The government move to expand the vaccination program to the younger population will protect against the risk of Covid-19, allaying fears about possible adverse side effects. Protecting the younger population against Covid-19 is also one step toward the resumption of physical classes. National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., assured parents that reformulated Covid-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 years old are safe and effective, just like the jabs for other age groups. “I believe and we are very confident that the national vaccination program of the government is very strong and really

Health authorities in the Soccsksargen (Region 12) and the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) expressed hope Monday to reach their targets for pediatric inoculation with the help of parents. Dr. Aristides Concepcion-Tan, the Department of Health (DOH-12) regional director, said the role of parents in the health program of the government is crucial. “The vaccine is very safe for children aged 5-11 years old,” Tan said. Also, a health official of the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center (CRMC) here said she believes the vaccination program for children is ensuring their safety as the country slowly returns to normalcy, including

Illegal possession of ammunition is covered by the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) prohibition on firearms and deadly weapons implemented during the election period, a key agency official here said Monday. “However, the inclusion of the illegal possession of ammunition in the Comelec gun ban depends on where the suspect has been arrested,” Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, the provincial election supervisor of Negros Oriental, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview. “If the suspect was arrested at a checkpoint or any public place, he or she can be charged with violation of the gun ban and Republic Act 10591 (the

The stock market ended Monday in the negative territory ahead of the realignment in the list of companies included in the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) and the peso followed. The local stock barometer declined by 1.02 percent, or 76.05 points, to 7,380.30 points. All Shares followed with a drop of 0.87 percent, or 34.33 points, to 3,899.61 points. Most of the sectoral indices also finished the day in the red namely Holding Firms, 1.87 percent; Property, 1.78 percent; Industrial, 1.21 percent; and Services, 0.20 percent. On the other hand, Financials rose by 0.90 percent and Mining and Oil by

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Oriental on Monday called on national candidates and their supporters to strictly follow the guidelines on campaign materials and other activities in relation to the May 9 elections. Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec provincial election supervisor, told the Philippine News Agency in an interview that they do not want campaign materials, especially oversized posters, to be plastered everywhere as the campaign period for national candidates starts on Tuesday. He said aside from being oversized, these campaign posters are also being nailed on trees, electric poles, and business and private structures which are outside

The almost completed 9.56-kilometer farm-to-market (FMR) road projects of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Ifugao are expected to benefit some 3,657 farmers and give life to the abandoned heirloom rice production in two towns. Elvy Taquio of the DA-Philippine Rural Development (PRDP) Information, Advocacy, Communication, and Education (InfoACE) Unit, said in a text message on Monday that the 4.6-kilometer farm to market road (FMR) improvement project from Viewpoint to San Fernando in Banaue will benefit 1,841 rice farmers and residents in the area. She said the PHP124.8-million project is now 95.26 complete based on the assessment of a Joint