AFRICAN swine fever (ASF) has been confirmed in 23 provinces across eight regions as of April 27, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said, noting that outside of Luzon, the disease is present only in two of the Davao provinces.
In a virtual news conference yesterday, DA Spokesperson Noel O. Reyes said the national count for culled hogs is 282,486 animals, who were killed as a precaution.
The DA identified the provinces with confirmed cases as Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, La Union, Pangasinan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Cagayan Province, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Camarines Sur, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental.
ASF cases have also been detected in the National Capital Region.
“According to veterinary experts consulted by the DA, areas should be 100% free from the virus before we can declare that the country is safe from ASF,” Mr. Reyes said.
The DA has reported that the pork supply will fail to meet demand towards the end of the year, and estimated the size of the shortfall as equivalent to 31 days’ consumption.
According to the latest food outlook issued by the DA, pork demand is estimated at 1.2 million MT, with committed supply estimated at 1.1 million MT.
To augment pork supply, the DA said it will organize logistics for hog raisers in Mindanao to bring their surpluses to Luzon and the Visayas.
Hog raisers in Davao have committed to ship 500 metric tons (MT) of surplus pork monthly while those in General Santos City and Cagayan de Oro can send 3,000 MT monthly.
“Consumers should shift to other sources of protein such as poultry, which by the end of the year will be in sufficient supply, equivalent to 233 days,” Mr. Reyes said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
THE Philippines must revive its textile industry following global supply chain disruptions during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, which cut off the garment industry from imported raw material, Philexport textiles, yarn, and fabric trustee Robert M. Young said.
“Right now, the Philippines is the only country without a textile industry,” he said in a webinar Wednesday, adding that lockdowns in China delayed textile imports for the garments industry.
“If we had factories nearby, we could have been supplied from these textile companies.”
The Philippines cannot continue to rely on imports, he said, and must attain some degree of self-reliance.
Mr. Young said that after the crisis, garment retailers will be focused on selling their remaining inventory, adding that consumers will likely be more conservative in buying clothing.
“The orders of the garment and apparel (from retailers) will be reduced by about 50%,” he said, adding that 50-70% of recent orders have been cancelled by buyers.
To boost the industry, Mr. Young said Internet and manufacturing technology capabilities must be improved, noting that bad Internet connectivity created difficulties.
“Most of the time, signals were dropped, especially in the provinces… the government should do something about the Internet speed because this is really vital,” he said, adding that factory machinery must be upgraded to improve efficiency.
Mr. Young also said the Philippines should continue its negotiations for free trade agreements (FTA), especially with the US.
“Selected goods such as garments, apparel, wearables can enter the USA tax-free, meaning we will have more business. Foreign buyers will be buying more from Manila because they will be paying zero tax,” he said.
Mr. Young said that he expects an industry recovery after 18 months, in the best-case scenario. — Jenina P. Ibañez
THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said its ongoing railway projects are still on track despite the disruptions from the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The department also said the major airport projects such as Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Rehabilitation and Bulacan Airport projects will push through as soon as the COVID-19 situation softens.
In a virtual news conference Thursday, Philippine National Railways General-Manager Junn B. Magno reported that the implementation of the Metro Manila Subway Project resumed two weeks ago, and described the delay as “minimal.”
As for the rehabilitation of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) Line 3, he said the department was studying how to “accelerate” the works.
Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade said of the major airport projects: “In so far as the NAIA Rehabilitation Project is concerned, there is ongoing checking and rechecking. As far as Bulacan Airport, may approval na yan, groundbreaking na lang (It has been approved and is awaiting groundbreaking). Sa Private airports proposals pwede natin ituloy yan but with mandates of safety and health. May mga balakid in pursuing these things because of ECQ and GCQ (general community quarantine). Itutuloy yan once the pandemic changes favorably (Private airport proposals can proceed but with adjustments for safety and health. We are constrained pursuing these projects because of ECQ and GCQ, but they will proceed one conditions improve).”
Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Director-General Jim C. Sydiongco said CAAP is planning to go ahead with at least 22 ongoing projects in CAAP-operated facilities that had been scheduled for 2020 but suspended due to the ECQ.
Transportation Undersecretary for Administrative Service Artemio U. Tuazon, Jr. said the department submitted to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) its proposed protocols for the operation of public transportation in both ECQ and GCQ areas.
