Duque says PH has administered almost 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the Philippine government has administered nearly 2 million COVID-19 vaccines as of Wednesday.

In the weekly briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte, Duque said almost 2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses out of the 3,525,600 vaccine doses it already received.

The Philippines was supposed to receive 15,000 Sputnik V COVID-19 shots from Russia on Wednesday, but it was postponed after the vaccines were not loaded on a Qatar Air commercial flight that was scheduled to arrive in the Philippines by 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Duque also said the country is starting to see improvements in its epidemic curve, with the daily tally of cases starting to decrease.

"Kung titingnan ang ating epidemic curve, makikita na nagsisimula na tayong makakita ng pagbaba sa ating mga kaso," he said.

(If we look at our epidemic curve, we can see that we are starting to see a decrease in our cases.)

The average daily attack rate for every 100,000 population in the National Capital Region (NCR) has also decreased from 9.13 three to four weeks ago, to 8.84 at present.

He, likewise, explained that the hospital utilization rate in NCR has improved to 69 percent, which is now considered at the "moderate" level.

According to Duque, the Department of Health has achieved the following in its COVID-19 response:

635 additional health facilities

23,241 additional COVID-19 beds

500,000 procured rapid antigen kits

61 percent health care hospitalization rate

14,668 human resources for health

P7 billion obligated for health care workers

107 million PPE sets distributed

As of Tuesday, COVID-19 has so far sickened 1,020,495 people in the Philippines. The tally includes 17,031 deaths, 935,695 recoveries, and 67,769 active cases.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/duque-ph-covid-19-vaccine-2million

The World Tonight | ANC (28 April 2021)

WATCH: President Rodrigo #Duterte​​'s Talk to the Nation (April 28, 2021)

Why Psalms Is Such a Great Book

 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High.  Psalms 92:1, KJV

You can afford to be ignorant of many things—you can hire an attorney to handle your legal stuff, an accountant to do your books, and a doctor to keep you healthy—but the individual who is ignorant of the Bible has an ignorance he can ill afford.

The Bible is an anthology, or a collection of writings, which were inspired by the Holy Spirit over a period of 1600 years.  Yet even within the Bible there are books which are distinctive and stand alone, towering above the great literary works of all time.  Such are the 150 chapters known as the book of Psalms.

Actually, this one book is a collection of poems and writings which were used by both congregations and individuals.  The Hebrew title of the book, Seper Tehellim, means “Book of Praises,” and the Greek title, Psalmoi or Psalterion denotes a song or poem that is to be accompanied by a stringed instrument.

In this collection are some of the most widely-loved and quoted passages in the entire Bible.  “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” wrote David in Psalm 23.  When astronauts in the Apollo space program were winging their way back to planet Earth on Christmas eve, they quoted from Psalm 19 where David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1, NKJV).

If you had asked my grandmother, or my mother, or should you ask me, “What is your favorite chapter in the entire Bible?” you would receive the response, “Psalm 91.”  Do you remember the words of the great psalm: “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust'” (Psalm 91:1-2, NKJV).

Modern versions of the Bible are wonderful.  New and contemporary language helps us better understand the truth of the Book.  But nothing will ever surpass the magnificence of the old King James text of the Psalms.  If you really want to discover the Psalms, my suggestion is to find an old King James and read it, along with a newer version.

Why has this one book had such an attraction for people down through the years?  Surely it is because nothing in all of literature, including the writings of Mohammed and Buddha, as well as the ancient Greeks, can compare to the gamut of emotions—love, hate, deep feelings of intensity and compassion—that we find in the book of Psalms.  Dick Iverson writes, “In the course of dealing with the adversities of life, people are often frustrated by not being able to express adequately their emotional pain or mental anguish.  The Psalms release us from that frustration.  With emotionally-drenched complaints, humble confessions, desperate pleas, penitent prayers, or screams of pain, the writers of the Psalms skillfully expose and express the yearnings of our deepest thoughts.”

There is a psalm to match your every mood, and it is this very thing that causes a problem for some people.  Jesus, of course, taught us to love our enemies, but the writers of Psalms asked God to settle the score when they felt they had been wronged, which tells me that expressing our feelings to God in prayer is the first step towards healing and help—when our attitudes are wrong.

I view this book as a marvelous expression of praise, trust, worship, and rejoicing.  A deep therapy of the heart that brings wholeness and healing is something we badly need today.  When you discover this book, you’ll be glad you did.

Resource reading: Psalms 90:1-16

https://www.guidelines.org/devotional/why-psalms-is-such-a-great-book/

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COVID-19 deaths in Philippines top 17,000

Kristine Sabillo, ABS-CBN News

The number of people in the Philippines who died due to COVID-19 climbed past 17,000 on Wednesday as total coronavirus infections in the country reached 1,020,495, data from the health department showed.

According to the latest COVID-19 bulletin of the Department of Health (DOH), the death toll climbed by 115 to 17,031, accounting for 1.67 percent of the cumulative total cases.

The Department of Health (DOH) said 6,895 additional COVID-19 cases have been recorded, the lowest in 3 weeks, according to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.

These do not include data from 1 testing laboratory that was non-operational on Monday, and 5 laboratories that were unable to submit their results on time.

The bulletin also said the number of cases reported on Wednesday was lower than usual because of the lower testing output of laboratories on Monday.

Total recoveries increased by 10,739 to 935,695.

Active COVID-19 cases in the country stood at 67,769 or 6.6% of the total recorded infections. This is the lowest number of active cases since March 18 this year, according to the ABS-CBN Data Analytics Team.

Of those currently battling the disease, 94.9% have mild symptoms, 1.6% are asymptomatic, 0.95% have moderate symptoms, 1.4% have severe symptoms, and 1.1% are in critical condition.

Eighteen cases, 12 tagged as recovered, were removed from the official total count due to duplicate entries.

There were also 59 cases initially tagged as recovered that turned out to be deaths after final validation.

The country has been seeing a surge in COVID-19 cases due to the variants of the virus and non-compliance with health protocols, especially in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

The Philippine government, which is struggling to curb the disease, has received criticism for the slow rollout of vaccines, which it attributes to the limited global supply.

Of the 3.5 million vaccines received by the country, only 1.8 million have been administered after rollout started in March.

There are 59.3 million people currently infected with COVID-19 worldwide. Since the start of the pandemic, 148.7 million people have contracted the disease, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus dashboard. Of those, more than 3.1 million have died and almost 86.3 million have recovered.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/philippines-covid19-cases-update-april282021

WATCH: PCSO 5 PM Lotto Draw, April 28, 2021

11 biktima ng human trafficking nasagip sa Tarlac City

Umabot sa 11 katao na biktima ng human trafficking ang nasagip ng awtoridad mula sa isang hotel sa Barangay San Isidro sa Tarlac City nitong Martes. 

Arestado naman ang 3 menor de edad na itinuturong bugaw ng mga babae sa prostitusyon.

Sa inisyal na imbestigasyon, nire-recruit umano ng mga menor de edad ang mga babae para kumita kapalit ng pakikipagtalik sa mga nakukuhang customer.

Dinala na ang mga na-rescue sa City Social Welfare Department para sumailalim sa counselling. Sasailalim naman sa booking procedure at paghahanda ng kasong paglabag sa Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act ang 3 menor de edad.

- Ulat ni Gracie Rutao

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/11-biktima-ng-human-trafficking-nasagip-sa-tarlac-city

China has no authority to prevent PH from holding exercises in WPS: Lorenzana

DFA's Locsin to file new diplomatic protest vs Beijing

China has "no authority or legal basis to prevent" the Philippines from conducting maritime exercises in the West Philippine Sea, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday.

"Atin yan (That's ours). Their claims, according to their so-called historical rights, have no basis, while we have 2 international documents saying the area is ours: the (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) of which China is a signatory, and the Arbitral award of 2016," Lorenzana said in reaction to the reiteration last Monday by China of its claim of sovereignty over some features in the West Philippine Sea.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. directed his agency to file another diplomatic protest against China following the remarks made by Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson of China's foreign ministry.

“They can say what they want from the Chinese mainland; we continue to assert from our waters by right of international law what we won in The Hague," Locsin said on Twitter.

"we must not fail to protest. @DFAPHL have we fired off a diplomatic protest? Do it now,” he said.

THE UN-backed arbitration court in The Hague invalidated China's sweeping claims over almost the entire South China Sea in a ruling in 2016. Beijing continues to disregard it.

The West Philippine Sea is the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.

Personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources are conducting maritime exercises in Philippine waters, even as Chinese ships have been sighted there since early March, defying instructions from Filipino officials to withdraw.

Other countries have also criticized China's incursions, saying these threaten peace and stability in the region.

At a press briefing last Monday, Wang said China has sovereignty over what it calls the Nansha Islands or the Spratlys, which includes Zhongye Island or Pag-asa Island, and Zhongsha Islands that include Huangyan Island or the Scarborough Shoal.

The areas are either within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, or being claimed and partly occupied by Manila based on domestic laws.

"We urge the relevant side to respect China's sovereignty and rights and interests, and stop actions complicating the situation and escalating disputes," said Wang when asked for reaction on the Philippines' maritime exercises in the waters.

Lorenzana said the UNCLOS gave the Philippines "sovereign rights to exploit the natural resources of an area measured 200 (nautical miles) from our mainland."

"The Arbitral award has categorically stated that the Chinese claim bounded by their so-called nine-dash line according (to) their “historical right” has no basis in fact," he added.

"Therefore, it is they (Chinese) who are encroaching and should desist and leave... it is they who are complicating the situation by their illegal occupation of reefs which they built into artificial islands."

"Walang basis yung nine-dash line nila, according to an international tribunal, ergo sila ang nagko-complicate ng situation by insisting to stay within our WPS."

(Their nine-dash line theory has no basis, according to an international tribunal, ergo they are the one's complicating the situation by insisting to stay within our WPS.)

Retired Philippine Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio had warned that the presence of hundreds of Chinese ships at the vicinity of Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef) since March may be a prelude to occupation and building of military base, as Beijing did on Mischief Reef, also in the West Philippine Sea, in 1995.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has yet to issue a clarification if the protest ordered anew by Locsin would cover Wang's comments or if it refers only to the daily protest that the agency vowed to file as long as Chinese vessels remain at the Julian Felipe Reef.

The agency on April 23 filed two additional diplomatic protests against China over its illegal and lingering presence in Philippine territory.

President Rodrigo Duterte forged friendlier relations with China since assuming power in 2016, temporarily setting aside the arbitral award on the South China Sea in favor of economic aid and investments.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/philippines-new-diplomatic-protest-china-sovereignty-remark

Kasunduan para sa vaccination site, mobile hospital sa ilang Manila tourism spots pirmado na

Nagkasa ng kasunduan ang Department of Tourism at ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Maynila nitong Miyerkoles para sa pagpapatayo ng mobile field hospital at drive-thru vaccination site sa ilang tourist spots sa siyudad gaya ng Rizal Park at Quirino Grandstand nitong Miyerkoles. 

Pinangunahan ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Maynila at ng DOT attached office na National Parks Development Committee ang kasunduan. Pinirmahan ang kasunduan sa pamamagitan ng isang virtual event na dinaluhan ni Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, at NPDC Executive Director Cecille Lorenzana-Romero. 

Sa isang pahayag, sinabi ng Department of Tourism na ipapatayo ang Manila Mega Field Hospital sa Burnham Green, na nasa silangang bahagi ng parke. 

