Mountain Province, Philippines

MEMBERS of the Mountain Province Provincial Board (PB) will ask the House of Representatives to set the date for the conduct of a special election to fill the vacancy left by the late Representative Victor Dominguez.

Governor Maximo Dalog said he would support this move. He, however, clarifies that he has nothing against the appointment of Kalinga Representative Manuel Agyao as the province’s caretaker.

“The (Provincial) Board will be asking the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to certify the availability of funds for the conduct of special elections,” Dalog said.

“It will be better to elect a congressman although we also want to work with all the congressmen in the region to look into the concerns and the interest of the province,” he said.

Agyao was appointed by House Speaker Prospero Nograles to oversee Mountain Province late last month. JC

Sun.Star Baguio

A MURDER suspect was arrested in Sabangan, Mountain Province, a police official said.

Senior Superintendent Cedrick Train, police regional chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), identified the suspect as Pedro Pedro Comelet alias Oka, a resident of Poblacion, Sabangan, Mountain Province.

Comelet is the second most wanted person in the town.

According to Train, the suspect was arrested by joint CIDG and Sabangan policemen on Tuesday by virtue of a warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC)-Branch 10 of La Trinidad, Benguet.

Meanwhile, the following day, Baguio City policemen led by Chief Inspector Patricio Degay Jr., 29, arrested Wennie Aladino alias William Gumabay Sarol, a resident of Quezon Hill Extension, Baguio City.

The arrest of Aladino was based on the strength of a warrant issued by Judge Joven Costales of RTC-Branch 3 of Baguio City for rape. No bail was recommended for his temporary release. By Ernie N. Olson Jr.By Ernie N. Olson Jr.

Sun.Star Baguio

Bontoc, Mt. Province– A total of 8,801 families are enrolled under the National Health Insurance Program for indigent families in the province to have a better health care.

This was reported by PhilHealth-CAR regional office representatives Dr. Errol D. Ciano and Dr. Dominga A. Gadgad who attended the province’s regular monthly Provincial Health Board meeting held last May 8.

Of the total, 4,891 are regularly sponsored members. The premium contribution subsidy for these families is shared by the national government that provides 80 percent while the other 20 percent is shared equally by the provincial government and the municipal government where the beneficiaries reside.

Aside from the regular sponsored members, 1,999 families are also sponsored solely by the provincial government. There are also five local government units who have sponsored some indigent families in their own municipality like Bauko which has enrolled 549 families, Besao with 354, Barlig,280, Sabangan, 256 and Sagada, 198.

A total of 274 families are also sponsored by private individuals and institutions. Partial subsidy of 20 percent is provided by these sponsoring LGUs, individuals and institutions and the national government provides the 80 percent.

The health insurance of these sponsored members is valid only for one year. It will be a case to case basis if they will be reconsidered when their membership expires.

Sponsored members are entitled to a special Outpatient Consultation and Diagnostic Benefit Package (OPB) aside from the regular benefits provided to PhilHealth members. This is an additional benefit for sponsored members and their qualified dependents (enrolled under the PCSO II program are not included) which will be provided by government-owned RHUs/Health Centers duly accredited by PhilHealth to implement the OPB program.

They are entitled to avail of free primary consultations with general physicians; laboratory fees for chest X-ray, complete blood count, Fecalysis, Urinalysis and sputum microscopy; and preventing services such as health screening activities, health education and counseling.

Ciano explained that OPB benefits are not portable and may be availed only in the specific RHU/HC where the sponsored beneficiary is assigned.

In the event that RHU/HC where sponsored members are initially assigned is not accredited to provide the OPB, members shall be temporarily assigned to specific authorized hospital. Capitation amount shall be released to the authorized hospital thru the concerned city/municipal/provincial government.

In case of deficiency in medical equipment or temporary inability by the RHU to deliver chest X-ray services, the patient shall be referred to another accredited outpatient healthcare provider with an X-ray facility. The concerned RHU shall pay the provider the amount of not less than P70.00 for the service. Accredited hospitals with chest X-ray facilities shall initially be providers where RHUs may refer their patients.

Under the OPB program, PhilHealth gives a capitation fund of P300 per year to accredited RHU for every enrolled sponsored member.

The capitation fund that PhilHealth releases quarterly varies in the different RHUs because this depends on the number of enrolled sponsored family per municipality. (PIA-MP) by Juliet B. Saley

Bontoc, Mt. Province  — The members of the Provincial Peace and Order Council PPOC) are poised to pass a resolution requesting the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to cancel the individual land titles issued within the Mt. Data National Park and the Mt. Data Plateau which are not declared as Alienable and Disposable lands.

The request came about after municipal officials of Tadian reported to the PPOC that there are individuals wrecking havoc to the Dacudac watershed that supplies water to the six Sunnyside barangays of Tadian namely Cagubatan, Dacudac, Bana-ao, Cadad-anan, Pandayan and Am-am.

The town officials said these individuals are claiming that they own the lands as evidenced by their land titles and also tax declarations issued to them.

Tadian vice-mayor Febe Sally and some of the Sangguniang Bayan members said the on-going illegal kaingin and expansion of gardens within their watershed would lead to the contamination of the water supply of the Sunnyside barangays due to the excessive use of pesticides and would also eventually dry-up of their water source.

Last month, the Cordillera Regional Development Council urged the DENR to cancel all land titles issued within watersheds and forest reservations in the region.

DENR Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Peter Osbucan said their office is in the process of determining the areas within the Mt. Data National Park and the Mt. Data Plateau that were issued land titles.

On the motion of Sally, the PPOC will also ask DENR Secretary Lito Atienza to deputized the Philippine National Police personnel assigned in Mt. Province and also the military under the Task Force Montanosa to help put a stop to the destructive activities within the Dacudac watershed.

Governor Maximo Dalog, also the chairman of the PPOC, tasked Provincial Attorney Einstein Calaoa to coordinate with Provincial Assessor Nicholas Kimakim to study the possibility of canceling the tax declarations issued within the watershed areas. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan was also asked to enact local measures to protect the water sources from further degradation.

Dalog said he will also issue an executive order to the Local Assessors to stop processing tax declarations within watershed areas. (PIA-MP) by Andrew Doga-ong

Mountain Province has earmarked P3 million to boost the rice stock of the province.

Gov. Maximo Dalog said that the money would be used to buy additional rice even as the National Food Authority earlier assured him that there would be enough supply for the province.

He said that this was the consensus of the leaders during the provincial rice summit last week.

The NFA said that they would be providing more than 130,000 bags of rice to Mountain Province from April to December.

Dalog, however, said that the fund would be used as supplement to the NFA’s “promise.”

In line with the rice capitalization fund, Dalog called on all mayors to update the list of the indigent families within their jurisdiction so that they would be the priority for the distribution.

GMANews.TV