December 10, 2009
GROUP WARNS PUBLIC HEALTH CHAOS IN THE HORIZON
Climate change to impact mental health
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) warns of public health chaos if public health is not given attention in the climate talks in Copenhagen.
“We have all the ingredients for public health chaos in this time of climate change: our geographical location, low health budget and poor public health performance,” said Merci Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Executive Director.
Recipe for chaos
In the proposed 2010 national budget, health accounts only 2% of the total government budget. While it may appear that the budget increased, its share of the national budget has shrunk compared to 2.2% in 2009.
“As it is, according to the latest Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Philippine Progress Report, targets related to health are the least likely to be met. Now add climate change and our public health is doomed.”
“And beyond the expected effect on physical health, the population’s mental health is also at risk,” Ferrer added.
Climate change and mental health
Recently, two leading mental health researchers warned that one important health consequence of climate change will be on mental health.
Dr. Lisa Page and Dr. Louise Howard of the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) at King’s College of London reviewed several researches of scientists on the potential impacts of climate change on mental health. They concluded that climate change has the potential to have significant negative effects on global mental health.
According to the two, the effects will be felt most by those with pre-existing serious mental illness, but that there is also likely to be an increase in the overall burden of mental disorder worldwide.
“For many years, health issue has been a missing link in this climate change debate. But public health damage brought by recent typhoons that visited the country has given us a glimpse of what it would be like if health is not given importance in this talk,” said Ferrer.
“We saw the damage to infrastructure and agriculture, the resurgence of diseases… Sadly, we also had to bare witness to the shattered morale of both young and old typhoon victims.”
HCWH has been emphasizing the devastating impacts of climate change to the people’s health around the world. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday issued a declaration that called greenhouse gases a danger to public health.
According to the article, The impact of climate change on mental health (but will mental health be discussed at Copenhagen?) published in Psychological Medicine, impact to mental health may come in several forms, such as:
• Natural disasters, such as floods, cyclones and droughts, are predicted to increase as a consequence of climate change. Adverse psychiatric outcomes are well documented in the aftermaths of natural disasters and include post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression and somatoform disorders.
• The needs of people with chronic mental illness have often been overlooked following disaster in favour of trauma-focused psychological interventions and yet the mentally ill occupy multiple vulnerabilities for increased mortality and morbidity at such times.
• As global temperatures increase, people with mental illness are particularly vulnerable to heat-related death. Contributing risk factors such as psychotropic medication, pre-existing respiratory and cardiovascular disease and substance misuse, are all highly prevalent in people with serious mental illness. In addition, maladaptive coping mechanisms and poor quality housing are likely to further increase vulnerability, and death by suicide may also increase above a certain temperature threshold.
• Adverse impacts such as psychological distress, anxiety and traumatic stress resulting from emerging infectious disease outbreaks are also likely to increase if the predicted outbreaks of serious infectious diseases become reality.
• Coastal change and increased flooding is expected to lead to forced mass migration and displacement, which will undoubtedly lead to more mental illness in affected population.
• Urbanization, a phenomenon which will be partially beneficial, for example by increasing opportunities for work and better access to health services, is associated with an increased incidence of schizophrenia in developed countries. In many low- and middle-income countries, mental health provision is already hugely inadequate and is unlikely to be prioritized should further economic collapse occur secondary to climate change.
• The knowledge of man-made climate change could in itself have adverse effects on individual psychological well-being.
The signs of mental torment
“What is most frightening is PGMA’s declaration that the Philippines need not insist on deep and early cuts in carbon emission citing that the climate talks may suffer the fate of the failed Doha talks,” said Ferrer.
“It is very disconcerting to hear this while you read a paper saying this decade is likely to be the hottest this year or that we expect another 3 or 4 typhoons before the years ends or that Philippines will no longer have summer season… And especially coming from the head of the country,” Ferrer added.
“We are calling on the Philippine delegation to Copenhagen to look at the current state of our country. With our limited resources, can we handle another crisis?”
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-Southeast Asia, see www.noharm.org.ph.
Sonia G. Astudillo, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org / Merci Ferrer, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
Thursday, December 10, 2009
PGMA UNFIT FOR CLIMATE TALKS
December 3, 2009
PGMA UNFIT FOR CLIMATE TALKS
As countries prepare for the Conference of Parties (COP) 15 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international organization was aghast to know that no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) will be heading the Philippine delegation in Copenhagen on December 7 to 18.
“How can PGMA head the Philippine delegation?” asked Merci Ferrer, Executive Director of Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH). “And how can she negotiate for our future when she in fact is guilty of adding up to the burgeoning problems of climate change by impounding billions of meritorious health allocations?”
In 2008 alone, P2.32 billion health allocations from the General Appropriations Act (1) remain unreleased by the government. Earlier in a petition addressed to PGMA, 1,200 individuals and organizations from Argentina, India, Kenya, other Latin American countries, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Uganda, and United States (2) demanded the release of these appropriations.
“Public health issue has been a missing link in this climate change debate. Leaders around the world, for years, talk about the damage to agriculture, infrastructure, food security and economic activities but fail to look at the effect to people’s health,” said Ferrer. “It is only now that we are recognizing the health risks posed by global climate change.”
The Lancet, one of the world’s best-known and most respected general medical journals, reported that climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.
“Unfortunately, PGMA is not one of those enlightened leaders who see the connection as evidenced in the wanton impoundment of budget for both health and the environment.”
Health and Climate
“The connection is very clear,” Ferrer pointed out.
Reports say that the world is the warmest it has been in the last 12,000 years as a result of warming over the past 30 years. (3) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts a 1.4 0 C to 5.8 0 C rise in temperature by 2100.
“Global warming causes drought, famine, extreme temperature, floods… in different parts of the globe. We need not look far to see the health risks brought by the typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng,” Ferrer pointed out.
In the Asia-Pacific region, El Nino and La Nina events have affected the occurrence of dengue fever outbreaks. Countless examples show the emergence and recurrence of diseases brought by climate change. (4)
Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta were named by the World Wide Fund for Nature as the Asian cities most vulnerable to climate change.
Children at risk
Children are again at risk in this climate change issue.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports startling effects to children’s health. According to the report, over 5 million children per year die from illnesses and other conditions caused by the environment in which they live, learn and play. While around 2 million children under five die every year from acute respiratory infections. The infections are aggravated by environment hazards such as indoor air pollution.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said that two thirds of all preventable ill health due to the environment occurs in children.
“Climate change is here and we cannot risk our chance with an unfit delegation head.”
Doctors on Climate Change
Meanwhile, the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP)-Southern Luzon chapter expressed support to the Prescription for Healthy Hospitals, an initiative of HCWH which aims to reduce the health sector’s climate footprint.
PCP is the umbrella organization of internists in the Philippines.
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-Southeast Asia, see www.noharm.org.ph.
Sonia G. Astudillo, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org / Merci Ferrer, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
Notes:
(1) Impounded health budget includes P100 million for the purchase of autoclave machines for infectious medical waste treatment, P400 million for tuberculosis program and P1.82 billion for family health.
(2) Signatories include public health specialist and Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)-Kenya Dr. Paul Saoke and PSR-San Francisco Bay Area President Dr Robert M. Gould, Institute for Zero Waste in Africa- South Africa National Coordinator Muna Lakhani, Desmond D’Sa of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance in South Africa, Rico Euripidou of groundwork-Friends of the Earth-Africa, Uganda Network on Toxic Free Malaria Control Sec-Gen Ellady Muyambi and Pro-biodiversity Conservationist in Uganda Coordinator Robert Tumwesigye Baganda, Director of Centro de Analisis y Accion en Toxicos y sus Alternativas (CAATA) in Mexico Fernando G. Bejarano, Cecilia Allen of Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives-Latin America, Institute for Sustainable Future-US Executive Director Jamie Harvie and Green Guide for Health Care’s Janet Brown, Center for Public Health and Environmental Development-Nepal Executive Director Ram Charita Sah, Aquene Freechild of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, and HCWH Boston Regional Director Bill Ravensi, HCWH Co Executive Director Anna Gillmore-Hall and HCWH International Team Coordinator Josh Karliner.
(3) Global Temperature Change,”by James Hansen et al, PNAS 2006 103: 14288-14293.
(4) a) Inter-annual variations in climatic and environmental conditions in Austria affect outbreaks of Ross River virus disease. (b) Increase in malaria in the eastern African highlands is associated with local warming. (c) Tick-borne encephalitis in Sweden has reportedly increased in response to succession of warmer winters over two decades. (d) Changes in the intensity of the El Nino cycle and its frequency have been accompanied by a strengthening of the relation between the cycle and cholera outbreaks in Bangladesh. (e) Studies in South Asia and South America documented the association of malaria outbreaks with the ENSO cycle.
PGMA UNFIT FOR CLIMATE TALKS
As countries prepare for the Conference of Parties (COP) 15 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international organization was aghast to know that no less than President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) will be heading the Philippine delegation in Copenhagen on December 7 to 18.
“How can PGMA head the Philippine delegation?” asked Merci Ferrer, Executive Director of Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH). “And how can she negotiate for our future when she in fact is guilty of adding up to the burgeoning problems of climate change by impounding billions of meritorious health allocations?”
In 2008 alone, P2.32 billion health allocations from the General Appropriations Act (1) remain unreleased by the government. Earlier in a petition addressed to PGMA, 1,200 individuals and organizations from Argentina, India, Kenya, other Latin American countries, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Uganda, and United States (2) demanded the release of these appropriations.
“Public health issue has been a missing link in this climate change debate. Leaders around the world, for years, talk about the damage to agriculture, infrastructure, food security and economic activities but fail to look at the effect to people’s health,” said Ferrer. “It is only now that we are recognizing the health risks posed by global climate change.”
The Lancet, one of the world’s best-known and most respected general medical journals, reported that climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.
“Unfortunately, PGMA is not one of those enlightened leaders who see the connection as evidenced in the wanton impoundment of budget for both health and the environment.”
Health and Climate
“The connection is very clear,” Ferrer pointed out.
Reports say that the world is the warmest it has been in the last 12,000 years as a result of warming over the past 30 years. (3) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts a 1.4 0 C to 5.8 0 C rise in temperature by 2100.
“Global warming causes drought, famine, extreme temperature, floods… in different parts of the globe. We need not look far to see the health risks brought by the typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng,” Ferrer pointed out.
In the Asia-Pacific region, El Nino and La Nina events have affected the occurrence of dengue fever outbreaks. Countless examples show the emergence and recurrence of diseases brought by climate change. (4)
Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta were named by the World Wide Fund for Nature as the Asian cities most vulnerable to climate change.
Children at risk
Children are again at risk in this climate change issue.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports startling effects to children’s health. According to the report, over 5 million children per year die from illnesses and other conditions caused by the environment in which they live, learn and play. While around 2 million children under five die every year from acute respiratory infections. The infections are aggravated by environment hazards such as indoor air pollution.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said that two thirds of all preventable ill health due to the environment occurs in children.
“Climate change is here and we cannot risk our chance with an unfit delegation head.”
Doctors on Climate Change
Meanwhile, the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP)-Southern Luzon chapter expressed support to the Prescription for Healthy Hospitals, an initiative of HCWH which aims to reduce the health sector’s climate footprint.
PCP is the umbrella organization of internists in the Philippines.
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-Southeast Asia, see www.noharm.org.ph.
Sonia G. Astudillo, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org / Merci Ferrer, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
Notes:
(1) Impounded health budget includes P100 million for the purchase of autoclave machines for infectious medical waste treatment, P400 million for tuberculosis program and P1.82 billion for family health.
(2) Signatories include public health specialist and Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)-Kenya Dr. Paul Saoke and PSR-San Francisco Bay Area President Dr Robert M. Gould, Institute for Zero Waste in Africa- South Africa National Coordinator Muna Lakhani, Desmond D’Sa of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance in South Africa, Rico Euripidou of groundwork-Friends of the Earth-Africa, Uganda Network on Toxic Free Malaria Control Sec-Gen Ellady Muyambi and Pro-biodiversity Conservationist in Uganda Coordinator Robert Tumwesigye Baganda, Director of Centro de Analisis y Accion en Toxicos y sus Alternativas (CAATA) in Mexico Fernando G. Bejarano, Cecilia Allen of Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives-Latin America, Institute for Sustainable Future-US Executive Director Jamie Harvie and Green Guide for Health Care’s Janet Brown, Center for Public Health and Environmental Development-Nepal Executive Director Ram Charita Sah, Aquene Freechild of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, and HCWH Boston Regional Director Bill Ravensi, HCWH Co Executive Director Anna Gillmore-Hall and HCWH International Team Coordinator Josh Karliner.
(3) Global Temperature Change,”by James Hansen et al, PNAS 2006 103: 14288-14293.
(4) a) Inter-annual variations in climatic and environmental conditions in Austria affect outbreaks of Ross River virus disease. (b) Increase in malaria in the eastern African highlands is associated with local warming. (c) Tick-borne encephalitis in Sweden has reportedly increased in response to succession of warmer winters over two decades. (d) Changes in the intensity of the El Nino cycle and its frequency have been accompanied by a strengthening of the relation between the cycle and cholera outbreaks in Bangladesh. (e) Studies in South Asia and South America documented the association of malaria outbreaks with the ENSO cycle.
Philippine nurses in the forefront of mercury elimination
December 2, 2009
Philippine nurses in the forefront of mercury elimination
The Occupational Health Nurses Association of the Philippines (OHNAP) recently signed the Mercury-Free Health Care Initiative, co-led by World Health Organization and Health Care Without Harm. This global initiative aims to virtually eliminate mercury-based thermometers and sphygmomanometers over the next decade and substitute them with accurate, economically viable alternatives.
OHNAP is a specialty organization of nurses employed in the different industrial, commercial, agricultural, educational and government institutions. Founded in 1950 as an Industrial Nursing Unit of the Philippine Nurses Association, OHNAP now has more than 3,000 members nationwide and an international chapter in Qatar.
OHNAP will be joining other health care facilities, medical universities, local environment and natural resources office and medical associations who have earlier pledged support to the Mercury-Free Health Care Global Initiative and the Mercury-Free Philippine Health Care by 2010 campaign. The other signatories are the Notre Dame de Chartres Hospital, Saint Louis Hospital of the Sacred Heart, Pines City Doctors Hospital, Baguio General Hospital and Fort Del Pilar Station Hospital at Philippine Military Academy all in Baguio City, General Santos Doctors Hospital in General Santos City, St Paul Hospitals in Tuguegarao City and Cavite, Northern Samar Provincial Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, Ospital ng Maynila, Manila Adventist Medical Center and School of Medical Arts, School of Health Sciences at St Paul University in Tuguegarao City, University of the Philippines College of Dentistry, Institute of Public Health Management (IPHM), Woman Health, Northern Samar Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office, the Philippine Nurses Association and the Philippine Public Health Association.
For more information on OHNAP, please visit http://ohnap.multiply.com/
Philippine nurses in the forefront of mercury elimination
The Occupational Health Nurses Association of the Philippines (OHNAP) recently signed the Mercury-Free Health Care Initiative, co-led by World Health Organization and Health Care Without Harm. This global initiative aims to virtually eliminate mercury-based thermometers and sphygmomanometers over the next decade and substitute them with accurate, economically viable alternatives.
OHNAP is a specialty organization of nurses employed in the different industrial, commercial, agricultural, educational and government institutions. Founded in 1950 as an Industrial Nursing Unit of the Philippine Nurses Association, OHNAP now has more than 3,000 members nationwide and an international chapter in Qatar.
OHNAP will be joining other health care facilities, medical universities, local environment and natural resources office and medical associations who have earlier pledged support to the Mercury-Free Health Care Global Initiative and the Mercury-Free Philippine Health Care by 2010 campaign. The other signatories are the Notre Dame de Chartres Hospital, Saint Louis Hospital of the Sacred Heart, Pines City Doctors Hospital, Baguio General Hospital and Fort Del Pilar Station Hospital at Philippine Military Academy all in Baguio City, General Santos Doctors Hospital in General Santos City, St Paul Hospitals in Tuguegarao City and Cavite, Northern Samar Provincial Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, Ospital ng Maynila, Manila Adventist Medical Center and School of Medical Arts, School of Health Sciences at St Paul University in Tuguegarao City, University of the Philippines College of Dentistry, Institute of Public Health Management (IPHM), Woman Health, Northern Samar Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office, the Philippine Nurses Association and the Philippine Public Health Association.
For more information on OHNAP, please visit http://ohnap.multiply.com/
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS DEMAND PGMA TO RELEASE IMPOUNDED HEALTH BUDGET
December 1, 2009
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS DEMAND PGMA TO RELEASE IMPOUNDED HEALTH BUDGET
International organizations and individuals from ten countries joined local health budget advocates in calling for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA) to release the 2008 impounded health budget.
In a petition addressed to PGMA, 1,200 individuals and organizations from Argentina, India, Kenya, other Latin American countries, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Uganda, and United States (1) demanded the release of appropriations made in the 2008 national budget for the Department of Health (DOH). This includes P100 million for the purchase of autoclave machines for infectious medical waste treatment, P400 million for tuberculosis program and P1.82 billion for family health.