He said the proposed protocols were included in the omnibus guidelines, for submission to President Rodrigo R. Duterte for his approval.
Under the proposal, public transportation will remain suspended in ECQ areas while a gradual reopening of operations of public utility vehicles (PUVs) with 50% reduced capacity will be implemented in GCQ areas.
The department also proposed to encourage the general public to use bicycles or mobility devices.
It said PUVs will be required to secure special permits to operate in GCQ areas. — Arjay L. Balinbin
STATE-RUN Credit Information Corp. (CIC) said it launched its Covered Entity Portal, through which financial institutions can register and submit documents online.
“The CIC has always envisioned an end-to-end technology driven process. ARTA (Anti-Red Tape Authority) provided the initial motivation to improve government services so it was easier to switch to an almost fully automated process that would minimize physical interactions among CIC personnel, system users, and the general public,” CIC President and CEO Jaime Casto Jose P. Garchitorena was quoted as saying.
CIC recently issued Circular No. 2020-01, “Requirements on Becoming an Accessing Entity of the Credit Information Corporation” to enable “contactless and paperless” access for financial institutions to the Philippines’ sole credit registry.
It said applicants can register, update and submit documents online through the web-based application Covered Entity Portal, as well as manage their own user accounts.
Applicants can also access and upload the system-generated memorandum of agreement and the Accessing Entity Information Sheet (AEIS) on the portal.
The entities that can access the credit data are banks, quasi-banks, trust entities, investment houses, financing firms, cooperatives, non-governmental and micro-financing organizations, credit card and insurance companies, as well as state lending institutions.
Mr. Garchitorena said the CIC database serves as a “valuable tool” for enhanced risk assessment for financial institutions regarding a borrower’s capacity to pay, especially now that more small businesses are expected to avail of financial support programs and restructuring of loans.
“But even as these are designed to help borrowers and MSMEs (micro, small, and medium enterprises) in a state of credit distress, lenders still need to approach this from a data-driven, risk-based perspective,” he said.
Financial entities can access CIC’s credit reports at P10 per inquiry until December.
At the end of March, the credit registry’s database had records on 11.3 million unique individuals and around 83,000 firms.
CIC was created by Republic Act No. 9510 or the Credit Information System Act. — Beatrice M. Laforga
CORONAVIRUS infections in the Philippines have not reached their peak, the Department of Health (DoH) said on Thursday, as 276 new cases were added to bring the total to 8,488.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire said new cases have been averaging between 100 and 200 daily, which is far from a plateau, even as authorities expand COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) tests.
“It’s quite risky for us to declare now that we really are plateauing and that we really are reaching that peak,” she told an online news briefing. “We are not there yet.”
Ten more patients died, raising the death toll to 568, DoH said in a bulletin yesterday. Twenty more patients have gotten well, bringing the total recoveries to 1,043, it added.
Ms. Vergeire said expanded nationwide testing was not limited to health workers and people considered to be vulnerable and with severe conditions, but also covers those with mild symptoms as long as resources were available. She added that DoH needs more data to predict a trend.
Ms. Vergeire on Wednesday said the testing capacity of all laboratories is between 2,895 and 6,420 tests daily.
The capacity will increase by 3,000 once the machines and other testing equipment are set up at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga province.
DoH said 89,021 tests have been conducted — 78,730 with negative and 10,139 with positive results.
The number of positive tests is higher than the confirmed cases because the test must still be validated and processed, Ms. Vergeire said.
Ms. Vergeire said at separate news briefing yesterday afternoon that 1,619 health workers — 557 physicians, 604 nurses, 99 nursing assistants, 63 medical technologists, 31 radiologic technologists, 17 respiratory therapists, 18 midwives, 13 pharmacists and 217 workers — had been infected with the COVID-19 virus.
Thirty-three of them have died, 250 have recovered, she added.
Ms. Vergeire said they were waiting for Japan to announce whether the Philippines will be included in the first batch of countries that will receive the drug Avigan, used for influenza, to treat COVID-19.
Japan earlier said it would send Avigan to 38 countries including the Philippines after conducting clinical trials with other countries.
Philippine General Hospital in Manila was studying the protocols so the clinical trials could be launched locally, Ms. Vergeire said.
