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MARCH 1 - MARCH 7, 2020 NEWS and UPDATES 3


Energy Development Corp. has signed an agreement with geothermal- host Municipality of Valencia and the barangay host- beneficiaries to establish trust accounts for proper fund utilization generated from geothermal operations. The signing of the memorandum of agreement was represented by EDC Negros facility head Engr. Debonaire Mamhot, Valencia Mayor Edgar Teves ,


Valencia sign MOA


EDC,- and barangay


captains Leonarda Sarita of Puhagan, Edgar Villegas of Malaunay, and Antonio Tuting, representing the three host-barangays. Also present during the ceremonial MOA signing held at the Valencia municipal hall include head of EDC’s Mt. Apo Corporate Social Responsibility Department Norreen Bautista, Valencia Municipal Treasurer Rolando Obaniana, and barangay representatives. The MOA s igning


is


in compliance with Department of Energy’s Circular that requires energy generation companies and energy resource developers to directly provide their Energy Regulations No. 1-94 benefits equivalent to one centavo per kilowatt-hour (P0.01/kWh) of the total electricity sales to their host communities.


Valencia hosts the commercial operations of the 112.5MW Palinpinon 1 and the 80-MW Palinpinon 2 geothermal power plants of EDC.


As agreed, EDC will


remit in quarterly basis the benefits to the host communities after the latter have opened their trust accounts. Teves welcomes this development and hopes this will facilitate the utilization of funds which he intends to use for socio-economic development projects and environmental programs. (jct/PIA NegOr with reports from Des Tilos)


The Province continues to keep a close watch on the entry of foreigners at the Sibulan airport and seaports amid the threat of the Coronavirus disease 2019 that is fast spreading across the globe.


NegOr continues CoViD-19 watch


The close watch is being done even as the 11 Persons under Investigation for CoViD-19 in Negros Oriental tested negative for the virus after the second round of confirmatory tests conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.


Gov. Roel Degamo, in a talk with reporters, said he believes the Province is CoViD 19-free, as he also expressed his gratitude


to the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital medical personnel led by chief Dr. Marc Angelo Llosa for taking care of the PUIs who were placed in isolation rooms in the medical facility.


Degamo also thanked IPHO Assistant Chief Dr. Liland Estacion for spearheading all initiatives undertaken by the provincial government to ensure the safety of its residents.


The local chief executive in the province also plans to give the highest recognition to the six nurses and one doctor who treated all the 11 PUIs for showing utmost dedication in their service.


Patients thankful for Malasakit Center


Joan Perez, 36, of Brgy. 2 in Bais City expressed her gratitude to the Malasakit Center that helped her in the hospital bill of her 14 year- old child who was sick with dengue and her common- law partner who suffered from rectal bleeding. Joan, a home service


manicurist in her barangay, earns


month including her live- in partner’s earnings as pedicab driver in the town. She first availed of the


ove r P3,000 a


financial health assistance from the Malasakit Center in March 2019. “Supposedly, I needed


financial burden of patients and their families in their medical expenses. Initially, Go offered an initial fund of P10 million for the operation.


it will be replenished upon liquidation by the hospital. “Nindot kaayo ni na


Once the funds run out,


to pay P7,000 for my bills such as laboratory tests and medicines but I didn’t get to pay even one peso because the Malasakit Center shouldered all the expenses,” said Joan. The Malasakit Center at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital was first launched in September 2018 by then Special Assistant to the President and now Sen. Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go as a way of helping ease the


proyekto, nakatabang kaayo namo, ang processing sa mga papeles dali ra kayo, wala nay kuskus balungos, wala kay mabayran bisag piso sa tambal (This is a very good project. It really helps us, the processing of the papers is so fast and you don’t have to pay the medicines even one peso),” Joan said.


She added, “They will just ask me for the birth certificate of the patient, ID, and how much do I earn. That’s it.”


Joan is one of the hundreds of beneficiaries who witnessed Go’s turn over of the P10 million replenishment fund yesterday for the Malasakit Center at NOPH. “Para po sa inyo ang Malasakit Center na ito,


Pag-IBIG Fund Dumaguete Branch Head Julio Carmel Alfarero presents a sample of the Pag- IBIG Loyalty Card Plus during a press briefing. (Photo by PIA7-NegOr)


kami po ni Pangulong Duterte, patuloy po kaming magseserbisyo para sa amin pong kapwa Pilipino,” said Go in his message.


signage ‘We honor Pag- IBIG Loyalty Card here),” Alfarero said.


During the turnover ceremony, the senator handed the check worth of P10 million from the Office of the President to Dr. Mark Llosa, NOPH chief of hospital. The center covers patient services and expenses such as laboratory, medicine, and surgery.


