TACLOBAN: The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has called on local government units in Eastern Visayas to adopt technological innovations related to disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) to boost the region’s disaster resilience.

DOST Eastern Visayas Regional Director Ernesto Granada said they have been writing letters to mayors informing them of locally developed technologies related to DRRM.

‘We have been requesting local governments to share the technologies and innovations that they intend to adopt for their DRRM-related programs, projects, and activities. We are still waiting for feedback from the majority of local governments,’ Granada added.

These technologies developed by local scientists were showcased during the ‘Handa Pilipinas’ Visayas leg from Nov. 8-10, 2023, at the Summit Hotel here.

Among the technologies showcased are agrometeorological stations, flood early warning systems, flood sense, bamboo shelters, bamboo octagonal jointing systems, brown rice bars, complementary
food products, enhanced nutrition, food processing equipment, vacuum fryers, automatic trash rakes, water hyacinth harvesters, collapsible toilet bowls, emergency food reserves, ready-to-eat chicken eggs, upgraded emergency disinfection systems, rainwater collection systems, and satellite rainfall extremes.

Other technologies are an increase-reality terrain-flood simulator, a community dengue early warning system, damage assessment software, disaster resources mapping, a learning laboratory, a self-contained, disinfecting cubicle, oil spill recovery technologies, seismic activity monitoring systems, earthquake simulators, life-saving devices, soil monitoring after severe flooding, and radiation monitoring stations.

These technologies are available solutions that can be adopted and implemented in their respective agencies for effective DRRM activities.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The country has logged 2,594 measles and rubella cases for the first 11 months of this year.

In a message to reporters on Friday, the Department of Health (DOH) said data from Jan. 1 to Nov. 25 translates to a 335-percent increase, or from 596 cases in the same period last year.

‘Cases are currently showing a steady uptrend, with cases in the recent three to four weeks (Oct. 29 to Nov. 11) at 6 percent higher. Additionally, a total of 442 cases were reported in the recent four weeks,’ the DOH said.

At the regional level, Ilocos Region, Calabarzon, and Zamboanga Peninsula showed continuous increase in the recent six-week period (Oct. 15 to Nov 25), while the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao showed case increases in the recent three to four weeks, reporting two to 253 new cases in the recent four weeks.

For the same period, there were also 16 deaths related to measles and rubella, compared to zero de
aths for the same period last year.

Measles and rubella can be prevented by vaccines. Children from nine to 59 months or under five years old should be protected through vaccination to keep cases low.

Last May, the DOH implemented Measles-Rubella-bivalent Oral Polio vaccine supplemental immunization activity for a month to mitigate the impending risk of a measles outbreak among children under five years old.

The agency was able to vaccinate 8,164,031 or 84 percent of the target population.

Meantime, partial unofficial data on the coverage for two doses of measles-containing vaccine is at 45.52 percent as of September 2023.

Since quality supplemental immunization activity requires 90 percent coverage of the target population, the DOH urges all sectors and units of government to work together, using primary health care as a platform to reach and vaccinate every missed child.
Source: Philippines News Agency

LEGAZPI: More than 440,000 indigent senior citizens in the six provinces of the Bicol Region received government assistance this year through the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPIC) program.

In a report on Friday, Irah Jeanne Ego, Social Welfare Officer II and SPIC focal person, said DSWD-Bicol released a total fund of PHP1.32 billion for this year.

“In 2023, during the first semester, 283,101 beneficiaries were served with a total amount of PHP849,303,000. For the second semester, 158,852 social pensioners were able to receive their monthly stipends with PHP476,556,000 fund surpassing the total target of 288,155 all over the region,” she said.

Implemented under Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, the SPIC program provides a monthly stipend of PHP500 to qualified individuals.

In a statement, DSWD-Bicol Director Norman Laurio said the stipend supplements the beneficiaries’ daily expenses and medical needs.

‘Elderly cit
izens who are entitled to the social pension program of DSWD are those who are indigent, sick, disabled, frail, have no regular or permanent source of income, receive no financial assistance from family members or relatives, and do not receive any other pensions from the Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System, or other institutions,’ he said.

Laurio said DSWD-Bicol field workers ensure prioritization of the qualified indigent senior citizens.

‘Ito po ang dapat maintindihan ng lahat that due to limited target, nakadepende talaga ang beneficiaries na nasiserve ng programa sa number of slots per munisipyo (Due to a limited target, the number of beneficiaries served by the program really depends on the slots per municipality),’ he added.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Almost all Filipino adults, or 92 percent, said they are hopeful for the new year, according to a recent survey by Pulse Asia.

