Doctors, dentists barred from collecting separate fees in hospitals- BIR

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga-Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) reminds doctors and dentists in Central Luzon that they are barred from collecting separate fees from patients who are admitted in hospitals.

 

 

“Under Revenue Regulation No.14-2013, the professional fee should be included in the hospital bill. The withholding tax due from his/her fee should be deducted and remitted to us,” BIR Region No.4 Assistant Director Conrado Lee said.

 

 

“The hospital must withhold 15% of the professional fee if the annual income is P720,000 or more and 10% if less,” Lee added.

 

 

Revenue rules require hospitals to annually submit the list of its doctors and their addresses while doctors are obliged to post their fees in their offices.

 

 

BIR Region No.4, which covers six out of the seven provinces of Central Luzon, targets P18 billion in revenue collection this 2013.

 

 

The goal is spread out in its 10 district offices in Tarlac City; Paniqui town, Tarlac; Olongapo City; Subic Bay Freeport; Bataan; North Pampanga; South Pampanga; Aurora; North Nueva Ecija; and South Nueva Ecija which has a total of 1,463,688 taxpayers as of December 2012. (Rebecca Grace S. David)

Legarda Promotes Culture of Peace Through Relevant Policies

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda today said she will actively pursue proposed measures aimed at promoting intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace, which UNESCO advocates.

Legarda, head of the Philippine Delegation to the 37^th UNESCO General Conference in Paris, France, said that the Philippines, being a historically plural and multi-ethnic society, should be at the forefront of efforts to promote unity among diversity.

“There are 110 indigenous peoples groups in the Philippines and each island and province in the country has its own culture. But despite the difference in traditions, belief systems and faith, in the end, we are all Filipinos. It is the same with nations, we may be governed by different laws and customs but we must be united because we live in only one planet which we must care for,” she stressed.

“In line with this, we must give due importance to our respective cultures as we strive to understand the culture of other groups and nations,” said Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Cultural Communities.

The Senator has filed several proposed measures in the Senate that aim to promote unity among diversity, primarily by providing equal rights and opportunities to ethnic groups and indigenous peoples, which have significant contributions to the story of the Filipino people.

Senate Bill No. 1391, which will create the Department of Culture, will reorganize the existing National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and ensure its place in the priorities of the government.

Senate Bill No. 105 seeks to preserve the country’s traditional folk arts through the regional museums of the National Museum.

“With these regional museums showcasing traditional folk arts, we hope to start a cultural revolution through an immersion in the Philippine art from the ordinary folks of old,” said Legarda.

Meanwhile, Senate Bill No. 669, which seeks to safeguard the traditional property rights of IPs starting with the inventory of all cultural properties of the various indigenous communities in the country.

Senate Bill No. 515 will require government offices and private enterprises in areas where members of indigenous cultural communities are predominantly located, to give preferential employment to IPs, who must constitute at least 10% of their work force.     

Senate Bill No. 534 aims to include ethnic origin in the National Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), which will be useful in determining the specific concerns of IPs in various areas and finding suitable solutions to address such matters.

Senate Bill No. 1357 will prohibit profiling, violence and all forms of intolerance against persons based on ethnicity, race, religion or belief, language, disability or other status.

DPWH demolishes 642 illegal structures along Pampanga River Delta

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga-Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has demolished 642 illegal structures along Pampanga River Delta that drain down Manila Bay.

 

Included in these encroachments were homes of informal settlers and prohibited fish pens.

 

“562 of the structures we had removed were located in the villages of Bebe Anac, Bebe Matua, San Agustin, Sagrada, Puti, San Pedro, Bulacus, and Malauli in Masantol while the remainder were in barangay Consuelo in Macabebe town,” DPWH Regional Director Antonio Molano disclosed.

 

Demolition took place from June 12,2012 to June 30, 2013.

 

“Crucial to the rehabilitation of Manila Bay is the relocation of informal settlers that reside within the three meter radius of the bodies of water surrounding the area,” Molano added.

 

Meanwhile, DPWH is currently working on the relocation of 573 informal settler families in Nueva Ecija and Tarlac that are also within the Manila Bay area.

