Friday, April 23, 2021

Ex San Juan mayor Guia Gomez again tests positive for COVID, says son JV

Former San Juan mayor Guia Gomez has tested positive for COVID-19 again, his son, former senator JV Ejercito tweeted on Friday.


Ejercito said his family is praying that the reinfection will be milder.


"Please pray for my mother, who again has tested positive for COVID. Hoping this time it will be milder," he tweeted. "Walang katapusan."




In an Instagram post earlier in the day, Ejercito shared an image of him and Gomez sharing a meal.



In an Instagram post on December 26, 2020, Ejercito said his mother, a former actress and a 3-term San Juan mayor, "has survived COVID."



Gomez won the mayoralty in 2010, 2013 and 2016.


Ejercito's father, former president Joseph "Erap" Estrada, has been in hospital since late last month because of the coronavirus, too.


Estrada has been in and out of intensive care, but in the family's latest update he was "doing better".


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/ex-san-juan-mayor-guia-gomez-again-tests-positive-for-covid-says-son-jv

DOH: Large community pantries are potential COVID ‘superspreaders’

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday advised organizers to be careful setting up community pantries, especially after throngs of people mobbed the one set up by actress and philanthropist Angel Locsin in Quezon City.


Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said pantry organizers must coordinate with the local government to ensure that health protocols are followed in a such setup.


"Kailangang maintidihan ng ating mga kababayan na nasa MECQ status pa rin tayo, so 'yung mga ganitong activities kailangang coordinated para hindi maka-cause ng risk sa mga kababayan po natin," said Vergeire in an interview on Teleradyo.


(The public must understand that we're still under modified enhanced community quarantine, so these activities must be coordinated with local government so they don't become a health risk.)


The actress and her staff did coordinate with Barangay Holy Spirit officials to enforce the health protocols. 


But the situation went out of control due to the number of people there. A balut vendor identified as Rolando Dela Cruz even died due to exhaustion.


"Kapag nagkukumpol-kumpulan ang mga tao at di natin nakikita na may physical distance among themselves at maraming nagsasalita kahit po tayo ay nasa open space maaari rin po 'yang maging superspreader event," said Vergiere.


"Kaya ang ginawa nating advice ay makipag-coordinate tayo sa local government para maisaayos po natin."


(If that many people gather together and many of them are talking and they do not observe physical distancing, even if they're in an open space, that's a recipe for a superspreader event. Our advice is to coordinate with local government to make sure queues are orderly.)


Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, meanwhile, agreed with Vergerie's suggestion for organizers' responsibility to coordinate with LGUs.


"Community pantry kasi yan. Kailangan kasama ang barangay, ang LGU para tulungan ang lahat. Hindi lang ang organizer ang kailangang tumulong, kailangan lahat," he said. 


"At the end of the day kailangan 'yung mga organizer must be responsible . . . Nasa kanila ang responsibility to coordinate with the PNP and 'yung PNP and the barangay must respond immediately to any request by the organizers."


(A community pantry is a collective effort that doesn't involve just the organizer, but also with the help of the barangay and the LGU. The organizer must be responsible coordinating with the police.)


Malaya said his department will hold a meeting with LGU officials on Saturday to present a set of guidelines needed to be followed when organizing community pantries.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/doh-large-community-pantries-are-potential-covid-superspreaders

Do You Give Your All To Jesus, Or Just Some?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.  Romans 12:1


Any traveler to Rome today, making his way through the ruins of what was once the greatest city in the world, would have to admit, whatever they were short on, it was not temples.  Outdone only by the Athenians, the Romans had temples to the stars and to the gods, to the muses and to the politicians who thought they were gods.  There were plenty of them!


Another traveler, one who wrote to Roman Christians from the city of Corinth about 54 A.D., Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, could visualize the unending stream of men and women who came to a Roman temple to offer a pinch of incense and a prayer, or lay flowers at the foot of an idol in hopes of gaining the favor of the gods.


Paul, of course, did not believe in that sort of thing.  He was persuaded that there is but one God, the living God, who had made human bodies His temples indwelt by the living Spirit of God Himself.  But He did seize on the familiar imagery to make a point as he wrote, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).  Paul’s concept of a “living sacrifice”–your body–was revolutionary!


Even as Paul wrote those words, priests in Jerusalem offered sacrifices every day in the Temple.  Paul had been there often.  He knew that there was a steady stream of bulls and goats that were sacrificed for the sins of the people, but Paul also knew something which you may not be aware of.  He knew that when Jesus was crucified, the veil of the Temple–the area separating the Holy of Holies from the inner court–was torn from the top to the bottom, as if God was saying, “My Son has become the sacrifice so now you can come directly into My presence through Him.”


Like the sacrifices given for worship in the temple, Paul says we as believers today should give ourselves–alive, vibrant, and joyful–for His cause.  He calls this our “reasonable service.”  Pretty strong stuff, right?


Probably you can recall times when your heart was warmly drawn to the Lord, times when you really wanted to say, “Yes, Lord!  I’m yours–100 percent!”  But you can also recall times when you were not so sure about being a “living sacrifice.”  The late J. Vernon McGee used to say, “The problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the altar.”


Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23, Berean Study Bible), and the key to the whole matter is the word daily.


A friend of mine says a successful marriage is one big “I do!” with a lot of little “uh-huhs!”  When you marry, you answer the question, “Will you take this person to be your husband or wife?” saying, “I do!” But you reaffirm that commitment day by day.  So is it in the matter of serving the Lord.


In Paul’s letter, he followed by giving the key to this whole issue.  He wrote, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  Phillips’ translation puts it, “Don’t let the world force you into its mold!”  What we need today is the kind of radical commitment that says, “Yes, I will follow Jesus!  I’m His–body, soul, and spirit!”  “Then” says Paul, “you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).  Put literally, “so that you may be able to demonstrate or prove what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”  That friend, is the key to the whole thing. What a challenge!


Resource reading:  Romans 12:1-3


https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/do-you-give-your-all-to-jesus-or-just-some/

Maginhawa community pantry nagsimula nang ilipat sa mas malaking espasyo

Hanggang alas-11 ng umaga lang nagbukas nitong Biyernes ang Maginhawa community pantry sa Quezon City para bigyang daan ang kanilang paglilipat sa mas malaking espasyo.


Matatagpuan ang bagong lugar ng Maginhawa community pantry sa isang parking space ng barangay hall malapit lang sa dati nitong lokasyon.


Ayon kay Ana Patricia Non, founder ng naturang pantry, inubos lang ang ipinamimigay na mga gulay bago sila nagsimulang lumipat.


"Walking distance lang yun dito, sa Maginhawa street pa rin. Ngayon diba isa lang yung pantry, isa lang yung table, so paglipat natin ang mangyayari ay anim yung pantry para mabilis, anim na agad yung yung nake-cater tsaka nakakapag-social distancing tayo," ani Non.


Tinapos lang ng mga volunteer ang kanilang pananghalian bago tumulak at inayos ang lilipatang bagong lugar.


Sa Sabado ay inaasahang magsisimula ang pamimigay ng pagkain sa bago nitong lugar.


May mensahe naman si Non kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte kaugnay sa red tagging sa kaniya, partikular na ng National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), na inihambing pa siya kay satanas. 


"Sana protektahan na lang natin yung mga organizers na ito kasi ang goal lang naman namin ay tumulong. At the end of the day it’s about food security and lahat welcome sa community pantry, lahat kahit anong political belief, edad, gender orientation, religion, iba’t-ibang [sektor] nag-unite so wag nating patayin yung tradition na yun," giit ni Non.


Sinimulan ni Non noong isang linggo ang community pantry at ngayon ay kalat na ito sa iba't ibang rehiyon.


