The Senate adopted on Monday a resolution allowing plenary sessions and committee hearings through teleconferencing while the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) is still in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
With 15 senators physically present, the chamber adopted Senate Resolution No. 372 which amended Rule XI, Section 22 and Rule XIV, Section 41 of the Rules of the Senate.
Under the amended rules, the Senate “may conduct sessions, meetings or hearings through teleconference, video conference, or other reliable forms of remote or electronic means,” using appropriate information and communications technology systems “in case when there is force majeure” or occurrence of a national emergency.
During the course of hybrid plenary sessions, senators may vote, sponsor committee reports, and participate during the interpellation and period of amendments, regardless if their attendance is physical or online.
The senators who physically attended the reopening of session on Monday were Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Ronald Dela Rosa, Francis Tolentino, Sherwin Gatchalian, Panfilo Lacson, Joel Villanueva, Grace Poe, Manny Pacquiao, Richard Gordon, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla and Nancy Binay.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, and Senators Aquilino Pimentel III, Pia Cayetano, Sonny Angara, Imee Marcos, Cynthia Villar, Francis Pangilinan, and Risa Hontiveros immediately joined the proceedings online after the rules were amended.
Prior to the resumption of sessions, Sotto said he would attend sessions physically until Congress adjourns on June 5, 2020.
"Kailangang may mag-preside (Somebody has to preside) from the Senate session hall, and being the Senate President, I have the responsibility to ensure that all sessions are conducted as mandated by the Rules of the Senate and by the Constitution," Sotto said.
Members of the Senate Secretariat "who have primary functions during sessions" are also required to physically come to the Senate to perform their functions.
On the other hand, Sotto said senators who will virtually attend the sessions will have to inform the Senate Secretariat in advance for their attendance to be counted.
However, members of media are still barred from physically covering Senate proceedings to limit the number of people in the Senate building.
President Rodrigo Duterte had extended the ECQ in Metro Manila and other parts of the country until May 15, as the number of Covid-19 cases in the country continue to rise following intensified testing procedures.
As of May 4, the Philippines recorded 9,485 confirmed cases of Covid-19, with 623 deaths and 1,315 recoveries.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1101826
Monday, May 4, 2020
What power does SolGen have to contradict Congress on ABS-CBN's provisional license? - Drilon
With Congress already enjoining the National Telecommunications Commission to grant ABS-CBN Corp a provisional authority to operate once its broadcast franchise expires May 4, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday asked the Office of the Solicitor General what power it has to defy the government body authorized to issue franchises.
"The grant of a franchise is a sovereign power granted in Congress. Congress already wrote to the NTC. What power does the Solicitor General have to contradict the body that acts as the repository of the sovereign power?" Drilon, a former Justice Secretary, said.
"The OSG cannot say that an act of the legislative or an agency of the executive branch is illegal. That is for the Courts to decide," he said.
Solicitor General Jose Calida on Sunday warned the NTC against issuing provisional authorities to ABS-CBN Corp and its affiliate, ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc., in the absence of a franchise from Congress.
Contradicting the position of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, Calida insisted that a franchise must be secured first from Congress before the NTC can issue a Certificate of Public Convenience from the NTC.
He threatened NTC commissioners they may face prosecution under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act if they issue the provisional authority to ABS-CBN and Convergence.
"The OSG should be reminded of its mandate under the law. Under the Revised Administrative Code, the OSG shall act as lawyer of government agencies including the NTC," said Drilon.
"There is a conflict of interest there when the lawyer threatens to sue its client," he added, noting that it is the NTC and not the OSG that is granted regulatory functions under the law.
Should there be conflicting positions between the NTC and OSG, Drilon said it is up to the Justice Secretary to settle the issue.
"There is nothing in the law which allows the OSG to overturn an opinion by the Secretary of Justice," he said.
Drilon said it is not the first time for the NTC to issue a temporary and conditional permit to operate. In fact, one case in the past has been recognized in a 2003 case that Calida himself cited, he added.
"The Court never barred the NTC from issuing temporary permits to operate. It merely said that the broadcaster cannot completely do away with the requirement to apply for a franchise, as provided under the law," Drilon explained.
Congress is yet to tackle several bills seeking for a fresh 25-year franchise for ABS-CBN.
The NTC earlier said all live permits to operate and maintain broadcast and pay TV facilities that would expire during the Luzon quarantine would be automatically renewed. The licenses will be valid for 60 days from the end of the quarantine period.
Calida had also questioned the validity of the current franchise of ABS-CBN before the Supreme Court.
ABS-CBN, which reaches millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it has not violated the law in its 65-year service.
PRRD to heed NTC decision on ABS-CBN franchise issue
President Rodrigo Duterte will heed the decision of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on the fate of media giant ABS-CBN as its franchise expires on Monday (May 4).
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this comment in a virtual presser on Monday after Solicitor General Jose Calida warned that the NTC could not grant provisional authorities to ABS-CBN Corporation and its affiliate, ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., without securing a franchise from Congress.
“Ang Presidente naman po, ipapatupad po kung ano ang magiging desisyon ng National Telecom Commission (The President will implement the decision of the NTC),” Roque said. “Itong bagay pong ito (This thing) is a matter that must be dealt with by the NTC as a quasi-judicial body at hihintayin po natin ang sagot ng (and we will wait for the answer of the) National Telecommunications Commission."
He said only the NTC has “specialized competence” to make the decision to allow ABS-CBN to operate.
“We will apply the exhaustion of administrative remedies, the matter po ay dedesisyunan ng (will be decided by an) administrative agency which has specialized competence para magdesisyon sa mga bagay na ito (to make a decision on matters like this), which is the National Telecommunications Commission, and we defer to whatever ruling the NTC may have,” he added.
Last February 26, Duterte said he accepted the apology of ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak over his unaired campaign advertisements during the 2016 presidential elections.
Roque pointed out that Duterte’s sentiments should not influence the NTC.
“Ang alam ko po ay iyong alam ninyo rin na napatawad ng Presidente ang ABS-CBN; pero hindi naman po pupuwedeng ma-impluwensiyahan ng ating Presidente ang NTC dahil sa batas, desisyon po ng Komisyon iyan (I know the President has forgiven ABS-CBN; but the President cannot influence the NTC because the law says the decision has to be made by the Commission),” he said.
Duterte also said he would keep a “healthy distance” from issues surrounding the franchise renewal bid of ABS-CBN, stressing that Calida was acting on his own when he filed a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN in February, invalidating the network’s franchise for supposed violations.
Earlier, Calida said the NTC commissioners could face prosecution under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act if it decides to issue the provisional authority to ABS-CBN and Convergence.
However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) insisted that ABS-CBN may continue with its operations pending the renewal of its franchise.
NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said it will follow the advice of the DOJ allowing ABS-CBN to operate while its franchise renewal bid is pending in Congress.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1101814
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this comment in a virtual presser on Monday after Solicitor General Jose Calida warned that the NTC could not grant provisional authorities to ABS-CBN Corporation and its affiliate, ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., without securing a franchise from Congress.
“Ang Presidente naman po, ipapatupad po kung ano ang magiging desisyon ng National Telecom Commission (The President will implement the decision of the NTC),” Roque said. “Itong bagay pong ito (This thing) is a matter that must be dealt with by the NTC as a quasi-judicial body at hihintayin po natin ang sagot ng (and we will wait for the answer of the) National Telecommunications Commission."
He said only the NTC has “specialized competence” to make the decision to allow ABS-CBN to operate.
“We will apply the exhaustion of administrative remedies, the matter po ay dedesisyunan ng (will be decided by an) administrative agency which has specialized competence para magdesisyon sa mga bagay na ito (to make a decision on matters like this), which is the National Telecommunications Commission, and we defer to whatever ruling the NTC may have,” he added.
Last February 26, Duterte said he accepted the apology of ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak over his unaired campaign advertisements during the 2016 presidential elections.
Roque pointed out that Duterte’s sentiments should not influence the NTC.
“Ang alam ko po ay iyong alam ninyo rin na napatawad ng Presidente ang ABS-CBN; pero hindi naman po pupuwedeng ma-impluwensiyahan ng ating Presidente ang NTC dahil sa batas, desisyon po ng Komisyon iyan (I know the President has forgiven ABS-CBN; but the President cannot influence the NTC because the law says the decision has to be made by the Commission),” he said.
Duterte also said he would keep a “healthy distance” from issues surrounding the franchise renewal bid of ABS-CBN, stressing that Calida was acting on his own when he filed a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN in February, invalidating the network’s franchise for supposed violations.
Earlier, Calida said the NTC commissioners could face prosecution under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act if it decides to issue the provisional authority to ABS-CBN and Convergence.
However, the Department of Justice (DOJ) insisted that ABS-CBN may continue with its operations pending the renewal of its franchise.
NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said it will follow the advice of the DOJ allowing ABS-CBN to operate while its franchise renewal bid is pending in Congress.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1101814
Palace leaves fate of ABS-CBN to NTC as franchise expires
The fate of ABS-CBN Corp. lies in the hands of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), MalacaƱang said Monday as the franchise of the broadcast giant expires.
The Palace will wait for the NTC's decision on the warning of Solicitor General Jose Calida against issuing provisional authorities to ABS-CBN in the absence of a franchise from Congress, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.
"Itong bagay po na ito is a matter that must be dealt with the NTC as a quasi-judicial body at aantayin po natin ang sagot ng NTC," Roque said.
(This issue is a matter that must be dealt with the NTC as a quasi-judicial body and we will wait for the response of the NTC.)
The current franchise of ABS-CBN, the country's largest media and entertainment company that operates free TV Channel 2 and radio DZMM and DWRR, expires on Monday, May 4.
The NTC, in a March 16 memo, had said that all live permits to operate and maintain broadcast and pay-TV facilities that will expire during the enhanced community quarantine period will be automatically renewed.
The licenses will be valid for 60 days from the end of the quarantine period after which, the stations will be given 2 months to file for renewal of their permit or license without penalties or surcharges, the NTC said.
Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte cannot influence any decision that the NTC will make on the media company's franchise.
"Hindi naman po pupuwedeng maimpluwensyahan ng ating Presidente ang NTC, desisyon ng komisyon yan at hindi naman po puwedeng pangunahan ang NTC sa desisyon na ito," Roque said.
(The President cannot influence the NTC on its decision because that is up to the committee.)
"Hahayaan po namin ang NTC na magdesisyon at kung ano man ang desisyon ng NTC ipapatupad po ng buong gobyerno," he added.
(We will let the NTC decide and whatever decision the NTC makes will be implemented by the government.)
DOJ SAYS SUFFICIENT BASIS TO ALLOW OPS
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday reiterated that there is "sufficient basis" to allow ABS-CBN to continue operating while Congress has yet to act on bills seeking a fresh 25-year franchise for the company.
"The DOJ (Department of Justice) stands by its position that there is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the renewal of their franchise remain pending with Congress," Guevarra said.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano last week reiterated that lawmakers have asked the NTC to give ABS-CBN and its affiliate companies a provisional authority to operate.
The Senate, for its part, also passed a resolution expressing the sense of the chamber that it wants NTC to issue a provisional authority to the Lopez-owned network.
Calida, however, insisted the NTC cannot rely on either the Senate resolution, the House committee letter, or on a DOJ opinion as the legal basis for issuance of provisional authority.
“No less than the Constitution requires a prior franchise from Congress. Hence, when there is no renewal, the franchise expires by operation of law. The franchise ceases to exist and the entity can no longer continue its operations as a public utility,” he said.
The NTC had earlier committed to allow ABS-CBN to operate after its franchise expires on May 4, as requested by lawmakers, who have yet to tackle several bills seeking for a fresh 25-year-franchise for the company.
news.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.
-with a report from Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/04/20/palace-leaves-fate-of-abs-cbn-to-ntc-as-franchise-expires
The Palace will wait for the NTC's decision on the warning of Solicitor General Jose Calida against issuing provisional authorities to ABS-CBN in the absence of a franchise from Congress, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.
"Itong bagay po na ito is a matter that must be dealt with the NTC as a quasi-judicial body at aantayin po natin ang sagot ng NTC," Roque said.
(This issue is a matter that must be dealt with the NTC as a quasi-judicial body and we will wait for the response of the NTC.)
The current franchise of ABS-CBN, the country's largest media and entertainment company that operates free TV Channel 2 and radio DZMM and DWRR, expires on Monday, May 4.
The NTC, in a March 16 memo, had said that all live permits to operate and maintain broadcast and pay-TV facilities that will expire during the enhanced community quarantine period will be automatically renewed.
The licenses will be valid for 60 days from the end of the quarantine period after which, the stations will be given 2 months to file for renewal of their permit or license without penalties or surcharges, the NTC said.
Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte cannot influence any decision that the NTC will make on the media company's franchise.
"Hindi naman po pupuwedeng maimpluwensyahan ng ating Presidente ang NTC, desisyon ng komisyon yan at hindi naman po puwedeng pangunahan ang NTC sa desisyon na ito," Roque said.
(The President cannot influence the NTC on its decision because that is up to the committee.)
"Hahayaan po namin ang NTC na magdesisyon at kung ano man ang desisyon ng NTC ipapatupad po ng buong gobyerno," he added.
(We will let the NTC decide and whatever decision the NTC makes will be implemented by the government.)
DOJ SAYS SUFFICIENT BASIS TO ALLOW OPS
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday reiterated that there is "sufficient basis" to allow ABS-CBN to continue operating while Congress has yet to act on bills seeking a fresh 25-year franchise for the company.
"The DOJ (Department of Justice) stands by its position that there is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the renewal of their franchise remain pending with Congress," Guevarra said.
House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano last week reiterated that lawmakers have asked the NTC to give ABS-CBN and its affiliate companies a provisional authority to operate.
The Senate, for its part, also passed a resolution expressing the sense of the chamber that it wants NTC to issue a provisional authority to the Lopez-owned network.
Calida, however, insisted the NTC cannot rely on either the Senate resolution, the House committee letter, or on a DOJ opinion as the legal basis for issuance of provisional authority.
“No less than the Constitution requires a prior franchise from Congress. Hence, when there is no renewal, the franchise expires by operation of law. The franchise ceases to exist and the entity can no longer continue its operations as a public utility,” he said.
The NTC had earlier committed to allow ABS-CBN to operate after its franchise expires on May 4, as requested by lawmakers, who have yet to tackle several bills seeking for a fresh 25-year-franchise for the company.
news.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.
-with a report from Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/04/20/palace-leaves-fate-of-abs-cbn-to-ntc-as-franchise-expires
DOJ maintains broadcast outlets can continue ops pending franchise renewal
Broadcast outlets can stay open while bills for their franchise renewal languish in Congress, the Department of Justice said Monday after the government's top lawyer made another move to block the operations of ABS-CBN Corp.
"The DOJ stands by its position that there is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the RENEWAL of their franchise remain pending with Congress," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a statement.
The Office of the Solicitor General on Sunday warned the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against issuing provisional authorities to the country's largest media network and its subsidiary, ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., while lawmakers have yet to tackle the renewal of their franchise, set to expire May 4.
"While existing laws provide that a person who wishes to operate a radio/TV station must first obtain a legislative franchise and thereafter a license to operate from the NTC, there is NO LAW that governs the rights and obligations of a person or entity who has ALREADY BEEN GRANTED a legislative franchise and has fully operated for many years, has applied for the renewal of its franchise long before the expiration thereof, but for reasons not attributable to said person or entity, the legislature has not yet acted on the renewal of said franchise," Guevarra said.
Congress, in several previous instances, allowed the status quo without urging the NTC to issue a provisional permit, in consideration of the equities of the situation, he added.
The NTC earlier issued a memorandum allowing the automatic renewal of expiring permits of broadcast and pay-TV facilities during the enhanced community quarantine of Metro Manila and other high-risk areas to stop the pandemic.
The agency in March also said it would issue a provisional authority to allow ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries to operate until June 30, 2022.
ABS-CBN is facing a quo warranto challenge lodged before the Supreme Court by Solicitor General Jose Calida. The government's lead lawyer is seeking to nullify ABS-CBN's current franchise due to alleged abuses like illegal pay-per-view offering and foreign ownership.
The network, which reaches millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it has not violated the law in its 66-year service.
A 2003 Supreme Court ruling that stopped the operations of a media outlet even if it secured an NTC permit "does not apply" to ABS-CBN, said Guevarra.
The subject of the ruling, Associated Communications & Wireless Services-United Broadcasting Networks (ACWS), "did not even have an original franchise to begin with." ABS-CBN has "a franchise and a license to operate, albeit subject to further deliberations for its renewal," Guevarra said.
News.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/04/20/doj-maintains-broadcast-outlets-can-continue-ops-pending-franchise-renewal
"The DOJ stands by its position that there is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the RENEWAL of their franchise remain pending with Congress," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a statement.
The Office of the Solicitor General on Sunday warned the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against issuing provisional authorities to the country's largest media network and its subsidiary, ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., while lawmakers have yet to tackle the renewal of their franchise, set to expire May 4.
"While existing laws provide that a person who wishes to operate a radio/TV station must first obtain a legislative franchise and thereafter a license to operate from the NTC, there is NO LAW that governs the rights and obligations of a person or entity who has ALREADY BEEN GRANTED a legislative franchise and has fully operated for many years, has applied for the renewal of its franchise long before the expiration thereof, but for reasons not attributable to said person or entity, the legislature has not yet acted on the renewal of said franchise," Guevarra said.
Congress, in several previous instances, allowed the status quo without urging the NTC to issue a provisional permit, in consideration of the equities of the situation, he added.
The NTC earlier issued a memorandum allowing the automatic renewal of expiring permits of broadcast and pay-TV facilities during the enhanced community quarantine of Metro Manila and other high-risk areas to stop the pandemic.
The agency in March also said it would issue a provisional authority to allow ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries to operate until June 30, 2022.
ABS-CBN is facing a quo warranto challenge lodged before the Supreme Court by Solicitor General Jose Calida. The government's lead lawyer is seeking to nullify ABS-CBN's current franchise due to alleged abuses like illegal pay-per-view offering and foreign ownership.
The network, which reaches millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it has not violated the law in its 66-year service.
A 2003 Supreme Court ruling that stopped the operations of a media outlet even if it secured an NTC permit "does not apply" to ABS-CBN, said Guevarra.
The subject of the ruling, Associated Communications & Wireless Services-United Broadcasting Networks (ACWS), "did not even have an original franchise to begin with." ABS-CBN has "a franchise and a license to operate, albeit subject to further deliberations for its renewal," Guevarra said.
News.abs-cbn.com is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/04/20/doj-maintains-broadcast-outlets-can-continue-ops-pending-franchise-renewal
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Calida nagbabala sa NTC sakaling mag-isyu ng provisional authority sa ABS-CBN
Binalaan ng Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) ang National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) laban sa pagbibigay ng provisional authority para makapag-operate ang ABS-CBN Corporation at ABS-CBN Convergence Incorporated kapag napaso na ang prangkisa nito.
Mapapaso sa Mayo 4 ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN.
Giit ni Solicitor General Jose Calida, tanging ang Kongreso lang ang may kapangyarihan sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas na magbigay ng prangkisa sa isang broadcast network.
"The Constitution gives Congress the exclusive power to grant franchises to public utilities, such as broadcasting companies, in order to operate in the country. Although this legislative power may be delegated to administrative agencies through a law, at present, there is no such law giving the NTC or any other agency the power to grant franchises to broadcasting entities," ani Calida.
Taliwas ito sa kagustuhan ng Kamara at Senado, na nagsabing maaaring bigyan ng NTC ng provisional authority ang ABS-CBN habang wala pang naipapasang batas para sa bagong prangkisa ng network.
Mismong sina House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano at Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chair ng House Committee on Legislative Franchises, ang sumulat sa NTC na itinutulak ang pag-isyu ng provisional authority para sa ABS-CBN epektibo Mayo 4.
Ang Senado naman, nagpasa ng resolusyon na nagsasabing gusto nitong maglabas ang NTC ng perehong awtorisasyon.
Pero babala ni Calida, mahaharap sa kaso sa ilalim ng Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act ang mga NTC commissioner na maglalabas ng provisional authority.
Wala pang pahayag NTC tungkol sa pahayag ni Calida.
Nito lamang Linggo, sinabi ng Palasyo na sinusuportahan nila ang malayang pamamahayag, lalo sa gitna ng krisis na kinahaharap ng bansa dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic.
"Without an open and free press, there will be an intellectual vacuum on public information and government programs and services, and there will be no dialogue on societal issues, public grievances, and government policies," ani Palace communications Secretary Martin Andanar.
"As media workers continue reporting in the frontlines, we pray for everyone’s safety as we laud all those in front of and behind the scenes in bringing truthful information to the homes of every Filipino family," sabi naman ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/20/calida-nagbabala-sa-ntc-sakaling-mag-isyu-ng-provisional-authority-sa-abs-cbn
Mapapaso sa Mayo 4 ang prangkisa ng ABS-CBN.
Giit ni Solicitor General Jose Calida, tanging ang Kongreso lang ang may kapangyarihan sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas na magbigay ng prangkisa sa isang broadcast network.
"The Constitution gives Congress the exclusive power to grant franchises to public utilities, such as broadcasting companies, in order to operate in the country. Although this legislative power may be delegated to administrative agencies through a law, at present, there is no such law giving the NTC or any other agency the power to grant franchises to broadcasting entities," ani Calida.
Taliwas ito sa kagustuhan ng Kamara at Senado, na nagsabing maaaring bigyan ng NTC ng provisional authority ang ABS-CBN habang wala pang naipapasang batas para sa bagong prangkisa ng network.
Mismong sina House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano at Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chair ng House Committee on Legislative Franchises, ang sumulat sa NTC na itinutulak ang pag-isyu ng provisional authority para sa ABS-CBN epektibo Mayo 4.
Ang Senado naman, nagpasa ng resolusyon na nagsasabing gusto nitong maglabas ang NTC ng perehong awtorisasyon.
Pero babala ni Calida, mahaharap sa kaso sa ilalim ng Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act ang mga NTC commissioner na maglalabas ng provisional authority.
Wala pang pahayag NTC tungkol sa pahayag ni Calida.
Nito lamang Linggo, sinabi ng Palasyo na sinusuportahan nila ang malayang pamamahayag, lalo sa gitna ng krisis na kinahaharap ng bansa dahil sa COVID-19 pandemic.
"Without an open and free press, there will be an intellectual vacuum on public information and government programs and services, and there will be no dialogue on societal issues, public grievances, and government policies," ani Palace communications Secretary Martin Andanar.
"As media workers continue reporting in the frontlines, we pray for everyone’s safety as we laud all those in front of and behind the scenes in bringing truthful information to the homes of every Filipino family," sabi naman ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/20/calida-nagbabala-sa-ntc-sakaling-mag-isyu-ng-provisional-authority-sa-abs-cbn
Calida warns NTC against issuing provisional authority to ABS-CBN, affiliates
Calida himself contradicts DOJ opinion, threatens NTC commissioners of prosecution
MANILA – (UPDATE) The Office of the Solicitor General on Sunday warned the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against issuing provisional authorities to ABS-CBN Corp. and its affiliate, ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc., in the absence of a franchise from Congress.
Tomorrow, May 4, is the last day of ABS-CBN Corp.’s franchise while ABS-CBN Convergence’s franchise ended on March 17. The OSG’s move to prevent ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast coincided with the celebration of World Press Freedom Day.
In a statement, Solicitor General Jose Calida said that “the Constitution gives Congress the exclusive power to grant franchises to public utilities, such as broadcasting companies, in order to operate in the country. Although this legislative power may be delegated to administrative agencies through a law, at present, there is no such law giving the NTC or any other agency the power to grant franchises to broadcasting entities.”
Efforts to renew ABS-CBN and Convergence’s franchise have stalled as Congress sought to hold hearings on alleged abuses by the media giant.
But no less than House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chair of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, already sent a letter to NTC urging it to issue a provisional authority effective May 4, 2020.
The Senate, for its part, also passed a resolution expressing the sense of the chamber that it wants NTC to issue a provisional authority to the Lopez-owned network.
The House and the Senate’s move follows guidance from Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra’s opinion that there is basis for ABS-CBN to be given authority to continue operating while its franchise renewal is pending.
“There is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the renewal of their respective franchise remain pending with Congress. However, a more stable legal environment could be created if Congress, by a concurrent resolution, would authorize the NTC to issue a provisional authority to these broadcasting companies…until Congress’ final disposition of their franchise renewal bills,” Guevarra said.
On this basis, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba told the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on March 10 that the NTC will issue a PA to ABS-CBN.
But Calida contradicted Guevarra’s position, insisting that a franchise must be secured first from Congress before the NTC can issue a Certificate of Public Convenience from the NTC.
“[A] PA should only be issued once a congressional franchise has been granted and an application for CPC is pending before the NTC for approval. The NTC cannot issue a PA when the broadcast company has no valid and existing legislative franchise,” he said.
“No less than the Constitution requires a prior franchise from Congress. Hence, when there is no renewal, the franchise expires by operation of law. The franchise ceases to exist and the entity can no longer continue its operations as a public utility,” he added.
Calida insisted the NTC cannot rely on either the Senate resolution, the House committee letter or on a DOJ opinion as legal basis for issuance of provisional authority.
He threatened NTC commissioners they may face prosecution under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act if they issue the provisional authority to ABS-CBN and Convergence.
The government on Sunday said it will continue to promote a free press.
"Without an open and free press, there will be an intellectual vacuum on public information and government programs and services, and there will be no dialogue on societal issues, public grievances, and government policies," said Palace communications Secretary Martin Andanar.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/20/calida-warns-ntc-against-issuing-provisional-authority-to-abs-cbn-affiliates
MANILA – (UPDATE) The Office of the Solicitor General on Sunday warned the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against issuing provisional authorities to ABS-CBN Corp. and its affiliate, ABS-CBN Convergence, Inc., in the absence of a franchise from Congress.
Tomorrow, May 4, is the last day of ABS-CBN Corp.’s franchise while ABS-CBN Convergence’s franchise ended on March 17. The OSG’s move to prevent ABS-CBN from continuing its broadcast coincided with the celebration of World Press Freedom Day.
In a statement, Solicitor General Jose Calida said that “the Constitution gives Congress the exclusive power to grant franchises to public utilities, such as broadcasting companies, in order to operate in the country. Although this legislative power may be delegated to administrative agencies through a law, at present, there is no such law giving the NTC or any other agency the power to grant franchises to broadcasting entities.”
Efforts to renew ABS-CBN and Convergence’s franchise have stalled as Congress sought to hold hearings on alleged abuses by the media giant.
But no less than House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Palawan Rep. Franz Alvarez, chair of the House Committee on Legislative Franchises, already sent a letter to NTC urging it to issue a provisional authority effective May 4, 2020.
The Senate, for its part, also passed a resolution expressing the sense of the chamber that it wants NTC to issue a provisional authority to the Lopez-owned network.
The House and the Senate’s move follows guidance from Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra’s opinion that there is basis for ABS-CBN to be given authority to continue operating while its franchise renewal is pending.
“There is sufficient equitable basis to allow broadcast entities to continue operating while the bills for the renewal of their respective franchise remain pending with Congress. However, a more stable legal environment could be created if Congress, by a concurrent resolution, would authorize the NTC to issue a provisional authority to these broadcasting companies…until Congress’ final disposition of their franchise renewal bills,” Guevarra said.
On this basis, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba told the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on March 10 that the NTC will issue a PA to ABS-CBN.
But Calida contradicted Guevarra’s position, insisting that a franchise must be secured first from Congress before the NTC can issue a Certificate of Public Convenience from the NTC.
“[A] PA should only be issued once a congressional franchise has been granted and an application for CPC is pending before the NTC for approval. The NTC cannot issue a PA when the broadcast company has no valid and existing legislative franchise,” he said.
“No less than the Constitution requires a prior franchise from Congress. Hence, when there is no renewal, the franchise expires by operation of law. The franchise ceases to exist and the entity can no longer continue its operations as a public utility,” he added.
Calida insisted the NTC cannot rely on either the Senate resolution, the House committee letter or on a DOJ opinion as legal basis for issuance of provisional authority.
He threatened NTC commissioners they may face prosecution under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act if they issue the provisional authority to ABS-CBN and Convergence.
The government on Sunday said it will continue to promote a free press.
"Without an open and free press, there will be an intellectual vacuum on public information and government programs and services, and there will be no dialogue on societal issues, public grievances, and government policies," said Palace communications Secretary Martin Andanar.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/03/20/calida-warns-ntc-against-issuing-provisional-authority-to-abs-cbn-affiliates
Congress gears for online session anew
Both houses of Congress are set to resume their regular sessions on May 4 as scheduled with the Senate gearing to approve changes in its rules that will allow official proceedings through electronic platforms.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said earlier that the House of Representatives might convene online as it did during the special session it held on March 24 to approve the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act against the coronavirus.
But opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay urged the House to amend its rules to foreclose any legal questions since the current rules do not include sessions via electronic platforms.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the chamber would also approve new rules that would allow online sessions in the face of government rules on the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
Physically present
At least three senators—Miguel Zubiri, Aquilino Pimentel III and Juan Edgardo Angara—and several Senate employees have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after an infected person served as a resource person in one Senate session.
The new rules will allow Angara, who again tested positive, to participate in the proceedings but Sotto said the rules would have to first be approved by a majority of senators physically present at the session on Monday.
Moreover, Sotto said he would have to be physically present in the session hall to preside over all sessions until Congress adjourns sine die on June 5.
“There are procedures that cannot be done via teleconferencing. Someone has to preside from the session hall,” he said.
Observe health protocols
Once the new rules are approved, senators will be able to work from home after they inform the secretariat of their plan so that their presence could be recorded for quorum purposes.
They will be allowed to sponsor committee reports, participate during the interpellation and period of committee and individual amendments and cast their votes via teleconferencing.
But those who wish to deliver a privilege speech would have to be physically present in the session hall, Sotto added.
Senators and their aides will have to observe health protocols, including temperature checks, physical distancing and hygiene practices if they report to the Senate.
The rules are expected to be similar at the House when they resume session on Monday.
“Definitely, we will convene [but] we may have to conduct the session online again,” Cayetano said earlier.
But Lagman said online sessions were not covered by the current rules of the House and the chamber might have to approve changes to the rules when it reconvenes.
Since the declaration of the enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19, Congress has held a special session and several committee meetings through video conferencing, which, according to Lagman, may be questioned in court.
But the new rules may be made retroactive, Lagman said, to cover the virtual House special session on March 24.
—WITH A REPORT FROM MELVIN GASCON
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1268652/congress-gears-for-online-session-anew
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said earlier that the House of Representatives might convene online as it did during the special session it held on March 24 to approve the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act against the coronavirus.
But opposition Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay urged the House to amend its rules to foreclose any legal questions since the current rules do not include sessions via electronic platforms.
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the chamber would also approve new rules that would allow online sessions in the face of government rules on the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
Physically present
At least three senators—Miguel Zubiri, Aquilino Pimentel III and Juan Edgardo Angara—and several Senate employees have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) after an infected person served as a resource person in one Senate session.
The new rules will allow Angara, who again tested positive, to participate in the proceedings but Sotto said the rules would have to first be approved by a majority of senators physically present at the session on Monday.
Moreover, Sotto said he would have to be physically present in the session hall to preside over all sessions until Congress adjourns sine die on June 5.
“There are procedures that cannot be done via teleconferencing. Someone has to preside from the session hall,” he said.
Observe health protocols
Once the new rules are approved, senators will be able to work from home after they inform the secretariat of their plan so that their presence could be recorded for quorum purposes.
They will be allowed to sponsor committee reports, participate during the interpellation and period of committee and individual amendments and cast their votes via teleconferencing.
But those who wish to deliver a privilege speech would have to be physically present in the session hall, Sotto added.
Senators and their aides will have to observe health protocols, including temperature checks, physical distancing and hygiene practices if they report to the Senate.
The rules are expected to be similar at the House when they resume session on Monday.
“Definitely, we will convene [but] we may have to conduct the session online again,” Cayetano said earlier.
But Lagman said online sessions were not covered by the current rules of the House and the chamber might have to approve changes to the rules when it reconvenes.
Since the declaration of the enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19, Congress has held a special session and several committee meetings through video conferencing, which, according to Lagman, may be questioned in court.
But the new rules may be made retroactive, Lagman said, to cover the virtual House special session on March 24.
—WITH A REPORT FROM MELVIN GASCON
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1268652/congress-gears-for-online-session-anew
Saturday, May 2, 2020
Sotto says to go to Senate to preside session Monday with or without ‘physical quorum’
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Saturday he would go to the Senate on Monday to preside the session as Congress resumes, even while a quorum may not be reached as some senators were concerned of quarantine protocols as the enhanced community quarantine remains in effect in Metro Manila.
In a statement, Sotto said he would "physically" preside over all session days until Congress adjourns on June 6, saying some procedures in sessions may not be permitted through teleconferencing.
"...[B]eing the Senate President, I have the responsibility to ensure that all sessions are conducted as mandated by the Rules of the Senate and by the Constitution," Sotto said.
Congress resumes session on May 4, but some lawmakers have called for alternative ways for them to meet, including online meetings.
It would be the first time for the Senate to hold session since the outbreak, which also coincided with the start of its break.
Three senators- Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Sonny Angara and Aquilino Pimentel III- earlier contracted the disease. The Senate's offices in Pasay City had to be closed after a carrier was confirmed to have appeared in a committee hearing, forcing lawmakers and their staff to go on quarantine.
Sotto, in calling for physical attendance of his colleagues, cited Senate rules requiring the presence of at least 12 senators before a quorum could be declared. The legislative body can only hold virtual meetings after this rule is amended, Sotto said.
Monday's session seeks to discuss such amendment.
"Once the resolution is approved, senators can attend sessions and hold hearings or meetings even without being physically present at the session hall, for the sessions, or the committee rooms for the hearings and meetings," the statement said.
Should senators choose to work from home, Sotto advised them to inform the Senate secretary or any member of the Secretariat "so their presence can be recorded for quorum purposes."
Members of the Senate Secretariat "who have primary functions during sessions," employees who will "play essential roles" during sessions such as people in public information and technical bureaus are required to be present once session starts, the statement said. They will also undergo health protocols to help contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Office staff not required to be physically present may continue telecommuting.
"I am fully aware of the concerns of Senate employees about going to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to assure everyone that necessary health safeguards will be enforced and social distancing and hygiene protocols will be strictly followed during the sessions," Sotto said.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier raised the possibility of “breaching quarantine protocols” should the Senate start convening physically.
The country’s health department earlier advised public and private establishments to mount work-from-home arrangements for employees as the highly-contagious virus can easily spread in crowded areas through the transmission of droplets from COVID-19 carriers.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/20/sotto-says-to-go-to-senate-to-preside-session-monday-with-or-without-quorum
In a statement, Sotto said he would "physically" preside over all session days until Congress adjourns on June 6, saying some procedures in sessions may not be permitted through teleconferencing.
"...[B]eing the Senate President, I have the responsibility to ensure that all sessions are conducted as mandated by the Rules of the Senate and by the Constitution," Sotto said.
Congress resumes session on May 4, but some lawmakers have called for alternative ways for them to meet, including online meetings.
It would be the first time for the Senate to hold session since the outbreak, which also coincided with the start of its break.
Three senators- Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Sonny Angara and Aquilino Pimentel III- earlier contracted the disease. The Senate's offices in Pasay City had to be closed after a carrier was confirmed to have appeared in a committee hearing, forcing lawmakers and their staff to go on quarantine.
Sotto, in calling for physical attendance of his colleagues, cited Senate rules requiring the presence of at least 12 senators before a quorum could be declared. The legislative body can only hold virtual meetings after this rule is amended, Sotto said.
Monday's session seeks to discuss such amendment.
"Once the resolution is approved, senators can attend sessions and hold hearings or meetings even without being physically present at the session hall, for the sessions, or the committee rooms for the hearings and meetings," the statement said.
Should senators choose to work from home, Sotto advised them to inform the Senate secretary or any member of the Secretariat "so their presence can be recorded for quorum purposes."
Members of the Senate Secretariat "who have primary functions during sessions," employees who will "play essential roles" during sessions such as people in public information and technical bureaus are required to be present once session starts, the statement said. They will also undergo health protocols to help contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Office staff not required to be physically present may continue telecommuting.
"I am fully aware of the concerns of Senate employees about going to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic. I would like to assure everyone that necessary health safeguards will be enforced and social distancing and hygiene protocols will be strictly followed during the sessions," Sotto said.
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon earlier raised the possibility of “breaching quarantine protocols” should the Senate start convening physically.
The country’s health department earlier advised public and private establishments to mount work-from-home arrangements for employees as the highly-contagious virus can easily spread in crowded areas through the transmission of droplets from COVID-19 carriers.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/02/20/sotto-says-to-go-to-senate-to-preside-session-monday-with-or-without-quorum
Friday, May 1, 2020
BARMM seeks meeting with Cotabato City officials
By Ali Macabalang
COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has asked for a meeting with the leadership of this city to iron out kinks in operational coordination, and ensure smooth implementation of measures against a common enemy – coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“It has to be said that even last month, we have already sent a letter to the local government unit concerned to have a meeting (with us) para magkaroon ng discussion and resolution on some issues affecting our operations regarding community quarantine,” Mohammad Asnin Pendatun, spokesman of the Bangsamoro Inter-Agency Task Force, said in his latest virtual presser Tuesday.
Pendatun, who is also the BARMM cabinet minister, said he has followed up the request with another letter “inviting them (city government officials) to sit down (with us) and discuss things.”
City hall is supposed to be under the supervision authority of the regional government after the electorate voted for inclusion in the territory of BARMM in the plebiscite held in January 2019.
But the city leadership, led by Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, refused to submit to regional supervision, citing a petition she had earlier filed to question some issues surrounding the plebiscite, and the lack of a local government code that BARMM is mandated to pass.
The stalemate on the city government-BARMM leadership relationship had caught the attention of MalacaƱang, even as President Duterte reportedly presided over two meetings with Mayor Sayadi and Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim on last February.
Reportedly on the recommendation of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo AƱo, the President proposed a temporary arrangement that would allow city hall and the regional government to maintain status quo until December 2020.
CCTV's Oriental Horizon - Opening for Saturday, May 1, 1993
č§ē¾ęå（å
©ę¬”），ä½ å儽！č¦Ŗęēč§ē¾ęå，ä»å¤©ęÆäŗäøåéååēÆ，ęåč”·åæå°ē„é”大家ēÆę„åæ«ęØ！ä»å¤©å°ę¼ęåéē¾¤äŗŗä¾čŖŖ，ęÆäøåå¼å¾ę
¶ē„ēę„å。å ēŗå¾ä»å¤©éå§å，仄å¾ęÆ天ę©äøäøé»é，伓éØēåååčµ·ēå¤Ŗé½，äøåå¶ę°ēé»č¦ēÆē®å°čµ°é²ä½ ęēēę“»ē¶äø，é£å°±ęÆäø央é»č¦å°ęę°å„ē»ēę©éēÆē®《ę±ę¹ęē©ŗ》。
Mandarin:
GuÄnzhĆ²ng pĆ©ngyĒu (liĒng cƬ), nĒmen hĒo! QÄ«n'Ć i de guÄnzhĆ²ng pĆ©ngyĒu, jÄ«ntiÄn shƬ wĒyÄ« guĆ³jƬ lĆ”odĆ²ng jiĆ©, wĒmen zhÅngxÄ«n dƬ zhĆ¹yuĆ n dĆ jiÄ jiĆ©rƬ kuĆ ilĆØ! JÄ«ntiÄn duƬyĆŗ wĒmen zhĆØ qĆŗn rĆ©n lĆ”i shuÅ, shƬ yÄ«gĆØ zhĆdĆ© qƬngzhĆ¹ de rƬzi. YÄ«nwĆØi cĆ³ng jÄ«ntiÄn kÄishĒ a, yĒhĆ²u mÄitiÄn zĒoshang qÄ« diĒn zhÅng, bĆ nsuĆzhe rĒnrĒn shÄng qĒ de tĆ iyĆ”ng, yÄ«gĆØ zhĒnxÄ«n de diĆ nshƬ jiĆ©mĆ¹ jiÄng zĒu jƬn nĒ wĒ de shÄnghuĆ³ dÄngzhÅng, nĆ jiĆ¹shƬ zhÅngyÄng diĆ nshƬtĆ”i zuƬxÄ«n fĆØngxiĆ n de zĒo jiÄn jiĆ©mĆ¹ “dÅngfÄng shĆkÅng”.
