Bangsamoro still undecided which presidential candidate to endorse: chief minister

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has yet to endorse a presidential candidate for this year's elections, its chief minister said Wednesday.

The Bangsamoro is still undecided who among the 10 aspirants for the country's top post will get their support, BARMM chief minister Ahod Ebrahim told PTV.

"Sa ngayon, ang BARMM po, wala po kaming official na appointed sa presidential [candidate]," he said.

"We are inviting all presidential candidates na bumisita sa amin para maipahayag nila ang kanilang mga plataporma," he said.

BARMM has more than 2.5 million registered voters in the May elections, according to data monitored by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group. Overall, there are over 65.7 million registered voters, excluding those who registered for Overseas Absentee Voting.

So far, only Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso has campaigned in the Bangsamoro among the 10 candidates, an official from the region told ABS-CBN News.

Domagoso was able to mount a 3-day sortie in Maguidanao, Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato after Maguindanao Rep. Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu backed his presidential bid.

Mangudadatu is part of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the official political party Ebrahim and other members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Mangudadatu's wife Sharifa, a former beauty queen, is running for governor under the banner of Aksyon Demokratiko. 

While the Bangsamoro held some 2.17 million votes in the 2019 elections, only 1.6 million of its registered voters or about 74 percent actually cast ballots that time, according to data from Access Bangsamoro, an online portal that monitors the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

In the upcoming elections, Maguindanao has the most number of registered voters in the region with over 939,000, followed by Lanao del Sur with more than 685,000, and Sulu with more than 428,000.

Basilan has nearly 300,000, and Tawi-Tawi has over 232,000, based on data released by Comelec. 

REVAMP

Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro has passed an ordinance mandating all deputy ministers to tender a courtesy resignation.

"Gusto namin mabigyan ng very accurate assessment 'yung mga performances ng ating mga ministries," the chief minister said.

"We opted na mag-issue kami ng memorandum na all ministers must tender their courtesy resignation para mayroon kaming free hand in the assessment of ministries," he said.

"Kapag nakita namin na hindi masyadong nagp-eperform... we can replace," he said.

Ebrahim said he has so far reappointed five of some 15 key ministers, and accepted the resignation of two others.

"Ongoing ang aming assessment and evaluation, at the same time, 'yung hiring at rehiring ng mga ministers," he said.

The Bangsamoro will announce its new set of key officials in about a week, he said.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/23/22/bangsamoro-yet-to-endorse-halalan-2022-presidential-bet

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Bro. Mike Velarde: El Shaddai members free to choose candidates

El Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde tells members about making own choices in politics: “The choice is yours, not mine. I have my personal choice.” #Halalan2022 @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/eiLoDzqNB2

— Bianca Dava 🐈‍⬛😺🐈 (@biancadava) February 19, 2022

El Shaddai members are free to choose their candidates in the May 2022 elections, the Catholic charismatic group’s leader said on Saturday.

Bro. Mike Velarde told the group's members they can make their own choices in politics.

“The choice is yours, not mine. I heed my personal choice,” Velarde said during the El Shaddai’s worship service in Parañaque City.

He also said that various candidates will be joining the Catholic charismatic group’s gatherings in the coming weeks.

“Ngayon, huwag kayong magtataka. Tuwing Sabado, mayroon tayong mga panauhing kandidato,” Velarde said.

“I-welcome natin silang lahat na dumalo sa ating gawain. When I present them to you, examine their hearts.”

Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso and his running mate Dr. Willie Ong attended El Shaddai’s worship service on Saturday.

“Yung sinabi ni Bro. Mike kanina na choice—because of that, Bro. Mike, you gave me hope. Hindi pa huli ang lahat. Matigas man ang bulalo, nalambot din ito,” Moreno said.

“May nagsabi sa akin na may napili na kayong VP, pero wala akong magawa kundi magtiis sa inyo. Tatakbo tayo… kahit sa 2025 hanggang magising kayo,” Ong, for his part, said.

Velarde earlier endorsed the tandem of former senator Bongbong Marcos, Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in the presidential elections.

Domagoso wooed El Shaddai members during his turn.

“Sa awa ng Diyos at sa tulong ninyo, kayo naman ang mauuna. Palarin ako, ipadaramdam ko sa inyo ang pagkakapantay-pantay ng tao… sa serbisyo, polisiya at programa ng gobyerno,” the mayor said.

He continued, “Sabi ni Bro. Mike kanina, buksan niyo ang inyong mga puso, unawain ang mga kandidato. Baka kasya ako sa inyong puso. Ang hinihingi ko lang, pagkakataon. Ang isusukli namin ni Dr. Willie Ong, maglilingkod kami nang tapat sa bansa.”

In an ambush interview after the worship service, Domagoso said he and Ong attended the gathering upon the invitation of Velarde.

“Opo, opo, inimbitahan kami. Galing na rin kay Bro. Mike, naimbitahan na rin ang iba. I’m just happy dahil nabigyan kami ng pagkakataon ni Dr. Willie na makasama ang ating mga miyembo ng El Shaddai,” he told reporters.

“In 2019, tinulungan ako ng mga kapatid ng El Shaddai sa Maynila. Bilang ganti naman sa kanilang pagtitiwala bilang mamamayan, pinilit ko namang pagbutihin ang paglilingkod sa Maynila,” he added.

Domagoso said he and his fellow candidates in Aksyon Demokratiko are open to attending the gatherings of other religious groups in an effort to get more votes.

“May awa ang Diyos. Mamamayan din sila. Ang opportunity na makausap ang mga miyembro nila, salamat naman,” he said. “Anybody na mabibigyan kami ng pagkakataon na makausap, kakausapin namin, papaliwanagan namin at pipiliting makumbinsi.”

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/bro-mike-el-shaddai-members-free-to-choose-candidates

Montemayor pushes for better OFW aid; Abella eyes national volunteer corps

 Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

Two presidential candidates in the 2022 elections again made use of the Commission on Elections’ online campaign channel on Friday to lay out their platforms should they become the next chief executive.

Cardiologist and lawyer Jose Montemayor Jr. of the Democratic Party of the Philippines addressed overseas Filipinos’ concerns during his 10-minute slot on the Comelec e-rally stream, his 4th time on the platform since the campaign began.

Montemayor highlighted the contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the Philippine economy but noted the many social costs of the diaspora, such as destruction of many families back home. 

He added many OFWs have concerns, such as pilferage of balikbayan boxes and abuse. 

“Alam niyo, Luging lugi ang mga OFW. Andami nilang binibigay sa ating ekonomiya, pero kakapiranggot ang binibigay nating proteksyon sa kanila. In my administration, I will see to it that they are fully protected, that they are fully cared for,” he said.

Montemayor advocated for protecting rights of OFWs by adding more lawyers in embassies abroad in place of what he called “white elephant” foreign service employees who have proven lax in their jobs.

He pushed for OFWs to be provided legal, civil, and medical assistance as well as social support.

A Department of Migrant Workers is currently being formed after President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the agency that would consolidate services for OFWs in late 2021.

ABELLA: CREATE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER CORPS

Meanwhile, former presidential spokesperson Ernesto “Ernie” Abella in his e-rally slot raised the 3 pillars of his campaign — a just society, a government felt by its citizens, and a resilient nation.

Among the independent candidate’s proposals to achieve this is to put up a national volunteer corps of young Filipinos aged 18 to 35.

Abella said volunteers would devote at least 2 years to community service, particularly in mentoring primary and secondary students.

“They will help them gain mastery, they will have a presence that they can become ates and kuyas and they'll become role models of what it means to love the nation and to be of service to the nation,” Abella said. 

The former evangelist and foreign affairs undersecretary said teaching Filipinos to be supportive of their nation would help build a “confident national identity”.

His other campaign promises include focusing on agriculture to develop it into a mega industry, and to monitor the bidding and awarding of government contracts to arrest corruption.

Abella said he hopes his platform would lead to the start of a “siglo Filipino” or 100 years of Filipino progress seen in “a nation worthy of Filipinos and Filipinos worthy of the nation”.

The Comelec’s e-rally stream, which goes live at 7 p.m. nightly for the duration of the campaign period, also includes slots for candidates running for other national posts.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/presidential-bet-montemayor-pushes-for-better-ofw-aid

DOH on BBM-Sara mascots: Vaccination campaigns headed by LGUs

Local governments head the campaign of COVID-19 vaccination drives, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday as it insisted on being "apolitical."

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made the remark after photos surfaced of mascots wearing the names and colors of 2 national candidates in a jab site for children.

"Everything is apolitical. Wala po tayong kinikilingan. Kung anuman ang meron tayong kampanya o sorties during our vaccination days for our children this is for us to encourage our children and for them to feel they are comfortable and they have a safe environment when they are vaccinated," she told reporters.

(We're not biased. Whatever campaigns, sorties we have during our vaccination days for our children, this is for us to encourage our children and for them to feel they are comfortable and they have a safe environment when they are vaccinated.)

"Sa aming pagkakaalam lahat naman po ng local government units (LGUs) ay tumutulong sa atin para mabigyan po ng ganitong klaseng kampanya ang pagbabakuna para sa 5 to 11 years old."

(To our knowledge, all local government units help in our campaigns for the vaccination of children 5 to 11 years old.)

Partisan politics "has no place in official functions," Commission on Elections spokesperson James Jimenez said Thursday.

The health agency, in a statement late Thursday, also denied that individuals wearing DOH shirts at a campaign rally were its employees.

"They are health workers employed or directly engaged by LGUs... The DOH would like to clarify it has no authority over health workers employed or directly engaged by LGUs," it said.

"The DOH always reminds and urges the public as well as its employees and offices not to use apolitical materials and paraphernalia for endorsing candidates during the 2022 Elections," it said in a statement Friday.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/18/22/doh-on-bbm-sara-mascots-vaccination-campaigns-headed-by-lgus

Rights groups, lawyers ‘gravely concerned’ over Naty Castro’s whereabouts

The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) on Friday said the Philippine National Police must disclose the whereabouts of human rights advocate, Dr. Natividad Marian Castro. 

In a statement signed by FLAG national chairperson and senatorial candidate Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno, the group said it was "gravely concerned" over Castro's whereabouts. 

Castro was arrested on Friday by the PNP Intelligence Group in San Juan City over charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention in the CARAGA Region. She had been secretary-general of rights group Karapatan in the CARAGA. 

Meanwhile, PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said the arrest was all above board, amid accusations that police forcibly barged into Castro's house to serve the warrant. 

According to FLAG, Castro was no longer being held at Camp Crame and was supposedly flown to Butuan City to face a court there. 

"The scheduled flight to Butuan took off without any confirmation of Dr. Castro being on board," FLAG said. 

The group said Castro had been denied access to her legal counsel and family, as well as access to medication for hypertension and diabetes. 

"FLAG demands that the PNP, through the Chief of the PNP, officially confirm Dr. Castro's whereabouts to her counsel and her family, present her physically and grant access to counsel and family and to all others she may request under RA 7438 and RA 10353 within 24 hours," the group said. "Failing which, the appropriate criminal and administrative suits will be filed." 

It also urged the PNP to give Castro access to medical and mental health care, as well as an investigation into who was responsible for denying her access to counsel and family members. 

Castro is known as a health worker in Mindanao where she helped put up community health centers and taught human rights, according to her relatives. 

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) said Castro was “red-tagged” for her human rights and development work.

“CHR has dispatched a quick response team in NCR and Caraga and is undertaking a motu propio investigation on the reports received that indicate possible violations of the Philippine National Police rules of procedure, among other issues,” the commission said in a statement.

The PNP said it was only a warrant of arrest when it arrested Castro. 

"We review the warrant, we review the personality. They would always say something to defend the subject of the warrant of arrest. Everybody will tell their innocence. Again we bring it to the court," Carlos said. 

Carlos emphasized the evidence should be brought to court to counter the charges, and it was the PNP's job to bring the accused before a judge who issued the warrant. 

House Deputy Minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate called for a probe on the incident.

"Is this the new normal of the PNP in affecting arrests under the new terror law? This is outrageous and highly condemnable," Zarate said in a statement. — With a report by Raffy Santos, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/grave-concern-raised-over-naty-castros-whereabouts

Kiko Pangilinan to Comelec, PNP on ‘Oplan Baklas’: Prove you’re fair, impartial

Vice-presidential candidate Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Saturday said the dismantling of election tarpaulins by the Commission on Elections and the Philippine National Police was illegal.