 

“Demolition happens after the local government units have developed their Local Shelter Plans and identified their resettlement sites,” Molano explained.

Legarda Leads PHL Delegation to UNESCO’s 37th General Conference

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda will stress on the country’s experiences on environmental protection, heritage preservation, peace building and sustainable development at the 37th General Conference of UNESCO in Paris, France.

As head of the Philippine Delegation, Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committees on Cultural Communities, on Climate Change, and on Environment and Natural Resources, will deliver the Philippines’ policy statement for the General Policy Debate of the 37th Session of the UNESCO General Conference on November 8, 2013 at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

“The message that we would want to impart to our fellow member states is clear—we are facing wars that could be far greater than the wars of the past. We need to address extreme poverty that affects 1.2 billion people; we must find resolution to violent conflicts, which endanger the lives of 1.5 billion people; we must defend our communities from climate change and disasters that kill at least 400,000 every year; and we must give our wholehearted commitment to save our planet, which is nearing its biophysical limits,” the Senator said.

Legarda will share how the Philippines is addressing these concerns, especially through national policies on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and programs to support the preservation of natural and man-made heritage such as the Rice Terraces of the Cordilleras, the Historic City of Vigan, and the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

“We aim to share our best practices as we also pursue to strengthen other programs especially in light of disasters that shocked us including Typhoon Bopha, the single deadliest disaster in the world in 2012 that claimed the lives of 1,901 people in the Philippines; and the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Central Visayas that destroyed not only lives and livelihoods but also historic structures and centuries-old churches included in our World Heritage Tentative List,” she said.

Legarda will be joined by Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Cristina Ortega, UNESCO National Commission Secretary-General Virginia Miralao, and NatCom Education Committee Chairperson and Commission on Higher Education Secretary Patricia Licuanan, among other members of the Philippine Delegation.

The Senator will also hold bilateral talks with UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova to further discuss issues contained in the Philippines’ Policy Statement, the country’s programs and agenda that are closely related to UNESCO’s work, and the Philippines’ candidature for a seat in the World Heritage Committee.

Legarda Reso Calls for Earthquake Risk Audit, Retrofitting of Structures

MANILA-Senator Loren Legarda has called for the assessment of the structural integrity of public infrastructure in the country to ensure that they can withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake, as mandated by law.

Legarda filed Senate Resolution 333, which directs the government to conduct an earthquake risk audit over all government infrastructure projects and buildings.

The resolution also urges the government to mandate the retrofitting of public structures to ensure compliance with the revised National Building Code, which states that all structures and buildings must be able to withstand a magnitude 8 temblor on the Richter Scale.

“The recent devastation that befell Cebu and Bohol when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Central Visayas region shows the urgent need to conduct a review of the structural integrity of all building structures and to retrofit them to meet the standards under the Building Code,” she explained.

“The national government should take the lead in promoting the structural soundness and resilience of buildings and structures in order to minimize, if not prevent, damage to persons and property in the event of a strong earthquake,” said Legarda.

The death toll in the Central Visayas earthquake is at 222 and damages have been estimated at P2.257 billion, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The Senator noted that the recent Greater Metro Manila Risk Analysis Project conducted by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), along with other government agencies, revealed that a magnitude 7.2 earthquake along the West Valley Fault could kill 37,054 persons and cause P2.4 trillion in total property damages.

Meanwhile, the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS) conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2004 revealed that a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Metro Manila could cause the destruction of 40% of the residential buildings, damage 35% of all public buildings, kill 34,000 people, injure 114,000 individuals, and the ensuing fires could also result in 18,000 additional fatalities.

Jinggoy: Activate OFW reintegration mechanisms

MANILA-Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada says that the government must now activate reintegration mechanisms for returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in light of the implementation of Saudization policy and crackdown of illegal foreign workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

 

This developed as Saudi Arabia, a top host country for OFWs, starts the implementation of a nationalization program of its workforce following the lapse of the November 3 deadline set for the correction of status of illegal and undocumented workers in the Middle East country.

 

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), there are an estimated 674,168 overseas Filipinos in Saudi Arabia.

 

“Thousands of OFWs have already been repatriated and are expected to return to the country following the Saudization policy. Our government, particularly the Department of Labor and Employment and its attached agencies, must be ready to receive and assist displaced workers through its reintegration mechanisms,” Jinggoy says.

