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FDA to lead drive vs illegal ivermectin, says Malacañang

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has ordered the country’s drug regulator to lead the government’s campaign against the illegal sale of the veterinary drug ivermectin, which is being repackaged in the Philippines as a treatment against the coronavirus.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been directed “to take the lead in determining the course of action against the illegal trading/dispensing of ivermectin” to ensure the safety of the public and avoid institutional conflicts, presidential spokesperson Herminio “Harry” L. Roque, Jr. said in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr. Roque said the police “cannot arbitrarily determine on their own which drugs should not be on the market.” “All operations to apprehend or seize goods must be done in coordination with the FDA,” he added.

“What is being ordered to stop is the sale/trade of ivermectin for veterinary use that has been repackaged as human grade, including those that have not been determined by competent authorities as safe to be used in humans,” Mr. Roque said.

He said the President is closely monitoring developments concerning Ivermectin.

Mr. Duterte has ordered his management staff to give him weekly updates on “Ivermectin studies and FDA-related clearance,” Mr. Roque said. Philippine authorities have said registered ivermectin drugs are only for veterinary use.

At least two hospitals in the country have been given a compassionate use permit to use the drug to treat coronavirus patients.

Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato T. de la Peña on Monday said the Philippines would hold trials to determine whether ivermectin could be used to treat coronavirus patients. The Department of Health and the FDA earlier said there is no evidence that ivermectin could reduce deaths among patients with mild to severe COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) cases.

Ivermectin did not also significantly reduce the duration of hospitalization based on some studies, they said. Health authorities also said the rate of hospitalization discharge “did not differ significantly” between those that were given the drug and the placebo group.

There was also no evidence that ivermectin could prevent coronavirus infections, they said, citing the World Health Organization.

The agencies said ivermectin products registered in the country were for veterinary use and were only allowed to treat animals suffering from parasites and heartworm. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

Japan PM cancels trip amid spike in COVID-19 infections

BLOOMBERG

PRIME Minister (PM) of Japan Yoshihide Suga has canceled his planned visit to India and the Philippines amid a fresh surge in coronavirus infections in many parts of the world including Japan and the two countries.

Mr. Suga canceled the trips due to a resurgence of coronavirus cases in Japan, which has considered imposing a fresh state of emergency in Tokyo, Osaka and Hyogo prefectures, Japan Times reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed government sources.

India and the Philippines are also grappling with a new wave of infections, which may have played a part in the decision to cancel the trip, it said.

The Philippine presidential palace said it understands the decision.

“Defeating the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic is high on both the Philippines and Japan’s agenda and remains a key point of cooperation,” presidential spokesperson Herminio “Harry” L. Roque, Jr. said in a statement.

“The decision to postpone a planned official visit based on this ground, therefore, deserves support,” he added.

Mr. Roque said the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan would continue even as both countries struggle to work to address the COVID-19 pandemic. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

BFAR told to probe Chinese overfishing near Zambales

A SENATOR on Wednesday called on the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to probe overfishing by Chinese vessels in the South China Sea after concerns over declining fish catch in Zambales province.

In a statement, Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel said the agency should find out how much local fisherfolk are losing because of China’s activities in the disputed waterway.

“Protecting our rights in the West Philippine Sea is not just about our legal jurisdiction, but also about our country’s food security,” she said, referring to areas in the South China within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“Government should be able to allow Filipino fishers to freely conduct their business: to catch fish,” she added.

Ms. Hontiveros said the agency should monitor the area and account for “what is being stolen from us.”

At least 20 Chinese vessels have been spotted 111 kilometers off San Antonio town in Zambales, she said, citing fishermen there.

One of the fishermen who raised alarm over the Chinese vessels said they could hear them “disturbing fishing grounds” at night.

The BFAR and the Department of National Defense should work together to defend the livelihood of Filipinos, she said.

The senator said China owes the Philippines more than P800 billion for “her years of exploiting the West Philippine Sea.”

“These figures were released even before the recent swarming of over 200 vessels, making it reasonable to presume that China’s debt to our country has ballooned in only the span of three months.”

The Philippines last week fired off another diplomatic protest against China after authorities spotted a swarm of Chinese vessels, including six war ships within its waters in the South China Sea. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

DICT targets vaccine management system rollout by Q2

Residents of Quezon City in line for a coronavirus jab manually fill up information sheets in this March 31 photo. — PHILSTAR/MICHAEL VARCAS

THE DEPARTMENT of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on Wednesday said it targets to rollout the government’s vaccine management system nationwide within this quarter (Q2).

The department is aiming to have the  Vaccine Information and Management System (VIMS) set up in the National Capital Region (NCR) by end-April and the rest of the country by end-May, DICT Assistant Secretary Emmanuel Rey R. Caintic said in a televised news briefing.

Mr. Caintic said the vaccine reporting system is expected to quicken the country’s inoculation drive against the coronavirus.

The system shall “track the supply and distribution of vaccines nationwide” as well as the doses delivered to the country, he said.

“The DICT shall ensure the security of the VIMS as it allows information and data exchange with other systems,” Mr. Caintic said.

He said the agency has been working with local governments, private groups and individuals to utilize the system’s “maximum capacity.”

“We are also working on having more granular level of reporting to come up with data-driven decisions at both national and local levels,” he said.

‘MEGA CENTERS’
Meanwhile, Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. said the government is partnering with the private sector to establish “mega vaccination centers” in shopping malls.

In a hearing conducted by the House of Representatives committees on health, and trade and industry, the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine head said major malls and retailers have pledged their facilities for vaccination purposes in the Metro Manila area.

“Later on, all malls… will be designated as mega vaccine sites,” he said.

He also said the private sector has committed to mobilize five big hospitals for the vaccination drive.

“They (the private sector) were more than willing to provide spaces and also personnel, no charge to the government, and provide the services for the country, so that we can mobilize the inoculations,” he said.

With the private sector’s participation, Mr. Galvez said they are hoping to conduct one million jabs per week, which will require an additional personnel of up to 50,000.

Health Undersecretary Myrna C. Cabotaje, however, said in the same hearing that additional manpower for the inoculation program might be difficult to find.

The Health department currently has only 3,000 inoculators.

“The HRH (human resource for health) is the biggest challenge,” she said in Filipino.

Ms. Cabotaje also said apart from human resources, the availability of vaccine supply will determine the daily inoculation output. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza and Gillian M. Cortez

Malicious tagging on Facebook stopped — DoJ cybercrime office

PHILSTAR

THE PAGE behind the recent tagging of Facebook users in malicious videos that led to downloading malwares has been removed and its administrators have been sanctioned, the Department of Justice–Office of Cybercrime (DoJ-OOC) announced on Wednesday.

The cybercrime office said it has received confirmation from Facebook’s Asia-Pacific legal team that the page associated with the malicious tagging has been taken down and those behind it have been appropriately dealt with.

“We encourage everyone to report similar incidents in the future to DoJ-OOC for immediate and appropriate action,” the office said on its Facebook page.

Many of the Facebook users who were tagged flagged the anomaly on their own pages and warned their network of friends on the social media platform.

“Introduction or transmission of viruses, such as malwares, to and interference in the functioning of computer systems are prohibited acts under Republic Act No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012,” DoJ-OOC said. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

ARTA, PACC ink deal for joint investigations

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WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GRECOBELGICAFANPAGE

THE country’s red tape and corruption watchdogs on Wednesday signed a deal to work jointly on investigations.

The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) on Wednesday signed a memorandum of agreement to align their work on corruption-related complaints sent to either agency.

“We will be able to share investigations and valuable information that is allowed by law to bolster investigations, file cases, and submit reports to the President and recommend streamlining policies and systems,” PACC Chairman Greco B. Belgica said at a virtual briefing on Wednesday.

ARTA Director General Jeremiah B. Belgica, the PACC chairman’s brother, said the PACC has jurisdiction over presidential appointees, while ARTA works on easing government processing times.

“When ARTA investigates and there are related allegations of corruption… we refer these to the appropriate agencies like PACC,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

He also said that the two agencies’ legal teams will work together and fact-finding processes will be done jointly to speed up the process.

Cases investigated by ARTA can be automatically endorsed to the PACC, he added.

PACC, on the other hand, will also endorse red tape violations under Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act to ARTA.

The Philippines slipped two spots to 115th place out of 180 countries or territories in a global corruption index released in January by Transparency International. The organization said widespread corruption has weakened many countries’ response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Lawyers add voice of support to community pantries

PHILIPPINE STAR/ MICHAEL VARCAS

THE organization of all registered lawyers in the county has expressed support to those behind community pantries and asserted that the initiative is not in violation of any law.

“No law is violated when one feeds the hungry and helps the needy survive in this pandemic. Community pantries should be praised, not profiled; replicated, not red-tagged; supported, not stopped,” Integrated Bar of The Philippines President Domingo E. Cayosa  told reporters on Wednesday.