“Ang balita natin ang binabaklas lang ay iyong mga wala sa administrasyon kaya hindi tama. Ang panawagan natin sa Comelec at PNP patunayan niyo na patas kayo at impartial kayo,” Pangilinan said during a radio interview.adding that the Comelec and the PNP “overstepped the bounds of law.”

“Ang ating paniniwala wala silang kapangyarihan lalo na kung ito ay personal na itinayo ng pribadong indibidwal sa kanyang pribadong pag-aari — bahay or bakod niya — at hindi naman siya kandidato . . . Hindi pwedeng tanggalin ng Comelec ’yan ng walang due process or hearing,” he added.

“Tulad na lang dito sa Isabela, private property at pader ng may-ari, may mural na pinaghirapan ng mga kabataan at ang ginawa ay binura. Hindi iyon allowed at hindi iyon legal.”

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/pangilinan-to-comelec-on-oplan-baklas-prove-youre-fair

Leni supporters decry mural painted over on Isabela election official’s order

An Isabela election official on Saturday said he ordered painting over a mural in Echague town depicting presidential candidate Leni Robredo, describing the artwork as “prohibited propaganda material.“

Atty. Michael Camangeg, Isabela provincial election supervisor, said the area was not designated for election promotions.

"Kung titignan mo ’yung mural na ’yun, it’s a form of campaign propaganda tapos ’yung size niya beyond 2 by 3 feet,” said Atty. Michael Camangeg, Isabela provincial election supervisor.

"So I have to apply ’yung Section 26 ng ating Comelec resolution 10730, which says that Comelec may motu propio immediately for the removal, destruction and confiscation of any prohibited propaganda material. So ’yun ang basis natin kaya pinapintahan natin ’yun.

"Siguro it’s a private property on the back portion of it. Pero on the side of the road, accessible siya. So, sa akin naman, wala tayong nilabag na batas."

According to the Youth for Leni-Isabela, the mural, done on private property in Ipil Village, was painted white on February 17, Thursday.

The group repainted the wall pink, but the supporters found on Friday that the wall was vandalized with the words "Freedom Wall" and "BBM for Pres" in reference to Robredo's rival, former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. 

Earlier this week, authorities in Santiago city were filmed taking down campaign materials promoting Robredo at the headquarters of her supporters in the area. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/leni-supporters-decry-mural-painted-over-by-authorities

Leody blocked from entering subdivision in Rizal

 Mico Abarro, ABS-CBN News

Winning Homes: Consent required before entering ‘private community’

Presidential candidate Leody de Guzman's camp on Saturday said he and media members accompanying him were blocked by security personnel from entering a residential area in Antipolo city, Rizal.

In a post on the Partido Lakas ng Masa bet's Facebook page, a video showed De Guzman standing at the gate to Audrey Heights Subdivision while facing 2 security guards, one of whom was armed. 

"Inimbitahan ng asosasyong SAMAKABA ng Sitio Banaba, San Luis, sa Antipolo City upang mapakinggan ang kanyang plataporma ngunit ayaw silang papasukin ng Winning Homes dahil iniiwasan na mapag-usapan ang ang issue sa palupa," De Guzman's camp said in the post. 

"Ang mga residente ay mahigit nang 30 years ng nakatira sa nasabing lugar ngunit nitong nakaraang 3 taon ay inaangkin ng Winning Homes Realty and Development Corporation na pagmamay-ari ng isang Edwin Alzona ang lupang kinatitirikan ng kanilang mga bahay." 

In the video, De Guzman could be heard explaining why he and the people with him should be allowed to enter the the area. 

"Hindi pa final na sila ang may-ari, may labanan pa. May claim ang mga tao, may labanan pa, kaya walang finality," De Guzman said. 

In response, one of the security guards blocking him said: "Trabaho lang, sir, trabaho lang." 

"Pero ang trabaho dapat nasa tamang trabaho," De Guzman replied. 

‘Nothing against Leody’

In a reply to an email by ABS-CBN News seeking comment, Winning Homes marketing director Jennifer Alzona said the firm was saddened by what she called false and unfounded accusations from the presidential candidate and his supporters. 

"We have nothing against Ka Leody and his party’s campaign, his platform and his supporters," Alzona said. 

"But as our development is a private subdivision, we should have at least been asked for consent to enter the premises of the ongoing development and also asked consent from the legal homeowners association of the subdivision - Audrey Heights Homeowners Assocation - if they can do their campaign within our private community."

The firm said De Guzman and his supporters were being misled by what it called "disgruntled informal settlers" that have supposedly been opposing development in Audrey Heights. It added that these persons were a "handful" out of the 80 families Winning Homes said had been awarded relocation within the subdivision. 

"We are open to hearing Ka Leody’s platform and his aim for our country, but we also hope that he listens to facts before he spreads misinformation for the sake of his campaign and to gain supporters using false and baseless accusations," Winning Homes said. 

Aside from being a presidential candidate, De Guzman is also a labor leader who previously said he would push for "genuine" land reform based on proposals by the New People's Army to address the country's communist insurgency 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/leody-blocked-from-entering-subdivision-in-rizal

Voter trust at crux of red, green lighting at Comelec HQ, says watchdog LENTE

The Commission on Elections must ensure it has no biases in the 2022 elections or it risks eroding public confidence in its ability to run the polls fairly, an election watchdog said on Saturday.

The comment by Atty. Carlo Africa, policy consultant at Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) came after the Comelec's main office in Intramuros was lit in red and green earlier this week. 

The Comelec explained it was a tenant in the building, under the Office of the President, who was responsible for the lighting.

Still, Africa said such an incident was not good for the Comelec's image.

"Even though. Dahil sa totoo nga tenant siya ng isang building na under the Office of the President, any sign of bias, mahuhulog ’yung confidence ng mga tao sa kanila to run the process fairly," Africa said. 

"It would be really better for them to avoid any sign of bias [toward] any specific candidate." 

LENTE warned that if there was low public confidence in the election, then the validity of the polls would also erode in the eyes of the people. 

"If mangyayari po ito, it would lead to disaster," Africa said. "Kasi this could lead to conflicts within the country, in some cases it leads to civil war. So ’yan po ’yung napakahirap kung mababa ’yung accountability aspect natin, but you also have to couple that with transparency and inclusiveness."

