Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 7473

Health dep’t to adjust protocols on Avigan trials to reach 100 patients; 2,092 new COVID-19 cases recorded

THE Health department on Friday said it will adjust protocols for its trials on the anti-flu drug Avigan after facing challenges in recruiting patients, with so far just four participants out of the 100 target.

In an online media forum on Friday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire said the problem is getting patients with mild cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as not many of them are being admitted in hospitals.

“The trials are done in hospital settings on mild cases but we know right now, there are not many mild cases being admitted to the hospital,” she said, adding that there has also been a decline in the overall number of COVID-19 cases.

Ms. Vergeire said the clinical trial team has approved the recruitment expansion in princple.

“While we are waiting for the revision on protocol, we are continuing the existing protocol,” she said.

New COVID-19 patients recorded on Friday stood at 2,092, bringing the total to 391,809, of which 34,374 were active cases, based on Health department data.

Of the active cases, 83.6% were mild cases while 9.8% were asymptomatic. Critical and severe cases were at 4.2% and 2.4%, respectively.

There were 462 new recoveries, bringing the total to 349,974.

Total mortality count reached 7,461 with 52 new deaths.

Meanwhile, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato T. dela Peña said in the same forum that the World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to give a specific date on when the Philippines will take part in the Solidarity Trials for COVID-19 vaccines.

“Wala pa silang inaannounce kung aling mga vaccines ang makakasama at kung anong protocol ang susundin (They have not announced what vaccines will be included and what protocols will be followed),” he said.

Mr. Dela Peña, however, said they still expect the trials in the country to begin by December. — Gillian M. Cortez

Red Cross chair says Duterte misled in ‘greedy’ remark

THE Philippine Red Cross chairperson, Senator Richard J. Gordon, did not take offense in President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s remark that the humanitarian organization is “greedy,” but warned that the country’s leader should be more cautious with his public remarks as he could be “misled” by some of his Cabinet officials.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte slammed Red Cross on Thursday evening in a televised meeting with some Cabinet members, calling it “mukhang pera” for halting testing services for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) after collectibles from state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) ballooned to about P1 billion.

“I’m not offended,” Mr. Gordon said in a press conference Friday, “I think the President should really be careful. Sometimes he is not aware that his statement is not really presidential.”

Mr. Gordon alleged that Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III, who sits as PhilHealth board chair, is possibly feeding the President wrong information. “I think he was misled by the statement. Because the way the predicate was laid by Secretary Duque was wrong,” said the senator.

A majority of senators, including administration allies but excluding Mr. Gordon, filed a resolution in April calling for Mr. Duque’s resignation citing his poor handling of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mr. Gordon said PhilHealth has so far paid P700 million of its dues to the Red Cross, and P377 million remains outstanding.

TESTING PRICE RANGE

Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DoH) on Friday said a price range for COVID-19 tests will be released possibly by next week.

In an online forum with reporters on Friday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire said the DoH and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are “studying carefully” the price range for testing kits.

She added that a final draft of the joint circular is already with DTI, and this will be presented to stakeholders before issuance.

DoH said the price range setting is based on the World Health Organization’s laboratory test costing tool, maximum drug retail price model, and suggested retail price based on a survey.

Mr. Duterte recently signed Executive Order No. 118, which ordered the DoH and DTI to formulate the price range on COVID-19 testing that “is just, equitable, and sensitive to all stakeholders.”

The directive was issued following reports on high costs of COVID-19 tests in some health facilities.

DIALYSIS

In another health-related development, Quezon City Rep. Alfred D. Vargas appealed to PhilHealth to resume its extended free dialysis program immediately, saying its decision to temporarily halt its promised 90-session limit hurts patients who have been affected by the pandemic.

“It is unconscionable to have our indigent dialysis patients scrounge around for money amid record unemployment and rising poverty during this pandemic,” Mr. Vargas said in a statement on Friday.

Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, which recognizes the existence of a national emergency and economic disruption due to a coronavirus pandemic, provided PhilHealth the basis to for “the provision of special privileges such as exemption from the 45-days limit or the 90- session limit per calendar year in the case of hemodialysis patients.”

