Pres. Duterte leads Philippine Army's 58th change of command rites

MANILA -- President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, October 5, reminded the members of the Philippine Army to remain loyal to the Constitution and to the people as he led the Philippine Army’s 58th change of command ceremony at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

“Maintain your loyalty to the Constitution and to the flag. Do not nurture a personal or a person diyan,” the President said in his address before the troops.

“Kaming lahat diyan sa gobyerno, dumadaan lang. But it behooves upon you, I said, to see to it that this country will grow, prosper until the end of time,” he said.

The President also said he wants to leave the presidency with a strong army and police that can respond to simultaneous attacks. But to achieve that goal, the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police must upgrade their equipment and capability to cope with the present challenges, especially in fighting terrorism, he said.

One of the President’s suggestions is for the Armed Forces to use its properties and forge join ventures with the private sector. The AFP could enter into long-term lease agreements to fund its modernization program.

“I’ll give you this place. Lahat ito with a one sole condition. ‘Yung lahat kikitain ninyo diretso sa inyo. At gawain ninyo ang gusto ninyong gawin to modernize. Pera ‘yan. Malaking pera ‘yan.Just start to lease here --- trillion ito. But I would need the money in the coming years also to meet your expenses,” Duterte said.

“Buy all the equipment you need to meet the challenges way, way ahead,” he said. He also said that soldiers and policemen will also receive a higher pay by January next year.

The President meanwhile praised the country’s soldiers after a recent survey showed that the Philippine Army got an impressive +75 net trust rating in the first semester of 2017.

“It’s a testament of the troops’ commitment to protect the people and defend the democratic rights,” Duterte said.

Duterte also commended the AFP and the PNP for their efforts to quell rebellion in Marawi City.

“As an experience from the Middle East, it takes a lot, about half a year or three months. And I am not surprised and you should not be surprised that it has taken this long really to move inch for inch. Because of the prepositioned maneuvers by the enemies and the fact that you have to breach semento pati bakal. And that takes a lot of hard work,” he said.

“Maswerte tayo dito, in a very short time and I would credit it to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the toil of the Philippine National Police. Hindi ho madali ‘yung trabaho na ‘yan,” he added.

The President also mentioned the ongoing campaign against communist insurgents. 

“We are fighting the New People’s Army. At this stage, I am not ready to talk to them because it is not good for the country. Eh kung para lang sa bayan, okay ‘yan. But the way that it is now, ayaw ko. And maybe it would take some time to… maybe another President to do it,” he said.

President Duterte meanwhile said outgoing Army chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda will join the board of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA). Major General Rolando Bautista, former head of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), succeeded Miranda as Army chief. (PND)

DOH-MIMAROPA monitoring decline in diarrhea cases in Palawan

By Celeste Anna

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- The Department of Health (DOH) in MIMAROPA has ordered the delivery of requested medicines and other medical supplies to the southern Palawan town of Quezon in a bid to prevent the further increase of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) or diarrhea in several barangays.

“Although the cases are now declining, we are still continuing disease surveillance, and directly in coordination with the local and provincial health offices in case diarrhea cases in the affected barangays will again rise,” DOH MIMAROPA Regional Director Dr. Eduardo Janairo said in a statement Sunday.

The regional health official advised residents to seek medical check-up once they experience abdominal pain, dehydration, and having watery stool for them to be given immediate medical responses.

As of Sept. 18, the Quezon Rural Health Unit (RHU) reported a total of 644 AGE cases. Of this figure, 358 cases were admitted at the Quezon Medicare Hospital (QMH); 233 cases at the Quezon Municipal Health Office (MHO); and 53 cases at Luke Society Clinic.

He disclosed that based on amalgamated data from the Quezon RHU and Palawan Provincial Epidemiological Surveillance Unit (PESU) from July 4 to Sept. 18, the most affected barangays are Alfonso XIII and Pinaglabanan.

The diarrhea cases are 79 percent higher compared to the historical average recorded for the last four years, which is an average of 359 cases from 2013 to 2016.

Half of the diarrhea cases reported were from 18 years old and below, affecting mostly 1-10 years old. Majority of the cases recorded were female.

According to the result of the water source assessment conducted in the municipality of Quezon by the Palawan Epidemiology, Surveillance and Statistics Unit (PESSU) from Sept.19 to 20, most of the water sources, systems and refilling stations do not comply with the necessary health and sanitation requirements.

Escherichia coli or E. coli and amoeba are also present in some of the water source.

Diarrhea is characterized by loose, watery stools. It can be acute which lasts for 2-3 days or chronic which is the result of a viral or bacterial infection and can last for weeks.

“Proper hygiene is the best prevention against diarrhea. Clean drinking water is also important. Frequent hand washing with soap and water prevents the spread of infection. Use hand sanitizer if possible,” Janairo said. (PNA)

The 40th Kamahardikaan Sin Languyan successful – Mayor Yshmael E. Sali

Languyan, Tawi –Tawi – The 40th Kamahardikaan Sin Languyan was very successful of their  three (3) days celebration last September 20 – 23, 2017’

Mayor Yshmael E. Sali was very thankful to the visitors  coming from different provinces and nearby municipalities because he is very proud that Languyan is one of tourists destination of the Autonomous Region.

The Celebration dubbed with different activities like : Fluvial Parade, Maligay and Dulang Festival and more activities  prepared by the workforce of Languyan Local Government Units headed by the Madam Jumda Sali  and Atty. Pershing     .

 

During the celebration, the municipal government also opened their prestigious Languyan  Cultural Museum which is the main tourists destination because of the Pearl of Yshmael, the 2nd largest pearl of the world that has 10.3 kilos weight. The said pearl was found in the  waters of Languyan  early month of 2017.

Mayor quoted that this pearl is 2nd  largest largest pearl than Palawan Pearl Princess  has total weight of 34 kilos.

During the celebration, the municipal mayor also deliver his State of the Municipal Address  that was ended with a teary eyes of somebody because of the emotional and painful message of Mayor Yshmael Sali about his efforts and successs to make his municipality  started to improve and developed with the help of the DPWH – ARMM, Tourism and other ARMM and national Agencies to make Languyan a successful and one of the tourists destination of Southern-most island of the south.

He is very thankful also the full support of his wife Hja. Jumda Sali, Atty Pershing Tayab,  Bong, and other work-force of Languyan, employees, barangay captains, and other people who made the activities successful even though they had a little time to prepare.(By: Becky D. de Asis)