Cantonese:
"gun1 zung3 pang4 jau5 loeng5 ci3 , nei5 mun4 hou2 can1 ngoi3 di1 gun1 zung3 pang4 jau5 , gam1 tin1 si6 ng5 jat1 gwok3 zai3 lou4 dung6 zit3 , ngo5 mun4 cung1 sam1 dei6 zuk1 jyun6 daai6 gaa1 zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6 gam1 tin1 deoi3 jyu1 ngo5 mun4 ze2 kwan4 jan4 lai4 jyut6 , si6 jat1 go3 zik6 dak1 hing3 zuk1 di1 jat6 zi2 jan1 wai4 cung4 gam1 tin1 hoi1 ci2 aa1 , ji5 hau6 mui5 tin1 zou2 soeng5 cat1 dim2 zung1 , bun6 ceoi4 zau1 jim5 jim5 sing1 hei2 di1 taai3 joeng4 , jat1 go3 zaam2 san1 di1 din6 si6 zit3 muk6 zoeng1 zau2 zeon3 nei5 ngo5 di1 saang1 wut6 dong1 zung1 , na6 zau6 si6 zungjoeng dinsitoi zeoisanfunghindizougaanzitmuk “dungfongsihung”
English:
"Viewers (twice), Hello! Dear viewers, today is Labor Day, we sincerely wish everyone a happy holiday! Today for our group of people, is a day of celebration. Because starting today, ah, after seven o'clock every morning, along with the rising sun, a new television program you will walk into my life, and that is the dedication of the latest CCTV morning show "Oriental Horizon."
Malay:
"Penonton (dua kali), Hello! Penonton yang dihormati, hari ini adalah Hari Buruh, kami dengan tulus mengucapkan selamat datang kepada semua orang! Hari ini untuk kumpulan kami, adalah hari perayaan .. Kerana bermula hari ini, ah, selepas pukul tujuh setiap pagi , bersama-sama dengan matahari yang semakin meningkat, program televisyen baru yang anda akan masuk ke dalam hidup saya, dan itu adalah dedikasi pertunjukan pagi CCTV terkini "Oriental Horizon."
Tamil:
"ą®Ŗாą®°்ą®µைą®Æாą®³ą®°்ą®ą®³் (ą®ą®°ுą®®ுą®±ை), ą®µą®£ą®்ą®ą®®்! ą® ą®©்ą®Ŗுą®³்ą®³ ą®Ŗாą®°்ą®µைą®Æாą®³ą®°்ą®ą®³், ą®ą®©்ą®±ு ą®¤ொą®“ிą®±்ą®ą®்ą®ி ą®¤ிą®©ą®®், ą®ą®²்ą®²ோą®°ுą®்ą®ுą®®் ą®®ą®ிą®“்ą®்ą®ிą®Æą®³ிą®்ą®ுą®®் ą®µிą®ுą®®ுą®±ை ą®¤ிą®©ą®¤்ą®¤ை ą®Øாą®®் ą®µிą®°ுą®®்ą®Ŗுą®ிą®±ோą®®்! ą®ą®©்ą®±ு ą®Øą®®் ą®®ą®்ą®ą®³் ą®ுą®“ுą®µிą®©ą®°் ą®ொą®£்ą®ாą®ą®Ŗ்ą®Ŗą®ுą®ிą®± ą®ą®°ு ą®Øாą®³், ą®ą®©்ą®±ு ą® ą®¤ிą®ாą®²ை ą®ą®“ு ą®®ą®£ிą®்ą®ு ą®Ŗிą®±ą®ு , ą®ą®Æą®°ுą®®் ą®ூą®°ிą®Æą®©், ą®ą®°ு ą®Ŗுą®¤ிą®Æ ą®¤ொą®²ைą®்ą®ாą®்ą®ி ą®¤ிą®்ą®ą®®் ą®ą®©் ą®µாą®“்ą®µிą®²் ą®Øą®ą®்ą®ுą®®், ą®ą®¤ு ą®ą®®ீą®Ŗą®¤்ą®¤ிą®Æ ą®ீą®© ą®®ą®¤்ą®¤ிą®Æ ą®¤ொą®²ைą®்ą®ாą®்ą®ி ą®ாą®²ை ą®Øிą®ą®“்ą®்ą®ி "ą®ą®°ிą®Æą®£்ą®ą®²் ą®¹ாą®°ிą®ą®©்" ą®Øிą®ą®“்ą®்ą®ிą®Æிą®©் ą® ą®°்ą®Ŗ்ą®Ŗą®£ிą®Ŗ்ą®Ŗு ą®ą®ுą®®்.
"PÄrvaiyÄįø·arkaįø· (irumuį¹ai), vaį¹akkam! Aį¹puįø·įø·a pÄrvaiyÄįø·arkaįø·, iį¹į¹u toįø»iį¹kaį¹ci tiį¹am, ellÅrukkum makiįø»cciyaįø·ikkum viį¹umuį¹ai tiį¹attai nÄm virumpukiį¹Åm! Iį¹į¹u nam makkaįø· kuįø»uviį¹ar koį¹į¹Äį¹appaį¹ukiį¹a oru nÄįø·, iį¹į¹u atikÄlai Äįø»u maį¹ikku piį¹aku, uyarum cÅ«riyaį¹, oru putiya tolaikkÄį¹ci tiį¹į¹am eį¹ vÄįø»vil naį¹akkum, itu camÄ«pattiya cÄ«į¹a mattiya tolaikkÄį¹ci kÄlai nikaįø»cci"Åriyaį¹į¹al hÄricaį¹" nikaįø»cciyiį¹ arppaį¹ippu Äkum.
Mandarin:
GuÄnzhĆ²ng pĆ©ngyĒu (liĒng cƬ), nĒmen hĒo! QÄ«n'Ć i de guÄnzhĆ²ng pĆ©ngyĒu, jÄ«ntiÄn shƬ wĒyÄ« guĆ³jƬ lĆ”odĆ²ng jiĆ©, wĒmen zhÅngxÄ«n dƬ zhĆ¹yuĆ n dĆ jiÄ jiĆ©rƬ kuĆ ilĆØ! JÄ«ntiÄn duƬyĆŗ wĒmen zhĆØ qĆŗn rĆ©n lĆ”i shuÅ, shƬ yÄ«gĆØ zhĆdĆ© qƬngzhĆ¹ de rƬzi. YÄ«nwĆØi cĆ³ng jÄ«ntiÄn kÄishĒ a, yĒhĆ²u mÄitiÄn zĒoshang qÄ« diĒn zhÅng, bĆ nsuĆzhe rĒnrĒn shÄng qĒ de tĆ iyĆ”ng, yÄ«gĆØ zhĒnxÄ«n de diĆ nshƬ jiĆ©mĆ¹ jiÄng zĒu jƬn nĒ wĒ de shÄnghuĆ³ dÄngzhÅng, nĆ jiĆ¹shƬ zhÅngyÄng diĆ nshƬtĆ”i zuƬxÄ«n fĆØngxiĆ n de zĒo jiÄn jiĆ©mĆ¹ “dÅngfÄng shĆkÅng”.
Cantonese:
"gun1 zung3 pang4 jau5 loeng5 ci3 , nei5 mun4 hou2 can1 ngoi3 di1 gun1 zung3 pang4 jau5 , gam1 tin1 si6 ng5 jat1 gwok3 zai3 lou4 dung6 zit3 , ngo5 mun4 cung1 sam1 dei6 zuk1 jyun6 daai6 gaa1 zit3 jat6 faai3 lok6 gam1 tin1 deoi3 jyu1 ngo5 mun4 ze2 kwan4 jan4 lai4 jyut6 , si6 jat1 go3 zik6 dak1 hing3 zuk1 di1 jat6 zi2 jan1 wai4 cung4 gam1 tin1 hoi1 ci2 aa1 , ji5 hau6 mui5 tin1 zou2 soeng5 cat1 dim2 zung1 , bun6 ceoi4 zau1 jim5 jim5 sing1 hei2 di1 taai3 joeng4 , jat1 go3 zaam2 san1 di1 din6 si6 zit3 muk6 zoeng1 zau2 zeon3 nei5 ngo5 di1 saang1 wut6 dong1 zung1 , na6 zau6 si6 zungjoeng dinsitoi zeoisanfunghindizougaanzitmuk “dungfongsihung”
English:
"Viewers (twice), Hello! Dear viewers, today is Labor Day, we sincerely wish everyone a happy holiday! Today for our group of people, is a day of celebration. Because starting today, ah, after seven o'clock every morning, along with the rising sun, a new television program you will walk into my life, and that is the dedication of the latest CCTV morning show "Oriental Horizon."
Malay:
"Penonton (dua kali), Hello! Penonton yang dihormati, hari ini adalah Hari Buruh, kami dengan tulus mengucapkan selamat datang kepada semua orang! Hari ini untuk kumpulan kami, adalah hari perayaan .. Kerana bermula hari ini, ah, selepas pukul tujuh setiap pagi , bersama-sama dengan matahari yang semakin meningkat, program televisyen baru yang anda akan masuk ke dalam hidup saya, dan itu adalah dedikasi pertunjukan pagi CCTV terkini "Oriental Horizon."
Tamil:
"ą®Ŗாą®°்ą®µைą®Æாą®³ą®°்ą®ą®³் (ą®ą®°ுą®®ுą®±ை), ą®µą®£ą®்ą®ą®®்! ą® ą®©்ą®Ŗுą®³்ą®³ ą®Ŗாą®°்ą®µைą®Æாą®³ą®°்ą®ą®³், ą®ą®©்ą®±ு ą®¤ொą®“ிą®±்ą®ą®்ą®ி ą®¤ிą®©ą®®், ą®ą®²்ą®²ோą®°ுą®்ą®ுą®®் ą®®ą®ிą®“்ą®்ą®ிą®Æą®³ிą®்ą®ுą®®் ą®µிą®ுą®®ுą®±ை ą®¤ிą®©ą®¤்ą®¤ை ą®Øாą®®் ą®µிą®°ுą®®்ą®Ŗுą®ிą®±ோą®®்! ą®ą®©்ą®±ு ą®Øą®®் ą®®ą®்ą®ą®³் ą®ுą®“ுą®µிą®©ą®°் ą®ொą®£்ą®ாą®ą®Ŗ்ą®Ŗą®ுą®ிą®± ą®ą®°ு ą®Øாą®³், ą®ą®©்ą®±ு ą® ą®¤ிą®ாą®²ை ą®ą®“ு ą®®ą®£ிą®்ą®ு ą®Ŗிą®±ą®ு , ą®ą®Æą®°ுą®®் ą®ூą®°ிą®Æą®©், ą®ą®°ு ą®Ŗுą®¤ிą®Æ ą®¤ொą®²ைą®்ą®ாą®்ą®ி ą®¤ிą®்ą®ą®®் ą®ą®©் ą®µாą®“்ą®µிą®²் ą®Øą®ą®்ą®ுą®®், ą®ą®¤ு ą®ą®®ீą®Ŗą®¤்ą®¤ிą®Æ ą®ீą®© ą®®ą®¤்ą®¤ிą®Æ ą®¤ொą®²ைą®்ą®ாą®்ą®ி ą®ாą®²ை ą®Øிą®ą®“்ą®்ą®ி "ą®ą®°ிą®Æą®£்ą®ą®²் ą®¹ாą®°ிą®ą®©்" ą®Øிą®ą®“்ą®்ą®ிą®Æிą®©் ą® ą®°்ą®Ŗ்ą®Ŗą®£ிą®Ŗ்ą®Ŗு ą®ą®ுą®®்.
"PÄrvaiyÄįø·arkaįø· (irumuį¹ai), vaį¹akkam! Aį¹puįø·įø·a pÄrvaiyÄįø·arkaįø·, iį¹į¹u toįø»iį¹kaį¹ci tiį¹am, ellÅrukkum makiįø»cciyaįø·ikkum viį¹umuį¹ai tiį¹attai nÄm virumpukiį¹Åm! Iį¹į¹u nam makkaįø· kuįø»uviį¹ar koį¹į¹Äį¹appaį¹ukiį¹a oru nÄįø·, iį¹į¹u atikÄlai Äįø»u maį¹ikku piį¹aku, uyarum cÅ«riyaį¹, oru putiya tolaikkÄį¹ci tiį¹į¹am eį¹ vÄįø»vil naį¹akkum, itu camÄ«pattiya cÄ«į¹a mattiya tolaikkÄį¹ci kÄlai nikaįø»cci"Åriyaį¹į¹al hÄricaį¹" nikaįø»cciyiį¹ arppaį¹ippu Äkum.
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Duque nagbabala laban sa posibilidad ng COVID-19 crisis gaya ng sa India
Nagbabala si Health Secretary Francisco Duque III na hindi malayong sapitin ng Pilipinas ang kalunos-lunos na krisis na kinahaharap ng India dahil sa COVID-19, kung saan di bumababa sa 300,000 ang nagpopositibo kada araw.
Ani Duque, posible ito kung magpapatuloy ang aniya'y pagiging pasaway ng mga Pilipino sa mga ipinatutupad na minimum health standards.
"Pagka hindi tayo sumunod doon sa ating minimum health standards [and] if we do not intensify our COVID pandemic response like what has happened in India and also in some other countries where the second or third waves are being experienced, that is a big possibility," ani Duque.
Dagdag pa ng kalihim, dapat magsilbing leksyon sa Pilipinas ang dinadanas ng India.
"What are the best practices, what are the practices that are really worth avoiding…at the end of the day we just have to work together," aniya.
Sabi pa ni Duque, may magagawa ang mga Pinoy para agapan na hindi makaranas ng parehong krisis.
"We are not helpless. We are not without the power to fight this. Simple interventions, face mask, face shields, physical distancing, proper ventilation, avoidance of people in superspreader events, 'yung mga mass gathering lahat naman ito nandiyan na," saad niya.
Kasalukuyang hindi papayagang pumasok sa Pilipinas ang mga biyaherong galing o may travel history sa India sa nakalipas na 14 araw. Tatagal ang travel ban hanggang Mayo 14.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/30/21/duque-nagbabala-posibilidad-covid-19-crisis-india
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Cayetano says to discuss ABS-CBN franchise with senators as coronavirus crisis persists
Lawmakers will discuss the ABS-CBN franchise as the coronavirus crisis upends legislative work, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Wednesday.
Cayetano said he is set to meet with some senators on Thursday to discuss how to go about the broadcast company's franchise without compromising the lawmakers' plan for an inquiry.
