PLDT Enterprise supports Project Balik Buhay for vaccine rollout in Visayas

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the largest integrated telecommunications company in the Philippines PLDT, has teamed up with Project Balik Buhay (PBB) of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) to help fast-track the rollout of COVID vaccination programs in the Visayas, particularly in Cebu.



Together with the Department of Health – Region 7 (DOH7), Regional Development Council – Region 7 (RDC7), Cebu local government units, and other private institutions, PBB is a public-private partnership aimed at saving lives and the livelihood of Cebuanos amid the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic.



PLDT Enterprise will provide strong internet connectivity in over 20 vaccination centers in the region to support the program’s data management systems.



DOH-7 Regional Director Dr. Jaime Bernadas expressed his gratitude to all the institutions that have contributed to assist the successful implementation of vaccination programs in the region. “We shall all campaign to have our people get vaccinated so that we can achieve the very critical target of at least 70 percent, if not 100 percent of the population. It is a very difficult task and the health sector itself cannot do this alone,” Bernadas added.



Meanwhile, ePLDT President and CEO and SVP and Head for PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups Jovy Hernandez said that this collaboration is part of PLDT Enterprise’s efforts to help the country rise against this pandemic. “PLDT Enterprise will continue to stand together with other institutions and extend as much assistance as we can to help overcome this crisis through technology,” Hernandez said.



Likewise, PLDT Enterprise AVP and Head of Corporate Relationship Management for Visayas Jimmy Chua added that this PBB partnership is their way of instilling hope to businesses affected in Cebu. “Through supporting the vaccination programs with connectivity, we hope that this would give a boost to industries as we are slowly working our way to recovery,” said Chua.



Since last year, the PLDT Group, through its various business units, has been enabling government initiatives and the private sector in providing relief to Filipinos in the form of affordable and free connectivity, empowerment of communities, and donation drives.



For more information, please visit pldtenterprise.com



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pH loses P 260B to Smoking Annually

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

‘Tobacco CSRs are a distraction to the real cost of smoking’ - law group

Every year, the country loses at least 260 billion pesos due to tobacco-related healthcare cost and productivity losses, according to law group ImagineLaw, citing data from the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA).

“The tobacco industry is an economic liability,” said Atty. Anna Bueno, ImagineLaw policy associate. “Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and donations from tobacco companies are insignificant compared to the real costs of smoking,” she added.

Aside from killing 117,000 Filipinos every year due to cigarettes and second-hand smoke, tobacco-related healthcare costs took away 65.80 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2012, according to the law group, citing the same report.

While the country loses at least 260 billion pesos yearly due to tobacco-related healthcare costs, taxes collected from cigarettes amounted to P148.45 billion in 2020, according to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.

Despite these alarming numbers, the tobacco industry continues to sell and market a product that kills half of its users, according to the law group. “In the time of a pandemic where it has been shown that smokers are at a greater risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, tobacco companies’ CSR activities are nothing but distractions and a way to relax tobacco control policies,” Atty. Bueno also said.

Tobacco-related illnesses translate to financial losses in the workforce, according to the law group. “These illnesses force an individual to temporarily or permanently stop going to work, contributing to major losses in human productivity,” the lawyer said.

“The Philippines is losing so much to the tobacco industry. We are not only talking about billions of pesos, we are also losing dreams and aspirations. Imagine a father, who has just entered the productive years of his life, falling victim to a lung disease caused by smoking,” she said. “You mourn the life of the father, but the burden of his death also affects a whole family in ways we cannot even begin to imagine.”

”No act of public relations or PR can mask the reality that tobacco is dangerous and deadly,” ImagineLaw emphasized. “The tobacco industry’s donations are nothing compared to the amount of resources it depletes and the number of lives it claims.”

“Instead of falling into the PR trap of cigarette companies, the government should boost its anti-smoking campaigns and strengthen smoking cessation programs,” urged Atty. Bueno. “The government should also continue to reject any move by the tobacco companies and their fronts to relax tobacco control policies,” she added.

The law group declared that tobacco companies should be held liable by the government for making smokers and secondhand smokers more susceptible to severe COVID-19 symptoms. “Tobacco companies put public health at risk, there’s no denying that,” added Atty. Bueno.

“Now, more than ever, the government needs to remain steadfast against moves by the tobacco industry to interfere with our public health policies. These policies should be upheld and their implementation strengthened. What we urgently need is a stronger public health system, not tactical donations that are only meant to take away our resources and lives,” she concluded.

