News Briefs

Dengue watch in Cebu City

CEBU City health authorities said they will intensify efforts to raise awareness and instill practices to eliminate the incidence of dengue in the city even before the onset of the rainy season.

Cebu City Health Officer Dr. Stella Ygonia said quick response teams were set up in hotspots to limit the incidence of dengue which rose 93 percent in the first two months of this year compared to last year.

Ygonia said they are encouraging residents to practice solid waste management (SWM) to eliminate the breeding grounds of dengue-carrying mosquitoes and will equip health centers with lab equipment for early detection of dengue.

Barangays Kalubihan, Pit-os Tinago, Sto.Nino and Zapatera were identified as dengue hotspots along with Guadalupe, Lahug, Inayawan, Tisa, Labangon, Sambag 1, Basak-San Nicolas, Ermita and Tinago.

Dr. Lee James Maratas, head of the pediatrics ward in Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) said parents should be reminded that dengue afflicts their children year-round and not just from June to December.

Maratas said five people already died of dengue from January to March of which four are kids and one is an adult.

Ygonia said the City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management (CDRRM) would also help in promoting baranagy advocacy on dengue awareness. Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao

Monitoring scholarships

CEBU City Hall is considering to outsource personnel to keep track on the enrollment of scholars in 21 participating schools in the city.

Councilor Jose Daluz III, who heads the city’s scholarship committee, said the lack of monitoring prevented the city from knowing how many have dropped out of school.

Daluz said the city enrolled 7,100 scholars for school year 2010 to 2011 and they didn’t know how many have dropped out. He said not all of the 21 participating schools billed the city.

When the school year opens in June, Daluz said the scholarship committee is anticipating the enrollment of 5,350 new scholars who are incoming first year college students.

Daluz said this would bring the total to 12,450 scholars.

The city government appropriated P200 million for this year’s scholarship program which would be spent for the distribution of P10,000 tuition assistance per scholar per semester.

Another P1,000 each would be allocated for allowances. Daluz said the incoming school season marks the third year the city implemented its scholarship program.

“We have to outsource personnel to monitor the progress of our scholars since we don’t have the manpower to do this…they will also act as liaison between the schools and the city government,” Daluz said.

Applicants should secure endorsement from their barangays and take an exam that would help them determine the course they should pursue in college.

Daluz said they would to propose a budget of P400 million next year.

But he said the Cebu City government should put a cap of 20,000 enrollees to its scholarship program due to funding limitations. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac