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According to WHO (n.d.), mobile clinic demand worldwide is already rising. In other countries, there are already mobile health clinics on the run so that basic healthcare would reach a greater number of the population. This mobile clinic can provide primary and preventive care to the community. This idea is a new and an innovative way of delivering healthcare to the most accessible place of the clients which is just in front of their doorsteps. This will add ease in acquiring child healthcare services.

In our area, Ilocos Sur, there are secluded places that are hard to reach. People who live in those areas do not comply with the healthcare needs of the children because they think that it is just a waste of time traveling and transportation fare is just a waste of money. I personally think that this mobile clinic can help the children acquire the right care for them. We can orient the children that this is just like an ice cream truck, but instead of serving ice cream, it serves good health and strong immunity.

Positive Side:

Flexible and can give healthcare to isolated areas. More community approach, greater accessibility, and receptiveness. Efficient and always on the go to help.

Negative Side:

Expensive and requires additional personnel or staff. Additional cost on fuel and maintenance. The people will be reliant on the mobile clinic and might not go to RHU anymore.

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According to Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (n.d.), solar power takes its energy from the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun and turns it into clean consumable electricity. Meanwhile, basing on the Hernandez's climate classification, the climate in Ilocos Sur is generally dry most of the months, from October to May the region is experiencing. In my experience, I feel that the weather here is warm to hot all year round, the sunlight nearly always there. Thus, based on the location, the use of solar power as an electricity source is recommended. Those people who can afford solar panels should invest in them. Also, the government should invest in such technology and provide those who cannot afford it.

Positive Side:

Lowers the monthly electric bill, clean energy because of no greenhouse gasses emission, lower maintenance costs,  technologically advanced, and renewable energy.

Negative Side:

Low energy on rainy days, uses a lot of space, and people may not be receptive to the idea. Also, low economic citizens cannot afford to buy on their own, they still need the government’s support.

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According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (2020), target 3.2 .1 or the under-five mortality rate of Ilocos region increases from 8.08 baseline data of 2015 to 17.55 latest data of 2020. The target of SDG 3 is to reduce the rate of mortality of children under 5 years old but as reflected on the statistical finding, it seems to move in the opposite direction, it increases as time goes by.

There are different child health and nutrition programs implemented by the Department of Health (DOH), such as newborn screening tests, immunization programs, deworming programs, etc. The said programs are to address the different health problems being experienced by children. But as observed, there are sitios or areas that are hard to access and that is why people comply less with the healthcare needs of the children.

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According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (2020), the percentage of households with electricity connections in Ilocos Sur is already 100% as of 2020. Meanwhile, the rate of residential electricity in Ilocos Sur is 13.3565 pesos per kilowatt-hour according to the official website of Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative, the main supplier of electricity in the area. This rate is considered as high compared to other suppliers such as MERALCO with around 9.70 pesos per kilowatt-hour.

According to the Department of Labor and Employment (2019), the minimum wage income of Region 1 is ranging from 282-340 pesos. Considering the wage status of the area, most of the people find electricity bills to be “mabigat sa bulsa.” The continuous annual rise in the electricity rate carries out challenges to the citizens. Thus, the government should invest in alternative electricity sources. While there are alternative energy sources in neighboring areas, such as Ilocos Norte having their windmills as an alternative source of energy, Ilocos Sur lacks its own.

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DOH targets 1.9M Ilocos children, teens for deworming activity

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MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The Department of Health Center for Health Development in the Ilocos Region (DOH-CHD-1) targets to involve some 1.9 million children and teens aged one to 19 years old in the region in the National Deworming Month this January.  In a phone interview on...

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MANILA, Philippines-At least P7.8 billion has been earmarked in the proposed 2022 national budget for a feeding program for children, according to Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor.

But as the country celebrates National Children's Month this November, would the funding be enough to address the many challenges that confront Filipino children especially amid the pandemic?

November, as National Children's Month, has been made official by Republic Act No. 10661, signed by the late President Benigno Aquino III in 2015.

The declaration commemorates the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the United Nations General Assembly on Nov. 20, 1989.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the National Youth Commission (NYC), and the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC)-as lead agencies-were tasked with the launch of activities in relation to National Children's Month.

The Department of Education (DepED) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) were tasked with facilitating and encouraging the commemoration in all private and public schools nationwide.