Mr. Cayosa made the statement after the first community pantry in Quezon City halted operations on Tuesday as its organizer, Ana Patricia Non, said they have been tagged as communists by government representatives.

Presidential Spokesperson Herminio “Harry” L. Roque, Jr. has said that community pantries must be “left alone” unless there are violations of health protocols.

Ms. Non’s community pantry, a food aid initiative where people can freely donate and take, has been replicated in numerous parts of the community.

Local government officials and senators are among the sectors that have expressed support to the grassroots projects. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago

33 more hotels, resorts get international safe travel stamp 

MORE hotels and resorts in popular tourist destinations such as Boracay, Palawan, and Cebu have been given the Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), marking them as compliant to global standard health protocols.

“Now that the country’s vaccination program is in full swing, we anticipate that parallel initiatives across the globe will hasten the resumption of international travel.  As early as now, we need to prepare our facilities and destinations to be visitor-ready, with health and safety as key concerns,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said during the virtual awarding ceremony on April 21.

The new batch of 33 Safe Travels-accredited establishments include 16 in Cebu and Bohol, nine in Palawan, three in Boracay, two in Dipolog City, and one each in the cities of Baguio, Zamboanga, and Davao.

Five other establishments in Metro Manila and two in Baguio have earlier been given the stamp.

The Philippines, through the Department of Tourism, received its accreditation from the global council in Sept. 20.   

“In March, we received more than 100 applications coming from the different regions… This surge of interest is reflective of their readiness to adopt to the new normal and desire to be globally recognized as a fun and ‘safe travels’ facility,” Ms. Puyat said.

A full list of the WTTC-marked establishments may be accessed through the Tourism department’s official site, tourism.gov.ph. — MSJ

Bicol’s pili nut industry could secure trademark by 2022

THE pili industry in Bicol could register for intellectual property protection by next year through a collective trademark, the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) said.

IPOPHL has been supporting such collective marks for local enterprises through a partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The project includes logo design and the standards-setting for producing goods that will use the mark.

The industry spans from raw material farming to value added goods such as butter and handicraft.

“A collective mark serves as a branding tool that increases consumer confidence as it guarantees premium quality, authenticity, craftsmanship, raw materials, safety, sanitary standard or the cultural links of a product,” IPOPHL said in a statement on Wednesday.

Bicol Pili Project Consultant Aldrin R. Mendoza said collective marks would improve product sales through marketing and technology improvements done through economies of scale.

He said industry stakeholders must first create a formal group. “We need only one core organization, federation, cooperative or any structure that will be the owner and filer of the mark,” he said.

“It is the industry stakeholders who must initiate and determine how to group themselves.”

Registered collective marks are protected for at least a decade.

Guimaras Mangoes and Cordillera Heirloom Rice collective marks are registered at the IPOPHL. — Jenina P. Ibañez

Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur now free from red tide 

THE BUREAU of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) announced that Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur is officially free from red tide contamination.

In its 11th shellfish bulletin, BFAR said shellfish sourced from the area are now safe for human consumption after testing negative for red tide toxins.

However, BFAR said red tide warnings are still up in several areas such as Dauis and Tagbilaran City, Bohol; Tambobo Bay, Negros Oriental; Calubian, Leyte; Balite Bay, Davao Oriental; and Lianga Bay and Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang harvested from the red tide affected areas are not safe for human consumption.

However, other marine species can be eaten with proper handling. Red tide occurs as a result of high concentrations of algae in the water.

Human consumption of contaminated shellfish may result in paralytic shellfish poisoning, which affects the nervous system. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

Palace asks Senate to give pork tariff EO a chance

REUTERS

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has asked the Senate to give his executive order (EO) lowering tariffs on imported pork a chance to stabilize the supply of pork after the drastic reduction in hog numbers due to the African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak.

Mr. Duterte is “asking the esteemed members of the Senate to give EO 128 a chance and consider its intended effects, which include addressing the shortage (of pork), stabilizing prices… and minimizing inflation,” the President’s spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. said in a statement Wednesday.

The Senate has adopted a resolution asking the President to revoke his order, which temporarily reduces the tariff rates on imported pork products for one year, arguing that the surge in imports could kill the hog industry.

EO 128 reduces the tariff charged on pork imports within the minimum access volume (MAV) quota to 5% in the first three months. The rate increases to 10% in the subsequent nine months.

Pork imports outside the quota, meanwhile, will be charged 15% for the first three months, rising to 20% in the succeeding nine months.

Mr. Roque urged senators to revisit the order after two months “to assess whether the intended effects have been realized.”

He said the administration as well as the Senate wants to ensure “the recovery of the swine industry and the attainment of sufficient domestic pork production.”

Should Congress pass another bill changing the import duties on pork, “the President may veto any particular item or items in such appropriation, revenue, or tariff bill,” Mr. Roque has said.

The government should have consulted hog raisers extensively in the run-up to the EO, Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura Executive Director Jayson H. Cainglet said.

“Sana bago ‘yung appeal, pinagbigyan din muna ni (Agriculture) Secretary (William D.) Dar ang industry to recover and explain that it’s not necessary to lower pork tariffs (Before appealing to the Senate, I wish the government, through Mr. Dar, had given the industry space to recover),” he told BusinessWorld via Viber.

Mr. Cainglet said the Department of Agriculture has responded poorly to ASF.

“Matagal na ang ASF, at matagal na dapat ipatupad ang border controls. Pero mukhang importation talaga ang focus ni Dar (ASF has been around for some time and border controls should have been imposed, but Mr. Dar seems to be focused on imports),” he said.

“We squarely blame Dar for our situation right now,” Mr. Cainglet said.

“The Senate has no choice since the reduced tariff rates and the increased in-quota MAV have already taken effect,” Senator Panfilo M. Lacson said in a statement.

Senator Franklin M. Drilon has said the Congress through a joint resolution was authorized to terminate any order that would “increase, reduce or remove existing rates of import duty,” citing Republic Act No. 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Mr. Lacson said senators could have given their input based on their consultations and research had the government conducted a courtesy consultation. He reiterated that the order “is a consequence of a delegated authority granted by Congress to the President.”

He said the economic team’s conclusion that the demand for pork has not changed during the pandemic is “flawed.”

He said the decline in international tourist traffic should have affected pork demand.

“As I had pointed out during the Senate Committee of the Whole hearing, the 50% contraction registered by hotel and restaurant operations should (show up in) demand since the pre-pandemic 8.2 million foreign tourists are now eating pork somewhere else,” he said.

“Thus, at 15 kilograms of pork consumption per capita as estimated would mean 120 million kilograms less pork,” Mr. Lacson said. “That should be substantial enough to consider when they came up with the 350,000,000 kilograms in additional in-quota MAV allocation.”

Mr. Lacson said the Palace appeal should have also been “directed toward the 80,000 backyard hog raisers, their families, farm hands and all others now being affected by the EO, both directly and indirectly.”

Senate Minority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said Monday that the Senate is willing to negotiate with the President over the recall of his order. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

DoE backs Palace position on disputed waters

PHILSTAR FILE PHOTO

THE DEPARTMENT of Energy (DoE) said it “stands firmly” behind any decision by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on asserting the Philippines’ licensing authority over resources in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a statement Wednesday, the DoE said it “supports the President’s statement regarding the defense of the resources of the Philippine seabed and subsoil, as this is in accordance with the Constitution and our petroleum laws,” Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi said.

Under the law, the government through the DoE can issue licenses to drill within its territory, including islands, internal waters, its territorial sea, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf.

“Should any foreign state engage in petroleum activities inside the Philippine petroleum jurisdiction, the DoE shall take the necessary steps to protect our licensees and preserve our resources,” Mr. Cusi said.

He added that the department will defer to the President’s prerogative on “any security option,” and conform to decisions made by the foreign affairs department in the negotiation of oil and gas collaboration with China.

Mr. Duterte said Wednesday that the WPS disputes risk escalation, including a resort to the use of force. “But at what cost will that be for the country?… I am addressing myself to the Chinese government. We want to remain friends.”

“I don’t think there’s enough fish really to be worried about but when we start to mine, when we start to get whatever it is in the bowels of the China Sea, sa atin oil, diyan na ako. (The oil is ours)… Pag kinuha na ‘yung oil, kung anong mga nickel diyan and precious stones, (if they get the oil, nickel and precious stones) that would be the time, because that is the time that we should act on it,” he added.

In October, Mr. Duterte approved the DoE’s recommendation to lift the suspension of petroleum exploration activities in the WPS. The department has said it had issued a “resume to work” notice to service contractors exploring the areas under service contracts (SCs) 59, 72, and 75. These activities were suspended due to the WPS dispute.

SCs 59 and 72 are operated by the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp. and Forum Ltd., respectively. Meanwhile, PXP Energy Corp. operates SC 75.

Mr. Cusi has said the lifting of the moratorium on WPS exploration will help the country’s economic recovery since the “resumption of work will infuse the economy with fresh investment and generate high-skill employment opportunities.” — Angelica Y. Yang

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