BY FELIPE V. CELINO

ROXAS City – Gov. Victor Tanco Sr. yesterday appealed to the members of the Provincial Board to approve the province’s Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Health (DOH).

The approval of the MOA will release the P191-million grant from the DOH for the improvement of health facilities and other medical equipment in the province.

Tanco, over a radio interview, said the provincial government will not spend a single centavo because of the grant from the 2010 Health Facilities Enhancement Program Fund of the Center for Health Development (CHD) in Western Visayas.

The actual grant for Western Visayas was P201,653,597, Tanco said.

However, P10 million of which was intended for the improvement of the Camp Martin Delgado Medical Center in Iloilo City, he said.

“It was a grant — no certain amount from the provincial government will be taken as counterpart,” said Tanco.

The use of the fund shall be subject to the usual government budgeting, accounting and auditing rules and regulations, according to the guidelines sent by Gerardo Bayugo, assistant secretary for the Internal Management Support Cluster of the DOH, to Tanco.

The breakdown of the fund for the improvement of hospitals in the province, according to Tanco, is as follows:

* Sen. Gerardo Roxas Memorial District Hospital in Dao town – P15.4 million
* Bailan District Hospital – P18.5 million
* Mambusao District Hospital – P45 million
* Dumarao Medicare Hospital – P3 million
* Tapaz District Hospital – P5 million, and
* Roxas Memorial Provincial Hospital – P37.3 million.

The CHD will monitor and evaluate the identified hospitals/health facilities for the facility upgrade.

The approval was deferred during the last Board session when members identified with the Ugyon Kita Capiz asked for a copy of the MOA.

Board member Mimi Ardivilla said she had not received a copy of the MOA and the DOH guidelines.

She said she is not opposing the move.

“What I merely wanted was an ample time to study the agreement,” said Ardivilla./PN

CPPO nabs 5 gun ban violators so far

ROXAS City – Five violators of the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) gun ban and illegal possession of firearms have been apprehended by the Capiz police since the start of the election period on September 25.

The Comelec has prohibited the carrying of firearms in view of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls last month.

Violators were from the municipalities of Pontevedra, Ivisan, Pilar and Tapaz and this city, according to records of the Capiz Police Provincial Office (CPPO).

They were arrested with either low-caliber guns or deadly weapons, police said.

The poll gun ban will end on November 10 as stipulated in Comelec Resolution No. 9028.

Comelec decided to re-implement the total gun ban because security forces have found it 
efficient in preventing crime and violence during the historic automated elections on May 10.

CPPO has also apprehended 27 violators during the five-month poll gun ban in line with the May 10 local and national elections. (A. Lumaque/PIA)/PN
Fisherfolks turn to grouper cage culture

ROXAS City – A fisherfolk association here asked the support of experts to further promote the aquaculture of a high-value commercial fish species in this city.

Capiz Provincial Agriculturist Sylvia dela Cruz said they tapped the expertise of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) officials based in Iloilo province to provide scientific lectures on grouper culture.

Some 20 members of the Roxas City Aquaculture Association (RACA) attended the recent training on grouper cage culture here, said dela Cruz.

Dr. Edgar Amar, Albert Gaitan, Nelson Golez and Sonny Pagador discussed biology, nursery and grow-out culture of grouper, diseases, health management and nutrient requirements as well as water quality monitoring.

The training aimed to provide RACA members with alternative livelihood as well as promote sustainable high value fish culture in riverine areas of Roxas City, dela Cruz explained.

"Grouper is a high-value commercial fish and is considered as the most expensive fish in many restaurants," she said.

Grouper also presents business and investment opportunities as aside from being a source of food, it equates jobs and livelihood to Capiceños, she said.

RACA, headed by Efren Acan, is a newly organized fisherfolk group with 20 members.

It aims to play a collaborative role with this city government in the sustainable management of coastal resources by helping themselves and their fellow fisherfolks in their barangay.

The association likewise seeks showcase of the proper way to manage an alternative livelihood project such as grouper cage culture, dela Cruz said. (Jemin B. Guillermo/PIA)/PN