Meanwhile, Ms. Vegeire said DoH in coordination with the Department of Justice, World Health Organization and International Committee of the Red Cross, had investigated and assessed coronavirus cases in local jails and prisons.
The Health department also coordinated with the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to conduct targeted testing for inmates.
BuCor said there were 50 cases at the Correctional Institute for Women (CIW) and the national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City, while other prison and penal farms in the country were still COVID-19-free.
Three of them have died, two from the female prison and the first and only confirmed case of the national penitentiary.
Nine inmates and nine staff members at the Quezon City Jail near the capital, and more than 210 at the Cebu City Jail have also been infected, adding to worries about contagion risks in the country’s jails.
The novel coronavirus has sickened about 3.2 million and killed more than 228,000 people worldwide, according to the Worldometer website, citing various sources including data from the World Health Organization. More than one million people have recovered, it said.
THE Philippines on Thursday protested China’s creation of two new districts in the South China Sea because these are supposedly part of Philippine territory and sea zones.
“The Philippine government strongly protests the establishment of the so-called districts of Nansha and Xisha under the supposed administrative jurisdiction of its self-declared Sansha City announced on April 18, by the People’s Republic of China,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.
“It does not recognize Sansha, nor its constituent units, nor any subsequent acts emanating from them,” it added.
The Chinese government declared two new districts in Sansha City, which prompted Foreign Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. to file a diplomatic protest at the Chinese Embassy in Manila.
Rival Southeast Asian claimant nations and the United States have criticized China’s recent assertive moves in the disputed waterway as the world battles the coronavirus pandemic.
DFA also flagged the Chinese names given to some features in the Kalayaan Island Group.
The agency asked China to comply with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
It also cited the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, particularly a clause asking parties to “exercise self-restraint” in conducting activities that will escalate disputes.
The United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Haque favored the Philippines in its lawsuit against China in 2016, rejecting the latter’s nine-dash line claim to most parts of the South China Sea.
Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel earlier slammed the plan to set up the districts on Paracel and Spratly Islands, accusing China of taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic.
She had also asked the Philippine government to demand China to pay P200 billion worth of reef damages over its reclamation activities. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
THE government will allow religious and work-related gatherings under a relaxed lockdown in some areas of the country, the presidential palace said on Thursday.
Mass public gatherings under the so-called general community quarantine would remain prohibited, presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque said at a news briefing, citing guidelines issued by an inter-agency task force.
People attending religious services and work-related meetings must observe social distancing to prevent the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from spreading, Mr. Roque said.
Minimum health standards must also be met including wearing face masks and shields and hand sanitation, he added.
Under the rules, social distancing of at least a meter between passengers of public transportation will be enforced.
Low- and medium-risk areas will be placed under a more relaxed lockdown starting May 1.
High-risk areas such as Metro Manila, Central Luzon except Aurora, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Pangasinan, Benguet, Iloilo, Cebu and Davao City will remain under the stricter enhanced community quarantine until May 15.
Bacolod was also included in high-risk areas as proposed by provincial officials.
The movement of people under the general community quarantine will be limited to accessing basic needs and work in permitted industries, Mr. Roque said.
Starting May 16, all decisions to impose, lift or extend a community quarantine in provinces, highly-urbanized cities and independent component cities will be made by the inter-agency task force, according to a copy of the rules.
Provincial governors may impose, lift or extend the quarantine in cities and municipalities upon the concurrence of the relevant regional counterpart body of the task force.
Local chief executives of cities and municipalities may also impose, lift or extend the enhanced community quarantine in villages, upon the concurrence of the relevant regional counterpart body of the task force.
President Rodrigo R. Duerte locked down the entire Luzon island on March 17, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain a COVID-19 outbreak. He has extended this twice — first by two more weeks until April 30 and by two more weeks until May 15 for some parts of the island. — Gillian M. Cortez
DETAINED Senator Leila M. de Lima on Thursday decried the Senate leadership’s decision to bar her from joining the chamber’s virtual sessions next week, saying it is “foul and unfair.”
In a statement, one of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s staunchest critics said excluding her from the online sessions is part of government efforts to “silence me and prevent me from fully performing my duties as a senator.”
Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III earlier said Ms. De Lima, who has been detained on drug charges since February 2017, could not participate in online sessions because she remains under court and police jurisdiction.
But Ms. De Lima, who has criticized Mr. Duterte’s drug war, said her detention only prevents her from traveling and does not cover her duties as a senator.