The process of seeking assistance has also been simplified through the Malasakit Unified Form, which requires only one form for Filipinos requesting


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Aside from the perks that cardholders can enjoy with the Loyalty Card Plus, Alfarero emphasized it is important that members should have this because of its functionality.


He said the card is similar to the old Pag-IBIG Loyalty Card as it serves as an identification card but the Loyalty Plus card features an EMV chip and can be used as a cash card. “The moment na mo- avail ka ug multi-purpose loan dire na isulod sa imong loyalty card. This will serve as a cash card, ipasulod ang imong loan at the same time debit card ni siya and pwede siya nimo mapadepositohan (as regular) savings (The moment you avail a multi- purpose loan, the money will be deposited in the loyalty card. This will serve as a cash card and at the same time a debit card. You can also deposit money here as regular savings),” Alfarero added. Currently, the Pag-IBIG Fund-Dumaguete Branch has partnered with Asia United Bank for the issuance of Loyalty Card Plus, but Alfarero announced that the agency is also negotiating with Union Bank to be their second partner bank in issuing the cards so that there will be two banks servicing Pag- IBIG members here. However, Alfarero cited that the Loyalty card Plus


(Signing documents left to right) Valencia Municipal Treasurer Rolando Obaniana, EDC Negros facility head Engr. Debonair Mamhot, Valencia Mayor Edgar Teves, Negros & Mt. Apo CSR head Norreen Bautista, Brgy. Caidiocan Chairman Antonio Tuting, Brgy. Malaunay Chairman Edgar Villegas, and Brgy. Puhagan Chairman Leonarda Sarita (seated rightmost but not in photo) sign an MOA on the use of funds generated from geothermal operations. Witnessing the event were Malaunay Treasurer Archie Rahiol, Caidiocan Treas Liezl Ambos, and EDC CSR officer Marie Christine Jamiana (standing). (Photo by PIA Negros Oriental)


you keep on delaying it would be more pricey in the future. You should get a property now. Whether you are married or single or getting married soon, still, now is the best time to get a property. Ang properties, especially the lots, dili man mag-ubos iya price (Properties, especially lots, their value will not go down). It will only go up. It will appreciate. It will give you income in the future,” Lirazan elaborated. He also added that Pag- IBIG members can now apply for multiple loans, noting that a housing loan can be a form of investment as well.


kung may balay na ka and you don’t need another house you can still invest. You can still get a property kay sayang ang imong membership sa Pag-IBIG. You are entitled to get a housing loan in Pag-IBIG so kanang balay na imong gi-invest pwede mo siyang maparentahan and you will earn income from it (If you are a Pag-IBIG member and you already have a house and think you don’t need another one, you can still invest. You can apply for a loan in Pag-IBIG and get property. The house you bought can be rented by others and you will earn income from it. You are entitled to get a housing loan in Pag-IBIG and it will go to waste if you don’t use it. The loan can be a form of investment),” Lirazan said. (ral/PIA7-NegOr)


“As a Pag-IBIG member,


“They deserve to be recognized in the highest form and they deserved to have cash award,” Degamo said, noting that the budget will come from him personally.


Each medical staff will receive P20,000 cash. He also lauded the public for adhering to the advisories issued by the provincial government to keep them safe from the deadly virus and for their cooperation especially the individuals who responded to the contact tracing. Degamo, however, reiterated that the executive order he issued pertaining to CoViD-19 is still in effect. (Roi Lomotan)


Pag-ibig card benefits available


Mutual Fund or Pag-IBIG Fund here is encouraging its members to apply for a Loyalty Card Plus and enjoy privileges in partner business establishments in the city.


Dumaguete City Branch Head Julio Carmel Alfarero said holders of the Loyalty Card Plus can avail of freebies in their partner establishments in the city such as additional free meal at Gerry’s Grill for orders reaching 1,000 and five to 40 percent discount when buying Pfizer medicines in drug stores.


“Tan-awon lang ninyo kung asa naay ‘We honor Pag-IBIG Loyalty Card here’ (Just look for any establishments with the


Pag-IBIG Fund The Home Development


must be renewed every five years in compliance to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regulation on cash cards. Interested members will have to pay P125 as enrolment fee.


With this, the Pag-IBIG Branch manager hopes many members will apply for a Loyalty Card Plus. Meanwhile, members are highly encouraged to maximize their membership with Pag-IBIG and apply for the agency’s housing loan programs. Pag-IBIG Fund Loans


Management and Recovery Department Manager III Wilmer Lirazan said now is the time to invest in real property.


“Owning a house is a big decision but it is a decision we should not delay. If


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