"I'm going to talk to some senators led by Sen. Bong Go din tomorrow kung anong magandang gawin (on what's best to do)," he said in an interview on radio DZMM.
"Kung whether its a joint resolution or ano man na hindi ma-compromise yung hearing pero may seguridad," he added.
(If we should pass a joint resolution or whatever that won't compromise the hearing but would provide security.)
The current franchise of ABS-CBN Corp, the country's largest media and entertainment company that operates free TV Channel 2 and radio DZMM, expires on May 4.
But in a March 16 memo, the National Telecommunications Commission said all live permits to operate and maintain broadcast and pay TV facilities that will expire during the enhanced community quarantine period will be automatically renewed.
The licenses will be valid for 60 days from the end of the quarantine period after which, the stations will be given 2 months to file for renewal of their permit or license without penalties or surcharges, the NTC said.
The NTC had earlier committed to allow ABS-CBN Corp. to operate after its franchise expires on May 4, as requested by lawmakers, who have yet to tackle several bills seeking for a fresh 25-year-franchise for the company.
If not for the pandemic, Cayetano said the franchise of the Lopez-led network was scheduled to be tackled on May 4 or 5.
Cayetano reiterated that lawmakers have asked the NTC to give ABS-CBN and its affiliate companies a provisional authority to operate.
"We don't want to close down ABS-CBN whether it's because of the franchise or it's because of business," the House Speaker said.
Cayetano also assured the public that there is "no move" to close down the broadcast giant.
"Gusto namin ipaabot sa lahat ng viewers ng ABS-CBN, DZMM, sa lahat po ng mga empleyado, sa mga stars, directors, wala pong move na isara ang ABS-CBN," he said.
(I want all the viewers of ABS-CBN, DZMM, its employees, stars, and directors to know that there is no move to close down ABS-CBN.)
The government placed Metro Manila on enhanced community quarantine beginning March 15 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The coverage was expanded two days later to include the rest of Luzon, while other areas in the Visayas and Mindanao also imposed similar measures.
The ECQ for some areas, including Metro Manila, was recently extended through May 15.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/29/20/cayetano-says-to-discuss-abs-cbn-franchise-with-senators-as-coronavirus-crisis-persists
Cayetano said he is set to meet with some senators on Thursday to discuss how to go about the broadcast company's franchise without compromising the lawmakers' plan for an inquiry.
"I'm going to talk to some senators led by Sen. Bong Go din tomorrow kung anong magandang gawin (on what's best to do)," he said in an interview on radio DZMM.
"Kung whether its a joint resolution or ano man na hindi ma-compromise yung hearing pero may seguridad," he added.
(If we should pass a joint resolution or whatever that won't compromise the hearing but would provide security.)
The current franchise of ABS-CBN Corp, the country's largest media and entertainment company that operates free TV Channel 2 and radio DZMM, expires on May 4.
But in a March 16 memo, the National Telecommunications Commission said all live permits to operate and maintain broadcast and pay TV facilities that will expire during the enhanced community quarantine period will be automatically renewed.
The licenses will be valid for 60 days from the end of the quarantine period after which, the stations will be given 2 months to file for renewal of their permit or license without penalties or surcharges, the NTC said.
The NTC had earlier committed to allow ABS-CBN Corp. to operate after its franchise expires on May 4, as requested by lawmakers, who have yet to tackle several bills seeking for a fresh 25-year-franchise for the company.
If not for the pandemic, Cayetano said the franchise of the Lopez-led network was scheduled to be tackled on May 4 or 5.
Cayetano reiterated that lawmakers have asked the NTC to give ABS-CBN and its affiliate companies a provisional authority to operate.
"We don't want to close down ABS-CBN whether it's because of the franchise or it's because of business," the House Speaker said.
Cayetano also assured the public that there is "no move" to close down the broadcast giant.
"Gusto namin ipaabot sa lahat ng viewers ng ABS-CBN, DZMM, sa lahat po ng mga empleyado, sa mga stars, directors, wala pong move na isara ang ABS-CBN," he said.
(I want all the viewers of ABS-CBN, DZMM, its employees, stars, and directors to know that there is no move to close down ABS-CBN.)
The government placed Metro Manila on enhanced community quarantine beginning March 15 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The coverage was expanded two days later to include the rest of Luzon, while other areas in the Visayas and Mindanao also imposed similar measures.
The ECQ for some areas, including Metro Manila, was recently extended through May 15.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/29/20/cayetano-says-to-discuss-abs-cbn-franchise-with-senators-as-coronavirus-crisis-persists
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Movies, TV shows may resume shooting in general quarantine areas after April 30
Will Cardo Dalisay finally return to the province in the hit action drama "Ang Probinsyano"?
This after MalacaƱang announced Tuesday that production of movies and television programs may resume next month but only in areas that are under general community quarantine (GCQ).
In a briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said motion picture, video and television program production, sound recording and music publishing activities will be allowed in GCQ areas after April 30.
“Ang ibig sabihin, 'yung mga telenobela, dapat i-tape sa GCQ areas. Hindi pa po puwede sa Metro Manila,” Roque said.
However, other entertainment-related mass gatherings, including but not limited to theaters, cinemas, large concerts, festivals, carnivals, conventions, shows and bars are still prohibited both in places under GCQ and enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
It was on March 13 when ABS-CBN temporarily suspended the staging of its live entertainment shows and production of its movies and teleseryes in compliance with the government’s declaration of a lockdown and ban on mass gatherings to contain the spread of the COVID-19.
The company took this initiative for the safety and health of its artists, crew, production teams, their families and the general public.
While it went off air for a while, some ABS-CBN shows have returned via digital format sans its usual studio setup.
Aside from ABS-CBN, Viva Entertainment has also temporarily shut down its production of movies, television and special projects due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/04/28/20/movies-tv-shows-may-resume-shooting-in-general-quarantine-areas-after-april-30
This after MalacaƱang announced Tuesday that production of movies and television programs may resume next month but only in areas that are under general community quarantine (GCQ).
In a briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said motion picture, video and television program production, sound recording and music publishing activities will be allowed in GCQ areas after April 30.
“Ang ibig sabihin, 'yung mga telenobela, dapat i-tape sa GCQ areas. Hindi pa po puwede sa Metro Manila,” Roque said.
However, other entertainment-related mass gatherings, including but not limited to theaters, cinemas, large concerts, festivals, carnivals, conventions, shows and bars are still prohibited both in places under GCQ and enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
It was on March 13 when ABS-CBN temporarily suspended the staging of its live entertainment shows and production of its movies and teleseryes in compliance with the government’s declaration of a lockdown and ban on mass gatherings to contain the spread of the COVID-19.
The company took this initiative for the safety and health of its artists, crew, production teams, their families and the general public.
While it went off air for a while, some ABS-CBN shows have returned via digital format sans its usual studio setup.
Aside from ABS-CBN, Viva Entertainment has also temporarily shut down its production of movies, television and special projects due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/04/28/20/movies-tv-shows-may-resume-shooting-in-general-quarantine-areas-after-april-30
Monday, April 27, 2020
Sunday, April 26, 2020
TV Guide
SUNDAY
Metro Channel
Metro Channel
- 06:00AM Ancient Aliens
- 07:00AM Great Art (II)
- 08:00AM Forget Me Not Cafe
- 08:30AM The Taste of Time
- 09:30AM News Treasury
- 10:00AM Dolce Vita
- 10:30AM Sports A New Horizon
- 11:00AM Waterfront Cities of the World
- 12:00PM CGTN Global Watch
- 01:00PM Underwater Planet
- 02:00PM For the People#7
- 02:55PM Straight Talk
- 03:20PM Little Malabar
- 03:30PM Showers of Blessing
- 04:00PM Both Worlds
- 04:30PM Putonghua News Report*2020
- 04:50PM Putonghua Weather Report*2020
- 04:55PM Little Big World
- 05:00PM Our Family
- 05:30PM Mouk
- 06:00PM Giver
- 06:30PM News of the Wild
- 07:00PM News Report with Sign Language
- 07:25PM Today in History and Earth Live
- 07:30PM NEWS AT SEVEN-THIRTY
- 07:55PM WEATHER REPORT and 101 Easy Japanese
- 08:00PM Extreme Cake Makers
- 08:30PM America's Got Talent
- 09:20PM Shaun the Sheep
- 09:30PM Property Experts
- 10:00PM News Report
- 10:30PM Weekend Blockbuster:The 5th Wave
- 12:30AM The Taste of Time
- 01:30AM NEWS ROUNDUP (PEARL)
- 01:45AM WEATHER REPORT and Earth Live and Today in History
- 01:50AM Dolce Vita
- 02:20AM Extreme Cake Makers
- 02:50AM CHINA 24
- 03:50AM Fireplace
Monday
- 06:00AM Good Morning Hong Kong
- 09:00AM ETV
- 10:00AM Inside Market
- 11:00AM Market Update
- 12:00PM CGTN Global Watch
- 01:00PM Market Update
- 01:30PM Inside Market
- 02:30PM Vital Lifeline
- 02:55PM Market Update
- 03:25PM Pastor Joseph Prince
- 03:55PM Inside Market
- 04:00PM Market Update
- 04:30PM Putonghua News Report*2020
- 04:50PM Putonghua Financial Report
- 04:55PM Putonghua Weather Report*2020
- 05:00PM Teletubbies
- 05:30PM No-No
- 06:00PM Chop Chop Ninja
- 06:30PM Little Lunch
- 07:00PM News Report with Sign Language
- 07:25PM Today in History and Earth Live
- 07:30PM NEWS AT SEVEN-THIRTY
- 07:55PM WEATHER REPORT and FINANCIAL REPORT
- 08:00PM Pearl Magazine
- 08:30PM Signature Monday:Killing Eve#5
- 09:30PM Closer Look at Property and Earth Live and Financial Express
- 10:00PM Finance at 10
- 10:55PM Global Stock Indexes
- 11:00PM News Roundup
- 11:30PM Signature Monday:Killing Eve#6
- 12:20AM 101 Easy Japanese
- 12:30AM NEWS ROUNDUP (PEARL)
- 12:50AM Financial Bulletin
- 12:55AM WEATHER REPORT and Earth Live and Today in History
- 01:00AM Entertainment This Week
- 02:00AM 9-1-1#3
- 02:55AM Heroes and Survivors
- 03:45AM Dolce Vita
- 04:10AM CHINA 24
- 05:00AM Fireplace
Tuesday
- 06:00AM Good Morning Hong Kong
- 09:00AM ETV
- 10:00AM Inside Market
- 11:00AM Market Update
- 12:00PM CGTN Global Watch
- 01:00PM Market Update
- 01:30PM Inside Market
- 02:30PM A Dream Home Planning
- 02:55PM Market Update
- 03:25PM Pastor Joseph Prince
- 03:55PM Inside Market
- 04:00PM Market Update
- 04:30PM Putonghua News Report*2020
- 04:50PM Putonghua Financial Report
- 04:55PM Putonghua Weather Report*2020
- 05:00PM Teletubbies
- 05:30PM No-No
- 06:00PM Chop Chop Ninja
- 06:30PM Deadly Dinosaurs with Steve Backshall
- 07:00PM News Report with Sign Language
- 07:25PM Today in History and Earth Live
- 07:30PM NEWS AT SEVEN-THIRTY
- 07:55PM WEATHER REPORT and FINANCIAL REPORT
- 08:00PM Straight Talk
- 08:30PM The Flash#10
- 09:25PM 101 Easy Japanese
- 09:30PM A Dream Home Planning and Earth Live and Financial Express
- 10:00PM Finance at 10
- 10:55PM Global Stock Indexes
- 11:00PM News Roundup
- 11:30PM Pearl Spectacular:Judi Dench's Wild Borneo Adventure
- 12:30AM NEWS ROUNDUP (PEARL)
- 12:50AM Financial Bulletin
- 12:55AM WEATHER REPORT and Earth Live and Today in History
- 01:00AM Entertainment Tonight
- 01:30AM The Good Doctor
- 02:25AM Racing To Win
- 03:30AM Pearl Spectacular:Judi Dench's Wild Borneo Adventure
- 04:25AM CHINA 24
- 05:20AM Fireplace
Wednesday
- 06:00AM Good Morning Hong Kong
- 09:00AM ETV
- 10:00AM Inside Market
- 11:00AM Market Update
- 12:00PM CGTN Global Watch
- 01:00PM Market Update
- 01:30PM Inside Market
- 02:30PM Hong Kong Report
- 02:55PM Market Update
- 03:25PM Pastor Joseph Prince
- 03:55PM Inside Market
- 04:00PM Market Update
- 04:30PM Putonghua News Report*2020
- 04:50PM Putonghua Financial Report
- 04:55PM Putonghua Weather Report*2020
- 05:00PM Teletubbies
- 05:30PM No-No
- 06:00PM Chop Chop Ninja
- 06:30PM Art Ninja
- 07:00PM News Report with Sign Language
- 07:25PM Today in History and Earth Live
- 07:30PM NEWS AT SEVEN-THIRTY
- 07:55PM WEATHER REPORT and FINANCIAL REPORT
- 08:00PM Nigella At My Table
- 08:30PM World's Most Incredible Hotels
- 09:30PM Innovation GPS and and Earth Live and Financial Express
- 10:00PM Finance at 10
- 10:55PM Global Stock Indexes
- 11:00PM News Roundup
- 11:30PM Why Women Kill#4
- 12:25AM 101 Easy Japanese
- 12:30AM NEWS ROUNDUP (PEARL)
- 12:50AM Financial Bulletin
- 12:55AM WEATHER REPORT and Earth Live and Today in History
- 01:00AM Entertainment Tonight
- 01:30AM The Handmaid's Tale#3
- 02:35AM 60 Minutes
- 03:35AM CHINA 24
- 04:25AM Market Overview
- 04:35AM Finance at 10
- 05:30AM Financial Express
- 05:35AM News Treasury
Thursday
- 08:00AM Market Overview
- 10:00AM Teletubbies
- 10:30AM No-No
- 11:00AM Chop Chop Ninja
- 11:30AM Art Ninja
- 12:00PM CGTN Global Watch
- 01:00PM Wonders of Africa
- 01:55PM Insect World
- 02:50PM Where to I Do?
