Thursday, March 11, 2021
Duque favors ‘standardized curfew, focused lockdowns’ in Metro Manila
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday said he favors uniform curfew hours in Metro Manila in a bid to contain the spike in new COVID-19 cases.
But he is against reverting the capital region to a stricter community quarantine status for now, suggesting instead the imposition of “focused lockdowns” to save the economy that has been battered by the pandemic.
“NCR is one contiguous geographic area. Baka a standardized curfew might be the order of the day,” Duque said during his visit at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital for its vaccination drive.
“The correct response to the rising cases is a more effective localized, more focused lockdowns. Hindi na pwede ‘yung widespread lockdowns. If you do that, sasadsad pang lalo ang ekonomiya natin. We cannot afford that. Maraming unemployed. Maraming nahihirapan, baka hindi na makabangon,” he said.
(We can no longer allow widespread lockdowns because our economy will be severely affected. So many are unemployed and are having difficulties right now. They can no longer endure this.)
Some cities in Metro Manila have already imposed new curfew hours this week to control the virus spread, and even brought back check points nearly a year since the government imposed the enhanced community quarantine.
Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya earlier urged Metro Manila mayors to adopt a uniform curfew hours, to "make it easier for the public to comply."
The Department of Health (DOH) has coordinated with the local governments in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Central Visayas and the Cordillera Administrative Region, Duque said, to discuss efforts in containing COVID-19 infections.
Duque reiterated the need for stricter enforcement of minimum health protocols.
He pointed out that the increase in new cases was largely due to the public’s non-compliance with health protocols, even as he acknowledged that the presence of COVID variants in the country may also be a factor.
“Mas malaking dahilan sa pagtaas (ng mga kaso ng COVID-19) ang pagluluwag ng ating mga mamayan sa pagsunod sa minimum public health standards,” he said.
(The bigger reason for the spike in new COVID-19 cases is because the public is already becoming more lax in following minimum health standards.)
The OCTA Research group earlier said the majority or over 90 percent of Filipinos complied with wearing face masks and washing of hands when they go out of their houses, based on a survey they conducted in late January.
Many Filipinos, however, failed to abide by physical distancing measures.
The Philippines currently has over 607,000 cumulative COVID-19 cases, of which 47,769 are considered active infections. The health department has also logged some 12,608 fatalities because of the disease.
Palawan plebiscite results out March 16: Comelec
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expecting to get the results of the Palawan plebiscite on March 16, three days after the holding of the measure that will determine whether or not it will be divided into three separate provinces.
“March 16 is our expected date. Of course, allow us a range on this since we have to take into account the weather also and other circumstances,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a press conference on Thursday.
For his part, Commissioner Antonio Kho, Jr., commissioner-in-charge of the Palawan plebiscite, added that they cannot release the results on the same day since it is a manual system of voting.
“No we cannot. As I have explained, this plebiscite is a manual elections. This is not automated, wherein after the polls, precincts will immediately transmit the results to the municipal canvassing until it reached the national canvassing. That will be fast since it is electronically transmitted,” he said.
Kho said this means the precinct will manually count the votes and these will then be physically transported to the municipal board of canvassers.
"So it will take time. There is travel time. Please understand that there is travel time unlike electronic voting,” the poll body official added.
Considering the situation, Kho appealed for the people's understanding.
“I will ask our voters to please have patience since we are in a manual election. We cannot expect results within a day. Although as mentioned earlier hopefully we could get the final results by the 16th, although it may give or take a day or two so that we could determine if it is a “Yes” or is it a “No”. Please understand the situation, we have a different system on this plebiscite,” Kho said.
At the same time, he assured that they are ready for the holding of the referendum scheduled on Saturday.
“I assure everybody that is all systems go. The Comelec people all over Palawan are ready to conduct this plebiscite. We need your support. Please cooperate with us,” the Comelec commissioner added.
He, however, reported that a scheduled trip of poll officers to Kalayaan island on Wednesday did not push through because of bad weather.
