Bacolod City, NegOcc require travelers to register in S-PaSS
April 11, 2021 12:00 am

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas on Sunday ordered the cops to continue to man checkpoints in the NCR Plus (Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal) and three other areas under the less restrictive modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from April 12 to April 30. According to PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana, Sinas convened a meeting Sunday morning prior to the announcement of the downgrading of these areas to MECQ from enhanced community quarantine, effective Monday. “Adjustments indeed have been discussed and settled for the MECQ implementation. The NCR Plus bubble will be kept under check. The essential travelers will be allowed 100 percent while non-essential travelers may be limited to certain percentage according to establishments but not more than 50 percent,” Usana said in a statement. According to him, a curfew will remain in place and compliance with the minimum public health standards (MPHS) will continue to be enforced. “Checkpoints in boundaries will remain. Still, no arrests shall be made by the PNP on violations of MPHS. Only warning and fines. Mass gathering is still not allowed,” Usana said, adding that malls are allowed to open but only for the selling of essential items. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte decided to downgrade the restriction after more public and private hospitals committed to provide rooms and beds dedicated to Covid-19 patients. Besides NCR (National Capital Region) Plus, also under MECQ are the City of Santiago in Isabela, Quirino province in Region 2, and Abra in the Cordillera Administrative Region. Cagayan, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya (Region 2 or Cagayan Valley); Quezon and Batangas (Region 4-A or Calabarzon); Tacloban City (Region 8 or Eastern Visayas); Iligan City (Region 10 or Northern Mindanao); Davao City (Region 11 or Davao Region); and Lanao del Sur (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) will be under general community quarantine (GCQ). The rest of the Philippines will be under the least restrictive modified general community quarantine (MGCQ). Meanwhile, Usana said Sinas has instructed police personnel manning checkpoints to undergo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests from time to time to prevent contagion among the lawmen. Source: Philippines News Agency
NCR+ fate still under study
April 10, 2021 12:00 am

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is still assessing the quarantine classification that will be implemented in Metro Manila and its four nearby provinces after Sunday, April 11. Malacañang announced on Saturday that “President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is weighing the pros and cons before making his final decision regarding the quarantine classification of the National Capital Region Plus Area,” a press statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque read. Members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) met on Saturday to discuss the fate of National Capital Region Plus (NCR Plus), which has been under the most restrictive enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) category since March 29. Roque did not divulge the IATF-EID’s recommendation for Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal. He said Duterte has to study first the “pertinent” data, including the health care utilization rate in NCR Plus, before making a decision. “The Chief Executive would like to review and check pertinent information such as the Health Care Utilization Rate of the aforesaid area,” he said. Roque, who also announced earlier that he is in the hospital for Covid-19 treatment, said he would give an update, “once everything has been made final.” In his previous press briefing, Roque said the NCR Plus quarantine classification after April 11 would depend on the effectiveness of the “prevent, detect, isolate, treat, and reintegration” strategies. Quirino province and Santiago City, Isabela are under modified ECQ until April 15 and 30, respectively. The less restrictive general community quarantine (GCQ) is imposed in Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Tacloban City, Iligan City, Davao City, and Lanao del Sur for the whole of April. The rest of the country is under modified GCQ, the most relaxed quarantine status. (PNA) Source: Philippines News Agency
Twi-Tawi declares ASG bandits persona non grata
April 10, 2021 12:00 am

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) has welcomed the action of the Tawi-Tawi provincial government that declared the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits persona non grata in the province. Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., Westmincom chief, said Saturday the persona non grata declaration, which is through a unified resolution, is a good development in the campaign to sustain the peace and order in the province of Tawi-Tawi. “We fully support the unified declaration made by our fellow peace advocates. We assure you that our anti-terrorism and anti-criminality campaigns are bolstered in cooperation with the local government units, and our partners and stakeholders in the area,” Vinluan added. The declaration was made through a resolution adopted during the first quarter joint meeting Friday of the Tawi-Tawi Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC). The joint meeting echoed the same sentiments raised during the 1st Quarter Joint Provincial Health Board and Provincial School Board Meeting held at the Henry Kong Hall of Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO) in Barangay Sanga-Sanga, Bongao. The resolution said the Abu Sayyaf and all lawless armed groups have no place in the 11 municipalities of Tawi-Tawi. The joint meeting was presided by Governor Yshmael Sali and was participated in by the local chief executives of Tawi-Tawi; Joint Task Force Tawi-Tawi and 2nd Marine Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Arturo Rojas; Tawi-Tawi Provincial Police Office deputy director Maj. Abrurakib Ahmad; and representatives from all concerned agencies. Participating agencies presented their quarterly reports during the meeting, most notable of which were the accomplishments of the different agencies such as the dismantling of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) camps, the neutralization of Abu Sayyaf leader Majan Sahidjuan alias Apo Mike, the observance of health protocols, and the proper implementation of municipal ordinances. Sali said the meeting aimed to maintain the peace in the province of Tawi- Tawi and to assess how far the province has gone in its effort. The governor said the unified resolution of support aims to condemn the terroristic activities of lawless groups in all areas of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the guise of their false ideologies. (PNA) Source: Philippines News Agency
P’s ACQ bubble rescheduled to June 16-20
April 10, 2021 12:00 am

MANILA – The Philippines will hold its FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers (ACQ) third window bubble starting mid-June. In a statement on Friday night, FIBA said all the games of the Philippine bubble would happen on June 16-20. Initially scheduled for March, the Philippines had been handed the rights to host the matches for Group A, where Gilas Pilipinas belongs, and Group C. However, due to travel restrictions set for South Korea, also part of Group A, and Australia, which is part of Group C, because of the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) had to let go of the hosting rights, with the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) stepping in. However, the QBF begged off from hosting as well, due to a Covid-19 surge in Doha, and the SBP got a chance to reclaim the hosting after the Philippine government lifted the travel ban on South Korea and Australia. But in effect, the games had to be postponed. Like the second window last November, the games will be held in a bubble format due to the pandemic, with the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center as the arena and the Quest Hotel in the nearby city of Mabalacat as the official residence. 3 groups in Groups A and C are not the only bunches in the Angeles bubble as FIBA also announced that the Group B games will be held there too. With this development, Gilas will welcome 11 teams that look to book spots in the FIBA Asia Cup in Jakarta in August. Gilas and South Korea are grouped alongside Indonesia and Thailand in Group A while joining Australia in Group C are New Zealand, Guam, and Hong Kong. Group B consists of Chinese Taipei, Japan, Malaysia, and China. China-PBA friendlies? Speaking of China, the team could have some tuneup games to be played in the Philippines before swinging into ACQ action. Ricky Vargas, chairman of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) board of governors, said earlier in the day that he is eyeing a best-of-seven friendly series between the Chinese squad and the league’s superstars. “I would like to see Season 46 jumpstarted with this exhibition match, the technical aspects of which could be crafted by our tournament officials,” he said in a statement, which came in line with the PBA’s 46th founding anniversary. If it pushes through, NLEX coach Yeng Guiao is being eyed as the head coach for the PBA All-Stars, which would be known as the “Warriors”. “I think he would be perfect to lead a courageous charge for national pride and honor,” Vargas said of Guiao, who previously coached Gilas for the 2018 Asian Games and a hectic 2019 calendar that featured the FIBA World Cup (WC) Qualifiers and the FIBA WC itself. China has yet to play in the ACQ after begging off from the first two windows due to the pandemic. FIBA slapped China with point deductions due to the instances of backing out. (PNA) Source: Philippines News Agency