Sabi naman ng ilang mambabatas, ang pag-usbong ng community pantries ay senyales ng kapalpakan ng pamahalaan sa pagtugon sa gutom at iba pang problema sa pandemya.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/maginhawa-community-pantry-nagsimula-nang-ilipat-sa-mas-malaking-espasyo

FDA just waiting for Moderna EUA application

Kristine Sabillo, ABS-CBN News


The Food and Drug Administration has yet to receive an emergency use authorization (EUA) application from COVID-19 vaccine developer Moderna but it is already reviewing published studies to expedite the process.


This, as Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said Moderna will be delivering almost 200,000 doses of its COVID-19 vaccines to the country by June 15.


“Hindi pa rin sila nag-aapply (They have not applied yet),” FDA Director General Eric Domingo said during a virtual briefing. 


“Mukhang meron lang silang konti pang inaayos sa side ng kung sino ang representative nila dito sa Pilipinas para magappply. Hopefully masettle na po iyon para makapagfile na sila ng official application dito,” he added.


(They might just be arranging for a representative who will apply for them in the Philippines. Hopefully they are able to settle that so they can file their official application here.)


An EUA would allow a vaccine under development to be used for the government vaccination program. For vaccines that are already approved by Stringent Regulatory Authorities abroad, the processing of an EUA takes 21 days.


Domingo said it is helpful that Moderna, unlike other vaccine developers, already have published data in peer-reviewed journals on the COVID-19 vaccine’s safety and efficacy.


“So ito po ay binabasa na rin at rinereview ng ating mga eksperto para pagdating ng time na sila ay mag-aapply na eh at least naumpisahan na natin ang [pag-review ng impormasyon],” he said.


(This is already being read and reviewed by our experts so that when the time comes and they apply then at least we already started reviewing.)


While the government aims to vaccinate up to 70 million people by the end of the year to reach herd immunity, only 1.6 million doses have been administered as of April 22. The government said this is due to the limited supply of vaccines. 


Besides Moderna vaccines expected in June, there are also more than 100,000 vaccines coming from Pfizer in May. Half a million doses will also come from Russia’s Gamaleya Institute and there will be 1 million more vaccines from China’s Sinovac in April.




https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/fda-just-waiting-for-moderna-eua-application

ALAMIN: Stratehiya ng gobyerno para tulungan manggagawang apektado ng pandemya

Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News


Tuloy-tuloy ang pakikipagpulong ng mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan na naglalayong buhayin pa ang ekonomiya ng bansa na pinadapa ng pandemya. 


Sa virtual presser ng Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) nitong Biyernes, inilatag ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), at Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) ang mga programa nito sa ilalim ng National Employment Recovery Strategy o NERS.


Ang mga naturang ahensya ay kabilang sa Task Group Strategic Communications on Economic Recovery. 


Ayon kay Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Tutay, sa ilalim ng 8 point recovery action plan ng NERS, mayroong panukalang P1.14 trillion na pondo na huhugutin sa budget ng bansa.


Bukod dito, mayroon din daw panukalang P24-bilyon na pondo para sa wage subsidy sa mga manggagawang direktang naapektuhan ng pandemya. 


Paliwanag ni Tutay, inaasahang makikinabang sa mga programang ito ang higit 1 milyong manggagawa. 


“'Yung 1.4 million beneficiaries ay hindi po 'yung sasabihin natin na employment na make-create, ang ibig sabihin po nung 1.4 million na manggagawa na magbe-benefit po under the NERS, ito po 'yung halimbawa kasama sa wage subsidy, 'yung sa training program po ng TESDA at ng ibat-ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan at 'yung mga business establishments po under the DTI," aniya.


Ayon sa opisyal, mas maganda ang naging resulta ng labor force survey noong February kumpara sa January labor force survey at sa average labor force survey ng 2020.


Aminado naman ang DOLE na malaki ang epekto ng muling pagsasailalim sa modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) ng Metro Manila, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, at Bulacan — ang tinaguriang NCR Plus bubble — dahil maraming empleyado ang naapektuhan sa kanilang trabaho. 


Tinatayang halos 8,000 hanggang 9,000 manggagawa aniya ang nawawalan ng trabaho kada linggo simula ng mag-MECQ ulit sa NCR Plus bubble. 

 

Nasa 200,000 manggagawa umano ang tinatayang nadagdag sa bilang ng mga unemployed noong Pebrero. 


Pero maganda naman ang senyales na nakaka-recover na ulit ang ekonomiya dahil 1.9 milyon ang nagkaroon ng trabaho o nakabalik sa labor market, ayon kay Tutay.


 TULONG SA MGA NEGOSYANTE, OFW 


Mayroon din naman daw na ayuda at mga programa ang DTI na tutulong sa mga negosyante lalo na sa small and medium enterprises. 


Hinikayat ni DTI Director Jerry Clavesillas ang mga returning OFWs na subukan ang pagnenegosyo sa bansa. 


“'Yung entrepreneurship development ay mandato po 'yan ng DTI, so kaya in support sa ating employment opportunity ay meron din po ang DTI na corresponding effort para sa ating mga kababayan," ani Clavesillas. 


"'Yung mga success cases po natin, mas malaki ang kanilang kinita nung sila po ay naging mga negosyante," dagdag niya. 


Sa Mayo 1, kasabay ng paggunita sa Araw ng Paggawa, sinabi ni Tutay na muling magsasagawa ng job fair ang DOLE, pero online raw ito. 


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/stratehiya-pamahalaan-manggagawa-apektado-covid19-pandemic-national-employment-recovery-strategy-ners

Pagpapalaganap sa 'bayanihan' nasa likod ng community pantry sa Timor-Leste

Nasa ikatlong araw na ngayong Biyernes ang operasyon ng itinayong community pantry sa Timor-Leste na layuning palaganapin ang kultura ng bayanihan ng mga Pilipino sa naturang bansa ngayong panahon ng pandemya.


Sa panayam sa TeleRadyo Biyernes ng umaga kay Vice Consul Laser Sumagaysay, na-inspire sila sa community pantry sa Pilipinas at naisip nilang gawin din ito doon.


“Gusto ko lang i-qualify po na 'yung community pantry setup po dito sa Timor-Leste, 'yung initiative namin is more on public diplomacy po ang kaniyang angle kasi ang purpose ng initiative is to influence somehow 'yung ating Timorese nationals and to make them understand the Philippine concept ng bayanihan,” ayon kay Sumagaysay.


Nasa 1,500 ang mga Pilipino sa Timor-Leste na karamihan ay nasa sales, mga teachers, construction at religious sector.


Maging ang mga Pilipino ay apektado rin ng COVID lockdown sa nasabing bansa. Sabi ni Sumagaysay, simula pa Abril 2020 ay naka lockdown na ang bansa, sarado ang airport at isinailalim din sa isang taong state of emergency at state of calamity dahil aniya sa pagbaha.


“May mga Pilipino tayo na nawalan ng trabaho. Para sa kanila naman po may separate na relief assistance 'yung embahada. Hindi po 'yung community pantry pero official embassy relief assistance,” sabi niya.


Sa kabila nito, maraming Pilipino rin aniya ang nagdo-donate sa community pantry.


Aminado din si Sumagaysay na hindi madali ang kampanyang ipakilala ang bayanihan sa mga Timorese lalo’t hindi sila sanay dito.


“We are trying to imbibe one of the best practices po ng kulturang Pilipino and somehow po maka-contribute tayo sa Timorese society and hopefully, ma-propagate namin 'yung idea ng bayanihan dito sa Timor-Leste,” sabi niya


https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/04/23/21/pagpapalaganap-sa-bayanihan-nasa-likod-ng-community-pantry-sa-timor-leste

PH logs 8,719 more COVID-19 cases, total tops 979,000

Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News


(UPDATE) — The Philippines on Friday reported 8,719 more COVID-19 cases and nearly 14,000 recoveries, the Department of Health (DOH) announced. 