 

Sen. Estrada, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development, also called on the authorities to strengthen such reintegration programs in preparation for possible nationalization policies across the world intended to ease unemployment rate among its nationals.

 

Sen. Estrada noted that apart from Saudization, there was also Emiratisation or the preferential treatment of local workers in the hiring process in the United Arab Emirates, another Middle East country which is a top destination of OFWs. Similarly, Singapore has recently announced tighter rules on hiring foreign professionals and has been encouraging companies to accommodate more of its nationals, especially the elderly, as employees.

 

Republic Act 10022 or the amended Migrant Workers Act, prescribes the creation of a mechanism for reintegration of returning OFWs into society, local employment, and tap their skills and potentials for national development.

 

Specifically, the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) is tasked, among others to “cushion the impact of forced repatriation due to unexpected events.” Included in its roster of reintegration tools are skills training and upgrading, financial literacy and money management, micro-enterprise development, job assistance for local or overseas employment, and rescue and economic assistance.

 

RA 10022 also states that the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Technology Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC), and other government agencies involved in training and livelihood development shall give priority to returnees who had been employed as domestic helpers and entertainers.

Clark airport ‘water salute’ to airline earns recognition

CLARK FREEPORT-A photo of Clark International Airport’s “water salute” to the arrival of Emirates Airline last October 1 currently holds the top spot in the best route launch Fire Truck Water Arch (FTWA) of an online international contest.

 

Titled “Emirates Dubai to Clark International”, the photo of Clark International Airport Corporation Corporate Communications Office photographer Eugene Ignaxius Raymond Orejas got a score of 32.9 out of a possible 40, knocking off four other entries, which had a score ranging from 17 to 30.

 

In an interview, Orejas said he is thankful with this recognition and this is also a source of motivation to do his job even better.

As an award, the CIAC Emergency Services Department was given the Arch of Triumph certificate from Airline Network News and Analysis (anna.aero).

According to anna.aero, the airport that achieves the highest score in what remains of 2013 will also be crowned “Arch of Triumph” Champion.

Anna.aero is an open website dedicated to outstanding airline network planning intelligence, produced by a multi-disciplinary team.

 

Its “Arch of Triumph” contest is a new FTWA scoring system, which is the only global standard for judging the quality of the traditional airport fire chief welcome for new routes. 

PCCI names Tarlac as ‘Most Business Friendly’ province for second straight year

TARLAC CITY-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) has named Tarlac as the “Most Business Friendly” province in the entire archipelago for the second straight year.

 

“PCCI based the award on five criteria namely trade, investments and tourism promotions; public-private partnership; micro, small and medium enterprises development; quality management system, innovations and human resource development; and inter-local government relations,” Provincial Media Affairs Office chief Arvin Cabalu disclosed.

 

Tarlac defeated national finalists Isabela, Camarines Sur, Bulacan, and La Union.

 

In a statement, Governor Victor Yap thanked PCCI for recognizing his administration’s efforts and the province’s achievements anew during the past 12 months.

 

“This is an award that is dedicated for the people of Tarlac province for without their full cooperation and support to my administration’s programs and projects, this award will never be realized,” Yap said.

 

In relation, PCCI-Tarlac was likewise named as best chamber in the entire country.

 

Chapter president Deogracias Baron received the recognition in behalf of the group. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)

PRO3 GEARS UP FOR “ALL SAINTS’ AND ALL SOULS’ DAY 2013”

Camp Olivas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga –After the successful turned out of barangay election, Police Regional Office 3 under the leadership of its Regional Director, PCSUPT RAUL D PETRASANTA, RD, PRO3 is still on its toes as the same state of security preparedness is being continued to address security and public safety concerns in the entire region in the observance of the All Saints’ and Souls’ Day in consonance with “IMPLAN 77/2013” (All Saints’ and Souls’ Day 2013).

 

PCSUPT PETRASANTA stamped his directives to all City/Provincial Directors from the different Police Provincial/City Police Offices to continuously conduct police focused operations and sustain the level of alertness and vigilance displayed during elections and on other forthcoming holiday activities. Likewise, security inspections and police presence are further intensified in all bus terminals and places of convergence. Stringent anti-criminality information drive is also being carried out in barangays and commercial business areas as one of its pro-active measures to complement its operations.

 

As early as October 27, 2013, Police Assistance Desk were put in place for purposes of election, it shall be converted into Police Assistance Hubs in full force to cover all cemeteries and transport terminals, not only to ensure public safety and order, but also to provide public assistance to missing persons particularly children and elderly; and those who will experience health problems cause by sudden change in temperature due to sudden influx of cemetery goers, this is in collaboration with other agencies and volunteer organizations. This will be complemented by carpeted deployment of Motorist Assistance Hubs in major thoroughfares and secondary roads in the region starting October 31, 2013 round the clock.

 

Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams/Barangay Tanods are also deputized by the PNP to assist in the implementation of IMPLAN KALULUWA as a left behind force together with the police to patrol residential areas, business establishments and economic key points to thwart criminality, while practicing catholic community are away spending the day in the cemetery to commemorate their departed loved ones and at the same time rekindle ties with relatives taking time-off during holiday.

Drilon’s PDAF utilization from 2010-2013 totals P293-M

MANILA-The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) data show that Senate President Franklin M. Drilon has been prudent in his use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) since he came back to the Senate in 2010 and that not a single centavo of his PDAF went to bogus non-government organizations.

According to the DBM website (www.dbm.gov.ph), a total of P293 million worth of projects has been released to the Senate Chief, way below the P600 million he was supposed to avail from the DBM from the years 2010 to 2013. Senators are entitled to P200 million PDAF a year.

“In the spirit of transparency and accountability, I am releasing all my PDAF availments since 2010. I had no PDAF releases during previous years. I was not given a single peso in 2005 and 2006,” he said. “These can be accessed through the website of the Department of Budget and Management.”

“The DBM, all along, has been publishing data on the PDAF allocation of all members of Congress in its website. The DBM data show that I have not fully availed the PDAF allotted to me from 2010 to 2013. In fact, I have only utilized 48.83 percent of the PDAF allotted to me for projects from 2010 to 2013,” emphasized Drilon.    

He stressed, “What is more important here is that the record shows that no single centavo of the PDAF allotted to me as a senator went to bogus non-government organizations.”

The biggest amount of the PDAF allocated to Drilon, amounting P153.35 million, was spent for various infrastructure programs which was directly implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

“Contrary to claims of my detractors, the budget I requested under the PDAF for the construction of priority infrastructure was managed by the DPWH. I had no hand in the actual project implementation and in choosing the contractors. That is a job of the DPWH,” pointed outDrilon.

The amount includes the P32.5 million to fund his school building program nationwide which was coursed through the Filipino Federation of Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a recognized non-government organization under the General Appropriations Act, he noted.

“The Filipino Federation of Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a recognized non-government organization and definitely, it’s not fake. It has been my partner since 2002 and to date, we were able to build about 1,600 classrooms nationwide which helped in the government’s effort to close the problem on classroom shortages,” emphasized Drilon. 

The senator likewise spent P81.65 million for the medical assistance needs of indigent families nationwide coursed through the Department of Health-attached hospitals.

In 2013, Drilon allotted P1.5 million to the Amang Rodriguez Medical Center. Last year, he allocated P79 million for financial assistance indigent patients seeking treatment at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (P42.5 million), University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (P21 million), Philippine Heart Center (P7.5 million), Western Visayas Regional Hospital (P3 million), Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (P2 million), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (P2 million), West Visayas State University Medical Center (P1.15 million), and Bicol Medical Center (P500,000).

Aside from the P21 million allotted to the PGH for medical assistance to indigent patients,Drilon also allocated P50 million to PGH charged against his 2010 PDAF for the upgrading and renovation of the dilapidated operating rooms, including acquisition of medical equipment.

Likewise, Drilon assigned additional P5 million to the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) charged against his 2012 PDAF for the renovation of a dilapidated PHC Cardiovascular Sciences Division to provide a better health service.

In 2011, Drilon allotted P500,000 for the construction of a rural health center in San Jose, Camarines Sur.

