Items filtered by date: September 2021

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 30, 2021) – Dolores Peregrino (center), Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) 12 cold chain manager, demonstrates to Maria Razel Bustria (right), provincial NIP (National Immunization Program) coordinator, the proper handling and storing of Pfizer vaccines. On September 28, a total of 780 vials of Pfizer vaccines were delivered to the Provincial Health Office and Provincial Department of Health Office (PHO-PDOHO) building. According to Bustria, the Pfizer vaccines “was the first batch to arrive” in the province. She said Pfizer “requires a particular way of handling and storing”. One of the requirements to get Pfizer vaccines “is to have an ultra low freezer to ensure its proper storage.” The ultra low freezer was purchased by the Provincial Government of Sarangani through the initiative of Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, Congressman Ruel Pacquiao with the full support of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members headed by Vice Governor Elmer De Peralta. The ultra low freezer, which costs P680,000, was delivered to the Provincial Health Office on September 15. It can store up to 4,000 vials of the Pfizer vaccines. Bustria said the ultra low freezer was approved by the Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). “Kapag walang ultra low freezer, walang Pfizer vaccines. Ito yung pinaka-basic requirement natin,” she added. Apart from Pfizer, the Provincial Government of Sarangani also received an additional 4,000 vials of Sinovac vaccines intended for category A4 or the frontline personnel in essential sectors, including uniformed personnel. (Jake Narte-Joshua John Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 30, 2021) – Personnel from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Bureau of Fire Protection assist in transferring Sarangani’s first Pfizer vaccine allocation on September 28 at the Provincial Health Office and Provincial Department of Health Office (PHO-PDOHO) building. A total of 780 vials with six doses each were turned over to the provincial government of Sarangani which Maria Razel Bustria, provincial NIP (National Immunization Program) coordinator, accounted for a total of 4,680 doses or “can accommodate 2,340 individuals with two doses each.” She said the first and second dose of the Pfizer vaccine is administered with 21 days interval. According to Bustria, as discussed during the consultation meeting between the PHO and Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, it was decided to allot these jabs to the senior citizens due to the limited number of Pfizer vaccines. “Per national advisory, ang makakatanggap nito are those who belong under the category A1 or the frontline health workers, A2 or the senior citizens, A3 or those individuals 18 years old and above with comorbidities and A5 or the indigent population,” however, Bustria said, “we have seen that our senior citizens are the ones who are vulnerable from the virus and since these vaccines are limited that is why our leaders have decided to prioritize the elderly first.” A total of 4,000 Sinovac vaccines was also turned over which is set to be administered for the ongoing vaccination for category A4. (Jake Narte-Joshua John Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 30, 2021) – Sarangani has obtained additional personal protective equipment (PPEs) for its medical frontliners from the RD Foundation Inc. in partnership with the Rotary World Help of Canada.

Charisse Lynn Alquiza, provincial health office supply officer, received a total of 4,000 surgical masks, 1,500 pairs of examination gloves, 500 pieces of N95 masks, 500 pieces of face shields, 500 pieces of hand sanitizers, and 500 pieces of coverall suits during the ceremonial turnover on September 28 at the Provincial Health Office and Provincial Department of Health Office (PHO-PDOHO) building.

The PPEs will be used by the medical frontliners in the province particularly those who are handling Covid-19 cases.

Alquiza said the additional medical supply is a “great help” to all the "frontliners" in performing duties especially now that there is a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases in the province.

“Napakalaking bagay talaga nitong additional PPEs na na-receive natin para matulungan at mapagaan yung trabaho ng ating mga frontliners especially those who are assigned to attend Covid-19 patients,” Alquiza added.

The PPEs were handed over by representative of RD Foundation headed by executive director Ryan Vidanes.

The turned over PPEs were made possible with the help of the Rotary World Club of Canada which has been a long-time partner of the RD Foundation in donating medical equipment and supplies to its identified beneficiaries especially this time of the pandemic.

During the onset of the Covid-19, RD Foundation was also among the first to respond and extend assistance to Sarangani.

According to Vidanes, the PPEs are all from Canada, “so in terms of the quality ng mga donations natin, we have the guarantee.”

“We believe na napapahalagahan itong ating ibinibigay na assistance especially this time of the pandemic lalo na at we are on the second year na and depleted na yung resources ng ating government,” said Vidanes.

Through the collaboration of the private organizations and the government, Vidanes further said “the sense of protection will be carried on and this will help our frontliners to alleviate yung hirap na pinagdadaanan nila.”

“We believe that the partnership that we have established with the Local Government of Sarangani will go a long way and will continue for the sake of our constituents,” Vidanes said. (Jake Narte-Joshua John S. Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

Photo by Jake Narte taken on September 28 during the ceremonial turnover of PPEs at PHO-PDOHO building.

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 28, 2021) – Members of Sarangani’s Provincial Tribal Council (PTC) and Sulong Tribu program exchange pleasantries with Philippine Sports Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey (center) as they welcome him and his team to Sarangani on September 24 during the PTC’s meeting at the Capitol gym. During the meeting, Maxey thanked the council for the warm welcome and commended the “lively discussion” as they tackled the tribal sports and games to be featured in the Indigenous Peoples’ Traditional Sports and Games demonstration recording project of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC). Maxey said “hearing the discussions from the council members has become very educational and very informative for me on the kinds of sports the tribes have which will be featured in the demo project.” According to Maxey, the PSC will agree to any rules of the IP community as they implement the project. (Tres Besana-Jori Mae Samillano/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 28, 2021) – Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon said Sarangani’s newly-opened Covid center is the provincial government’s proactive response to the overwhelming admissions in the hospitals due to the surge of Covid-19 cases.