Aayudahan umano nito ang kapasidad ng mga ospital para sa mga moderate hanggang seryosong kaso ng COVID-19. 

Nasa 336 hospital beds ang ilalagay, pero maaari rin anila itong ma-expand kung kinakailangan. 

Ayon kay DOT chief Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, kailangang ma-repurpose sa ngayon ang mga tourism site para mapabuti ang COVID-19 response ng bansa. 

“We welcome the repurposing of more tourism sites into medical facilities that will help us get through this public health crisis. I hope that this collaboration between different national agencies and the Manila LGU will inspire other LGUs around the country to work with the national government in developing innovative solutions that will bring about a swift end of this pandemic, and allow us to embark on the road to recovery,” ani Puyat. 

Kasama sa kasunduan ang pagpapatayo ng drive-thru na vaccination sa parade grounds ng Quirino Grandstand. 

Kaya umano ditong bakunahan ang aabot sa 450 katao kada araw. 

"Both the mobile field hospital and drive-thru vaccination site will be open to all, regardless of whether you are a resident and non-resident of Manila. These two endeavors will contribute significantly to scaling up the nation’s COVID-19 response in light of the current surge in cases and the anticipated arrival of more vaccines,” ani Puyat. 

Matatandaan na dati nang ginamit na COVID-19 testing facility ang Quirino Grandstand para mapalakas ang testing capacity sa harap ng pandemya. 

Layong kumpletuhin sa loob ng dalawang buwan ang mga proyekto. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/kasunduan-para-sa-vaccination-site-mobile-hospital-sa-ilang-manila-tourism-spots-pirmado-na

Proposals to defund NTF-ELCAC 'knee-jerk' reaction, says solon

Proposals to defund the country' anti-insurgency council is a "knee-jerk" reaction that would remove budget for far-flung barangays, a lawmaker said Wednesday.

Some senators earlier called for the realignment of the P19 billion budget of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) following its red-tagging against community pantry organizers.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said the fund will be used to for "school buildings, waters system, and road system" of barangays that have been cleared of insurgency.

"This will be given to these who have already been as declared communist-insurgency free. This is to bring money to the far-flung barangays, where practically government has been unable to reach as needed. I believe that there has to be also proper investigation. Has this money been earmarked, given properly?" he told ANC's Headstart.

"I'm from Mindanao, farthest flung from Metro Manila. Unless it is shown that this money has been diverted to purposes not germane to what it is for then it has to remain, and it has to be given so we can have affirmative action in far-flung barangays all over the country."

Rodriguez said he has also filed a House resolution urging the National Bureau of Investigation and the Commission on Human Rights to investigate the alleged red-tagging against community pantry organizers.

Two community pantry organizers from his home province have been harassed and red-tagged, according to Rodriguez.

One was visited by local policemen in their restaurant while another became the subject of leaflets alleging they are communists, the lawmaker said.

"The giving of food by citizens of this country is an act which per se is not illegal, not connected with ideology. Instead of red-tagging them, harassing them, government should be able to support them," Rodriguez said.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/proposals-to-defund-ntf-elcac-knee-jerk-reaction-says-solon

No job takers? DOH still short of health worker applicants

More than a year since the COVID-19 pandemic started, the Philippine government is still facing challenges in hiring enough health workers to man facilities.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Wednesday said that at the start of the pandemic, the DOH already estimated that it would need 10,568 additional health workers to “fill up the gaps in our hospitals and other COVID facilities.”

The funding was already approved by the Department of Budget and Employment.

However, the DOH has only been able to hire 8,570 health workers, she said.

“Meron tayong gap and the challenge still would be the takers - yun pong mga gustong sumali at magtrabaho sa atin sa gobyerno,” she said.

(We have a gap and the challenge is the takers - those who want to join and work for the government.)

She said the hiring of health workers is still ongoing.