"It is really within Comelec's responsibility to make sure that there is trust with the process and trust with them as [a] election managerial board." 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/02/19/22/voter-trust-at-crux-of-lighting-at-comelec-hq-watchdog

4 tiklo sa umano’y drug den sa Subic; P102k halaga ng umano’y shabu nasabat

Arestado ang 4 na indibidwal sa loob ng hinihinalang drug den sa Subic, kung saan may nakuhang humigit-kumulang P102,000 halaga ng hinihinalang shabu Biyernes ng gabi.

Kasunod ito ng entrapment operation na inilunsad ng mga operatiba ng PDEA Zambales at Zambales Police.

Kinilala ng mga awtoridad ang mga suspek na sina alyas Virgilio, 58, at alyas Arvin, 52, na itinuturong nagme-maintain umano ng drug den. 

Arestado rin sina alyas Richard, 38, at alyas Graciel, 33.

Nakuha sa sting operation ang 5 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet na naglalaman ng humigit kumulang 15 gramo ng shabu na may halagang P102,000, sari-saring mga gamit sa droga, at ang buy-bust money.

Sasampahan ng kasong paglabag sa Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 ang mga suspek.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/4-arestado-sa-umanoy-drug-den-sa-subic-shabu-nasabat

Expert: Little data to prove safety of 4th COVID-19 vaccine dose for now

Mico Abarro, ABS-CBN News

The Science and Technology Department's vaccine expert panel head said on Saturday there was little data to support the safety of administering fourth COVID-19 vaccine doses on Filipinos. 

"Hindi natin nakikita pa ang safety nu’ng 4th dose," Gloriani told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo. " ’Yung third dose nakita na natin. Pero doon sa 4th dose, hindi pa tayo masyadong clear doon." 

The vaccine expert said she knew of some cases in which some would get up to a fifth dose. 

"’Pag mataas pa ang level ng iyong antibodies, kahit bigyan niyo ng another dose and another dose, hindi na po ’yan papanik pa. Parang sayang lang," Gloriani said. 

But she added there were already recommendations to give 4th vaccine doses to immunocompromised individuals. 

"Dahil 3 [doses] sila, mababa ang paggawa ng kanilang immune response, ’yung mga antibodies nila, nire-recommend na bigyan sila ng another dose," she said. "Meaning ’yun ang 4th dose. Sila ang pwede mag-4th dose sa ngayon." 

Health Department spokesperson Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said 4th doses of COVID-19 vaccines had "no added value for now," citing studies from countries that administered them. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/expert-little-data-to-prove-safety-of-4th-covid-shot

Over 1 million more Pfizer-BioNTech jabs arrive in PH

Anjo Bagaoisan, ABS-CBN News

A fresh shipment of over a million COVID-19 vaccines arrived in the Philippines on Friday night.

The batch of 1,138,430 Pfizer-BioNTech doses came via plane at the NAIA Terminal 3.

National Task Force Against COVID-19 medical consultant Dr. Maria Paz Corrales says 3 million vaccine shots have been administered in the government's national vaccination drive out of the target 5 million.

LOOK: The Philippines receives more than 1.1 million doses of Pfizer vaccine donated by the Australian government through humanitarian agency UNICEF on Friday night.

📸: National Task Force Against COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/rkzBebu315

— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) February 18, 2022

These jabs were donated by the government of Australia through the global humanitarian agency Unicef.

The shipment is the 3rd batch to arrive in the Philippines this week and the 8th this February, which includes 3 arrivals of reformulated Pfizer doses.

Dr. Ma. Paz Corrales, medical consultant of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) said at the arrival of the latest vaccine batch that 3 million have been immunized during the national vaccination drives.

The 3rd wave of the drive which began on February 10 ended on Friday.

This is only 60% of the government’s 5 million targets.

Corrales said vaccine hesitancy was one of the reasons behind the inability to reach the target.

“There are a lot of factors why we were not able to reach the target. One is the occurrence of Typhoon Odette, then most of our health workers were afflicted with COVID, and there’s a little percent of vaccine hesitancy still in our Filipino counterparts."

Meanwhile, she said 329,000 5 to 11-year-old Filipinos have received the reformulated COVID-19 jab since vaccination for the younger age group began on February 7.

The NTF has logged 224,823,360 COVID-19 vaccine doses to have already reached the country as of Friday.

However, as of Thursday, 133,234,116 or less than 60 percent of the vaccines that have arrived have been administered. 

Close to 62.2 million Filipinos have already been fully vaccinated and more than 9.4 million have received booster shots. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/19/22/over-1-million-more-pfizer-biontech-jabs-arrive-in-ph

Multiply shutdown: How Indonesia and the Philippines ended its E-commerce marketplace

About Multiply: Multiply, Inc. is one of the world’s preeminent Social Shopping and Media Sharing companies and operates the largest online marketplace in the Philippines. With over 70,000 storefronts, and 20 million monthly unique users, Multiply is a fast-growing environment, and the company to watch in the Philippines.

One of the E-commerce markets in Indonesia and the Philippines when was forced to shut down on May 6, 2013, and ceased all business operations on May 31, 2013, leaving thousands of its employees jobless.

Multiply, which the site closure and cessation of business operations last May 6, 2013, and May 31, 2013, along with the official online channels for the site had been removed along with all its content, including its YouTube, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts, after it announced to shut down its social networking services on August 9, 2012.

Launched in March 2004 in Boca Raton, Florida, Multiply had around 11 million registered users. It transferred to Jakarta, Indonesia in 2012 when it switched from a social networking site to an e-commerce site.

Its official entry in the Philippines started out in November 2007 when it made an ad deal with the local television network ABS-CBN.

On November 17, 2008, ABS-CBN made an announcement that it bought a 5% minority stake in Multiply.com.

By October 2010, Multiply was increasing its foothold in the Philippines and started looking for a General Manager. 

On April 26, 2013, Multiply announced it will close Multiply Indonesia and Multiply International websites as of May 6, 2013. All business activities of Multiply will be terminated on May 31, 2013.

The cause of the closing of the Multiply site is because Multiply is expected to fail to reach the leading position in the e-commerce industry with a sustainable business model. Multiply CEO Stefan Magdalinski acknowledged that the total change of the Multiply business model from social networking to e-commerce sites was unsuccessful.