House Minority Deputy Speaker Carlos Isagani T. Zarate said should PhilHealth and the DoH refuse to act on the issue, the House Makabayan bloc will initiate a legislative probe. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Gillian M. Cortez

New management structure set on COVID-19 vaccination program

A NEW management structure for the coronavirus vaccination program has been formalized with the appointed “vaccine czar,” Secretary Carlito G. Galvez Jr., as head.

Palace Spokesperson Harry L. Roque announced Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has issued Resolution No. 83 creating the COVID-19 Vaccine Cluster.

"As a result of this restructuring, the COVID-19 Immunization Program Management Organizational Structure, which was approved under IATF Resolution No. 82 last October 26, 2020 was abolished," he said.

The Department of Health was originally designated to lead the vaccination task force.

Mr. Galvez, who has been functioning as chief implementer of the national task force program on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), was appointed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte as vaccine czar earlier this week.

His new responsibilities include overseeing the procurement, storage, and distribution of COVD-19 vaccines. — Gillian M. Cortez

Manila Bay water quality monitoring system launched

By Angelica Y. Yang

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in partnership with the SM Group and with support from the Pasay City government, unveiled a water quality monitoring project in Manila Bay on Friday as part of the agency’s mandate to rehabilitate the polluted waters.

The program involves land- and marine-based monitoring probes, including seven water quality buoys, that will collect real-time data on the depth, temperature, conductivity, pH levels, dissolved oxygen and turbidity of the bay.

Four buoys are scheduled to be deployed off the Baywalk area, said DENR chief Roy A. Cimatu during the launching ceremony held at the SM By the Bay.

The project is in line with the Supreme Court’s order to restore the bay’s water quality to “recreational water class 1” or “Class SB” levels.

Coastal and marine waters under the Class SB level are those deemed suitable for bathing, swimming, skin diving, and other forms of contact recreation.

“We have an annual obligation to the Supreme Court on how far we have complied with the mandamus… we can do this by monitoring the waters,” the DENR chief said.

Data on the water’s various parameters can be viewed in real-time through a cloud-based platform connected to the water quality monitors.

The water quality probes, however, cannot capture other parameters such as fecal coliform level, total suspended solids, oil and grease, and E.coli, among others.

To monitor these factors, the DENR said there will be a monthly sampling and lab analysis of water samples.

Pasay City Mayor Imelda G. Calixto-Rubiano, for her part, said the equipment are important in implementing a scientific method of monitoring.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cimatu, when sought for comment on the controversial use of artificial white sand as part of Manila Bay’s rehabilitation, said DENR is “prepared to defend their decision.”

Better or worse? SWS survey shows mixed expectations on quality of life

AN almost equal percentage of adult Filipinos expect their personal quality-of- life in the next 12 months to either improve, worsen, or stay the same, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll.

The SWS report released Friday showed 33% of adult Filipinos see things will stay the same amid a coronavirus pandemic, 32% were “optimists” or expecting their lives to improve, while 30% were “pessimists” or anticipate worse conditions. The remaining 6% are unsure about the next 12 months.

SWS interviewed 1,249 people using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing from Sept. 17 to 20 for the poll, which had an error margin of ±3 points.

“Compared to a typical face-to-face interview which takes approximately 90 minutes to complete, a phone interview has a maximum limit of 20 minutes due to respondent phone-fatigue. Thus, the SWS September 17-20, 2020 National Mobile Phone Survey questionnaire contained fewer items than the regular quarterly Social Weather Report Survey,” the report noted.

The questionnaire included items on how people were dealing with the pandemic, core SWS indicators such as Hunger and Quality of Life for historical comparison, and selected items on contemporary Philippine issues. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

ASEAN chief justices to share knowledge on judgements, court processes

THE chief justices of the 10-member Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have committed to further strengthen knowledge-sharing on court processes, enforcement of judgements in both civil and commercial cases, and handling disputes of international interest.

The Council of ASEAN Chief Justices (CACJ) on Thursday signed the Hanoi Declaration, an agreement on judicial cooperation through the conduct of a masterclass for ASEAN judges and judicial officers on Hague conventions concerning the taking of evidence abroad in civil or commercial matters, and the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgements in civil or commercial matters.

