Tambuling Batangas Publication February 06-12, 2019 Issue

BALITA February 6-12, 2019 Medical, Surgical & Dental Mission 2019, Isinagawa sa Apacible District Hospital sa Nasugbu Medical HELP para sa mga Batangueño. Naging katuwang ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Batangas sa isinagawang libreng gamutan sa Apacible Memorial District Hospital sa Munisipalidad ng Nasugbu noong January 27 – 31, 2019 ang mga Filipino – American doctors ng Association of Philippine Physicians of the Florida Panhandle. Kasama nina Gov. Dodo Mandanas at Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Rose Ozaeta (2nd mula kaliwa) ang ilan sa mga duktor na nag- alay ng kanilang serbisyo para sa mga Batangueño. Photo: Jhun jhun De Chavez / Batangas Capitol PIO English... makabagong teknolohiya, at naunang ipinatupad sa humigit kumulang na 25,000 mag-aaral ng mga Munisipalidad ng Bauan at Sto. Tomas noong School Year 2017-2018. Sa kasalukuyang School Year, isinasagawa na rin ang ECLP sa mga bayan ng Lemery at Ibaan na mayroong 29,000 pupil- recipients. mula sa pahina 1 Sa ulat ng DepEd Batangas, nagkaroon ng patimpalak para sa mga mag- aaral sa Ibaan at Lemery upang ipakita ang improvement ng mga ito. Sa pamamagitan ng Oration, Story-telling, Declamation, at Essay Writing, nagpamalas ng galing ang mga recipients ng ECLP program, na layong tumaas ang kaalaman ng bawat mag-aaral na Batangueño sa wikang Ingles at maging globally competitive. Bukas ang Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Batangas, sa pamumuno ni Gov. Mandanas, sa mga inilahad na pagpapalawak ng proyektong ito sa iba pang mga bayan at lungsod sa lalawigan para sa kagalingan ng mga kabataang Batangueño. ✎ JHAY ¬JHAY B. PASCUA/ Batangas PIO Capitol Calamity assistance for Usman-stricken SSS members, pensioners now available THE state-run Social Security System (SSS) on Monday said more than P451 million was allocated for the loan assistance program for its members and pensioners who were affected by tropical depression Usman. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said qualified members and pensioners can apply for the calamity assistance package (CAP) starting on January 29 at any SSS branch. It is estimated that more than 41,000 paying members and 1,000 pensioners residing in affected areas will benefit from the CAP. “We hope that the SSS calamity assistance program would be able help our members affected by tropical depression Usman address their immediate and short-term financial needs,” Dooc said. Qualified members can avail of calamity loan and direct house repair and improvement loan while pensioners can receive advance three-month pension. Members and pensioners whose home address or property are in the calamity-stricken areas declared by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) may avail of the CAP. Areas declared by NDRRMC under state of calamity due to Usman were Oriental Mindoro, Albay, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur with an estimated P368 million worth of damage in agriculture. Under the CAP, affected members can apply for calamity loans of up to P16,000 if they are paying contributions based on the maximum monthly salary credit (MSC). In addition, they should have at least 36 monthly contributions, six of which must be paid within the 12-month period preceding the date of application. The calamity loan assistance is separate from the regular salary loan. Members with outstanding salary loans in SSS can still avail of the calamity loan. “The calamity loans are more affordable and has flexible payment terms, which are payable in two years in equal monthly installments with interest rate of 10 percent per annum, and one percent monthly penalty for late payments. We have also waived the one percent service fee to help reduce the applicant’s expenses,” Dooc said. Based on SSS data, more than 41,000 are potential member- borrowers from the declared areas with average monthly salary credit pegged at P10,000. Dooc added that OFW- members who reside within the declared calamity area are also qualified to avail of the calamity loan. An authorization letter must be issued to their representatives who will file the CAP applications on their behalf. He, however, reminded that those who are still paying their loan balance under the Loan Restructuring Program (LRP) and previous calamity loans, as well as those with final benefit claims, such as total permanent disability and retirement, are not qualified under this assistance program for Usman-affected members. Aside from calamity loan, members with damaged homes can also avail of the Direct House Repair and Improvement Loan Program. It offers an interest rate of only eight percent per annum for loan amount up to P450,000 while, nine percent per annum for loan amount of P450,000 up to P1 million. The special loan program also has a six-month moratorium in payment term and the one percent processing fee is waived. To qualify for Direct House Repair