“These are meritorious allocations approved by Congress and will surely redound to the benefit of the people,” said the petitioners. “When the current dark cloud that hangs on every country’s economy is gone, there is no surer way to seize the opportunities of an economic upswing than by ensuring now that the Philippines is contributing to strong and healthy nations.”
“Amidst warnings of a reenacted 2010 budget, we are hopeful that the impounded 2008 budget will still be released,” said Merci Ferrer, Executive Director of Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), an active member of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI)-health cluster.
“The support of international organizations shows that we are fighting for important budget allocations. Public health must always be of outmost concern to our government,” said Ferrer. “We have seen the public health damage brought by the typhoons that visited the country. We do not want to be caught unprepared when climate change brings in more public health chaos,” she added.
In the Philippines, petitioners include Social Watch-Philippines (SWP), ABI, and HCWH-SEA and several non-government organizations and health care facilities (2) from different parts of the country.
“While everyone is busy thinking 2010 election, we urge PGMA to look at the budget and give the health sector what is due.”
Meanwhile, former national treasurer Leonor Magtolis Briones, lead convenor of SWP which organized the ABI, said that PGMA has been impounding funds since 2008 when she introduced the notion of a conditional veto.
“SWP and ABI members were appalled when PGMA, in her veto message on the budget in 2008, said that any realignment proposed by legislature will have to be approved by her for release. This debilitated the power of the purse of the Senate and House of Representatives. Increases in the allocations for critical socioeconomic services such as health, education, agriculture and environment which were included in the GAA through the initiative of the legislature are not being released,” Briones said. “The problem is both Houses agreed to this conditional veto of the President,” she added.
“PGMA combined this with orders which allowed her to impound certain budget items and move them to her discretion. This is a combination of savings, impoundment and conditional veto. Since 2008, the President always intervenes with the release of the funds and has been transferring funds to various departments and bodies which are not part of the executive,” said Briones who is also an ambassador of the W8, a group of eight women representing civil society coalitions in eight countries engaging international leaders for better quality of health and education services.
She noted that the Overall Savings of P140 billion, as recorded in the 2010 National Expenditure Program (NEP), represent impoundment of unreleased appropriations.
“Officials of various implementing agencies already attested that the overall savings being reported by the Department of Budget Management (DBM) are actually unreleased appropriations. Also, the departments were not given the opportunity to generate savings from these appropriations,” she said.
“The record on Overall savings in the NEP 2010 contains transfers to and from bodies such as the Commission on Audit (COA), Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Congress, the Judiciary, and Office of the Ombudsman, which should have been off limits to the President’s prerogative,” Briones added.
ABI has been calling on legislators to immediately issue provisions against the impoundment of funds by the executive. The group also called on the DBM to provide proper documentation of fund transfers from one government agency to another. The Commission on Audit (COA) already complained that the “DBM could not provide the appropriate documentation where the savings came from or the agency whose funds/savings where transferred to another agency.”
Organized by Social Watch Philippines, ABI is a consortium of 60 non-government organizations that has been actively engaging the government in the budget process for the past six years. It is calling for increased allocation in the budget, specifically for education, health, agriculture and environment sectors.
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-Southeast Asia, see www.noharm.org.ph.
Sonia G. Astudillo, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org / Merci Ferrer, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
1 Signatories include public health specialist and Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)-Kenya Dr. Paul Saoke and PSR-San Francisco Bay Area President Dr Robert M. Gould, Institute for Zero Waste in Africa- South Africa National Coordinator Muna Lakhani, Desmond D’Sa of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance in South Africa, Rico Euripidou of groundwork-Friends of the Earth-Africa, Uganda Network on Toxic Free Malaria Control Sec-Gen Ellady Muyambi and Pro-biodiversity Conservationist in Uganda Coordinator Robert Tumwesigye Baganda, Director of Centro de Analisis y Accion en Toxicos y sus Alternativas (CAATA) in Mexico Fernando G. Bejarano, Cecilia Allen of Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives-Latin America, Institute for Sustainable Future-US Executive Director Jamie Harvie and Green Guide for Health Care’s Janet Brown, Center for Public Health and Environmental Development-Nepal Executive Director Ram Charita Sah, Aquene Freechild of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, and HCWH Boston Regional Director Bill Ravensi, HCWH Co Executive Director Anna Gillmore-Hall and HCWH International Team Coordinator Josh Karliner.
2 Philippine signatories include: Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP)-Philippines, Action for Economic Reform, La Liga Policy Institute, Kilusan Kontra Kurapsyon-PUP, Initiatives for International Dialogue, Columban Missionaries – Justice. Peace & Integrity of Creation Ministry (JPIC), Philippine Human Rights Information Center, UE Kapit Bisig Alumna Association, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), Freedom from Debt Coalition-Iloilo Chapter, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, Panay Rural Dev't Center, Inc., WomanHealth Philippines, Piglas Kababaihan/Woman Health Phils, Ang Nars, Philippine Nurses Association, Department of Health-Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, DoH-CHD-Zamboanga Peninsula, RHU-Monreal Masbate, DoH-CHD Bicol, Legaspi City, DoH-CHD Eastern Visayas, CHD-5, Sorsogon Provincial Health Office, CHD-2, Tuguegarao, DoH-10 Cagayan de Oro, (PRDCI), Philippine Network on Climate Change, Cycling Advocates (CyCad), Earthsavers Movement, NGOs for Integrated Protected Areas, Partido Kalikasan Institute (PKI), Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society, Inc. (SSMESI), Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office-Northern Samar.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS DEMAND PGMA TO RELEASE IMPOUNDED HEALTH BUDGET
International organizations and individuals from ten countries joined local health budget advocates in calling for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (PGMA) to release the 2008 impounded health budget.
In a petition addressed to PGMA, 1,200 individuals and organizations from Argentina, India, Kenya, other Latin American countries, Mexico, Nepal, South Africa, Uganda, and United States (1) demanded the release of appropriations made in the 2008 national budget for the Department of Health (DOH). This includes P100 million for the purchase of autoclave machines for infectious medical waste treatment, P400 million for tuberculosis program and P1.82 billion for family health.
“These are meritorious allocations approved by Congress and will surely redound to the benefit of the people,” said the petitioners. “When the current dark cloud that hangs on every country’s economy is gone, there is no surer way to seize the opportunities of an economic upswing than by ensuring now that the Philippines is contributing to strong and healthy nations.”
“Amidst warnings of a reenacted 2010 budget, we are hopeful that the impounded 2008 budget will still be released,” said Merci Ferrer, Executive Director of Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), an active member of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI)-health cluster.
“The support of international organizations shows that we are fighting for important budget allocations. Public health must always be of outmost concern to our government,” said Ferrer. “We have seen the public health damage brought by the typhoons that visited the country. We do not want to be caught unprepared when climate change brings in more public health chaos,” she added.
In the Philippines, petitioners include Social Watch-Philippines (SWP), ABI, and HCWH-SEA and several non-government organizations and health care facilities (2) from different parts of the country.
“While everyone is busy thinking 2010 election, we urge PGMA to look at the budget and give the health sector what is due.”
Meanwhile, former national treasurer Leonor Magtolis Briones, lead convenor of SWP which organized the ABI, said that PGMA has been impounding funds since 2008 when she introduced the notion of a conditional veto.
“SWP and ABI members were appalled when PGMA, in her veto message on the budget in 2008, said that any realignment proposed by legislature will have to be approved by her for release. This debilitated the power of the purse of the Senate and House of Representatives. Increases in the allocations for critical socioeconomic services such as health, education, agriculture and environment which were included in the GAA through the initiative of the legislature are not being released,” Briones said. “The problem is both Houses agreed to this conditional veto of the President,” she added.
“PGMA combined this with orders which allowed her to impound certain budget items and move them to her discretion. This is a combination of savings, impoundment and conditional veto. Since 2008, the President always intervenes with the release of the funds and has been transferring funds to various departments and bodies which are not part of the executive,” said Briones who is also an ambassador of the W8, a group of eight women representing civil society coalitions in eight countries engaging international leaders for better quality of health and education services.
She noted that the Overall Savings of P140 billion, as recorded in the 2010 National Expenditure Program (NEP), represent impoundment of unreleased appropriations.
“Officials of various implementing agencies already attested that the overall savings being reported by the Department of Budget Management (DBM) are actually unreleased appropriations. Also, the departments were not given the opportunity to generate savings from these appropriations,” she said.
“The record on Overall savings in the NEP 2010 contains transfers to and from bodies such as the Commission on Audit (COA), Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Congress, the Judiciary, and Office of the Ombudsman, which should have been off limits to the President’s prerogative,” Briones added.
ABI has been calling on legislators to immediately issue provisions against the impoundment of funds by the executive. The group also called on the DBM to provide proper documentation of fund transfers from one government agency to another. The Commission on Audit (COA) already complained that the “DBM could not provide the appropriate documentation where the savings came from or the agency whose funds/savings where transferred to another agency.”
Organized by Social Watch Philippines, ABI is a consortium of 60 non-government organizations that has been actively engaging the government in the budget process for the past six years. It is calling for increased allocation in the budget, specifically for education, health, agriculture and environment sectors.
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-Southeast Asia, see www.noharm.org.ph.
Sonia G. Astudillo, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org / Merci Ferrer, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
1 Signatories include public health specialist and Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)-Kenya Dr. Paul Saoke and PSR-San Francisco Bay Area President Dr Robert M. Gould, Institute for Zero Waste in Africa- South Africa National Coordinator Muna Lakhani, Desmond D’Sa of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance in South Africa, Rico Euripidou of groundwork-Friends of the Earth-Africa, Uganda Network on Toxic Free Malaria Control Sec-Gen Ellady Muyambi and Pro-biodiversity Conservationist in Uganda Coordinator Robert Tumwesigye Baganda, Director of Centro de Analisis y Accion en Toxicos y sus Alternativas (CAATA) in Mexico Fernando G. Bejarano, Cecilia Allen of Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives-Latin America, Institute for Sustainable Future-US Executive Director Jamie Harvie and Green Guide for Health Care’s Janet Brown, Center for Public Health and Environmental Development-Nepal Executive Director Ram Charita Sah, Aquene Freechild of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal, and HCWH Boston Regional Director Bill Ravensi, HCWH Co Executive Director Anna Gillmore-Hall and HCWH International Team Coordinator Josh Karliner.
2 Philippine signatories include: Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP)-Philippines, Action for Economic Reform, La Liga Policy Institute, Kilusan Kontra Kurapsyon-PUP, Initiatives for International Dialogue, Columban Missionaries – Justice. Peace & Integrity of Creation Ministry (JPIC), Philippine Human Rights Information Center, UE Kapit Bisig Alumna Association, Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), Freedom from Debt Coalition-Iloilo Chapter, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, Panay Rural Dev't Center, Inc., WomanHealth Philippines, Piglas Kababaihan/Woman Health Phils, Ang Nars, Philippine Nurses Association, Department of Health-Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, DoH-CHD-Zamboanga Peninsula, RHU-Monreal Masbate, DoH-CHD Bicol, Legaspi City, DoH-CHD Eastern Visayas, CHD-5, Sorsogon Provincial Health Office, CHD-2, Tuguegarao, DoH-10 Cagayan de Oro, (PRDCI), Philippine Network on Climate Change, Cycling Advocates (CyCad), Earthsavers Movement, NGOs for Integrated Protected Areas, Partido Kalikasan Institute (PKI), Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society, Inc. (SSMESI), Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office-Northern Samar.
REENACTED BUDGET: BAD, DANGEROUS, ANOMALOUS
November 27, 2009
REENACTED BUDGET: BAD, DANGEROUS, ANOMALOUS
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), a member of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) echoes earlier call by Social Watch to lawmakers to enact the 2010 budget before they go on holiday break.
According to Merci Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Executive Director, a reenacted budget for an election year is “not only bad and dangerous but also anomalous.”
“We call on the lawmakers not to loose sight that they have to urgently enact the 2010 budget. This is their duty and perhaps one of the best Christmas gifts they could offer to the Filipinos,” said Ferrer.
HCWH-SEA and ABI-health cluster are also urging the lawmakers to give serious consideration to ABI’s proposed 2010 alternative budget for education, health, agriculture and environment and the unreleased budget.
“Once and for all, let us make this right. The past years, several items in the health budget alone are still unreleased,” said Ferrer referring to the 2008 “impounded” health budget of P100 M for the purchase of autoclave machines for infectious medical waste treatment, P400 M for TB program and P1.82 B for family health and the still unreleased P13.2 M for non-mercury thermometers from the 2009 budget.
“We do hope that the government will not get away perpetually impounding these very important public health allocations. If they do, then we can only expect the worst with a reenacted 2010 budget.”
ABI is a consortium of 60 non-government organizations that has been actively engaging the government in the budget process for the past six years.
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-Southeast Asia, see www.noharm.org.ph.
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Merci Ferrer, Executive Director, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
REENACTED BUDGET: BAD, DANGEROUS, ANOMALOUS
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), a member of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) echoes earlier call by Social Watch to lawmakers to enact the 2010 budget before they go on holiday break.
According to Merci Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Executive Director, a reenacted budget for an election year is “not only bad and dangerous but also anomalous.”
“We call on the lawmakers not to loose sight that they have to urgently enact the 2010 budget. This is their duty and perhaps one of the best Christmas gifts they could offer to the Filipinos,” said Ferrer.
HCWH-SEA and ABI-health cluster are also urging the lawmakers to give serious consideration to ABI’s proposed 2010 alternative budget for education, health, agriculture and environment and the unreleased budget.
“Once and for all, let us make this right. The past years, several items in the health budget alone are still unreleased,” said Ferrer referring to the 2008 “impounded” health budget of P100 M for the purchase of autoclave machines for infectious medical waste treatment, P400 M for TB program and P1.82 B for family health and the still unreleased P13.2 M for non-mercury thermometers from the 2009 budget.
“We do hope that the government will not get away perpetually impounding these very important public health allocations. If they do, then we can only expect the worst with a reenacted 2010 budget.”
ABI is a consortium of 60 non-government organizations that has been actively engaging the government in the budget process for the past six years.
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-Southeast Asia, see www.noharm.org.ph.
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Merci Ferrer, Executive Director, + 63 920 9056113, merci@hcwh.org
GOING MERCURY-FREE, ONE STEP AT A TIME
November 18, 2009
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
GOING MERCURY-FREE, ONE STEP AT A TIME
Puerto Princesa City – “With more than 20 medicare, district, municipal and private hospitals and rural health units in the whole of Palawan, phasing out of mercury in this province alone would translate to 1.4% phase-out in the 1,847 hospitals in the whole country. One province, 1% is a tremendous leap towards our 2010 goal of mercury-free health care,” said Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.
To date, more than 50 hospitals in the country have phased-out or are phasing-out mercury devices in their facilities.
In September 2008, the Department of Health signed Administrative Order 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions by 2010.
AO 21 requires all hospitals to immediately discontinue the distribution of mercury thermometers in the patients’ admission/discharge kits and to follow the guidelines for the gradual phase-out of mercury. Another provision is the requirement to all new health care facilities applying for a license to operate to submit an inventory of all mercury-containing devices that will be used in their facilities and a corresponding elimination program.
Finding alternatives
According to Ester Borja, chairperson of the Waste Management Committee of the Philippine Heart Center, “the moment we heard of the dangers of mercury, we immediately processed the gradual phasing-out of mercury—made an audit of existing mercurial thermometers and blood pressure device and then sent a letter to the Director for approval to replace these with safer mercury-free alternatives.”
PHC then called on suppliers to provide information on alternatives to mercury devices, conducted a series of tests to know which the best alternative is. Alternatives are widely available in the market.
Although initially faced with issues on patients’ response to alternatives, accuracy, affordability and disposal of phased-out devices, “patient safety became the driving force for PHC.”
“Considering the hazards to patients, hospital staff and the environment, we support the DoH in phasing out mercury in hospitals,” Borja added.
Ferrer added that such a move will also be easier now that the national budget (2009) provides for a Php13.2 million allocation for the purchase of mercury-free thermometers in 66 government hospitals. This however is still unreleased.
PhilHealth is likewise showing support through the new Benchbook which will contain provisions of the AO as one of the requirements to get PhilHealth accreditation.
Another challenge
Another issue that never seems to find an immediate solution is finding a disposal area to the phased-out mercury devices. “Intermediate disposal on a regional scale is ideal,” Ferrer pointed out.
HCWH-SEA and other groups are calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to provide a temporary storage area for the mercury wastes. “We cannot leave hospitals to clean-up all the mercury mess alone.”
“Although several hospitals have phased-out mercury and have in their facility a temporary storage, disposal issue remains frustratingly unaddressed,” she pointed out.
She added however that it must not discourage hospitals from phasing-out mercury. “Everyone must play their part. While one sector is looking for a disposal area, the hospital sector must be busy phasing-out mercury and finding alternatives. We hope that in 2010, all Philippine hospitals will be mercury-free and we will have a final resting place for mercury.”
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia is part of an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information, please visit www.noharm.org.ph
Additional Notes:
Dangers of Mercury: Mercury inhaled as vapor and absorbed through the lungs may cause tremors, emotional changes (mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness), insomnia, neuromuscular changes (weakness, muscle atrophy, twitching), headaches, disturbances in sensations, changes in nerve responses, performance deficits on tests of cognitive function. Higher exposure may cause kidney defects, respiratory failure and death.
World Health Organization (WHO) reported as early as 1991 that a safe level of mercury exposure, below which there is no adverse effects, has never been established. In a policy paper they issued, it presented 3-pronged short, medium and long-term measures that include (a) development and implementation of plans to reduce the use of mercury equipment and replace it with alternatives, (b) increase efforts to reduce the risk of unnecessary mercury equipment in hospitals and (c) a ban of mercury-containing devices and promotion of alternatives.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), on the other hand, formulated a Mercury Program designed to raise awareness of the global environmental hazards of mercury after its Governing Council concluded that there is sufficient evidence of significant global adverse impacts from mercury to warrant further international action.
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
GOING MERCURY-FREE, ONE STEP AT A TIME
Puerto Princesa City – “With more than 20 medicare, district, municipal and private hospitals and rural health units in the whole of Palawan, phasing out of mercury in this province alone would translate to 1.4% phase-out in the 1,847 hospitals in the whole country. One province, 1% is a tremendous leap towards our 2010 goal of mercury-free health care,” said Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.
To date, more than 50 hospitals in the country have phased-out or are phasing-out mercury devices in their facilities.
In September 2008, the Department of Health signed Administrative Order 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions by 2010.
AO 21 requires all hospitals to immediately discontinue the distribution of mercury thermometers in the patients’ admission/discharge kits and to follow the guidelines for the gradual phase-out of mercury. Another provision is the requirement to all new health care facilities applying for a license to operate to submit an inventory of all mercury-containing devices that will be used in their facilities and a corresponding elimination program.
Finding alternatives
According to Ester Borja, chairperson of the Waste Management Committee of the Philippine Heart Center, “the moment we heard of the dangers of mercury, we immediately processed the gradual phasing-out of mercury—made an audit of existing mercurial thermometers and blood pressure device and then sent a letter to the Director for approval to replace these with safer mercury-free alternatives.”
PHC then called on suppliers to provide information on alternatives to mercury devices, conducted a series of tests to know which the best alternative is. Alternatives are widely available in the market.
Although initially faced with issues on patients’ response to alternatives, accuracy, affordability and disposal of phased-out devices, “patient safety became the driving force for PHC.”
“Considering the hazards to patients, hospital staff and the environment, we support the DoH in phasing out mercury in hospitals,” Borja added.
Ferrer added that such a move will also be easier now that the national budget (2009) provides for a Php13.2 million allocation for the purchase of mercury-free thermometers in 66 government hospitals. This however is still unreleased.
PhilHealth is likewise showing support through the new Benchbook which will contain provisions of the AO as one of the requirements to get PhilHealth accreditation.
Another challenge
Another issue that never seems to find an immediate solution is finding a disposal area to the phased-out mercury devices. “Intermediate disposal on a regional scale is ideal,” Ferrer pointed out.
HCWH-SEA and other groups are calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to provide a temporary storage area for the mercury wastes. “We cannot leave hospitals to clean-up all the mercury mess alone.”
“Although several hospitals have phased-out mercury and have in their facility a temporary storage, disposal issue remains frustratingly unaddressed,” she pointed out.
She added however that it must not discourage hospitals from phasing-out mercury. “Everyone must play their part. While one sector is looking for a disposal area, the hospital sector must be busy phasing-out mercury and finding alternatives. We hope that in 2010, all Philippine hospitals will be mercury-free and we will have a final resting place for mercury.”
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia is part of an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information, please visit www.noharm.org.ph
Additional Notes:
Dangers of Mercury: Mercury inhaled as vapor and absorbed through the lungs may cause tremors, emotional changes (mood swings, irritability, nervousness, excessive shyness), insomnia, neuromuscular changes (weakness, muscle atrophy, twitching), headaches, disturbances in sensations, changes in nerve responses, performance deficits on tests of cognitive function. Higher exposure may cause kidney defects, respiratory failure and death.
World Health Organization (WHO) reported as early as 1991 that a safe level of mercury exposure, below which there is no adverse effects, has never been established. In a policy paper they issued, it presented 3-pronged short, medium and long-term measures that include (a) development and implementation of plans to reduce the use of mercury equipment and replace it with alternatives, (b) increase efforts to reduce the risk of unnecessary mercury equipment in hospitals and (c) a ban of mercury-containing devices and promotion of alternatives.
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), on the other hand, formulated a Mercury Program designed to raise awareness of the global environmental hazards of mercury after its Governing Council concluded that there is sufficient evidence of significant global adverse impacts from mercury to warrant further international action.
Monday, October 12, 2009
P10-B fund snagged
P10-B fund snagged
Top News
Written by Butch Fernandez & Cai Ordinario / Reporters
THURSDAY, 08 OCTOBER 2009 01:54
SENATE leaders are not optimistic that the House of Representatives could still approve before next week’s congressional recess the initial P10-billion supplemental budget for immediate relief to thousands of Typhoon Ondoy flood victims.
But Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri held out hope that senators could rush approval of the counterpart funding bill “if the House submits its approved version by Monday.” And, he added, “if it is certified as urgent by Malacañang, we can approve the bill by Wednesday.”
The House, however, has yet to hold a committee hearing on the P10-billion budget on Monday before the bill could be brought to the floor for plenary approval, hopefully on the same day.
It was learned from congressional sources that backroom haggling in the House is hobbling early passage of the supplemental budget bill, with some congressmen lobbying for a bigger share (from P2 billion to P4 billion) from the supplemental fund for the rehabilitation of Panay towns damaged by typhoon Frank last year.
“That is the problem with the supplemental budget,” Sen. Miriam Santiago said, noting that “the deadline for our break is already upcoming. Wednesday would be our last working day before our next break. So we would not be able to accomplish a supplemental budget in the limited period that we’ve got left. That’s why we have to think how we could raise a billion or even more by other means.”
State of calamity debate
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, commenting on demands to lift the declaration of a state of calamity in certain areas, said Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro’s recommendation is being awaited as chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). The options are “either to lift altogether all over the country or lift it in some places that are obviously [no longer] threatened by any forthcoming typhoon such as Pepeng and Quedan, and this can very well be the areas of the entire Visayas and Mindanao.”
He expects a decision on the selective lifting of the state of calamity declaration in the next 24 hours. As NDCC chairman, Teodoro can recommend to the President the “selective lifting of the state of calamity. He specifically mentioned, probably, Visayas and Mindanao.”
Ermita sees a 90-percent chance that a selective lifting will be approved, “in the same manner that during our meeting last week, he [Teodoro] said that the state of national calamity be declared, the President made a decision, and indeed such was announced. [So a similar announcement on the] lifting in other places [can be made].”
Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera explained, “We advocated that a state of calamity be initially declared because we have to spend for some measures that will mitigate the effects of typhoons and calamity—so that’s the first phase. And the second component is we have the rescue operations where the calamity actually happened and then we have the relief and then we have the rehabilitation.”
She clarified that it’s the long period of rehabilitation that requires an extended declaration of calamity. “So, the one year may not even be enough to restore the infrastructure damaged by the typhoons.”
‘Immoral’ supplemental budget
Meanwhile, civil-society groups are pressing the proposal to have the Executive dip into an estimated P140 billion in impounded funds, instead of scrambling to source money for a P10-billion supplemental budget.
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) describes the proposed additional P10 billion to supplement this year’s calamity fund as “immoral.”
According to Merci Ferrer, executive director of HCWH-SEA and member of the Health Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI), “to date, allocated budget of various government agencies in 2008 amounting to P140 billion remains unreleased and at the mercy of the President. It is at her discretion to reallocate portion of this to the calamity fund.”
“However, the government should be stringent in disbursing the fund and must not forget the original purpose of the impounded budget [from where the calamity fund will be coming from],” Ferrer warns.
“The P140 billion in 2008 were allocated to government agencies to provide for basic social services such as health, education, food…We have to remember that beyond disaster preparedness, there are other mouths to be fed, social services to be provided,” said Ferrer.
“While portion of the impounded budget is reallocated to the calamity fund, the government must proceed to releasing the remaining amount to its original intention,” added Ferrer.
The group is calling for release of the impounded health budget—P100 million for purchase of 16 medical waste-treatment autoclaves for government-controlled hospitals, P400 million for TB program intended for treatment of 100,000 children with primary complex and 133 patients with multidrug-resistant TB, and P1.82 billion for maternal health program.
Health budget at risk
Responding to the Department of Health’s (DOH) call to likewise tap the calamity fund, HCWH-SEA through ABI has proposed in the 2010 budget an allocation of P28.05 million for purchase of mercury-free sphygmomanometers and thermometers in 66 DOH-run hospitals.
The DOH reported P670 million worth of damage in the 16 major government hospitals.
2 storms’ damage to farms nears P8 billion
The Department of Agriculture (DA) disclosed that damage to agriculture caused by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng has climbed to a total of P7.94 billion,
The DA Central Action Center Situationer Report released on Wednesday showed the consolidated damage in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Bicol regions, as well as the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), due to Typhoon Ondoy has reached around P6.8 billion; farm damage from Pepeng has risen to around P1.14 billion.
The impact of the damage to rice and corn production targets in the fourth quarter include 375,036 metric tons (MT) of rice. This is composed of 313,427 MT palay lost due to Ondoy which is 4.84 percent of national target of 6,478,960 MT, and 61,609 MT lost due to Pepeng which is 0.95 percent of the national target.
The DA said provinces which lost target rice production are La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Mindoro Occidental, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Sorsogon.
For corn, the total volume loss is estimated at 4,381 MT. Ondoy caused a total volume loss of 2,939 MT, which is 0.21 percent of the national target production of 1,396,394 MT while Pepeng caused a loss of 1,442 MT which is 0.10 percent of the target for the fourth quarter.
Top News
Written by Butch Fernandez & Cai Ordinario / Reporters
THURSDAY, 08 OCTOBER 2009 01:54
SENATE leaders are not optimistic that the House of Representatives could still approve before next week’s congressional recess the initial P10-billion supplemental budget for immediate relief to thousands of Typhoon Ondoy flood victims.
But Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri held out hope that senators could rush approval of the counterpart funding bill “if the House submits its approved version by Monday.” And, he added, “if it is certified as urgent by Malacañang, we can approve the bill by Wednesday.”
The House, however, has yet to hold a committee hearing on the P10-billion budget on Monday before the bill could be brought to the floor for plenary approval, hopefully on the same day.
It was learned from congressional sources that backroom haggling in the House is hobbling early passage of the supplemental budget bill, with some congressmen lobbying for a bigger share (from P2 billion to P4 billion) from the supplemental fund for the rehabilitation of Panay towns damaged by typhoon Frank last year.
“That is the problem with the supplemental budget,” Sen. Miriam Santiago said, noting that “the deadline for our break is already upcoming. Wednesday would be our last working day before our next break. So we would not be able to accomplish a supplemental budget in the limited period that we’ve got left. That’s why we have to think how we could raise a billion or even more by other means.”
State of calamity debate
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, commenting on demands to lift the declaration of a state of calamity in certain areas, said Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro’s recommendation is being awaited as chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). The options are “either to lift altogether all over the country or lift it in some places that are obviously [no longer] threatened by any forthcoming typhoon such as Pepeng and Quedan, and this can very well be the areas of the entire Visayas and Mindanao.”
He expects a decision on the selective lifting of the state of calamity declaration in the next 24 hours. As NDCC chairman, Teodoro can recommend to the President the “selective lifting of the state of calamity. He specifically mentioned, probably, Visayas and Mindanao.”
Ermita sees a 90-percent chance that a selective lifting will be approved, “in the same manner that during our meeting last week, he [Teodoro] said that the state of national calamity be declared, the President made a decision, and indeed such was announced. [So a similar announcement on the] lifting in other places [can be made].”
Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera explained, “We advocated that a state of calamity be initially declared because we have to spend for some measures that will mitigate the effects of typhoons and calamity—so that’s the first phase. And the second component is we have the rescue operations where the calamity actually happened and then we have the relief and then we have the rehabilitation.”
She clarified that it’s the long period of rehabilitation that requires an extended declaration of calamity. “So, the one year may not even be enough to restore the infrastructure damaged by the typhoons.”
‘Immoral’ supplemental budget
Meanwhile, civil-society groups are pressing the proposal to have the Executive dip into an estimated P140 billion in impounded funds, instead of scrambling to source money for a P10-billion supplemental budget.
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) describes the proposed additional P10 billion to supplement this year’s calamity fund as “immoral.”
According to Merci Ferrer, executive director of HCWH-SEA and member of the Health Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI), “to date, allocated budget of various government agencies in 2008 amounting to P140 billion remains unreleased and at the mercy of the President. It is at her discretion to reallocate portion of this to the calamity fund.”
“However, the government should be stringent in disbursing the fund and must not forget the original purpose of the impounded budget [from where the calamity fund will be coming from],” Ferrer warns.
“The P140 billion in 2008 were allocated to government agencies to provide for basic social services such as health, education, food…We have to remember that beyond disaster preparedness, there are other mouths to be fed, social services to be provided,” said Ferrer.
“While portion of the impounded budget is reallocated to the calamity fund, the government must proceed to releasing the remaining amount to its original intention,” added Ferrer.
The group is calling for release of the impounded health budget—P100 million for purchase of 16 medical waste-treatment autoclaves for government-controlled hospitals, P400 million for TB program intended for treatment of 100,000 children with primary complex and 133 patients with multidrug-resistant TB, and P1.82 billion for maternal health program.
Health budget at risk
Responding to the Department of Health’s (DOH) call to likewise tap the calamity fund, HCWH-SEA through ABI has proposed in the 2010 budget an allocation of P28.05 million for purchase of mercury-free sphygmomanometers and thermometers in 66 DOH-run hospitals.
The DOH reported P670 million worth of damage in the 16 major government hospitals.
2 storms’ damage to farms nears P8 billion
The Department of Agriculture (DA) disclosed that damage to agriculture caused by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng has climbed to a total of P7.94 billion,
The DA Central Action Center Situationer Report released on Wednesday showed the consolidated damage in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa and Bicol regions, as well as the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), due to Typhoon Ondoy has reached around P6.8 billion; farm damage from Pepeng has risen to around P1.14 billion.
The impact of the damage to rice and corn production targets in the fourth quarter include 375,036 metric tons (MT) of rice. This is composed of 313,427 MT palay lost due to Ondoy which is 4.84 percent of national target of 6,478,960 MT, and 61,609 MT lost due to Pepeng which is 0.95 percent of the national target.
The DA said provinces which lost target rice production are La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Mindoro Occidental, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Sorsogon.
For corn, the total volume loss is estimated at 4,381 MT. Ondoy caused a total volume loss of 2,939 MT, which is 0.21 percent of the national target production of 1,396,394 MT while Pepeng caused a loss of 1,442 MT which is 0.10 percent of the target for the fourth quarter.
Civil society calls for release of other impounded funds to save people from disasters
SOCIAL WATCH PHILIPPINES
MEDIA RELEASE
October 9, 2009
Refer to: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Contact Nos. (+63 02) 4265626 / 4265632
DBM source of data on impounded funds
Civil society calls for release of other impounded funds to save people from disasters
The data on the P140 billion Overall Savings from impounded funds is based on documents supplied by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to Congress and the report of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the 2008 Appropriations.
Members of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) reminded Malacanang officials about this when they expressed ignorance on the whereabouts of the P140 billion funds impounded by President Gloria Arroyo which can be partially used to increase the calamity fund instead of releasing a supplemental budget.
“The details on the overall savings are on pages 714 to 723 of the NEP 2010,” said former national treasurer Leonor Magtolis Briones, lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines (SWP) which organized the ABI. “In 2008, President Arroyo transferred P178 billion from different agencies to overall savings. On the other hand, a total of P38 billion was transferred from Overall Savings to different agencies. This resulted to a net transfer of P140 billion which are recorded as Unreleased Appropriations. Presumably, this amount is carried over to 2009,” Briones added.
Briones also said that, instead of a supplemental budget that would only increase the country’s deficit, Malacanang can use the remaining balances in the Special Purpose Funds (SPFs) and accumulated savings which are handled by the Office of the President through the DBM. “We can look at the calamity fund and contingency fund, which are under SPF, to be able to respond to the disasters. Details on the calamity fund are on pages 669 to 671 of the NEP, while contingency fund details are on pages 672 to 673,” Briones said.
Meanwhile, Isagani Serrano, vice president of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and one of the heads of the ABI-Environment Group, said that they are horrified by the response of Budget Chief Rolando Andaya that the said amount is an “amount only in paper”.
“We are talking about people’s hard-earned money here. They cannot just allocate public funds, impound it, and say that the amount is non-existent and just in paper,” Serrano said. “While it is true that the amounts are listed in paper, they are translated into cash once the President authorize the release of these budget items and the DBM process its release,” he said.
“Millions of Filipinos are already in harm’s way due to the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Government should immediately use these impounded funds to save and protect our communities from extreme weather conditions,” Serrano added.
