Newsbriefs
VEHICLE USED BY JOAVAN TO BE TURNED OVER TO POLICE
THE green Mitsubishi Adventure sports utility vehicle (SUV) used by Joavan Fernandez and his companions in one of their escapades will be turned over to the Talisay City police sometime next month.
Supt. Elmer Lim, Talisay City police chief, said Talisay City Mayor-elect Johnny delos Reyes promised this to him when he visited the Talisay City police station last week.
Lim said the mayor saw their office and promised that they will be given a bigger space once he sits in office.
Lim said the PNP will spend to construct a building if they receive a lot donation from the local government or a private entity. Correspondent Gabriel C. Bonjoc
HOSPITAL, LAB EXPENSES EAT UP CHAMP BUDGET
Article continues after this advertisementHOSPITALIZATION and laboratory costs ate up most of the P120 million budget allocated by Cebu City Hall for the City Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (Champ) in the first quarter of this year.
Article continues after this advertisementChamp head Henry Sanchez said their assessment showed that about 3,489 patients from Cebu City’s north and south districts availed of the free medicines or 79.3 percent out of the 4,400 total target number of patients this year.
He said the P13.3 million budget for medicines was consumed by half.
About 1,920 patients availed of free laboratory tests or 45.5 percent over the target figure of 1.320 patients this year.
About P9.1 million was spent for laboratory costs or 144 percent over the allocated P3.7 million budget.
Free hospitalization services were availed by 1,846 patients or 16.5 percent over the target 1.584 number of patients.
The city set aside P11.5 million for hospitalization services and it already went over the budget by 33 percent.
About P25,000 is allocated for hospitalization and P5,000 each for laboratory and medicines for each patient. CNU Intern Jeanymae Ardiente
SEVEN MORE COURTS IN CEBU
CEBU will soon have seven additional trial courts.
President Benigno Aquino III signed new laws creating three new Regional Trial Courts (RTC) in Danao City, two in Argao town and another four in Barili town.
Associate Justice Gabriel Ingles of the Court of Appeals in Cebu City welcomed the creation of more courts in order to expedite the administration of justice in the province.
“The creation of new courts will, of course, help speed up the resolution of cases. We should have a holistic approach,” he said.
Ingles said new trial courts should also be set up in the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue.
Last May 27, President Aquino signed new laws that created new Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) branches in Makati City and RTC branches in the provinces.
The law allows the creation of six new MTC branches in Makati, and 19 other branches in various provinces: four in Barili town; three in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; three in Danao City; two in Argao town; two new RTC branches in Gumaca town in Quezon; and one court each in Sta. Cruz town in Laguna Ormoc City, Ormoc City, Midsayap town in North Cotabato, Cotabato City, and Cauayan City in Isabela. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol
