Advocacy campaign on downstream oil industry set in Caraga region
By Nora L.
Molde
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 28 (PIA) - The Department of
Energy (DOE), in partnership with the Philippine Information Agency Caraga
(PIA), will conduct a series of Multi-Sectoral Advocacy Campaign on Downstream
Oil Industry (DOI) here on March 28 and March 30 in Surigao City.
Part of the event is a radio hopping/guesting
where officials form the DOE will also answer queries from the
public/listeners.
Also, the advocacy campaign was conceptualized in
order to create and capacitate a critical mass of communicators/media
practitioners that would serve as conduits in disseminating the benefits and
developments in the industry.
To maximize the campaign, other DOE stakeholders
are also invited such as, Department of Trade and Industry - Bureau of Product
Standards, Department of the Interior and Local Government - Bureau of Fire
Protection, Local Government Units, Liquid Petroleum Products (LPP) retailers,
and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) dealers.
The topics to be discussed include, among others,
the Overview on the Downstream Oil Industry, LPG Industry Regulatory Framework,
Retail Rules, Metrology and Basic Principles on the Sealing and Calibration of
a Dispensing Pump.
The campaign was launched in Palawan and
replicated in nine cities/municipalities in 2012. Following the successful
conduct of these activities and the positive feedback it has created among the
various stakeholders, Caraga region would replicate the same in Surigao del
Norte and Agusan del Norte provinces.
The activity is under the Communication
Initiatives Program being managed and implemented by the DOE through its Oil
Industry Management Bureau (OIMB). (NCLM/PIA-Caraga)
Province of Dinagat Islands is now rabies-free
By Rhea C. Abao
BUTUAN CITY, Mar. 28 (PIA) - The Province of
Dinagat Island has been declared rabies-free zone and a local declaration was
conducted last March 16 by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Department of
Health (DOH), lead implementers of the Rabies Eradication and Control
Program. These include the
municipalities of Basilisa, Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo, Loreto, San Jose and
Tubajon.
“This is the fruit of our labor as we push
strategic measures in eliminating rabies in our province. Our advocacy through
information awareness and mass dog vaccination campaign paved the way for us to
be rabies-free,” said Dr. Aimee A. Jimeno, Provincial Veterinarian.
The provincial government has implemented dog
control measures through the enforcement of local ordinances in accordance with
Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007. “This included impounding of stray dogs from
all municipalities,” Dr. Jimeno added.
With seven municipalities added, there are already
35 rabies-free zones in the country. Out of the totaled rabies-free zones eight
municipalities are from Caraga region including the municipality of Socorro in
Surigao del Norte. This is the result of the intensified campaign of DA, DOH
and LGUs against the disease.
“The DA together with the Bureau of Animal
Industry continues to work on eliminating rabies while promoting animal welfare
and preventing animal cruelty. Increasing public awareness on the importance of
dog vaccination will also continue throughout the region,” said Dr. Esther
CardeΓ±o, DA-Rabies regional coordinator.
In support to the Rabies Eradication Program, DA’s
Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) offers free rabies
diagnosis exam. The free laboratory exam is meant to encourage pet owners the
submission of more samples from suspected animal rabies cases.
According to DOH, rabies from dog bites continues
to be one of the leading causes of death in the country. On average, 200 to 300
Filipinos die from rabies each year. As of today there are 424 Animal Bite
Treatment Centers (ABTCs) accessible nationwide where 21 ABTCs are in Caraga
region. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