The ABI presented a list of impounded funds during the House Committee on Appropriations’ special hearing on ABI’s alternative budget proposals. This includes funds for health and agriculture programs in the 2008 budget such as P1.8 billion for family health, P400 million for the tuberculosis program, P100 million for purchase of autoclaves, P100 million for the promotion of organic agriculture and P2 million for training for system of rice intensification (SRI) small farmers; and funds in the 2009 General Appropriations Act (GAA) including P95 million for Protected Areas and Wildlife Management and P1 billion for reforestation.
Committee on Appropriations Vice Chair Edcel Lagman echoed the ABI’s call in his sponsorship speech during the plenary debates on the 2010 national budget. “Once impounded as “forced savings” congressional initiative allocations may never see the light of day or the impounded amounts constitute an off-budget new lump sum which can be used by the Executive to fund projects which may not even find anchorage in the General Appropriations Act,” Lagman said.
The ABI also called Congress to advise the Executive to be transparent and report any transfer of funds to calamity funds. “The Commission on Audit (COA) reported lack of information on budget documents such as the pooled savings in 2007 amounting to P106.11 billion from net of transfer from one agency to another and from one SPF to another which cannot be verified due to lack of supporting documents,” Briones said. “The COA also reported realignment of Funds without Authority such as savings on electricity and fuel which were used to pay transportation and rice subsidy without request for realignment,” Briones said.
The ABI, a consortium of 60 nongovernment organizations led by Social Watch Philippines, is globally acknowledged for initiating civil society-legislature partnership for alternative budget proposals for increased allocation for health, agriculture, environment and education.
MEDIA RELEASE
October 9, 2009
Refer to: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Contact Nos. (+63 02) 4265626 / 4265632
DBM source of data on impounded funds
Civil society calls for release of other impounded funds to save people from disasters
The data on the P140 billion Overall Savings from impounded funds is based on documents supplied by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to Congress and the report of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the 2008 Appropriations.
Members of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) reminded Malacanang officials about this when they expressed ignorance on the whereabouts of the P140 billion funds impounded by President Gloria Arroyo which can be partially used to increase the calamity fund instead of releasing a supplemental budget.
“The details on the overall savings are on pages 714 to 723 of the NEP 2010,” said former national treasurer Leonor Magtolis Briones, lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines (SWP) which organized the ABI. “In 2008, President Arroyo transferred P178 billion from different agencies to overall savings. On the other hand, a total of P38 billion was transferred from Overall Savings to different agencies. This resulted to a net transfer of P140 billion which are recorded as Unreleased Appropriations. Presumably, this amount is carried over to 2009,” Briones added.
Briones also said that, instead of a supplemental budget that would only increase the country’s deficit, Malacanang can use the remaining balances in the Special Purpose Funds (SPFs) and accumulated savings which are handled by the Office of the President through the DBM. “We can look at the calamity fund and contingency fund, which are under SPF, to be able to respond to the disasters. Details on the calamity fund are on pages 669 to 671 of the NEP, while contingency fund details are on pages 672 to 673,” Briones said.
Meanwhile, Isagani Serrano, vice president of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) and one of the heads of the ABI-Environment Group, said that they are horrified by the response of Budget Chief Rolando Andaya that the said amount is an “amount only in paper”.
“We are talking about people’s hard-earned money here. They cannot just allocate public funds, impound it, and say that the amount is non-existent and just in paper,” Serrano said. “While it is true that the amounts are listed in paper, they are translated into cash once the President authorize the release of these budget items and the DBM process its release,” he said.
“Millions of Filipinos are already in harm’s way due to the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Government should immediately use these impounded funds to save and protect our communities from extreme weather conditions,” Serrano added.
The ABI presented a list of impounded funds during the House Committee on Appropriations’ special hearing on ABI’s alternative budget proposals. This includes funds for health and agriculture programs in the 2008 budget such as P1.8 billion for family health, P400 million for the tuberculosis program, P100 million for purchase of autoclaves, P100 million for the promotion of organic agriculture and P2 million for training for system of rice intensification (SRI) small farmers; and funds in the 2009 General Appropriations Act (GAA) including P95 million for Protected Areas and Wildlife Management and P1 billion for reforestation.
Committee on Appropriations Vice Chair Edcel Lagman echoed the ABI’s call in his sponsorship speech during the plenary debates on the 2010 national budget. “Once impounded as “forced savings” congressional initiative allocations may never see the light of day or the impounded amounts constitute an off-budget new lump sum which can be used by the Executive to fund projects which may not even find anchorage in the General Appropriations Act,” Lagman said.
The ABI also called Congress to advise the Executive to be transparent and report any transfer of funds to calamity funds. “The Commission on Audit (COA) reported lack of information on budget documents such as the pooled savings in 2007 amounting to P106.11 billion from net of transfer from one agency to another and from one SPF to another which cannot be verified due to lack of supporting documents,” Briones said. “The COA also reported realignment of Funds without Authority such as savings on electricity and fuel which were used to pay transportation and rice subsidy without request for realignment,” Briones said.
The ABI, a consortium of 60 nongovernment organizations led by Social Watch Philippines, is globally acknowledged for initiating civil society-legislature partnership for alternative budget proposals for increased allocation for health, agriculture, environment and education.
‘Come clean on P140-B funds’
BUSINESS MIRROR
http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/16969-come-clean-on-p140-b-funds.html
‘Come clean on P140-B funds’
Top News
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 03:26
PALACE officials were urged on Tuesday to “come clean” on the reason behind the impounding of P140 billion in funds from the 2008 budget, and the failure of the Executive to inform Congress that Mrs. Arroyo had such huge amount at her disposal.
The call from Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay followed revelations from alternative-budget activists, led by former national treasurer Leonor Briones, for the Executive to tap into these funds, instead of looking at other means to raise money, for post-calamity rehabilitation, but which will burden people even more and swell the deficit.
“Malacañang needs to come clean on Mrs. Arroyo’s purpose for impounding such a huge amount. And it also needs to explain not only to Congress but to the public why it kept silent on the existence of P140 billion in impounded funds,” Binay said.
Besides replenishing the calamity fund, the P140 billion impounded by Malacañang through transfer from various government agencies could provide help to the agriculture sector, added the mayor.
“Mrs. Arroyo can apparently provide the funds needed to ensure stable food supply by next year, in view of the admission by government officials that there could be a shortage in the supply of rice by nearly next year,” he said.
Binay said Congress has been prompted by the extensive damage caused by Typhoon Ondoy to provide the Office of the President with a P10- billion supplemental budget for the depleted calamity fund.
“Malacañang did not object to the proposal, but neither did it inform Congress that Mrs. Arroyo has more than enough funds at her disposal,” he said.
‘Disturbing’ findings
Binay said the findings of Professor Briones that Mrs. Arroyo had impounded P140 billion in funds from the 2008 budget is disturbing in the light of the national government’s precarious fiscal situation.
“The national government is already in a deficit, and it would have to resort to more borrowings if Congress would approve the P10-billion supplemental fund,” he said. He added that Malacañang could easily allay the concern of Congress and the public about its ability to respond to the calamity by saying that Mrs. Arroyo has more than enough money at her disposal.
Palace’s reaction
AT the Palace, deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez sidestepped the issue, telling reporters, “We’re not saying that [the P140 billion] actually exists, I don’t even know what they’re talking about; I think whether or not that figure exists, I think it would be better if the budget secretary or any budget official can answer that question.”
He noted that all sectors are pitching in to help the victims of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, and the President had even opened Malacañang Palace to serve as an evacuation and relief center. The “P10-billion supplemental budget is Congress’s way of helping our citizens especially in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.”
http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/top-news/16969-come-clean-on-p140-b-funds.html
‘Come clean on P140-B funds’
Top News
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 03:26
PALACE officials were urged on Tuesday to “come clean” on the reason behind the impounding of P140 billion in funds from the 2008 budget, and the failure of the Executive to inform Congress that Mrs. Arroyo had such huge amount at her disposal.
The call from Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay followed revelations from alternative-budget activists, led by former national treasurer Leonor Briones, for the Executive to tap into these funds, instead of looking at other means to raise money, for post-calamity rehabilitation, but which will burden people even more and swell the deficit.
“Malacañang needs to come clean on Mrs. Arroyo’s purpose for impounding such a huge amount. And it also needs to explain not only to Congress but to the public why it kept silent on the existence of P140 billion in impounded funds,” Binay said.
Besides replenishing the calamity fund, the P140 billion impounded by Malacañang through transfer from various government agencies could provide help to the agriculture sector, added the mayor.
“Mrs. Arroyo can apparently provide the funds needed to ensure stable food supply by next year, in view of the admission by government officials that there could be a shortage in the supply of rice by nearly next year,” he said.
Binay said Congress has been prompted by the extensive damage caused by Typhoon Ondoy to provide the Office of the President with a P10- billion supplemental budget for the depleted calamity fund.
“Malacañang did not object to the proposal, but neither did it inform Congress that Mrs. Arroyo has more than enough funds at her disposal,” he said.
‘Disturbing’ findings
Binay said the findings of Professor Briones that Mrs. Arroyo had impounded P140 billion in funds from the 2008 budget is disturbing in the light of the national government’s precarious fiscal situation.
“The national government is already in a deficit, and it would have to resort to more borrowings if Congress would approve the P10-billion supplemental fund,” he said. He added that Malacañang could easily allay the concern of Congress and the public about its ability to respond to the calamity by saying that Mrs. Arroyo has more than enough money at her disposal.
Palace’s reaction
AT the Palace, deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez sidestepped the issue, telling reporters, “We’re not saying that [the P140 billion] actually exists, I don’t even know what they’re talking about; I think whether or not that figure exists, I think it would be better if the budget secretary or any budget official can answer that question.”
He noted that all sectors are pitching in to help the victims of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, and the President had even opened Malacañang Palace to serve as an evacuation and relief center. The “P10-billion supplemental budget is Congress’s way of helping our citizens especially in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.”
Palace: No P140-B fund
THE DAILY TRIBUNE
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20091007hed3.html
Palace: No P140-B fund
By Aytch de la Cruz
10/07/2009
Malacañang officials yesterday appeared to have been at a loss for words when asked to provide an explanation or at least give a categorical statement behind reports over the alleged P140-billion fund impounded by President Arroyo that could have instead been utilized to increase the dwindling calamity fund rather than wait for the P10-billion supplemental budget currently pending at Congress.
Former National Treasurer Leonor Briones, who knows whereof she speaks on these matters, the other day stated that President Arroyo has P140 billion in available funds which was impounded through transfers from the budget of the various government agencies last year, an amount which Briones said
should be more than enough to augment the depleted calamity fund being used for government relief efforts.
Briones said Arroyo’s propensity to juggle the yearly budget allocations has resulted in P140 billion in disposable funds in the hands of the President.
"While the Constitution allows the president to reallocate funds of government agencies, this President had done this excessively," Briones said.
For last year, some P178 billion of such fund was reallocated with P140 billion still unreleased and would save the goverment from the sound and fury of going through the congressional process for a supplemental budget.
Briones added that using the impounded funds for the government’s relief efforts would also save the government from further borrowing which it would have to resort to in the plan for a P10-billion budget supplement.
Briones also pointed out that most of the funds that Arroyo has the discretion to release is also not subject to examination by the Commission on Audit (CoA).
The presidential spokesmen all claimed to be unaware of the impoundment of the P140 billion that Briones said was available for release, at the discretion of Arroyo.
Presidential Economic Spokesman Gary Olivar implied that the assertions being put forward right now by Briones and Rep. Teofisto Guingona III (2nd District, Bukidnon) were relatively unsound and unclear as the existence of that P140-B impounded fund itself was not substantially confirmed.
"Based on what I habe read, the P140-billion, I think, is simply the difference between what may have been originally requested in the budget submission and what was eventually approved or perhaps what was eventually spent based on the discretion of the executive. It doesn’t mean there is real cash hanging and waiting around there," Olivar said.
Press Undersecretary Anthony Golez, Jr., for his part, theorized that the additional P10-B supplemental budget proposed by the Congress should not be confused with that of the alleged P140 billion impounded fund because there is a stark difference between the two.
Golez implied that the P10 billion supplemental budget was something that is supposed to be carried out of charity as this was Congress’ way of helping our citizens especially those affected Metro Manila and the provinces nearby.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo also claimed she was not aware where the idea of P140 billion impounded fund came from; reiterating previous hints by Golez and Olivar that the best agency to clarify such questions is the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
"That has to be answered by the DBM because I am not exactly sure if that P140 billion she (Briones) is saying exists. I am not aware of that P140 billion, (therefore) it is better to be clear on what exactly does that P140 billion impounded funds mean," Fajardo said.
But the Budget chief, Secretary Rolando Andaya, in a radio interview over dzRH, also manifested the same ignorance when asked to provide a statement on the issue at hand.
"These funds from last year that were not being used, this fund that they say was impounded last year and not used was used because the extra revenues were not enough since the quota of the Bureau of Internal Revenue was not met. So we decided not to bring this out in the open, if such are the funds. That was last year’s. This year is a different matter. There really are no funds, just funds on paper," Andaya said.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20091007hed3.html
Palace: No P140-B fund
By Aytch de la Cruz
10/07/2009
Malacañang officials yesterday appeared to have been at a loss for words when asked to provide an explanation or at least give a categorical statement behind reports over the alleged P140-billion fund impounded by President Arroyo that could have instead been utilized to increase the dwindling calamity fund rather than wait for the P10-billion supplemental budget currently pending at Congress.
Former National Treasurer Leonor Briones, who knows whereof she speaks on these matters, the other day stated that President Arroyo has P140 billion in available funds which was impounded through transfers from the budget of the various government agencies last year, an amount which Briones said
should be more than enough to augment the depleted calamity fund being used for government relief efforts.
Briones said Arroyo’s propensity to juggle the yearly budget allocations has resulted in P140 billion in disposable funds in the hands of the President.
"While the Constitution allows the president to reallocate funds of government agencies, this President had done this excessively," Briones said.
For last year, some P178 billion of such fund was reallocated with P140 billion still unreleased and would save the goverment from the sound and fury of going through the congressional process for a supplemental budget.
Briones added that using the impounded funds for the government’s relief efforts would also save the government from further borrowing which it would have to resort to in the plan for a P10-billion budget supplement.
Briones also pointed out that most of the funds that Arroyo has the discretion to release is also not subject to examination by the Commission on Audit (CoA).
The presidential spokesmen all claimed to be unaware of the impoundment of the P140 billion that Briones said was available for release, at the discretion of Arroyo.
Presidential Economic Spokesman Gary Olivar implied that the assertions being put forward right now by Briones and Rep. Teofisto Guingona III (2nd District, Bukidnon) were relatively unsound and unclear as the existence of that P140-B impounded fund itself was not substantially confirmed.
"Based on what I habe read, the P140-billion, I think, is simply the difference between what may have been originally requested in the budget submission and what was eventually approved or perhaps what was eventually spent based on the discretion of the executive. It doesn’t mean there is real cash hanging and waiting around there," Olivar said.
Press Undersecretary Anthony Golez, Jr., for his part, theorized that the additional P10-B supplemental budget proposed by the Congress should not be confused with that of the alleged P140 billion impounded fund because there is a stark difference between the two.
Golez implied that the P10 billion supplemental budget was something that is supposed to be carried out of charity as this was Congress’ way of helping our citizens especially those affected Metro Manila and the provinces nearby.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo also claimed she was not aware where the idea of P140 billion impounded fund came from; reiterating previous hints by Golez and Olivar that the best agency to clarify such questions is the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
"That has to be answered by the DBM because I am not exactly sure if that P140 billion she (Briones) is saying exists. I am not aware of that P140 billion, (therefore) it is better to be clear on what exactly does that P140 billion impounded funds mean," Fajardo said.
But the Budget chief, Secretary Rolando Andaya, in a radio interview over dzRH, also manifested the same ignorance when asked to provide a statement on the issue at hand.
"These funds from last year that were not being used, this fund that they say was impounded last year and not used was used because the extra revenues were not enough since the quota of the Bureau of Internal Revenue was not met. So we decided not to bring this out in the open, if such are the funds. That was last year’s. This year is a different matter. There really are no funds, just funds on paper," Andaya said.
Free P140 billion impounded by GMA
THE DAILY TRIBUNE
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20091006hed1.html
Free P140 billion impounded by GMA
10/06/2009
President Arroyo has P140 billion in available funds which were impounded through transfers from the budget of the various government agencies last year which should be more than enough to augment the depleted calamity fund being used for government relief efforts, former National Treasurer Leonor Briones said yesterday.
Congress is currently reviewing a proposed P10 billion supplement for this year’s budget that will be used to fill up the calamity fund that had ran out with only P29 million left in it.
Briones said Arroyo’s propensity to juggle the yearly budget allocations has resulted in P140 billion in disposable funds in the hands of the President.
"While the Constitution allows the president to reallocate funds of government agencies, this President had done this excessively," Briones said.
For last year, some P178 billion of such fund was reallocated with P140 billion still unreleased and would save the goverment from the sound and fury of going through the congressional process for a supplemental budget.
Briones added that using the impounded funds for the government’s relief efforts would also save the government from further borrowing which it would have to resort to in the plan for a P10-billion budget supplement.