The day's new infections raised the country's cumulative total to 979,740, with 102,799 remaining active cases. 


This is the 5th straight day that new cases were less than 10,000, data showed. 


Meanwhile, Friday's active cases is a steep drop from Saturday's all-time high 203,000, as the health department continues to log thousands of additional recoveries after it shifted to time-bound recovery tagging this week. 


The move will supposedly address the agency's "skewed" data. DOH had previously announced "mass recoveries" every Sunday.


Of those still recovering from the respiratory disease, 96.4 percent are experiencing mild symptoms, 1.3 percent are asymptomatic, 0.9 percent are severely ill, while 0.7 percent are in critical condition. 


COVID-related deaths climbed to 16,529 after 159 new fatalities were confirmed. 


According to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group, this is the highest number of deaths in 9 days. 


This is also the 3rd straight day that deaths counted more than 100.


The health department noted that 77 cases initially tagged as recoveries turned out to be deaths after their final validation.


Some 13,812 people recovered from the disease, bringing the total number of recoveries to 860,412, accounting for 87.8 percent of the country's overall tally. 


Six laboratories failed to submit results on time while a laboratory did not operate on Wednesday. 


Out of 50,968 individuals who underwent testing for COVID-19 on Wednesday, some 17.1 percent were found positive for the disease. 


A total of 28 duplicates have been removed from the total tally, the DOH said. Fourteen of those were recoveries.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/philippines-covid19-cases-update-april232021

There Is Freedom After Failure

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:13-14


We are becoming more open about the depression and anxiety that people of all walks of life and age experience.  Sometimes these feelings are situational and sometimes they are the result of a physical, chemical imbalance.


But anxiety and depression can also come from an internal voice telling you that you can never be good enough. If you’re constantly thinking that you’re fundamentally and hopelessly flawed, that’s depressing!  Some of us believe that the Bible pretty much affirms these ideas and that’s why we need Jesus! The Bible does acknowledge and address the depravity of human nature.  But the emphasis of the gospel has always been the goodness of God rather than the sin of humans. Jesus died not because you are so terrible, but because you are so loved (John 3:16-17).


Our sin separates us from relationship with God, but God’s love and plan for us addresses this reality.  Our worth and our acceptance by God isn’t dependent on our good behavior, but on our willingness to admit our sin and ask for forgiveness in Jesus’ name.  It’s a graciously and freely offered gift. You are never beyond the grace of God.


Each of us was formed in God’s own image (Genesis 1:27). So your first identity is as an image bearer of God. God’s plan has always been to call us His beloved to return to Him, not to create “best behaved” people.  Feeling anxious or depressed over your failures?  Run to Jesus for comfort and grace!


Resource reading: John 3:16-21


https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/there-is-freedom-after-failure/

Red Cross may paparating na Moderna COVID-19 vaccines sa Hunyo o Hulyo: chair

May paparating na Moderna coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines ang Philippine Red Cross sa Hunyo o Hulyo, ayon sa chairman nitong si Sen. Richard Gordon. 


Ayon kay Gordon, may bayad ito at kailangan din nilang mag-donate ng isa pang bakunang ibibigay naman sa mga walang kakayahang magbayad. 


"Halimbawa [ang bibili] kayang-kaya na magbayad. Hindi naman gaano kamahal, mayroon kang magbabayad ka, magdo-donate ka para sa may hindi kaya para mas marami tayo, makarami tayo," ani Gordon sa panayam sa Teleradyo, gabi ng Huwebes. 


Magbibigay din ng sertipikasyon ang Philippine Red Cross na nagpapatunay na ginamit para sa mga nangangailangan ang idinonate na bakuna, dagdag ni Gordon. 


Tinatayang nasa P4,000 ang dalawang dose ng naturang bakuna. Ibig sabihin, kailangang maglabas ng P8,000 ang isang kukuha nito. 


Para sa mga interesadong magpa-reserve, maaaring mag-email sa chairman@redcross.com o tumawag sa numerong 1158. 


Ayon kay Gordon, napaghandaan na nila ang mga gagawin oras na magsagawa na rin sila ng sarili nilang vaccination.


"If ibigay sa amin, ang unang pina-practice namin sarili namin. Lahat kami nabakunahan na," ani Gordon. 


Sa ngayon ay wala pang emergency use authorization (EUA) ang Moderna. 


Ang mayroon lang na EUA sa bansa ay ang mga COVID-19 vaccine ng Pfizer, Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, at Janssen - na may conditional authorization sa gitna ng nararanasan umanong mga side effect. 


Nabanggit din ni Gordon na mabagal ang usad ng pagpapabakuna. 


Giit niya, posibleng aabutin ng 5 taon na makamit ng buong bansa ang tinatawag na herd immunity kung titingnan ang bilang ng mga nababakunahan. 


"With the last 7-day average of daily vaccinated individuals at 43,835, it will take 4.8 years — almost 5 years — until 2026 to complete the 70 percent (vaccination), 77 million Filipinos," ani Gordon. 


"So dapat dagdagan natin ang mga bakuna at magpapabakuna."


Aabot sa 1,612,420 ang bilang ng mga nabakunahan na sa bansa magmula Abril 22. May nasa 3,525,600 nang bakunang dumarating sa bansa, kung saan 3,025,600 ay na-distribute na. 


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/red-cross-may-paparating-na-moderna-covid-19-vaccines-sa-hunyo-o-hulyo-chair

28 million Pinoys register for National ID: PSA

Some 28 million Filipinos have registered for the Philippine national ID, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Friday. 


The registration has three steps, including house-to-house collection of demographic, biometric registrations, and issuance of Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) number and ID, said PSA Assistant Secretary Rosalinda Bautista. 


About 10.6 million people went through the first registration step last October to March, and 17.4 million this January to March, she said in a public briefing. 


Of this number, about 4.6 million are done with the second step, as of April 20, Bautista said in a public briefing. 


The PSA this April will prioritize the getting demographic information in areas with weak or no internet, before it opens an online registration portal, she said. 


"Naka-schedule kaming mag-ramp up nitong end of March at starting April. Kaya lang, sumabay naman sa amin ang COVID-19, kaya medyo malaki ang challenge sa amin ngayon," said the official. 


(We are scheduled to ramp up this end of March and starting April. However, the COVID-19 surge coincided, so the challenge to us is a bit big.) 


The PSA is procuring more registration machines and kits to reach target of enrolling 70 million under the PhilSys this year, she said. 


President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018 signed into law the PhilSys Act that mandated the government to create a single official identification card for all citizens and foreign residents that would serve as a de facto national identification number.


The government hopes that the national ID will boost public service delivery, reduce corruption, and curtail bureaucratic red tape. 


https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/04/23/21/28-million-pinoys-register-for-national-id-psa

Farewell, Radyo Patrol 37: Edwin Sevidal passes away due to COVID-19

(UPDATE) - ABS-CBN's head for radio news gathering Edwin Sevidal passed away on Thursday after contracting COVID-19. He was 49.


Sevidal, known on air as Radyo Patrol 37, started his quarter-century career with ABS-CBN in 1996 as a production assistant in radio DZMM.


He was promoted to researcher, executive producer and eventually became a field reporter before his stint as desk editor. 


Sevidal was among the ABS-CBN reporters deployed to cover the wrath of Supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013 and the Marawi Siege in 2017.


As the head of ABS-CBN's Radyo Patrol, he pushed for the use of mobile journalism among radio reporters, which enabled them to deliver reports for both radio, television and online platforms without the need for bulky equipment and additional manpower.


"Sir Edwin Sevidal was not just our colleague, our mentor, the manager of Radyo Patrol reporters. He is our friend, our tatay (father), our confidant," said Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN's radio reporter in MalacaƱang.


"He knows each of us very well, our strengths, and our weaknesses. He pushes us to be better reporters every single day, because he believes in what we all can do," she said.


"He is our greatest supporter, our loudest cheerer."


After pioneering mobile video journalism (MoJo) in DZMM Teleradyo, Sevidal also conducted mobile journalism workshops for ABS-CBN News correspondents in the Europe and Middle East bureaus. In 2019, he set up the ABS-CBN News Asia-Pacific bureau, recruiting and training correspondents from all over the region.


ABS-CBN News chief Ging Reyes said Sevidal was an innovator and a friend to many. 


"Edwin was a newsman’s newsman, and everyone’s friend," said Reyes. 


"He rose from the ranks and eventually gave up being RP37 to serve as one of our key News officers. But he never lost his love for the field and was among our frontliners in the months-long coverage of the Marawi Siege. He also welcomed new challenges; he never thought twice when he accepted another assignment two years ago - to set up our Asia Pacific News Bureau from Manila. He succeeded in recruiting and training new correspondents to help our TFC reach its audience," Reyes said. 


For his colleagues in ABS-CBN, Sevidal was the ideal co-worker.


"He was jolly, genuine, very easy to be around even in tough coverages," said news.abs-cbn.com editor Tarra Quismundo, who got to work with Sevidal in some field assignments since 2008.


"He was one of those who made the mood lighter in stakeouts or tense situations. It's unbelievable he's gone," she added.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/rip-radyo-patrol-37-edwin-sevidal-dies-covid-19

Palace denies Duterte-Xi 'fishing deal' in West PH Sea

 Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News


MalacaƱang denied on Friday a supposed 2-year-old verbal agreement between President Rodrigo Duterte and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, which an official said allowed China to fish in Philippine waters. 


In 2019, then MalacaƱang spokesman Salvador Panelo said the two leaders' agreement for China to fish in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone was "legally binding and enforceable." 


But current Palace spokesman Harry Roque said "there is no truth" to the supposed deal. He also denied that Chinese vessels were encouraged to stay in the West Philippine Sea. 


"This is without basis and is quite simply conjecture," he said in a statement. 


Under Philippine law, a fishing agreement "can only be done through a treaty" or "an international agreement concluded between States in written form," Roque said. 


"No such treaty or agreement exists between the Philippines and China," he said. 


"Let us therefore stop making malicious speculations and false claims made to pointlessly inflame the situation. We ask everyone to just focus our time and effort on productive activities that will enable us [to] help one another at this time of [a] pandemic," added the official. 


Roque's statement comes after some 240 Chinese boats were seen swarming the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the disputed South China Sea, despite several diplomatic protests from Manila. 


"The President does not condone unlawful commercial fishing by any state on Philippine waters," said Roque 


"However, the President also recognizes that subsistence (non-commercial) fishing may be allowed as a recognition of the traditional fishing rights pointed out by the Arbitral Tribunal itself in its Award on Jurisdiction (para. 407) in the case between the Philippines and China," he said. 


This 2016 arbitral award by a United Nations-backed court junked Beijing's "historical" claims to 90 percent of the South China Sea. This followed China's blocking of Filipino fishers from traditional fishing grounds within the Philippines' EEZ.


Duterte has refused to press China to obey the ruling, as he pursued investments and loans from the economic giant. But on Monday, he said he was prepared to deploy navy ships to assert the Philippines' sovereignty to oil and mineral resources in its EEZ. 


China has denied militias were aboard its ships in the West Philippine Sea. 


About $3 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes the South China Sea each year. Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims. 


— With a report from Reuters


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/duterte-xi-fishing-deal-west-philippine-sea-palace-denies

Eyeing ivermectin? Try readily available VCO, proven COVID-19 buster– CabSec

Virgin coconut oil has been proven effective against COVID-19 and is readily available in the market, a Cabinet official on Friday told those considering the use of anti-parasite drug ivermectin. 


Ivermectin's clinical trial could run for around 6 months. On the other hand, a completed clinical trial showed that VCO can reduce the symptoms of probable and suspect COVID-19 cases, said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles. 


Scientists are also studying the use of VCO for moderate and severe COVID-19 cases, and the efficacy of traditional herbs tawa-tawa and lagundi to treat patients with the novel coronavirus, he said. 


"These are supplements that are already readily available sa market," Nograles told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo. "Ako, personally I feel at least tapos na iyong clinical trials, may FDA na ito. Nakakatulong pa tayo sa coconut farmers natin." 


(These are supplements that are already readily available in the market. I personally feel that at least, the clinical trial of VCO is finished, it has green light from the Food and Drug Administration. We'll also be helping our coconut farmers.) 


Nograles said he takes VCO once or twice a day. 


https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/04/23/21/eyeing-ivermectin-try-readily-available-vco-proven-covid-19-buster-cabsec

Palace: PhilHealth debit-credit reimbursement expands to all high, critical risk areas

State medical insurer PhilHealth's faster method of reimbursing the claims by hospitals will now be implemented in all high and critical risk areas for COVID-19, MalacaƱang said on Thursday. 


The PhilHealth's debit-credit payment method initially applied only in Metro Manila and Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, and Rizal provinces. 


But the inter-agency task force leading the country's pandemic response, in a meeting on Thursday, approved the application of this payment method "in all high risk and critical risk areas," said Palace spokesman Harry Roque. 


"These other high risk and critical risk areas will also be prioritized in the COVID-19 vaccine allocation, human health resource deployment, and other relevant COVID-19 response, as applicable," he said in a statement.


The IATF also directed the Task Group Treat to utilize projections that "shall identify health capacity needs required to lower health care and intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rates," he said. 


The task group "shall identify target additional beds on a weekly basis that will substantially reduce health care and ICU utilization rates, determine and list specific health facilities and infrastructure to contribute these additional beds, and operationalize how these beds become functional with adequate human resources for health and equipment," added the official. 


President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month told PhilHealth "to expedite the payment of valid claims of hospital," Roque said, after the insurer admitted some "slowness" in reimbursing hospitals. 


PhilHealth president and CEO Dante Gierran attributed this to coronavirus infections, which he said hit some PhilHealth personnel, reduced its workforce, and prompted a lockdown of its office. 


Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines (PHAPi) president Jose Rene de Grano in February said PhilHealth owed his group about P6 billion. The debt has forced some hospitals to cut down its work force or implement staggered working hours, he said. 


Gierran, a former chief of the National Bureau of Investigation, took leadership of PhilHealth in September last year. 


He replaced Ricardo Morales who resigned as he battled cancer and allegations that PhilHealth officials pocketed P15 billion in public funds, approved overpriced projects, and released funds to favored hospitals.


In February, Gierran said at least 94 percent of the alleged stolen funds were accounted for. 


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/philhealth-debit-credit-payment-hospitals

PH fires 2 fresh diplomatic protests vs China over West Philippine Sea incursions

The Philippines has filed two new diplomatic protests against China over illegal presence in Philippine waters, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Friday.


In a statement, the DFA said the diplomatic protests were lodged on Wednesday due to the "continued deployment, lingering presence, and activities of Chinese vessels" in the country's maritime zones, most especially in the West Philippine Sea. 


The West Philippine Sea is the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, which is believed to hold valuable gas and oil deposits. 



China's sweeping claims over almost the entire South China Sea had been adjudged by a UN-backed arbitration court to have no legal basis, but Beijing has continued to shun the ruling, instead ramping up militarization and island-building activities in the waters.