“We have contingency measure for that. We expect that the plebiscite will be held in Kalayaan,” Kho said.
On March 13, the people of Palawan will be choosing to vote for or against the island being divided into three areas namely: Palawan Oriental, Palawan del Norte and Palawan del Sur.
March 13 Palawan Plebiscite, first electoral exercise in PH to be held amid pandemic, says Comelec
The March 13 Palawan Plebiscite will be the first electoral exercise in the country that will be held during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
With the pandemic situation, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will also be the first electoral exercise in the country that will use or adopt the minimum health standards and protocols.
“There will be checking of temperatures of voters. There will also be isolation facility (polling place) just in case there are those with temperature of 37.5 or above,”Deputy Executive Director for Operations Teopisto Elnas said in a press briefing in Puerto Princesa, Thursday, March 11.
He said social distancing will also be implemented.
“That’s the reason why we only allow five voters at a given time to enter (the polling precinct)…we will also control the number of watchers to be deployed,” said Elnas.
“Because of the pandemic situation we see to it that only 200 registered voters per precinct,” he added.
Other COVID-19 health and safety protocols that will be implemented in voting centers are the completion of COVID-19 Self Declaration Form, strict observance of proper respiratory etiquette, use of foot baths before entering the polling place, and proper wearing of face mask and face shield.
Comelec Commissioner Antonio Kho, the commissioner-in-charge of the plebiscite, said the exercise will somewhat serve as a laboratory for the conduct of the May 2022 polls in terms of observance with health protocols.
“Any lesson that we will learn from this electoral exercise, we will adopt and improve for the purpose of the May 2022 elections,” he said.
The Comelec, meantime, expects the results of the plebiscite to be known by March 16.
“We expect it by March 16. Of course, allow us to have a range on this as we have to take into account the weather also and other circumstances,” Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said.
The Comelec originally scheduled the conduct of the plebiscite to ratify the division of the province of Palawan into Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur on May 11, 2020 in accordance to Republic Act No. 11259.
It was suspended in April 2020 due to the pandemic and the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Luzon.
LPG refilling station sa Davao de Oro, nasunog; 5 sugatan
COMPOSTELA, Davao de Oro (UPDATE)- Lima ang sugatan sa sunog sa Barangay Poblacion sa bayan ng Compostela, Davao de Oro Miyerkoles ng gabi.
Nagsimula umano ang apoy sa isang LPG refilling station at tumupok ng pito pang tindahan at isang tricycle, ayon kay Municipal Information Officer Julius Conejos.
Biglang lumaki ang apoy dahil sa pagsabog ng ilang mga tangke ng LPG.
Aniya, na-trap ang isang lalaki mula sa isa sa mga stall at nailabas at nadala sa ospital.
Patuloy ang imbestigasyon kaugnay sa sanhi ng sunog.
Nagpatupad naman ng unscheduled power interruption sa lugar ang Northern Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. matapos ang nangyaring sunog.
- ulat ni Hernel Tocmo
Senate OKs bill dividing Maguindanao into 2 provinces
The Senate approved on third and final reading on Tuesday a bill dividing Maguindanao into two provinces.
Senate committee on local government chairman Sen. Francis Tolentino, who sponsored House Bill 6413, said the measure seeks to accelerate political, social and economic development in the south, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Under the proposed measure, Maguindanao del Norte will be composed of Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, North Upi, Sultan Kudarat and Sultan Mastura towns.
Maguindanao del Sur shall be composed of Ampatuan, Buluan, Datu Abdulla Sangki, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Montawal, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Mangudadatu, Pagalungan, Paglat, Pandag, Rajah Buayan, Sharif Aguak, Sharif Saydona Mustafa, South Upi, Sultan sa Barongis, Talayan and Talitay.
Datu Odin Sinsuat will be the seat of government in Maguindanao del Norte and Buluan in Maguindanao del Sur.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Ramon Revilla and Joel Villanueva are co-sponsors of the bill.
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/03/11/2083431/senate-oks-bill-dividing-maguindanao-2-provinces