LOCAL SERVICES

Fertility, Mortality, Morbidity and Services

In 2002, there were 724 recorded live births, 357 were males and 367 were females (see Table 63). It was noted that there were more births in barangays with larger population like Barangays Poblacion, San Miguel, Quinaoayanan, Centro Toma, Ranao and Dacap Sur. The urban barangay of Poblacion has the highest number of birth recorded with 66 births followed by the rural barangays of San Miguel, Quinaoayanan, Centro Toma, Ranao and Dacap Sur with 48,47,39 and 35, respectively. Other barangays had more than ten (10) but not more than thirty three (33).

The high number of livebirths in almost all barangays most particularly in the rural barangays may be due to unawareness of family planning programs, lack of information on sex education and their belief that with more children the happier the family.

In same year, the Crude Death Rate (CDR) was five (5) percent which means that about five (5) persons per 1,000 population died, while the Crude Birth Rate (CBR) was seventeen (17). For the same year, Infant Morality Rate (IMF) was six (6) percent. As to Young Child Mortality Rate (YCMR), about ten (10) percent of ten (10) children aging 1-4 years old died per 1,000 population. There were no Maternal Mortality which occurred in the year 2002.

Likewise, for the whole year of 2002, there were 2,780 clients who had General Medical Consultation in RHU1 and RHU 2, giving a Morbidity Rate of sixty-five (65) percent. This means that there were about sixty-five (65) morbid patients for every 1,000 population.

Rural Health Units

The Municipal Government of Bani has always considered the health of its people. This is emphasized by the fact that aside from the Municipal Health Board and Municipal Health Officer, the town has a Municipal Social Welfare Office, all functioning for the general well-being of the people.

Bani’s Municipal Health Office, tasked with formulating guidelines for an efficient, effective and economical implementation of health services, has two (2) Rural Health Units, RHU 1 and RHU II, respectively located at Poblacion and San Jose.

Both Rural Health Units are manned by the Municipal Health Officer, Public Health Nurse, Rural Health Midwives, Rural Sanitary Inspector, a Dentist and Dental Aide. Their department is equipped with different medical instruments and facilities, like BP Apparatus, stethoscope, weighing scale, thermometer, surgical and medical scissors, oxygen tanks, beds, stretchers, ambulance and others.

The Rural Health Units offers basic health services like immunization, maternal and child care and delivery, medical consultations, emergency medical services, dental services, medicine distribution, minor trainings, symposia and seminars to educate the people about basic first aid, family planning and proper handling, preparation and serving of foods.

Barangay Health Stations

Aside from the RHU’s, the Municipal Government has constructed three (7) Barangay Health Stations (BHS’s) to cater to the health needs of the residents at the grassroots level. Each barangay health station is supervised by a Rural Health Midwife and volunteer workers.

These BHS’s are found in Barangays Centro Toma, Tugui Norte, Luac, Banog Norte, Quinaoayanan, Garrita and Ranom Iloco.
The stations are equipped with different instruments like BP apparatus, stethoscope, weighing scale, and others for rendering health care to the residents within their catchment areas. Service offered are vaccination / immunization, maternal and child care and delivery, distribute medicines and educate people about family planning and proper nutrition.

Private Clinics and Hospital

The Municipality of Bani is fortunate to have private medical clinics that administer medical assistance to the whole populace, especially areas which are complicated and needs advice / opinion of the physician concerned. These private clinics are all located in Poblacion.

At present, a hospital is still non-existent in the locality.

Toilet Facilities

The municipality of Bani strongly recommends to all households to have their own sanitary toilet facilities to ensure good health and healthy environment. As of 2002 survey conducted by the Rural Health Units, there are still 1,051 or 12.75 percent households using unsanitary toilet facilities. Out of 8,253 households, 61 or 0.74 percent do not have any toilet facilities; they are just using public comfort rooms.

Clinics / Hospital Wastes

The wastes being generated by the three (3) private medical clinics operating in the municipality are disposed of by themselves through burning, composting and recycling. Some of their wastes are collected by the municipal garbage trucks.

Cemeteries and Burial Grounds

There are six (6) cemeteries that operate in the municipality. Of these cemeteries, four (4) are public or government owned located in Poblacion and Dacap Sur (1), and two (2) are owned by private persons both located in Poblacion. These two (2) private cemeteries are unregistered, wherein their operation is not permitted; however, the owners assert that they are not selling as these are only intended for their dead relatives.