Briones said most of the funds that Arroyo has the discretion to release is also not subjected to examination by the Commission on Audit (CoA).
She said legislators should question the impoundment of funds in the yearly budget that rarely happens, she said, under the term of Arroyo.
Briones cited Bukidnon Representative Teofisto "TG" Guingona III who had criticized the practice of forced savings in the budget that allowed President Arroyo access to billions of pesos of funds
"While the Constitution states that those authorized (persons) may only augment items under their respective budgets from their respective savings, we have on record several transfers made to and from items clearly under other offices," Guingona said.
The practice of impoundment happens through the refusal of the President to spend funds that actually have been appropriated.
Briones added there are other means to build up the calamity fund without going to Congress for a budget supplement, which Briones said is the usual knee-jerk measure under the Arroyo administration.
She said the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) which is a special purpose fund under the Department of Public Works and Highways and is paid by every vehicle registrant is not part of the budget and can be tapped for the rehabilitation of flood-damaged infrastructure.
Using the fund, which is estimated to have from P40 billion to P50 billion in it, will prevent inflationary effect on raising the amount for rehabilitation work since it has been collected from motorists, she said.
She noted that the fund was already used in the recent Asean Summit held in Cebu to build facilities for the meeting.
Nearly a half of this year’s budget of P1.5 trillion is classified as special purpose fund that Arroyo is at liberty to appropriate.
She said the CoA has already questioned its inability to audit these funds.
Briones’ proposal got the support of various organizations who said the impounded funds use is more appropriate instead of hastily approving the proposed P10 billion supplemental budget.The Palace should release the funds it impounded by and realign this to the country’s calamity fund," Roland Cabigas, Managing Director of the La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) said.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, meanwhile, urged congressmen to approve with dispatch the proposed disaster preparedness and prevention bill to avert a repeat of tragedy brought by Typhoon Ondoy.
"I call on our counterparts from the House of Representatives to immediately pass the Disaster Risk Management and Preparedness bill. We need to draw a comprehensive disaster preparedness and response mechanism.
"I am certain that with climate change, this would not be the last of its kind. More powerful typhoons and devastating floods, landslides and other natural calamities are expected to hit us sooner than we think. By then, we should have a good disaster risk management and preparedness mechanism and climate change mitigation and adaptation policies in place," Zubiri said.
While the lower house is yet to act on bill, the proposed Philippine Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Act of 2007, the Senate has approved the said measure last Sept. 2.
The measure seeks to lay down the groundwork for a more responsive and effective disaster monitoring, coordination and response program at all levels of the government. It also proposes the provision of benefits for volunteers who may experience casualties in line of their duty.
It likewise aims to create a more self-reliant and more effective Disaster Management Council to lessen the dependence of local governments to the national government for rescue and relief operations.
It also proposes the participation of non-government organizations to the government disaster preparedness and prevention program to strengthen the delivery mechanism of emergency services and encourage volunteerism and "bayanihan" among the citizenry.
A National Disaster Management Center (NDMC) will be established to advise the president on the status of disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response and rehabilitation organizations being undertaken by concerned government and private organizations.
It will likewise ensure that adequate measures are taken by government agencies to mitigate, prepare for and respond to disasters and assist in the recovery from the effects of a disaster. It will also make certain that all safety rules issued by concerned agencies are properly synchronized.
LLPI, which serves as the secretariat of the Environment Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI), believes that the quickest route to finance government’s disaster response is not via a supplemental budget but by simply releasing already available funds but have been impounded since 2008. It is estimated that impounded funds since 2008 amount to as much as P140 billion.
The group explained that such impounded funds would be enough to cover or finance climate change actions that will prepare the government to respond to disaster beyond rescue and relief, or rehabilitation, but more importantly, for disaster preparedness and risk reduction.
According to Cabigas, apart from immediately releasing the impounded funds mechanism for calamity fund disbursement must be reviewed. A process must be defined where affected local government units (LGUs) directly receive the funds and are able to prioritize its expenditure based on their actual needs including spending for disaster preparedness and risk reduction programs and activities.
http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/20091006hed1.html
Free P140 billion impounded by GMA
10/06/2009
President Arroyo has P140 billion in available funds which were impounded through transfers from the budget of the various government agencies last year which should be more than enough to augment the depleted calamity fund being used for government relief efforts, former National Treasurer Leonor Briones said yesterday.
Congress is currently reviewing a proposed P10 billion supplement for this year’s budget that will be used to fill up the calamity fund that had ran out with only P29 million left in it.
Briones said Arroyo’s propensity to juggle the yearly budget allocations has resulted in P140 billion in disposable funds in the hands of the President.
"While the Constitution allows the president to reallocate funds of government agencies, this President had done this excessively," Briones said.
For last year, some P178 billion of such fund was reallocated with P140 billion still unreleased and would save the goverment from the sound and fury of going through the congressional process for a supplemental budget.
Briones added that using the impounded funds for the government’s relief efforts would also save the government from further borrowing which it would have to resort to in the plan for a P10-billion budget supplement.
Briones said most of the funds that Arroyo has the discretion to release is also not subjected to examination by the Commission on Audit (CoA).
She said legislators should question the impoundment of funds in the yearly budget that rarely happens, she said, under the term of Arroyo.
Briones cited Bukidnon Representative Teofisto "TG" Guingona III who had criticized the practice of forced savings in the budget that allowed President Arroyo access to billions of pesos of funds
"While the Constitution states that those authorized (persons) may only augment items under their respective budgets from their respective savings, we have on record several transfers made to and from items clearly under other offices," Guingona said.
The practice of impoundment happens through the refusal of the President to spend funds that actually have been appropriated.
Briones added there are other means to build up the calamity fund without going to Congress for a budget supplement, which Briones said is the usual knee-jerk measure under the Arroyo administration.
She said the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) which is a special purpose fund under the Department of Public Works and Highways and is paid by every vehicle registrant is not part of the budget and can be tapped for the rehabilitation of flood-damaged infrastructure.
Using the fund, which is estimated to have from P40 billion to P50 billion in it, will prevent inflationary effect on raising the amount for rehabilitation work since it has been collected from motorists, she said.
She noted that the fund was already used in the recent Asean Summit held in Cebu to build facilities for the meeting.
Nearly a half of this year’s budget of P1.5 trillion is classified as special purpose fund that Arroyo is at liberty to appropriate.
She said the CoA has already questioned its inability to audit these funds.
Briones’ proposal got the support of various organizations who said the impounded funds use is more appropriate instead of hastily approving the proposed P10 billion supplemental budget.The Palace should release the funds it impounded by and realign this to the country’s calamity fund," Roland Cabigas, Managing Director of the La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) said.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, meanwhile, urged congressmen to approve with dispatch the proposed disaster preparedness and prevention bill to avert a repeat of tragedy brought by Typhoon Ondoy.
"I call on our counterparts from the House of Representatives to immediately pass the Disaster Risk Management and Preparedness bill. We need to draw a comprehensive disaster preparedness and response mechanism.
"I am certain that with climate change, this would not be the last of its kind. More powerful typhoons and devastating floods, landslides and other natural calamities are expected to hit us sooner than we think. By then, we should have a good disaster risk management and preparedness mechanism and climate change mitigation and adaptation policies in place," Zubiri said.
While the lower house is yet to act on bill, the proposed Philippine Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Act of 2007, the Senate has approved the said measure last Sept. 2.
The measure seeks to lay down the groundwork for a more responsive and effective disaster monitoring, coordination and response program at all levels of the government. It also proposes the provision of benefits for volunteers who may experience casualties in line of their duty.
It likewise aims to create a more self-reliant and more effective Disaster Management Council to lessen the dependence of local governments to the national government for rescue and relief operations.
It also proposes the participation of non-government organizations to the government disaster preparedness and prevention program to strengthen the delivery mechanism of emergency services and encourage volunteerism and "bayanihan" among the citizenry.
A National Disaster Management Center (NDMC) will be established to advise the president on the status of disaster preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response and rehabilitation organizations being undertaken by concerned government and private organizations.
It will likewise ensure that adequate measures are taken by government agencies to mitigate, prepare for and respond to disasters and assist in the recovery from the effects of a disaster. It will also make certain that all safety rules issued by concerned agencies are properly synchronized.
LLPI, which serves as the secretariat of the Environment Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI), believes that the quickest route to finance government’s disaster response is not via a supplemental budget but by simply releasing already available funds but have been impounded since 2008. It is estimated that impounded funds since 2008 amount to as much as P140 billion.
The group explained that such impounded funds would be enough to cover or finance climate change actions that will prepare the government to respond to disaster beyond rescue and relief, or rehabilitation, but more importantly, for disaster preparedness and risk reduction.
According to Cabigas, apart from immediately releasing the impounded funds mechanism for calamity fund disbursement must be reviewed. A process must be defined where affected local government units (LGUs) directly receive the funds and are able to prioritize its expenditure based on their actual needs including spending for disaster preparedness and risk reduction programs and activities.
ith P140-billion savings, why seek P10-billion more?
THE Philippine Star
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=511528&publicationSubCategoryId=64
Opinion
With P140-billion savings, why seek P10-billion more?
POSTSCRIPT By Federico D. Pascual Jr. (The Philippine Star) Updated October 06, 2009 12:00 AM
HIDDEN SAVINGS: Instead of the P10-billion supplemental calamity budget that the Congress wants to pass, President Gloria Arroyo should just use the P140 billion in savings accumulated from programs that were phased down in 2008.
Many reasonable people find the above calamity-mitigation funding proposal of the private sector Alternative Budget Initiative logical and pragmatic.
Tapping accumulated savings is simpler and faster fund mobilization than enacting a supplemental budget that is prone to the usual legislative horse-trading and sure to bloat the deficit.
Using the impounded billions now to cushion the depredation of typhoons and future disasters will also dispel suspicion that the “war chest” is being packed and preserved for partisan spending in the 2010 elections.
* * *
BULGING DEFICIT: The ABI said the P140-billion savings piled up after the President stopped the fund releases for programs of different agencies in 2008 and transferred the billions to overall savings.
Former national treasurer Leonor Magtolis Briones, lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines that organized the ABI, said: “The proposed P10-billion supplemental budget for a calamity fund will cause more hardships for millions of hungry Filipinos because this will add to the country’s ballooning deficit.”
Briones said the deficit starts at P210 billion as of end of August and is expected to breach P300 billion by the end of the year.
“Meanwhile, life has been a calamity for 3.7 million Filipino families with no food, no education, and no healthcare, because funds for social development programs had been impounded and transformed to savings,” she added.
* * *
OTHER OPTIONS: Even without a supplemental budget, Malacañang is not that helpless in mitigating the effects of disasters, Briones said.
Another option, she pointed out, is for the Congress to advise the President to use Special Purpose Funds that may be validly spent during disasters. The entire country has been declared in a state of calamity.
With the lump sums classified as Special Purpose Funds are billions under the Allocations for Local Government Units that include the Kilos Asenso Fund and Financial Subsidy to LGUs.
The President simply has to inform the Congress, which holds the purse strings of government, that she would transfer certain budget items to the calamity fund.
* * *
AUDIT NEEDED: In yesterday’s Senate inquiry into the government’s handling of the Ondoy disaster, the La Liga Policy Institute supported the ABI proposal.
Roland Cabigas, LLPI managing director, said the quickest way to finance government’s response to disasters is “not by enacting a supplemental budget but by simply releasing already available funds but have been impounded since 2008.”
He added that calamity fund disbursement must be reviewed. A process must be defined, he said, where local governments directly receive the money and prioritize spending based on actual needs.”
Calamity funds are often treated as highly discretionary and not audited. For 2009 so far, Cabigas said, the calamity fund releases that have reached P6 billion must be audited.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=511528&publicationSubCategoryId=64
Opinion
With P140-billion savings, why seek P10-billion more?
POSTSCRIPT By Federico D. Pascual Jr. (The Philippine Star) Updated October 06, 2009 12:00 AM
HIDDEN SAVINGS: Instead of the P10-billion supplemental calamity budget that the Congress wants to pass, President Gloria Arroyo should just use the P140 billion in savings accumulated from programs that were phased down in 2008.
Many reasonable people find the above calamity-mitigation funding proposal of the private sector Alternative Budget Initiative logical and pragmatic.
Tapping accumulated savings is simpler and faster fund mobilization than enacting a supplemental budget that is prone to the usual legislative horse-trading and sure to bloat the deficit.
Using the impounded billions now to cushion the depredation of typhoons and future disasters will also dispel suspicion that the “war chest” is being packed and preserved for partisan spending in the 2010 elections.
* * *
BULGING DEFICIT: The ABI said the P140-billion savings piled up after the President stopped the fund releases for programs of different agencies in 2008 and transferred the billions to overall savings.
Former national treasurer Leonor Magtolis Briones, lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines that organized the ABI, said: “The proposed P10-billion supplemental budget for a calamity fund will cause more hardships for millions of hungry Filipinos because this will add to the country’s ballooning deficit.”
Briones said the deficit starts at P210 billion as of end of August and is expected to breach P300 billion by the end of the year.
“Meanwhile, life has been a calamity for 3.7 million Filipino families with no food, no education, and no healthcare, because funds for social development programs had been impounded and transformed to savings,” she added.
* * *
OTHER OPTIONS: Even without a supplemental budget, Malacañang is not that helpless in mitigating the effects of disasters, Briones said.
Another option, she pointed out, is for the Congress to advise the President to use Special Purpose Funds that may be validly spent during disasters. The entire country has been declared in a state of calamity.
With the lump sums classified as Special Purpose Funds are billions under the Allocations for Local Government Units that include the Kilos Asenso Fund and Financial Subsidy to LGUs.
The President simply has to inform the Congress, which holds the purse strings of government, that she would transfer certain budget items to the calamity fund.
* * *
AUDIT NEEDED: In yesterday’s Senate inquiry into the government’s handling of the Ondoy disaster, the La Liga Policy Institute supported the ABI proposal.
Roland Cabigas, LLPI managing director, said the quickest way to finance government’s response to disasters is “not by enacting a supplemental budget but by simply releasing already available funds but have been impounded since 2008.”
He added that calamity fund disbursement must be reviewed. A process must be defined, he said, where local governments directly receive the money and prioritize spending based on actual needs.”
Calamity funds are often treated as highly discretionary and not audited. For 2009 so far, Cabigas said, the calamity fund releases that have reached P6 billion must be audited.
Is there a need for a supplemental budget?
Is there a need for a supplemental budget?
Opinion
Written by Liling Magtolis Briones / Boiled Green Bananas
Sunday, 04 October 2009 22:33
No. There is no need for both houses of Congress to pass a supplemental budget.
This is the position of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI), led by Social Watch Philippines, which was presented to the appropriations committee of the House of Representatives, led by chairman Junie Cua and cochaired by Edcel Lagman.
Earlier, the same position was presented to the members of the opposition, led by Reps. Ronaldo Zamora, TG Guingona, Darlene Custodio, Erin Tañada and Bayan party-list representatives led by Teddy Casino.
While ABI/Social Watch agreed with the House and the Senate that the Calamity Fund balance of P29 million was itself in a state of calamity, there is no need to pass a supplemental budget.
Other funds can be transferred to the Calamity Fund, as has been done in the past. However, Congress has to be informed and consulted since the Appropriations Act is passed by the legislature.
The 2009 budget is already operational. ABI/Social Watch noted that Congress could advise the Executive to use the remaining balances in the Special Purpose Funds (SPFs), as well as in accumulated savings. The national budget is generally divided into two main classifications: the SPFs and the budgets of departments and agencies.
The SPFs are handled directly by the Office of the President through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Usually, the SPFs are not examined in great detail. The budgets of the departments and agencies are subjected to exhaustive and, oftentimes, stressful hearings by both houses of Congress.
In the 2009 budget, SPFs totaled P715.698 billion against P710.304 billion for departments and agencies. Obviously, SPFs are larger than the regular budgets. Unspent balances in the big-ticket items can be utilized to augment the Calamity Fund. Items which can be deferred can be pooled to give priority to urgent needs.
Unprogrammed Fund. The Unprogrammed Fund for 2009 is P75.070 billion. Unspent balances of this account can be utilized for urgent disaster-response operations.
Overall Savings. One of the most important items in the budget is Overall Savings. During the year, the President, through the DBM, transfers budget allocations from budgets or regular departments and agencies to Overall Savings. In turn, these funds are transferred to other units of government. The magnitude of transfers to and from agencies has been unusually large under the present administration.
In 2008, a total of P178 billion was transferred from different agencies to Overall Savings. On the other hand a total of P38 billion was transferred from Overall Savings to different agencies, resulting in a net transfer P140 billion. This is reported as Unreleased Appropriation. Presumably, the balance was carried over to 2009. A mere one-tenth of this amount, or P14 billion, will already cover the P10 billion which Congress wants to raise via a supplemental budget.
Why not a supplemental budget?
Funds are desperately needed to help the country recover from the devastation wreaked by successive calamities. While both houses of Congress mean well when they propose a supplemental budget, the immediate implication is that it will raise the deficit levels. As of end-August, the accumulated deficit is already P210 billion. Already, the Department of Finance has stated it will borrow for the proposed supplemental budget.
How about the 2010 budget?
Both houses of Congress are rushing to conclude the hearings on the 2010 budget. It is to the credit of current appropriations committee chairman Junie Cua and cochairman Edcel Lagman that they gave ABI/Social Watch the opportunity to present an alternative climate-change sensitive budget for education, health, agriculture and the environment.
The hearing took on the atmosphere of a workshop instead of the usual interrogation sessions. Each proposal was carefully considered by the committee. The issues were clear: how to generate funds for disaster recovery and growth without raising the spectre of a fiscal deficit. On the revenue side, ABI/Social Watch proposed a moratorium on the passage of laws which decrease government revenues, as well as deferment of full-year implementation of revenue-eroding laws. It also proposed increased efficiency and vigor in the collection of direct taxes.
On the expenditure side, the appropriations committee and ABI/Social Watch went through the exercise of examining all the items in the SPFs which now total P881.880 billion, or 57 percent of the total budget.
For starters, the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund is P76.496 billion. It is estimated that about P60 billion will go to the increases for salary standardization. This leaves more than P10 billion which can be realigned.
Good budgeting is not just about knee-jerk borrowing. It is also a careful examination of proposed expenditures and their responsiveness to the current crisis.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Views and Analysis
Calamity fund in a state of calamity
THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNANCE | LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES ABS-CBN Interactive 10/05/2009 12:43 AM
The devastation wreaked by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng has triggered a frenzied search for funds to finance the necessary rehabilitation of destroyed facilities as well as assistance for typhoon victims. The two houses of Congress were informed by NDCC Chair Gilberto Teodoro that the P2 billion Calamity Fund managed by the Office of the President through the Department of Budget and Management is down to a measly P29 million.
Both the Senate and the House are seriously contemplating the passage of a supplemental budget of P10 billion to augment the depleted fund. The Alternative Budget Initiative, a network of more than 60 civil society organizations convened by Social Watch Philippines has stated that a supplemental budget is not necessary. What is needed is to tap the unspent balances of the Special Purpose Funds and Overall Savings account to augment the Calamity Fund. However, both houses of Congress need to be informed about these transfers since the appropriations act was passed by them.
The calamitous state of the Calamity Fund
Even during the pre-Ondoy and pre-Pepeng periods, the Calamity Fund has a history of being depleted and augmented from various funds. The practice is for the Office of the President to transfer funds from various sources to operating departments purportedly in charge of overseeing disaster relief and rehabilitation.
In 2008 for example, the Department of Budget and Management reported that the new general appropriations stood at P2.152 billion which included P152 million from the previous year’s reenacted budget. This amount was augmented by continuing appropriations for capital outlays and unreleased MOOE, also from the reenacted budget, in the amount of P2.484 billion. Thus, available appropriations in 2008 totaled P4.636 billion.
Furthermore, this amount was augmented by transfers to the Calamity Fund from the Overall Savings account in the amount of P1.856 billion. Theoretically, more than P6 billion was available for the Calamity Fund.
To whom were the funds of the Calamity fund transferred in 2008? Eleven departments received transfers from the Calamity fund. The big ticket items among the recipients include the Department of National Defense at Ph1.469 billion plus P120 million for the Office of the Secretary; Department of Public Works and Highways at P1.773 billion; Department of Agriculture for P836.4 million; Department of Social Welfare and Development, P614.5 million; and “special financial assistance to local government units” for P620.6 million.
Other departments which have received transfers from the Calamity Fund are the Departments of Education , Health, Interior and Local Governments, Labor, Science and Technology, and two state colleges in Leyte.
In addition to the regular departments, the National Housing Authority received P250 million while the Philippine National Railways P375 million. Until I saw this transfer, I was not aware that the PNR was in a state of calamity in 2008!
There are smaller but curious transfers like P120 million for the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and P1 million for the Military Shrines Service. Were they also victims of calamities?
Now, it is said that the 2009 Calamity Fund is down to P29 million from a starting balance of P2 billion. This starting balance does not include transfers and augmentations which were made during the course of the year.
Accounting for the Calamity Fund
Before dashing off another supplemental budget Congress, with the support of media and civil society, must demand for an accounting of the 2009 Calamity Funds as of end September. How much in new appropriations and continuing appropriations were pooled in the Calamity Fund? How much was transferred to the Calamity Fund?
Equally important, who were the recipients of transfers from the Calamity Fund? Are these agencies directly involved in relief and rehabilitation from calamities?
Financing the Calamity Fund
A supplemental budget, while seemingly heroic on the part of Congress, will only increase the level of the deficit which is already at dangerous levels.
Mention has already been made of existing funds like the SPFs and Overall Savings account.
While Congress is in a hurry to pass the 2010 budget, it must take time to review the status of the 2009 Calamity Fund, as well as the proposed expenditure items in 2010. The latter is proposed to
ensure that duplication, waste and double charging of expenditures will not go unnoticed.
How about the MVUC funds?
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has proposed that the MVUC funds should be tapped. This is the Motor Vehicles Users’ Charge. MVUC funds are not included in the national budget. It is managed by a board headed by the DPWH secretary. Unlike other revenue raising agencies, it does not have to chase its clientele to raise revenue. Every day of the year, MVUC receives income from car registration. Registration for new cars are collected three years in advance.
MVUC income is supposed to fund the maintenance of roads, etc. It would be the understatement of the year to say that all the roads destroyed by calamities need maintenance!
Is a supplemental budget the answer to the state of calamity in the Calamity Fund? Obviously not.
as of 10/05/2009 12:43 AM
Opinion
Written by Liling Magtolis Briones / Boiled Green Bananas
Sunday, 04 October 2009 22:33
No. There is no need for both houses of Congress to pass a supplemental budget.
This is the position of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI), led by Social Watch Philippines, which was presented to the appropriations committee of the House of Representatives, led by chairman Junie Cua and cochaired by Edcel Lagman.
Earlier, the same position was presented to the members of the opposition, led by Reps. Ronaldo Zamora, TG Guingona, Darlene Custodio, Erin Tañada and Bayan party-list representatives led by Teddy Casino.
While ABI/Social Watch agreed with the House and the Senate that the Calamity Fund balance of P29 million was itself in a state of calamity, there is no need to pass a supplemental budget.
Other funds can be transferred to the Calamity Fund, as has been done in the past. However, Congress has to be informed and consulted since the Appropriations Act is passed by the legislature.
The 2009 budget is already operational. ABI/Social Watch noted that Congress could advise the Executive to use the remaining balances in the Special Purpose Funds (SPFs), as well as in accumulated savings. The national budget is generally divided into two main classifications: the SPFs and the budgets of departments and agencies.
The SPFs are handled directly by the Office of the President through the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Usually, the SPFs are not examined in great detail. The budgets of the departments and agencies are subjected to exhaustive and, oftentimes, stressful hearings by both houses of Congress.
In the 2009 budget, SPFs totaled P715.698 billion against P710.304 billion for departments and agencies. Obviously, SPFs are larger than the regular budgets. Unspent balances in the big-ticket items can be utilized to augment the Calamity Fund. Items which can be deferred can be pooled to give priority to urgent needs.
Unprogrammed Fund. The Unprogrammed Fund for 2009 is P75.070 billion. Unspent balances of this account can be utilized for urgent disaster-response operations.
Overall Savings. One of the most important items in the budget is Overall Savings. During the year, the President, through the DBM, transfers budget allocations from budgets or regular departments and agencies to Overall Savings. In turn, these funds are transferred to other units of government. The magnitude of transfers to and from agencies has been unusually large under the present administration.
In 2008, a total of P178 billion was transferred from different agencies to Overall Savings. On the other hand a total of P38 billion was transferred from Overall Savings to different agencies, resulting in a net transfer P140 billion. This is reported as Unreleased Appropriation. Presumably, the balance was carried over to 2009. A mere one-tenth of this amount, or P14 billion, will already cover the P10 billion which Congress wants to raise via a supplemental budget.
Why not a supplemental budget?
Funds are desperately needed to help the country recover from the devastation wreaked by successive calamities. While both houses of Congress mean well when they propose a supplemental budget, the immediate implication is that it will raise the deficit levels. As of end-August, the accumulated deficit is already P210 billion. Already, the Department of Finance has stated it will borrow for the proposed supplemental budget.
How about the 2010 budget?
Both houses of Congress are rushing to conclude the hearings on the 2010 budget. It is to the credit of current appropriations committee chairman Junie Cua and cochairman Edcel Lagman that they gave ABI/Social Watch the opportunity to present an alternative climate-change sensitive budget for education, health, agriculture and the environment.
The hearing took on the atmosphere of a workshop instead of the usual interrogation sessions. Each proposal was carefully considered by the committee. The issues were clear: how to generate funds for disaster recovery and growth without raising the spectre of a fiscal deficit. On the revenue side, ABI/Social Watch proposed a moratorium on the passage of laws which decrease government revenues, as well as deferment of full-year implementation of revenue-eroding laws. It also proposed increased efficiency and vigor in the collection of direct taxes.
On the expenditure side, the appropriations committee and ABI/Social Watch went through the exercise of examining all the items in the SPFs which now total P881.880 billion, or 57 percent of the total budget.
For starters, the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund is P76.496 billion. It is estimated that about P60 billion will go to the increases for salary standardization. This leaves more than P10 billion which can be realigned.
Good budgeting is not just about knee-jerk borrowing. It is also a careful examination of proposed expenditures and their responsiveness to the current crisis.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Views and Analysis
Calamity fund in a state of calamity
THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNANCE | LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES ABS-CBN Interactive 10/05/2009 12:43 AM
The devastation wreaked by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng has triggered a frenzied search for funds to finance the necessary rehabilitation of destroyed facilities as well as assistance for typhoon victims. The two houses of Congress were informed by NDCC Chair Gilberto Teodoro that the P2 billion Calamity Fund managed by the Office of the President through the Department of Budget and Management is down to a measly P29 million.
Both the Senate and the House are seriously contemplating the passage of a supplemental budget of P10 billion to augment the depleted fund. The Alternative Budget Initiative, a network of more than 60 civil society organizations convened by Social Watch Philippines has stated that a supplemental budget is not necessary. What is needed is to tap the unspent balances of the Special Purpose Funds and Overall Savings account to augment the Calamity Fund. However, both houses of Congress need to be informed about these transfers since the appropriations act was passed by them.
The calamitous state of the Calamity Fund
Even during the pre-Ondoy and pre-Pepeng periods, the Calamity Fund has a history of being depleted and augmented from various funds. The practice is for the Office of the President to transfer funds from various sources to operating departments purportedly in charge of overseeing disaster relief and rehabilitation.
In 2008 for example, the Department of Budget and Management reported that the new general appropriations stood at P2.152 billion which included P152 million from the previous year’s reenacted budget. This amount was augmented by continuing appropriations for capital outlays and unreleased MOOE, also from the reenacted budget, in the amount of P2.484 billion. Thus, available appropriations in 2008 totaled P4.636 billion.
Furthermore, this amount was augmented by transfers to the Calamity Fund from the Overall Savings account in the amount of P1.856 billion. Theoretically, more than P6 billion was available for the Calamity Fund.
To whom were the funds of the Calamity fund transferred in 2008? Eleven departments received transfers from the Calamity fund. The big ticket items among the recipients include the Department of National Defense at Ph1.469 billion plus P120 million for the Office of the Secretary; Department of Public Works and Highways at P1.773 billion; Department of Agriculture for P836.4 million; Department of Social Welfare and Development, P614.5 million; and “special financial assistance to local government units” for P620.6 million.
Other departments which have received transfers from the Calamity Fund are the Departments of Education , Health, Interior and Local Governments, Labor, Science and Technology, and two state colleges in Leyte.
In addition to the regular departments, the National Housing Authority received P250 million while the Philippine National Railways P375 million. Until I saw this transfer, I was not aware that the PNR was in a state of calamity in 2008!
There are smaller but curious transfers like P120 million for the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and P1 million for the Military Shrines Service. Were they also victims of calamities?
Now, it is said that the 2009 Calamity Fund is down to P29 million from a starting balance of P2 billion. This starting balance does not include transfers and augmentations which were made during the course of the year.
Accounting for the Calamity Fund
Before dashing off another supplemental budget Congress, with the support of media and civil society, must demand for an accounting of the 2009 Calamity Funds as of end September. How much in new appropriations and continuing appropriations were pooled in the Calamity Fund? How much was transferred to the Calamity Fund?
Equally important, who were the recipients of transfers from the Calamity Fund? Are these agencies directly involved in relief and rehabilitation from calamities?
Financing the Calamity Fund
A supplemental budget, while seemingly heroic on the part of Congress, will only increase the level of the deficit which is already at dangerous levels.
Mention has already been made of existing funds like the SPFs and Overall Savings account.
While Congress is in a hurry to pass the 2010 budget, it must take time to review the status of the 2009 Calamity Fund, as well as the proposed expenditure items in 2010. The latter is proposed to
ensure that duplication, waste and double charging of expenditures will not go unnoticed.
How about the MVUC funds?
Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago has proposed that the MVUC funds should be tapped. This is the Motor Vehicles Users’ Charge. MVUC funds are not included in the national budget. It is managed by a board headed by the DPWH secretary. Unlike other revenue raising agencies, it does not have to chase its clientele to raise revenue. Every day of the year, MVUC receives income from car registration. Registration for new cars are collected three years in advance.
MVUC income is supposed to fund the maintenance of roads, etc. It would be the understatement of the year to say that all the roads destroyed by calamities need maintenance!
Is a supplemental budget the answer to the state of calamity in the Calamity Fund? Obviously not.
as of 10/05/2009 12:43 AM
Use govt savings for disaster relief efforts: group
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/business/10/05/09/use-govt-savings-disaster-relief-efforts-group
Use govt savings for disaster relief efforts: group
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/05/2009 5:02 PM
MANILA - Instead of the proposed P10-billion supplemental budget, the Arroyo government should just use part of its P140-billion "savings" last year for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the wake of tropical storm "Ondoy" and typhoon "Pepeng" which battered Luzon over the past 2 weeks, a budget advocacy group said on Monday.
In a statement, La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI), which serves as the secretariat of the Environment Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative, said that the quickest way to finance the government's disaster response is not via a supplemental budget but by simply using the savings incurred by the government since 2008.
These savings came from appropriations in the national budget that were impounded and not released by Malacañang, according to the group.
"The government should release [these] funds and re-align them to the calamity fund," said LLPI Managing Director Roland Cabigas.
Cabigas explained that such funds would also be enough to cover the government's disaster preparedness and risk reduction programs in relation to climate change.
However, before releasing the impounded funds, Cabigas said a mechanism for disbursement should be put in place first.
He said local government units (LGUs) should be able to prioritize their expenditures based on their actual needs, and that any release of funds should be audited.
"Greater accountability [of LGUs] will allow for [the funds'] more judicious use. In the past, releases from the calamity fund have been highly discretionary and were not subjected to any auditing. A parallel process that reviews releases from the calamity fund which are estimated to have reached as much as P6 billion for 2009 must be undertaken,” Cabigas said.
Both houses of Congress have proposed a supplemental budget that would help the country recover from the devastation caused by recent calamities.
But some lawmakers expressed concern that this would increase the budget deficit, which is estimated to reach, and even exceed, P250 billion this year.
as of 10/05/2009 5:08 PM
Use govt savings for disaster relief efforts: group
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/05/2009 5:02 PM
MANILA - Instead of the proposed P10-billion supplemental budget, the Arroyo government should just use part of its P140-billion "savings" last year for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in the wake of tropical storm "Ondoy" and typhoon "Pepeng" which battered Luzon over the past 2 weeks, a budget advocacy group said on Monday.
In a statement, La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI), which serves as the secretariat of the Environment Cluster of the Alternative Budget Initiative, said that the quickest way to finance the government's disaster response is not via a supplemental budget but by simply using the savings incurred by the government since 2008.
These savings came from appropriations in the national budget that were impounded and not released by Malacañang, according to the group.
"The government should release [these] funds and re-align them to the calamity fund," said LLPI Managing Director Roland Cabigas.
Cabigas explained that such funds would also be enough to cover the government's disaster preparedness and risk reduction programs in relation to climate change.
However, before releasing the impounded funds, Cabigas said a mechanism for disbursement should be put in place first.
He said local government units (LGUs) should be able to prioritize their expenditures based on their actual needs, and that any release of funds should be audited.
"Greater accountability [of LGUs] will allow for [the funds'] more judicious use. In the past, releases from the calamity fund have been highly discretionary and were not subjected to any auditing. A parallel process that reviews releases from the calamity fund which are estimated to have reached as much as P6 billion for 2009 must be undertaken,” Cabigas said.
Both houses of Congress have proposed a supplemental budget that would help the country recover from the devastation caused by recent calamities.
But some lawmakers expressed concern that this would increase the budget deficit, which is estimated to reach, and even exceed, P250 billion this year.
as of 10/05/2009 5:08 PM
P11-B needed to protect Pinoys from floods, storms
http://www.bloggen.be/philippinenews/archief.php?ID=481956
P11-B needed to protect Pinoys from floods, storms
IN LIGHT of the millions of pesos in damages to infrastructures and agriculture brought about by Typhoon Ondoy, billions of pesos are needed for protection against similar calamities.