Mr. Sotto’s claim that she is under the jurisdiction of the police and courts is “completely and absolutely misinformed,” she said.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said jurisprudence bars Ms. De Lima from joining Senate hearings and sessions.
The Supreme Court has ruled that “all prisoners whether under preventive detention or serving final sentence cannot practice their profession or engage in any business or occupation, or hold office, elective or appointive, while in detention,” Mr. Zubiri said in a group message.
“Unfortunately, it is a decision we cannot decide on ourselves without violating the rules of the court and jurisprudence,” he said, noting that Ms. De Lima may appeal the matter to the court. — Charmaine A. Tadalan
Zamboanga City, Davao del Norte want extended strict quarantine
SEVERAL local governments in Mindanao, where only Davao City has been declared as a high risk area for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), want to extend the strict quarantine measures being implemented despite a greenlight to ease restrictions by May 1. One of these is Zamboanga City, the central district in the western Mindanao area. The city council passed a resolution on April 29 asking the national task force to allow it to maintain the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) protocols until May 15, similar to the declared high-risk areas. “We fought for this (extension) because while our COVID positive cases are lower than other cities, we still have around 119 suspect cases waiting for their test results. We will not gamble on our public health… we will not risk for a possible resurgence of COVID-19 by lifting the ECQ early,” Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said in an online briefing. As of April 29, there were eight COVID-19 cases within the city, including three recoveries and two deaths. Ms. Salazar said should the national government reject its request for an extended ECQ, the city government is also prepared to implement the GCQ (general community quarantine) with health facilities, personnel, and safety measures already being finalized. — Marifi S. JaraandCarmelito Q. Francisco
SMDC says Makati condominium declared safe for occupancy
SM Development Corp. (SMDC) assured residents that its condominium in Makati City is safe for occupancy despite the collapse of a part of the building on Thursday morning. In a statement, the property developer said it was concluded that “the structural integrity of the development and that the buildings are safe for occupancy” following “a thorough walk through of the mall premises and residential buildings” by structural consultants and Makati City engineers. The cause of the incident is still to be investigated. The damaged portion involves the wall of a parking level at SMDC’s Jazz Mall, which collapsed to the driveway. Two people suffered “minor abrasions” from the incident. SMDC said it will take the necessary measures to address the situation and avoid a similar occurence in the future. SMDC is the residential arm of listed SM Prime Holdings, Inc. Shares in SM Prime at the stock exchange climbed five centavos or 0.16% to P31 each yesterday. — Denise A. Valdez
3 PHL cities make it to WWF climate change challenge
THREE cities in the Philippines have been selected as finalists in World Wide Fund’s (WWF) One Planet City Challenge (OPCC) for 2020, a global competition on best practices in environmental sustainability. The three cities are Batangas, Muntinlupa, and Santa Rosa. “In these trying times, being business-as-usual in the way we do things is no more sufficient to secure a safe and sustainable future. I would like to acknowledge the cities who participated in this initiative for pursuing innovative ways towards sustainable and healthy cities for the current and future generations,” WWF Philippines Executive Director Jose Angelito M. Palma said in a statement. Cities in 53 countries worldwide participated in the OPCC competition, which represented around 66% of the world’s population. The three Philippine finalists have also qualified for the OPCC’s “We Love Cities” campaign, which aims to facilitate better communication among city officials and citizens on climate and sustainability issues. A national winner per country and a global winner will be chosen by the OPCC jury composed of urban sustainability experts worldwide. The awarding ceremony is set middle of the year. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
300-ha estate in CamSur offered for ‘Balik Probinsya’ project
A 300-hectare industrial estate in Camarines Sur is being offered as a possible relocation site for companies in Metro Manila in line with the proposed program to encourage more investments outside the capital, House Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund F. Villafuerte said. The “Balik Probinsya” program, proposed by Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, aims to bring people back to their home provinces by providing job opportunities there. Mr. Villafuerte said the CamSur property is “ideal” for investors as it is already equipped with the necessary infrastructure such as fiber optic internet connection, and power and water supply. The complex has an industrial park accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA). Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said the government would provide an extended income tax holiday for companies relocating outside Metro Manila. — Genshen L. Espedido
DoLE to launch 3-month wage subsidy program for micro, small businesses
PHILSTAR
THE DEPARTMENT of Labor and Employment (DoLE) will soon be releasing a recovery plan that will include a three-month wage subsidy for workers in micro and small businesses affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. In a statement on Thursday, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III said the DoLE is “deep into the details” of their proposed recovery plan, which aims to provide one million jobs outside Metro Manila as well as a wage subsidy for micro and small business employees, “gig” economy workers, and, media practitioners. “This much we can offer our Filipino workers in the interim as we trek the road to recovery,” Mr. Bello said.
