Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 6548

New alert level system expanded to other areas

THE PHILIPPINES will expand a new coronavirus alert level system first tested in the capital region that’s meant to ease the lockdown burden on the economy into other parts of the country starting Oct. 20, the presidential palace said on Tuesday.

“We expanded our pilot implementation after a decrease in cases and improvement of our healthcare utilization rate, which appear to be connected to our alert levels in Metro Manila,” presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing in Filipino.

An inter-agency task force has put Batangas, Quezon Province including Lucena City under Alert Level 2.

Also under the same alert level are Bohol, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Cebu Province in central Philippines and Davao De Oro, Davao Del Sur and Davao Oriental in Mindanao.

Mr. Roque said Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Siquijor, Davao City and Davao del Norte will be under Alert Level 3, under which theaters would be allowed to operate. The capacity of allowed businesses would also be increased.

Negros Oriental and Davao Occidental will be under Alert Level 4, which bans theaters, amusement parks and playgrounds, karaoke bars, live voice or wind-pipe performances and contact sports establishments.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 4,496 coronavirus cases on Tuesday, bringing the total to 2.7 million.

The death toll rose to 40,972 after 211 more patients died, while recoveries increased by 9,609 to 2.63 million, it said in a bulletin. 

There were 63,637 active cases, 79% of which were mild, 5.2% did not show symptoms, 4.8% were severe, 8.97% were moderate and 2% were critical.

The agency said 47 duplicates had been removed from the tally, 31 of which were reclassified as recoveries, while 145 recoveries were relisted as deaths. Seven laboratories failed to submit data on Oct. 17.

The country’s pandemic task force placed Metro Manila under Alert Level 3 from Oct. 16 to 30.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 reproduction rate in the National Capital Region had fallen to 0.55 as of Oct. 18, the lowest since May 18, the OCTA Research Group from the University of the Philippines said. 

“We hope we can keep this below 0.6 for the rest of the year,” OCTA Research fellow Fredugusto P. David tweeted. The seven-day average of new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in Metro Manila was 1,411, he added.

Also on Tuesday, police said it would deploy more cops in public places to enforce minimum health standards amid bigger crowds after the alert level in Metro Manila was relaxed to No. 3

National police chief General Guillermo T. Eleazar said they “understand the concern of our colleagues in the Department of Health and the medical community” about reports of people flocking to malls and other places of interest at the weekend.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire earlier reminded the public not to be complacent amid decreasing coronavirus infections.

Many Filipinos flocked to Dolomite Beach in Manila Bay, while some people failed to observe health protocols in parks and churches.

Private Hospitals Association Philippines President Jose Rene D. De Grano told a televised news briefing on Tuesday the downtrend in coronavirus infections was the result of strict enforcement of quarantines from Aug. 21 to Oct. 15. 

Under Alert level 3, certain businesses may operate at 30% capacity indoors and 50% outdoors. Tourist attractions and recreational venues such as libraries, museums, amusement parks, swimming pools and movie theaters have also been allowed to operate at reduced capacities. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Bianca Angelica D. Añago

Duterte’s ex-police chief vows to block ICC rights probe

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s former police chief on Tuesday said he would block any attempts — if he becomes president next year — by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to probe alleged human rights violations committed in the country’s war on drugs.

“I will not only protect President Duterte but also myself because we are co-accused in the case,” Senator Ronald M. Dela Rosa, who is running for President next year, told the ABS-CBN News Channel.

The lawmaker, who enforced the state’s anti-illegal drug campaign as Mr. Duterte’s police chief, said he would allow ICC investigators to visit the Philippines to “observe” but not to investigate.

An investigation by the Hague-based tribunal would be a slap in the face for Philippine courts that are still functioning, he added.

The ICC has ordered an investigation of Mr. Duterte’s crackdown on illegal drugs that has killed thousands, as it found “reasonable basis” that crimes against humanity might have been committed.

“The ICC works under the presumption of noncooperation of the accused,” human rights lawyer and senatorial aspirant Neri Colmenares said in a statement. “Whether or not Dela Rosa and Duterte cooperate, the ICC will find a way to investigate, prosecute and punish them.”

The presidential palace has said the Philippines would not cooperate with the ICC probe because it lost jurisdiction of the case after the country broke ties with the tribunal in 2019. The withdrawal would not affect the probe, according to the ICC.

