AUGUST 16-22, 2010

Teachers accused of ‘harming’ pupils admit errors 

 By GERRY T. PAGHARION ( fromThe Capiz Times)

            ROXAS CITY – After the admission made by the controversial teacher in Panay, Capiz that she let her pupil bite (not eat, she corrected) a piece of crumpled paper as a form of punishment  last June 16  inside the classroom, another teacher  in Pontevedra, Capiz owned up to his folly  when he threw a pomelo (a fruit locally known as “cabugao”) at his Grade V pupil last Aug. 13, a Friday, purportedly to call his attention to the subject matter being discussed.

            The boy, reportedly still nursing from fever, was hit in the head.

            But Rogelio “Dodong” Arceño of Hipona Elementary School was quick to own up to his mistake and stressed that he  terribly felt sorry for what he did.  He has since then been profusely apologizing to the pupil and to his parents for his “spur of the moment” action.

            Arceño’s classroom  story came amid the widely-publicized case of Gelisa Bocala of Agbalo Elementrary School in Panay, Capiz, who is now under investigation by the Capiz Division reportedly  for lodging a piece of crumpled paper into the mouth of her  Grade V pupil as a form of disciplinary action.

            The “badly traumatized” pupil has since transferred to Dona Victoria Cortez Dais Memorial in the nearby Pontevedra town.

            The trouble started when, on June 16, Bocala’s attention was called to the presence of a piece of crumpled paper on top of the desk of the pupil.  It was reportedly agreed by the whole class that whoever is found guilty of littering would be made to “eat” the littered object.

            This paper learned that Bocala is now working on an amicable settlement with the pupil’s parents.  The pupil’s father, Efren Bulao, however, wanted Bocala punished for her “abusive act.”

            Arceño, meanwhile, said that since the fruit he threw at his pupil was slightly bigger than the size of a ping pong ball and that it was tender, it could not have inflicted serious injury to the boy.  The teacher said he felt so concerned with reports coming out in media saying that the boy was placed in the intensive care unit of a hospital after incurring serious injury in the head as a result of the fruit-throwing incident.

            The fruit was used by Arceño as a substitute for a ball he would press every now and then to prevent his hand from getting numb, the result of a stroke he suffered years back.

            Before the classroom incident last Aug. 13, the boy was absent from his class for three days because he had fever.  The boy’s parents also explained that their son had to be placed in the ICU because there was no available space in the hospital that time, Arceño said.

            It could not yet  be established whether the boy was hospitalized due to continuous fever or as a result of the classroom incident.

            Reynaldo D. Azcarraga, the school’s principal, said there was no hint or sign so far   that the parents of the boy would file a complaint against Arceño. 

            Nevertheless, Arceño expressed remorse for his action.

            Meanwhile, Bocala said she has agreed to be transferred to another school –the Panay Central School — as part of the compromise agreement with the pupil’s parents. 

            Bocala’s contention is found  in the supposed draft agreement apparently prepared by her lawyer and at her behest supposedly  to be signed by her and the pupil’s parents as a settlement.  The  agreement would  assure that the latter will drop the administrative charges they have filed against her and that they  would no longer pursue the criminal aspect of the case.

            But Bulao was not ready to exonerate Bocala of her misdemeanor as he refused to sign the supposed agreement, it was learned.

            In that agreement, Bulao,   would supposedly agree not to pursue the case against Bocala, the first party,  and that he and his wife, the second party,   would no longer bring up the case in media and other venues.

            The draft also specifies that Bocala and Bulao  agree that after they shall have signed the agreement, they would forget everything  as if nothing had happened and that they would move on with their respective lives while “maintaining their respect towards one another.”

            It was learned that Bocala expressed willingness to reimburse all the expenses incurred by the pupil’s parents as a result of the classroom incident.

The Capiz Times is published weekly by The Capiz Times, Inc. with business offices at 2/F Buyco Bldg., McKinley St., Roxas City 5800, Capiz, PHILIPPINES Tel. No. (63) (36) 621-0949 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (63) (36) 621-0949      end_of_the_skype_highlighting (formerly it was at MARC’s Apartments, Zamora St., Roxas City 5800, Capiz, PHILIPPINES).  Email:  thecapiztimes@yahoo.com  Subscription rates:  yearly (prepaid) PhP 1,000.00  (postpaid) PhP 1,500.00

August 9-15, 2010

Land Bank, Health Centrum execs  ink MOA for P75-M loan

by Gerry Pagharion

ROXAS CITY –Officials of the Land Bank of the Philippines –Roxas Branch and proponents of the roughly P450-million hospital cum wellness center  recently  signed a memorandum of agreement for the  P75-million loan,  which forms part the P120 –million initial capitalization needed  to finance the Phase l of the project.

