The Official Website of Rene Relampagos

Bohol’s First District Representative Rene L. Relampagos has responded to the request of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for assistance in disseminating information regarding DOST Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarships for the year 2013 and has now made available in his district office information sheets and forms interested applicants need to apply. This is an effort to open good educational opportunities like this to as many of his constituents as possible.

DOST – Science Education Institute (SEI) offers RA 7687 and Merit scholarship programs. RA 7687 also known as the Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994, awards scholarships to poor but talented and deserving students who belong to a family whose socio-economic status does not exceed the set values of certain indicators and wish to pursue priority fields of study in science, mathematics and engineering. The applicant must be a natural-born Filipino citizen; belongs to the top five percent (5%) of the regular high school graduating class or member of the graduating class of a DOST-SEI identified or DepEd-recognized science high school; a resident of the municipality for the last 4 years as attested by the barangay; of good moral character and in good health; and qualifier of the 2013 S&T Scholarship Examination. The Merit Scholarship program awards Bachelor of Science degree programs to students with high aptitude in science and mathematics and willing to pursue fields of science and technology. The applicant must be a natural-born Filipino citizen; belongs to the top five percent (5%) of the regular high school graduating class or member of the graduating class of a DOST-SEI identified or DepEd-recognized science high school; of good moral character and in good health; and qualifier of the S&T Scholarship Examination.

Qualified applicants will be given P6000 per semester per term; a book allowance of P5000 per year; MS/PE uniform (1st semester of first year only) allowance of P500; transportation allowance for those studying outside of home province; stipend of up to P5000 for BS Physics/Applied Physics/Physics Teaching/Geology/MiningE and up to P4000 for other DOST-SEI priority courses, plus a post-graduation clothing allowance of P1000.

The application forms can be obtained at DOST Regional offices, Provincial Science and Technology Centers (PSTC) or offices of congressmen and senators. It can also be downloaded at the following websites: www.sei.dost.gov.ph and www.science-scholarships.ph. Interested applicants may visit the office of Cong. Rene L. Relampagos, at the ground floor of the Provincial Capitol Commercial Complex along Marapao Street, Tagbilaran City. The accomplished form can be filed at the SEI or DOST Regional Office/PSTC nearest the applicant’s school. Deadline for filing of application is October 5, 2012 and the date of examination is November 18, 2012. A non-refundable test fee of P200 will be collected in the form of cash, postal money orders, telegraphic transfer, certified cashier’s and manager’s checks. Personal checks are not accepted. The Examination has intellective and non-intellective components and the awardees shall be selected on the basis of their performance in this examination. The list of awardees will be approved and announced by the DOST Secretary and is final and unappealable.

Author: Jill Christianae A. Rendon

Despite the heavy rains in Manila suspending work, Bohol’s first district representative, Rene L. Relampagos worked on writing a house bill to be filed next week that seeks to amend Act No. 3114, as amended by Batas Pambansa Blg. 640 and Rep. Act No. 7266, by increasing the bed capacity of Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) in Tagbilaran City, from two hundred twenty five (225) to four hundred ten (410) beds.

Together with the request to increase bed capacity of GCGMH is the upgrading of medical facilities and equipment. Statistical records show that the number of patients needing higher level of radiologic examination results is increasing due to the apparent number of victims from vehicular accidents. Based on case study reports for the last five years, transport accident is one of the top ten causes of mortality and morbidity.

Such move is based on the fact that after more than 20 years, there has been no increase in bed capacity despite the rapid population growth in Tagbilaran City and in the Province of Bohol. With the said population growth of the city and the province, along with the increase in number of patients, there are instances that patients in GCGMH have to share beds, causing a lot of diseases and medical problems closely associated with urbanization, naturally causing the continuing increase in the number of indigent patients needing medical treatment at the GCGMH. It is not difficult to imagine that a considerable number of patients are not accommodated at once and many have to wait for their turn due to lack of available bed space in GCGMH.

The solon believes that this situation needs urgent attention considering that GCGMH is a regional hospital for Region 7 and that Bohol and the entire Visayas region deserve quality medical service.

Being the chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights, Relampagos holds on to constitutional provisions regarding health care and medical services. Upon composition of the bill, he specifically cited Section 11, Art. XIII of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines which provides: “The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services
available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers.

If passed, the increase in authorized bed capacity from two hundred twenty five (225) to four hundred ten (410) beds must be implemented for a period of not more than five years from the approval of the Act.

Author: Jill Christianae A. Rendon