Filipino families can look forward to a longer week-end at the end of the month as December 1, 2008, a Monday, was declared a special non-working holiday nationwide.
Pursuant to Proclamation No. 1463, December 1, 2008 was declared as non-working holiday being a Monday, nearest to November 30, Bonifacio Day which falls on a Sunday this year.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Proclamation No. 1463 last February 18, 2008, declaring the regular and special non working holidays for this year as mandated by Republic Act No. 9492 which rationalized the celebration of the country’s holidays.
RA No. 9492 provides that holidays, except those which are religious in nature, moved to the nearest Monday unless otherwise modified by law, order or proclamation.
Aside from the said date, the President also declared December 26 (Friday) and 29 (Monday) as additional special non-working holidays to enable Filipinos to have a more meaningful observance of Christmas and New Year to strengthen their ties with one another. The move is also in line with the President’s “holiday economics”.
Other holidays listed in Proclamation 1463 for the remainder of 2008 are December 25 (Thursday)which is Christmas Day and December 30 (Tuesday), Rizal Day as regular holidays and December 31 (Wednesday) which is the last day of the year as special non-working day.
THE Department of Education (DepEd) introduced on Monday an aggressive program which will present a health practice that would improve the health and intellectual fitness of every elementary and secondary pupils across the region.
The program dubbed as “Essential Health Care Package for Rilipino Children (EHCP) aims to teach students the basic had and tooth washing practices in schools.
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus on Monday that his agency together with the Department of Health and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. launched a nationwide campaign to introduce the EHCP.
Lapus said he started the campaign in Bukidnon and Ozamis Oriental where in local government units joined the program at various venues leading a hand washing activities that is expected to address child mortality.
The DepEd wants parents and students to learn that hand washing and brushing their teeth are the most inexpensive and practical way to prevent diarrhea and pneumonia,” Lapus said.
This simple act can save the lives of millions of children he explained.
With 2008 as the United Nations Year of Sanitation, the practice of hand washing with soap is considered the most economical means of preventing diseases, especially in far-flung villages where access to sanitation is inadequate.
He said washing with soap and water reduces the incidence of death from diarrhea and respiratory diseases among children by 44 per cent, Lapus said.
Citing DepEd statistics Lapus said the highest drop out rate in the elementary came from grades one to three because of health reasons.
Records reveal that common diseases that frequently afflicts public school children include dental cavities, worm infections, diarrhea, and respiratory tract infections.
These are health problems suffered by children that triggers them to stop schooling, Lapus said.
Data indicates that 60 percent of elementary school children nationwide are inflicted with intestinal parasites followed by tooth cavities with 98 percent.
The EHCP targets some 192,264 students with a project cost of Php 4 million.
Lapus called on the full cooperation from parents and teachers in raising a community of children with clean hands and bright smiles - it takes an entire village to raise a healthy child.”
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