The survey conducted Dec. 3 to 7 showed that only 1 percent will face 2024 without hope, while 7 percent were neither hopeful nor without hope for the coming year.

“Amidst the various challenges Filipinos face on a daily basis, most of them continue to remain optimistic, with 92% saying they will face the new year with hope. This is the prevailing sentiment in every geographic area and socio-economic grouping,” Pulse Asia said in its report.

Ninety-five percent of respondents from the Visayas said they are hopeful, followed by Balance Luzon at 94 percent, National Capital Region at 92 percent, and Mindanao at 84 percent.

The same survey also showed that 41 percent of the respondents believe that their holiday celebrations this year will be as prosperous as last year’s.

Around 30 percent are expecting their celebrations this year to be more prosperous than in 2022.

Sixtee
n percent said their upcoming holiday celebrations will be the same as last year in the sense that it was not prosperous.

Meanwhile, 13 percent said it would be ‘poorer’ than last year.

The survey on the high optimism of Filipinos was made during the same week of the escalating tension in the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Surigao del Sur, the bombing at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City and a nationwide transport strike, among others.

The nationwide survey was based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above.

It has a ± 2.8 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.
Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Almost all Filipino adults, or 92 percent, said they are hopeful for the new year, according to a recent survey by Pulse Asia.

The survey conducted Dec. 3 to 7 showed that only 1 percent will face 2024 without hope, while 7 percent were neither hopeful nor without hope for the coming year.

“Amidst the various challenges Filipinos face on a daily basis, most of them continue to remain optimistic, with 92% saying they will face the new year with hope. This is the prevailing sentiment in every geographic area and socio-economic grouping,” Pulse Asia said in its report.

Ninety-five percent of respondents from the Visayas said they are hopeful, followed by Balance Luzon at 94 percent, National Capital Region at 92 percent, and Mindanao at 84 percent.

The same survey also showed that 41 percent of the respondents believe that their holiday celebrations this year will be as prosperous as last year’s.

Around 30 percent are expecting their celebrations this year to be more prosperous than in 2022.

Sixtee
n percent said their upcoming holiday celebrations will be the same as last year in the sense that it was not prosperous.

Meanwhile, 13 percent said it would be ‘poorer’ than last year.

The survey on the high optimism of Filipinos was made during the same week of the escalating tension in the West Philippine Sea between the Philippines and China, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Surigao del Sur, the bombing at the Mindanao State University in Marawi City and a nationwide transport strike, among others.

The nationwide survey was based on a sample of 1,200 representative adults 18 years old and above.

It has a ± 2.8 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.
Source: Philippines News Agency

Hanoi: More than 1,100 natural disasters have taken place across Vietnam this year, heard a conference held by the office of the National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control in Hanoi on December 22.

Accordingly, natural disasters have to date caused 166 people dead and missing, down 5% year-on-year. The estimated economic damage is about 8.23 trillion VND (339.38 million USD), an annual decrease of 58%. Faced with the abnormal and extreme nature of the disasters, the Government, Prime Minister, national steering committee have directed ministries and localities to vigorously and promptly implement responsive solutions.

According to Hoang Phuc Lam, Deputy Director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, this year has so far seen eight storms and tropical depressions. Severe heatwaves have occurred, with temperatures in some places reaching up to 44.2 degrees Celsius. Heavy rains have taken place in the central region, with 35 provinces and cities affected by fl
oods and landslides.

Throughout the year, the centre has implemented a comprehensive set of measures to enhance the detailed level of flood and landslide warning messages, focusing on applying new and modern technologies to determine more detailed rainfall thresholds. Notably, a real-time warning information system is being integrated into its related forecasting./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency

HCM City: Anh Viet Hop on Hop off Vietnam Co. Ltd. on December 21 evening launched a night sight-seeing double-decker bus tour, raising the time of double-decker bus services to 24 hours.

The tour themed “Sleepless in Sai Gon” is a night city tour from 11pm to 7am in the next morning, offering visitors an opportunity to travel through 30 routes and nearly 20 tourist attractions in the city such as Bui Vien street, Nguyen Hue street, Ben Thanh market, or Notre Dame cathedral. Tourists can experience the most beautiful streets of the city, cross Ba Son bridge and see the city at night.

Nguyen Khoa Luan, director of the company, said that the night tour is expected to increase Ho Chi Minh City’s competitiveness and attract more visitors.

He said his company will cooperate with high-quality restaurants, souvenir shops and establishments with typical local products so that tourists can better access the sites.

In addition, the company is proposing to open a second tour of this kind that will connect the city c
entre to Lon (Big) market in District 6./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency