A Call to All The Filipinos in Philippines and Abroad: Scrap The PhilHealth Circular No. 022

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The Migrante Middle East petition said, “The hike in OFWs health insurance premium will not only bleed us (OFWs and dependents) dry, it also sucks out our blood leading ‘to death due to deprivation of free and affordable social services’. The government through various agencies is killing us so softly by imposing additional fees in pretense of better social services.”

The Migrante Middle East is appealing to all fellow OFWs around the world, their dependents, friends and OFWs advocates to join their campaign by signing the petition and help pass it on to others and urge them to "Scrap Philippine Health Circular No. 022 – this is about the increase of PhilHealth annual premium contribution from P900 to P2,400 which will effect on July 1, 2012.

I searched out the names of the Board of Directors of PhilHealth and to know also if the said PhilHealth Circular No. 022 is approved by all the board of directors but unfortunately out of 14 members only one has affixed his signature to PhilHealth Circular No. 022 in the named of Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon and the other name who also signed her signature was not in the list or not in the list of Executive Officers. The PhilHealth Board of Directors are as follows:

1. Board Chair: Hon. Enrique T. Ona, M.D.
2. CSC Chairman: Hon. Francisco T. Duque III, M.D., MSc
3. DILG Secretary: Hon. Jesse M. Robredo
4. DSWD Secretary: Hon. Corazon J. Soliman
5. DOLE Secretary: Hon. Rosalinda D. Baldoz
6. Health Care Providers Sector: Hon. Juan M. Flavier, M.D.
7. Labor Sector: Hon. Alexander A. Ayco, M.D.
8. Employers Sector/President and Chief Executive Officer: Hon. Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon
9. Self Employed Sector: Hon. Francisco Vicente F. Lopez M.D.
10. SSS President & CEO: Hon. Emilio S. De Quiros, Jr.
11. GSIS President & General Manager: Hon. Robert G. Vergara
12. NAPC-BS Vice Chairman: Hon. Florencia P. Cabatingan
13. Filipino Overseas Workers: Hon. Jane M.N. Sta. Ana
14. Corporate Secretary: Atty. Genesis M. Adarlo

Obviously, the PhilHealth Circular No. 022 was created by two people in named of Dr. Eduardo P. Banzon and MA. TERESA A. QUIAGIT and approved by them without the approval of other Board Members and other Executive Officers of PhilHealth. It was created on December 15, 2011. The said circular is not only addressed to the 11 million+ OFWs around the world but also to all the Filipinos in Philippines. To read the said Circular No. 022 visit the link PhilHealth Circular No. 022.

The said PhilHealth Circular No. 022 is believed by Filipinos in Philippines including the 11 million+ OFWs as against the REPUBLIC ACT No. 10022 – AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8042, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MIGRANT WORKERS AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS ACT OF 1995, AS AMENDED, FURTHER IMPROVING THE STANDARD OF PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF THE WELFARE OF MIGRANT WORKERS, THEIR FAMILIES AND OVERSEAS FILIPINOS IN DISTRESS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 

Under the RULE XVII: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS – Section 4. Government Fees, Administrative Costs and Taxes. All fees for services being charged by any government agency on migrant workers prevailing at the time of the effectivity of this Rule shall not be increased. This RA No. 10022 was officially approved and signed by the former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on March 08, 2010.

The Migrante Middle East said “We are targeting 1-M signatures by July 2012, the supposed start of imposing PhilHealth premium of P2,400 from the current P900. With our position paper, we will send the signatures to President Noynoy Aquino and to the PhilHealth Board members, members of the Senate and House of Representatives.”

As of this writing there are already 502 Filipinos have joined the petition and yet still very far to 1-M target-ted signatures – so if you are Filipinos living in Philippines and Abroad you are hereby invited to join the said petition – go to this link No to PhilHealth Premium Increase Scrap Circular No. 022. And if possible share this call to your family, relatives, friends and friends of friends around the world!

To read my previous article visit Pruelpo Shares: The Largest Protest in History: No to SOPA and PIPA 

Solution to Help The Jobless Saudi Nationals

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Seven years ago, the Saudization was intensified and there were many interesting incidents ensued such as picking up of employees, head-shaving and the hibernating of arrested workers in a closed quarters guarded by the authorities for a day or couple of weeks before sending them back home. Mostly of the expatriates and foreigners alike in Saudi Arabia believed that Saudization is a warning sign and time will come that the host country would no longer need the services of the expatriates.

The campaign of Saudization aims to saudize some jobs sectors including retails and sales jobs. And to support the Saudization, the Labor Ministry had launched a special training program for Saudi Nationals, to be trained and make them fit to work for the targeted different categories of business activities. The Saudi Government has prioritized Saudization, as a positive solution aiming to increase employment of Saudi Nationals across all sectors of the domestic economy, to reduce servility on foreign workers, and to get back and restore income that would have flowed overseas as remittances.

Full Story Saudization is a Positive Solution to Help The Jobless Saudi Nationals

As part of Saudization program on July 2, 2011, the Saudi Government has stopped hiring new workers from Philippines, Indonesia and other Asian countries and also starting checking out those companies in the Kingdom who do not comply and disregard the goal of Saudization. Honestly, I am affected with Saudization but my two hands are up and saluting the Saudi Government. Saudization is a positive solution to help the jobless Saudi Nationals. Every year the Kingdom also produced thousands of new graduates from colleges and universities and these young Saudis need jobs too!   

Related articles

• Saudi Arabia is Strong and Powerful (wellnessincome.blogspot.com)
• Saudi Minister explains expatriate time-bar plan (yasirimran.wordpress.com)
• Saudis hiring their own, finally (ekonometrics.blogspot.com)

The Tree with Thousands Uses

I was looking for an idea to write and my attention was attracted to a certain plant existing for along time with the history of man from generation to generation. This is what I found and I wanted to share the good news to other people about this plant. 

My subject for this research article has taught me a lot of things about its existing and how people could benefit from consuming and using it. Now I can shout to the whole world that to own this tree is a legacy. The only tree existing in the world with thousands uses - from the tips of its leaves down to the tips of its roots!

Scientific studies have shown that this plant has anti-microbial and anti-viral properties and is now even being used in treating AIDS patients. Studies conducted in the Philippines showed that it does indeed reduce the viral load in AIDS patients.

That claim was supported by Jon J. Kabara, PH.D and Professor Emeritus, Michigan State University said, "Never before in the history of man is it so important to emphasize the value of lauric oils. The medium-chain fats in it are similar to fats in mother's milk and have similar nutriceutical effects." 

However, the origin of this plant is not yet fully determined as it is still subject for debate for the following reasons:
(1) Most authorities claim it is native to  South Asia while others claim its origin is in northwestern South America.
(2) Fossil records from New Zealand indicate that those plants grew there as long as 15 million years ago.
(3) Even older fossils have been uncovered in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Thennai in Kerala on the banks of River Palar, Then-pennai, Thamirabharani, Cauvery and Mountain sides at Kerala borders, Konaseema-Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra (India)
(4) The oldest known so far in Khulna, Bangladesh.
(5) Mention is made in the 2nd–1st centuries BC in the Mahawamsa of Sri Lanka. The later Culawamsa states that King Aggabodhi I (575–608) planted them on his garden of 3 yojanas length, possibly believed as the earliest recorded plantation.

Read More: The Tree with Thousands Uses.

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