Category: General

MANILA: Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Friday urged his colleagues for the immediate passage of Senate Bill (SB) No. 800 mandating the establishment of dialysis centers in all national, regional, and provincial government hospitals that will provide free dialysis treatment to indigent patients.

‘Malaking kaluwagan sa bulsa, oras at iba pang alalahanin ng pasyente at kanilang pamilya kung may dialysis ward o centers sa lahat ng pampublikong ospital sa mga probinsya at gawing libre ito sa mga mahihirap (It would be a big relief for the pockets, time and well-being of patients and their families if there are dialysis wards or centers in all government hospitals in the provinces, and make the treatment free to the poor),’ Estrada said in a statement.

In pushing for SB 800, Estrada noted that there is a rising case of kidney diseases all over the country but specialized hospitals are situated in urban centers.

Latest data from the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) show that kidney diseases are the sev
enth leading cause of death among Filipinos.

One Filipino develops chronic renal failure every hour, or about 120 Filipinos per million population every year.

According to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), current estimates indicate that approximately 2.3 million Filipinos have chronic kidney disease (CKD).

‘Sophisticated medical equipment and advanced facilities are concentrated in highly urbanized cities. Consequently, patients from rural areas often need to travel long distances, which incurs high costs, including travel expenses. For patients with kidney disorders who require regular dialysis, these financial burdens can be especially challenging,’ Estrada said.

He also noted that in 2016, more than 36,000 patients underwent dialysis treatment, indicating a 15-percent increase in the number of patients in a single year.

These figures highlight the severity of the problem faced by the country’s healthcare system and the need for concerted efforts to combat the rise of CKD.

‘As
such, policymakers, healthcare providers, and the public must become more aware of the situation and take action to address it. By doing so, it may be possible to mitigate the impact of CKD on individuals and society as a whole,’ Estrada said.

Under his proposed ‘Dialysis Center Act,’ all national, regional, and provincial government hospitals will be mandated to maintain a dialysis center – with complete dialysis machines, equipment, and supplies – within two years from the enactment of the bill.

Funding for the operations of the centers shall be included in the yearly national budget.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: US President Joe Biden sought to draw stark contrasts between his policies and those of his Republican predecessor and likely election opponent, ex-President Donald Trump, during his State of the Union address on Thursday evening.

With just eight months to go until Election Day, Biden launched an oftentimes fiery and defiant speech that repeatedly singled out Trump and his Republican allies.

“My purpose tonight is to wake up the Congress, and alert the American people that this is no ordinary moment,” he said in his annual speech to both houses of Congress.

“Not since President Lincoln in the Civil War, and freedom and democracy and under assault at home as they are today. What makes our moment rare is that freedom and democracy are under attack both at home and overseas at the very same time,” he added.

But Biden did not stay on the defensive, instead touting his achievements, including record economic data that continues to pour in.

“Our economy is literally the envy of the world. Fifteen milli
on new jobs in just three years, a record, a record. Unemployment at 50-year lows. A record 16 million Americans are starting small businesses each month. Each one is a little act of hope,” he told a joint session of Congress.

“Inflation has dropped from 9 percent to 3 percent. The lowest in the world and trending lower.”

Biden again brought up a tax plan that he said would eliminate Trump-era tax cuts that “overwhelmingly benefit the top 1percent, the very wealthy, the biggest corporations,” and which “exploded” the US deficit.

“The way to make the tax code fair is to make big corporations, (the) very wealthy begin to pay their fair share,” he said. “It’s time to raise corporate minimum tax to at least 21 percent.”

Hitting back at Republican barbs

The president repeatedly clashed with Republican hecklers in his more than one-hour address, engaging in exchanges in which he sought to highlight the differences between his agenda and accomplishments, and the vision put forward by his rivals.

Biden never me
ntioned Trump by name, but left little doubt who he was referring to at critical junctures in his speech, repeatedly referring to “my predecessor” instead as he lambasted his likely 2024 presidential rival.

That included singling out Trump for comments in which he said he would encourage Russia to “do whatever the hell they want’ to NATO allies who have not met the alliance’s commitment that allies spend 2 percent of their GDP on defense.

“A former president actually said that, bowing down to a Russian leader. I think it’s outrageous, it’s dangerous, and it’s unacceptable,” Biden said to raucous cheers from his Democratic allies.

“America is a founding member of NATO, the military alliance of democratic nations created after World War Two to prevent war, and keep the peace.”

Not one to sit on the sidelines, Trump reacted to Biden’s address in real-time on his Truth Social media website, issuing dozens of posts and memes, including one that sought to reject Biden’s Russia barbs.

“He said I bowed down to t
he Russian Leader. He gave them everything, including Ukraine. I took away Nord Stream 2, he gave it to them! He was a Puppet for Putin and Xi, and virtually every other Leader!” Trump said.

In response to the ex-president’s screed, Biden’s campaign issued a one-word reply: “Sad.”

On immigration, Biden called on the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to approve additional border funding he has long requested, saying it would “save lives” by clamping down on fentanyl smuggling, and would hire some 1,500 new border agents and 100 more immigration judges amid a massive backlog in cases.

The comments drew raucous Republican heckles, to which Biden replied: “Look at the facts. I know you know how to read.”

“I believe that given the opportunity, a majority in the House and Senate would endorse the bill as well, a majority right now. But unfortunately, politics has derailed this bill so far,” he said.

‘I’m told my predecessor called members of Congress in the Senate to demand they block the bill. He
feels it would be a political win for me, and a political loser for him. It’s not about him. It’s not about me.”

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The northeast monsoon or “amihan” affecting Northern Luzon will bring cloudy skies with light rains over Batanes and Cagayan, as well as partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains over the Ilocos and Cordillera regions, the weather bureau said Friday.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country, including Metro Manila, will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms due to the easterlies and localized thunderstorms, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 4 a.m. bulletin.

Moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough seas will prevail over Northern Luzon, while the rest of the country will have light to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas, PAGASA said.

The temperature in Metro Manila will range from 23°C to 34°C; Baguio City, 17°C to 25°C; Laoag City, 22°C to 31°C; Legazpi City, 23°C to 32°C; Metro Cebu, 26°C to 31°C; Puerto Princesa City, 25°C to 32°C; and Metro Davao, 25°C to 34°C.

Source: Philippines News Agency

HCM City: The 10th Ao Dai Festival, a signature event of Ho Chi Minh City, is underway featuring myriad enticing activities.

At its opening ceremony taking place on March 7 evening, the public was treated to a spectacle of over 800 ao dai designs meticulously crafted by 30 renowned local designers, with more than 20 prominent writers, artists, and celebrities serving as ambassadors for the event.

Particularly noteworthy was a performance of female consuls general and consuls general’s spouses wearing ao dai, showing the charm of the Vietnamese traditional attire and the friendship and cooperation between nations.

At the ceremony, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Van Dung attributed the success of the festival in a decade to concerted efforts and support among the authorities, organisations, businesses, and locals.

On the occasion, the annual event also earned a special record for the biggest number of consecutive annual editions held so far.

During the festival lasting until Marc
h 17, several interactive activities are set to be held, including an art programme, competitions, exhibition spaces, and an event where ao dai are presented to disadvantaged women./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: More than 1,000 residents of Malinao town in Albay province benefited from a one-day medical and livelihood mission conducted by the Ako Bicol (AKB) Party-list on Friday.

In an interview, AKB Representative Raul Angelo Bongalon said the mission dubbed “Tarabangan Caravan” was conducted in Barangay Jonop to provide various services as part of the priority programs of AKB led by Rep. Elizaldy Co.

“We are giving the people the medical services they need. We want to ensure that everyone can have free access to what the government can give to different sectors in the community. The activity is only a part of the series of medical and dental missions that are already scheduled by the party-list throughout the Bicol region,” Bongalon said.

He said that aside from the medical and dental mission, AKB allocated enough funds to different private hospitals in the province to lessen the hospital bills of those admitted.

“We want to dispel this notion that when it is a private hospital, it is expensive. In orde
r not to discourage the public from seeking medical attention from private hospitals, we give attention by allocating funds to it. AKB is here to support and provide assistance,” Bongalon said.

Wilfredo Casia, Jonop barangay captain, in his message, thanked the AKB for the assistance.

“This is a big help for all of us. Health is very important to everyone. With this mission, we save a lot from our budget, from the transportation cost, checkups, and doctors’ fees up to the medicines, not to mention the free laboratories you also offered, so thank you so much AKB,” he said.

Apart from the medical and dental services, job fairs, free massages, haircuts, manicures and pedicures, entertainment for children and free meals and bread were also provided to the residents.

AKB targets over 13,000 residents in the six provinces of the Bicol region to be catered to by the caravan for 2024.

Source: Philippines News Agency

TACLOBAN: Military and local government officials in Samar will hold more peace forums and dialogue to convince the remaining members of the New People’s Army (NPA) through their families to return to the folds of the law and avail of the benefits offered by the government.

Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade commander Brig. General Noel Vestuir said Friday they are strengthening the Friends Rescued Engagement through their Families (FReE Families) project to completely wipe out insurgency in Samar province.

During the launch on March 5, the army and the local government gathered family members of active NPA members in upland Bacubac village in Basey, Samar, with 29 family members present. Their kin are among the 17 active rebels who are residents of Samar.

Vestuir said they would hold the same dialogue in other areas of Samar province next week.

‘The familial influence held by the family and relatives of the remaining active NPA members under the NPA sub-regional committee plays an integral role in
our aim to end the armed struggle in Samar through peaceful means,’ Vestuir said.

The FReE Families program optimizes the local government’s efforts to link and convince the remaining NPA members through the active participation of the rebels’s families to work for the peaceful surrender of their loved ones and take advantage of the benefits through the Enhanced Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

E-CLIP is a government strategy to convince active rebels to return to the fold of the law by providing financial packages and assistance.

In a statement, Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said she is optimistic that ‘the current efforts through the engaged families will work for the surrender of the remaining rebels who are still in the mountains.’

The governor said the identified families and relatives of NPA members are the principal actors for this program, with the end goal of having the NPA members, our target, leave the armed struggle and join them in living a peaceful life.

Source: Philippines News Agency