and Improvement Loan, the member must not be more than 60 years old with at least 24 monthly contributions, in which three contributions have been paid within the last 12 months before month of filing. Meanwhile, pensioners affected by tropical depression Usman have the privilege to get their three-month pension in advance. Applicants must present a barangay certification as proof that they reside in an NDRRMC- declared calamity area. SSS data showed that there are more than 1,000 pensioners who can avail of the advance three-month pension with an average amount of P15,900. Application for calamity loan and advance three-month pension will be accepted until April 29, 2019 while, Direct House Repair and Improvement Loan applications will be accepted until January 29, 2020. DAAN-DAANG mga Batangueño na residente ng Nasugbu at mga bayan sa Unang Distrito ng Lalawigan ng Batangas ang nabigyan ng libreng gamot, konsultasyon, at dental at eye services sa isinagawang Medical, Surgical & Dental Mission 2019 noong ika-27 hanggang ika-31 ng Enero taong kasalukuyan sa Apacible Memorial District Hospital sa Munisipalidad ng Nasugbu. Naisakatuparan ang gamutan sa pangunguna ng Association of Philippine Physicians of the Florida Panhandle (APPFP), katuwang ang Batangas Provincial Health Office (PHO), Nasugbu Municipal Health Unit (MHU), Apacible Memorial District Hospital, at Ospital ng Nasugbu. Ayon sa PHO, umabot sa 831 ang nabigyan ng libreng serbisyo sa Out-Patient Department (OPD), habang 572 katao ang nalapatan ng libreng bunot, pasta ng ngipin at iba pang dental services. 147 katao naman ang sumailalim sa libreng check up sa mata, kung saan karamihan ay mga senior citizens na hindi na kayang gastusan ang pagpapatingin sa malabong mata. Samantala, may kabuuang 266 na surgery operations naman ang naisagawa. I n a a s a h a n g magpapatuloy ang pagsasagawa ng mga medical missions sa iba’t ibang mga distrito sa lalawigan, alinsunod sa layunin ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Batangas, sa pangunnguna ni Gov. Dodo Mandanas, na mas pagtuunan ng pansin at pagbutihin ang paglalaan ng medical services sa mga Batangueño. ✐Marinela Jade Maneja — Batangas Capitol PIO Interpol warns: Drones used to smuggle drug contrabands in prisons QUEZON CITY -- The Interpol has issued a warning to be on the lookout for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly known as aerial drones, which could be used illegally to sneak in contraband goods into prisons in Interpool member countries. In his letter to Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director-General Harold Clavite on Wednesday, Police Supt. Wilfred Cervantes, officer- in-charge of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, said the purple notice issued to them by Interpol on Jan. 22, has identified this new form of drug smuggling already happening in “multiple countries” around the world. “This notice is strongly recommended for circulation to law enforcement agencies to alert them about this modus operandi so that they may take whatever preventive and precautionary measures deemed appropriate,” Cervantes wrote the PIA director-general, also assuring him of “continuous support and cooperation regarding matters of mutual concern and interest.” In response, Clavite said his agency would immediately “take action and disseminate” this new information to all government and non- government communication and information networks in order to solicit public support and engagement in reporting the modus. “We fully support the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime-Interpol and PIA has been actively involved in the Inter-Agency Coordinating Committee. On a regular basis, we send out such notices to our relevant networks to continue to protect our communities. This anti- drugs initiative will surely complement the President’s national campaign and efforts to stop illegal drugs trafficking in the country,” Clavite said. Clavite added that PIA’s commitment is to “take part in all efforts to ensure Interpol’s initiatives on three crime programs such as counter- terrorism, cybercrime, organized and emerging crime are fully supported in the country,” the Philippines being one of the 194 active member countries in the Interpol General Assembly. The government remains committed in the global multiagency operations against transnational crimes and drug trafficking. The Interpol said aerial drones have become one of the latest t`ols for drug cartels looking to get hard drugs to target areas while avoiding traditional routes and means. These remote controlled vehicles can also deliver drugs to pinpoint locations, allowing them to be sent discretely into highly secured areas such as prison facilities. Earlier into his term of office, President Rodrigo Duterte revealed the problem of alleged continuing drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison. (PIA InfoComm)

Tambuling Batangas Publication February 06-12, 2019 Issue | Page 3