“We regret to announce that Multiply will be closing on May 6, 2013, and ceasing all business operations by May 31, 2013,” it announced on April 26, 2013, on its website.

After May 6, the rest of the month will be used to ensure that all accounts are settled and merchants get full payment for their transactions, it said.

Multiply said the month-long grace period will provide its users enough time to find and migrate to alternative e-commerce platforms, settle all payments on items bought and delivered, and minimize disruption to the businesses of its users.

“Multiply will ensure that you receive all funds you earned on the platform no later than May 31, 2013. We will close the actual marketplace sooner, on May 6, 2013, to ensure that all orders have sufficient time to complete and be delivered to your customers before the end of the month,” it said.

In December 2012, Multiply stopped its social networking service to focus on e-commerce, targeting the 350 million consumers in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Closing the blog service and sharing files are protests from Multiply users. Users feel betrayed, especially since the previous Multiply management ensures that the service will not be eliminated even with the changing focus to e-commerce.

In March 2013, the Multiply International site has been completely closed and inaccessible, after previously Multiply only blocked access to Multiply.com from the IP address of Indonesia. The promise of Multiply to make a repayment of Premium account holders was never kept.

On March 16, 2013, however, the service will cease to exist as millions of fans formerly known and loved it before it was supplemented by other, more popular online social networks.

On May 31, 2013, Multiply had ceased its operations and shut down entirely.

The long closure of the website lasted for 9 years, to rehabilitate and resolve the issues surrounding Multiply, including financial difficulties as well as to recover and retrieve hosted blogs, videos, photos, and messaging.

At the same time, Multiply was shut down for the first time until 2022, when the website re-opened after the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.

On June 12, 2013, they had put in place Rp 8.9 billion for wages owed to former Multiply staff.

The Labour Department said earlier that around 3,000 former Multiply staff had applied for compensation through the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund, a safety net for employees affected by business closures.

Multiply Investor Secretary Rong Rongbin pledged shares of Star Platinum Corporation, which holds 99% of its shares, to borrow HK$300 million from Xiesheng Xiefeng to save the Multiply website but did not repay on time; therefore, Xiesheng Xiefeng in July 2013, it acquired the full equity of Star Platinum. It was also reported that about HK$35 million in unpaid wages of 640 former employees and HK$18 million of Insolvency Fund were also paid after the company has acquired its majority stake.


The High Court on June 17, 2013, its liquidation proceedings and removed accounting firm Deloitte from its role as the firm’s provisional liquidator.


Derek Lai, the vice-chair of Deloitte China, said on June 18, 2013, that since Star Platinum had already resolved the major debts Multiply incurred, it was unlikely the internet company would go into liquidation despite still owing smaller debts to other creditors including HSBC.


“Star Platinum needs to negotiate with the remaining creditors,” he said. “I hope they will support its restructuring with Multiply.”


He added that Multiply now had a cash flow of HK$10 million to be paid to other creditors as well as assets worth over HK$40 million.


In its latest financial report last month, Co-Prosperity said the deal with Multiply could help the group diversify its business. Apart from the online industry, the group focuses on fabric and clothing trading, money lending, and securities investments.


“The directors believe that the potential intrinsic value of Multiply can be realized if the plan to rescue Multiply is successful,” the report said.


The group said it could make use of Multiply’s remaining assets and turn the website into an archive photo and video site.


“The group has been granted access and usage of certain assets of Multiply which shall enable Multiply to continue to operate and act as an archive photo and video site taking advantage of its 100,000 square-meter facility and social networking portion that delivering 217 million accounts, 210 million photos, and 237,000 videos from the old Multiply from its launch in March 2004 to March 15, 2013,” it said.

On November 16, 2013, it allowed the controlling stake in the website to be formally sold to a foreign or mainland investor, who claimed a rescue plan for the troubled firm.

High Court judge Mr. Justice Jonathan Harris validated the transaction after hearing that the parties would no longer object to the share transfer and that the dues for the shares had been paid by Si.

On November 10, 2015, it has filed for corporate rehabilitation to seek protection from its creditors. The company filed the petition for rehabilitation before the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

At that time, the website's social networking portion had a network of 18 million users. Liquidity problems, however, affected earnings. Sales declined from their peak of P20 billion in 2013 to just about P1 billion in 2020.

It had suffered from a drop in new orders amid a slump in the E-commerce and social networking sector. Multiply also reportedly laid off some 12,000 workers on February 28, 2014.

"After the Asiad and Asian Para Games, we start the process of feasibility to reopen Multiply as a social networking site."

It assures the process of reopening the Multiply website and recovering all photos and videos from user accounts from March 2004 to March 15, 2013.

The Congress of the Philippines through the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as the People's Consultative Assembly through the Regional Representative Council and People's Representative Council along with their business clubs and groups, will sign a joint manifestation to reopen Multiply as a social networking site.

"Sa mga ganitong panahon, mas kailangan ang mga advance mag-isip" - Vice Ganda, It's Showtime (ABS-CBN, September 12, 2018)

On June 29, 2016, Magdalinski announces SEC's order to shut down Multiply, the E-commerce platform.

The commission upheld its January 9, 2020 decision, declaring as void the Philippine Depository Receipts (PDRs) issued to American firm Omidyar Network (ON) by Multiply and Multiply-Phil since this violated, among others, Section 71.2 of the Securities Regulation Code.

However, when President Rodrigo Duterte came to power on June 30, 2016, the website remains closed.

According to the sources, the website would remain shuttered when the president was still in office until June 30, 2022.

The site will be fully re-opened its operations 100 days after President Barack Obama stepped down in the office on January 20, 2017, at 12 noon (EST) and kept Facebook as the sole social networking site, but it wasn't materialized.

After the Inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20, 2017, Magdalinski made a successful appeal to Trump for the restoration of the website.

On May 2, 2017, the Indonesian Parliament approved the draft of re-opening Multiply.com, as well their operations, its subsidiary Multiply International and the social networking portion including 18 million users with hosted blogs, videos, photos, and messaging would be recovered and also voted and approved the draft of re-opening this website.

The website went down in history as the victim of the global financial crisis when it closed on May 6, 2013, and ceased all business operations on May 31, 2013.

