DOH implements ‘Purok Kalusugan,’ opens BUCAS centers in Normin

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (January 8, 2025) — ‘Purok Kalusugan’ and ‘Bagong (New) Urgent Care and Ambulatory Services’ (BUCAS) centers are two programs implemented by the Department of Health Center for Health Development Northern Mindanao (DOH-CHDNM) under the Universal Health Care Act (UHC) that bring health services closer to the people, especially the farthest and smallest communities

In a press conference organized by the DOH-CHDNM, Dr. Steffi Grace H. Enon, DOH-CHDNM chief of the local health support division, shared that ‘Purok Kalusugan’ is aligned with the UHC. “Gikan sa iyang ngalan nga Purok Kalusugan, atong gusto nga ang mga serbisyo nga pangkalusugan o panglawas dal-on nato sa level sa purok,” she said.


(From its name, Purok Kalusugan, we want all services related to health and nutrition to be brought to the level of a zone.)


The UHC Act has many goals, said Enon, but its main goal is that “We want all Filipinos to experience health services that are accessible, affordable, close to them, of quality, and safe.”


The Purok Kalusugan program includes all eight priority health outcomes of DOH, which will be implemented at the “purok,” or zone level.


The eight priority health outcomes include vaccination, nutrition, water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), maternal health, tuberculosis and HIV, road safety, non-communicable diseases (specifically high blood pressure and diabetes), and cancer.


These eight priority outcomes are called high burdens because many people are affected by them. The Department of Health is focusing on these eight. “If we can improve them, we can say that our community will be healthy,” Enon said.


Opening of BUCAS centers in Northern Mindanao


The Department of Health has launched a new initiative, the Bagong (New) Urgent Care and Ambulatory Services (BUCAS) facility, under the management of DOH hospitals.


Dr. Raymond G. Dela Cruz, the chief of the regulations, licensing, and enforcement division at DOH-CHDNM, stated that this facility will address the issue of congestion in the region’s government hospitals.


“Kasagara niini ang problema, dugay sila maatiman tungod sa kadaghan, limitado ang lugar sa hospital aron maka-accommodate kanila, so ang initiative sa Department of Health mao nga i-forward position kining serbisyo sa atong mga komunidad nga ang mga hospital mu-perform og mga minor surgeries ug mga konsultasyon nga nagkinahanglan og espesyalista. Ang mga ancillary services, mga specialized laboratory exam, ug x-rays idala sa BUCAS centers,” Dela Cruz said.


(This is usually the problem; it takes a long time to attend to them because of the large number, and the hospital space is limited to accommodate them. So, the initiative of the Department of Health is to forward-position these services in our communities so that hospitals perform minor surgeries and consultations requiring specialists. Ancillary services, specialized laboratory exams, and x-rays will be brought to BUCAS centers.)


Currently, there are four operational BUCAS centers in Northern Mindanao. The North Eastern Misamis General Hospital, located in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental, is one of the DOH hospitals; another in Misamis Occidental is located in Plaridel, managed by Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center (MHARS-MC), a tertiary government hospital in Ozamiz City. The next is in Mambajao, Camiguin, managed by Camiguin General Hospital; however, the purpose is to transfer this center to Sagay, Camiguin.


The idea of BUCAS, according to Dela Cruz, is to place it far from hospitals so that those who need services will go to the centers closer to their communities instead of the hospitals.


While DOH hospitals manage this initiative, local government units have generously volunteered to contribute significantly towards the construction of the centers.


Currently, there are four local governments in the pipeline that have volunteered to provide lots; one of them is Magsaysay in Misamis Oriental, Bacolod in Lanao del Norte, the Malaybalay local government unit in Bukidnon, and Balo-i in Lanao del Norte. (Jasper Marie O. Rucat/PIA-10)

OCD equips regions with water filtration, communication systems for emergencies

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (August 20, 2024/PIA) — The Office of Civil Defense enhances its disaster preparedness and response capabilities by investing in water filtration systems and reliable communication technologies

According to OCD-10 Director Antonio Sugarol, these initiatives are part of a broader strategy of OCD’s Administrator, Usec. Ariel Nepomuceno, to modernize and equip the organization with the resources necessary to effectively address emergencies.

He said OCD has initially equipped its regional offices with water filtration units, recognizing the critical role of clean water in emergencies.

The regional director also shared plans to acquire additional units similar to those used by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) that can rapidly purify contaminated water, providing a vital lifeline to affected communities.

“At the moment, we have two mobile water filtration systems. It is in our office,” he stated.

Sugarol said the OCD has also implemented a regional collaboration policy that allows neighboring regions to share resources during emergencies.

“For example, in Region 10, we can anticipate that Region 9, Region 12, and Region 11 will contribute their mobile water filtration systems to the OCD Region 10,” he explained.

In addition to water filtration, the OCD addresses the equally critical need for reliable communication channels. Sugarol said the recent experience in Misamis Occidental, where cellular networks were disrupted following a shear line, underscored the importance of alternative communication systems.

