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Sunday, March 22, 2020

DOST reminds graduating scholars to serve the country well


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Servant Leaders. DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, S&T Services Usec. Renato Solidum, Jr., DOST-SEI Director Josette Biyo, and DOST-SEI Deputy Director Albert Mariño encourage graduating science scholars to lead in serving the public at the 2020 Exit Conference for NCR-based scholars. Photo courtesy of Mr. Teddy Amante.

“When you signed up for the DOST Scholarship Program, you know that there is a patriotic reason behind it,” said Science Chief Fortunato de la Peña.

This message was addressed to more than 800 Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholars who attended the 2020 Exit Conference for DOST-SEI NCR Scholars held on February 21, 2020 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

The event, now on its third year of implementation, is organized to keep graduating scholars in the loop of their scholarship obligation.

“The main rationale is, of course, to produce more science and technology professionals to help us meet the demands of the country and the world. But beyond that, we envision you to become instrumental figures in nation building,” de la Peña added.

The DOST has been providing science and technology scholarships, through the DOST-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), to increase S&T workforce in the country.

After a refresher on the terms of scholarship agreement, scholars were given the opportunity to ask questions, especially on service obligation which requires scholars to render service equivalent to the length of time the scholar enjoyed the scholarship.

Top DOST officials including Sec. de la Peña, S&T Services Usec. Renato Solidum, Jr., DOST-SEI Director Josette Biyo and Deputy Director Albert Mariño joined the Q&A session to further enlighten scholars on their responsibilities.

The Exit Conference also served as venue to provide scholars with information about the DOST-SEI graduate scholarship programs.

“Looking for jobs is always a rational choice. But you can also continue nurturing your capabilities by studying some more,” said Usec. Solidum in his inspirational message.

DOST-SEI offers local graduate scholarships such as the Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (ASTHRDP) for those who want to take their master’s or doctoral degrees in priority S&T areas; the Capacity Building Program in Science and Mathematics Education (CBPSME) for students pursuing graduate degrees in science and mathematics education; and the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) for graduate students in various fields of engineering.

The Institute has also partnered with international organizations and academic institutions to provide foreign graduate scholarships to qualified Filipino scientists and engineers.

The whole-day exit conference likewise featured talks by notable guest speakers from both government and private sectors, and successful graduate scholars. Mr. Reggie Obos, former scholar and now Senior IT Manager at Procter & Gamble Philippines and Ms. Hilda Gaurino, Chief of the Human Resource Management Division at the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), shared career tips to help scholars start their S&T careers.

“We hope to continue doing the Exit Conference as part of our commitment to our scholars,” Dr. Biyo said. Other DOST regional offices have started conducting similar event for DOST scholars in the regions.

DOTr to distribute 100K face masks to hospitals, frontline employees, health workers amid COVID-19 pandemic



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The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is set to distribute 100,000 face masks to hospitals, its frontline employees, including those involved in port and airport operations, enforcers, drivers, persons involved in the DOTr Free Ride program, and health workers.

This, after a Good Samaritan donated the face masks to DOTr Secretary Arthur P. Tugade yesterday, 20 March 2020.

"To the one who donated these hundred thousand face masks, I, on behalf of the DOTr and the entire country, express our sincerest gratitude. This will greatly help our frontline employees, and of course, our health workers. These people are leaving their homes to fulfill their sworn duty -- to serve the country, and to save lives. Thank you for your utmost concern and compassion to our countrymen," Secretary Arthur Tugade expressed.





According to Transportation Undersecretary for Administrative Service and DOTr representative to the IATF Artemio Tuazon, Jr. the face masks will be distributed as soon as possible to swiftly help those that neeed it the most.

“The face masks that will be used by frontline employees, especially those in port and airport operations, enforcers, drivers, health workers and those involved in the DOTr’s Free Ride program, will be distributed today. Those that will be given to the skeletal workforce of the DOTr Central Office and its attached agencies will be distributed starting on Monday, 23 March 2020,” Usec. Tuazon said.

The DOTr will likewise donate bulk of the face masks to public hospitals on Monday, 23 March 2020. To be provided with face masks are health workers assigned at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) in Muntinlupa, San Lazaro Hospital, Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila, and the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City, among others.

"We're currently facing a battle against something that we can't see -- and that distress taught us that it is high time for Filipinos to show the world that we still have that indomitable bayanihan spirit," Secretary Tugade added.

To help health workers with their commuting needs, amid the enforcement of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in the entire Luzon, the DOTr has been deploying buses -- in coordination with several government agencies, and private companies since 18 March 2020.

The free ride initiative of the department involves the deployment of 72 buses, and two (2) modern Public Utility Vehicles (PUVs), all of which are sent out in compliance with the disease containment protocols set by the Department of Health (DOH) such as the observance of social distancing, checking of body temperature, and regular disinfecting of vehicles.

The shuttle service has 14 routes, which ferry passengers at 5AM, 7AM, 1PM, 3PM, 5PM, and 7PM.

HIV advocacy group asks government support re: COVID-19



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The LoveYourself, Inc., a community-based non-profit primary health care facility for people living with HIV (PLHIV), appeals for the support of the government for the continued and uninterrupted access of PLHIV to anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs.

Primarily, LoveYourself asks for the help of concerned national agencies, the local government units, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Philippine National Police, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to ensure smooth delivery of health services to the PLHIV community.

The organization understands the government's precautions, and fully abide with the directives of the Department of Health (DOH) to help contain the spread of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the continued delivery of its services is crucial in addressing another kind of pandemic, which is HIV.




Pagtakhan explained that "People living with HIV have become more vulnerable to contracting any diseases due to limited access to their life-saving medication, following the imposition of Enhanced Community Quarantine and declaration of the entire Philippines under a state of calamity amidst the COVID-19 situation."

"On behalf of all our clients and even other HIV treatment facilities, we humbly request the government authorities to help us deliver our services not only to our clients but also to anyone who needs to take their ARVs. These life-saving medicines support their health requirements because missing out on taking ARVs poses a danger to their health and in achieving an undetectable status," said Pagtakhan, who is also a Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World for Humanitarian Leadership awardee in 2018.

In responding to this public health crisis, LoveYourself already shifted its HIV treatment services from onsite to online processing called Xpress Refill program with the delivery of life-saving medication or ARV drugs through couriers that are currently operational.

Clients enrolled in LoveYourself treatment services and even PLHIV who have not enrolled in its treatment services but near to any of its centers are catered through the Xpress refill program: go.loveyourself.ph/XpressRefill. Clients can also call any of these hotlines:

· Anglo (Mandaluyong): 0920 502 1007 | 0999 529 2330 | 0956 615 1230 | 0915 310 7336

· Victoria (Pasay): 09995292399 | 09153107339 | 0915 831 8715

· Lily (Parañaque): 0917 155 5955 | 0928 689 6422

· Welcome (Manila): 0967 207 1976

· Hero (Bacoor, Cavite): 0956 490 3747 | 0906 483 9040

· White House (Cebu City): 0961 573 6493

LoveYourself can also be reached through e-mail at info@loveyourself.ph. Other hubs across the country can be accessed through this: go.loveyourself.ph/txhubs.

Based on the latest report of the DOH, there were 3,029 newly confirmed HIV cases in the Philippines from October to December 2019. The new cases brought the total cases of HIV in the country to 74,807 since January 1984.

LoveYourself is serving more than 5,000 PLHIV for their life-saving medications.

Together with its partner community-based organization, LoveYourself hopes for all clients to be served for their life-saving medications unimpeded while ensuring the maximum health and safety measures in availing of these services.
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