Stage Set for 5 Presidentiables for Cagayan de Oro Leg of Pilipinas Debates 2016

By GMA-News 

Photo by Jo Madrigal

The stage is literally set as Cagayan de Oro City prepares for the first presidential debate on Sunday.

The five presidential hopefuls Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Grace Poe, former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago are all expected to face off for the first time on Sunday since they declared to run for president.

The first of the PiliPinas Debates 2016 is organized by GMA 7, the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Commission on Elections. Similar debates will be held in Luzon and in the Visayas over the course of the 90-day campaign period.

The Mindanao debate will be held at the Mini-Theater Building of the Capitol University. It will be the first time that a presidential debate will be held in Mindanao.

The event will be moderated by GMA News anchors Jessica Soho and Mike Enriquez and Inquirer.net editor-in-chief John Nery.

The Comelec earlier said that the venue can only accommodate 500 people.

Technical staff check on the stage where Sunday's debate will be held. Photo by JESSICA BARTOLOME, GMA News

Photo by JESSICA BARTOLOME

Aside from the the organizers, the security officials of the Cagayan de Oro City have also started preparing for the debate. In its initial advisory, they told residents to expect heavy traffic along Corrales, Osmeña, Gaabucayan and Recto streets on Sunday.

The PiliPinas Mindanao debate will air from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. live over GMA-7 and Super Radyo dzBB and will be livestreamed at GMA News Online. —Trisha Macas/NB, GMA News

Cholera Outbreak in Cotabato Town

By GMA TV

A cholera outbreak in Alamada town, Cotabato province, where at least eight people died after showing symptoms, was confirmed Friday afternoon by the province Gov. Lala Mendoza.

Mendoza said that the outbreak was confirmed after samples from the town were tested.

The World Health Organization defined cholera as an "acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae."

Cholera has a short incubation period of a maximum of five days. It produces an enterotoxin that causes a "painless, watery diarrhea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration and death if treatment is not promptly given."

Vomiting also occurs in most patients.

Mendoza said the tests had included chemical, bacteriological for water, and rectal swabs.

According to a separate report from GMA News stringer Garry Fuerzas, health officer Dra. Rosario Bandala said they examined more than 700 patients. Of these, 438 tested positive for Vibrio Cholerae.

Figures from the Alamada Municipal Health Office showed 769 were brought to hospitals or clinics, with 438 testing positive for Vibrio Cholerae.

The governor said the Department of Health, the provincial government and Alamada local government unit were "now taking intervention to control this outbreak."

Alamada Municipal Administrator Robin Cadava said a state of calamity, which was first declared last Wednesday, would remain over Alamada until the patients recover. The state of calamity allows the local government to use its calamity fund.

Meanwhile, Town Councilor Nolie Doromal added they had allocated P986,000 in calamity funds to help the patients.

Relatives of the eight fatalities had been given financial aid, according to the governor.

New patients

A report by GMA Davao's Jan Bautista on "24 Oras" Wednesday evening added several residents had gone to the local community hospital for treatment. They complained of vomiting, loose bowel movement, stomach pains, and dizziness.

Dr. Mary Joy Posada, chief of the Alamada Community Hospital, said in a Phlippine News Agency report that though many patients had been discharged, new patients kept complaining of stomach pain and diarrhea.

“On Monday, the patients came by batches, by 20s, even 50s, on board trucks and military vehicles,” Posada said. She added only about 178 remained in the hospital.

Still, she said the situation was better compared to the previous few days.

Hospital figures showing 600 patients were vomiting, had diarrhea and stomach pain. More than 70 percent of them have recovered and returned home.

 

 — Joel Locsin/DVM, GMA News

Travel Fun in The Philippines - a little bit different

Travel Fun with Solenn and Isabelle.

This week on Taste Buddies, know what it takes to travel in style with IT girls Solenn Heussaff and Isabelle Daza share informative tips to make adventure fun and convenient. The girls unpack their bags to reveal every girl's travel must-have as they also teach us to review our travel rights plus try something new and exciting at the island rose farm. And finally, the girls don chambermaid outfits as they learn the basics of hotel housekeeping. These and more in the next Saturdate with the IT girls on Taste Buddies TODAY at 5.40 p.m. on GMA News TV. ENJOY!