To augment the communication capabilities of local government units, the OCD is working in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to provide satellite phones and VISAT systems. These technologies will ensure uninterrupted communication during disasters, facilitating coordination between local governments, government agencies, and emergency responders. (Apipa P. Bagumbaran/PIA-10)

PGB midawat og P50-M cash assistance gikan kang PBBM

Posted on by Omar Rashid Z. Abdullah

Gidawat sa Provincial Government of Bukidnon (PGB), pinaagi ni Provincial Governor Rogelio Neil P. Roque ang cheque balor ₱50-milyones gikan kang President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

Sumala sa kasayoran sa PAIA, nahatag kini atol sa Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolks, and Families sa Pimentel Convention Center, Cagayan de Oro City niadtong Mayo 16, 2024.

Sa maong okasyon, gipadangat ni Presidente Marcos ang ka-mahinungdanon sa pagtimbayayong –ilabi na ning panahon sa kalamidad, nga dala sa taas nga hulaw.

Dinhi gipasabot sa presidente nga gamay’ng kantidad man ang ilang madawat apan malaumon kini nga subling makasugod ug makabangon ang mga apektadong pamilya dala sa ting-init.

Ang nadawat nga kantidad i-ayuda ngadto sa mga mag-uuma ug mangingisda nga labing naapektuhan sa El Niño, subay sa gitakda nga gabayan sa pag-apod-apod sa maong cash assistance.

Ang PGB ug representante sa DA-Regional Field Units (RFUs) mo-determina sa marginalized families alang sa mga mag-uuma ug DSWD alang sa mga mangingisda ug uban pang marginalized sektor nga grabeng naapektuhan sa hulaw, kinsa modawat sa tag-₱10,000.00.

Gawas sa Bukidnon, ang Misamis Orietal nakadawat sab og ₱50 milyones, ₱24.36-M sa Misamis Occidental, ₱13.92-M sa Lanao del Norte, ₱10.54-M sa Iligan City, ug tag-₱10-M sa Cagayan de Oro City ug Camiguin.

Aduna usab gipahigayon nga ceremonial turnover ngadto sa mga beneficiaries sa nagkadaiyang syudad ug probinsya sa Northern Mindanao, nga gisaksihan sa mga mayor, mga kongresista, ug ingon man sa mga department secretaries and officials. (Omar Rashid Z. Abdullah)

Super Health Center to rise in Pangantucan

Posted on by cmn

PANGANTUCAN, Bukidnon – Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Super Health Center facility in far-off barangay Bacusanon, Pangantucan, Bukidnon, on March 3

Go said the center would provide vital health services with specialized health facilities at the local level, such as an outpatient department, laboratory, X-ray, ultrasound, birthing services, diagnostics, pharmacy, and emergency services.
Asked about the distinction between Malasakit Center and Super Health Center, the Senator explained that the Super Health Center is a medium-sized polyclinic larger than a rural health center but not as big as a hospital.
“I express great bliss that the Department of Health (DOH) chose a strategic location here in town. The government will build additional 20 Super Health Centers in Northern Mindanao this year, with six in Bukidnon, four in Cagayan de Oro, three in Lanao del Norte, two in Misamis Occidental, and five in Misamis Oriental,” Go said.
DOH-10 Regional Director Jose R. Llacuna Jr. emphasized that establishing a Super Health Facility would help decongest other health facilities, as it will supplement rural health centers in the province.
“The goal is to bring government services closer to the people,” he said.
Fourth District Representative Laarni Roque thanked Senator Go for building projects in her district. She said that the Super Health Center would immensely help the people of Barangay Bacusanon, which does not have a government hospital.
Meanwhile, Pangantucan Mayor Miguel A. Silva Jr. urged his constituents to take good care of the government projects.
“Not all cities or towns are fortunate enough to receive such facility. I urge our villagers here to take good care of this Super Health Center,” the mayor said. (BGE/PIA-10/Bukidnon)

5 NorMin, Lanao Sur execs among ‘top performers’ in 2022

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Five public officials in the Northern Mindanao region and Lanao del Sur province were named among the “Top Performers” in local governance during the second half of 2022 after the national and local elections.

A statement from the data analytics firm RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMD) on Jan. 15, said they are Misamis Occidental 2nd District Rep. Sancho Fernando Oaminal, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Ziaur-Rahman Alonto-Adiong, Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental Mayor Henry Oaminal Jr., Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia and Misamis Occidental Gov. Henry Oaminal Sr.

Rep. Oaminal placed fifth among top performers in the House of Representatives with a 90 percent rating, while Adiong placed 10th with a 78 percent rating.

“Para na sa inyoha, mga pinalangga namong Misamisnons! Padayon ang atong pagpaningkamot para sa #AsensoOzamiz (This is for you, our beloved Misamisnons! We continue to strive hard for the #AsensoOzamiz development agenda),” he said in his Facebook post, reacting to the results.

