MANILA- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will increase its coverage for outpatient hemodialysis from 90 sessions to 156 sessions this year. In a media forum on Wednesday, PhilHealth President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Ledesma Jr. said this is part of their commitment to implement enhancements in the benefit packages for 2023. "This increase in the number of sessions covered is based on standards for adequate dialysis which requires three four-hour sessions every week for chronic kidney disease Stage 5 patients," Ledesma said. PhilHealth Senior Vice President Israel Francis Pargas disclosed that they are targeting to issue the new policy officially before August as the current 90 sessions may end on around that month or the second semester of the year. "So, we have the time until the second sem to make surena 'yung156 mailabasnatin(that we can release the 156 [sessions])," he said. "We hope that by this first or second sem,
ASSISTANCE.Nearly 7,300 farmers in Pampanga province have so far received inorganic fertilizers from the Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon (DA-3), in partnership with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. The move aims to ensure food and agricultural security in the province. (Photo courtesy of the provincial government of Pampanga) CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - The Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon (DA-3) has distributed inorganic fertilizers to some 7,292 farmers in this province. In partnership with the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), the initiative aims to ensure food and agricultural security in the province. Provincial agriculturist Jimmy Manlilic on Tuesday said the farmer recipients were from the towns of Magalang, Floridablance, Lubao, Guagua, Santa Rita, Porac and Mabalacat City. Manlilic said each farmer-beneficiary received two sacks containing 50 kilograms of fertilizers during the distribution activities from Feb. 10-13. "Ito
Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. president and chief executive officer Oliver Tan (Photo from CREC website) MANILA - Citicore Renewable Energy Corp. (CREC) is diversifying its renewable energy projects to support the country's 2030 energy targets. CREC president and chief executive officer Oliver Tan told reporters over the weekend that the company targets to operate solar power projects, run-of-river hydro plant, offshore wind power and energy storage system over the next seven years. Tan said CREC plans to launch 1 gigawatt (GW) of solar projects every year until 2027, or a total of 5 gigawatts (GW) installed capacity within five years. This year, the company will infuse USD800 million in capital expenditure for its solar power projects, with its project in Batangas getting the lion's share. He said CREC is also in talks with Chinese suppliers to support the firm's first battery energy storage system in Silay City in Negros Occidental, which will have a capacity of 25 mega
Screenshot from Ratio Petroleum website MANILA - The Department of Energy (DOE) bared Thursday that Israeli firm Ratio Petroleum, the operator of Service Contract (SC) 76, has found prospective oil and gas deposits in the north part of East Palawan Basin as a result of its exploration within the block. "Ratio Petroleum, the operator of SC No. 76, has identified two possible petroleum plays with over 20 leads delineated within their contract block following the completion of the first phase of their work program in October 2020," DOE said in a statement. A play pertains to a group of oil fields while a lead is a subsurface with the potential to have entrapped oil or natural gas. "Ratio Petroleum's initial work program has resulted in the identification of numerous leads that emphasize the prospectiveness of the basin. Several leads show clear anomalies, which supports the concept of the basin being gas-prone," DOE Undersecretary Alessandro Sales said. The DOE awa
(Photo courtesy of Philippine Fleet) MANILA - The Philippine Fleet and US 7th Fleet would hold staff-to-staff talks from Wednesday to Friday to discuss mutual cooperation and military exchange opportunities. Lt. Giovanni Badidles, Philippine Fleet spokesperson, said the event will be held at the Lighthouse Marina Resort, Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales province. He added that Philippine Fleet commander, Rear Admiral Renato David, will chair the proceedings along with US 7th Fleet commander, Vice Admiral Karl Thomas. "The meeting will yield meaningful discussions on important topics such as mutual cooperation and seek military exchange opportunities including maritime cooperative activities, naval aviation activities, exercises, port visits, personnel exchanges, and support for maritime defense industries, particularly shipbuilding and ship repair," Badidles said. He added the staff-to-staff talks between the Philippine Fleet and the US 7th Fleet is a regular dialogue and