Vergeire also explained that they gave additional funding for government hospitals in need of health care workers. Their hiring is being done simultaneously with that of the DOH.

While the government increased the bed capacity of hospitals through modular structures or conversions of wards, the medical sector already warned that additional beds still required additional manpower.

This is especially important as the country deals with an increased number of COVID-19 patients in Metro Manila and nearby areas.

Just this week, the Philippines became the 26th country to log a total of 1 million COVID-19 cases.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/doh-health-workers-job-openings-short-of-applicants

Getting COVID-19 vaccine won't invalidate observance of Ramadan: official

Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine does not invalidate one’s fasting and observance of the Holy month of Ramadan, a health official said Wednesday.

The COVID jab is important to protect not only one’s self but other people as well, said Dr. Bashari Latiph, health minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“Ito ay hindi nakakasira dahil hindi naman ito pang palakas ng katawan," he said in a virtual forum.

"Nagkaroon ng religious guidance or advisory, at ang kaniyang sinabi, hindi naman ito nakakasira o nai-invalidate niya ang taong nago-observe ng fasting o naga-ayuno during the time of Ramadan kung siya ay magpaturok ng anumang vaccine,” he added.

(It does not violate the observance of Ramadan because it is not for enhancement. There was a religious guidance or advisory saying it does not invalidate the observance of fasting during Ramadan.)

A religious guideline dated March 6 from the Office of the Mufti and Executive Director said it “sees that vaccine for healing and preventing measure, in general, is lawful (Halal) on the basis of the verse of the Glorious Quran.”

Sinovac and Astrazeneca, the only 2 vaccine brands currently being used in the country, are Halal, based on studies made by Islamic scholars, Latiph said.

“Kahit ibang bansa, tinatanggap naman ito nang walang problema dahil hindi ito haram," he said.

(These are accepted in other countries because there's no problem, it's not haram.)

All vaccines allocated for BARMM have been distributed to the different provinces in the region, while 12,337 have been vaccinated so far, Latiph said.

There were 5,336 jabs allocated for those who will be going to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage and 1,000 have availed so far, he added.

Health officials encourage the public to receive COVID jabs for the country to move toward achieving herd immunity as the pandemic worsens in some parts of the world.

The Philippines has administered 1.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Sunday. It aims to inoculate a third of its population or 50 to 70 million by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity against the coronavirus.

The country is expecting an "accelerated delivery" of COVID-19 vaccines beginning next month even as global production of the jabs is seen to stabilize only in June, vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr. earlier said.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/getting-covid-19-vaccine-wont-invalidate-observance-of-ramadan-official

WATCH: PCSO 2 PM Lotto Draw, April 28, 2021

Sakto | Teleradyo (28 April 2021)

MASKARA - Kape't Pandasal kasama si Fr Nono Alfonso, SJ

820 arestado sa 'anti-crime drive' sa Region 3 sa loob ng 1 linggo

Umabot sa mahigit 800 ang naaresto sa patuloy na kampanya ng pulisya laban sa mga lumalabag sa mga special law and health protocols para maiwasan ang COVID-19.

Sa inilunsad na anti-crime drive ng Police Regional Office 3 mula April 19 to April 25, umabot sa 820 na mga lumabag sa batas ang inaresto kasama na ang mga wanted personalities.

Umabot sa 177 ang hinuli dahil sa ilegal na sugal, 192 ang sangkot sa ilegal na droga, 134 ang may mga standing warrants of arrest at 317 ang hinuli sa implementasyon ng search warrants at paglabag sa local ordinances at iba pang special laws.

Umabot sa 532 sachets ng shabu na nasa 714.69 grams ang bigat at may street value na P4,835,804 ang nakuha.

Umabot naman sa 64 sachets ang nakumpiskang marijuana na nasa 1763.78 grams ang bigat at nasa P212,145.7 ang street value.