"The presence of these vessels blatantly infringe upon Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction," the DFA said.


The diplomatic notes were on top of the "daily protests" they file against Beijing as some of its maritime assets remained on Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea. 


Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier vowed to do so every day until the last Chinese ship is gone from the area.


The DFA said Philippine maritime law enforcement agencies have observed the “continued unauthorized presence and activities” of 160 Chinese fishing vessels and Chinese maritime militia vessels in Philippine waters. 


The vessels were sighted "within the territorial sea of high tide features in the Kalayaan Island Group, in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and in and around the territorial waters of Bajo de Masinloc,” it said. 



Five Chinese Coast Guard vessels with bow numbers 3103, 3301, 3305, 5101, and 5203 were also sighted deployed within the vicinities of Pag-asa Island, Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal, which are all within the country's EEZ.


In the filing, the Philippines also reminded China that Bajo de Masinloc, Pag-asa Island, Panata, Parola, Kota Islands, Chigua and Burgos Reefs are "integral parts of the Philippines over which it has sovereignty and jurisdiction” and that “the Philippines exercises sovereign rights and jurisdiction over Julian Felipe Reef and Ayungin Shoal.”


“The continued swarming and threatening presence of the Chinese vessels creates an atmosphere of instability and is a blatant disregard of the commitments by China to promote peace and stability in the region,” said the DFA. 


The Philippines has repeatedly demanded that China adhere to international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and honor the July 2016 arbitration ruling invalidating its 9-dash line claim, which it described as “final and binding.”


It also reminded China of its commitments under the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, “in particular the exercise of self-restraint pursuant to Paragraph 5 thereof, in order to maintain an atmosphere conducive to the ongoing negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.”


The Philippine task force on the West Philippine Sea said Thursday it sent more patrol vessels to the waters amid continued Chinese presence in the area. 


Several countries have expressed concern over this development, with Philippine ally the United States on standby for Manila's distress call.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/philippines-files-2-new-diplomatic-protest-against-china-west-philippine-sea-april232021

Duque vaccinated against COVID-19 at DOH

Kristine Sabillo, ABS-CBN News


Almost two months after the start of the vaccine rollout in the Philippines, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was finally vaccinated against COVID-19 alongside health workers at the Department of Health gymnasium on Friday.


A PTV report showed Duque receiving a Sinovac jab after undergoing the usual screening process, which involves a blood pressure check and the disclosure of comorbidities and medication. 


During a virtual briefing, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Duque had long planned to be vaccinated since he is a senior citizen, which is among those prioritized for vaccination. 



However, she said the vaccination was put off because of the secretary's hectic schedule.


“Inayos na namin ng team niya na talagang Friday will be the day for him to get vaccinated. Para po sa rest of the DOH team we follow the prioritization framework,” Vergeire said.


(His team arranged for him to be vaccinated on Friday. For the rest of the DOH team, we will follow the prioritization framework.)


The official said the DOH had started vaccinating its priority sectors 2 weeks ago.


Currently, only health workers, those over 60 years old and persons with comorbidities are being vaccinated in the Philippines due to the limited supply of vaccines. Only Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines are available in the country.


In a statement, Duque reiterated that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.


“As I receive my dose of the COVID-19 vaccine today, I invite everyone to do the same, and choose to be protected. Let us all take part in protecting public health, and let us be in unison in spreading one message: that vaccines are safe, and vaccines are effective,” he was quoted saying.


Duque assured the public that adverse events following immunization are closely monitored.


“The government also set up an indemnification fund to ensure the welfare of patients who will experience serious adverse events,” he said.


The Food and Drug Administration earlier Friday said that out of the almost half a million injected with Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine, only 1.41% or more than 7,000 experienced adverse events following immunization (AEFI). For the half a million Filipinos who received AstraZeneca vaccines, more than 24,000 or 2.45% reported AEFIs. AEFIs undergo assessment to check if they are related to vaccination. 


Of the 3.5 million COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines, 1.6 million have been administered to Filipinos. This is still far from the target of 70 million people vaccinated by the end of the year to reach herd immunity.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/duque-vaccinated-against-covid-19-at-doh

Condom, pills, kasama sa ipinamimigay sa community pantry sa Davao City

Kakaiba ang community pantry sa Purok 9, Barangay 76-A sa Davao City dahil bukod sa mga pagkain, nagpapamigay din sila ng libreng contraceptives tulad ng condoms at pills, at sinamahan pa maging ng lubricant.


Ito ay inorganisa ng LGBT groups na naglalayon ding makatulong sa problema ng tumataas na bilang ng teenage pregnancies.


Ayon kay Regie Manginsay ng LGBT Davao City Coalition, ang kanilang adbokasiya ay magbibigay din ng kamalayan ukol sa STD at HIV-AIDS.


Humihingi rin sila ng suporta sa publiko para mapanatili ang community pantry.


Tumatanggap sila ng mga gamit na plastic bottles na kanilang ibebenta at ibibili ng mga pagkain sa kanilang community pantry.


Inaabisuhan naman nila ang mga tao na kumuha lamang ng tatlong items para mabigyan din ng pagkakataong makakuha ang iba pang nangangailangan.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/condom-pills-kasama-sa-ipinamimigay-sa-community-pantry-sa-davao-city

Majority of 24 deaths reported after vaccination unrelated to COVID-19 vaccines — FDA, DOH

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday reported that out of the more than 1 million Filipinos vaccinated against COVID-19, 24 people died. However, most of the reported deaths were found to be unrelated to vaccination.


“Although nakakalungkot po na may nakita tayong mga ganitong kaso, ang evaluation natin…most of it (fatalities) are not related to vaccination,” FDA Director General Eric Domingo said during a virtual briefing.


(Although it is sad that there are reported deaths, our evaluation shows that they are not related to vaccination.)


Out of the 24 who died following their vaccination, 11 were found to have been infected with COVID-19, 8 had cardiovascular or cerebrovascular illness and 3 reportedly suffered another infectious disease. The remaining 2 are still pending review.


The assessment of the cases showed that most or 19 out of the 24 cases are coincidental or unrelated to vaccination. There are also 3 that are indeterminate or being investigated like the rest of the remaining cases.


Domingo said most of the cases involved people with existing illnesses or comorbidities. He said heart and cerebrovascular diseases are also among the top causes of deaths in the Philippines. He also reminded the public that it takes a few weeks after being fully vaccinated for a person to be protected against COVID-19. This is why even vaccinated individuals should continue practicing health protocols.


Domingo said experts still believe that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.


He presented that out of the almost half a million injected with Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine, only 1.41% or more than 7,000 experienced adverse events following immunization (AEFI). For the half a million Filipinos who received AstraZeneca vaccines, more than 24,000 or 2.45% reported AEFIs. AEFIs undergo assessment to check if they are related to vaccination. 


Domingo also pointed out that deaths after vaccination were also reported in Norway, Hong Kong and the United States. The 143 deaths in Norway mostly happened in nursing homes that cared for terminally ill patients. Hong Kong and the US have also concluded that so far there is no direct causal association between the deaths and the vaccination.


Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire explained that investigation of deaths and other serious AEFIs undergo a causality assessment that is adopted from international health organizations.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/majority-of-24-deaths-reported-after-vaccination-unrelated-to-covid-19-vaccines-fda-doh

'Kung hayop ka, di uminom ka': Binay jokes about ivermectin use

"Kung hayop ka, 'di uminom ka."


Sen. Nancy Binay made this joke after several lawmakers pushed for the use of anti-parasitic drug ivermectin despite lack of data on its efficacy for COVID-19. 


