Senate panel to begin New Bilibid probe

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights will begin Tuesday its investigation into the mass grave discovered at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.

The mass grave was reportedly found inside a septic tank at the NBP’s maximum security compound.

Senator Francis Tolentino, the chairperson of the said committee, said the investigation will be done inside the national penitentiary so that key inmates involved in the recently discovered burial ground inside the NBP compound could shed light on the matter.

Last week, Tolentino filed Senate Resolution No. 70, seeking a thorough probe after a mass grave was unearthed while prison officials were searching for a missing inmate identified as Michael Angelo Cataroja who was last seen on July 14.

Tolentino’s panel would also like to look into the recent incidents at the Bureau of Correction (BuCor) that compromise the safety and security of the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) inside the national penitentiary as well as pose danger to the lives and limbs of the prison personnel therein.

local women while 9,000 who were diagnosed in previous years die.

Data show only 1% of Filipinas get tested for cancer each year, probably the lowest in the world with neighboring countries posting around 20% and rich countries around 50%.

The congressional budget for cancer was only about P1 billion and raised last year to around P1.5 billion.

Antolin said the budget must be increased so if possible all public hospitals all over the country and even private ones can test women to prevent their cancer, if found positive, from progressing.

At the moment, only about 23 public hospitals offer such a service, denying an unknown number of women from such tests in the provinces.

employs them, merit higher compensation given their crucial role and the intense physical and mental strain of their profession. We must stem the brain drain. We need to give our nurses compelling reasons to stay in the Philippines and not seek greener pastures abroad,” Manuel Payao of the UERM Employees Union-FFW said.

In its statement, the FFW also urged the Department of Health (DOH) to immediately distribute the Health Emergency Allowances (HEA) for nurses.

The United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP) also urged the health department to prioritize the said benefits for healthcare workers.

“The time will soon come when local private hospitals will be in competition to secure the services of tenured/experienced nurses to man the special areas to maintain excellence on that particular field,” the UPHUP further said in a social media post.

The DOH earlier said that they are still trying to iron out the distribution of HEAs to healthcare workers.

Rillo, vice chair of the House Higher and Technical Education Committee meanwhile said a total of 18,104 Philippine nursing graduates spent a combined P200 million to take the U.S. licensure examination for the first time from January to June this year.

Central Luzon also has enough stocks of doxycycline, he said. Herbosa also said the DOH is expecting leptospirosis infections to spike, due to massive flooding triggered by monsoon rains and Typhoons Egay and Falcon.

Herbosa, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said he expects a rise in leptospirosis infections.

“Flood waters are dirty. If you tend to wade in deep floods even if you don’t have to, you may get infected,” Herbosa said.

The DOH chief also said that those with open wounds who waded in flood-hit areas have a higher chance of getting leptospirosis.

Herbosa advises those who may have symptoms like chills, body pain, and headache to see a doctor right away.

“If you have wounds on your feet, you should not be wading in the flood. See a doctor if you were forced to wade. Show your physician your wounds so he or she could prescribe you medicines,” he said.

VANTAGE POINT.

A woman climbs atop a scaffolding to have a better view of photographs on exhibit at the Plaza Roma in front of the Manila Cathedral on Sunday. The exhibit showcased the Philippine democratic process, highlighting the important role that every citizen plays in shaping the country’s future. Danny Pata