Mayroon ring 36 iba't ibang firearms ang nakuha at papalo naman sa P57,744 ang nakumpiskang pera na itinaya sa mga nahuling ilegal na nagsusugal sa buong gitnang Luzon.

- ulat ni Gracie Rutao

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/820-arestado-sa-anti-crime-drive-sa-region-3-sa-loob-ng-1-linggo

Umano'y tulak patay sa buy-bust sa Cabanatuan City

Patay ang isang lalaking itinuturong tulak ng ilegal na droga sa isang buy-bust operation sa Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija nitong Martes.

Ayon sa Nueva Ecija PPO, nanlaban umano ang suspek na si Chrisford Mendoza sa naturang operation sa Purok Amihan, Brgy. Barrera kaya nagkapalitan ng putok ng baril, na naging sanhi ng pagkamatay niya.

Narekober umano ang isang homemade caliber .45 na baril na walang serial number, at 31 sachet ng hinihinalang shabu na nasa 5.1 gramo ang bigat at hindi bababa sa P31,000 ang halaga.

Nakakuha din ng mga tuyong dahon marijuana na may fruiting ang mga awtoridad.--Ulat ni Gracie Rutao

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/umanoy-tulak-patay-sa-buy-bust-sa-cabanatuan-city

6 churches in CDO archdiocese closed to public, as priests contract COVID-19

The Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro has announced the temporary closure of at least 6 of its parish churches as several priests contracted COVID-19. 

In a statement released on Tuesday, Archbishop Jose Cabantan said the churches will be closed for 10 days and will begin on Wednesday, April 28. 

Included are the parish churches of Jesus Nazareno and San Isidro, both within Cagayan de Oro City; and the Our Lady of Candelaria in Tagoloan, Inmaculada Concepcion in Jasa-an, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Bobontugan, and Santa Cruz in Laguindingan. 

The archbishop said the churches will undergo disinfection. 

"I humbly ask for understanding from out faithful, especially those directly affected, and for prayer for our priests who have fallen victims, and that no other priest may suffer the same fate so that our priests may continue in serving you in your respective assignments," Cabantan said. 

Since the start of pandemic, several high-ranking Filipino prelates have fallen victim to the dreaded novel coronavirus, including Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, currently based in Rome serving as the prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. The cardinal was asymptomatic and recovered immediately.

Other Filipino bishops who also contracted COVID-19 but have since recovered include Manila Archdiocese's Apostolic Administrator Bishop Broderick Pabillo, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Caloocan Bishop Emeritus Deogracias Iñiguez, and San Fernando Archbishop Florentino Lavarias. 

The Philippines is one of the most badly affected in Southeast Asia during the pandemic, having more than 1 million recorded coronavirus infections and over 70,000 active cases to date. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/6-churches-in-cdo-archdiocese-closed-to-public-as-priests-contract-covid-19

After COVID bout, Sunshine would say yes to another ABS-CBN series under new normal

Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

Sunshine Cruz would have no second thoughts of accepting a hypothetical offer from ABS-CBN to star in a third series under the new normal, even after her bout with COVID-19.

Cruz has so far starred in two ABS-CBN dramas that were shot during the pandemic: “Love Thy Woman,” which concluded in September 2020, and “Bagong Umaga,” which will air its finale on April 30.

During the lock-in filming of “Bagong Umaga,” Cruz and several of her co-stars contracted COVID-19. They have all since recovered, and resumed work on the series last week.

“I have no regrets,” Cruz said during the final media conference of “Bagong Umaga” on Tuesday.

She pointed out that she had prior exposure to COVID-19 during “Love Thy Woman,” when her co-star, Christopher de Leon, tested positive for the disease. The screen veteran recovered, and Cruz was not infected.

“Ang ABS-CBN naman, ever since, grabe sila mag-alaga,” she said, echoing the statements of her fellow cast members in “Bagong Umaga” about how its production team assisted in their recovery.

Cruz recalled that despite the COVID scare during “Love Thy Woman,” she had no hesitations about taking on the role of Maggie in “Bagong Umaga,” when it was offered to her.

“Noong time na nasa ‘Love Thy Woman’ ako, mayroong inquiry sa akin. I didn’t know na it was for ‘Bagong Umaga.’ Ang tagal. Sabi ko, ‘Ay, siguro may iba nang napili.’ Siyempre na-sad ako nang kaunti, kasi for me, basta ABS-CBN, walang isang segundo, yes agad ako. Ganoon ko kamahal, at ganoon kalaki ang utang na loob ko sa ABS,” she said.

She got the call about her casting in “Bagong Umaga” during the finale week of her prior series, Cruz recounted. “‘Nasabi na ba sa ‘yo na mayroong storycon later for this show?’ Hindi ko na tinanong. Sabi ko, ‘Aba, yes na kaagad!’”

Cruz, 43, has appeared or starred in over a dozen ABS-CBN scripted programs since 2002.

“Para sa akin, sobra ‘yung confidence ko sa ABS-CBN when it comes to taking care of us, sa bubble, sa lock-in taping. At the same time, I know that they always give me beautiful roles. Hindi ko maaaring tanggihan,” she said.

“So kung may regret? Wala talaga. Kahit nagka-COVID pa ako, kung bukas may offer sa akin ang ABS, yes ulit!”

Her experience during the filming of “Bagong Umaga,” Cruz said, is also a factor in her willingness to accept a similar project under ABS-CBN.

She mentioned, in particular, the efficiency of the lock-in setup, with a quarantined shooting location featuring diverse sets helping them achieve more in less time, compared to pre-pandemic filming. 

Referring to the production design of “Bagong Umaga” within the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City, Cruz said: “Noong unang beses ako nagkaroon ng scene, naaliw ako, kasi, wow, puwede pala mangyari ‘to. May palengke, may mga bahay, may basketball court. Nakakaaliw!” 

“Ngayon na nagkaroon ng pandemic, ang daming realization na, ‘Puwede palang ganoon.’ Mas madali pa for everyone na hindi kailangan paiba-iba ng location, bibiyahe pa, iilaw pa, it will take hours,” she said.

“This time around, mas napadali ang sitwasyon ng lahat. At the same time, of course, mas makaka-focus ka sa acting at mga lines mo, because you know you are safe and protected.”

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/04/28/21/after-covid-bout-sunshine-would-say-yes-to-another-abs-cbn-series-under-new-normal

Dalagitang dumalo sa birthday, natagpuang patay sa Davao City

Nadiskubre ng mga residente ang bangkay ng isang babae malapit sa kanal sa Barangay Lasang, Davao City, Martes ng umaga.

Nanlumo ang pamilya nang makumpirmang ang menor de edad na estudyanteng si "Weng" ang natagpuang patay sa Purok Taurus, Tambongon-Bucana Road.

Sa pagsusuri ng crime scene operatives, nagtamo ang biktima ng isang saksak sa tiyan.

Batay sa inisyal na imbestigasyon ng pulisya, bandang 8 ng gabi nitong Lunes dumalo ang biktima sa birthday party ng kaniyang kakilalang babae.

Bandang 11 p.m. habang malakas ang ulan, umalis ang biktima kasama ang kaniyang kasintahan, ayon sa pulisya.

Ayon sa kaniyang ina, nagpaalam pa ang biktima sa kaniya na magsasauli lang ng module.

Hindi nito inakalang dadalo pa sa birthday party at aabutan ng ulan.

"Nakapag-chat pa siya sa amin para sabihing huwag munang i-lock ang pinto dahil uuwi raw siya," aniya.

Isasailalim sa autopsy ang bangkay ng biktima habang patuloy ang imbestigasyon ng pulisya sa krimen.--Ulat ni Hernel Tocmo

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/dalagitang-dumalo-sa-birthday-natagpuang-patay-sa-davao-city