Go backs setup of PH vaccine institute
April 3, 2021 9:37 am

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Saturday expressed support for the establishment of a vaccine institute that would enable the country to manufacture or even develop vaccines against future pandemics. “Suportado ko po ang kagustuhan ni Pangulong Duterte na magkaroon tayo ng vaccine institute sa Pilipinas na magbibigay ng kakayahan sa ating bansa na mag-develop at mag-produce ng sarili nating mga bakuna, hindi lamang laban sa Covid-19 kundi maging sa mga susunod pang pandemya (I support President Rodrigo Duterte’s wish for the country to have a vaccine institute that could develop vaccines, not only for the coronavirus disease 2019 but even for future pandemics),” Go said. He said it is better to be ready and be able to manufacture vaccines. “It is about time the country has that capability,” he added. Duterte on Tuesday expressed his desire to establish the country’s own vaccine institute as his “legacy” to Filipinos before his term ends in 2022. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the President has instructed the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to allocate funds for the proposed vaccine institute. “This is the instruction now that the DBM should have a substantial amount of funding available so we can establish a vaccine institute to enable us to manufacture our own vaccines,” Roque said during an online briefing. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), on the other hand, has welcomed the proposal, expressing hope that the President’s proposed institute would focus on vaccine development. “We are pushing for the establishment of the Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) that has the development of vaccines as a major responsibility. I hope the President is referring to that,” DOST Secretary Fortunato T. dela Peña told members of the press. Meanwhile, Go is looking forward to the vaccine institute addressing the country’s present inability to produce vaccines and other medicines for infectious diseases, among them Covid-19. He also urged the government to invest in building local manufacturing capabilities to eventually veer away from the country’s reliance on the international market for vaccines. “Napakalaki po ng potensyal ng ating bansa na mag-produce ng sarili nating mga gamot at bakuna laban sa samu’t saring mga sakit. Napapanahon na po upang pag-aralan natin kung papaano tayo magiging self-reliant pagdating sa aspetong ito (The country has great potentials to produce medicines and vaccines for various infectious diseases. It is high time we study how we could be self-reliant on this matter),” Go said. He urged the DOST, with the help of health experts, local pharmaceutical companies, private sector, and academe, to engage with international vaccine producers so that the government could immediately start manufacturing much-needed Covid-19 vaccines. “This initiative will not only boost our local vaccine supply but can also help increase production of vaccines in the world market,” he said. Despite the challenges faced by the government in purchasing Covid-19 vaccines, he assured that there would be no delay in the vaccine rollout as authorities are simply complying with the necessary processes, aligned with the agreed schedule, as negotiated with international partners. Team Philippines, he said, “is and will remain focused on our goal of achieving herd immunity and lead our people towards full recovery.” “Suportahan po natin ang ating gobyerno at magtiwala tayo sa bakuna. Ito po ang susi tungo sa pagbalik sa normal na pamumuhay. Huwag tayo matakot sa bakuna, matakot tayo sa Covid-19 dahil ito ang nakamamatay at ang bakuna ang solusyon sa sakit na ito (Let us support our government and trust the vaccine as this is the key to bring back normalcy. Don’t be afraid of the vaccine. Be wary of Covid-19 as it is deadly, while the vaccine is the solution to it),” Go said. Source: Philippines News Agency
599 more recover from Covid: DOH
April 3, 2021 9:37 am

The overall recoveries among Filipinos with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) reached 604,905 or 77.2 percent of the total confirmed cases after 599 new survivors were recorded on Saturday. A total of 12,576 new infections were also logged by the Department of Health (DOH), jacking up the active cases to 165,715 or 21.1 percent of the case count since March 2020. In its latest bulletin, the DOH also reported 103 new fatalities caused by Covid-19, raising the death toll to 13,423 or 1.71 percent of the total cases. The reason for the 12,576 new active cases was not known but on Friday, the DOH explained that the day’s infection tally reached 15,310 because it failed to add the 3,709 cases that should have been reported on Wednesday. “On March 31, 2021, the DOH reported only 6,128 new cases due to CovidKaya system issue. After system checks, validation and deduplication were made, 3,709 additional cases were confirmed. These cases were added to today’s cases, thus totaling to 15,310,” it said. To date, the confirmed number of cases since the start of the pandemic is 784,043. Of the active cases, the DOH said 96.5 percent have mild symptoms, 2.2 percent are asymptomatic, 0.3 are moderate, 0.5 percent in critical condition, and 0.5 percent are severe. Bed capacity Around 60 percent of the total 1,900 intensive care unit (ICU) beds allocated for Covid-19 patients nationwide are being utilized. Also occupied was 47 percent of the 13,500 isolation beds and 49 percent of the 6,000 ward beds for these cases. In Metro Manila, on the other hand, 80 percent of the 700 ICU beds, 72 percent of the 3,800 isolation beds, and 59 percent of the 2,200 ward beds are in use. At least 43 percent of the 2,000 ventilators dedicated for Covid-19 patients are also being utilized across the Philippines. To help stop the rapid spread of Covid-19, the DOH reminded the public to stay at home if there is no essential reason to go out. “We also advise everyone to immediately reach out to our Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTS) or to our One Hospital Command Center at the onset of any symptom,” it said. Source: Philippines News Agency
323 more overseas Filipinos hurdle Covid-19
April 3, 2021 9:37 am