In a statement, the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) said a total of P11.4 billion additional funding for climate change actions is needed in the 2010 national budget to protect Filipinos from the impact of extreme weather conditions caused by climate change such as the Typhoon Ondoy.
"The Philippines is naturally prone to climate change and the safety of many people can be summarized in three words: ‘Climate Change Financing’," said former national treasurer Leonor Magtolis Briones, lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines (SWP) which organized the ABI.
"The wrath of Ondoy should serve as a wake-up call for government to be climate-change sensitive and to finally adopt the budget for climate change mitigation and adaptation proposed by the ABI’s environment group," she added.
The ABI, a consortium of 60 non government organizations (NGOs) globally acknowledged for initiating legislator-civil society partnerships for more allocation for environment, education, agriculture and health, has been calling for more funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation measures since 2006.
The ABI environment group, led by the La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) and Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), proposed that Philippine government should add a total of P11.4 billion in certain items in the 2010 budget in order to become climate change sensitive.
This includes budget for (1) Climate Change Commission for the finalization of the Philippine climate change action framework and plan; and, for piloting of climate change initiatives in the top ten high risk provinces; (2) harmonization of existing programs to a national climate change action framework and plan; (3) climate change actions within the agriculture sector; (4) orientation of DENR programs, operations and activities towards climate change actions.; and (5) pro-active, not just reactive, programs responding to climate related disasters.
"Changing climate may have caused the recent unusual flood in the capital region but government has big responsibility for its devastating impacts on people especially the poor. We are in harm's way already considering our poverty situation, the unmanaged wastes that clog waterways, silted rivers due to severe land degradation of the National Capital Region’s watersheds, pollution of Manila Bay etc. Our vulnerability to extreme weather events like abnormal rains increases with government failure to enforce policies that protect our communities and make them more resilient," said Isagani Serrano, PRRM vice president and SWP convenor.
The ABI's alternative budget proposal for the environment referred to the Philippine Climate and Weather-Related Risk Map of the Manila Observatory and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
According to the map on provincial-level risks to typhoons, drought caused by El Niño, projected rainfall change and projected temperature increase, the top ten provinces in terms of risk are: Albay, Pampanga, Ifugao, Sorsogon, Biliran, Rizal, Northern Samar, Cavite, Masbate, and Laguna. In general, the regions of Central Luzon and Bicol rank high to very-high on the risk scale.
"Data from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) shows that in the past ten years (1999-2009), a total of 32.6 million Filipinos have already been affected by environment-related disasters with an economic damage cost estimated at P131.2 billion. We urge government to think of sustainability instead of short term gains and consider budget increase for environment as an urgent matter," Serrano said.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) had also directed all LGUs to create their local task force climate change to help in mitigating the effects of global warming.
P11-B needed to protect Pinoys from floods, storms
IN LIGHT of the millions of pesos in damages to infrastructures and agriculture brought about by Typhoon Ondoy, billions of pesos are needed for protection against similar calamities.
In a statement, the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) said a total of P11.4 billion additional funding for climate change actions is needed in the 2010 national budget to protect Filipinos from the impact of extreme weather conditions caused by climate change such as the Typhoon Ondoy.
"The Philippines is naturally prone to climate change and the safety of many people can be summarized in three words: ‘Climate Change Financing’," said former national treasurer Leonor Magtolis Briones, lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines (SWP) which organized the ABI.
"The wrath of Ondoy should serve as a wake-up call for government to be climate-change sensitive and to finally adopt the budget for climate change mitigation and adaptation proposed by the ABI’s environment group," she added.
The ABI, a consortium of 60 non government organizations (NGOs) globally acknowledged for initiating legislator-civil society partnerships for more allocation for environment, education, agriculture and health, has been calling for more funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation measures since 2006.
The ABI environment group, led by the La Liga Policy Institute (LLPI) and Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), proposed that Philippine government should add a total of P11.4 billion in certain items in the 2010 budget in order to become climate change sensitive.
This includes budget for (1) Climate Change Commission for the finalization of the Philippine climate change action framework and plan; and, for piloting of climate change initiatives in the top ten high risk provinces; (2) harmonization of existing programs to a national climate change action framework and plan; (3) climate change actions within the agriculture sector; (4) orientation of DENR programs, operations and activities towards climate change actions.; and (5) pro-active, not just reactive, programs responding to climate related disasters.
"Changing climate may have caused the recent unusual flood in the capital region but government has big responsibility for its devastating impacts on people especially the poor. We are in harm's way already considering our poverty situation, the unmanaged wastes that clog waterways, silted rivers due to severe land degradation of the National Capital Region’s watersheds, pollution of Manila Bay etc. Our vulnerability to extreme weather events like abnormal rains increases with government failure to enforce policies that protect our communities and make them more resilient," said Isagani Serrano, PRRM vice president and SWP convenor.
The ABI's alternative budget proposal for the environment referred to the Philippine Climate and Weather-Related Risk Map of the Manila Observatory and Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
According to the map on provincial-level risks to typhoons, drought caused by El Niño, projected rainfall change and projected temperature increase, the top ten provinces in terms of risk are: Albay, Pampanga, Ifugao, Sorsogon, Biliran, Rizal, Northern Samar, Cavite, Masbate, and Laguna. In general, the regions of Central Luzon and Bicol rank high to very-high on the risk scale.
"Data from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) shows that in the past ten years (1999-2009), a total of 32.6 million Filipinos have already been affected by environment-related disasters with an economic damage cost estimated at P131.2 billion. We urge government to think of sustainability instead of short term gains and consider budget increase for environment as an urgent matter," Serrano said.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) had also directed all LGUs to create their local task force climate change to help in mitigating the effects of global warming.
Monday, September 28, 2009
16 RP hospitals receive 1st Do No Harm Award for mercury phase-out in Southeast Asia
NEWS RELEASE September 28, 2009
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
16 RP hospitals receive 1st Do No Harm Award for mercury phase-out in Southeast Asia
Manila – International environmental health group, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), recognizes 16 hospitals around the Philippines for their compliance to the Department of Health’s Administrative Order 21 on the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions by 2010.
Of the total 1,847 hospitals in the country, 15 from Luzon and one from Mindanao will be awarded the 1st ever Do No Harm Award.
“These hospitals recognized that mercury in health care is a threat not only to the patients and the environment but also to the workers and they have willingly initiated a phase-out program, some even before AO 21,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.
The awardees are: Florencio V. Bernabe Sr. Memorial Hospital (Paranaque City), General Santos Doctors’ Hospital (General Santos City), Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (Las Piñas City), Makati Medical Center (Makati City), Manila Adventist Medical Center (Pasay City), Medical Center Paranaque, Inc. (Paranaque City), Notre Dame De Chartres Hospital (Baguio City), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (Quezon City), Philippine Heart Center (Quezon City), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (Muntinlupa City), San Juan De Dios Educational Foundation Inc. (Pasay City), San Lazaro Hospital (Manila), St. Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart (Baguio City), St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital (San Juan City), St. Paul Hospital Cavite (Dasmarinas, Cavite), and St. Paul Hospital Tuguegarao (Tuguegarao City).
While the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) have issued warnings on the dangers of mercury as early as 1990s, Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals.
“We want Philippine hospitals to lead the way towards movement to environmentally sound health care system across Asia. We want to inspire other hospitals through the success stories of these 16 hospitals,” Ferrer added.
Do No Harm Award seeks to recognize outstanding hospitals, health care workers, institutions and communities in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries who are leading the way to a healthier environment. Through their stories, experiences and commitment to move to a healthier environment in the health care setting, others will be inspired to work towards a greener and safer health care.
“The 1st Do No Harm Award for mercury phase-out is just a start. In the future, we will recognize individuals and even communities who are moving towards safer, cleaner and less toxic health care system,” said Ferrer.
“We are at a time when we can no longer separate health and environmental issues. Any toxic chemicals released in hospitals and other health care facilities will eventually find its way to the environment. If all hospitals will take on preventive measures, we will be doing our planet a big favour,” Ferrer said.
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia is a part of an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information, please visit www.noharm.org.ph
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
16 RP hospitals receive 1st Do No Harm Award for mercury phase-out in Southeast Asia
Manila – International environmental health group, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA), recognizes 16 hospitals around the Philippines for their compliance to the Department of Health’s Administrative Order 21 on the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions by 2010.
Of the total 1,847 hospitals in the country, 15 from Luzon and one from Mindanao will be awarded the 1st ever Do No Harm Award.
“These hospitals recognized that mercury in health care is a threat not only to the patients and the environment but also to the workers and they have willingly initiated a phase-out program, some even before AO 21,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.
The awardees are: Florencio V. Bernabe Sr. Memorial Hospital (Paranaque City), General Santos Doctors’ Hospital (General Santos City), Las Piñas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center (Las Piñas City), Makati Medical Center (Makati City), Manila Adventist Medical Center (Pasay City), Medical Center Paranaque, Inc. (Paranaque City), Notre Dame De Chartres Hospital (Baguio City), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (Quezon City), Philippine Heart Center (Quezon City), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (Muntinlupa City), San Juan De Dios Educational Foundation Inc. (Pasay City), San Lazaro Hospital (Manila), St. Louis University Hospital of the Sacred Heart (Baguio City), St. Martin De Porres Charity Hospital (San Juan City), St. Paul Hospital Cavite (Dasmarinas, Cavite), and St. Paul Hospital Tuguegarao (Tuguegarao City).
While the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) have issued warnings on the dangers of mercury as early as 1990s, Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals.
“We want Philippine hospitals to lead the way towards movement to environmentally sound health care system across Asia. We want to inspire other hospitals through the success stories of these 16 hospitals,” Ferrer added.
Do No Harm Award seeks to recognize outstanding hospitals, health care workers, institutions and communities in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries who are leading the way to a healthier environment. Through their stories, experiences and commitment to move to a healthier environment in the health care setting, others will be inspired to work towards a greener and safer health care.
“The 1st Do No Harm Award for mercury phase-out is just a start. In the future, we will recognize individuals and even communities who are moving towards safer, cleaner and less toxic health care system,” said Ferrer.
“We are at a time when we can no longer separate health and environmental issues. Any toxic chemicals released in hospitals and other health care facilities will eventually find its way to the environment. If all hospitals will take on preventive measures, we will be doing our planet a big favour,” Ferrer said.
Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia is a part of an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information, please visit www.noharm.org.ph
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Pasig City: Thinking and Living Green
September 23, 2009
Pasig City: Thinking and Living Green
Pasig City – In celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia’s 4th leg of blood pressure and temperature screening activity using mercury-free devices draws a big crowd in Pasig City.
“We go around the different cities in the country to showcase that mercury-free alternatives in health care are available. We chose Pasig because we saw the city’s goal for a green environment, as well as its many health care-related activities. We want to show them that greening the health care is a big step towards a healthy environment,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.
In September 2008, the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010. To date, more than 50 hospitals are moving away from mercury devices.
“More than hospitals, we also want to get support from local government units and hope that LGU-initiated health care projects or medical missions will move towards the greener alternative,” said Ferrer.
“Pasig City’s health care projects include dental, tuberculosis, family planning, maternal and child health programs and senior citizen vaccination. We hope that in all these projects, Pasig will always veer away from using mercury devices,” Ferrer added.
Pasig City Health Officer Dr. Georgiana Galutera is very supportive of the shift to mercury-free alternatives. “Pasig City has always been for projects that will benefit the people, their health and the environment. For many years, we have been coordinating efforts to keep our city clean and our community healthy. Mercury phase-out in hospitals and in LGU-supported health care projects will definitely contribute to the vision of thinking and living green in Pasig City,” she added.
Ferrer added, “As the government officials here in Pasig always say, beyond progress, a healthy environment. With this we believe that Pasig means business when it comes to looking after the environment while progressing as a City. For what will progress mean if we are living in an unhealthy and toxic environment? What is progress if we have unhealthy people? What is progress if the place we are living in is dying?”
“In terms of health care, our question is, are we really providing proper health care if we are using mercury and other toxic substances that are harming the people and the environment? We challenged Pasig City to mean business in cleaning, greening and making healthier our health care,” Ferrer added.
Mercury history in the Philippines
The 1st Southeast Asia Conference on Mercury sponsored by HCWH in Manila in 2006 brought the mercury issue to the attention of concerned stakeholders. It was during this conference that DoH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III pledged to have a national policy on mercury phase-out in Philippine hospitals.
In 2007, Philippine Heart Center, together with General Santos Doctor’s Hospital (GSDH), Manila Adventist Hospital and San Juan De Dios Hospital, started a mercury phase-out program. In August 11, 2008, DoH signed AO 21.
Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.
The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 were provided by Digitron International Sales Inc.
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
Pasig City: Thinking and Living Green
Pasig City – In celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia’s 4th leg of blood pressure and temperature screening activity using mercury-free devices draws a big crowd in Pasig City.
“We go around the different cities in the country to showcase that mercury-free alternatives in health care are available. We chose Pasig because we saw the city’s goal for a green environment, as well as its many health care-related activities. We want to show them that greening the health care is a big step towards a healthy environment,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.
In September 2008, the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010. To date, more than 50 hospitals are moving away from mercury devices.
“More than hospitals, we also want to get support from local government units and hope that LGU-initiated health care projects or medical missions will move towards the greener alternative,” said Ferrer.
“Pasig City’s health care projects include dental, tuberculosis, family planning, maternal and child health programs and senior citizen vaccination. We hope that in all these projects, Pasig will always veer away from using mercury devices,” Ferrer added.
Pasig City Health Officer Dr. Georgiana Galutera is very supportive of the shift to mercury-free alternatives. “Pasig City has always been for projects that will benefit the people, their health and the environment. For many years, we have been coordinating efforts to keep our city clean and our community healthy. Mercury phase-out in hospitals and in LGU-supported health care projects will definitely contribute to the vision of thinking and living green in Pasig City,” she added.
Ferrer added, “As the government officials here in Pasig always say, beyond progress, a healthy environment. With this we believe that Pasig means business when it comes to looking after the environment while progressing as a City. For what will progress mean if we are living in an unhealthy and toxic environment? What is progress if we have unhealthy people? What is progress if the place we are living in is dying?”
“In terms of health care, our question is, are we really providing proper health care if we are using mercury and other toxic substances that are harming the people and the environment? We challenged Pasig City to mean business in cleaning, greening and making healthier our health care,” Ferrer added.
Mercury history in the Philippines
The 1st Southeast Asia Conference on Mercury sponsored by HCWH in Manila in 2006 brought the mercury issue to the attention of concerned stakeholders. It was during this conference that DoH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III pledged to have a national policy on mercury phase-out in Philippine hospitals.
In 2007, Philippine Heart Center, together with General Santos Doctor’s Hospital (GSDH), Manila Adventist Hospital and San Juan De Dios Hospital, started a mercury phase-out program. In August 11, 2008, DoH signed AO 21.
Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.
The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 were provided by Digitron International Sales Inc.
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
Friday, September 18, 2009
Baguio City way cooler without mercury
September 18, 2009
Baguio City way cooler without mercury
Baguio City – Amidst another busy day in Baguio City and in the middle of the City’s Centennial Celebration, passers by and local government officials and employees got screened using non-mercurial thermometers and blood pressure devices.
The event? Celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals.
A year after the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010, “we go around the different cities in the country to show the public that veering away from mercury devices is doable, economical and the best way to go to,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.
“At General Santos City and Quezon City, more than a thousand people participated in the temperature and BP screening. We aim to reach more people here in Baguio because as far as we know, when it comes to cleaning and greening the environment and protecting the citizenry, Baguio is always on the lead, especially that the mercury phase-out is very much supported by the City government and local hospitals.”
Goodbye mercury for a cleaner and healthier Baguio City
“If you look closely, continuous use of mercury devices in hospitals will sooner or later pose us with another question, where do we throw away all the broken thermometers? And what about the uncontrolled and unmonitored disposal of mercury waste?” asked Ferrer. “The last thing we want is for our hospitals to be a primary contributor to toxic pollution here in Baguio.”
Malou Jacinto, Administrator of SLU Hospital of the Sacred Heart, reiterated this point saying the shift to mercury alternatives is the only solution now considering the clean-up cost of mercury spills. “Add to that is the danger every mercury device in hospitals poses to hospital workers, patients confined in the hospitals and almost anyone who enters the hospital facilities. We do not want to make the community sicker. That is not what we are here for.”
Notre Dame de Chartes Hospital Administrator, Sr. Adelina Javellana, added that the true essence of providing health care is providing care that is safe to the people and non toxic to the environment. “Phasing-out mercury devices in hospitals is a big leap towards that.”
Both hospitals have shifted to mercury-free devices.
Mercury-Free Caravan: an RIP to Mercury
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the temperature and blood pressure screening events.
“We encourage everyone to join us in these activities, not just this month but up to 2010 when we will finally put all mercury devices in hospitals to rest. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for the environment and for health,” said Ferrer. “We hope too that soon, other industries will follow suit.”
Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank with U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.
The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010: I Got Screened in Baguio were provided by Collins International Trading Corporation (distributor of Omron medical devices).