Mr. Dela Rosa denied claims that the Duterte administration had committed crimes against humanity and criticized the report of Amnesty International on drug war-related deaths.

Tens of thousands of drug suspects whom police claimed had resisted arrest died in raids, according to the United Nations. The Philippine Commission on Human Rights has accused the state of violating human rights by abetting police abuses.

Meanwhile, Mr. Dela Rosa said ex-Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. should not apologize for human rights violations committed under his father’s two-decade rule.

“The sins of the father should not be blamed on his child.”

The late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos stole as much as $10 billion (P503 billion) from the Filipino people, according to government estimates, earning him a Guinness World Record for the “greatest robbery of a government.“

He was ousted by a street uprising in 1986 that forced him and his family to go into exile in the United States.

The Philippine government has recovered P174 billion of the assets, according to the Presidential Commission on Good Government.

More than 70,000 people were jailed, about 34,000 were tortured and more than 3,000 people died under the dictator’s martial rule, according to Amnesty International.

Mr. Dela Rosa, whom the ruling PDP-Laban picked as its presidential bet two hours before the deadline, earlier said he would give up his slot to Davao City Mayor and presidential daughter Sara Duterte-Carpio if she runs for president.

Under the law, Ms. Carpio may be substituted for Mr. de la Rosa as long as she becomes a member of the party. The substitution period is allowed until mid-November.

Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research earlier said Mr. Dela Rosa would probably focus on crime and mirror Mr. Duterte’s leadership style if he becomes president.

Mr. Dela Rosa vowed to push changes to economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution and relax foreign ownership rules.

Antonio A. Ligon, a law and business professor at De La Salle University, said foreign investors are attracted to countries that respect human rights and promote democratic values.

Investors are closely watching the views of Philippine presidential candidates on human rights, he said in a text message.

“What good is there in making profit when human beings who are supposed to enjoy the fruit of investments are being treated unfairly and unjustly by violating their human rights?” Mr. Ligon asked. “A good number of investors give due consideration to this.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Agri losses from Maring hits P2.17B, over 78,600 farmers affected 

CAGAYAN PIO

THE DAMAGE caused by severe tropical storm Maring (international name: Kompasu) climbed to P2.17 billion from the previous estimate of P2.14 billion, with 78,634 farmers and fishers affected.   

In a bulletin on Tuesday morning, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said 103,069 metric tons (MT) of production volume were lost due to Maring. The affected commodities include rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, and fisheries. Losses were also reported in irrigation and agricultural facilities.    

About 86,481 hectares of agricultural areas were affected in the regions of Cordillera, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, and Soccsksargen.  

Validation of the reported damage and losses are continuing, the DA said.    

Rice had the most losses at P1.5 billion. Lost production volume reached 83,313 MT while affected farm areas totaled 74,947 hectares.    

High-value crop losses amounted to P227 million. A total of 9,857 MT of production volume were lost while 2,937 hectares of agricultural area were affected.    

Damage to corn was valued at P148.2 million. Affected farm areas reached 8,597 hectares while lost production volume totaled 8,899 MT. Losses to fisheries amounted to P110.1 million.    

Livestock and poultry damage reached P84.8 million and consisted of 34,414 heads of various animals.   

Losses to irrigation and agricultural facilities were valued at P140.6 million, which comprised of diversion dams, small water irrigation projects, communal irrigation systems, check dams, nurseries, demo farms, and farm to market roads. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave  

Davao City tourism sector gears up for return of Singapore Airlines flights by Oct. 31 

BW FILE PHOTO

DAVAO City’s tourism sector is now preparing tour packages for the first group of foreign visitors since the start of the pandemic who are expected to arrive with the resumption of Singapore Airlines’ flights by Oct. 31.  

The Singapore-Davao flights will be chartered under the carrier’s “northern winter” schedule from end-October to March 6, 2022.  

Singapore Airlines, through its former subsidiary Silk Air, used to have regular weekly flights to Davao.   

City Tourism Operations Officer Regina Rosa B. Tecson, in a statement on Tuesday, said tour operators and hotels will be offering “staycation packages” for the visitors, who will be required to undergo a quarantine period.       

A negative RT-PCR test result taken within 72 hours before travel will also have to be presented.      