In this report, INQUIRER.net will present data on the situation of children in the Philippines amid the pandemic and in observance of National Children's Month.

P7.8B budget to feed children

At least P7.8 billion was earmarked in the 2022 national budget for feeding programs which, according to Defensor, will benefit over 3.6 million undernourished children in the country.

"We are counting on the national government's targeted feeding programs to help improve the nutritional and overall health condition of children from poverty-stricken families who continue to suffer from hunger," said Defensor, who is also vice chair of the House Committee on Welfare of Children (CWC).

Citing results of a Social Weather Stations survey released last July, the lawmaker said that "an estimated 3.4 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger - hunger due to lack of food to eat - at least once in the past three months."

From the P7.8 billion budget that has been set aside by Congress, P4.2 billion will go to DSWD for 120 days worth of meals and milk for 1.9 million children aged two to five years old.

According to Defensor, the feeding program will target underfed children who are "not formally enrolled in kindergarten."

Aside from DSWD, the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) of DepEd will also get its share of the budget next year with P3.3 billion, which will be used to supply nutritious food products (NFPs) and fresh milk to 1.7 million learners from kindergarten to Grade 6 for a period of 120 days.

The DepEd has switched the SBFP's hot meals to NFPs and fresh milk when the education system in the country shifted to distance learning due to COVID-19.

The food supplies can be either picked up by parents from designated collection points or delivered to houses once or twice a week.

"The SBFP targets wasted and severely wasted learners, or those deemed too skinny for their age," said Defensor.

The Department of Health (DOH) will receive P250 million for its Complementary Feeding Program, which will cover the expenses for therapeutic milk and protein-enriched meals.

These will help improve the nutrition of infants aged six to 23 months. The program will also benefit breastfeeding mothers.

Aside from that, the DOH's National Nutrition Council will also get P139 million for its Early Childhood Care and Development in the First 1,000 Days Program.

According to Defensor, the program focuses on providing food aid to pregnant women who are considered nutritionally at-risk.

Constant problem

According to World Bank, malnutrition among children has perennially been a serious problem in the Philippines.

Malnutrition, according to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST}, refers to the pathological state-general or specific-resulting from a relative or absolute deficiency or excess in the intake of one or more essential nutrients.

This may manifest clinically or detectable by physical, biochemical, or functional signs or both. The different forms of malnutrition are undernutrition, specific nutrient deficiency, overnutrition, and imbalance.

The World Bank said that the Philippines "ranked fifth among countries in the East Asia and Pacific region with the highest prevalence of stunting and is among the 10 countries in the world with the highest number of stunted children."

Stunting, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), means that the height of a child or individual is low for his or her age.

"It is the result of chronic or recurrent undernutrition, usually associated with poverty, poor maternal health and nutrition, frequent illness and/or inappropriate feeding and care in early life," WHO explained.

"Stunting prevents children from reaching their physical and cognitive potential," it added.

Data from World Bank showed that micronutrient undernutrition continues to plague children in the Philippines.

At least 38 percent of infants aged six to 11 months old and 26 percent of children aged 12-23 months old suffer from micronutrient undernutrition in the country.

"Nearly 17 percent of children aged 6-59 months suffered from vitamin A deficiency, of which children aged 12-24 months had the highest prevalence (22 percent) followed by children aged six to 12 months (18 percent)," the World Bank said.

There are five regions in the country where cases of stunting have exceeded 40 percent of the child population. According to World Bank, these are:

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)-45 percent

Southwestern Tagalog Region (Mimaropa)-41 percent

Bicol-40 percent

South Central Mindanao Region (Soccksargen)-40 percent

Western Visayas-40 percent

According to United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), at least 95 children in the Philippines die from malnutrition daily. Around 27 out of 1,000 Filipino children, sadly, do not get past their fifth birthday.

A third of Filipino children were also stunted. Stunting after two years of age can be permanent, irreversible, and even fatal, according to Unicef.

"Apart from high rates of stunting and neonatal deaths, low routine immunization coverage and lack of access to clean water and sanitation facilities also threaten children's survival and development in the Philippines," Unicef said.

By the numbers

The 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) of the DOST-FNRI detailed the cases of malnutrition and stunting among Filipino children before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country.