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
Baguio City way cooler without mercury
Baguio City – Amidst another busy day in Baguio City and in the middle of the City’s Centennial Celebration, passers by and local government officials and employees got screened using non-mercurial thermometers and blood pressure devices.
The event? Celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals.
A year after the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010, “we go around the different cities in the country to show the public that veering away from mercury devices is doable, economical and the best way to go to,” said Faye Ferrer, HCWH-SEA Program Officer for Mercury.
“At General Santos City and Quezon City, more than a thousand people participated in the temperature and BP screening. We aim to reach more people here in Baguio because as far as we know, when it comes to cleaning and greening the environment and protecting the citizenry, Baguio is always on the lead, especially that the mercury phase-out is very much supported by the City government and local hospitals.”
Goodbye mercury for a cleaner and healthier Baguio City
“If you look closely, continuous use of mercury devices in hospitals will sooner or later pose us with another question, where do we throw away all the broken thermometers? And what about the uncontrolled and unmonitored disposal of mercury waste?” asked Ferrer. “The last thing we want is for our hospitals to be a primary contributor to toxic pollution here in Baguio.”
Malou Jacinto, Administrator of SLU Hospital of the Sacred Heart, reiterated this point saying the shift to mercury alternatives is the only solution now considering the clean-up cost of mercury spills. “Add to that is the danger every mercury device in hospitals poses to hospital workers, patients confined in the hospitals and almost anyone who enters the hospital facilities. We do not want to make the community sicker. That is not what we are here for.”
Notre Dame de Chartes Hospital Administrator, Sr. Adelina Javellana, added that the true essence of providing health care is providing care that is safe to the people and non toxic to the environment. “Phasing-out mercury devices in hospitals is a big leap towards that.”
Both hospitals have shifted to mercury-free devices.
Mercury-Free Caravan: an RIP to Mercury
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the temperature and blood pressure screening events.
“We encourage everyone to join us in these activities, not just this month but up to 2010 when we will finally put all mercury devices in hospitals to rest. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for the environment and for health,” said Ferrer. “We hope too that soon, other industries will follow suit.”
Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank with U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.
The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010: I Got Screened in Baguio were provided by Collins International Trading Corporation (distributor of Omron medical devices).
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
Monday, September 14, 2009
Quezon City envisions mercury-free health care by 2010
September 14, 2009
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
Quezon City envisions mercury-free health care by 2010
Gathers personalities, senior citizens, passersby for BP screening
Quezon City - “Do you know that it will only take less than 2,000 broken mercury thermometers to contaminate the whole of Quezon City?,” asked Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.
In celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, Quezon City residents were encouraged to have their temperature and blood pressure screened using non-mercurial thermometers and blood pressure devices.
“A year after the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010, we are going around the different cities in the country to show the dangers of mercury and its waste.
“We want to inform everyone that shifting to mercury-free devices is doable, economical and ecologically sound. We do not want to contaminate this city, or any other cities, provinces and countries. So, please, we appeal to you, let’s go mercury-free.”
Mercury-Free City, Mercury-Free Nation
According to Director Edwin Sanchez, chairman of the committee on the phasing-out of mercury in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions, he hopes that hospitals in Quezon City will lead other hospitals in moving away from mercury.
“Being the largest city in Metro Manila, Quezon City has big impact in this phase-out. And we hope that this will be replicated all throughout the country.”
Dr. Soe Nyunt-U, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Philippines, likewise acknowledge the impact of A.O. 21 towards an even bigger goal of global elimination of mercury-based thermometers and sphygmomanometers by 2017.
“As a matter of fact, Philippines is way ahead of this global initiative,” he said. “If the Department of Health (DoH), WHO, local government units, private and public hospitals, medical associations, medical universities, private clinics and even ordinary citizens will collaborate towards this goal, I am positive that the Philippine health care system will achieve major milestones for the mercury-free initiative in 2010.”
Celebs support mercury-free health care
The Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 campaign has also gathered support from local celebrities. Among which is Albert Martinez and Juddha Paolo.
“When I was first introduced to the campaign, my initial reaction was, how can I not support a campaign that will make our health care system healthier, our environment cleaner and people less sick,” said multi-awarded actor Albert Martinez.
“Through this campaign, we are making our health care and our planet a healthier place for the future generation.”
Mercury-Free Caravan
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the blood pressure screening events.
“We are encouraging everyone to join us in these activities. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for a toxic-free and healthy environment,” said Ferrer.
Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.
The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 were provided by WellnessPRO Inc., Digitron International Sales Inc., and Collins International Trading Corporation.
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
Quezon City envisions mercury-free health care by 2010
Gathers personalities, senior citizens, passersby for BP screening
Quezon City - “Do you know that it will only take less than 2,000 broken mercury thermometers to contaminate the whole of Quezon City?,” asked Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.
In celebration of the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, Quezon City residents were encouraged to have their temperature and blood pressure screened using non-mercurial thermometers and blood pressure devices.
“A year after the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010, we are going around the different cities in the country to show the dangers of mercury and its waste.
“We want to inform everyone that shifting to mercury-free devices is doable, economical and ecologically sound. We do not want to contaminate this city, or any other cities, provinces and countries. So, please, we appeal to you, let’s go mercury-free.”
Mercury-Free City, Mercury-Free Nation
According to Director Edwin Sanchez, chairman of the committee on the phasing-out of mercury in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions, he hopes that hospitals in Quezon City will lead other hospitals in moving away from mercury.
“Being the largest city in Metro Manila, Quezon City has big impact in this phase-out. And we hope that this will be replicated all throughout the country.”
Dr. Soe Nyunt-U, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Philippines, likewise acknowledge the impact of A.O. 21 towards an even bigger goal of global elimination of mercury-based thermometers and sphygmomanometers by 2017.
“As a matter of fact, Philippines is way ahead of this global initiative,” he said. “If the Department of Health (DoH), WHO, local government units, private and public hospitals, medical associations, medical universities, private clinics and even ordinary citizens will collaborate towards this goal, I am positive that the Philippine health care system will achieve major milestones for the mercury-free initiative in 2010.”
Celebs support mercury-free health care
The Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 campaign has also gathered support from local celebrities. Among which is Albert Martinez and Juddha Paolo.
“When I was first introduced to the campaign, my initial reaction was, how can I not support a campaign that will make our health care system healthier, our environment cleaner and people less sick,” said multi-awarded actor Albert Martinez.
“Through this campaign, we are making our health care and our planet a healthier place for the future generation.”
Mercury-Free Caravan
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the blood pressure screening events.
“We are encouraging everyone to join us in these activities. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for a toxic-free and healthy environment,” said Ferrer.
Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.
The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in the Mercury-Free Health Care by 2010 were provided by WellnessPRO Inc., Digitron International Sales Inc., and Collins International Trading Corporation.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
General Santos City got screened: Heats up Tuna Festival celebration
September 3, 2009
General Santos City got screened: Heats up Tuna Festival celebration
General Santos City – To celebrate the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, 1,200 indigents from 5 barangays joining the Almusalang Bayan in the Tuna Festival were encouraged to have their temperature and blood pressure screened using non-mercurial thermometer and blood pressure device.
It has been a year since the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010.
“We are going around the different cities in the country to show the public that veering away from mercury devices is doable, economical and the best way to go to,” said Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.
“We are likewise very pleased that the City Social Welfare and Development office have encouraged their more than a thousand guests in the almusalan to have their blood pressure screened and appreciate the importance of going mercury-free.”
“Mercury devices in hospitals are extremely toxic yet packed in an extremely breakable packaging. If we only see this irony, we know that going mercury-free is our only choice. It is also the best way to show that we care about the people and the environment.”
Mercury history in the Philippines
The 1st Southeast Asia Conference on Mercury sponsored by HCWH in Manila in 2006 brought the mercury issue to the attention of concerned stakeholders. It was during this conference that DoH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III pledged to have a national policy on mercury phase-out in Philippine hospitals.
In 2007, Philippine Heart Center, together with General Santos Doctor’s Hospital (GSDH), Manila Adventist Hospital and San Juan De Dios Hospital, started a mercury phase-out program. In August 11, 2008, DoH signed AO 21.
To date, more than 50 hospitals have phased-out or are phasing out mercury-containing devices in their hospitals. GSDH has phased-out mercury thermometers and are on the way to phasing-out sphygmomanometers.
Mercury-Free and Magandang GenSan
Dr. Daniel Yap, Medical Director of GSDH, is encouraging other hospitals in Gen San and the region to go mercury-free. “Considering the risks to patients and hospital employees of using mercurial devices, it remains our best option.”
Sr. Estelle Marie-Camagan, GSDH Administrator added “beyond protecting patients, employees and the community, we are also contributing to a healthier and cleaner General Santos City or what the locals would always refer to as Magandang GenSan.”
Mercury-Free Caravan: an RIP to Mercury
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the temperature and blood pressure screening events.
“We are encouraging everyone to join us in these activities. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for the environment and for health. And that we are sending mercury devices to finally rest in peace,” said Ferrer.
Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.
The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in Mercury Free Health Care by 2010: I Got Screened in General Santos City were provided by WellnessPRO Inc. (distributor of A&D medical devices) and MR Microbiz Enterprises.
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
General Santos City got screened: Heats up Tuna Festival celebration
General Santos City – To celebrate the 1st year anniversary of mercury phase-out in all Philippine hospitals, 1,200 indigents from 5 barangays joining the Almusalang Bayan in the Tuna Festival were encouraged to have their temperature and blood pressure screened using non-mercurial thermometer and blood pressure device.
It has been a year since the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order (AO) 21 mandating the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010.
“We are going around the different cities in the country to show the public that veering away from mercury devices is doable, economical and the best way to go to,” said Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.
“We are likewise very pleased that the City Social Welfare and Development office have encouraged their more than a thousand guests in the almusalan to have their blood pressure screened and appreciate the importance of going mercury-free.”
“Mercury devices in hospitals are extremely toxic yet packed in an extremely breakable packaging. If we only see this irony, we know that going mercury-free is our only choice. It is also the best way to show that we care about the people and the environment.”
Mercury history in the Philippines
The 1st Southeast Asia Conference on Mercury sponsored by HCWH in Manila in 2006 brought the mercury issue to the attention of concerned stakeholders. It was during this conference that DoH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III pledged to have a national policy on mercury phase-out in Philippine hospitals.
In 2007, Philippine Heart Center, together with General Santos Doctor’s Hospital (GSDH), Manila Adventist Hospital and San Juan De Dios Hospital, started a mercury phase-out program. In August 11, 2008, DoH signed AO 21.
To date, more than 50 hospitals have phased-out or are phasing out mercury-containing devices in their hospitals. GSDH has phased-out mercury thermometers and are on the way to phasing-out sphygmomanometers.
Mercury-Free and Magandang GenSan
Dr. Daniel Yap, Medical Director of GSDH, is encouraging other hospitals in Gen San and the region to go mercury-free. “Considering the risks to patients and hospital employees of using mercurial devices, it remains our best option.”
Sr. Estelle Marie-Camagan, GSDH Administrator added “beyond protecting patients, employees and the community, we are also contributing to a healthier and cleaner General Santos City or what the locals would always refer to as Magandang GenSan.”
Mercury-Free Caravan: an RIP to Mercury
HCWH-SEA will go around the different cities for the temperature and blood pressure screening events.
“We are encouraging everyone to join us in these activities. Together, let us show the world that Philippines is mobilizing for the environment and for health. And that we are sending mercury devices to finally rest in peace,” said Ferrer.
Philippines is the 1st Southeast Asian country and the 1st developing country to have a policy on mercury phase-out in hospitals putting it in the same rank as U.S., European Union, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and Argentina, to mention just a few, who are all moving towards a mercury-free health care.
The mercury-free temperature and blood pressure devices used in Mercury Free Health Care by 2010: I Got Screened in General Santos City were provided by WellnessPRO Inc. (distributor of A&D medical devices) and MR Microbiz Enterprises.
Contact:
Sonia G. Astudillo, Communications Officer, +63 918 9182369, sonia@hcwh.org
Faye Ferrer, Program Officer for Mercury, +63 920 9327151; faye@hcwh.org
Thursday, July 9, 2009
NORTHERN SAMAR HOSPITALS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
July 9, 2009
NORTHERN SAMAR HOSPITALS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Catarman City, Northern Samar – “An unexplored beauty in the Visayas, Northern Samar poses a great potential when it comes to environmental health,” said Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.
In a province-wide forum on environmental health with special focus on elimination of mercury-containing devices in hospitals, Ferrer said that the dangers of mercury in hospitals do not match the pristine environment of Northern Samar.
Mercury is a neurotoxin. It is fatal when inhaled and harmful if absorbed through the skin. High doses of vapors released by thermometer breakage may cause lung damage. While at lower doses it is harmful to the kidney and the nervous, digestive, respiratory and immune systems.
Although the Philippines does not have statistics of mercury releases, in the US for example, mercury fever thermometers contributed 15 metric tons of mercury to solid waste landfill annually. “Now imagine our old hospital policy here of one patient-one thermometer,” said Ferrer.
Once mercury is released in the atmosphere, it is transported to the rest of the globe. “You can do the math of how much our hospitals are contributing to mercury pollution.”
In September 2008, the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order 21 which aims for the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010. This is supported globally by the World Health Organization (WHO) which has an initiative with HCWH aiming to substitute mercury-based medical devices by 2017.
“The reason for this forum is we want to prevent further mercury pollution thru the use on non-mercurial devices and we want the hospitals in Northern Samar to take on a leadership role,” said Ferrer. “We are also calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to provide an intermediate storage for the phased-out mercury devices.”
“And beyond the mercury issue and Northern Samar’s project on solid waste and a goal of a zero waste province, HCWH-SEA also hopes to make Northern Samar’s hospitals model of good waste management,” said Cris Parungao, the group’s Program Officer for the Promotion of Best Hospital Practices.
“We hope for an all-encompassing zero waste project in the province that includes proper health care waste management.”
In 2007, HCWH-SEA conducted a preliminary Hospital Waste Assessment Project (HWAP) in one provincial and 8 district hospitals in the province.
“The aim of the project is to document the good practices of the hospitals in the proper management of their health care waste and to come up with a baseline date on the total health care waste being generated in one locality,” said Parungao.
“We have seen good results in the assessment but we want to move forward and encourage all hospitals in the province to keep-up the good practices and improve the others,” she added.
“With this, Northern Samar hospitals may join the lines of best hospitals in the Southeast Asia region.”
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-SEA, see www.noharm.org.
NORTHERN SAMAR HOSPITALS TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Catarman City, Northern Samar – “An unexplored beauty in the Visayas, Northern Samar poses a great potential when it comes to environmental health,” said Faye Ferrer, Health Care Without Harm-Southeast Asia (HCWH-SEA) Program Officer for Mercury.
In a province-wide forum on environmental health with special focus on elimination of mercury-containing devices in hospitals, Ferrer said that the dangers of mercury in hospitals do not match the pristine environment of Northern Samar.
Mercury is a neurotoxin. It is fatal when inhaled and harmful if absorbed through the skin. High doses of vapors released by thermometer breakage may cause lung damage. While at lower doses it is harmful to the kidney and the nervous, digestive, respiratory and immune systems.
Although the Philippines does not have statistics of mercury releases, in the US for example, mercury fever thermometers contributed 15 metric tons of mercury to solid waste landfill annually. “Now imagine our old hospital policy here of one patient-one thermometer,” said Ferrer.
Once mercury is released in the atmosphere, it is transported to the rest of the globe. “You can do the math of how much our hospitals are contributing to mercury pollution.”
In September 2008, the Department of Health (DoH) issued Administrative Order 21 which aims for the gradual phase-out of all mercury-containing devices in all Philippine hospitals by 2010. This is supported globally by the World Health Organization (WHO) which has an initiative with HCWH aiming to substitute mercury-based medical devices by 2017.
“The reason for this forum is we want to prevent further mercury pollution thru the use on non-mercurial devices and we want the hospitals in Northern Samar to take on a leadership role,” said Ferrer. “We are also calling on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to provide an intermediate storage for the phased-out mercury devices.”
“And beyond the mercury issue and Northern Samar’s project on solid waste and a goal of a zero waste province, HCWH-SEA also hopes to make Northern Samar’s hospitals model of good waste management,” said Cris Parungao, the group’s Program Officer for the Promotion of Best Hospital Practices.
“We hope for an all-encompassing zero waste project in the province that includes proper health care waste management.”
In 2007, HCWH-SEA conducted a preliminary Hospital Waste Assessment Project (HWAP) in one provincial and 8 district hospitals in the province.
“The aim of the project is to document the good practices of the hospitals in the proper management of their health care waste and to come up with a baseline date on the total health care waste being generated in one locality,” said Parungao.
“We have seen good results in the assessment but we want to move forward and encourage all hospitals in the province to keep-up the good practices and improve the others,” she added.
“With this, Northern Samar hospitals may join the lines of best hospitals in the Southeast Asia region.”
HCWH is an international coalition of more than 470 organizations in 52 countries, working to transform the health care sector worldwide, without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and no longer a source of harm to public health and the environment. For more information on HCWH-SEA, see www.noharm.org.
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