Baguio swimming pool open soon / 72 PWDS in PhilHealth plan/ Batang Pinoy supremacy

 
CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The City Sports Division of the City Administrator’s Office aims to reopen the Baguio Swimming Pool Complex to the public soon.
    Division Chief Gaudencio Gonzales said they will recommend to Mayor Benjamin Magalong to reopen the pool in January in response to the clamor of the different swimming clubs and other groups and individuals.
City Administrator Bonifacio Dela Peña earlier approved the opening of the pool on a test run starting Dec. 2 exclusively for the training of the city's athletes who will compete in the Batang Pinoy National Championships slated on Dec. 17-22, 2022 in Vigan City.
    Gonzales said that so far the test run has been successful with the heat pump, circulating and filter machines running well.
    The pool has been closed since March, 2019 to give way for its rehabilitation and later because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
    Gonzales said that the 50-meter pool has been upgraded in terms of size which now passes the international or Olympic standards.
    The improvement work also covered the repair and rehabilitation of the building, replacement of roof to extend to the bleachers area, enclosure of the structure and repainting of the structural frames; construction of new shower and locker rooms; and retiling of the floor.
    The rehabilitation project will however continue particularly the upgrading of the 25-meter pool and the construction of the fence between the pools and the bleachers which the project contract has yet to undertake, according to Gonzales.
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Seventy-two persons with disability (PWDs) availed of the registration for the “Konsulta Package” component of the Universal Health Care Act or Republic Act 112223 on-the-spot after undergoing orientation on the program conducted by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Baguio Local Health Insurance Office at City Hall recently.
    Chief Social Insurance Officer Janet Palaez coordinated the orientation and registration activity with the City Persons with Disability Affairs Office Head Samuel Aquino as part of the information-education-communication (IEC) on the UHC.
    Palaez said the Konsulta Package is a new benefit currently being implemented in the city which now has 10 accredited Konsulta providers where Philhealth members may opt to register to avail of said benefit.
     “Our aim is to orient our PWD members on UHC and encourage them to avail of the Konsulta package.  Prior to availability, we have to register them to a Konsulta Provider of their choice thus we need to orient them on the nitty gritty of the program,” Palaez said.

Early this year, ten of the city’s 16 district health centers have been issued licenses to operate as primary health care facilities (PCFs) which authorized them to deliver initial-contact, accessible, continuous, comprehensive and coordinated care to the communities they serve.

As such, they have also been accredited as “Konsulta” package providers and can now render individual-based health services including initial and follow-up primary care consultations, health screening and assessment and access to selected diagnostic services and medicines.

These are the district health centers of Asin headed by Medical Officer Dr. Anna Marie Banta; Atab under Dr. Carla Tabin; Atok Trail under Dr. Catherine Posadas; City Camp under Dr. Nelson Hora; Engineers Hill under Dr. Helen Colewan; Irisan under Dr. Vanessa Fagcangan; Lucban under Dr. Maria Lourdes Pakoy; Pacdal under Dr. Edna Tabooy; Pinsao under Dr. Elvira Belingon; and Quirino Hill under Dr. Marie Therese Sumbillo received their licenses from DOH Cordillera led by Regional Director Dr. Rio Magpantay, Licensing, Regulation and Enforcement Division Chief Dr. Virginia Narciso and DOH Baguio City Office DMO Jennifer Valenzuela during the City Hall flag-raising rites April 4.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said this was result of the diligence of the City Health Service Office under Dr. Rowena Galpo in keeping the city’s public health care system responsive to the needs of the constituents.

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The 220-strong Baguio City delegation is prepared to defend its title in the Batang Pinoy National Championships slated on Dec. 17-22, 2022 in Vigan City.

City Sports Division Head Gaudencio Gonzales said the city’s bets to the 17 events of the country's national youth sports competition for athletes under 15 years old have been showing high morale after being sidelined for two years due to the pandemic.

Gonzales recalled that the city had been ruling the national sports events for years.

 “There was only one occasion when it came out in second place but we were the champion in 2018 where the city hosted the event and in 2019 which was held in Palawan,” he said.

Mayor Magalong and City Administrator Dela Peña are expected to join the delegation during the opening ceremonies.

 “Everyone is excited as this will be the first national multi-sporting event to be held after two years of absence due to the pandemic,” Gonzales said.

A total of 17 events are lined up which will be played either in-person or virtually.

Events to be conducted virtually are arnis, dancesport, judo, karate, muay, pencak silat, taekwondo and wushu.

In-person events are archery, athletics, badminton, chess, cycling, table tennis, swimming, weightlifting and game sports.

Unlike the Palarong Pambansa which only involves student athletes, the Batang Pinoy includes the out-of-school youth.

It is jointly undertaken by the local government units, the Department of Education and the Philippine Sports Commission.