It echoed advice given by doctors of former president Joseph Estrada, who said ivermectin "is only for animals."


The Food and Drug Administration has not approved ivermectin for use in treating or preventing COVID-19 in humans. The agency has so far allowed 3 hospitals to use ivermectin as investigational drug to treat patients infected with the novel coronavirus.


Binay urged the public to wait for scientific proof before taking the drug.


"If the science would say it doesn't work, why do we need to take it? 'Pag sinabi naman (If it says) it can help, it can treat, then let us go ahead and use this product," she said.


"But for us to take na wala pa siyang FDA approval or hindi pa siya (withouth FDA approval or not) prescribed ng (by) doctors, I don't think we should take it," she added.


In an advisory it issued last month, the FDA said registered oral and intravenous preparations of ivermectin in the country were veterinary products. 


They were approved for use in animals for the prevention of heartworm disease and treatment of internal and external parasites in certain animal species.



Meanwhile, registered ivermectin products for human use were in topical formulations under prescription use only. This is used for the treatment of external parasites, such as head lice, and skin conditions, such as rosacea.


The World Health Organization has warned against the use of ivermectin in patients with COVID-19, except for clinical trials, because of a lack of data demonstrating its benefits.


The UN health agency's recommendation followed the European Medicines Agency's warning against the drug. The US Food and Drug Administration has also recommended it not be used for COVID-19.


Merck, the biopharmaceutical company that makes ivermectin for humans under the brand name Stromectol, also said there was no scientific basis and no meaningful evidence of the efficacy of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19.


Several health experts also cautioned the public on using ivermectin, citing potential side effects on a person's liver or kidney.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/kung-hayop-ka-di-uminom-ka-binay-jokes-about-ivermectin-use

2 NPA rebels killed in Zamboanga del Sur encounter: military

Two members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed, while another rebel was arrested in an encounter in Zambaonga del Sur on Thursday morning, the Western Mindanao Command said. 


WESMINCOM Commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, Jr., said elements of the 53rd Infantry Battalion, Tigbao Municipal Police Station, and the intelligence operatives conducted a joint law enforcement operation and service of warrants of arrest against six remnants of the rebel group’s Main Regional Guerilla Unit in Barangay Guinlin, Tigbao, this province. 


However, rebels fired at authorities approaching the area. 


“A firefight ensued which resulted in the deaths of two terrorists and the apprehension of another,” said Lt. Col. Jo-Ar Herrera, Commanding Officer of the 53IB. 


Killed in the encounter were Felimon Suazo, alias Jonathan Cruz/Nathan, and James Cordero, alias James/Tito. Another rebel was arrested and identified as Elvie Doctor, alias Bangkat/Nanang. 


“Nathan is an executive committee member of the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee, Political Instructor/Finance, and at the same time member of squad 1 of the defunct Main Regional Guerilla Unit. Sometime in 2009, Nathan was one of the cadres who came from Davao together with Aprecia Alvarez Rosete, a.k.a. Bambam (the current secretary of the WMRPC) to reinforce the dwindling strength and assist the recovery efforts of the group at that time,” said Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, Commander of the 102nd Infantry Brigade. 


Nicolas said Nathan has existing warrants of arrest for multiple frustrated homicides, four counts of attempted murder and theft. 


Meanwhile, James is a member of the MRGU Squad 1 while Nanang is an ExeCom member of WMRPC and Political Instructor of the defunct MRGU. She was the Staff Propagandist of WMRPC in 2019 and has warrants of arrest for murder and murder with direct assaults. 


Troops are currently conducting clearing and pursuit operations in the area. They also recovered one M16 with an M203 Grenade Launcher attached to it, one 9mm pistol, one cal. 45 pistol, four 40mm ammunition, four magazines of M16 loaded with 75 rounds of ammunition, and propaganda materials. 


To date, a total of 51 NPA rebels have been neutralize since January 2021. Of the total, four were killed, 42 surrendered, and five were apprehended. 


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/2-npa-rebels-killed-in-zamboanga-del-sur-encounter-military

Gordon: It could take 5 years for PH to hit COVID vaccine target at current pace

Sen. Richard Gordon on Thursday said government implementation of the vaccination program has been slow, and that at its current pace it could take nearly 5 years to meet the target population ratio to achieve herd immunity.


"With the last 7-day average of daily vaccinated individuals at 43,835, it will take 4.8 years — almost 5 years — until 2026 to complete the 70 percent (vaccination), 77 million Filipinos," said Gordon, who is also the chairman of the Philippine Red Cross.


"So dapat dagdagan natin ang mga bakuna at magpapabakuna." 


(We need to get more vaccines and more people vaccinated.)


A population must aim to vaccinate 70 percent of its population to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19.


The country has received another delivery of 500,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from China's Sinovac Biotech, but Gordon said it wouldn't still not enough.


"Naunahan tayo. Ang mundo ay mundo ng mayayaman. Kung nalalaman natin na ganu'n ang labanan dapat nagpakauna-una na tayo . . . Dapat may sense of urgency tayo," he said.


(We fell behind. The world is ruled by the wealthy. If we're aware of that, we need to assert ourselves getting in front of the line. We must have a sense of urgency.) 


Gordon also urged the public to take any vaccine available.


"Ang bakuna ay bakuna . . . Kung iyan lang ang mayroon, kunin nyo na. Pero kung mayroong mas magaling dyan ay kunin natin," he said.


(A vaccine is a vaccine. If that's what's available, then let's use it. If there are better options out there, then let's get them, too.) 


Meanwhile, the Red Cross chief said it was more ideal to be inoculated at designated sites than have it done at home.


"Kasi sa bakuna na ito di mo alam may allergy, biglang manikip ang throat yan, di makahinga, kailangan may iniksyon yan . . . Kaya mas maganda kung sa center."


(With the COVID vaccine, we don't know if it'll cause allergies. A patient might have a hard time breathing, and you may need to be looked at. So it's better to be vaccinated at a designated center.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/richard-gordon-covid-vaccination

5 PH schools make it to 2021 University Impact Rankings on sustainable dev’t goals

Five schools in the Philippines, led by Ateneo de Manila University, were included in this year's University Impact Rankings, with one of them ranked among the world’s best educational institutions by Times Higher Education (THE).


The University Impact Rankings “are the only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals,” according to THE's website. 


In the overall standings, Ateneo placed in the 201 to 300th bracket, followed by De La Salle University at the 401 to 600th bracket. 


University of Santo Tomas and Tarlac Agricultural University were listed in the 601 to 800th, while Mapua University placed in the 801to 1,000th bracket.


TAU is the only public university among the 5 Philippine schools.


“TAU has continuously improved its ranking among (state universities and colleges) and has achieved Level 4 status in the last CHED leveling exercise," Commission on Higher Education chairman Prospero De Vera III said in a statement.


"It has also joined most of the internationalization programs of CHED, particularly with Canadian universities and has inked partnership agreements with 7 Canadian colleges and universities.


"This new ranking is the result of these efforts."


Topping THE’s University Impact Rankings was University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, followed by University of Sydney in Australia.


Australia's RMIT University and La Trobe University placed third and fourth, respectively, with Canada's Queen’s University rounding out the Top 5. 


The 2021 Impact Rankings review and rank 1,115 universities from 94 countries and regions.


According to THE, these schools were ranked by the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals, which serve as the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.


These include no poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; quality education; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry; innovation and infrastructure; reducing inequality; sustainable cities and communities; responsible consumption and production; climate action; life below water; life on land; peace; justice; and strong institutions, partnerships for the goals.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/5-ph-schools-make-it-to-2021-university-impact-rankings-on-sustainable-devt-goals

Chinese boats keep up steady presence at Julian Felipe Reef, says US ship tracker

Laura Zhou, South China Morning Post


(Editor’s note: Whitsun Reef is referred to Julian Felipe Reef in the Philippines.)


China has kept up a sustained presence around a disputed South China Sea reef for two years, according to a Washington-based think tank – despite Beijing’s claims that its vessels were only sheltering in the area.


The Centre for Strategic and International Studies’ Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), which tracked the vessels’ automatic identification system broadcasts, also identified 14 of the Chinese ships captured in photos and videos taken by Philippine coastguard patrols at Whitsun Reef.


Whitsun is a V-shaped reef in a shallow coral region of the resource-rich Spratly Islands and is now at the centre of a deepening maritime row between Beijing and Manila.


According to AMTI, the 14 ships, all from southern China’s Guangdong province, were first tracked patrolling Union Banks, which includes Whitsun Reef, in early 2019 and nine of them have broadcast AIS from Whitsun several times.


“As with other known militia deployments, the behaviour of these vessels defies commercial explanation. Most have remained in the area for weeks, or even months, riding at anchor in clusters without engaging in any fishing activity,” AMTI said in a report on Wednesday.


“Many are trawlers which, by definition, must move to fish. And blue skies have debunked the initial excuse from the Chinese embassy in Manila that they were riding out a storm.”


Tension between China and the Philippines has intensified in recent months after Manila reported more than 200 Chinese vessels near Whitsun Reef in the disputed South China Sea in early March and 44 ships from the Chinese “maritime militia” were still there despite the good weather earlier this month.


Beijing insisted that at the time these ships were civilian fishing boats taking shelter from bad weather and that they had “no plans” to stay there permanently, but the Philippine government has asked Beijing to withdraw the boats. Philippine foreign secretary Teodoro Locsin warned that Manila would lodge diplomatic protests every day until “the last one’s gone, like it should be by now if it’s really fishing”.


The presence of the Chinese vessels deepens concern over whether Beijing is deploying maritime militia – fishing vessels in paramilitary service as required by Chinese law – to gain control over the contested waters.

On Monday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte broke his silence over the Whitsun dispute and said he was “not so much interested” in fishing but was prepared to send the military to “stake a claim” over oil and mineral resources in the South China Sea, even though “it will be bloody”.


In the report, AMTI identified five out of the six Chinese vessels tied together at Whitsun Reef as members of the Yuemaobinyu fleet registered in the Bohe harbour in Maoming, Guangdong province.


The Yuemaobinyu fleet caught international attention in 2019 when one of its boats, Yuemaobinyu 42212, rammed and sank a Philippine boat at Reed Bank, another disputed area in the South China Sea. The incident sparked demonstrations in Manila until Beijing gave assurances that the Chinese captain, who later issued an apology, would compensate the Philippines for the loss of the ship.


China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Taiwan all have claims over the entire Union Banks, which includes Whitsun Reef that falls in the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone in the Spratly Islands and is about 320km (200 miles) west of the Philippine province of Palawan.


Citing satellite imagery from Planet Labs, AMTI said Chinese vessels appeared to frequently bounce between Whitsun and other parts of Union Banks, such as the unoccupied Kennan Reef next to the Chinese base at Hughes.


“The number of vessels at Whitsun has fluctuated over this period, but never entirely disappeared,” the report said, citing an incomplete count between February of last year and April 11, which showed a peak in November when a total of 196 vessels were visible at Union Banks, including 129 at Whitsun Reef.


When the Philippine coastguard documented more than 200 vessels at Whitsun in early March, it also included some Chinese and Vietnamese coastguard and navy vessels as well as Vietnamese fishing boats.


“But the vast majority are Chinese fishing vessels 50 metres or more in length, which distinguishes them from their smaller Vietnamese counterparts,” it said. 


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/chinese-boats-keep-up-steady-presence-at-julian-felipe-reef-says-us-ship-tracker

2 lalaki tiklo sa tangka umanong magpuslit ng marijuana sa Isabela

Arestado ang 2 lalaki matapos mabisto sa quarantine checkpoint sa lungsod ng Santiago, Isabela, sa tangkang pagpuslit ng marijuana Huwebes ng madaling araw.


Ayon sa Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region 2, nasa 6 na marijuana brick at 1 nakabalot ng tubular form na marijuana ang nakumpiska sa driver at pahinante ng isang trailer truck sa Barangay Sinsayon.


May kabuuang timbang na 6 na kilo ang mga nakumpiskang ilegal na droga, ayon pa sa PDEA Region 2. 


Narekober din sa mga suspek ang ilang drug paraphernalia gaya ng rolled aluminum foil at disposable lighter.


Bigo rin ang mga suspek na magpakita ng mga kaukulang dokumento para sa mga sawn lumber na karga ng trailer truck kung kaya kinumpiska rin ang mga ito.


Inihahanda na ang mga reklamong paglabag sa Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act at illegal logging laban sa mga suspek na nasa kustodiya ng Santiago City Police Office. — Ulat ni Harris Julio


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/2-lalaki-tiklo-sa-tangka-umanong-magpuslit-ng-marijuana-sa-isabela

Criminology student timbog matapos makuhanan umano ng shabu sa Cotabato

Timbog ang isang criminology student matapos umano makuhanan ng hinihinalang shabu sa bayan ng Kabacan, Cotabato Huwebes ng madaling araw.


Ayon sa PDEA-Region 12, nakuhanan ang suspek ng 11 sachet ng naturang ilegal na droga na nagkakahalaga ng P68,000 sa bahay niya sa Barangay Aringay.


Nakuha rin mula sa kaniya ang mga drug paraphernalia at improvised firearm, ayon sa PDEA.


Graduating student sa kursong BS Criminology umano ang suspek. 


Tumatanggap umano siya ng motorsiklo bilang pambayad o kapalit ng kaniyang ibinebentang droga.


Haharap sa kasong paglabag ng Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act ang inarestong suspek. — Ulat ni Hernel Tocmo


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/criminology-student-timbog-matapos-makuhanan-umano-ng-shabu-sa-cotabato

Negosyante patay sa pamamaril habang nagja-jogging sa Ilocos Norte

Patay sa pamamaril ang 52-anyos na lalaki sa Barangay Suba sa bayan ng Paoay, Ilocos Norte, Huwebes ng hapon. 


Kinilala ang biktima na si Froilander Agdeppa na presidente ng Disco Owners Association ng Laoag City. 


Ayon sa hepe ng Paoay Police Station na si Police Maj. Eddie Suyat, nagja-jogging si Agdeppa kasama ang kaniyang drayber nang mangyari ang krimen. 


"Habang nagja-jogging siya baba ng MalacaƱang of the North, sa bagong gawa na daan na Paoay Lake Road nang nasundan siya ng mga salarin tapos pinagbabaril na ang biktima," ani Suyat. 


Nagtamo ng higit 20 na tama ng baril sa iba't-ibang bahagi ng katawan ang biktima. Lumalabas na caliber .45 at M-16 rifle ang ginamit sa pamamaril base sa mga narekober na kapsula sa crime scene. 


Ang mga salarin ay nakasakay sa motorsiklo at itim kotse. Nakaligtas sa pamamaril ang drayber nito matapos tumalon sa bangin. 


Ito pa lang ang ikalawang beses na nagpunta sa lugar ang biktima para mag-jogging. 


Patuloy ang pagtukoy ng mga awtoridad sa pagkakakilanlan ng mga suspek.


Ayon kay Suyat, bukod sa pagiging negosyante ng biktima, isa pa sa mga pinag-aaralang anggulo sa pagpaslang sa kanya ay pulitika. 


Tubong bayan ng Sinait, Ilocos Sur at tumakbo sa pagka-alkalde ang biktima noong 2019 pero natalo.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/negosyante-patay-sa-pamamaril-habang-nagja-jogging-sa-ilocos-norte

BGYO drops new track: ‘He’s Into Her’ theme song

The breakout P-pop group BGYO released on Friday its new single, “He’s Into Her,” the theme song of the upcoming ABS-CBN series of the same title.


The lyrics video of the song, composed by Jonathan Manalo and Gabriel Tagadtad, also visualizes the line distribution of BGYO members Akira, Gelo, JL, Mikki, and Nate.


“He’s Into Her,” the song, is BGYO’s second original track after their debut single “The Light,” which was released in January.


The series, which stars Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan, is scheduled to premiere on iWant TFC in May.


“He’s Into Her,” directed by Chad Vidanes and produced by Star Cinema, is based on the books by Maxine Lat.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/04/23/21/bgyo-drops-new-track-hes-into-her-theme-song

Finally! Talking to the doctors!

 By Jose Bayani Baylon


‘Next time the President has a meeting with generals, maybe they can take the principles from conversation with these doctors and apply the same to China and the West Philippine Sea?’


I WAS greatly relieved the other morning to wake up and see, on Twitter, the summary by Joseph Morong of the latest PRRD “ulat sa bayan.” Joseph Morong does the whole world, or no, maybe just the whole Philippines, a big favor, by summarizing what the President says during his late night appearances, in the process deleting the bleepable portions that should never be part of presidential (or polite) conversation.


This last one two days ago (I think it was two days ago; I still remain uncertain at times what day it is after having been confined at St. Luke’s BGC for 12 days) came as a shocking relief because instead of having himself surrounded by the czars who have been running the whole COVID-19 show to the ground, the way the czars of Russia ran their empire to the ground, this time the President was listening to real, honest-to-goodness licensed doctors expressing their opinion about COVID – and responding to them in the process.


Why he finally decided to trot out doctors to be part of his meeting only God knows, and why he finally decided to trot out doctors to be part of his meeting more than a year after the outbreak of the pandemic only God knows, too. But yes, at least, he did it.


If I read the notes correctly, there was a discussion of how long OFWs are supposed to remain in quarantine. Some, such as Labor people, were complaining that keeping them in quarantine for too long was having an economic impact because their turn-around time (so to speak) – the time it would take for them to be able to rest and then depart for new contracts abroad – was lengthening the longer we kept them in quarantine.


On the other hand, there was a valid medical reason to do so: with so many new variants and mutations out there we needed to secure our own shores to the best of our ability, if not from Chinese incursions then at least from the entry of these new variants. And who would most likely be bringing them in? Our returning OFWs.


So it mattered how long we kept them in quarantine upon their return to the Philippines because if we did not keep them in quarantine long enough upon arrival, and tested them too soon, we could be allowing them to go home to their provinces, unknowingly unleashing carriers of new variants into our communities because they would then test positive a few days after coming home.


With our ERs and ICUs filled to the brim (don’t believe those DOH stats – they only cloud the real situation by including ICU and ER beds from hospitals you’d never wish to be brought to if you wanted to live!), we need to do what we can to avoid the entry of these variants that could also upend our own vaccination program, no matter how snail-paced it is.


That the President was now guesting doctors in his meeting was also a sign to me that hope springs eternal. There is always reason to hope for as long as one is alive and breathing. I should know; 23 days ago I was close to no longer breathing on my own, thanks but no thanks to COVID-19.


I’ve always wondered why my suggestion a year ago that the President put up a permanent Committee on COVID-19 consisting of all retired Secretaries of Health (to begin with) fell on deaf ears. Actually, not really: at least once, they were summoned to Malacanang: Secretaries Dayrit, Garin, Cabral, etc, but I think one meeting was all they had and that was it. Instead, the Palace (I really dislike referring to the house and seat of the office of the President this way!) proceeded to create task force after task force, led by retired generals or promising young bureaucrats, none of whom even spent a day listening to a lecture on anatomy, physiology, or even pathology. I think the fact that they took up biology in high school was considered qualification enough for them to be testing czars and vaccination czars and even tracing czars. Plus, maybe, they knew which buttons to push or strings to pull in the Palace (there’s that word again), or maybe impressed SenSAP Bong Go who then whispered to the President and voila! They had the appointment.


I’ve never wondered though why our own Secretary of Health, aka the Duke of Hazard, did not at all feel slighted that he was a ceremonial overseer of all these when in fact as an honest-to-goodness doctor of medicine from prestigious schools here and abroad he should have been the one commanding the charge against the virus from Day One, and not some generals who have not even memorized “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” the favorite piece during declamation contests in grade school. So today we find the Duke of Hazard walking the alleyways of the city with baston or a measuring rod, his attempts to remain relevant that leave you torn between laughing and crying.


But why keep harping on the glass being half-empty?


Let me say again: the fact that the President of the Philippines finally, finally, finally spent a whole meeting with doctors who discussed and even debated the wisdom of 5 or 7 or 10 or 14-day quarantine periods for our OFW brothers and sisters was and is to me a refreshing breath of fresh air after a year of foul air, because decisions were now clearly being made on the basis of science (even if at times even scientists cannot come to a unified consensus on some items). How important it is to keep the virus off our shores. How critical it is that we man the ramparts and make sure our islands are protected. How vital it is to keep our OFWs in quarantine for the proper number of days simply because we cannot afford to slip and allow the enemy into our territory.


Next time the President has a meeting with generals, maybe they can take the principles from conversation with these doctors and apply the same to China and the West Philippine Sea? Now, that would be another refreshing first, wouldn’t it?


Personal: Happy birthday Kagawad Baby Lynn Tero of Barangay Buting, Pasig City; Kagawad Ren Conception of Barangay Maybunga, Pasig City; Lui Bayer; Sarah Lou Ysmael Arriola; Danni Magsy Bee; Butch Realino; Klaudio Posadas; Emerson Sonny Resurrection; Vice President Leni Robredo; Bito Aguilos;  Koko Nograles; Geraldine Roman; Jorge Carino; Bituin Escalante; Angel Locsin; Gillian Vicencio; Franklin Rapsing Jazul; George Kabristante; Joymie Del Pilar; Christopher Bautista; Chriz Palorma; Gina Barandog; Anne Pauline Ocampo; Jp Co Ainza; Marie Fren Hamohammad Bajao; Vincent Acha; Marc Vincent Gebe Santos IV; get well soon Ate Marietta Delrosario


Bising accelerates, as typhoon continues to make way out of PH

 Typhoon Bising accelerated while moving away from Luzon, the state weather bureau said Friday, as it continues to depart the Philippines area of responsibility.


In its 11 p.m. weather advisory, PAGASA said Bising was 490 km east of Basco town, Batanes at 10 p.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and 185 kph gusts, while moving northeastward at 15 kph.


The weather agency said the typhoon will move generally in the same direction Thursday night through Friday night, before turning east-southeastward to eastward on Saturday, and eastward to east-northeastward on Sunday morning.


Bising is still expected to exit the PAR by Saturday late night or Sunday early morning. It will continue to slow down throughout the period, PAGASA said, and is projected to turn into an extratropical cyclone outside the PAR on Monday.


The remaining tropical cyclone signals in northern Luzon were lifted by PAGASA, but it still warned of moderate to rough seas over the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.


Bising left at least 3 dead, 10 injured, and 1 missing as it barreled through Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and the Davao region, according to the Philippines' disaster council on Wednesday.


The country's second storm this year forced more than 59,000 families in Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga to evacuate ahead of its onslaught.


https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/22/21/bising-accelerates-as-typhoon-continues-to-make-way-out-of-ph