Oaminal Jr. placed in the 9th spot for top-performing city mayors with 80 percent, and both Unabia and Oaminal Sr. placed sixth in the governor’s category with an 85 percent rating.

Dr. Paul Martinez, the focal person of RPMD, said these public officials who excelled in “constituent service” and service to the nation should be congratulated for their exceptional performance.

The independent and non-commissioned “Boses ng Bayan” national performance evaluation survey for the year 2022 was done from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2, 2022.

Among the 65.75 million registered voters between 18 and 70, a total of 10,000 respondents were selected. The sample employed a plus-or-minus 1 percent margin of error and a degree of confidence of 95 percent.

Martinez said respondents were chosen randomly, and the number of respondents was distributed proportionally based on the number of registered voters in each area. (Nef Luczon/PNA)

LPA leaves 7 dead, P22-M worth of damage in NorMin

Posted on by cmn

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The two-week rains caused by a low-pressure area (LPA) in Northern Mindanao affected 59,000 individuals, left seven dead, and damaged more than PHP22 million worth of properties.

 

In the initial report by the Region 10 Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-10) on January 15, 15,812 families experienced flooding.

In evacuation centers throughout the region, only 4,432 individuals or 1,227 families have remained as of Sunday out of the 31,353 individuals or 8,621 families who sought shelter within the two weeks period.

The seven dead were from the provinces of Lanao del Norte, four; Misamis Oriental, two; and Misamis Occidental, one.

RDRRMC-10 also recorded five injured and two missing persons.

The initial estimate of damaged houses reached PHP2.1 million, damage to infrastructures PHP20.8 million, and damage to agriculture PHP63.7 million.

Department of Agriculture-10 (DA-10) will provide PHP5,000 in financial assistance to rice farmers in February, to be sourced from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

“We will (also) be distributing the fertilizer discount vouchers for the whole region, which total around PHP192 million. And for the RFFA (Rice Farmers Financial Assistance), we have PHP96 million to be disbursed and the funds are already deposited with the DBP (Development Bank of the Philippines) account,” DA-10 executive director Carlene Collado said during the visit of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Jan. 11.

Marcos directed the Department of Public Works and Highways to review flood control measures.

Gratitude

Heavily affected Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental experienced a repeat of nature’s wrath that submerged parts of the provinces on Christmas Eve last year.

Victims of the twin calamities were relieved to receive government aid.

“I am glad about the help extended to us, especially since we almost had nothing (salvaged from the flood),” Erminia Bernaldes said in the vernacular during the distribution of PHP5,000 in cash assistance and food packs in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental, led by President Marcos.

Rolly Egoc of Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental, said his house in Barangay Talic was washed away on Dec. 26, 2022.

“We don’t have a house anymore, so we went to the barangay for refuge. I am now 55 years old and it is only now that I experienced this flood,” he said.

Given a chance to talk to the President, he said he would request assistance to rebuild his house. (Nef Luczon/PNA)

Free Medical-Dental-Surgical mission held in Malaybalay

Posted on by cmn

MALAYBALAY CITY (Feb. 3) – The joint free Medical-Dental-Surgical Mission was held in Malaybalay City on Feb. 3 to 7.

Hansel Echavez, supervising administrative officer of the Public Affairs, Information, and Assistance (PAIA) Division of the Governor’s Office said that it is a joint undertaking of the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society in America (UPMASA), the UP-Manila Ugnayan ng Pahintungod and the Provincial Government of Bukidnon.

The medical and dental procedures were held at Kaamulan Folk Arts Theater in Malaybalay City from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm while the major surgical operations were held at Bukidnon Provincial Medical Center (BPMC) in Brgy. Casisang.

On Feb. 3, Gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. together with Atty. Jay S. Albarece, provincial administrator and Dr. Sulpicio Henry M. Legaspi Jr., chief of hospital personally turn over the Symbolic Key to the volunteer doctors namely; Dr. Glenn Batilller, Dr. Susan Conception-Echiverri from the state of Illinois USA and Dr. Anita Jongco from the state of New York, USA.

The activity includes Gynecological, Ophthalmological, Pediatric, Restorative or Reconstructive, Dental, Orthopedics, and free medical consultation for the elderly and children, including skin disorders and Stroke.

On Feb. 3, 2020, patients from the towns of Baungon, Talakag, Malitbog, Manolo Fortich, Libona, and Sumilao were accommodated.

The next day, patients from the second legislative district covering the municipalities of Impasug-ong, Cabanglasan, San Fernando, Lantapan, and Malaybalay City were accommodated.

On Feb. 5, patients who are residents from the 3rd legislative district compromising the towns of Maramag, Don Carlos, Dangcagan, Kibawe, Kadingilan, Damulog, Quezon, and Kitaotao were given attention.

And on Feb. 6, 2020, the accommodated patients were from the City of Valencia, Pangantucan, and Kalilangan – all from the 4th legislative district. (Mel B. Madera)