According to the ENNS report, the number of underweight, stunted, wasted-low weight for height-and obesity cases among preschool children, school-age children, and pre-adolescents and adolescent children were:

Preschool children

One out of five, or 19.1 percent, of preschool children was underweight, with the highest prevalence (21.9 percent) among children aged 4 to 4.9 years old.

Three out of 10, or 30.3 percent, of children under five years old were stunted, with the highest prevalence (36.6 percent) recorded in the first year of life.

The national estimate for under-five wasted children was 5.6 percent, with the highest prevalence among 0-5 months old (8.6 percent).

The prevalence of overweight-for-height children in 2018 was 4 percent.

Overweight-for-height among children aged 0-5 months was 5.2 percent.

School-age children

One in four, or 24.5 percent, of school-age children was stunted.

Wasting prevalence among school-age children was 7.6 percent in 2018.

The national estimate for overweight children in 2018 was 11.7 percent. The FNRI noted an increasing trend of overweight cases and obesity among school-age Filipino children through the years.

Pre-adolescents and adolescent children

The stunting rate among adolescents in 2018 was 26.3 percent, with the highest prevalence (30.3 percent) among teenagers aged 16 to 19 years old.

Wasting prevalence among this age group was 11.3 percent in 2018.

The prevalence of overweight cases and obesity rose among pre-adolescents and adolescent children rose in 2018 at 11.6 percent.

The report also found that the prevalence of underweight, stunted, and wasted children among different age groups differ in urban and rural areas.

Preschool children

There was a higher prevalence of underweight children below five years old among those residing in rural areas at 22.6 percent than in urban areas at 15.4 percent.

The stunting rate among the same age group was also higher in rural areas at 34.3 percent, while the prevalence in urban areas was at 4.6 percent.

There were more wasted children from rural areas (6.6 percent) than in urban areas (4.6 percent).

Overweight-for-height among children below five years old was more common among urban dwellers at 4.9 percent.

School-age children

Undernutrition was more prevalent among children in rural than in urban areas as evidenced by higher underweight (28.2 percent vs. 21.2 percent) and stunting (28.0 percent vs. 20.5 percent) rates.

The prevalence of overweight or obesity was more common among children in urban areas at 15.8 percent than in rural areas at 8.2 percent.

Pre-adolescents and adolescent children

Adolescents from rural areas (29.2 percent) were more likely to be stunted than their urban (23.0 percent) counterparts.

Overweight cases and obesity were more prevalent among adolescents from urban areas (15.4 percent) than those from rural areas (8.4 percent).

FNRI also detailed the disparity in cases of underweight, stunted, wasted, and overweight children among those who were from the poorest households compared to their richer counterparts.

COVID impact

The CWC, citing data from the Philippine Pediatric Society, said in a statement that from March 2020 to February 2021, there were 48,411 children aged 19 and below who have contracted COVID-19.

Amid the rising cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the DOH also observed increasing cases of COVID-19 infection among children.

The CWC said as of August 8, the number of COVID cases among children has risen "rapidly" to 176,540 with 466 deaths.

To provide better protection for children against the disease, the government said last week that it will begin the national rollout of COVID vaccination for minors aged 12 to 17 years old "as early as November 3."

The government is currently implementing Phase 2 of pediatric vaccinations for children with comorbidity in several Metro Manila hospitals and vaccination sites.

According to the health department, as of Oct. 16, a total of 1,509 children with comorbidity, or pre-existing health conditions, have received their first vaccine dose.

Adjusting to new normal

According to the CWC, the theme for the 29th National Children's Month Celebration is "New Normal na Walang Iwanan: Karapatan ng Bawat Bata Ating Tutukan!."

"2021 poses greater challenges as the country reels from the prolonged consequences of the pandemic. These challenges continue to aggravate underlying issues on children and threaten to undermine the collective efforts of the civil society in handling the pandemic," the CWC statement read.

"The 29th NCM focus and theme for this year will cover the myriad of issues on children rights to survival, development, protection, and participation in the new normal setting," it said.

"As the Philippines gears eagerly towards ensuring the safety and protection of all Filipinos, the call for inclusivity remains relevant-especially in putting a high premium on children's rights," it added.