On April 1, 2019, the company issued a bankruptcy court filing which stated that it would no longer auction off its intellectual property, since its controlling lender planned to "the business behind the Multiply brand name" with their new mobile app, delivering old accounts, photos and videos from the old Multiply from it's launch in March 2004 to March 15, 2013, and establishing new opportunities. The company evaluated that selling its brand at auction is "not reasonably likely to yield a superior alternative."

Magdalinski said he had proposed to the website’s board plans and strategies which would include another set of efforts that should bring the company to profitability in the next couple of years.

“I’ve actually presented to the board some of the things that I like to do and because of the current struggles of the business when it comes to views, and correspondingly revenues. So an important pivot that we will do is, of course, we will still continue to offer social networking, but we want to maximize the assets that we have, that have by putting in more shows that more and more people will use the computer,” Magdalinski said in an interview.

It is expecting to resume its operations next year, after it announced President Rodrigo R. Duterte lifted the closure on August 22.

“Hopefully, next week basta ma-comply nila lahat ng requirement (I hope net week for compliant operators),” Multiply.com Philippines president Katherine Chloe S. de Castro-Cruz told reporters in a briefing Friday.

On October 15, 2019, the response of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, when asked about the bankruptcy and potential demise of e-commerce and social networking site Multiply.

There was no direct response when asked if the President's previous statements were true that he would approve the reopening of a website, Panelo said.

Such statements by the president were simply out of frustration.

The management announced that it would engage in a decade-long rehabilitation effort, including the importation of old and new features such as similar to Facebook Live until Multiply is reopened by June 1, 2025; however, there were plans to partially re-open within 2021 depending on the social networking portion.

On Monday, December 30, 2019, Duterte again warned Multiply CEO Stefan Magdalinski that syndicated estafa charges “have no bail” and that he was determined to see them in jail.

On January 2, 2020, President Duterte doesn’t just make threats, he will pursue the filing of syndicated estafa charges against the CEO and owner of defunct E-commerce and social networking site Multiply over financial difficulties and corporate rehabilitation, Malacañang said on Thursday.

“Pag sinabi ni Presidente, tutuluyan niya iyan (When the President says something, he will really do it),” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.

It then began the arduous task of resuming its operations.

To recall, according to Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares, Chair of the Senate Public Services Committee, and Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez on the process to reopen Multiply as a social networking site, to compete with Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines granted their application for an increase in capitalization and amendments to Multiply's articles of incorporation and by-laws. 

Multiply inaugurated its office in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City in 2020 and began test broadcasts by the end of 2021, officially returning its operations.

Naspers will conduct a partial reopening of Multiply to former users by January 2022.

It said the dry run, scheduled from January 6 to 16, will allow the parent company to assess what else needs to be done before the website will be reopened to all users on June 30, 2022, at midnight Manila time.

Remember that House Bill has to be signed into law.

And it has to go through the Senate first (first reading, committee approval, 2nd reading, and 3rd reading) before being signed into law.

Bicam pa.

Seems the two Great Houses of Congress are fast these days. Let us see how fast they will approve this.

You missed a step, Committee Hearings on either Houses of Congress.

The company obtained its congressional franchise in April 2023 and was granted provisional authority to operate a social networking service in May 2023.

According to CEO and owner Magdalinski in his press release last February 19 at midnight, "Calls to return the blog platform and social networking portion of Multiply be reopen will have to wait until the next presidential administration."

Tech bloggers said the world is focused on the COVID-19 pandemic.

President Duterte maintained on July 26, 2021, that the E-commerce marketplace Multiply still has unsettled taxes with the government worth billions of pesos.

In his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA), Duterte vented frustrations over Multiply’s supposed dishonesty by importing its equipment “tax-free”.

“Kaya talaga ako hindi papayag. They still owe government billions,” Duterte said.

Duterte, however, clarified that he is not holding a grudge against Multiply.

He said he even chose to keep silent over Multiply’s actions because he did not want to appear “vindictive.”

He, however, said he could not stomach the fact that Multiply is “cheating the government.”

“Wala akong problema sa Multiply. They got my money. They wanted to return it when the case blew up but they printed all garbage. Nilamon ko na lang lahat yun because I never wanted to appear vindictive but itong ano, they are cheating the government by billions in taxes,” (I have no problem with Multiply. They got my money. They wanted to return it when the case blew up but they printed all garbage. I just swallowed it all because I never wanted to appear vindictive but what is this, they are cheating the government with billions in taxes) Duterte said.

Duterte, in his previous speeches, has repeatedly said he would not allow Multiply to resume business operations along with the blog portal and social networking portion under his watch.

On July 27, 2021, SBMA Chairperson Wilma T. Eisma said in a briefing that discussions are at 99.99%, and she is hoping to announce the reopening before yearend.

“We are very excited because it means jobs will be back and the social networking portion will be fully operational together with the Multiply International site has reopened and accessible again,” she said.

On October 18, 2021, when senatorial aspirant Rafael "Raffy" Tulfo is among those who support the reopening of the Multiply.com social networking site to restore jobs for Filipinos and foreigners.

Raffy Tulfo

Tulfo said 12,000 Multiply workers lost their jobs after the website ceased its operations and shut down entirely on May 31, 2013.

“Of course. Kasi why I’m pro mga manggagawa na naapi, nawalan ng trabaho, na nadedehado,” (Of course. Because why I’m pro workers who have been oppressed, lost their jobs, who are disadvantaged) he told ANC’s Headstart host Karen Davila when asked about his support for the Multiply social network reopening.

“In this case I know mahigit 12,000 na empleyado ng Multiply na nawalan ng trabaho because of that,” (In this case I know more than 12,000 Multiply employees who lost their jobs because of that) the veteran broadcaster said.

In a television interview on December 21, 2021, Senator Imee Marcos was asked about her stand on the re-opening of the social networking service website Multiply should her brother get elected as president in next year’s elections.

Imee Marcos

“To my mind Multiply, under the new construct defined by law and all the problems that have been already revealed, once it solves all that, para sa akin walang problemang buksan yan, first 100 days para makita natin (for me there is no problem with its re-opening, even on the first 100 days so that we can see),” the senator said in an interview with Davila on ANC's Headstart.

According to Ryan Ang: “Is this a sign that they will open and resume operations this 2022?”

It quoted "Ano kaya? Ang Magbabalik ABANGAN ... Ito na kaya ang pag babalik ng Multiply!"