The four (4) Municipal Cemeteries located at Poblacion and Dacap Sur with a total land area of 2.6955 hectares are still serviceable. However, maintenance and construction of perimeter fence are needed to protect the cemeteries from astray animals entering the area that may destroy the niches.

Considering the crude death rate of five (5) percent per 1,000 population, the 100% population rate, the projected population of 56, 006 by 2012, the projected 280 number of deaths in said year and standard 1.0 meter by 2.44 meters burial plateau, projected land area requirement for burying the dead is 68,320 square meters or 6.832 hectares for the ten (10) year planning period. Hence, the existing burial grounds need to be expanded by at least four (4) hectares more to meet the projected needs for burial ground until 2012.

The municipality of Bani with twenty-seven (27) barangays has thirty-nine (39) educational institutions disaggregated to twenty-nine (29) elementary schools and ten (10) secondary schools. Tertiary schools are non-operational in the locality. The existing schools have a total educational land area of 385,962 square meters or 38.5962 hectares.

All the elementary schools operating in the municipality are public or government-owned schools. These are found in Barangays Poblacion, Ambabaay, Aporao, Arwas, Ballag Norte, Banog Sur, Calabeng, Centro Toma, Colayo, Dacap Norte, Dacap Sur, Garrita, Luac, Macabit, Masidem, Quinayaoanan, Ranao, Ranom Iloco, San Jose, San Miguel, San Simon, San Vicente, Tiep, Tipor and Tugui Grande. The ten (10) secondary schools are located at Barangays San Jose, Tiep, Dacap Norte, Ranao, Quinaoayanan, Ranom Iloco, Banog Sur, Garrita, San Miguel and Poblacion, one of which is private, the Western Pangasinan Lyceum located in Poblacion.

Of these schools, only one (1) has laboratory. Shop is inexistent in all schools, however, each of these has playground. Library should be indispensable to schools, but there are only five (5) with such facility. All schools have comfort rooms but only sixteen (16) have clinics.

Other facilities like Home Economics Rooms, nurseries, canteens, stage and others are also available in the different schools.

As to kind of construction materials used, all schools are made of permanent construction materials in the form of cement, hollow blocks, steel, wood and galvanized iron sheets. Generally, all these schools are in good condition and are all functional except for some parts of school buildings like rooms, ceiling, door, roofing, walls and alleys that need repair and some educational facilities like chairs, desks and blackboard that need to be replaced and provided.

As of 2002, Bani has one hundred ninety-two (192) classrooms for elementary and eighty-one (81) for the secondary. The computed pupil / student to classroom ratios for the elementary and secondary are 35 and 49:1, respectively. This means that both levels of education are still within the standard ratio of 50:1, as mandated by the Department of Education. However, there are four secondary schools that do not meet the standard classroom to student ratio of 50:1. These are San Jose National High School, Dacap High School, Quinaoayanan High School and Garrita High School with a classroom to student ratio of 53:1; 55:1; 63:1 and 53:1 respectively.

The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) is responsible for the provision of social welfare services in the municipality. The Office is manned by a Social Welfare Officer, Social Welfare Assistant and a clerk. There are also thirty (30) Day Care Workers who render day care services to preschool children aging 3-6 years old in the 30 day care enters established in the municipality.

The MSWDO of Bani has organized and maintained social welfare structures and people’s organizations. These are the following: Senior Citizens Associations, Day Care Parents Organizations, Women’s Organization or the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina, Pag-asa Youth Association, Home-Based ECCD Association.

The MSWDO Office interlinks and coordinates with other entities, offices and agencies to fully serve and support its clientele.

All the twenty-seven (27) barangays are served by the MSWDO with the following services: Day Care Services, Supplemental Feeding, Special Social Services, Supplemental Feeding, Special Social Services for Children and Youth, Information Dissemination on Disability Prevention, Self and Social Enhancement Services for Persons with Disabilities and senior Citizens, Disaster Relief, Emergency Shelter Assistance, Aid to Individual in Crisis Situation, Disaster Management Capability Building, Parent Effectiveness Service, Pre-Marriage Counseling, Responsible Parenthood Service, Social Preparation for People’s Participation, Social Welfare Structures Development, Community Participation Skills Development, Maternal and child Care Skills Development, Self-Employment Assistance. Social welfare services are not limited to the low income social groups but also include other higher income classes who have social problems and need welfare.

Day Care Services are offered to all the barangays (27) and 3 sitios of the municipality. A Senior Citizens Center is established and located beside the Rural Health Center in Poblacion.

The largest number of clienteles, demanding welfare services are those in crisis situation and disaster or emergency cases and therefore need immediate relief services. In year 2002, the MSWDO assisted socially needy individuals through the following programs.

Family Life Education and Counseling - Under this program is the pre-marriage counseling for future couples, a pre-requisite to the issuance of a marriage license. Responsible parenthood is taught to them, enriching the relationship of the future couple. 
Day Care and Supplemental Feeding Assistance - This is a program whereby needy children between 3 to 6 years old are cared in Day Care Centers, providing them with supplemental feeding and opportunities for physical development, socialization and custodial care.

Disabled/Elderly Persons Welfare Services - This program is intended for those persons with physical disability like those visually impaired, orthopedically handicapped, with cleft palate/harelip, arrested TB, and those with impaired hearing. Those persons with mental disability like the mentally retarded and with social disability and old aged are also covered by this program.

Self-Employment Assistance - This service is a response to poverty alleviation among family heads through livelihood projects.

Responsible Parenthood – Under this program beneficiaries are assisted towards deciding on family size and practice child spacing, and or family role, performance and relationship.

Emergency Shelter Assistance - This program refers to the provision of limited financial and material assistance to help families to construct/repair their houses, which are partially destroyed by natural or man-made disaster.

Parent Effectiveness Services - This program is special type of service provided to parents where they are taught to be more effective parents to their children.

Practical Skills Development - This program is designed for the out-of-school Youths, unemployed adults and disabled for them to be motivated and encouraged to participate in nation building through the conduct of non-formal education and skills training.

Self and Social Enhancement Program for Senior Citizens - RA 7432 provides for maximum contribution of the senior citizens to nation building and grant them benefits and privileges. This was enacted to motivate and encourage senior citizens aged 60 years old and over to contribute to nation building and to mobilize their families in the community where they live to re-affirm the valued Filipino tradition of caring the elderlies. A Senior Citizen Center has been constructed and made available to cater to the needs of the senior citizens in the municipality.

Women’s Welfare - This program is intended for women particularly those married wherein maternal and child care skills development were taught. Several women had completed and participated in Self-Enhancement Skills Capability Building and Community Participation Skills Development sessions. 
Aids to Individuals in Crisis Situation - This program is designed to help individuals/families who are really in need of assistance whether financial or social need.

Role of Open Spaces

With the passage of RA 7160, the promotion of sports and recreation has become a primary concern of Local Government Units. The latter is required to provide a public park including freedom parks, cultural centers, multi-purpose hall, multi-purpose pavement, plaza and sports center, playground and other sports facilities.

Even before the enactment of the Local Government Code, the Municipal Government of Bani already recognized the significance of open spaces in enhancing the quality of “built” environment and in providing the residents a place for recreation or for simple leisurely walk. Thus, a municipal plaza was constructed, improved, maintained and preserved for years.

Sports Facilities

The Municipal Government of Bani had constructed neighborhood public plaza with basketball court to all the twenty-seven (27) barangays with a land area of 1,000 square meters each or a total of 2.7 hectares. Of these playgrounds, eight (8) are covered and are found in Barangays Poblacion, Banog Norte, Ranom Iloco, San Miguel, San Jose, Tiep, Centro Toma and Calayo.

A Municipal Auditorium is also established and situated about ten (10) meters going east from the municipal hall. It is where group assemblies, sports competitions and other festivities are held. A children’s playground / park is also built within the auditorium compound.

The people of Bani are very much inclined to sports, that an annual Inter Barangay Sports Tournament is done during summer vacation. The tournament is usually sponsored by the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation. Likewise, barangay fiestas are made more colorful and exciting with basketball and volleyball games. Sports is also a part of extra-curricular activities in schools inclusive of intramurals, unit meets, provincial meets, IRAA, and the like.

The favorite sports in the locality are basketball, volleyball, baseball and softball with facilities therefor found in schools, table tennis and chess.
Aside from sports tournaments, residents are also fond of recreational activities, such as swimming, playing billiards, card games, watching television and movies through CD or VCD player.

For those who can afford commercial recreational facilities, they can avail these at Crispina Mountain Resort in Poblacion, which is equipped with swimming pools, cottages and other amenities. Beach resorts cottages could also be availed in Barangay Surip where one can enjoy viewing its natural beauty and relaxing his mind and body as he scents the sea breezes.

A Cockfighting Coliseum is also found in Bani of 3,000 square meters, specifically located in Barangay Arwas. The cockfighting coliseum operates during Sundays and also weekdays if “derbies” are initiated by a promoter.

Park Requirements

Per DECS standard, a Municipal Park, is required to be in the center of the urban district and should have a minimum area of 500 square meters per 1,000 population with a walking distance of 100 to 150 meters. Suggested facilities are landscaped areas, parking lots and similar amenities.

On the other hand, playfields or athletic fields are advisable for active/organized sports for youth and adult family groups. Ideal location would be those open areas adjacent to high schools and accessible to public transportation. If possible, these playfields should be 0.5 to 1 kilometer away from residential areas.

With a projected population of 56,006 by year 2011, required under the national standard for a municipal park would be 28,003 square meters or 2.8 hectares. Considering that the municipal government has already established a total of 2.7 hectares of neighborhood public plaza and the auditorium with an area of 1.64 hectares, no additional area for sports and recreation is needed.

At present, the Municipal Auditorium offers different sports and children’s playground facilities, however, it needs to be further improved to attract not only the residents but also those from other places. The area needs to be landscaped and planted with more flowering and ornamental plants. Comfort rooms are also necessary to be provided within the vicinity.

Likewise, the stalls operating within the premises of the auditorium that destroy its beauty have to be relocated.

Some of the basketball courts established in Barangays are only temporary in structure. Hence, these should be made permanent by cementing them and providing steel basketball rings and stands.

Passive sports facilities like chess, table tennis, rockets, bats and nets should also be provided to each barangay.
The youth, the civic groups, senior citizens, employees and all the others should be all involved in physical fitness programs to make than more productive and healthy.

The local Philippine National Police (PNP) is housed in the Municipal Hall in Barangay Poblacion and has a floor area of 48 square meters. The existing police force has a total strength of eighteen (18): one (1) Chief of Police and seventeen (17) Police National; Central Officer (PNCOs) yielding a ratio of one (1) policeman per 2,379 persons. Their basic armaments, facilities and equipment includes: twelve (12) rifle caliber 5.56, seven (7) rifle caliber 7.62, eleven (11) pistol caliber 9MM, one (1) revolver caliber 38, one (1) base radio, three (3) hand held radios, typewriter, tables, benches and chairs. The headquarter has also one (1) jail cell with an adjoining toilet.

Moreover, a police outpost has been established at Barangay Centro Toma, about five meters away from the satellite market. This is to prevent all forms of crime and illegal activities especially during market days.

The police officers are tasked with the responsibility of enforcing the law, maintaining peace and order, preventing and controlling crimes and ensuring public safety and internal security in the town. Aside from campaign against loose firearms, drug addiction, illegal gambling, cattle-rustling and smuggling, information drive is also conducted against insurgency. Also, these uniformed men serve subpoenas and warrants of arrest; and give security assistance to important visitors. Likewise, police visibility through mobile / foot patrol, visitations and “pulong-pulong”, is one of its priorities. They also conduct training and seminars for CVO’s/Barangay Tanods. With these police achievements / activities, the municipality is generally peaceful.

On the other hand, a fire department is also housed at the municipal ground floor with an area of 42 square meters. The Department is manned by six (6) fire officers, one (1) municipal fire marshal and five (5) fire fighting officers. Each fireman serves 7,137 persons. The Office is equipped with one (1) fire truck, fire coats, fire boots, fire helmets, fire hoses, fire nozzles, extension ladder and hand held radios.

Civic Sector and Community Participation

A contributory factor to the prevalent peace and order in the town is the participation of the citizenry in the barangay level. All the barangays have Lupong Tagapamayapa chaired by the Punong Barangay whose main function is to encourage amicable settlements of disputes. The “Pangkat ng Tagapagsundo” is the conciliation panel of the Lupong Tagapamayapa.

In the forefront are the Civilian Volunteer Organizations or CVO’s. The CVO’s replaced the para-military unit Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) who were oriented and trained for basic military preparedness and tasked to fight the insurgents in the mountainous barangays. Nowadays, the CVO’s merely consist of traffic / auxiliary / disaster brigades and barangay tanods.

It was mandated that each barangay shall have its own CVO composed of residents with experiences or capabilities to act as peace officers of the community. Members of CVO are appointed by the Punong Barangay upon recommendation by the Barangay Councilmen. These volunteers, as the term connotes, are without salaries or allowances. Their services are rendered for free. However, some barangay councils have set aside in their budgets certain amounts by way of honoraria and incentives of the tanods.

Specifically, these barangay peace officers assist local policemen in the maintenance of peace and order especially during market days, fiestas and other holidays, including traffic routes implementation, surveillance works, and “rondas” at night. Likewise, they patrol critical areas to prevent commission of crimes, rescue / assist victims of criminal acts / disaster; and act as marshal during public events and even those of private concerns such as funerals. More often these CVO’s are visible in street intersections and crowded areas assisting police officers.

The CVO’s / barangay tanods are under the supervision of the Chief Tanod, who in turn, is responsible to the Punong Barangay. Depending on the number of inhabitants, the peace and order situation, and available able-bodied volunteers, membership of the CVO varies. In Bani, the organized CVO’s have a total number of 243.

Crime and Fire Incidences

As recorded by the PNP Headquarters, in 2001, there were thirty-six (36) crimes committed. As per police blotter, child abuse ranked as No. 1 with ten (10) reported cases or 27.8 percent, followed by rape with six (6) cases or 16.7 percent.

In 2002, crime incidence decreased by nineteen (19) or 47 percent. All of the crimes committed were index crimes namely murder, frustrated murder, rape, robbery and attempted homicide.

As to incidence of fire, it was only in 2002 that fire incidents had occurred in Bani. Based from the record, there were seven (7) fire incidences that happened from January to December of the said year. Of these, six (6) were structural fires caused by electrical faulty wiring and gas leaks and one (1) frustrated Arson.

The Bureau of Fire personnel continuously provides information, education and campaign on the mission of fire prevention and encourage household owners to have ready equipment like pail of water, fire extinguisher and ladder for emergency purposes.

Before issuance of license and building permits, the BFP conducts regular inspection of new establishments if there are fire extinguishers and other fire fighting equipments and whether there are leakages of gas tanks. 
Firemen and Fire Equipment

Aside from the increasing police force, it is also imperative for the municipal government to hire additional firemen based on the standard of one (1) fireman to 2,000 population and considering the number of establishments and structures in the municipality that have to be secured and protected.

The Bureau of Fire Protection housed at the municipal ground floor needs to be expanded and renovated in order to occupy the additional personnel as computed. 
2.3. Others

The functions and responsibilities of civilian volunteers and the whole populace of the municipality should be properly defined in order to improve their participation and performance in maintaining peace and order situation.

Likewise, it is imperative to have frequent dialogues and trainings to be conducted to improve coordination among the citizenry, non-government organizations, government law enforcers, and local officials in solving and preventing crimes and fire incidences.

An increase in the incentives for Civilian Volunteer Organizations could also be motivators for better performance.

The census on housing and population indicates that Bani is predominantly rural

Bani has 7,189 housing units and 7,296 households, which indicates doubling of households in a single house. The ratio of household to housing unit is 5:1. Of the housing units, 97.6 percent were occupied

Tenure Status of Lot

Out of the 6,804 total households in occupied housing units in both urban and rural area, 4,356 or 64 percent are constructed in their own lots, 2,292 or 33.7 percent are constructed in lots for free but with owner’s consent and the remaining 156 or 2.3 percent are rented and occupied in lots without the consent of the owner. 

Households by Owner/Tenure Status of Housing Units

As to ownership, majority of the dwelling units in the municipality with a total of 6,804 or 93.2 percent are owned/being amortized by the households, 66 or 1 percent are rented, 424 or 5.8 percent are occupied for free but with consent, wherein the real owners have migrated in other country or in cities, and 2 or 0.03 percent are occupying housing units without the consent of the real owner.

There is a total of 7,189 housing units utilized by 7,296 households. This intells that there are more households than dwelling units. About 7,111 of the total housing units are single houses, comprising 98.9 percent of all housing units used as residence. The rest, 78 or 1.12 percent were living in duplex, apartments and in a commercial/industrial/agricultural area.

Occupied Housing Units by Construction Materials Used

As to construction used for outer walls, of the total occupied 7,189 housing units,1,044 or 14.5 percent houses are all made of concrete/brick/stone, 609 or 8.5 percent are made of wood, 1,549 or 21.5 percent are made of half concrete/brick/stone and half wood, 17 or 0.2 percent are made of galvanized iron / aluminum, 3,718 or 52 percent houses are made of bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa, 88 or 1.2 percent are made of makeshift/salvaged/improvised materials, 163 or 2.3 percent houses are made of asbestos/glass/other materials and 1 or 0.0 percent have no walls or not reported.