- 03:15PM Shaun the Sheep
- 03:25PM Pastor Joseph Prince
- 03:55PM Luxury Homes Revealed
- 04:20PM 101 Easy Japanese
- 04:30PM Putonghua News Report*2020
- 04:50PM Putonghua Weather Report*2020
- 04:55PM 101 Easy Japanese
- 05:00PM Teletubbies
- 05:30PM No-No
- 06:00PM Chop Chop Ninja
- 06:30PM Hardball
- 07:00PM News Report with Sign Language
- 07:25PM Today in History and Earth Live
- 07:30PM NEWS AT SEVEN-THIRTY
- 07:55PM WEATHER REPORT and 101 Easy Japanese
- 08:00PM MasterChef
- 08:50PM Shaun the Sheep
- 09:00PM Dolce Vita
- 09:30PM Investment Tips and Earth Live
- 10:00PM Finance at 10
- 10:35PM Futurescope
- 11:05PM News Roundup
- 11:35PM Bear's Mission with David Walliams
- 12:30AM 101 Easy Japanese
- 12:35AM NEWS ROUNDUP (PEARL)
- 12:50AM WEATHER REPORT and Earth Live and Today in History
- 12:55AM 101 Easy Japanese
- 01:00AM Entertainment Tonight
- 01:30AM The Brave
- 02:25AM America's Got Talent
- 03:15AM Dolce Vita
- 03:40AM CHINA 24
- 04:30AM Financial Express
- 04:35AM Finance at 10
- 05:00AM Investment Tips
- 05:30AM Financial Express
- 05:35AM The Leader
Friday
- 08:00AM Market Overview
- 10:00AM Teletubbies
- 10:30AM No-No
- 11:00AM Chop Chop Ninja
- 11:30AM Hardball
- 12:00PM CGTN Global Watch
- 01:00PM Man vs. Puma
- 01:55PM Aerial Ireland
- 02:50PM Where to I Do?
- 03:15PM Shaun the Sheep
- 03:25PM Pastor Joseph Prince
- 03:55PM Luxury Homes Revealed
- 04:20PM 101 Easy Japanese
- 04:30PM Putonghua News Report*2020
- 04:50PM Putonghua Weather Report*2020
- 04:55PM 101 Easy Japanese
- 05:00PM Teletubbies
- 05:30PM No-No
- 06:00PM Chop Chop Ninja
- 06:30PM Hotel Transylvania
- 07:00PM News Report with Sign Language
- 07:25PM Today in History and Earth Live
- 07:30PM NEWS AT SEVEN-THIRTY
- 07:55PM WEATHER REPORT and 101 Easy Japanese
- 08:00PM Thailand Grand Spaces
- 08:30PM America's Got Talent
- 09:20PM Shaun the Sheep
- 09:30PM History's Turning Points and Earth Live
- 10:00PM Finance at 10
- 10:35PM The Forty First of Forty Years
- 11:05PM News Roundup
- 11:35PM Happy Fridays:The Secret Life of Pets
- 01:15AM NEWS ROUNDUP (PEARL)
- 01:30AM WEATHER REPORT and Earth Live and Today in History
- 01:35AM Entertainment Tonight
- 02:05AM The Titan Games
- 03:00AM CHINA 24
- 03:50AM Market Overview
- 04:20AM Fireplace
Saturday
- 09:00AM Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Break~
- 09:30AM Pastor Joseph Prince
- 10:00AM Hour of Power
- 11:00AM Dolce Vita
- 11:25AM Pearl Magazine
- 11:50AM MasterChef Junior
- 12:40PM FBI#11
- 01:30PM Where the Wild Men Are with Ben Fogle
- 02:20PM Little Big World
- 02:30PM Hotel Transylvania
- 03:00PM The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!
- 03:30PM Showers of Blessing
- 04:00PM Peg + Cat
- 04:30PM Putonghua News Report*2020
- 04:50PM Putonghua Weather Report*2020
- 04:55PM Little Malabar
- 05:00PM Both Worlds
- 05:30PM Do You Know?
- 06:00PM Easy Japanese
- 06:05PM 60 Minutes
- 07:00PM News Report with Sign Language
- 07:25PM Today in History and Earth Live
- 07:30PM NEWS AT SEVEN-THIRTY
- 07:55PM WEATHER REPORT and 101 Easy Japanese
- 08:00PM America's Funniest Home Videos
- 08:30PM America's Got Talent
- 09:25PM 101 Easy Japanese
- 09:30PM Innovation GPS
- 10:00PM News Report
- 10:30PM Weekend Blockbuster:American Sniper
- 12:45AM Never Ends
- 01:45AM NEWS ROUNDUP (PEARL)
- 02:00AM WEATHER REPORT and Earth Live and Today in History
- 02:05AM Entertainment Tonight
- 02:35AM Racing To Win
- 04:05AM CHINA 24
- 04:55AM Market Overview
- 05:05AM Fireplace
Friday, April 24, 2020
Some businesses will reopen in May - but it won't be business as usual
The strict coronavirus lockdown – which was extended from 16 April until the end of the month – will not be extended again, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday night.
However, the phased reopening of the economy means taking a "risk-adjusted" approach, and restrictions will be lifted only on certain sectors, the president said.
Fin24 previously reported that government was adopting an approach based on five alert levels, ranging from level 1 – where all sectors are fully operational – to level 5, namely full lockdown. South Africa is currently on full lockdown.
As from 1 May, the country will be moving down to level 4. Here's what that means.
Some businesses will reopen – but it won't be business as usual
"Some activity will be allowed, subject to extreme precautions," the president said.
Businesses that are allowed to resume activity will be allowed to do so under specific conditions. Every business will have to adhere to detailed health and safety protocols to protect their employees, and plans will have to be put in place for disease surveillance and to prevent infection.
Talks are still ongoing
Ramaphosa did not announce which businesses would be allowed to reopen – though he did say cigarettes, and some other additional goods, would be on sale. Food retail stores that are already open are expected to be allowed to sell the full line of products within their existing stock.
In weighing up whether a sector would be allowed to operate, its economic contribution, the effect on livelihoods, and the risk of transmission in each sector would be considered, he said.
Ministers will give a detailed briefing on the classification of industries and how each is affected in due course. Each industry will be given the chance to make submissions before the regulations are gazetted.
Return to business will be gradual
Businesses that open will do so in a phased manner, Ramaphosa said, first preparing the workplace for a return to operations, followed by a return of the workforce in batches of no more than one third.
"In some cases, a sector will not be able to return to full production during level four," he said.
Even the Multiply website, based in Jakarta, Indonesia would reopen for business soon.
Level adjustments will be determined by the NCC
The National Command Council will determine what level is necessary based on an assessment of the infection rate in conjunction with the capacity of the healthcare system, Ramaphosa said.
Working from home is still first choice
"Businesses will be encouraged to work from home where possible," said Ramaphosa. "All staff who can work remotely must be allowed to do so."
Travel regulations will still be tight
The tourism industry is one that is unlikely to experience relief any time soon, as borders will remain closed to international travel except for repatriation of South African nationals and foreign citizens.
No travel between provinces will be allowed except for the transportation of goods, or exceptional circumstances like funerals.
Public transport will operate… with strict rules
Public transport will be subject to limitations on passenger numbers, and there will be stringent hygiene rules.
All passengers must wear masks, Ramaphosa said.
Sorry, still no bars or shebeens
Bars and shebeens will remain closed, as will conference and convention centres. Concerts are still prohibited, as are sporting, religious and cultural events. All gatherings barring funerals and work meetings are prohibited.
"The coronavirus is spread by contact between people," Ramaphosa said. "If people don't travel, the virus does not travel."
The president stressed that while it was crucial to limit economic damage, government was also acting on the advice of scientists.
"The action we must now take must be measured and incremental," he said.
The president on Tuesday announced a R500 billion stimulus package in a bid to mitigate the impact of the extended lockdown on South Africa's economy, which is expected to be severe.
Interventions announced included additional grants, several tax relief measures, R100 billion budgeted towards preserving and creating jobs, an extensive food parcel delivery programme, and R20 billion additional budget to boost municipal service delivery.
While R130 billion will be reallocated from the existing budget, R200 billion will be provided in the form of a loan guarantee scheme, in partnership with major banks, National Treasury and the SA Reserve Bank. The remaining R170 billion would be sourced from Covid-19 support loans from international financial institutions, global partners and local sources such as the UIF.
The country was already in recession before the coronavirus hit, after two consecutive quarters of negative growth, and has had its sovereign credit rating downgraded to junk by Moody's.
Treasury has projected a deep recession during 2020, while the Reserve Bank has said a contraction of as much as 6.1% is likely. The International Monetary Fund, for its part, has projected a contraction of 5.8%, while Moody's has suggested a more conservative -2.5%.
South Africa's economy experienced a 1.5% contraction following the 2008 global financial crisis.
Job losses in South Africa due to the coronavirus pandemic have been projected at anything from 370 000 – according to the Reserve Bank – to one million, according to preliminary modelling by Business for South Africa, a business alliance formed in March in response to the pandemic. This would follow the pattern of record job losses in the United States, which, according to the latest jobs data released on Thursday, have wiped out gains recorded in the boom following the Great Recession.
https://www.fin24.com/Economy/South-Africa/some-businesses-will-reopen-but-it-wont-be-business-as-usual-20200423
However, the phased reopening of the economy means taking a "risk-adjusted" approach, and restrictions will be lifted only on certain sectors, the president said.
Fin24 previously reported that government was adopting an approach based on five alert levels, ranging from level 1 – where all sectors are fully operational – to level 5, namely full lockdown. South Africa is currently on full lockdown.
As from 1 May, the country will be moving down to level 4. Here's what that means.
Some businesses will reopen – but it won't be business as usual
"Some activity will be allowed, subject to extreme precautions," the president said.
Businesses that are allowed to resume activity will be allowed to do so under specific conditions. Every business will have to adhere to detailed health and safety protocols to protect their employees, and plans will have to be put in place for disease surveillance and to prevent infection.
Talks are still ongoing
Ramaphosa did not announce which businesses would be allowed to reopen – though he did say cigarettes, and some other additional goods, would be on sale. Food retail stores that are already open are expected to be allowed to sell the full line of products within their existing stock.
In weighing up whether a sector would be allowed to operate, its economic contribution, the effect on livelihoods, and the risk of transmission in each sector would be considered, he said.
Ministers will give a detailed briefing on the classification of industries and how each is affected in due course. Each industry will be given the chance to make submissions before the regulations are gazetted.
Return to business will be gradual
Businesses that open will do so in a phased manner, Ramaphosa said, first preparing the workplace for a return to operations, followed by a return of the workforce in batches of no more than one third.
"In some cases, a sector will not be able to return to full production during level four," he said.
Even the Multiply website, based in Jakarta, Indonesia would reopen for business soon.
Level adjustments will be determined by the NCC
The National Command Council will determine what level is necessary based on an assessment of the infection rate in conjunction with the capacity of the healthcare system, Ramaphosa said.
Working from home is still first choice
"Businesses will be encouraged to work from home where possible," said Ramaphosa. "All staff who can work remotely must be allowed to do so."
Travel regulations will still be tight
The tourism industry is one that is unlikely to experience relief any time soon, as borders will remain closed to international travel except for repatriation of South African nationals and foreign citizens.
No travel between provinces will be allowed except for the transportation of goods, or exceptional circumstances like funerals.
Public transport will operate… with strict rules
Public transport will be subject to limitations on passenger numbers, and there will be stringent hygiene rules.
All passengers must wear masks, Ramaphosa said.
Sorry, still no bars or shebeens
Bars and shebeens will remain closed, as will conference and convention centres. Concerts are still prohibited, as are sporting, religious and cultural events. All gatherings barring funerals and work meetings are prohibited.
"The coronavirus is spread by contact between people," Ramaphosa said. "If people don't travel, the virus does not travel."
The president stressed that while it was crucial to limit economic damage, government was also acting on the advice of scientists.
"The action we must now take must be measured and incremental," he said.
The president on Tuesday announced a R500 billion stimulus package in a bid to mitigate the impact of the extended lockdown on South Africa's economy, which is expected to be severe.
Interventions announced included additional grants, several tax relief measures, R100 billion budgeted towards preserving and creating jobs, an extensive food parcel delivery programme, and R20 billion additional budget to boost municipal service delivery.
While R130 billion will be reallocated from the existing budget, R200 billion will be provided in the form of a loan guarantee scheme, in partnership with major banks, National Treasury and the SA Reserve Bank. The remaining R170 billion would be sourced from Covid-19 support loans from international financial institutions, global partners and local sources such as the UIF.
The country was already in recession before the coronavirus hit, after two consecutive quarters of negative growth, and has had its sovereign credit rating downgraded to junk by Moody's.
Treasury has projected a deep recession during 2020, while the Reserve Bank has said a contraction of as much as 6.1% is likely. The International Monetary Fund, for its part, has projected a contraction of 5.8%, while Moody's has suggested a more conservative -2.5%.
South Africa's economy experienced a 1.5% contraction following the 2008 global financial crisis.
Job losses in South Africa due to the coronavirus pandemic have been projected at anything from 370 000 – according to the Reserve Bank – to one million, according to preliminary modelling by Business for South Africa, a business alliance formed in March in response to the pandemic. This would follow the pattern of record job losses in the United States, which, according to the latest jobs data released on Thursday, have wiped out gains recorded in the boom following the Great Recession.
https://www.fin24.com/Economy/South-Africa/some-businesses-will-reopen-but-it-wont-be-business-as-usual-20200423
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Angara’s ‘fearless forecast’: Enhanced quarantine to stay until mid-May
Senator Sonny Angara on Thursday backed another extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine until the middle of May, as he believes that President Rodrigo Duterte will go for a lockdown beyond April 30.