DOTr Inspection of the Pangasinan Port Cluster Development Project

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Art Tugade vows to further promote development in Pangasinan through vital transport infrastructure projects and other transport initiatives as he led the inspection of the Pangasinan Port Cluster Development Project today, 10 June 2021, in Lingayen.
Secretary Tugade proceeded to the province’s capital to inspect the two (2) DOTr social and tourism port projects in Brgy. Capandanan and Brgy. Pangapisan. These much-needed projects that locals have waited for a long time, now provide a convenient docking area for fisherfolks and allow reduced travel time for locals from one destination to another.

“Pakikinabangan ng Pangasinan ang mga proyektong ito dahil sa pag-unlad ng turismo, ng ekonomiya. Dito sa munting proyektong ito ay tinatanim ang punla to realize the President’s mandate of connectivity and convenience,” Sec. Tugade said.

*Pangasinan Port Cluster Development Project*

During the inspection, local leaders and several fisherfolks expressed their gratitude to Sec. Tugade for the completion of the port projects. They emphasized that the rock causeway with stair landing in Barangay Capandanan and the river landing in Barangay Pangapisan have been game changers for serving as ideal docking areas and convenient facilities for loading/unloading of incoming/outgoing local products, particularly agricultural and marine products in the locality.

The projects were completed in 2018 by the DOTr Maritime sector, together with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) under the leadership of General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago.

“Malaki ‘ho ang naibibigay na gaan sa pasanin ng ating mga kababayan ang port projects na ito dahil bukod sa pagpapabilis ng biyahe ng ating mga kababayan, maayos na rin ang docking area para sa unloading at loading ng mga isda at agricultural products ng ating mga mangingisda o ibang lokal na residente,” Secretary Tugade pointed out.

“Apo, Secretary, you earned the respect of our congressmen and congresswomen especially when you present yourself, and the ideals, and the plans, programs and actions of the Department. You earned the admiration and respect of Congress where I used to belong. Our beloved Secretary approved the upgrading of our river landing facility. Here in Lingayen, we are supportive of your Department’s program of actions,” Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil said.

To note, around 812 fisherfolks were given decent docking areas and venues for the loading/unloading of agricultural products in their communities. Currently, 2,079 residents of Brgy. Capandanan are also ferried to Brgy. Pangapisan, especially those who are studying and working in Lingayen.

From a 30-minute travel by land, the development of the river landings reduced the travel time from Pangapisan to Capandanan and vice versa to just 3-5 minutes.

“Napakahalaga itong nagawang project. Ang barangay namin ang pinakamahirap sa buong Lingayen. Maraming salamat sa DOTr, lalo na kay Secretary Art Tugade dahil naaksyunan ang aming request. Maraming pangarap ang natupad dito sa tinatawag naming Bantayan. Maganda ang kapakinabangan nito sa amin lalo na sa mga estudyante, fisherfolks. Noon kasi nahirapan kami noong pumutok ang Mt. Pinatubo, nagkaroon ng island kaya nawala 'yung tawiran. Hinihiling din po namin Secretary na sana matugunan ang request namin na second phase ng proyekto,” Brgy. Capandanan Chairman Diosdado Santiago Jr. said.

*Lingayen Airport Expansion*

Aside from the port projects, the DOTr and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) have also completed several airport projects, including in the Lingayen Airport. However, Sec. Tugade sees the need to further expand its runway for commercial operations.

“Kailangan ‘ho, para mailagay natin sa kategorya ng tourism airport ‘yan ay kailangang pahabain ko ang runway at ma-achieve ‘yung minimum na 1,300 kilometers to 1,500 kilometers. At dapat mapalapad ‘yung runway from what it is na 30 meters ngayon. Kailangan ma-achieve natin ‘yung 40 meters. Dagdagan namin five meters sa kaliwa, five meters sa kanan, nang sa ganon ay ma-achieve ‘yung requirement,” Secretary Tugade stated.

*Free Ride Program*

Another part of Sec. Tugade's Pangasinan visit was his dialogue with transport groups and stakeholders in Dagupan, Urdaneta, and Rosales, wherein vital road transport initiatives were discussed. These include the expansion of the Free Ride Service Program of the DOTr for healthcare workers and authorized persons outside residence (APORs) in Pangasinan.

The Transportation Chief added that the “Libreng Sakay” initiative will be expanded up to 10 routes to cover inter-towns in Pangasinan.

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