Hontiveros Begins Term with “Health Package for Women and Children”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Health advocate and now Senator Risa Hontiveros filed on Thursday three bills she labeled as a “health package for women and children”.

The former PhilHealth Director said the bills are keeping true to her campaign promise, reflecting into legislative proposals the issues she encountered as a health advocate. Hontiveros ran under the platform of universal healthcare and the slogan “Healthy Pinoy, Healthy ‘Pinas”.

Hontiveros’ health package includes the strengthening of the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law, extension of maternity leave from 60 calendar days to 120, and the Bibong Barangay Health Worker Bill which seeks to increase compensation and training for barangay health workers or BHWs.

Strengthening the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law

The strengthening of the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law is urgent, according to the newly-elected Senator. She cited numerous cases of complications and even death due to refusal of some hospitals to admit indigent patients in emergency cases.

According to Hontiveros, there is a need to bridge the gap between the services offered by private and public hospitals. In the Philippines, seven out of ten Filipinos die without seeing a doctor, and more than 50% of barangays lack a barangay health station.

Hontiveros lamented the situation of patients, especially childbearing women, who are placed in dire situations when private hospitals and clinics refuse admission. She seeks to place harsher penalties against hospitals that violate the law.



Extension of Maternity Leave

Hontiveros also seeks to extend maternity leave from 60 to 120 days. Hontiveros’ Senate bill version, however, provides a unique provision of giving option to women to allocate a portion of their maternity leave to an alternate caregiver.

“It takes a community to raise a child”, quoted Hontiveros referring to husbands, legal partners and even adoptive parents as part of that ‘community’.

The newly-elected Senator said that she wants to ensure that women are not discriminated against in employment due to an increase in maternity leave, if ever provided by law.

The former PhilHealth Director argued that her proposed mechanism of giving option to women to allocate a portion of their maternity leave will give equal responsibility to men or to legal partners and will be seen as equal before employers.

The bill also gives a 30-day parental leave for new adoptive parents to allow time for nurture and bonding with the adoptive child.



Added compensation and training to BHWs

“Barangay health workers are our first responders,” said Hontiveros. “But they are not given enough training and compensation for their service”, she added.

Her bill seeks to professionalize the barangay health system by giving additional training and compensation. Currently, BHWs are considered as barangay volunteers with little or no allowance.

The national government should give a counterpart in funding to the local government units, she explained.



Building blocks or pillars of universal healthcare

Hontiveros explained that her proposed health package is one of the many building blocks or pillars of universal healthcare.

She said that she plans to file more proposed legislations that will advance healthcare financing, increased benefits for various sectors, and generally improve the country’s healthcare system.

“Universal healthcare is possible in our lifetime”, she concluded.

DOE Institutionalizes Gender Balance in the Energy Sector

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In institutionalizing gender balance and equality, the Department of Energy (DOE) formally launches the “Gender Toolkit for the Energy Sector” on 29 June 2016 at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.

Outgoing Energy Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada said "the DOE Gender Toolkit is a milestone for the sector and a glorification of my leadership in the agency being the first female Secretary." Relatively, Sec. Monsada has been with the DOE for 37 years and rose from the ranks showing that women are able and capable to perform works related to science and technology, among others.

Moreover, in her speech delivered by Asst. Dir. Carmencita A. Bariso as the Head of Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System Technical Working Group, she also said it is "the very testament of our strong desire to pursue gender equality and women empowerment in our workplace by giving emphasis on the many possibilities that women can do."

The DOE recognizes women as competent partners in nation building, particularly in policy and decision-making, through crafting and implementing programs and projects (e.g., Girls and Science, Girls in Science program, Gender Mapping, & various IECs regarding energy safety and efficiency for Households) which are devoted to uplifting not only the female gender’s morale, but also educating the male counterpart of their important role towards the advocacy of gender balance.

Above photo shows Energy Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada presenting the DOE Gender Toolkit for the Energy Sector together with the DOE-GAD Focal Point System.

Double the Excitement with 2 Same-Day-as-Japan Series on Animax this July!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It’s a power-packed July as Animax brings to fans two highly anticipated anime series express from Japan! Handpicked from the best series of the upcoming season, viewers across Asia will now be able to watch D.Gray-man HALLOW and Mob Psycho 100 with localized subtitles on the same day as Japan.

Long-awaited continuation of hit series D.Gray-man!

Picking up where the previous season left off, D.Gray-man HALLOW brings a fresh new look to the hit series for the 10th year anniversary of its anime debut. Set in the early 20th century, the series revolves around Allen Walker, a teenager exorcist who is able to transform his left arm into a large claw or sword. He is part of a group known as the Black Order, whose sole mission is to protect mankind from the evildoings of the villainous Millennium Earl. With social media and the online sphere abuzz with anticipation for the series, it is undoubtedly one of the hottest new titles of the upcoming season!

D.Gray-man HALLOW premieres on the same day as Japan on 5 July, every Tuesday at 10pm.



The next One Punch Man?

Adapted from a celebrated manga by One Punch Man author ONE, Mob Psycho 100 is a supernatural comedy that revolves around Kageyama Shigeo, a seemingly ordinary boy who keeps his psychic powers hidden. Known to others as “Mob”, Shigeo intentionally refrains from making his presence known or standing out amongst others due to a peculiar affliction – his psychic powers will go out of control and he explodes if his emotional capacity reaches 100%! Produced by renowned studio BONES (known for its work on hit series such as Fullmetal Alchemist and Space Dandy), fans are sure to be in for an amazing visual treat!

Mob Psycho 100 premieres on the same day as Japan on 12 July, every Tuesday at 10.30pm.