Capitol employee dismissed for asking money from ROFs

In exchange for slots under 'Balik Pinas, Balik Pampanga' program

ITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda dismissed on Wednesday (July 7) a job order employee who admitted to have asked received money from some returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) under the Balik Pinas, Balik Pampanga Program.

CThis was confirmed by Charlie Chua, provincial administrator.

According to Chua, John John Macapagal was deployed at the transportation services of the program, wherein he performed the said act.

“Hiningan niya ng pera ang mga ROF na hindi nakapagparehistro sampung araw o higit pa bago ang kanilang flight, ang kapalit, pinasingit niya ang mga ito sa ating programa,”said Chua.

The provincial administrator reiterated that all the services under the Balik Pinas, Balik Pampanga Program are free of charge.

“Walang bayad, walang gagastusin ang sinumang balikbayan sa programa natin. Kaya huwag sanang maniniwala [ang mga ROF], dahil libre ang lahat sa program natin basta makapagcomply lang sila sa mga requirement,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Macapagal admitted the accusation, and apologized to his victims.

“Manyad ku pung dispensa kekayu, kareta pung inyawaranan kung pera keta pung Balik Pinas, Balik Pampanga, pasensya na kayu pu, dacal pung dacal a salamat,” he said.

(I ask forgiveness from those whom I asked money for the Balik Pinas,

Office (CHO), inoculated a total of 23,926 children aged zero to 59 months old for the MeaslesRubella and 27,888 for the oral polio vaccine, under the same age category.

Once again, this year, the recognition was handed at the Heroes Hall by Charlie Sanchez, DOH-CLCHD Development Management Officer IV, to CHO Officer-in-Charge Dr. Carlos Mercado and his fellow health workers.

“Itong pagkilala na ito ay ibinibigay natin sa local government units na nag-attain ng mataas na coverage rating para sa vaccination activities na n aban ggi t .

Kapag mataas ang rating, ibig sabihin nito marami ang mga batang nabakunahan, na nangangahulugan namang mas mataas ang lebel ng proteksyon sa lugar na iyon,” explained Sanchez.

The said vaccination drive is a regular program of the CHO that aims to protect children under the target eligible population from contracting measles, rubella, and polio.

It can be recalled that last November 2020, the DOH also recognized the City and Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago for the successful roll-out of “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” for the months of August and September.

Santiago, for his part, said that credits should always be given to professionals who tirelessly create innovations for the health care system and implement these on the ground.

“Ang mga pagkilalang ito ay bonus na lamang sa atin dahil nagawa natin nang maigi ang trabaho nat i n.

Dahil ang tunay na pagkilala ay dapat maibigay sa mga kasamahan natin sa larangan ng medisina, siyensiya, at kalusugan. Kung wala ang mga ito, walang bakuna. Kung walang bakuna, walang proteksyon,” Santiago shared.

Despite the availability of the said vaccines, the public, especially the parents and their children, are still urged to practice basic hygiene and nutrition practices at home as these diseases were all contagious.

(City of San Fernando Information Office)

"Since it was summer season, most of us use our aircons and electric fans more frequently and at higher settings and such appliances greatly contribute on the rise of our electric bills," he explained.

He added that high weather causes appliances with compressors such as aircons and refrigerators to work harder to cope up with the temperature, thus consuming higher electricity.

"In May, our heat index 50°C and our daily average is around 36.8°C.

Imagine that amount of work our appliances did to cool down the temperature inside our houses," he said.

Nucom also noted of the various factors that affect the overall electric bills such as generation charge,and value of electricity on sport market, among others.

"The value on spot market and the generation is out of our control but we are proud to say that SFELAPCO has one of lowest generation charge among other power distributors in the country," he said.

Meanwhile, Nucum disclosed that consumers may expect lower electricity bills this coming July as the rainy season approaches.

"As temperature starts to cool down, the demand for electricity also decreases so we can expect lower rates starting this July," he sai d.

For his part, Committee on Public Utilities Chairman Councilor Tino Dizon, who led the hearing, said that SFELAPCO's explanation shed light on several concerns raised by Fernandinos.

"We were able to understand better the situation but we are not stopping here.

We have requested several documents from SFELAPCO to prove that their rates are really not overboard," he said.

Dizon also added that hearings involving utility companies in the city must be regularly conducted to monitor their rates and operations.

"It is only fit that we know, understand and are updated of their rates so we assured that we are paying only the right amount for their services," he said.