Tourist-boosting projects on

SEVERAL government programs and projects have been lined up this year to ensure a most vibrant tourism industry.

Much of the P182.2-billion government infrastructure program for 2012 will be used to build airports, roads and bridges that are instrumental in attracting tourists to visit the many attractions in several regions, including Western Visayas, the Department of Budget and Management yesterday said.

PhilHealth to deploy nurses as customer relations staff

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation will recruit and deploy registered nurses as customer assistance, relations and empowerment staff (CARES) to government hospitals to provide better, more personalized services to members at point-of-service.

Deployment is expected to start next month once the recruitment and training processes have been completed, said PhilHealth president Dr. Eduardo Banzon, adding that the engagement will run for six months but may be renewed until end of this year.

Gabriela seeks protection of nurses from exploitation

GABRIELA party-list Representative Emmi de Jesus wants to put a stop to the reported unscrupulous practice of many hospitals, both public and private, of using volunteerism or on-the-job training to exploit nurses.

P100M allotted for ‘sagip saka’

AROUND P100-million in priority development assistance funding was allotted to implement ‘sagip saka’ initially in 24 beneficiary agricultural communities, including the sugar farmers of Negros Occidental and in Victorias City.

‘Sagip saka’ is an advocacy to achieve sustainable modern agriculture and food security “by transforming agricultural communities to reach their full potential, improving farmers' and fishers' quality of life, and bridging gaps through public-private partnerships.”

Online biz registry launched

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has launched the Philippine Business Registry (PBRS), a web-based business registration system which aims to streamline business registration process and eliminate red tape.

ERC eyes amendments to prepaid retail electricity

THE Energy Regulatory Commission is set to decide on the proposed amendments to the rules on prepaid retail electric service (PRES), including the applicable rates to be charged to consumers, as well as the charging of transaction fees by retailers of prepaid cards.

The ERC already received comments and suggestions, particularly from distribution utilities on PRES, like the use of short messaging system (SMS) and the internet, as well as the proposed non-disconnection between 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. for prepaid electricity consumers.

Metrobank bares search for outstanding teachers

THE Metrobank Foundation Inc. has launched this year’s search for outstanding teachers in cooperation with the Department of Education.

The search is open to all private and public school teachers in the elementary, secondary and college level, including alternative learning system, with fulltime or permanent appointment and with full load.

Inclusion of village officials in GSIS coverage eyed

BARANGAY officials should be fully recognized as government employees by including them under the coverage of the Government Service Insurance System.

Bayan Muna party-list lawmakers Neri Colmenares and Teddy Casiño, in filing House Bill 5637, noted that barangay officials “remain unrecognized government employees despite the fact that the barangay council serves as the nearest link of the people to the government, thus depriving them of the benefits that government employees enjoy.”

Sugarcane ‘block farming’ to be up in NegOcc, 11 provinces

A TWO-YEAR pilot sugarcane block farming project will be implemented to consolidate small farms owned by agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in 12 sugar-producing provinces, including Negros Occidental.

Agri, Education offices set exam for fisheries scholarship

THE departments of Education and Agriculture will hold the competitive exam for the fisheries scholarship program (FSP) for school year 2012-2013 in March this year.

The FSP provides for five scholars per region for college studies leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Fisheries.