The Sarangani Covid Center is sited at Kawas, a barangay in the capital town Alabel. It is a 60-bed capacity facility but the governor plans to gradually add 30 more rooms since the site still has space for upgrading.

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 28, 2021) – Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon (extreme left) start a conversation with Board Members Jose Tranquilino Ruiz and newly-installed president of the Federation of Association of Barangay Captains (FABC) Umbra Pangolima during the inauguration of the Sarangani Covid Center on September 21 at Barangay Kawas. The officials talked about the status of Covid-19 response of the provincial government. According to Solon, the presently 60-bed capacity facility “can be further expanded.” He added, “malaking bagay itong center kasi alam natin na halos lahat ng ating hospitals and facilities ay punong-puno kaya nga God willing, dahan-dahan maka-open pa tayo ng additional rooms kasi upon assessment, makikita natin na pwede pang ma-upgrade ang area.” The activity was also graced by Board Members Corazon Grafilo, Ephraim Galzote, Irish Louie Arnado-Beñola, Joseph Calanao and George Falgui. Also present in the inauguration rites were Assistant Provincial Administrator for operations Engr. Gerald Faciol, Sarangani Healthcare Facility Chief of Hospital Dr. Aileen Brion, Department of Public Works and Highways representatives, Kawas and Ladol Barangay Kagawads Mohammad Pulalon and Jenepher Castañeda. (Joshua John Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 28, 2021) – The Provincial Government of Sarangani inaugurates the 60-bed capacity Sarangani Covid Center on September 21 at Barangay Kawas. The center is equipped with air-conditioned rooms with personal restrooms, high-end CCTV cameras, designated quarters for probable and confirmed cases and an emergency room. The center also has a designated quarter for the in-house workers to provide consistent monitoring to the Covid patients. Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon expressed his gratitude as the said center reaped 100% perfect score from the inspection conducted by the Department of Health-Regulations, Licensing and Enforcement Division (DOH-RLED). Accordingly, it is the “first time” that an isolation facility received a perfect score by the DOH across Region 12. The center began accepting patients on September 25 and prioritized the referrals from the province-run hospitals and facilities that are overwhelmed by the number of Covid patients. (Martin Fernando Bernad Jr.-Joshua John Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 28, 2021) – The Sarangani Covid Center formally opens on September 21 in Barangay Kawas and currently caters to Covid patients with mild, moderate to moderate-high conditions. The center was inaugurated together with a brand-new unit ambulance donated by the Pitmaster Foundation. The center has a 60-bed capacity with emergency room, designated quarter for probable and confirmed cases, nurse station. In-house staff also has designated quarters to assure the consistent monitoring of patients. Dr. Joyce Bulambot, facility manager, disclosed that patients who will be admitted at the center will be assured of “care and will be provided with appropriate needs for faster recovery.” The center is equipped with air-conditioned rooms with personal restrooms and high-end CCTV cameras. The facility was made of container vans converted into rooms fenced with poles to assure that each patient will maintain its distance and privacy from the other patients. Sarangani Covid Center also has a standby generator set. The facility was funded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) while the non-infrastructure projects such as the manpower were subsidized by the Provincial Government of Sarangani. (Joshua John Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 28, 2021) – Dr. Joyce Bulambot, Sarangani Covid Center Facility manager, leads the walk-through of the 60-bed capacity Sarangani Covid Center at Barangay Kawas on September 21. The Sarangani Covid Center is only designed to cater to patients whose symptoms are mild, moderate to moderate-high and will only accept patients referred by the municipal hospitals. Each room in the facility is airconditioned and has personal restrooms, television set and internet access. According to Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon, the center is a huge help to “at least” minimize the volume of Covid patients in the provincial hospital and the facilities as the number of cases is still increasing. “Importante ni kay as what we can see now sa atong hospitals ang uban patients naa na sa atong hallways. That is why dakong bagay ning pag-open sa atong facility karong adlawa,” Solon said. The facility was funded by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) while the non-infrastructure projects such as the manpower were subsidized by the Provincial Government of Sarangani. (Joshua John Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

ALABEL, Sarangani (September 28, 2021) – The Provincial Government of Sarangani formally receives a brand-new unit of ambulance from Pitmaster Foundation on September 21 during the inauguration of the Sarangani Covid Center at Barangay Kawas. Pitmaster Foundation is an organization established to initiate a charity project which aims to provide aid to indigent Filipinos nationwide. Part of the organization's future plans is to extend medical and financial assistance to those who are getting treatment for other forms of sickness. It also eyes to be responsive in times of disaster and calamities in the country thru conducting relief operations nationwide. Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon said “despite this pandemic, blessed gihapon kaayo ang Sarangani for the overflowing blessings through the support coming from our partners. Wala gayud ta ginapasagdan sa atong Ginoo.” (Joshua John Pantonial/SARANGANI PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)