A LEGISLATOR has filed a bill mandating local governments to appropriate at least 10 percent of their annual Internal Revenue Allotments to fund local health programs and services.

Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino Rep. Arnulfo Go of Sultan Kudarat said House Bill 3614 aims to adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health and other social services, and endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all people at affordable prices.

“As a Sangguniang Bayan member for nine years, my heart cries out for those who could ill afford primary health services,” Go said.

He pushed for the approval of the bill as he stressed the need for local governments to prioritize health services for the underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women and children.

Go said the bill intends to ensure the efficient and effective implementation of health programs and services by the local governments to aid in the development of a healthy and alert citizenry.

“Local government projects are important, however, appropriations for the development projects, local health programs and services should be our top priority,” Go said.

“I believe that the health of the people should come first in the order of battle against poverty, malnutrition and hunger,” he added.

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Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said the thousands of Filipinos who are about to make their annual trek to the provinces this Holy Week can help keep forests and ecotourism sites clean and green by simply avoiding the practice of discarding garbage anywhere.

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THE National Police’s Task Force Usig has filed murder cases against 13 communist rebels allegedly involved in the separate killings of two businessmen, who were reportedly executed for their failure to agree to pay “revolutionary taxes” to the New People’s Army (NPA) in Masbate,

“PHYSICIANS are allowed to dispense and maintain an appropriate amount of dangerous drugs, provided they don’t have access to commercial drugstores within 5 kilometers from their location.”

A LEGISLATOR has filed a bill mandating local governments to appropriate at least 10 percent of their annual Internal Revenue Allotments to fund local health programs and services.