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June 26, 2012
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DOH workers in strike for non-release of hazard pay By PAT SAMONTE, Regional editor-Caraga
BUTUAN City––Public health workers all over the country started yesterday a five-day strike against the discontinuance of their hazard pay. Led by National Department of Health Employees Association (NADEA) president Fernando Depano, representing majority of 33,295 health workers, the strike is addressed to Department of Health Secretary Enrique Ona “to facilitate
the immediate release of their hazard pay which was only discontinued in 2012.” Caraga Center for Health Development employees said “this is a peaceful demonstation” since as Depano said: “We are simply asking the government to
continue implementing the law.” According to Depano, the allowance equivalent to at least 25 percent of the montly basic salary of health workers receiving salary grade 19 and below and five percent for those with salary grade 20 and above, is mandated by Republic Act 7305 or the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers. Depano said public health workers are entitled to the benefit given the risks
of their jobs to safety and health. Depano said the DOH had issued Memorandum 2012-0002 reducing the Magna Carta benefits reportedly in response to General Appropriations Act 2012 which would limit their release and subject to the approval by the Department of Budget and Management. The NADEA president argued, “If their approval is pending, why have we been deprived of our benefits
for several months now?” adding, “While the issue is under discussion, we should be given what’s due.” Depano said regional directors and hospital chiefs “have supported our call and we are hoping Secretary Ona will do the same and make a stand with us.” Depano revealed that NADEA will demonstrate their appeal through a series of activities at the central and 16 regional offices of the Department of Health and
its hospitals and attached agencies and affiliates from June 25 to 29. This includes formally presenting the letter of appeal to Ona to be signed by the organization’s chapters and subchapters, the ceremonial release of black balloons and candle-lighting, mass and general assembly to be conducted simultaneously at the DOH central office and other venues in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
IRDFS farmers: Protecting the Earth through organic rice By BONG FABE
First part (This story was produced under the Climate Change: A Reporting Lens from Asia/ IPS Asia-Pacific) “METHANE emissions are unique to rice…If Asian countries are exploring possibilities to reduce greenhouse gas, they have to look at rice production. I’m not saying it’s the biggest source, but in Asia it’s a source that cannot be neglected.” (Reiner Wassmann, climate
change specialist at IRRI). RICE. A key global cereal eaten everyday by more than 3 billion people, mostly Asians. It is the staple food of at least 600 million people who are among the world’s one billion poorest inhabitants, the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said. FAO further said that over 90 percent of the world’s rice production is produced in Asia. Rice is cultivated on some 250 million farms, mostly family owned, averaging from less than 0.5 hectares to 4 hectares. Ac-
Spain grants P13-m health fund to Comval By BEN D. ARCHE, Correspondent
NABUNTURAN, Compostela Valley (Comval)––The Department of Health (DOH) is prioritizing Compostela Valley province to receive some P13-million health fund from the Spanish Government. The fund, through the Spanish Agency of International Development Cooperation will give the province opportunities to construct more health infrastructure projects, additional hospital equipment, and ambulances. Comval health officer Dr. Renato Basañes said the SPAIN/PAGE 7
cording to FAO, the world’s total agricultural land is 48,836,976 square kilometres (4,883,697,600 hectares). Of this, 150 million hectares are devoted to rice farming, which provide around 550-600 million metric tonnes (MMT) of rice annually, according to B.A.M. Bouman, R.M. Lampayan, and T.P. Tuong in their work “Water Management in Irrigated Rice: Coping with Water Scarcity” published by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in 2007. FARMERS/PAGE 7
PHOTO BY BONG D. FABE DEMO FARM. Zamboanga del Sur Governor Antonio Cerilles (in green polo short), with his staff, looks at an IRDFS demo farm in Pagadian City.
KBP urged probe on unfair commentaries over airlanes BUTUAN City––Employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Caraga region have asked the Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) to investigate a group of local radio commentators posing as block-timers of FM radio stations here for excessive and irresponsible remarks aired over the radio against the DENR.
The DENR employees said that except for a few, the other members of these so-called “radio commentators” have abused their discretion and privileges granted them by the KBP as “block-timers” by airing unwarranted and foul remarks against certain officials of the DENR. “These uncalled-for remarks have maligned and besmirched the per-
sonality and integrity of government officials by making them an object of ridicules before their audience,” the DENR employees said. “DENR officials or any government officials for that matter, deserve respect even as we respected their positions as head of the agency and therefore, any action to malign their integrity UNFAIR/PAGE 7
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