Under the declaration, the chief justices also agreed to create a working group to study the current legal framework within each ASEAN jurisdiction governing the taking of evidence for foreign proceedings and develop a model rule.

The signatories were Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta of the Philippines, Chief Justice Steven Chong Wan Oon of Brunei Darussalam, Vice President You Ottara as representative of the President of the Supreme Court of Kingdom of Cambodia, Chief Justice Muhammad Syarifuddin of Indonesia, Vice President Bounkhouang Thavisack as representative of the President of the People’s Supreme Court of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat of Malaysia, Chief Justice Htun Htun Oo of Myanmar, Judge Lee Seiu Kin as representative of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Singapore, Metinee Chalodhorn as President of the Supreme Court of Thailand, and Chief Justice Nguyen Hoa Binh of Vietnam.

In a statement on Friday, the Supreme Court Public Information Office said the declaration complements the high court’s approval of the guidelines on the implementation of the Hague Service Convention on the Service Abroad of Judicial Documents in Civil and Commercial Matters, which is expected to address court delays and simplify the serving of summons and other documents in a foreign jurisdiction.

“The Guidelines shall govern the operation and implementation of the Hague Service Convention in the country, insofar as they concern judicial documents in civil or commercial matters,” the information office said.

The CACJ acknowledged that the “the Working Group on Cross-Border Disputes Involving Children has (a) began to explore the possibility of developing a common set of values, aspirations and principles for ASEAN Judiciaries in cases of cross-border child disputes within ASEAN; and (b) agreed to explore holding the 3rd ASEAN Family Judges Forum in conjunction with the 2022 HCCH Judicial Roundtable on the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and the 1996 Hague Convention on Parental Responsibility and Protection of Children.” During the gathering hosted by the Judiciary of Vietnam, Mr. Peralta shared the Philippine Judiciary’s reduction of bail and granting recognizance for indigent persons deprived of liberty, which addresses the need to further decongest overcrowded jails and detention facilities to further prevent the spread of the lethal coronavirus.

Mr. Peralta also shared that the local judiciary already allowed the online filing of complaints or criminal information as well as posting of bail, and started the pilot testing of hearings of criminal cases through video conferencing.

The 9th CACJ meeting will be hosted next year by the Judiciary of Indonesia. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Second tranche of COVID-19 cash aid from DoLE to benefit 800,000 workers

THE DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said 800,000 will benefit from its next tranche of cash assistance for formal sector workers affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique R. Tutay said in an online briefing on Friday that P4.7 billion was set aside for the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) out of the DoLE’s P13-billion allotment under Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.

“Meron tayong nilaan na pondo diyan na P4.7 billion out of P13 billion (We have allocated P4.7 billion out of P13 billion for the program),” she said.

“Tinataya po natin na 800,000 na magbebenefit sa P4.7 billion (We expect that some 800,000 will benefit from the P4.7 billion),” she added.

The DoLE said applicants for the first round of CAMP aid who were not served will be prioritized in this second tranche.

Almost one million applicants for its first tranche of CAMP were not served due to the DoLE’s limited budget for the one-time cash assistance for affected establishments and workers.

Ms. Tutay said of this number, 260,000 were accommodated under the Department of Finance’s Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS). Those who availed of the SBWS will not be qualified for the second round of CAMP.

She added that they hope to finish the distribution of aid to the beneficiaries by mid-December.

The DoLE said in a statement on Friday that workers who are interested to apply for the second tranche of CAMP can register online at https://reports.dole.gov.ph.

“DOLE advises the following steps to complete the transaction: Select the ‘Apply for CAMP Financial Assistance’ and choose the preferred application such as 1) Apply as Establishment; 2) Apply as DOT Accredited Establishment; and 3) Displaced and Temporarily Laid-off Workers,” it said. — G.M. Cortez

More than 3 million start national ID registration process

MORE THAN 3 million Filipinos have already finished the initial step of the registration process for the country’s national ID system.

“We reached 3.3 million on Day 21 (Nov. 4) for national ID registration step one,” Socioeconomic Planning Acting Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said in a text message to reporters.

The government targets to have five million low income families go through the first step of the registration process, wherein they will be given an appointment slip to visit registration centers near their homes to complete the process. This step also includes gathering the demographic information of the applicant and securing their consent to give out their bank details, if applicable.

Based on figures sent by Mr. Chua, 88.6% of those who participated in the first step were unbanked.

The most frequent identification presented by registrants were voter’s IDs (429,174). Meanwhile, more than 175,000 did not have any form of identification.

He said the government is on track in 30 out of the 32 provinces targeted to go through the process this year.

Republic Act No. 11055 or the Philippine Identification System Act signed August 2018 provides for a single identification system for all citizens. This is seen to ease the know your customer process of banks as it can be used as the sole ID to open an account.

Only 29% of Filipino adults had accounts in financial institutions in 2019, leaving some 51.2 million still unbanked, central bank data showed. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas wants at least 70% of the Filipino adult population to be financially included by 2023.

The government expects to complete the registration and issuance of national IDs for all Filipinos by June 2022. — LWTN

Damage to power facilities hit by Typhoon Rolly now at P327.91M

THE DAMAGE to power distribution facilities affected by Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) has climbed to P327.91 million, with Bicol electric cooperatives (ECs) hit the most, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said on Friday.

The First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative in Catanduanes suffered P133.06-million worth of damage, followed by Camarines Sur III Electric Cooperative at P82.30 million and Camarines Sur IV Electric Cooperative, Inc. at P39.38 million.

The damage was initially estimated at some P30.5 million earlier this week.

The NEA also reported ECs have restored power to 54.73% or about 1.12 million customers in households in the Bicol region and portions of Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Eastern Visayas.

OIL SUPPLY

In a separate advisory on Friday afternoon, the Department of Energy (DoE) said areas hit by the typhoon have adequate supply of petroleum products, following earlier reports of disruptions in Catanduanes.

The DoE said Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi has been in contact with downstream oil companies to ensure they are following the agency’s minimum inventory requirement of 15 days’ worth of petroleum product supply.

Daily monitoring reports submitted by downstream oil facilities based in Catanduanes showed that “all liquid fuel retail outlets in Virac are operational”, the DoE said. — Angelica Y. Yang

BSP mulls framework on publication of bank offenses

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is considering a framework on publicizing criminal offenses made by supervised financial institutions and their officials as well as the corresponding enforcement actions in a bid to promote prudent banking management, sound risk management, and good corporate governance.

In a policy exposure draft dated Nov. 3, the central bank said the regulatory relief measures made available to BSP-supervised financial institutions (BSFIs) should “not be viewed as a relaxation” of supervisory rules from the BSP.

The BSP emphasized it will observe due process as an integral part of its enforcement action.

“The BSFI, and/or its concerned DOEs (directors, officers and employees) are afforded fair and reasonable opportunity to explain their side and to submit evidence in support thereof. Such explanation and documentation are given due consideration in the determination of the appropriate enforcement actions that will be imposed by the BSP,” it said.

Stakeholders are given until Nov. 18 to send their feedback to the central bank with regards to the framework.

Based on the proposals, enforcement action from the BSP’s Financial Supervision Section on BSFIs with finality will be published as press releases on the central bank website.

Offenses under the jurisdiction of the BSP’s Office of the General Counsel and Legal Services include administrative cases filed by the BSP against delinquent DOEs of BSFIs will be published, based on the proposed framework.

Criminal cases filed against DOEs that were already filed with the Department of Justice as well as those already determined to have probable cause in trial courts will also be published. The BSP said it will also publish court convictions of accused DOEs regardless of the finality of the judgment.

Certain laws such as Republic Acts No. 11211 (New Central Bank Act as amended), 7653 (New Central Bank Act), and 8791 (General Banking Law of 2000) gave the BSP the mandate to impose enforcement actions on financial institutions.

The central bank already publishes circular letters on BSFIs that are prohibited from doing business in the Philippines.

It has also already published press releases on its website regarding administrative enforcement actions on cases which are deemed to impair public trust in the banking systems as well as court-issued convictions of bank officials in relation to complaints filed by the BSP.

Other financial regulators such as the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Insurance Commission also disclose their enforcement actions and cases under their watch through press releases in their respective websites. — Luz Wendy T. Noble

Typhoons cut 2% of Q4 palay harvest

By Jenina P. Ibañez, Reporter

The Agriculture department estimated the palay production loss due to recent typhoons reached 165,000 metric tons (MT), or two percent of the projected 8.4 million MT fourth quarter harvest this year.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) in a statement Friday said farmers in the major rice-producing regions were able to harvest a week or two early because of weather advisories. This saved P7.66 billion of palay and P1.31 billion worth of corn during Typhoon Quinta, and saved P16.99 worth of palay and P579 million worth of corn from Typhoon Rolly.

The 1.6 million MT of palay saved is 7% of the target total for 2020.

The department earlier this year had a target palay production of 20.34 million MT for 2020, based on its regular national rice program, rice competitiveness enhancement fund program, and rice resiliency project.

“With a two-percent loss in palay harvest, we could still realize a record output of about 20.175 million metric tons, which is seven percent more than our 2019 yield of 18.81 MMT,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said.

Typhoon Rolly made landfall in Catanduanes in Bicol Region on Nov. 1, the region with the highest fatality rate. Typhoon Quinta had previously passed through Southern Luzon, including Bicol.

Agricultural damage for both typhoons cost over P5.51 billion in losses, DA reported Thursday.

Agriculture Undersecretary Rodolfo V. Vicerra said that subtracting losses from typhoons, palay harvest for 2020 would be projected at 13.1 million MT . This means there would be 91.5% rice adequacy level based on per capita consumption of 118.6 kilograms.

“Based on the trend over the past three quarters, we are confident that we will hit our palay production target this fourth quarter, thus increasing our rice adequacy from last year’s 87 percent,” he said.

He said that the country will have 90-days worth of rice inventory by year end.

Gov’t urged to lower tariffs on pork imports

Meat importers are asking the government to reduce tariffs on imported pork to stabilize prices in the market.

The Meat Traders and Importers Association on Thursday wrote a letter to the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), asking that the Most Favored Nation Rates of pork meat be reduced by 50%.

Most Favored Nation rates are tariffs imposed on members of the World Trade Organization.

Pork products are also under a tariff rate quota, which means that imports exceeding a certain quantity are taxed at a higher out-quota rate.

“We suggest reducing the duty on In Quota Pork from 30% to 10% and Out Quota Pork from 40% to 20%,” the importers said in a press release on Friday.

The group said that pork retail prices have climbed to as much as P500 per kilogram, from P300 per kilogram in October.

The Agriculture Department last week raised suggested retail prices for various cuts of pork sold in Metro Manila wet market and supermarkets due to shortages caused by the outbreak of African Swine Fever in some parts of the country.

The department said that the new SRP for pork shoulder, known as kasim, is at P260 per kilogram, from the previous P230.

The SRP for pork belly, or liempo, was set at P280 per kilogram, from P250.

The Agriculture department last week also said it is working with the hog industry to increase live hog and pork shipments from Visayas and Mindanao to increase Luzon supply and bring down prices.

The importers said that live hogs from Visayas and Mindanao are being traded at high prices and low weights.

“Additionally hogs are diverted to Luzon by reducing volume to the locality thereby depriving its very own consumers. These hogs cannot satisfy the demand of Luzon and whatever volume brought to Luzon would not be sustainable both in price and volume,” the group said.

The import industry group added that duties reduction on meat has precedents in the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, adding that a reduction in import duties could help citizens affected by the pandemic by lowering prices.

“At the same time, the hog producers can rebuild their business into a globally competitive industry and the Philippines can consider venturing into the export of pork meat.” — Jenina P. Ibañez

1...7,4727,4737,474...12,859Page 7,473 of 12,859
© 2024 BusinessWorld Publishing.
All rights reserved.
Read our privacy guidelines
Facebook Instagram Linkedin Twitter Youtube