Under Singapore’s current category as a moderate risk country, or within the yellow list, arriving passengers who are fully vaccinated will have to undergo a 10-day quarantine, and 14 days for the unvaccinated.   

‘LITTLE TOKYO’
Meanwhile, a tourism masterplan is under review for a suburban village in the city that was home to a Japanese community in pre-World War II years.  

City Planning and Development Office officer-in-charge Ivan Chin Cortez said the plan for Barangay Mintal, which used to be known as “Little Tokyo,” was submitted by consultancy and project management firm Berkman International, Inc. to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). 

The plan builds on existing tourism resources and takes into consideration community participation, environmental impact, and sustainability for developing Mintal as a cultural and historical destination. — Maya M. Padillo

Former Health chief questions holding pilot vaccination of minors in hospitals 

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

A HOUSE lawmaker and a former Health secretary on Tuesday questioned the government on their decision to hold the pilot rollout of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) vaccines to minors in hospitals.  

House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette L. Garin said such an arrangement was made “without any regard to science.”  

“While I understand the need for precautions, common sense would dictate that the hospital setting is not the safest place to be during a pandemic. Doing vaccination in hospitals will expose our teenage children to more viruses and possibly to COVID-19,” she said in a statement.  

The pilot run for inoculating minors aged 12 to 17 with underlying medical conditions started on Oct. 15 in selected hospitals in Metro Manila, including the Philippine General Hospital and the Philippine Heart Center. 

Vaccine chief Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. earlier said the Philippines would have enough vaccine supply to inoculate 12 million children.  

Ms. Garin also said the move to inoculate minors in hospitals will add more burden to frontline health workers who are “already exhausted, overworked, and underpaid.” 

“Were hospitals, who are already overloaded, consulted if they have the capacity and the manpower to do the added work? Were parents given a choice if they want their teenagers to go to hospitals or to community vaccination sites,” she said.  

More than 52 million coronavirus vaccines had been given out as of Oct. 18, with 24.49 million Filipinos having been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the inter-agency task force managing the pandemic. — Russell Louis C. Ku 

Labor groups urge Robredo to include Matula in senatorial slate  

SEVERAL labor groups supporting Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” G. Robredo’s presidential bid next year urged her to give labor leader Jose Sonny G. Matula the last spot in her senatorial slate.  

“Being in the opposition is not enough if a candidate is not willing to fight for the people’s agenda,” Center of United and Progressive Workers Deputy Secretary General Joanna Bernice S. Coronacion said in Filipino during an online press conference on Tuesday.    

Ms. Coronacion, speaking for the alliance called Labor Leaders for Leni, said Ms. Robredo had earlier accepted their group’s labor agenda, which includes ending contractualization, adopting a national minimum wage, and freedom of association, among others.  

“Ms. Robredo’s acceptance and agreement with this agenda further strengthened our support for her, and we believe that understanding between parties involved and achieving this agenda will be easier if workers will have a representative in the senatorial slate of the Leni-Kiko tandem (Ms. Robredo and running mate Senator Francis “Kiko” N. Pangilinan),” Ms. Coronacion added in Filipino.   

Mr. Matula said he presented his five-point labor agenda to Ms. Robredo last week, and that she was supportive of it and is open to more discussions.    

If Ms. Robredo chooses another candidate for her 12th senatorial spot, Ms. Coronacion said the alliance will be “saddened” but will still support her. 

The group said they have about 350,000 members and, with their family members, is eyeing to swing two million votes for Ms. Robredo next year. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago  

Duterte appoints new legal counsel  

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has appointed Jesus Melchor V. Quitain as his new chief presidential legal counsel, according to Malacañang.  

Palace Spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing Tuesday that Mr. Quitain will replace Salvador S. Panelo, who is running for senator in the 2022 elections.  

Mr. Quitain became the officer-in-charge of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President in 2018 when Mr. Dutere’s long-time aide, Christopher Lawrence T. Go, ran for senator in the 2019 elections. He also served as city administrator of Davao City when Mr. Duterte was mayor.   

Mr. Roque said the President has yet to name officials who will assume the Cabinet posts vacated by Information and Communications Technology Sec. Gringo B. Honasan and Agrarian reform Sec. John R. Castriciones, who are also vying for a senate seat. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza 

House probe sought on sexual abuses by cops 

OFFICIALGAZETTE.GOV.PH

LAWMAKERS from the Makabayan bloc is calling for an investigation at the House of Representatives on sexual abuses by police officers following a recent rape incident in Pampanga. 

The group, led by Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas, filed House Resolution 2305 seeking for the House committee on women and gender equality to immediately hold a probe on the matter.  

A cop, identified as Staff Sergeant Robin Mangaga, was recently reported to have allegedly raped a 26-year old female motorcycle rider in Mabalacat City on Oct. 8 after confiscating her keys for driving without a license and brought her to a motel.  

The suspect has since been relieved from his post and placed under restrictive custody pending investigation from the Internal Affairs Service of the Philippine National Police.  

The lawmakers, citing data from the Center for Women’s Resources (CFWR), said the incident is not an isolated case as there have been at least five cases of rape and sexual assault committed by police officers since the imposition of quarantine restrictions last year.   

CFWR also said in a statement on Oct. 13 that 56 police officers have been involved in 33 cases of abuse against women, including 16 cases of rape, during the first two years of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s term in office.    

“In many instances, suspects for violence against women and children were not held accountable or were only given light sanctions especially if the perpetrators have power and position,” according to the House resolution.  

The group also said that there is a need to impose stiffer penalties on state forces who commit violence against women and children, which should be in the final amendments of the bill seeking to raise the age of sexual consent to 16.  

The bill is pending at the bicameral committee level. — Russell Louis C. Ku 

Supreme Court increases operational capacity to up to 50% with easing of restrictions 

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE SUPREME COURT (SC) has expanded the operational capacity of its offices after mobility restrictions were eased in the National Capital Region with the shift to the alert level 3 quarantine system, but the personal filing of pleadings and other court submissions remain prohibited.   

In a memorandum signed by Acting Chief Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe on Monday and released on Tuesday, the High Court said the operational capacity of all its offices are increased to 30% from Oct. 20 to 29, with working hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

The High Court has been operating with a 25% skeletal workforce since Aug. 23 after the capital was placed on the second strictest quarantine level. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago  

DPWH says will still need to support LGUs after devolution

PHILSTAR

THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said Tuesday that it will support local government units (LGUs) and map out a clear division of labor when the department’s functions are devolved to them.

At a Senate hearing, Senator Francis N. Tolentino, who chairs the committee on local government, read a memorandum circular from the budget department which he said suggests a lack of a clear defining line which projects will be the responsibility of local governments.

“The DPWH should refrain from including in their proposals funding for devolved local projects for LGUs belonging to the first to fourth class income classifications, and include funding requirements and limit subsidies for local projects to LGUs belonging to fifth- and sixth-income classes,” he said, quoting from the circular.

He asked how the department planned to implement the devolution plan, to which Undersecretary Maria Catalina E. Cabral replied that the proposal submitted to the budget department was thorough.

“When we submitted our proposal to DBM, we also submitted a very specific menu criteria and scope of work, where the DPWH, or the National Government, can support or subsidize local infrastructure programs to continue and uplift economic development,” she said at the hearing.

Some second- and third-class municipalities still request capacity-building, she added. “This is where we’re willing to subsidize or help, particularly those that will involve technical expertise, especially those contributing to national agenda.”

“I think collaboration and cooperation with LGUs is very important,” Ms. Cabral said, “so if the National Government will implement, then we’ll have to work together with the LGUs so that they don’t need to include it in their infra development (plans), and there will be no redundancy or overlapping.”

She added that the DPWH will ensure that LGUs get help “not only in technical capacity building but also infrastructure development.”

Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said that the department’s P686-billion budget proposal was only compliant on paper with the Supreme Court Mandanas-Garcia ruling, which called for a greater share of the national revenue to be allocated to LGUs. The National Government has responded to the ruling by transferring functions it used to carry out to the local level.

While the DPWH’s allocation for local programs dropped by 88.9% to P31.2 billion in 2022, Mr. Lacson said that the agency’s convergence and special support projects are significantly high, with a proposed allocation of P206.5 billion for next year.

“Different nomenclature but exactly the same program… nothing is being devolved here,” he said. He estimated the actual reduction in DPWH’s budget for 2022 at 5.8%.

“My question is this, what kind of projects will be funded under the convergence and special support program?” he said, calling for a guarantee that this program does not contain local projects covered by the LGU devolved programs. 

The DPWH, Ms. Cabral said, has highly technical projects that will involve multiple competencies. She said the department will ensure the effective regional and local distribution of its convergence projects.

The committee asked the department to submit its devolution transition plan. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan

PHL’s World Bank-funded vaccines hit 4.73M doses

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

A TOTAL of 4.73 million coronavirus vaccine doses procured under a World Bank loan have arrived in the Philippines, the bank said.

Over eight million doses are set to arrive by year’s end to bring the total to about 13 million doses, which were procured via the $500-million COVID-19 Emergency Response Project Additional Financing facility.

The facility had been approved in March.

“In addition to the purchase of vaccines, the additional financing also supports the Philippines’ efforts to implement public health measures including increasing testing and improving isolation capacity,” the World Bank said in a statement Tuesday.

It extends the ongoing emergency response project approved in April last year to fund coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing and medical equipment. The fund has also been used to refurbish quarantine facilities.

“The World Bank is pleased to contribute to the Philippines’ national COVID-19 vaccination effort so that more Filipinos are protected against COVID-19, can resume normal lives, and the country can rebuild the economy faster, restore jobs and incomes, and ensure its resilient recovery,” World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand Ndiame Diop said.

Under 23% of the Philippine population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker. The government plans to fully vaccinate 70% of the population by February.

The Department of Finance (DoF) has said that the government is in talks with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for $900 million (P45.6 billion) worth of loans for COVID-19 booster shots.

The DoF said the ADB and AIIB deals could be signed before the year ends, while the World Bank deal could be signed by December or early January. In the meantime, the government plans to use the balance from the earlier agreement with the World Bank. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Criminal complaints filed over disposal of Malampaya stake

THREE INDIVIDUALS filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi and other officials, alleging corruption in connection with the sale of stakes in the Malampaya natural gas project.

In the 42-page complaint filed Monday and released to the public Tuesday, geologist Balgamel D.B. Domingo and two other individuals, Rodel Rodis and Loida N. Lewis, alleged that Mr. Cusi and other energy officials conspired “to give unwarranted benefits and advantage to (Mr.) Uy’s Udenna Corp. and its subsidiary, UC Malampaya,” which they said is a violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. They were referring to Dennis A. Uy, the Udenna founder.

The three complainants said they are “concerned citizens who advocate for the Filipino people’s right to energy security.”

In November 2019, Mr. Uy bought all the shares of Chevron Malampaya LLC, now UC38 LLC, a subsidiary of Chevron Philippines, Inc., which had a 45% stake in the Malampaya gas field in Palawan.

As such, Mr. Uy now owns 90% of the gas field as he had also acquired the holdings of Shell Philippines Exploration B.V., which formerly owned 45%. The Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) holds the remaining 10%.

The Malampaya gas field covers about 830 square kilometers and covers up to 20% of the Philippines’ energy requirements, reducing its reliance on energy imports. Its commercially-viable output is also expected to be depleted within a few years.

In a Viber message which the Energy department sent reporters late on Tuesday, Mr. Cusi said the complaint was “harassment” with “the singular purpose of political propaganda”, adding that “it comes with the territory”.

Saying: “we will just address it at the proper forum where it was filed”, he added: “”no doubt the truth will vindicate me and the innocent people dragged into this purported action.”

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on energy, had also questioned the transaction with Mr. Uy, which he noted only took two months to approve. The committee also noted that under Presidential Decree 87, sale transactions involving oil exploration assets require prior approval from the government, in this case, the Department of Energy (DoE).

The complainants said prior DoE approval “would have prompted them to exercise the government’s right to match Udenna’s offer.”

Mr. Cusi, responding at the time to Mr. Gatchalian, said the deal was private and “beyond our (DoE’s) purview.”

Apart from Mr. Cusi, Mr. Uy, and officials of Shell Philippines and PNOC, other subjects of the  complaint are officials of Udenna Corp., Chevron Philippines, Inc., and UC Malampaya Philippines.

In a statement, Udenna said it has yet to receive a copy of the complaint and will address the allegations at the proper time “to prove that everything is done aboveboard.”

The DoE’s spokesman, Felix William B. Fuentebella, said by phone that the department has yet to review the complaint. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

1...6,5476,5486,549...13,447Page 6,548 of 13,447
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube