METROPOST NegOr prepares


Health authorities in Negros Oriental are gearing up for a massive information and dissemination campaign to draw public acceptance for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines as the country prepares to roll out its inoculation campaign in the coming weeks. Assistant provincial


health officer Dr. Liland Estacion reiterated Wednesday


awaiting the arrival of campaign materials from the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas and hoping that these can be distributed to the different local


(LGUs) by Friday (Feb. 26).


P975-M project


breaks ground for


project worth over P975-M will soon irrigate 19 agricul- tural barangays in Negros Oriental. At least 3,900 hectares of


agricultural fields are expect- ed to be more productive and benefit some 1,577 farmers in the villages of Tanjay and Bais cities including the town of Pamplona. Provincial Irrigation Of- ficer Nestor Pastor of


National Irrigation Adminis- tration (NIA) led the ground- breaking


with Mayor Mercy Goñi of Bais City, Assistant Provincial Administrator Atty. Froilan Pinili representing Gov. Roel Degamo, and representatives of local chief executives of Tanjay and Pamplona. Pastor said the national


is already free for the mar- ginalized farmers under the Irrigation Act especially those below eight hectares, but for over eight hectares, will pay a minimal amount only,” said Pastor. Tis project aims to pro-


vide a sustainable develop- ment in the agriculture sys- tem through quality irrigation system in the province. On behalf of the governor,


government has initially re- leased P100-M this year for the construction of the dam in the big water source from Tanjay River with supplemen- tary water from the existing main canal. “In using the water. Tis


ceremonies along the Te Tanjay-Bais irrigation government units they are


There is a need to drum up support and cooperation from the LGUs to convince the constituents that the vaccines are safe and are necessary for the province to minimize the spread of the virus, she said. She admitted there is resistance from the populace, and said there is a need for additional information dissemination


benefits of the vaccines. Even the ongoing rubella, and vaccine (MR-


measles, oral


OPV) immunization campaign


Oriental has so far fallen in polio Negros on the disclosed


for COVID vax information drive


short of its target, she said. The province was


supposed to achieve at least 90 percent of its target for the MR-OPV in the first two weeks of February. Estacion,


out of 41 percent in the MR-OPV Supplemental Immunization Activity (SIA). Many mothers


a low turn- however,


apparently refused to have their children immunized for these diseases


to misinformation that the vaccination drive is for


measles, rubella, and polio. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)


NIA gov’t vax choice Guv trusts


Roel Degamo on Thursday reassured Palace spokes- person, Sec. Harry Roque, that the provincial gov- ernment has confidence in the choice of vaccines pro- cured by the country for its anti-coronavirus


2019 (Covid-19) vaccina- tion campaign.


Oriental for a press brief- ing at Café Alicia in Pam- plona town to update the people on the national government’s


Roque was in Negros


rollout. “You know that as gov-


ernor of Negros Oriental I am pretty confident that yung bakuna na kinukuha ng national government through DOH, yun ang aasahan namin na ituturok dito (the type of vaccine that the national govern-


vaccination disease Negros Oriental Gov.


ment will procure through the Department of Health will be the same that will be used here),” Degamo said.


Roque said 600,000 dos- es of Sinovac vaccines do- nated by the Chinese gov- ernment will arrive on Feb. 28.


earlier that the provincial government would be al- locating PHP40 million for vaccine procurement. He also briefed Roque on the current Covid-19 situation in the province, saying that while it en- joyed at least four months of having zero cases last year, the return of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and other residents caused the spike in infections. “We know that would


TO PAGE 7


5 NegOr pupils qualify for PSHS scholarship


(February 24, 2021) – Five incoming first year high school students from Ne- gros Oriental successfully qualified for the scholar- ship offered by the De- partment of Science & Technology’s Philippine Science High School Sys- tem (DOST-PSHSS) eligi- ble for admission to Cen- tral Visayas Campus in Talaytay, Argao, Cebu. Among those who qual-


DUMAGUETE CITY


Pinili said the province will become sufficient in rice pro- duction to ensure food pro- duction amid the pandemic. Pinili thanked the national


government for the said proj- ect that will help the province become self-sufficient in rice and benefit not only the fam- ers but the Negrenses as well. (jct/PIA7 Negros Oriental)


ified were: Brill Dean Tum- ale and Seth Andre Ada of Bayawan City Science and Technology Education Center; Zach Levi Pelicano and Gabriel Nikolai Taba- loc of West City Exception- al Child Learning Center; Euan Margret Cantalejo of Tanjay City South Central School.


The PSHS scholars get a monthly stipend in addi- tion to free tuition and free loan of textbooks. Uniform, transportation and living allowances are also giv- en according to financial need. The PSHS System, as


mandated under Section 2 of Republic Act 3661, aims to offer free scholarship for secondary course with spe- cial emphasis to subjects pertaining to the sciences with the end view of pre- paring its students for a fu- ture science career. Qualifiers are requested to contact immediately the Registrar or the Campus Director of the PSHS Cam- pus where they are eligi- ble to enrol, or visit www. pshs.edu.ph for more in- formation on early enrol- ment.


Degamo announced Covid-19 instead of due have


The Department of Agriculture (DA) here challenged the local gov- ernment units to enact ordinances that will ad- dress


DA asks LGUs to pass laws


cerns in their locality. This is to mitigate the ef- fect of environmental con- ditions in food production, said Sarah Perocho, agri- culture program coordinat- ing officer (APCO) of DA. In a meeting with the mayors of Guihulngan City and


Perocho shared the pro- grams


the agency as well as cli- mate-resilient technolo- gies that will help solve environmental


affecting food production. She lobbied for the mayors to enact local or- dinances


mate resilient technologies such as the establishment of household rain wa- ter impounding system, Solid


related to cli-


ment, and recycling of single-use plastic bottles. "For the improve- ment and advancement of our agri production and livelihood, we must adopt and embrace cli- mate-resilient technol- ogies," Perocho said. Local chief executives of the two municipalities have showed their sup- port on the enactment of said ordinances as these are seen to mitigate the im- pact of climate change in the local food production. (jct/PIA7 Negros Oriental)


Negros Oriental will need a total of 4,254 people to compose 709 teams with six members each for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19)


vaccinators needed


4,200


program in the province. Speaking during Tues- Kapihan


day’s


forum and virtual press- er, Assistant Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Liland Estacion, the teams will be deployed in the local government units once the vaccine program has been rolled out.


Estacion, who is also health committee chair of the province’s Inter-Agen- cy


Deadline for slot con- firmation/reservation of principal qualifiers is on March 6, 2021 for Main Campus qualifiers and on March 20, 2021 for Re- gional Campus qualifiers. Alternate Qualifiers will be called starting March 22, 2021. Specific schedule of other enrolment activi- ties shall be announced by the respective campuses. (Sean Adrian T. Guardia- no/DOST Negros Oriental PSTC S&T Media Service)


Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF- EID), said these teams will undergo training for the administration of the vaccines, on top of other functions required of them during the vaccination program.


Task Force for the sa vaccination PIA Waste Manage- concerns and


Vallehermoso, projects


of food-related


FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 06, 2021


NEWS and UPDATES 3 CAMPUS NEWS


GMA7 promotes SU alumnus as 1st VP


Amoroso as 1st vice president and head of Regional TV & Synergy. Amoroso, who graduated with a degree of Mass Communication at Silliman University as magna cum laude, played a vital role in bringing the country's broadcast network closer to the regions.


con-


As head of GMA Regional TV, he is in-charge of operations, content, and production, and business development, including its regional stations and offices located in North Central Luzon (Dagupan and Ilocos stations), Southern Luzon (Bicol), Central and Eastern Visayas (Cebu), Western Visayas (Iloilo and Bacolod), Northern Mindanao (Cagayan de Oro), Southern Mindanao (Davao), and South Central Mindanao (Gen. Santos City). He said he is honored by the promotion, and grateful to the SU College of Communication that


GMA Network recently appointed Oliver Victor


provided him the training and the inspiration. "I am both honored and privileged to have had good mentors at Silliman."


Amoroso leads the team that produces groundbreaking and award-winning local news programs and specials attuned to stories, voices, and viewership of Filipinos in the regions.


Enabling viewers to access local news in various communities outside Metro Manila, the GMA RTV newscasts show that Amoroso and his team are producing a combined reach of about 64 percent of all TV households throughout the country, with an estimated total of 46.8 million viewers, based on Nielsen Phils. TV Audience Measurement's Total Philippines data (2020 figures). Under his leadership, GMA RTV has earned several recognitions including the 'Best Regional TV Network' from 2017 until 2020; and was honored as 'Most Development-oriented TV Station' by UPLB.


Each team will need one doctor to supervise the ad- ministration of vaccines. Estacion said they expect to accommodate around 100 individuals per day. The Integrated Provin-


cial Health Office is still awaiting the arrival of the vaccines,


cion said they still do not have an idea as to how many would be sent over TO PAGE 6


although Esta-


Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat on Thursday said local government units (LGUs) have the “power” to set their respective protocols as the Department of Tourism (DOT) pushes for “safe tourism”. Speaking during a press conference at a local resort here, Puyat called for support to local tourism as many areas in the country are now slowly opening up their borders to accept non- residents.


“We want to open up tourism but with health and safety protocols in place, with close cooperation with our mayors, our stakeholders, and our congressmen (as) the Department of Tourism cannot do this


Tourism sec pushes for safe tourism


alone,” she said. TO PAGE 10


Puyat reminded all travelers to follow all the minimum health and safety protocols” such as wearing of face masks and face shields, physical distancing, and regular washing of hands. The DOT, she said,


was the first to ask for a price cap on the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT- PCR) or swab test as many travelers were complaining that it was too expensive.


lowered to PHP3,500 from as high as PHP11,000 but DOT still finds it expensive, she said, adding that they have partnered with the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon


TO PAGE 10 The price cap was


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