SENATE PROPOSAL
Meanwhile, a monthly wage subsidy that will cover 75% of the total payroll cost of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) hit hardest by the ongoing crisis has been proposed in the Senate. Senator Imee R. Marcos, who chairs the economic affairs committee, said Senate Bill No, 1431, the Economic Recovery Act, is intended to minimize potential layoffs. In a virtual briefing Thursday, she said the proposal is projected to cost the government P63 billion per month, which may be sourced through loans or savings from the 2019 national budget. She did not specify over many months the proposed subsidy will be in effect, but said, “We have to be spending a lot of the money for the MSMEs. Ang dasal ko na lang sa kakulangan ng budget, sana wag na tumagal ito (I pray that given budget limitations, hopefully this will not last) beyond July.” President Rodrigo R. Duterte placed the entire Luzon under an Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) since March 17, suspending work, classes and public transportation. Most local governments around the country have imposed similar restrictions. The strict quarantine measures have been extended to May 15 in several parts of the country, including the National Capital Region and major cities. DoLE has said more than two million employees have been displaced in the first five weeks of the lockdown. The government has launched two wage subsidy programs, the COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) under DoLE and the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) Program of the Department of Finance. — Gillian M. Cortez and Charmaine A. Tadalan
Senior citizens allowed to go out for work, buy essential goods
THE GOVERNMENT has eased the strict stay-at-home policy for all senior citizens in areas considered as low risk for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), allowing them to go out for work or purchase essential goods. Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez on Thursday said the government will implement an ID system that will serve as a pass for senior citizens who are working or running businesses to leave their homes. “Also allowing of course those needing Medical check ups, procedure. Buying food, Medicines. Government assistance,” he told reporters in a mobile message. The national task force handling the COVID-19 crisis announced earlier that identified low-risk areas can start easing quarantine measures by May 1, but the guidelines still prohibited individuals who are 20 years old and below and 60 years old and above from leaving their homes. The Employers Confederation of the Philippines on Wednesday said the rule could lead to job losses for those within these age brackets who are employed. Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr., in a briefing on Thursday, said the new guidelines now bans only those in the age groups with immunodeficiency, comorbidity, other illnesses, or are pregnant. Mr. Lopez stressed that the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases is not insisting on putting senior citizens on house arrest. “That is just an overall policy presented to us due to vulnerability of the age segment. Especially during the quarantine periods. The operating guidelines are to be issued.”— Gillian M. CortezandJenina P. Ibañez
DA sees enough fish supply despite lockdown extension in parts of the country
THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said there is ample supply of fresh fish in the country and the extension of the lockdown policy in parts of the country will not affect availability in the markets. Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said supply of fresh fish in the market will be augmented by the lifting of the closed fishing season in major fishing areas and the peak of fishing activities during the second quarter of the year. According to estimates from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the country will have an 11-day surplus supply of fish, equivalent to 101,792 metric tons (MT), by the end of June. Total fish supply including the surplus stocks is pegged at 934,920 MT, 12.2% higher from the country’s consumption demand at 833,128 MT. “The outlook for the entire year or till December 31, 2020, is also bright, with supply (3,349,424 MT) slightly exceeding demand (3,332,510 MT), on top of the total fish supply for January 2021,” the BFAR said. In a report to the DA, Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) General Manager Glen A. Pangapalan said they have facilitated the unloading of 2,088 MT of fish daily, with a total of 71,025 MT since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). “Since the implementation of the ECQ, we have been adopting the ‘not business-as-usual’ as a policy in all DA field offices and attached agencies, including the PFDA that manages major fish ports nationwide. So rest assured that there is enough fish unloaded in our fish ports to meet our national demand,” Mr. Dar said.