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday tallied 10,060 recoveries among overseas Filipinos infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) after 323 new survivors were recorded this week. In its latest bulletin, the DFA said active cases are at 5,296 while the death toll is 1,049. From March 28 to April 3, there were 345 infections and two fatalities. Daily infections and recoveries were highest on March 31 at 246 and 257, respectively, mostly from the Middle East/Africa region. “Compared to last week’s percentages, the total number of Covid-19 fatalities and recoveries saw a slight decrease to 6.39 percent and 61.32 percent, respectively,” the DFA said. Meanwhile, those under treatment increased to 32.28 percent. Of the active cases, 885 are in the Asia-Pacific region, 890 are in Europe, 3,440 are in the Middle East/Africa region; and 81 in the Americas. Recoveries, on the other hand, are still the highest in the Middle East/Africa region with 4,963; followed by Europe with 2,255; the Asia Pacific with 2,240; and the Americas with 602. Source: Philippines News Agency

GnSan council adopts evaluation system for infra projects
April 8, 2021 12:00 am

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The city council here is pushing for the creation of a special unit that will regularly evaluate the performance of construction companies in various infrastructure projects in the area. The move was based on an ordinance passed by the council on Wednesday that adopted the comprehensive Constructors Performance Evaluations System (CPES) for local government-funded projects. Councilor Jose Edmar Yumang said Thursday the evaluation system mainly addresses the long-time problem of the city on the unreasonable delay in some vital infrastructure projects. He said the measure is based on the CPES guidelines approved by the National Economic and Development Authority. It provides for the technical criteria for the evaluation of project contractors, specifically on workmanship, materials, time, facilities, environment, safety and health, and resources deployment. Yumang, who co-authored the ordinance with Councilor Dominador Lagare Jr., said the evaluation will be led by a proposed CPES-Implementation Unit (IU), which will be composed of engineers who are not directly involved in the concerned infrastructure projects. He said the CPES-IU is expected to provide “objective and unbiased” evaluation of the contractor’s performance and provide the necessary recommendations to the local government. Its evaluation will guide concerned city officials in terms of imposing sanctions on the erring contractors, he said. “It could result to the blacklisting of contractors with “poor” or “unsatisfactory” CPES ratings,” he said. He said the city government may also terminate contracts for major violations, among them project slippages or delays, subcontracting and abandonment of work. The local government had faced criticisms these past years due to the delayed infrastructure projects, some of them reportedly abandoned by their contractors. These include road improvement, installation of traffic lights, flood control or drainage construction and other priority projects. Yumang said the city government and residents have suffered enough and learned their lessons from the irresponsible contractors and the “unforgivable practices must be put to an end.” “Hopefully, (there will be) no more delayed infrastructure projects in the future. This is the goal of this premier ordinance,” he said. (PNA) Source: Philippines News Agency
Eectronic goods boost PH importation growth in February
April 8, 2021 12:00 am

MANILA – The Philippines ‘ total external trade in goods grew at an annual rate of 0.6 percent, or about USD12.191 billion, in February 2021. Of the total external trade in February 2021, 58.9 percent were imported goods, while the rest were exported goods, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released on Thursday stated. Compared to the previous month, the annual decrease was recorded at -9.4 percent while in February 2020, the decline was slower at -3.1 percent. Electronic products accounted for the highest import value among commodity groups, with an import value of USD2.12 billion or a share of 27.9 percent of total imports in February, PSA data showed. This was followed by transport equipment, valued at USD759.29 million (10.0 percent); and mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials which amounted to USD692.46 million (9.1 percent). By major type of goods, imports of raw materials and intermediate goods accounted for the largest share at USD2.97 billion (39.0 percent) of the total imports in February. Imports of capital goods ranked second with a share of USD2.56 billion (33.6 percent), followed by consumer goods with USD1.32 billion (17.3 percent). The increase has been predicted by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Unescap) in its Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Trends report on merchandise trade in December 2020. Unescap estimated that the country’s exports and imports will reach a high of 15.8 percent and 24.3 percent in 2021, respectively. It said the Philippines can boost its investments in Information and communications technology to leverage the trading of services, citing reports that 84 percent of enterprises increased their ICT budgets in 2020, as against 66 percent in the previous year. Sales from exports, however, posted negative growth. Total export sales in February 2021, amounting to USD5.31 billion, contracted at an annual rate of -2.3 percent, from an annual decrease of -4.8 percent in the previous month. In February 2020, total export sales rose at a rate of 3.4 percent annually. (PNA) Source: Philippines News Agency
Ex-BIFF rebels get livelihood aid
April 8, 2021 12:00 am

COTABATO CITY – A total of 177 former members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who earlier surrendered to the Army in Maguindanao have received livelihood aid from the provincial government. Maguindanao Gov. Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu and Big Gen. Jose Narciso, 6th Infantry Division assistant division commander, who represented 6th Infantry Division chief, Major Gen. Juvymax Uy, led Wednesday afternoon the distribution of assistance at the provincial capitol grounds in Buluan town. Beneficiaries were given 40 tricycles, 12 farm tractors, 13 motorized bancas (outrigger boats), and 131 farm supplies. “Make good use of the assistance given you on your life with your families,” Mangudadatu said, adding that more livelihood packages are underway for the former rebels. Narciso, for his part, said another group of Moro extremists is undergoing an integration process for their formal surrender to the government. “It is encouraging to note that more BIFF members are abandoning their futile cause to restart their lives anew,” he said. The governor also turned over six utility vehicles to the Department of Education in Maguindanao, and 10 rescue vehicles for selected barangays. (PNA) Source: Philippines News Agency
Lw-income earners in Bulacan receive ECQ aid
April 8, 2021 12:00 am

PULILAN, Bulacan – At least 454 residents of Barangay Sta. Peregrina in this town on Thursday received cash assistance, the first beneficiaries in this province of the financial aid issued by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to those individuals affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). The pilot payout was held at the Barangay Sta. Peregrina covered court, facilitated by personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office III, in coordination with the local government unit (LGU). Reiner Grospe, information officer of DSWD Field Office III, said that 90,027 beneficiaries in this town will receive a minimum of PHP1,000 and a maximum of PHP4,000 financial assistance. Aside from this town, other beneficiaries are 48,136 residents of Obando, and 596,895 in the City of San Jose Del Monte. Beneficiaries from other towns and cities in the province will likewise receive the same financial aid in the next 15 days. “These financial aids were provided by the order of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to all areas in NCR Plus Bubble affected by the hard lockdown,” Grospe said in an interview. Meanwhile, Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio Cruz Jr., president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines Bulacan Chapter, clarified that not everyone will receive the emergency subsidy from the national government. Earlier, the DBM sent the allocated PHP2.9-billion emergency subsidy to 21 municipalities and three cities in this province affected by the reimplementation of ECQ. Based on the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) guidelines issued to the DSWD, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of National Defense (DND), and LGUs, only low-income earners are declared beneficiaries of the emergency subsidy and not those in the middle and upper class. Cruz, during a video conference with the local chief executives, said they are working out additional assistance to more beneficiaries from the LGUs’ funds. He said that all LGUs in the province will disburse the emergency subsidy in cash. (PNA) Source: Philippines News Agency