In a teleconference with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), Angara said local government units should be allowed a gradual easing of restrictions towards the total lifting of the strict quarantine.
“This is my fearless…forecast: The President will, kind of, still extend it until the middle of May. That’s what I’ve been hearing. He might relax a few things but I think, on the whole, the quarantine will stay…and I would support that decision, too,” he said.
According to the Angara, it would be “too late” to announce any relaxation or lifting of the quarantine with only a week before April 30.
“At this stage, I would support the extension to like May 10 or May 15 because I feel it’s too late really to announce that there will be lifting because I don’t think there’s enough time to prepare on the ground,” Angara said.
Local government units, he added, need to be made ready for an eventual lifting of the quarantine so that they could prepare for the changes that would be enforced by the national government with regards to quarantine measures.
“I’ve seen from experience of our last five weeks, there has to be some gestation time for policies to kind of processed and for local government officials to be informed to know the correct protocol and dapat may practice muna (practice must be first be done),” the senator said.
“Kumbaga bago lumaro ng basketball mag-practice muna tayo (Before playing basketball, we need to practice),” he said.
Duterte earlier placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continued to increase.
The quarantine became effective on March 17 and was initially set to be lifted on April 13. But Duterte extended the Luzon lockdown until April 30.
As of posting, Duterte has yet to issue a decision on whether to lift, extend, or modify the enhanced community quarantine.
To date, there are 6,981 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, including 722 recoveries and 462 fatalities.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1263774/angaras-fearless-forecast-enhanced-quarantine-to-stay-until-mid-may
In a teleconference with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), Angara said local government units should be allowed a gradual easing of restrictions towards the total lifting of the strict quarantine.
“This is my fearless…forecast: The President will, kind of, still extend it until the middle of May. That’s what I’ve been hearing. He might relax a few things but I think, on the whole, the quarantine will stay…and I would support that decision, too,” he said.
According to the Angara, it would be “too late” to announce any relaxation or lifting of the quarantine with only a week before April 30.
“At this stage, I would support the extension to like May 10 or May 15 because I feel it’s too late really to announce that there will be lifting because I don’t think there’s enough time to prepare on the ground,” Angara said.
Local government units, he added, need to be made ready for an eventual lifting of the quarantine so that they could prepare for the changes that would be enforced by the national government with regards to quarantine measures.
“I’ve seen from experience of our last five weeks, there has to be some gestation time for policies to kind of processed and for local government officials to be informed to know the correct protocol and dapat may practice muna (practice must be first be done),” the senator said.
“Kumbaga bago lumaro ng basketball mag-practice muna tayo (Before playing basketball, we need to practice),” he said.
Duterte earlier placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continued to increase.
The quarantine became effective on March 17 and was initially set to be lifted on April 13. But Duterte extended the Luzon lockdown until April 30.
As of posting, Duterte has yet to issue a decision on whether to lift, extend, or modify the enhanced community quarantine.
To date, there are 6,981 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, including 722 recoveries and 462 fatalities.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1263774/angaras-fearless-forecast-enhanced-quarantine-to-stay-until-mid-may
Martial Law-Like Lockdown For The Philippines?
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought chaos to the world. The virus has negatively affected livelihoods and the global economy since it first emerged in the city of Wuhan in China’s Hubei province. To date, more than 2.5 million people have been infected with the virus and over 180,000 have succumbed to the deadly outbreak. Governments across the world are scrambling to contain the new coronavirus. Drastic measures have been implemented such as travel curbs, border controls and citywide lockdowns. These strategies have been adopted by numerous countries including a number of ASEAN member states. Currently, it was reported that half of humanity are under some form of virus lockdown.
Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte declared the country to be under a state of public health emergency on 9 March followed by a partial lockdown on Metro Manila on 12 March. The lockdown was then extended a few days later, placing the entire island of Luzon under an “enhanced community quarantine”. It was reported that curfews have been imposed and citizens are required to have passes that allow them to go out on certain days.
As of 22 April, the Philippines reported 6,710 COVID-19 cases with 446 fatalities. The country currently has the third highest number of infections in Southeast Asia after Singapore and Indonesia.
The archipelagic country of 106 million is reported to be facing problems with lockdown violators. According to media reports, an estimated 120,000 Filipinos have been arrested or warned for flouting rules.
In early April, Rodrigo Duterte told security forces they should shoot dead anyone causing trouble in areas under lockdown due to the virus.
"My orders are to the police and military, also village officials, that if there is trouble or the situation arises that people fight and your lives are on the line, shoot them dead," said Duterte in an impromptu national address.
"Instead of causing trouble, I'll send you to the grave," he added.
Despite criticism from organisations such as Amnesty International Philippines, National Police Chief, Archie Gamboa said that his officers would not begin shooting troublemakers dead, referring to the president’s statement.
"Probably the president just overemphasised on implementing the law in this time of crisis," he explained.
Nevertheless, it was reported that a few days later, a 63-year-old man was shot dead by Philippine police for refusing to follow the COVID-19 restrictions, becoming the first fatality as a result of the lockdown.
Another Martial Law?
A one-page Philippine Air Force (PAF) internal memo ordering personnel to “prepare for strict implementation… (of an) extensive enhanced community quarantine” was leaked online and circulated on social media on 17 April, the same day it was issued. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have confirmed the legitimacy of the document.
After a reported upsurge of cars on Manila’s roads, President Rodrigo Duterte warned citizens in a televised speech that a martial law-style enforcement would be implemented if they do not comply with the lockdown.
"I'm just asking for a little discipline. If not, if you do not believe me, then the military and police will take over," said the president.
"The military and police will enforce social distancing at curfew... It's like martial law. You choose," he added.
Nevertheless, the AFP said it is only natural for the military to prepare for a possible “martial law-like lockdown”.
“This (is a) natural reaction of the AFP to prepare and deploy when it becomes necessary,” said AFP spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo, adding that there was no reason to be “alarmed”.
According to local media, Police Chief Archie Gamboa said that President Rodrigo Duterte was referring to the implementation of rules in terms of arrests, when he likened the option to martial law.
“When he says martial law, it means the president would like to emphasise that we would really make some arrests. I think the public has to show they can behave so this does not follow through. If it does, it will be the full implementation of the law. We won't issue warnings, we'll go straight to arrests,” Archie Gamboa explained to local reporters.
Filipinos are not unfamiliar with the consequences of martial law. The conversation of the possibility of a martial-law style enforcement brought bitter memories of human rights abuses under President Ferdinand Marcos from 1972 to 1981. Current president, Rodrigo Duterte has also imposed martial law himself on Mindanao in the south of the Philippines which was only lifted in early 2020.
Nevertheless, Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo assured the public that should the government enforce a martial-law like lockdown, “… your armed forces of today are very much well-versed on international humanitarian law. We are also abiding with the provision of the constitution."
Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan told the media that the Philippines’ government should prioritise the implementation of measures to quicken aid distribution to those hit hardest by the pandemic rather than looking into a possible martial law-type lockdown.
"You have 75 percent of people who lost their jobs, who are not earning anything today, who are going hungry...” said the senator, adding that martial law is not the answer, delivery of cash assistance is.
His sentiment is also shared by Dr Jean Encinas-Franco, a political-science professor at the University of the Philippines, who believes that martial law-type enforcement would not work as no country which has appeared to be successful so far in flattening its coronavirus curve resorted to using the military.
The country has seen a slight plunge in infections in recent days, reporting 111 cases on 22 April, a decrease in number from 140 and 200 new cases on 21 April and 20 April, respectively.
“We have flattened the curve but what we want is to crush the curve to ensure that we have really controlled the spread of the virus,” said Eduardo Ano, interior secretary and vice-chairperson of the National Task Force for COVID-19 in the Philippines.
https://theaseanpost.com/article/martial-law-lockdown-philippines
Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte declared the country to be under a state of public health emergency on 9 March followed by a partial lockdown on Metro Manila on 12 March. The lockdown was then extended a few days later, placing the entire island of Luzon under an “enhanced community quarantine”. It was reported that curfews have been imposed and citizens are required to have passes that allow them to go out on certain days.
As of 22 April, the Philippines reported 6,710 COVID-19 cases with 446 fatalities. The country currently has the third highest number of infections in Southeast Asia after Singapore and Indonesia.
The archipelagic country of 106 million is reported to be facing problems with lockdown violators. According to media reports, an estimated 120,000 Filipinos have been arrested or warned for flouting rules.
In early April, Rodrigo Duterte told security forces they should shoot dead anyone causing trouble in areas under lockdown due to the virus.
"My orders are to the police and military, also village officials, that if there is trouble or the situation arises that people fight and your lives are on the line, shoot them dead," said Duterte in an impromptu national address.
"Instead of causing trouble, I'll send you to the grave," he added.
Despite criticism from organisations such as Amnesty International Philippines, National Police Chief, Archie Gamboa said that his officers would not begin shooting troublemakers dead, referring to the president’s statement.
"Probably the president just overemphasised on implementing the law in this time of crisis," he explained.
Nevertheless, it was reported that a few days later, a 63-year-old man was shot dead by Philippine police for refusing to follow the COVID-19 restrictions, becoming the first fatality as a result of the lockdown.
Another Martial Law?
A one-page Philippine Air Force (PAF) internal memo ordering personnel to “prepare for strict implementation… (of an) extensive enhanced community quarantine” was leaked online and circulated on social media on 17 April, the same day it was issued. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have confirmed the legitimacy of the document.
After a reported upsurge of cars on Manila’s roads, President Rodrigo Duterte warned citizens in a televised speech that a martial law-style enforcement would be implemented if they do not comply with the lockdown.
"I'm just asking for a little discipline. If not, if you do not believe me, then the military and police will take over," said the president.
"The military and police will enforce social distancing at curfew... It's like martial law. You choose," he added.
Nevertheless, the AFP said it is only natural for the military to prepare for a possible “martial law-like lockdown”.
“This (is a) natural reaction of the AFP to prepare and deploy when it becomes necessary,” said AFP spokesperson Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo, adding that there was no reason to be “alarmed”.
According to local media, Police Chief Archie Gamboa said that President Rodrigo Duterte was referring to the implementation of rules in terms of arrests, when he likened the option to martial law.
“When he says martial law, it means the president would like to emphasise that we would really make some arrests. I think the public has to show they can behave so this does not follow through. If it does, it will be the full implementation of the law. We won't issue warnings, we'll go straight to arrests,” Archie Gamboa explained to local reporters.
Filipinos are not unfamiliar with the consequences of martial law. The conversation of the possibility of a martial-law style enforcement brought bitter memories of human rights abuses under President Ferdinand Marcos from 1972 to 1981. Current president, Rodrigo Duterte has also imposed martial law himself on Mindanao in the south of the Philippines which was only lifted in early 2020.
Nevertheless, Brigadier General Edgard Arevalo assured the public that should the government enforce a martial-law like lockdown, “… your armed forces of today are very much well-versed on international humanitarian law. We are also abiding with the provision of the constitution."
Senator Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan told the media that the Philippines’ government should prioritise the implementation of measures to quicken aid distribution to those hit hardest by the pandemic rather than looking into a possible martial law-type lockdown.
"You have 75 percent of people who lost their jobs, who are not earning anything today, who are going hungry...” said the senator, adding that martial law is not the answer, delivery of cash assistance is.
His sentiment is also shared by Dr Jean Encinas-Franco, a political-science professor at the University of the Philippines, who believes that martial law-type enforcement would not work as no country which has appeared to be successful so far in flattening its coronavirus curve resorted to using the military.
The country has seen a slight plunge in infections in recent days, reporting 111 cases on 22 April, a decrease in number from 140 and 200 new cases on 21 April and 20 April, respectively.
“We have flattened the curve but what we want is to crush the curve to ensure that we have really controlled the spread of the virus,” said Eduardo Ano, interior secretary and vice-chairperson of the National Task Force for COVID-19 in the Philippines.
https://theaseanpost.com/article/martial-law-lockdown-philippines
Duterte meets task force to discuss fate of Luzon lockdown
President Rodrigo Duterte will convene the task force leading the government's COVID-19 response on Thursday evening to guide his decision on the fate of the Luzon-wide quarantine, his Spokesperson Harry Roque said.
Duterte will meet members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases at 6 p.m., Roque said, as he has received the body's suggested decision-making tools on whether to extend or relax strict stay-at-home rules covering some 57 million people in the island bloc.
Among the IATF's recommendations was to classify Luzon into low, moderate, and high-risk areas for infections, which could be the basis for a shift to a modified community quarantine. Duterte may seek clarifications or more updates during the meeting, Roque said.
Based on this, areas considered as high-risk would have no relaxation of the enhanced community quarantine. Instead, the focus would be in improving the capacity of local healthcare facilities, Roque said. Those deemed of moderate risk may see a modified quarantine and a partial resumption of public transport, while observing strict social distancing measures.
Meanwhile, the lockdown may be lifted in low-risk communities where public transport may be restored, based on the IATF decision tool.
Medical experts — from former health secretaries to epidemiologists — recommended a modified community quarantine, which will allow the easing of the Luzon lockdown in areas with few or no COVID-19 infections. Even the World Health Organization advised the gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions.
Special adviser to the COVID-19 national task force and health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon suggested that Metro Manila — the region with the most number of cases in the country — should remain on lockdown until May 15. He added other parts of Luzon can opt for a modified quarantine, particularly in provinces considered as COVID-19 hotspots outside the metro, such as Calabarzon and Central Luzon. He said these measures to control movement will further control the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
The decision tool suggested by the IATF involves five stages. First, it a set of minimum health standards for residents and workers as well as ample capacity in the local healthcare system must be established.
Next, the President must consider the geographic risk of outbreaks, then assess age and health-related risks. After than, Duterte must consider which essential sectors can resume operations, and then think about the possible resumption of public transport, Roque said.