Aside from malnutrition and COVID-19 cases, this year's celebration will also cover issues, like mental health issues among children amid the pandemic.

Data from the National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline showed that the number of calls from children seeking help spiked by 347 percent from 3,178 in 2019 to 11,016 in 2020.

The CWC said that it was alarming, given that 12.48 percent or at least 1,375 of the total number of calls received last year were classified as suicide-related calls.

In October last year, the group Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan reported 17 suicide cases among students last school year.

The mental health problem among children was also heightened by the pandemic, as children were left with no choice but to stay inside their houses.

"Before, if there are troubles inside the house, the school can be a place where they could have a sense of emotional and social support from friends and the people in school who are present physically," said child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Mary Daryl Joyce Calleja.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said last September that these psychosocial problems among young learners amid the pandemic are a "big challenge for our people in government."

The CWC also highlighted the alarming increase in the number of cases of violence committed against children since last year.

Citing data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), the CWC said a total of 19,652 cases of violence against children was reported in 2020. From January to May this year, the number was already 5,464. The majority of victims were female, the CWC said.

Children aged 10 to 17 years old "are significantly the ones who are often victimized," it said.

Cases of gender-based violence included violations of several laws in the Philippines:

Provisions of the Revised Penal Code against acts of lasciviousness and concubinage

Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act

Republic Act 8353 or the Anti-Rape Act

Republic Act 9995 or the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act

Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act

Republic Act 7877 or the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act

Republic Act 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act

The CWC has prepared a series of activities for the whole month of November. The theme for each week will focus on the four categories on children's rights including survival rights, development rights, participation rights, and protection rights.

A launching ceremony was scheduled on Nov. 3, which will mark the start of this year's celebration of National Children's Month.

TSB

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National Children's Month: Cause for celebration or worry?

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MANILA, Philippines-At least P7.8 billion has been earmarked in the proposed 2022 national budget for a feeding program for children, according to Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor. But as the country celebrates National Children's Month this November, would the funding be enough to address the many challenges that confront Filipino children especially amid the pandemic?

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DEPRIVATION OF EFFECTIVE CHILD HEALTH SERVICES AS EVIDENT BY THE INCREASING UNDER-FIVE MORTALITY RATE

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DEPRIVATION OF EFFECTIVE CHILD HEALTH SERVICES AS EVIDENT BY THE INCREASING UNDER-FIVE MORTALITY RATE

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I have observed that in my STSArea there is a deprivation of effective child health services under the health and well-being. This issue is highly needed to be addressed because we consider children as a vulnerable sector of our society. As many have said, the children are the future of the country, that is why we have to invest in the children’s health and well-being. Furthermore, stated in the 12 rights of Filipino children, every child has the right to basic needs which includes access to proper healthcare. In our area, there are few services offered to children, aside from the mandatory services of the DOH, there are no furthermore. I think it is just right for the region to exert more effort and provide more services because their mortality rate is increasing, unlike other areas in the Philippines.

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Iris Gonzales - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines - The stock market spiraled down yesterday as Russia launched a military assault in Ukraine, sending jitters to investors even as a war had been looming for weeks now.

The 30-company benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) finished at 7,212.23, losing 151.98 points or 2.06 percent. Likewise, the broader All Shares index plummeted by 75.01 points or 1.91 percent to close at 3,842.85.

All index issues, except for consumer firms Puregold, LT Group and San Miguel Corp., closed deeply in the red.

Philstocks Financial analyst Japhet Tantiangco said the local bourse plunged as it joined its regional peers in negative territory amid the worsening tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

"The local market tanked after Russian President Valdimir Putin announced that he is launching a military attack on Eastern Ukraine," AB Capital Securities said in a commentary.

First Metro Investment Corp. head of research Cristina Ulang said the conflict between Russia and Ukraine would raise the cost of doing business in the Philippines.

"It will raise the cost of doing business -- higher fuel prices, power rates and cost of borrowing which may squeeze margins of non-branded consumer stocks," she said.

Highly leveraged companies, meanwhile, will be at a disadvantage, especially those heavy with unhedged dollar loans, Ulang said.

At the same time, she said the conflict may benefit banks through wider lending spreads and local miners through higher commodity, export prices particularly nickel, copper and gold.

Several oil and mining stocks went up yesterday as investors place bets on companies that may benefit from a surge in global oil and energy prices.

Trading was strong, with net value turnover at P9.49 billion, above the year-to-date average of P7.07 billion.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said the immediate impact of the conflict has been the increase in global oil and energy prices since Russia is a major producer.

Higher oil prices would lead to higher inflation, which in turn, would slow down the economic recovery, amid the reduction in the purchasing power and consumers' disposable income, he said.

"The relief rally has quickly reversed course," said Jeffrey Halley of Oanda in a report. "Equities are tanking in Asia."

World stock markets plunged and oil prices surged by nearly $6 per barrel yesterday after Putin launched Russian military action in Ukraine.

Both US and Brent crude oil were hovering near $100 per barrel by early Thursday, European time.

Although Asian economies face lower risks than Europe does, those that need imported oil like the Philippines might be hit by higher prices if supplies from Russia, the third-largest producer, are disrupted, forecasters said.

Investors already were uneasy about the possible impact of the Federal Reserve's plans to try to cool inflation by withdrawing ultra-low interest rates and other stimulus that boosted share prices.

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Iris Gonzales - The Philippine Star MANILA, Philippines - The stock market spiraled down yesterday as Russia launched a military assault in Ukraine, sending jitters to investors even as a war had been looming for weeks now. The 30-company benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) finished at 7,212.23, losing 151.98 points or 2.06 percent.

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Colorful Minimalist Monotone General Civil Society SDG Instagram Post

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Colorful Minimalist Monotone General Civil Society SDG Instagram Post

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LAOAG CITY-At least 77 public schools in the Ilocos region have opened their doors for the expanded in-person classes this week, the regional Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday.

DepEd said these schools joined 20 other schools in the region that resumed limited in-person classes in November last year.

Of the 77, at least 39 schools are in Pangasinan province, 32 in Ilocos Norte province, and six in Ilocos Sur province, according to Pedro Jose Cudal, planning officer for the regional DepEd, during a virtual press briefing on Tuesday.

Physical classes were allowed to resume after the region was placed under alert level 2 following a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, DepEd said.

All participating schools have undergone and passed a safety audit. Depending on the school's capacity, students enrolled from kindergarten to Grade 12 may attend classes.

Only vaccinated teachers may report for the in-person sessions. Students, meanwhile, are encouraged to get vaccinated, but this was not made a requirement for attendance, DepEd said.

To ensure the safety of students, schools are required to strictly implement health protocols while giving them the "flexibility" to set contact time for teaching and learning. -JOHN MICHAEL MUGAS

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77 more schools in the Ilocos resume in-person classes

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LAOAG CITY-At least 77 public schools in the Ilocos region have opened their doors for the expanded in-person classes this week, the regional Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday. DepEd said these schools joined 20 other schools in the region that resumed limited in-person classes in November last year.

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FREE BIKES. Displaced or disadvantaged workers in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur received on Monday (Jan. 31, 2022) free bicycles to aid their livelihood. Each unit comes with an Android phone loaded with a PHP5,000 in electronic payment application. (Photo courtesy of DOLE Region 1)

LAOAG CITY - Some 1,047 displaced or disadvantaged workers in Ilocos Sur received a total of PHP7 million worth of livelihood assistance courtesy of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday.

Among the latest batch of beneficiaries include some 60 rural women of Santa in Ilocos Sur engaged in making seasonal bagoong ipon (salted goby fry).

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, who hails from this town, gave the women a check worth PHP1 million to restart their business after the seasonal catch of goby has dwindled over the years.

In a separate phone interview, Atty. Ma. Karina Trayvilla, director of the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns, said at least 52 sari-sari store owners were likewise given a total of PHP1,560,000 livelihood assistance to replenish their stocks aside from another 52 beneficiaries of free bike project worth PHP1,040,000.

Each bicycle unit comes with an Android phone loaded with PHP5,000 in electronic payment application.

In neighboring Narvacan town, another batch of 500 bikes was given to selected beneficiaries on Monday, with the Bello leading the two-day distribution of livelihood aid in Ilocos Sur province.

At a time when movement restrictions are in place due to the prolonged pandemic, Leonardo Decano, one of the beneficiaries of the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD), said he can't thank the government enough for its continuing efforts to uplift the lives of marginal workers.

"This is a big help for us to meet our basic needs at home," he said in Ilokano.

TUPAD is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment.

Like other TUPAD beneficiaries in the Ilocos region, DOLE regional director Evelyn Ramos said each of them was tasked to help in community clean-up including repair of public parks, schools, and other tasks that may be assigned by their respective village chiefs.

In Ilocos Sur alone, over 3,000 residents have availed the TUPAD program covering at least 10 local government units in the second district.

According to Bello, more livelihood packages of the labor department will be expected by Ilocos residents in the next few days.

Interested individuals who may wish to avail of the DOLE programs may contact their village officials to be listed.

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Informal workers in Ilocos Sur town get livelihood aid

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LAOAG CITY - Some 1,047 displaced or disadvantaged workers in Ilocos Sur received a total of PHP7 million worth of livelihood assistance courtesy of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday.Among the latest batch of beneficiaries include some 60 rural women of Santa in...

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Ilocos Sur is well known for the production of Tobacco, Rice, and Corn. It also has a variety of special products per town, such as Buri crafts, Bagnet, Empanada, Bamboo crafts, Hand-loom woven products, etc. The region’s revenue is over 7,000,000,000 pesos according to the official GOVPH website. Ilocos Sur's economy is considered as agrarian because of the broad farmlands in the region.

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Department of Labor and Employment (2019). Current Daily Minimum Wage Rate Region I (Ilocos). GOVPH. Retrieved February 26, 2022, from https://nwpc.dole.gov.ph/regionandwages/region-i-ilocos/ .
Department of Trade and Industry GOVPH (n.d.). Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness index. CMCI. Department of Trade and Industry GOVPH. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from https://cmci.dti.gov.ph/prov-profile.php?prov=Ilocos+Sur&amp;year=2020 .
Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (n.d.). How Does Solar Work? Energy.gov. Retrieved February 26, 2022, from https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/how-does-solar-work.
Philippine Statistics Authority (2022, April 22). Ilocos Sur's Population Growth Rate Doubled After 5 Years. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from https://psa.gov.ph/content/ilocos-surs-population-growth-rate-doubled-after-5-years.
Philippine Statistics Authority (2022). SDG Watch Ilocos Region. Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from https://psa.gov.ph/content/ilocos-surs-population-growth-rate-doubled-after-5-years.
Reñosa, M. D. C., Bärnighausen, K., Dalglish, S. L., Tallo, V. L., Landicho-Guevarra, J., Demonteverde, M. P., ... & McMahon, S. A. (2021). “The staff are not motivated anymore”: Health care worker perspectives on the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) program in the Philippines. BMC health services research, 21(1), 1-13.
World Health Organization (n.d.). Mobile Clinics. World Health Organization. Retrieved February 26, 2022, from https://www.who.int/emergencies/partners/mobile-clinics.

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Ilocos Sur's population is over 700,000 people and most of them classified themselves as Ilocanos. While there is still a little portion of  Kankanai, Itneg, Tagalog, and other ethnic groups in its population percentage. The language spoken is dominantly Ilocano and the greatest percent of its citizens are Roman Catholic.

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Thank you for visiting my Padlet space. I hope this page will help you gain new knowledge about our area, Ilocos Sur. I would like to encourage you to look through your areas and seek for deprivations that can be adressed. And together, through our awareness, maybe we can help make a better future for everyone.

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The region is predominantly a mountainous region but there are still dozens of coastal areas around the region. Based on its topography, there are varying elevations of land in the region. The region is bounded by Ilocos Norte to its north and La Union to its south. Meanwhile, to the west of the region is the South China Sea and to its east is the Cordillera Mountain Range. The total area of the region is around 2,500 square kilometers.

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The province of Ilocos Sur is located in the northern part of the Philippines. Home of the country’s most known exquisite heritage town where the track of the Hispanic colonial era still lingers. This place will surely make you feel like you are in a time machine. You will have a glimpse of the different treasured stories about lifestyle, politics, friendship,  work, and love of several centuries ago. Truly, it can be considered as UNESCO World Heritage Site for its treasure. Moreover, it also has many hidden breathtaking falls, land fields, mountains, and beaches.

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MANILA, Philippines - President Rodrigo Duterte has signed two measures declaring and establishing heritage zones in Cebu and Ilocos Sur, copies of which were released to media on Monday.

Republic Act (RA) No. 11644 or the Carcar City Heritage Zone Act declares the City of Carcar in Cebu Province a heritage zone.

"As such, it shall be accorded priority development by the Department of Tourism (DOT), in coordination with the Provincial Government of Cebu, the City Government of Carcar, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and its affiliated cultural agencies, and other concerned agencies of the government, and shall be subject to the rules and regulations governing the conservation and preservation of heritage zones," the bill reads.

On the other hand, RA No. 11645 aims to establish a heritage zone within the municipality of San Vicente, Ilocos Sur "to protect the historical and cultural integrity of the area."

"The Heritage Zone shall include the cultural properties declared as National Cultural Treasures and Important Cultural Properties as well as National Historical Landmarks, Shrines, Monuments, and Sites, and such other immovable, movable or intangible cultural properties whether publicly or privately owned," a part of the act stated.

The DOT "shall immediately prepare the development plan involving the preservation, conservation, restoration, and maintenance of cultural and historical sites and structures for the enhancement and sustainability of tourism" in the municipality.

The measures will take effect 15 days after their publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
RELATED STORIES: Controversy hounds Iloilo's heritage district Torre de Manila vicinity, a virtual 'heritage zone'
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Duterte signs laws establishing heritage zones in Cebu, Ilocos Sur

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MANILA, Philippines - President Rodrigo Duterte has signed two measures declaring and establishing heritage zones in Cebu and Ilocos Sur, copies of which were released to media on Monday. Republic Act (RA) No. 11644 or the Carcar City Heritage Zone Act declares the City of Carcar in Cebu Province a heritage zone.

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STABLE INTERNAL PEACE AND SECURITY. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. during the Kapihan forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency Ilocos regional office on Feb. 24, 2022. Esperon said Ilocos Region is now formally declared in stable internal peace and security. (Screenshot from PIA Ilocos Region's live stream on Facebook)

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union - The Regional Development Council, Regional Peace and Order Council, and the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict signed a resolution on Thursday declaring Ilocos Region as an area with stable internal peace and security following more than a year of zero violent incidents involving the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).

In a virtual press conference hosted by the Philippine Information Agency Ilocos regional office, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said there are no more armed groups in the region after the dismantling of the Komiteng Larangan Guerilla (KLG) South Ilocos Sur in September 2020.

"What we have now are groups that would attempt to reestablish," he said.

Esperon said the main task of maintaining law and order is now turned over from the Army to the Ilocos Police Regional Office together with other agencies.

"The military now becomes a support agency if there is a need for focus military operations as they pursue peace and security development," he said.

Esperon said Ilocos Region is the first to be declared with the status while he hopes the other regions will follow, such as the Cordillera Administrative Region where the armed groups have also weakened already.

"This doesn't mean we can now relax but all the more that we need to bring development (into the communities)," he said.

National Security Council Undersecretary Vicente Agdamag said 33 barangays in the region will be given projects under the Barangay Development Program (BDP).

Twenty-seven of these barangays are from Ilocos Sur, and two barangays each from Ilocos Norte, La Union, and Pangasinan.

The villages under BDP were cleared of communist terrorists' threat by the CPP-NPA through the long validation by the police, army, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

"There are a total of 54 projects. Of the total number, three are in Ilocos Norte, 46 in Ilocos Sur, two in La Union, and three in Pangasinan," he said.

The recipient barangays will each receive PHP20 million worth of socioeconomic development projects towards the provision of farm-to-market roads, health centers, electrification, water and sanitation facilities, schools, and livelihood projects.

In 2021, two barangays in the region benefited from the BDP.

Brig. Gen. Krishnamurti Mortela, commander of the 702nd Infantry Brigade, said the journey towards stable internal peace and security has gone through stages from insurgency (active and less active provinces), normalization (conflict-manageable and suppressed insurgency), and to the stability of peace and security.

"All provinces of the region are now cleared and unaffected," he said.

Mortela said the highlights of the campaign against the terrorist group in the region were the dismantling of the guerilla front, clearing of focus areas, and dismantling of KLG AMPIS last year.

He said 948 members of the terrorist group in the region surrendered from 2018 to 2021.

Of the total number, 28 were regular NPA members, 52 "Milisyang Bayan" members from barangays, and 867 were underground movement group members.

"We now target to meet head-on possible NPA resurgence, transform former NPA bases into communities of peace, transform former NPA fighters and radicalized masses into productive citizens, and transform Ilocos Region into a progressive growth area," Mortela said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

The National Democratic Front has been formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as "an integral and inseparable part" of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973. (PNA)

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Region 1 declared 1st area with 'stable internal peace, security'

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SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union - The Regional Development Council, Regional Peace and Order Council, and the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict signed a resolution on Thursday declaring Ilocos Region as an area with stable internal peace and security following more...

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IRRIGATION PROJECTS. National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Ilocos acting manager engineer Gaudencio de Vera (third from left) and the provincial irrigation managing officers of Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte during a press conference in Urdaneta City on Wednesday (Jan. 26, 2022). The officers gave updates on the programs and irrigation projects of NIA in the Ilocos Region. (Photo by Liwayway Yparraguirre)

URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan - The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has earmarked PHP3.17 billion for different irrigation projects in the Ilocos Region this year.

In a press conference on Wednesday here, NIA Ilocos engineering and operations division manager engineer Leonila Fernandez said out of the total budget, PHP900 million was allotted for the Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project (LARISIP).

LARISIP aims to construct new canal systems, rehabilitate existing irrigation facilities, restore non-functional service areas to improve water delivery and/or augment irrigation water supply to increase agricultural productivity and farmers' income, and generate employment, based on a statement of the NIA Ilocos Region.

Fernandez said the amount will also cover other important projects, such as the construction of the high-rise dam in Barangay Portic in Bugallon town, Pangasinan that will benefit agricultural lands in nine barangays.

The entire dam project costing PHP1.7 billion, with funding from the General Appropriations Act, will be completed in 2025.

Its component, the Dumoloc Small Reservoir Project, has been allocated PHP400-million funding.

The 230 meters width across the Dumoloc River will be filled while it has a spillway along its side. The small reservoir project also involves the construction of 4,340 kilometers of 10-meter wide access road and irrigation facilities to supply the existing Dumoloc irrigation system.

"The remaining amount from the budget will be allotted to the four provinces mostly for start-up projects," Fernandez said.

Pangasinan got PHP700 million funding, Ilocos Norte with over PHP533 million, La Union with PHP88 million, and Ilocos Sur with PHP119 million.

NIA Ilocos Region acting manager engineer Gaudencio de Vera said the first quarter of the year will be set for the procurement of materials and equipment for the different projects of the agency.

"We target to accomplish at least 70 percent (of the) developed irrigation system in the entire region before June 2022. We are now at 62 percent while we continue to develop the existing irrigation systems," he said.

De Vera said they have started the turn-over of communal irrigation systems in the region to the local government units (LGUs) as part of the devolution of funds this year to the LGUs.

He said among the projects NIA Ilocos completed last year were the introduction of solar-powered water pumps, and the model farms. (PNA)

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NIA allots P3.17-B for Ilocos irrigation, dam projects

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URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan - The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has earmarked PHP3.17 billion for different irrigation projects in the Ilocos Region this year. In a press conference on Wednesday here, NIA Ilocos engineering and operations division manager engineer Leonila Fernandez said out of the total budget, PHP900 million was allotted for the Lower Agno River Irrigation System Improvement Project (LARISIP).

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Image Source: Philippine Statistic Authority

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DEPRIVATION OF AFFORDABLE ENERGY AS EVIDENT BY THE INCREASING ELECTRICITY RATE

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DEPRIVATION OF AFFORDABLE ENERGY AS EVIDENT BY THE INCREASING ELECTRICITY RATE

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I have observed that in my STSArea there is a deprivation of affordable energy as evident by the increasing electricity rate. This issue is highly needed to be addressed because as time progresses the citizens in the area will have difficulty in paying out electricity expenses thus, this deviates us from achieving the 7th sustainable development goal of ensuring universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services. Furthermore, electricity is one of the basic needs of today’s society, without this there will be alteration in one’s comfortability, efficiency, and productivity. The continuous increase in the electricity rate mainly affects the lower sector of the society or those on the lower socioeconomic level. We do not want them to lose their access to electricity due to the incapacity of paying for it.