"I think Bongbong Marcos' chances of winning is like 90% so on that front, I am very optimistic. Going back to this Multiply, as one of the avid Multiply users, I am so glad that this website is finally coming true. It, together with the other websites being shuttered would be a great help for downloading and retrieving photos and videos. I hope that this kind will continue in the next Philippine Government administrations."

Under the new presidential administration, the website will make a comeback: to construct a new modern, permanent Philippine headquarters building in Clark, Pampanga with a data center, hire former employees, and re-updating the 2013 Multiply logo (Flat variant version).

On June 30, 2022, the new administration forged a compromise with the shareholders involved, just to break the deadlock and get the website going.

On August 19, 2022, it finally agreed on the social networking portion of Multiply. According to Magdalinski, it has decided to reopen the website along with all business operations, the Multiply International site, and the social networking portion including 11 million users with hosted blogs, videos, photos, and messaging. It is set to sign the final agreement on August 31, according to Mon Jocson of UNTV.

On September 28, 2022, it forged a consensus with shareholders on the social networking portion of Multiply.

Prosus N.V. is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to finalize the agreement.

The website which has photos, videos, and blog entries from March 2004 to March 2013, will provide features similar to Facebook Live and Instagram.

Getting all parties to agree was among the targets set by CEO Magdalinski within the first 100 days in office of the new presidency, and it involved engaging all shareholders in meetings in order to reach a consensus.

Magdalinski, along with Multiply founder Pezaris and former country manager for the Philippines Jack Madrid will sign a term sheet for the Multiply social network ending a 9-year closure of the website.

With the planned reopening of Multiply as a social networking service website and application, Multiply Media LLC will cease to exist.

But it was restarted operating the website after the end of the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte on October 8, 2022, the only social networking site to do so. Technology bloggers said that Multiply to re-establish itself as a social networking site and restart operating after the end of the Duterte administration.

The resolution of the nine-year closure of the E-commerce marketplace Multiply, along with all business operations, the Multiply International site, and the social networking portion including 11 million users with hosted blogs, videos, photos, and messaging for the first 100 days of the Marcos, Jr. administration.

"When the Marcos, Jr. administration took office on June 30, 2022, We were greeted with numerous long-standing issues that have tormented the country for years, and even decades. I remember fully well when we were only starting to take on the challenge five (5) years ago. The Filipino people have pinned their hopes on the new administration – with eyes intently and critically watching us on what we would do next? It enumerated the real issues before such as the controversial non-renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN and the shutdown of E-commerce marketplace Multiply"

Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, will hold a public hearing on February 13, 2023, on the reopening of the social networking site Multiply.

The hearing will be held at noon in the Laurel Room, Philippine Senate.

The committee has invited Magdalinski, Pezaris, Madrid, and concerned shareholders of the website.

Magdalinski quoted in his post: "Hope. Finally, we will 1 day be back online. Finally, we will re-open Multiply. Finally, we will 1 day start our 20th year!"

According to Isel Ramos: "Multiply is renovating and it will re-open in the next several months as an archive photo and video site with a new mobile application on Android and Apple IOS."

Great Tech Companies We Loved and Lost

Yugatech, February 18, 2022

Filipinos love tech. Despite being a 3rd-world country, we’re always considered early adaptors or heavy users. Why else are we considered the Social Media Capital of the World?

A lot of tech companies consider the Philippines their home or, at least, a great place to gain massive adaption. And we Filipinos almost always deliver. But, alas, the love affair doesn’t always last forever.

Here are some great tech companies that thrived in the Philippines and their eventual demise.

Yahoo!

Many might not see Yahoo! as their preferred search engine but a lot of the services and apps made by this Web 1.0 giant were a Filipino favorite. Everyone has Yahoo! Mail back then, some of them still being used until this day. Yahoo! Groups had the most number of users from the Philippines and so did Yahoo! Games (anybody still remember playing online chess and scrabble with their Yahoo! friends back in 2002?).

Yahoo! Messenger was the de facto chat service and the free chat-to-SMS feature was a lifesaver. Yahoo! Answers was also one of the channels I frequent a lot.


But alas, good things must come to an end. The Yahoo! Philippines portal officially shut down in June 2015, followed by Yahoo! Messenger in July 2018, Yahoo! Groups in December 2020, and only recently, Yahoo! Answers was also closed in May 2021.

Chikka

Chikka had the makings of a great tech company. In fact, we thought it was way ahead of its time — ahead of Viber, WhatsApp, Line and KakaoTalk.

Aside from being a popular mobile instant messaging, it offered mobile payment using load credits, Free-Reply SMS, mobile auctions, matchmaking and social networking, among others.

This locally-developed messaging app could have made it globally and, at its peak, its services were available with 45 carries in 14 countries. It had over 38 million users at that time.

In November 2009, we broke the story that Smart bought Chikka.com and inside sources told us the deal was worth around Php750 Million (not a bad exit if I may add).

Perhaps, that deal with Smart sealed its fate and in March 2018, Chikka announced that it will completely shut down.

At the time it closed down, there were actually 4 other services offering similar features (4 Alternative Sites Similar to Chikka).

Multiply

Multiply started out as a social networking service. Its official entry in the Philippines started out in late 2007 when it made an ad deal with the local TV network ABS-CBN.

On November 17, 2008, ABS-CBN made an announcement that it bought a 5% minority stake in Multiply.com.

By October 2010, Multiply was increasing its foothold in the Philippines and started looking for a General Manager. It re-invented itself as an e-commerce platform and pumped Php25 million to promote it, inviting big names like Kimstore and DBGadgets to re-locate with them. YugaTech was even giving away Php5,000 credits to readers just so people will try their platform.

The pivot was just too late and on May 6, 2013, Multiply Philippines officially announced it will permanently shut down. 

On June 10, 2014, it has filed for corporate rehabilitation to seek protection from its creditors. The company filed the petition for rehabilitation before the Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC).

At that time, the website's social networking portion had a network of 18 million users. Liquidity problems, however, affected earnings. Sales declined from their peak of P20 billion in 2013 to just about P1 billion in July 2020.

Both companies have suffered from a drop in new orders amid a slump in the global social networking sector. Multiply Philippines also reportedly laid off some 12,000 workers on February 28, 2014.

Uber

Ride-sharing service Uber had a sweet but short stint in the Philippines between 2014 and 2018. People loved Uber and the service highlighted what was completely wrong with our transport system in the country.

In March 2018, Uber announced it was selling its South-East Asian business to Grab which is a major player in the region. Sad, but the odds were against Uber at that time (4 Reasons the Grab and Uber merger was unavoidable).

HonestBee

Honestbee entered the Philippine market sometime in November 2017. It became an early favorite, not for its food delivery service but mostly because of the on-demand grocery delivery feature, especially that had an exclusive partnership with Rustan’s Marketplace.

It did not take very long though and by April 2019, Honestbee had ceased operations in the Philippines.

Honorary Mention.

Sulit.com.ph

Sulit to OLX to Carousell. We could not really say that we lost Sulit since it’s just been gobbled up twice and now transformed to Carousell. Yet, there’s that little space in our hearts that tells us Sulit is gone. It’s one of the most celebrated local start-up successes in recent history.

Friendster

Not a lot of kids these days will remember Friendster. It was the Facebook of our tito’s and tita’s generation.

https://www.yugatech.com/business/great-tech-companies-we-loved-and-lost/

DFA says 6 Pinoys from Ukraine arrive in Philippines amid tensions with Russia

Six Filipinos from Ukraine returned to the Philippines on Friday following their request for repatriation from the country, which reports said is on the brink of a Russian invasion. 

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), this was possible through the Philippine embassy in Warsaw, which facilitated with the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv and the Philippine Consulate General in Istanbul.

"This is to ensure that government assistance is available to the group at all transit points," the DFA said. 

"The Department continues to monitor the situation in Ukraine’s borders while the Philippine Embassy in Poland remains in touch with the Filipino community inside Ukraine," the statement added.

Philippine Ambassador Leah Ruiz urged Filipinos in Ukraine to contact the country's embassy in Warsaw and the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kyiv for repatriation requests. 

Those who need to be repatriated may contact the Philippine embassy in Poland through the following:

• Email: warsaw.pe@dfa.gov.ph
• Emergency Mobile Number +48 604 357 396
• Office Mobile Number +48 694 491 663.

The United Filipino Global-Ukraine group earlier said some Filipinos have fled Kyiv while others availed of the government's free repatriation flights.

US officials had said Russia had amassed more than 130,000 soldiers at Ukraine's borders who could start by bombarding the country's big cities and defense positions with missiles before moving in with tanks.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/18/22/dfa-6-pinoys-from-ukraine-arrive-in-philippines

Grupo dumaing na 'lugi' ang health workers sa One COVID-19 Allowance

Mahigit 12 oras naka-duty si Dr. Jennifer de Guzman simula nang magpandemya at alam niya ang peligrong dulot ng kanyang propesyon. 

May allowances naman na inilaan para sa mga health care workers tulad ng special risk allowance, active duty pay, meals at transportation allowance.

Pero nitong Huwebes, ni-release na ng Department of Budget and Management ang mahigit P7.92 billion na budget para sa One COVID-19 Allowance (OCA) na ipapalit sa mga nauna nang allowance. 

Ayon sa grupong Alliance of Health Workers (ACW), lugi sila dito dahil sa 1.7 million na health care workers, 29 percent lang ang makikinabang dahil hindi lahat ay makakatanggap ng allowance. 

"Maraming dismayadong health care workers. Merong risk classification when in fact ang virus naman matagal nang aerosol siya, airborne siya na dapat pantay-pantay ang pagbigay ng risk allowance na 'yan, wala dapat classification," sabi ni AHW president Robert Mendoza.

Dagdag pa niya, tila tinitipid na naman ng pamahalaan ang mga health care workers.

Pero ayon kay DOH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergiere, wala naman daw nabawas sa mga matatanggap ng health care workers. Mas pinadali lang umano ang proseso.

"Kapag tiningnan natin, wala tayong tinanggal na allowance, wala rin po tayong binago sa mga allowances, ginawa lang nating mas mabilis ang proseso, not just for the government, but also for the benefit of our health care workers," aniya.

—Ulat ni Jeck Batallones, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/18/22/health-workers-lugi-sa-one-covid-19-allowance-grupo

Gordon OKs Linconn Ong's supervised visit to child in hospital

Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

Senators have approved the supervised visit of Pharmally Director Linconn Ong to his child who caught dengue, following an appeal from his wife and for humanitarian reasons, Senator Richard Gordon said on Friday. 

Summer Ong earlier sought the release of her husband from detention at the Pasay City Jail after their child was confined in a hospital. 

But members of the Blue Ribbon Committee, which he chairs, only allowed escorted visits "for a limited time daily" only on the days determined by the panel, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms, and the Pasay City Jail. 

"Each visit shall be jointly supervised by the said authorities... At the same time, I wrote to Mrs. Ong to commiserate with her at this difficult time," he said in a statement. 

"The Blue Ribbon Committee is not without compassion. For humanitarian reasons, but without wavering on or compromising our position regarding his contempt of the Senate, I, as Chairman of the Committee, will allow Mr. Ong fully escorted visits to his son in hospital," he added.

Ong is in quarantine in the Pasay City Jail since December after his supposed evasiveness and failure to submit crucial documents to senators. Last year, Gordon said Ong could be in detention until "June 29 or 30."

Gordon also explained that they did not allow Ong to be released during this time because doing so would "render the Senate powerless to protect itself and the nation."

"If we are to abide by our sworn duty to protect and defend the Filipino people, there can be no room to be soft on crime and to succumb to political pressure," he said. 

This week, the investigative panel also approved the 10-day suspension of the contempt order on Rose Nono-Lin. 

Lin, who is seeking a congressional post, is a stockholder and an officer in several companies linked to Pharmally. 

"We, as senators, should be firm in our resolve to protect and defend not only our duties to investigate, but also against individuals who attempt to make a mockery of our mandated processes," he said. 

President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed his disapproval of the Senate's marathon hearings regarding pandemic deals, lamenting the way lawmakers treat resource speakers, including government officials handling the country's coronavirus response.

The Senate panel is investigating Pharmally after records showed that the budget department's procurement service awarded billions of pesos worth of government contracts to the company that only had less than a million pesos in paid-up capital.

The government denies there was overpricing and said the deals were above board.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/18/22/gordon-oks-linconn-ongs-supervised-visit-to-child-in-hospital