To be known as The Health Centrum, the project  is now under construction  in Barangay Banica here at  a 30- hectare  complex  owned by the family of the late Capiz Gov. Atila Balgos.

The Health Centrum proponents, mainly members of the Balgos family,  and Land Bank officials led by its Roxas branch manager Gina Gomez, have formally signed a memorandum of agreement for the  P75-million loan  in simple rites held  at the Hall of Governors of the provincial capitol here last Aug. 6.

                The Land Bank is committed to finance the project up to Phase IV, it was announced by Vivian Canenero, head   of the LBP’s Iloilo Lending Center.

                Phasing of the project construction has been modified, according to the project’s prime mover Dr. Abundio Balgos.  Phase I consists of ambulatory care plus 19 inpatient beds; Phase II 38 inpatient beds plus initial hotel rooms; Phase III 75 inpatient beds plus completion of hotel; and Phase IV 100 inpatients beds plus managed care retirement facility in hotel. 

                The project is expected to be fully completed and/or operational either in the latter part of 2014 or in the early part of 2015.

                The laying of the time capsule for the project was held in December last year.  It was graced by Capiz Gov. Victor Tanco Sr., RTC executive judge Edward Contreras, among others. In his message the Governor endorsed the project “as an effective way of luring more investors for the province and city.”

                During the Aug. 6 MOA signing, Capiz provincial administrator Atty. Jose “Joe” Villanueva said that with the Health Centrum, Capiz will now be placed in the league of big cities.

                The project, he said, highlights the tri-partite relationship among the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital, the Health Centrum and the Provincial Government of Capiz.

                Dr. Balgos, who is also Associate Dean of the University of the Philippines’ College of Medicine, said that under the Health Centrum project, they intend to establish a 100-bed capacity tertiary hospital with an adjoining hotel  (thus the term ‘Hospitel’) in Capiz “to humanize the health care services.”  This is also in line with the growing popularity of the medical tourism concept.

                In an earlier interview, Balgos said he would relocate his practice to Roxas City when the project starts operations.  He sees Roxas City to be a potential major seat of medical advancement in Western Visayas.

                He said that the planned integrated hospital , hotel and mall complex will serve clients from Roxas City and Capiz province, and the northern part of Panay Island in the Western Visayas region, including the surrounding provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, Antique and Masbate, Boracay Island in Aklan, as well as the northern part of Palawan.

                Because of the project’s proximity to island resorts and diving spots, Balgos said, the facility will also have a decompression chamber.

                An 11-hectare residential subdivision which is targeted to be mainly a retirement village is also planned.

                Balgos expressed optimism that medical tourism will enhance the viability of the project once the institution is able to establish a good reputation built on competent medical specialists, excellent nursing care, and state-of-the –art equipment. The project will also cater to alternative medicine.

August 2-8, 2010

Dengue cases hit 1,535 with 11 deaths  

By GERRY T. PAGHARION

                ROXAS CITY –The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council on August 2 held an emergency meeting to draw up plans of action on how to combat the rising cases of dengue in Capiz which, from January up to July 27 this year, have already reached 1,285, with 10 deaths.

                The next day, Aug. 3, the Capiz Provincial Board, acting on the request of Gov. Victor Tanco, Sr., convened for a special session and declared Capiz in a state of calamity due to the dengue outbreak.

                The declaration was needed to allow the province to use the 5 percent calamity fund.  The sight of overflowing dengue patients in several hospitals here was proof enough of the gravity of the problem, health officials said.

                As of press time, the number of dengue cases in Capiz has shot up to a record 1,535, with 11 deaths.

                The Roxas City Council here also declared  an outbreak of dengue fever in the city in the wake of the rising number of cases that has reached 444, with five deaths, since Janruary until Aug. 7.

                The council held a special session Aug. 7 upon the request of Mayor Angel Alan Celino, for the sole purpose of declaring the outbreak.

                Using a portion of the city’s calamity fund, Celino said, the City Government would be able to provide its households with mosquito nets and repellents.