FOOD SUPPLY
Meanwhile, Mr. Dar urged local government units (LGUs) to continue purchasing basic food commodities directly from farmers and fishers and to include these in their distribution of relief packs. “As the enhanced community quarantine initially posed difficulty on the movement of food cargoes and other agri-fishery commodities, we deemed it necessary to encourage our provincial governors, and city and municipal mayors to buy the harvests of farmers to prevent wastage,” Mr. Dar said. Several LGUs have already responded to the DA’s request and included basic agricultural commodities in the relief packs distributed to their constituents. Among these are the Iloilo provincial government, municipal government of Cabuyao, and the Davao City government. “We enjoin other local chief executives to do the same so we can ensure food security for all and extend much-needed support to our farmers and fishers by providing them a ready market for their produce,” Mr. Dar said. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
CHED says private universities should be part of stimulus program
COMMISSION on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Prospero E. De Vera III said private higher education institutions (HEIs) should also be considered in the government’s stimulus program in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. “Any delay in the opening, including the proposals of some to move the opening to October and even later will affect the cash flow of these universities and potential revenue loss because they will not be able to collect any tuition,” he said during the virtual hearing of the House committee on higher and technical education on Thursday. He said that if HEIs reduce their workforce or are forced to shut down, access to higher education will be “severely limited.” “The universities are sort of a second thought. In fact, in the program of DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment) for employees who will get the P5,000 assistance, the employees in private universities are not included, the premise being you pay the salaries of faculty members even during summer. Medyo nakalimutan (They have been forgotten),” Mr. De Vera said. Meanwhile, Mr. De Vera said that private education institutions responded “positively” when asked to be compassionate in collecting tuition fees. Baguio Rep. Mark O. Go, chair of the House committee on higher and technical education, said they will file a separate bill which will address the concerns of the education sector. The latest draft of the economic stimulus bill in the House of Representatives proposes to inject about P1.3 trillion to P1.4 trillion in the first year of the intervention period of 2020–2022 to help workers and businesses cope with the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. — Genshen L. Espedido
DoST sets up specimen collection booths in hospitals for COVID-19 testing
THE Department of Science and Technology (DoST) is setting up 132 specimen collection booths in hospitals around the country for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests, Secretary Fortunato T. De la Peña announced Thursday. “Out of these 132, 38 are for what we call ‘Level 2’ and ‘Level 3’ hospitals, ito po iyong mga mas malalaking ospital, at iyong 94 naman po ay (these are for the bigger hospitals and the 94 is) for the regions,” he said in a briefing. As of April 30, a total of 53 booths have been delivered within the National Capital Region, Cagayan Valley Region, and Central Luzon. Mr. De la Peña said appropriately-designed specimen collection booths are critical in ensuring the safety of health workers. A private sector start-up manufacturer provided the booth design.—Gillian M. Cortez
Less than 10% of LGUs have completed cash aid distribution
ONLY 104 local government units (LGUs) out of 1,632 have completed the distribution of the national government’s cash aid program for low-income households affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis. In a briefing on Thursday, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando D. Bautista said so far, only 104 LGUs have reported 100% payout. Several LGUs around the country have expressed difficulties in meeting the distribution deadline given manpower and logistical limitations. Out of the 18 million target beneficiaries under the Social Amelioration Program, which has a P50-billion budget, only 9.4 million have received the P5,000 to P8,000 per month for two months assistance. The second tranche is supposed to be ready for release by the start of May. Interior Secretary Eduardo M. Año said LGUs must first liquidate the first month funds and prepare validation requirements for DSWD before the second tranche could be released. — Gillian M. Cortez
Going back to a new normal necessitates a radical shift to sustainable practices and resources that no longer degrades the environment, according to a local think tank.
The Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), a Quezon City-based think tank for sustainable and people-centered development pathways, released a position paper on Monday which argues against a “back to normal” policy for the government after the scheduled lifting of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on May 15.
Titled “COVID-19 and the Climate Crisis: Towards a Just Recovery”, the paper raises the links between the degradation of the environment and the rise of zoonotic diseases, or illnesses caused by germs that pass from animals to people.
“The scientific community is united on the causal relationship between our encroachments on natural habitats and the rise of new illnesses,” Gerry Arances, executive director of CEED, explained in a statement. “The more we closely interact with species in the wild, the more we are exposed to diseases for which modern medicine is unaware of or does not have a cure. Sometimes, these diseases have the potential to become pandemics, like what COVID-19 did.”
The paper, which can be accessed on CEED’s website, emphasized that COVID-19 may not be the last of the pandemics that will be brought by the coronavirus family, a group which includes the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which broke out from 2003 to 2004, and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), which broke out from 2012 to 2015.
“Even as the world reels from the shock of its economic and social impacts, the emergence of COVID-19 did not necessarily come as a surprise for scientists,” CEED’s position paper read. “Two major epidemics in the recent past, SARS and MERS, were caused by coronaviruses occurring in bats, and experts predicted that it is only a matter of time before another widespread infection from the same family comes around.”
CEED also expressed in the paper its wariness over the return to normal ways of doing things, pointing out that “the relentless exploitation of the environment to sustain a consumer-driven culture” caused the crisis in the first place.
“Obsessed with economic growth and development at all costs, however, countries around the world are already making financial and policy decisions to ensure the restoration of business-as-usual patterns even while the crisis has yet to be resolved,” the position paper explained.
“It was the normal consumption-oriented economy and operation of destructive industries that brought about both the climate crisis and rising health problems of the modern day. There is no reason to simply return to it.”
For CEED’s executive director, the extension of the ECQ provides the government more time to evaluate how it can realign the economy in order to make it more sustainable and responsive to the needs of the people before economic and social activity resumes once the ECQ is lifted.
“We in CEED believe that the government, led by President Rodrigo Duterte, can really implement change now and build an economy less plagued by the inequalities of the old, an economy which puts people and harmony with nature first, and an economy where power is given to those who have the most to lose from the climate emergency,” Mr. Arances said.
He also added that the government is now in the position to provide massive assistance to the Filipino masses, and it can also dictate the rules on subsidies for companies. – A.B. Conoza
By Michaela Tangan Features Writer, The Philippine STAR
Why are they at risk and what can we do to help?
In hard-hit areas such as the US and Italy, deaths due to COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) in the elderly group are noticeably higher compared to younger populations. In the Philippines, 353 out of 511 fatalities are aged 60 and above, as of April 28.
Dr. Edsel Maurice Salvana, director of UP-NIH’s Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, said that COVID-19 might look like a common cold for those below the age of 10; it may also be a little deadlier than the flu for those aged 10 to 60. But for those above 60 years old, the death rate is similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
“Any age group can be infected by COVID-19 because there is no immunity,” he explained. However, the highest risk for complications are those above 60 years old, and those with pre-existing illnesses like cancer, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and lung disease.”
The immune system tends to get weaker with age. And with age-related decline in immune function, the body is less able to fight off infectious diseases. Health conditions that show increasing prevalence with age also cause decline in immune response.
Furthermore, Dr. Kate Tulenko, a physician and global health specialist, told the World Economic Forum (WEF) that elders also face social challenges, such as isolation and mobility issues during this outbreak.
“Because they’re isolated, they can’t get information about what to do, or not able to get the food they need if stores are out of stock and things become more difficult. In many societies, seniors are more likely to live in poverty, which makes it more difficult for them to get the things they need and to take care of themselves. Poverty presents a whole range of challenges pertaining to health,” she said.
Dr. Salvana advised at-risk groups to take extra precautions to decrease the likelihood of getting infected.
“They should avoid leaving their houses as much as possible, and they should wear a mask when they go out in public. They should wash hands frequently, and caregivers should do likewise.”
The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), an inter-agency forum of United Nations (UN) and non-UN humanitarian partners, advised families and caregivers of elderlies to provide emotional support and adequate medical needs and supplies. In a safe environment, they should be given time to do simple exercises or activities to improve mobility and decrease boredom.
They should also have easy access to simple facts and updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. Families and caregivers must patiently, concisely and respectfully share clear information on how to avoid getting infected.
If elders get infected by COVID-19, Dr. Salvana advised caregivers to immediately contact health-care professionals by phone.
“If the patient is short of breath, he/she needs to be taken to the hospital emergency room immediately. Caretakers should wear appropriate personal protective equipment as much as possible so that they do not get infected. If the patient elects to stay at home and has relatively mild disease, he/she should be isolated in a single room. If this is not possible, the local government unit may be able to provide space in a community quarantine facility. The important thing is to recognize that the patient is at higher risk and always be guided by competent medical advice,” he said.