On the DAP allocation, Drilon said he will await the DBM to comply with the instruction of the President for it to disclose fund allocation under DAP.

“The DBM will publish the DAP allocation like what it has been doing in the case of the PDAF. All allocations made under DAP will be made available by the DBM including those requested by lawmakers,” he said.

Drilon said a big chunk of fund releases under DAP that he requested from the DBM were used for infrastructure projects in Iloilo which is seeking to host the Asia Pacific Economic Conference ministerial meeting in 2015.

“I can account for every peso that was allotted to me under the PDAF or DAP. I do not have a history of malfeasance and misuse of government funds. I am sure that that not a single centavo was channeled to bogus non-government,” he said.

Table. Summary of PDAF Allocation of Drilon (2010-2013)

Items of Expenditure	2013	2012	2011	2010	2010-2013
Nationwide School Building Program		32,500,000			32,500,000
Infrastructure	41,000,000	61,850,000	18,000,000		120,850,000
Financial Assistance to Indigent Patients in Government Hospitals	1,500,000	79,650,000	500,000		81,650,000
Social Services (DSWD)	2,000,000		1,000,000		3,000,000
Renovation of Phil. Heart Center and PGH		5,000,000		50,000,000	55,000,000
Total	44,500,000	179,000,000	19,500,000	50,000,000	293,000,000

Note: To access data on Drilon’s PDAF, follow this link:

http://pdaf.dbm.gov.ph/index.php?r=Site/Upperhouse_breakdown/legislatorId/475/fy/2010

Drilon thanked by Iloilo mayors, philanthropists, solon for major Iloilo projects

MANILA-Senate President Franklin M. Drilon expressed gratitude to those who continue to support him amid the barrage of negative propaganda hurled against him.

“I am deeply grateful for the support of various individuals and sectors in spite of efforts of my detractors to malign me through a highly-funded media vilification campaign,” said Drilon.

“Their testimonials recognize the fact that the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allotted to me for projects and programs were spent properly and contrary to claims of my detractors, not a single centavo of these funds was channeled to bogus non-government organizations or ghost projects,” emphasized Drilon.  

The League of Municipalities in the Philippines’ Iloilo chapter declared its “unwavering support” for Drilon through a resolution passed recently.

In its resolution, the LMP-Iloilo said it continues to believe in the integrity of Senate President Franklin Drilon.

“Despite his unblemished record in public service, he is being criticized by noisy political mercenaries who are out to spread misinformation and half-truths,” said Barotac Viejo Mayor Niel “Beng” Tupas III.

Likewise, a volunteer group along with Rep. Arcadio Gorriceta of 2^nd District of Iloilo thanks Drilon in a public manifesto, citing his vital contributions to the development of major projects in the province.

In the manifesto, Gorriceta and the philanthropists behind the “ONE MEAL PROGRAM” thanked Drilon for “his love and concern to the Ilongos” and lauded him “for promoting development and progress in the province.”

Along with Gorriceta, those who signed the letter include One Meal program chairman and known philanthropist Teresa Chan, and members Pinky Rojo, Baby Porras, Maribel Hailey, and Antonietta Chan, among others.  

The projects made possible through the support of the Senate chief include the Benigno S. Aquino Avenue Widening Project, the Metro Iloilo Radial Road and the Iloilo International Airport.

The new airport is set to “promote economic development and tourism in Western Visayas by making Iloilo accessible to direct international flights,” added Gorriceta.  

Gorriceta and the others also noted the senator’s assistance with the Iloilo River Esplanade and the Jalaur River Multi-Purpose Project, considered as the first and largest reservoir dam outside of Luzon.

“This will provide bulk water for consumption, irrigation to boost agriculture and hydropower plant to provide electricity for Iloilo,” the group explained.   

The letter also mentions Drilon’s assistance with the development of the two-storey Iloilo Convention Center and the 14.18-kilometer Iloilo Circumferential Road.

The civic group also thanked Drilon for providing the initial funding of the One Meal Program.

“This fund has gone a long way in the successful implementation of our programs intended to promote quality education in depressed barangays by construction of new school buildings, repair of classrooms, donations of books and feeding programs to indigent students,” the group remarked.