PhilHealth Region 8 offices earn CSC Seal of Excellence Award

TACLOBAN CITY, May 30 -- The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has conferred the Seal of Excellence Award to four field offices of Philippine Health Insurance Corporation in Eastern Visayas.

 Those recognized during the recent ceremony at the Concourse Convention Center in Legazpi City, Albay were Calbayog Business Center in Samar, Catbalogan Local Health Insurance Office in Samar, Borongan Local Health Insurance Office in Eastern Samar, and Maasin Local Health Insurance Office in Southern Leyte.

The Seal of Excellence Award is given to government offices providing exceptional customer service to walk-in clients. The selection process was rigorous. The Civil Service Commission initially surveyed more than 300 government offices in Eastern Visayas to include local government units. 

Of the more than 300 offices initially surveyed, only 12 were rated “excellent” and seven of which were PhilHealth offices. This distinction earned former PhilHealth Regional Vice President Walter A. Bacareza the “ARTA Czar” Award back in 2015. 

The 12 offices underwent a re-validation process in 2016 by the CSC validators from other regions. On its final validation, only four offices in Eastern Visayas emerged as deserving of the coveted Seal of Excellence Award. 

Each of the four PhilHealth offices received a wall-mountable glass plaque and a cash prize depending on the number of stars indicated in their award. 

PhilHealth Calbayog with the highest rating of five stars received PHP100,000. PhilHealth Borongan and Maasin with four stars received PHP25,000 each and the 3 stars of PhilHealth Catbalogan has no cash equivalent. 

The government agencies were rated as to the quality, efficiency and adequacy of their frontline services. This included their compliance to the Anti-Red Tape provisions to include among others, the no noon break policy, anti-fixing campaign, public assistance and complaints desk, IDs for frontline officers and transparency in the costs of transactions. 

Another core area is the overall client satisfaction which covers the knowledge, competence, timeliness and overall conduct of frontline officers as well as the physical set-up and basic facilities of the office. 

PhilHealth Eastern Visayas Regional Vice-President Renato L. Limsiaco, Jr said that “provision of excellent customer service is a continuous process and PhilHealth employees must practice it every single day.” 

Limsiaco even coined the customer service slogan of “customers’ delight is our business.” Also part of the provision of excellent customer service is the strengthened implementation of the feedback mechanism to effectively address queries and complaints from clients.(PhilHealth-PR/PNA)

E. Visayas schools get PHP600-M for poor college students

TACLOBAN CITY, May 30 -- The national government is releasing PHP600 million for the free tuition program of 10 state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Eastern Visayas this academic year, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) regional office here reported on Tuesday.

CHED records show that the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar has the highest budget ceiling at PHP116,814 million followed by the Eastern Visayas State University in Tacloban City with PHP93.8 million.

Other state-run schools with higher allocations are the Samar State University in Catbalogan City, Samar (PHP74.02 million); Eastern Samar State University in Borongan City, Eastern Samar (PHP73.77 million); Naval State University in Naval, Biliran (PHP62.13 million); and Visayas State University in Baybay City, Leyte (PHP51.74 million).

Higher learning institutions with lower budget ceiling are the Leyte Normal University in Tacloban City (PHP43.7 million); Southern Leyte State University in Sogod, Southern Leyte (PHP30.71 million); Palompon Polytechnic State University in Palompon, Leyte (PHP30 million); and Northwest Samar State University (PHP23.6 million).

The budget allocation for each SUC is based on the estimated tuition income they submitted for the 2017 budget of expenditures and sources of financing, according to CHED Eastern Visayas Regional Director Maura Consolacion Cristobal.

According to the joint memorandum by the CHED and the Department of Budget and Management, the free tuition program will cover “all Filipino students enrolling in undergraduate course programs in SUCs for the school year 2017-2018.” 

Priorities for study grant are graduating college students regardless of household per capita income and non-graduating students from poor families. 

Those household not listed in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and poor list by the Department of Social Welfare and Development should submit proof of indigence. 

“SUCs will not collect tuition from students and will instead charge this against the Higher Education Support Fund (HESF) through billing statements for CHED. However, miscellaneous and other fees are not covered by the program, and thus may still be collected from the students,” Cristobal said in a statement.

Beneficiaries of government student financial assistance programs (StuFAPs) will be given priority by their respective SUCs. 

The tuitions of those receiving more than PHP15,000 in benefits will still be charged against their StuFAP allocations, while those student beneficiaries getting PHP15,000 or less will be charged from the SUCs’ free tuition allocation.

In the case of Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), one of the biggest schools in the region with five campuses in Leyte province, the program will benefit about 15,000 students this year.

“We will prioritize graduating students. If there are still remaining budget, we will accommodate lower years,” said Lydia Morante, head of EVSU media affairs.

The school has been collecting an average of PHP3,150 every semester from tuition of students. 

Morante urged incoming senior students to enroll this week for them to find out how much budget was left for first year to third year students. 

The central government pushed for the free tuition program in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to support college education of financially disadvantaged students. (Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)

Army officer grateful for 2017 TOPS nomination

TACLOBAN CITY, May 29 -- An army major has expressed his thanks for the support he got from the public after he was included in the final list of eligible nominees for this year’s The Outstanding Philippine Soldiers (TOPS). 

Major Arturo M. Dumalagan of the Office of Civil Military Operations, 8th Infantry Division based in Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City, Samar is the only nominee coming from Eastern Visayas and the only reserved officer who was included in the list.

The 42-year old military officer is a native of Maasin City. Dumalagan, who has been in the service for 17 years already, started as enlisted personnel before he became an officer.

He served two years and a half serving as enlisted army personnel.

“To be included (in the TOPS nomination list) is a rare opportunity. It’s a great honor already,” said Dumalagan.

The eldest among nine siblings, Dumalagan grew up in a family of farmers.

He finished his studies and rose from his military career through sheer determination and hard work. He is married with two children, ages 7 and 17.

As part of his job, Dumalagan has been in the forefront in bringing an end to the insurgency problem in the region, urging everyone that “shining moments” will come to those people and communities who would throw away communism ideology and start to adopt a peaceful life with the support from the government.

Dumalagan and his troops were also instrumental in ensuring the security of the relief goods and its swift distribution after super typhoon "Yolanda" pummeled this city and nearby towns in November 2013.

His previous posts include being the Civil Military Operation Officer of 65th Infantry Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, stationed at Saguiaran, Lanao del Sur, helping in bringing government services closer to both Moros, indigenous tribes, and Christians in the area.

Recalling his past assignments in Mindanao, particularly in Marawi City where an ongoing clash between government security forces and Maute terror group is ongoing, Dumalagan expressed “sadness” on how their efforts in preserving peace and security in the area were being destroyed again by rogue Muslims. 

The TOPS nomination is one of the component search programs in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Makati Metro and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the prestigious 2017 Ten Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Awards during Metrobank’s 54th-anniversary celebration in September.

Other Philippine army 2017 TOPS eligible nominees include Col. Henry M. Doyaoen, Col. Joel M. Paloma, Col. Thomas R. Sedano, Ltc. Gulliver L. Señires, Ltc. Edwin L. Sadang, Ltc. Alvin V. Luzon, Ltc. Elmer B. Suderio, Ltc. Felix Ronnie B. Babac, Ltc. Ricky B. Bunayog, Maj. Ronaldo R. Riva, SMS Rogelio P. Caacbay, MSg. Joel B. Alegre, MSg. Joseph F. Fernando, SSg. Ely Anecito D. Avila, SSg. Narding N. Pascual, and Sgt. Jun Rey E. Perasol.

Four teachers, three soldiers, and three police officers who have shown remarkable contributions to their respective fields will be recognized during the event.

Winners of the Ten Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos will each receive PHP1 million cash, a trophy, and a medallion, aside from being conferred the title as “2017 Metrobank Foundation Fellows in Public Service.” (Ronald O. Reyes/PNA)

Police to Ormoc residents: Remain calm, vigilant amid martial law in Mindanao

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, May 29 -- The city police here encouraged the public to enjoy the city’s calmness following the declaration of martial law in Mindanao, adding the metropolis was not directly affected after all.

City police chief Sr. Supt. Ramil L. Ramirez urged locals to remain vigilant and report immediately to the authorities for possible sightings of suspicious persons in the neighborhood.

He expressed assurance that the local police were doing their tasks together with the troops from the Philippine Army in ensuring public safety.

“We have intensified our normal routines together with the army soldiers in conducting checkpoints at strategic areas. Along with this is the increased visibility of the composite team and conduct roving even at the secluded villages,” Ramirez said.

“Suspicious groups are also checked to ensure the safety of the community,” he went on.

The police have augmented personnel at the local port to work with the Philippine Coast Guard in safeguarding the coming in and out of tourists and also to halt bad elements who may barge into the peaceful city. 

The Aviation Security Group takes care of the safety at the airport located some eight kilometers from the city.

City public safety company chief Supt. Joel Camacho said seaborne patrol operations with Bantay Dagat had been done at the city shores in support to the Coast Guard. 

“These are aside from enforcing city fishing ordinance wherein just recently, the team confiscated unlicensed fishing paraphernalia and unregistered motorized boat from local fisher folks,” he said.

Ramirez also assured that they were keeping close eye at the city boundaries safeguarding against entries of possible bad elements.

Ormoc City is a first class independent component city in Leyte province in Eastern Visayas region and home to 215,031 people, making it the second most-populous city in the province after Tacloban City, the regional capital. The city is the economic, cultural, commercial and transportation hub of western Leyte.(Elvie Roman Roa/PNA)
#DEFENDREPUBLIC