                The city government will  likewise pay for the processing fee of indigent patients in need of blood transfusion, in coordination with the Philippine Red Cross.

                Vice Mayor Ronnie Dadivas said each member of the City Council would also do their share by leading clean-up drives .

                This Friday, Aug. 13, there will be simultaneous clean-up drives throughout the province on top of the daily 4 0’clock habit to fully disseminate to the people the needed information about dengue.

                                                        APPEAL FOR UNITY

                The Governor, who is also the PDCC chair, earlier issued an executive order declaring Capiz in a “state of impending outbreak of dengue cases.”  He appealed for unity from all the Province’s sectors in the wake of the outbreak, stressing that such problem “transcends geographical, personal and political boundaries.”

                In the presence of some board members who are not his political allies, Tanco stressed at the PDCC meeting that   it will be only when everybody unites and helps one another that the threat of dengue outbreak in the province could be dealt with effectively.

                The Governor noted that this was the first time that dengue cases in Capiz have reached more than 1,000.

                Dr. Evelyn Bolido, Medical  Specialist IV of Capiz’s Integrated Provincial Health Office, noted the dramatic increase in the number of dengue cases in Capiz, noting that in 2008, there were only 126 cases for the whole year and 306 cases in the whole 2009.

                However, for this year, more than 1,000 cases have already been reported during the seven-month period (January to July), Bolido said.

                                                        OUTNUMBERED

                A source said Tanco was having difficulty convincing the board to make the declaration because the LP, the Governor’s party, is outnumbered in the board 8-5 in favor of Ugyon Kita Capiz.

                However, board members belonging to Ugyon Kita Capiz present during the PDC meeting appeared supportive of  the idea to declare Capiz in a state of calamity after being apprised of the magnitude of the problem.

                The board’s chair of the committee on health, Board Member Mimi Ardivilla,  expressed support for the declaration of Capiz in  state of calamity provided “proper measures are taken” to see to it that funds are solely used for such purpose.

                Board members aligned with Ugyon who attended the meeting held at the Pag-ulikid Training Center in ESLA, Lanot here were board members Jeffrey Layo, James Magbanua, Mimi Ardivilla and Blesilda Almalbis. The other members of the Ugyon in the board are Camilo Robles and the ex-officio members representing the PCL, the SK and the Liga nga mga Barangay.

                The LP, on the other hand,  has five members in the provincial legislative body.  They are Sonny Besa, Aldwin Cruz-Am, Remia Fuentes-Bartolome, Roberto Ignacio and Eduardo Magallanes.

                                                         ALARMING

                In his letter to the board members coursed thru the board’s presiding officer, Vice Gov. Esteban Evan B. Contreras all, Tanco said, the Department of Health and Provincial Health Office monitoring reports reveal that the clustering of dengue cases in different barangays in almost all municipalities has increased astronomically from 51 in July 17 to 76 in July 24, thus reaching a level of an actual Dengue  Fever Outbreak which is already categorized as Epidemic.”  

 Dengue is a mosquito-borne disease that causes infection to humans thru a bite of an infected female mosquito known as Aedes Aegypti. The mosquitoes thrive in clear, stagnant water and only attack the victims during daytime.

                Prevention has been cited by health officials as the most effective way of combating the mosquito-borne disease as there has been no known cure for it once it reaches its “acute stage.”

                Board member Layo said there was a need to strengthen the preventive measures before going into the “curative measures.”

                                                          LACK OF BLOOD DONORS

                Jessie Contreras, administrator of Capiz Emmanuel Hospital in which the bulk of the dengue victims in Capiz was confined, lamented that Capiz “does not have a blood bank,” and went on to enumerate other  problems they have encountered as a result of the outbreak, like lack of beds.

                Charles Robles, chair of the Philippine National Red Cross in Capiz, refuted Contreras’ statement by saying “we actually have a blood bank.’  The problem is, Robles explained, the lack of (blood) donors.

                Robles said only 30 percent constitute the so-called “voluntary (blood) donors” while 70 percent are classified as “paid donors.”

                That’s why, he said, unless the community cooperates, it would be hard to ensure a steady supply of blood badly needed by the dengue victims as the blood platelets only last five days.

                He also suggested that hospitals must have refrigerators to store the blood.

                Tanco said that if there are enough funds, the province can buy folding beds and even share these beds with other private hospitals which are often caught in a dilemma on how to accommodate the overflowing dengue patients.