ACLOBAN CITY - A proof that President Benigno S. Aquino III is really serious about the promotion of public-private partnership is the announcement by Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima that the public-private partnership (PPP) program will be launched in the month of November. In a press conference held at the sidelines of the 17th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit held at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, Purisima said the conference will be held from Nov. 18-19. The public-private partnership program which aims to accelerate the financing, construction and operation of key government infrastructure projects, is part of the program of the President to really address the three main issues that has held back the economic growth of the Philippines in the past 20 years, Purisima said, enumerating the issues as the infrastructure gap, corruption and bureaucracy policies. Purisima said that they have looked back at over 15 years of experience in PPP in the Philippines and they are making adjustments to ensure that moving forward, some of the problems that were faced in the past years will be avoided. (PIA 8) November Focuses on Health TACLOBAN CITY - The month of November highlights many health issues which are the concerns not only of the government, the Department of Health, the local government units but all the sectors in the community as a whole.
November is Filariasis Awareness Month, to focus on the elimination of the mosquito-bite disease which affects women and children in the remote areas of the 39 identified provinces of the country. November has also been declared as the Cancer Pain Management Awareness Month. It is dedicated to building the understanding and support that can help people with pain lead better lives. This partnership strives to create greater understanding among health care providers, pain patients and families who are struggling with pain management, the business community, legislators, and the general public that pain is a serious public health issue. The month of November is also the Traditional and Alternative Health Care Month in order to heighten awareness to Republic Act 8423 or the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act, which declared that it is the policy of the State to improve the quality and delivery of health care services to the Filipino people through the development of traditional and alternative health care and its integration into the national health care delivery system. (PIA 8) Army Steps Up Nov. 2 Security TACLOBAN CITY - An army brigade based in Samar is augmenting the peacekeeping force of the PNP-8 in observance of All Saint' Day and All Souls' Day, a military commander told reporters here. CoL. Alex Albano, 801st brigade commander, of the 8th infantry division (8ID), Philippine army, with its headquarters in Camp Daza, Barangay Fatima, Hinabangan Samar, said the army soldiers under his command doing the internal security operations in their area of responsibilities are augmenting the police, barangay officials and tanods, religious groups, and other concerned organizations in their respective localities in the maintenance of peace and order in the cemeteries especially in rural areas on Oct. 31-Nov. 2. Albano, who was here in the city for official business, said that as part of the brigade's civil-military operations, he ordered his field commanders to augment the security forces and collaborate with the police, the barangay officials, tanods, religious and other concerned groups.