"Lahat po 'yan ay rekomendasyon pa lamang for approval of the President. Ang huling narinig ko sa kalihim ng Department of Transportation ay tinitignan nila ang posibilidad na sa areas na posibleng ma-relax ang ECQ, baka up to 30 percent (ang maibalik)," Roque said during a Thursday media briefing. "Kung ikaw po ay nasa ECQ pa rin, baka 'yan ay hindi applicable."
[Translation: All of these are recommendations for the approval of the President. Last I heard from the Secretary of Transportation is that they are looking at the possibility of bringing back up to 30 percent of public transportation capacity in areas where the ECQ may be relaxed. If your area is still under ECQ, that may not be applicable.]
This would entail the "new normal," where strict spacing will be observed in buses, trains, and while in line to commute, he added.
Roque also revealed the IATF's flowchart, which splits the decision-making process into three facets: health, geography, and transportation. Roque said the task force does not recommend to ease the strict quarantine measures if hospitals and quarantine centers in a certain community would not be able to attend to patients who may contract the disease, judging from the estimated rate of reproduction of infections.
"Kapag wala pa ring kapasidad ang health sector to provide medical assistance, acceleration, ECQ pa rin. Kapag ECQ pa rin, walang pinag-uusapan na modification as far as transportation and what-have-you is concerned," said Roque.
Based on the 2018 national data, Metro Manila contributes the largest share of the country’s economy at 36 percent, that is followed by the Calabarzon region with 17 percent, then comes Central Luzon with a share of the country’s gross domestic product at almost 10 percent.
These three regions also have the highest number of COVID-19 patients.
All the health experts tapped to advise Duterte are not recommending a total lockdown over Luzon, the country's biggest island with over 57 million people.
Despite the recommendations, the decision remains on Duterte's hands. Senator and former presidential aide Bong Go said the announcement will be made today, but no other details were provided. The President usually addresses the public in a pre-recorded message aired late at night.
Roque said he last spoke with the President on Tuesday, adding that he is not sure if Duterte will proceed with the important announcement today.
"Si Senator Bong Go ang nagsabi na magdedesisyon siya today. Ang narinig ko pong huli sa bibig mismo ng Presidente, it could have been yesterday, it could have been on April 30 depending on his decision dahil kapag siya ay nag-desisyon na may mga areas na magre-relax ng ECQ ay baka maglabasan ang tao," the MalacaƱang spokesman said, noting that Duterte will make use of the "best advice" from the Cabinet as well as medical experts.
[Translation: It was Senator Bong Go who said that he (Duterte) will decide today. What I last heard from the President’s mouth is that his decision could have been (made) yesterday, it could have been on April 30 depending on his decision, as he feared that people might go out of their homes if he decides to lift the ECQ in some areas.]
There's also a tool proposed by the IATF to determine a population's vulnerability to the disease based on age and preexisting medical conditions, Roque added.
IATF Spokesperson Karlo Norales earlier said that local officials will be more confident to revise the current lockdown guidelines if testing capabilities continue to go up. There are only 17 accredited testing centers nationwide, which can test over 3,000 samples daily.
The Philippines now has 6,981 cases of COVID-19. The country has also been seeing a rise in the number or recoveries, which is now at 722. The death toll has risen to 462.
Roque has repeatedly said that while the ECQ has proven to be effective in slowing down infections, authorities know that concerns on public health must be balanced with the need for people to return to their jobs and make a living.
https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/4/23/Philippines-Luzon-lockdown-enhanced-community-quarantine-Duterte-decision-COVID-19.html
Duterte will meet members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases at 6 p.m., Roque said, as he has received the body's suggested decision-making tools on whether to extend or relax strict stay-at-home rules covering some 57 million people in the island bloc.
Among the IATF's recommendations was to classify Luzon into low, moderate, and high-risk areas for infections, which could be the basis for a shift to a modified community quarantine. Duterte may seek clarifications or more updates during the meeting, Roque said.
Based on this, areas considered as high-risk would have no relaxation of the enhanced community quarantine. Instead, the focus would be in improving the capacity of local healthcare facilities, Roque said. Those deemed of moderate risk may see a modified quarantine and a partial resumption of public transport, while observing strict social distancing measures.
Meanwhile, the lockdown may be lifted in low-risk communities where public transport may be restored, based on the IATF decision tool.
Medical experts — from former health secretaries to epidemiologists — recommended a modified community quarantine, which will allow the easing of the Luzon lockdown in areas with few or no COVID-19 infections. Even the World Health Organization advised the gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions.
Special adviser to the COVID-19 national task force and health reform advocate Dr. Tony Leachon suggested that Metro Manila — the region with the most number of cases in the country — should remain on lockdown until May 15. He added other parts of Luzon can opt for a modified quarantine, particularly in provinces considered as COVID-19 hotspots outside the metro, such as Calabarzon and Central Luzon. He said these measures to control movement will further control the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
The decision tool suggested by the IATF involves five stages. First, it a set of minimum health standards for residents and workers as well as ample capacity in the local healthcare system must be established.
Next, the President must consider the geographic risk of outbreaks, then assess age and health-related risks. After than, Duterte must consider which essential sectors can resume operations, and then think about the possible resumption of public transport, Roque said.
"Lahat po 'yan ay rekomendasyon pa lamang for approval of the President. Ang huling narinig ko sa kalihim ng Department of Transportation ay tinitignan nila ang posibilidad na sa areas na posibleng ma-relax ang ECQ, baka up to 30 percent (ang maibalik)," Roque said during a Thursday media briefing. "Kung ikaw po ay nasa ECQ pa rin, baka 'yan ay hindi applicable."
[Translation: All of these are recommendations for the approval of the President. Last I heard from the Secretary of Transportation is that they are looking at the possibility of bringing back up to 30 percent of public transportation capacity in areas where the ECQ may be relaxed. If your area is still under ECQ, that may not be applicable.]
This would entail the "new normal," where strict spacing will be observed in buses, trains, and while in line to commute, he added.
Roque also revealed the IATF's flowchart, which splits the decision-making process into three facets: health, geography, and transportation. Roque said the task force does not recommend to ease the strict quarantine measures if hospitals and quarantine centers in a certain community would not be able to attend to patients who may contract the disease, judging from the estimated rate of reproduction of infections.
Areas with a more than 70 percent occupancy of critical care facilities and are projected to see cases double in less than a week are deemed in an "acceleration" mode, which merits a sustained ECQ.Roque: Tumataas pa rin ang numero ng COVID-19 cases, pero hindi ito kasintaas ng nae-experience ng ibang bansa. Ang conclusion, gumagana ang ECQ sa pagpapabagal ng pagkalat ng sakit— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) April 23, 2020
"Kapag wala pa ring kapasidad ang health sector to provide medical assistance, acceleration, ECQ pa rin. Kapag ECQ pa rin, walang pinag-uusapan na modification as far as transportation and what-have-you is concerned," said Roque.
Based on the 2018 national data, Metro Manila contributes the largest share of the country’s economy at 36 percent, that is followed by the Calabarzon region with 17 percent, then comes Central Luzon with a share of the country’s gross domestic product at almost 10 percent.
These three regions also have the highest number of COVID-19 patients.
All the health experts tapped to advise Duterte are not recommending a total lockdown over Luzon, the country's biggest island with over 57 million people.
Despite the recommendations, the decision remains on Duterte's hands. Senator and former presidential aide Bong Go said the announcement will be made today, but no other details were provided. The President usually addresses the public in a pre-recorded message aired late at night.
Roque said he last spoke with the President on Tuesday, adding that he is not sure if Duterte will proceed with the important announcement today.
"Si Senator Bong Go ang nagsabi na magdedesisyon siya today. Ang narinig ko pong huli sa bibig mismo ng Presidente, it could have been yesterday, it could have been on April 30 depending on his decision dahil kapag siya ay nag-desisyon na may mga areas na magre-relax ng ECQ ay baka maglabasan ang tao," the MalacaƱang spokesman said, noting that Duterte will make use of the "best advice" from the Cabinet as well as medical experts.
[Translation: It was Senator Bong Go who said that he (Duterte) will decide today. What I last heard from the President’s mouth is that his decision could have been (made) yesterday, it could have been on April 30 depending on his decision, as he feared that people might go out of their homes if he decides to lift the ECQ in some areas.]
There's also a tool proposed by the IATF to determine a population's vulnerability to the disease based on age and preexisting medical conditions, Roque added.
IATF Spokesperson Karlo Norales earlier said that local officials will be more confident to revise the current lockdown guidelines if testing capabilities continue to go up. There are only 17 accredited testing centers nationwide, which can test over 3,000 samples daily.
The Philippines now has 6,981 cases of COVID-19. The country has also been seeing a rise in the number or recoveries, which is now at 722. The death toll has risen to 462.
Roque has repeatedly said that while the ECQ has proven to be effective in slowing down infections, authorities know that concerns on public health must be balanced with the need for people to return to their jobs and make a living.
https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/4/23/Philippines-Luzon-lockdown-enhanced-community-quarantine-Duterte-decision-COVID-19.html
BREAKING: Duterte’s national address on fate of ECQ to air Friday, says Palace
President Rodrigo Duterte’s taped address to the nation on the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine will air Friday at 8 a.m., MalacaƱang said Thursday night.
“PRRD’s address on ECQ will be aired tomorrow at 8 a.m. FYI,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a message to reporters.
The President was supposed to speak to the nation on Thursday night about the fate of enhanced community quarantine, which is set to lapse on April 30.
In mid-March, Duterte placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine to curb the spread of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes the highly contagious respiratory illness COVID-19.
It was supposed to be lifted on April 13 but a two-week extension or until April 30 was consequently approved by the President as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continued to rise.
The strict quarantine measure suspended all public transportation, banned mass gatherings, and shuttered businesses, excluding those involved in food, medicine, and health care.
In a meeting with Duterte earlier this week, MalacaƱang said experts recommended to either retain, relax or lift quarantine measures but only in certain areas depending on the number of its COVID-19 cases.
No suggestions of a “total lockdown” nor an extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine was made, according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
A “gradual” lifting of lockdowns was also recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Health officials have so far confirmed 6,891 COVID-19 cases in the country with 462 fatalities and 722 recoveries.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1263831/breaking-dutertes-national-address-on-fate-of-ecq-to-air-friday-says-palace
“PRRD’s address on ECQ will be aired tomorrow at 8 a.m. FYI,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a message to reporters.
The President was supposed to speak to the nation on Thursday night about the fate of enhanced community quarantine, which is set to lapse on April 30.
In mid-March, Duterte placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine to curb the spread of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes the highly contagious respiratory illness COVID-19.
It was supposed to be lifted on April 13 but a two-week extension or until April 30 was consequently approved by the President as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continued to rise.
The strict quarantine measure suspended all public transportation, banned mass gatherings, and shuttered businesses, excluding those involved in food, medicine, and health care.
In a meeting with Duterte earlier this week, MalacaƱang said experts recommended to either retain, relax or lift quarantine measures but only in certain areas depending on the number of its COVID-19 cases.
No suggestions of a “total lockdown” nor an extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine was made, according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque.
A “gradual” lifting of lockdowns was also recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Health officials have so far confirmed 6,891 COVID-19 cases in the country with 462 fatalities and 722 recoveries.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1263831/breaking-dutertes-national-address-on-fate-of-ecq-to-air-friday-says-palace
UP profs propose longer lockdown
A group of professors from the University of the Philippines (UP) proposed a “sectoral approach” on the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon.
The team, composed of Orville Jose Solon, Toby Monsod, Maria Socorro Gochoco-Bautista, Emmanuel de Dios, Joseph Capuno, Renato Reside Jr., Ma. Joy Abrenica, Agustin Arcenas, Ma. Christina Epetia, Laarni Escresa, Karl Jandoc, Cielo Magno and Carlo Irwin Panelo, recommended “intermittent but limited lockdowns” as a policy tool for local and national public health authorities that can be wielded when necessary.
“Here we propose principles and parameters for how supply chains can be unbundled and organized by sector and quarantine restrictions lifted accordingly, at the same time providing authorities with regular and reliable information on the behavior of the disease on the ground,” the group said in their paper titled “A Sectoral View of Lifting the Lockdown and the Use of Sample-based Random Testing,” which was obtained by The Manila Times.
The economics experts assumed that the lockdown could be a “stable long-term scenario” that might occur “only 18 months from now” when a vaccine is expected to be available.
They also identified sectors along two dimensions, “high” or “low,” based on how the sectors sustain the economy over the next year and a half, and their potential contribution to the spread of the coronavirus.
The paper said goods and services involved in the supply chains for food and essential goods, as well as occupations involved in public works, private construction and business process outsourcing (BPOs) are considered “high” sectors, while the remaining ones are considered “low.”
The paper also points out those “high-risk” spreader occupations, such as those involved in logistics and transportation networks, food distribution and retail networks, hotel and restaurant, and other entertainment/retail networks (malls, theaters, casinos). Other occupations would be “low-risk” spreaders.
The group is proposing the lifting of the restriction on movement for family subsistence agriculture workers, excluding those 60 years old and/or with comorbidities.
It also proposed mandatory basic safety measures like physical distancing, wearing face masks, coughing manners and handwashing.
Constraint movement for workers in food and agricultural production, banking and finance institutions, telecommunications, and BPOs should be lifted as well, provided that basic safety measures and periodic sample-based random testing should be implemented.
Meanwhile, establishments such as malls, theaters, resorts, casinos, schools and educational institutions should remain closed, the group suggested.
The group said movements from the logistics and transport networks, food distribution and retail networks including public markets and restaurants; private security and public/construction works will also be lifted but will be required to do regular sample-based testing.
Dine-in services should remain prohibited, and work-from home arrangements should be maintained until a vaccine or cure is available, it added.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/04/23/news/top-stories/up-profs-propose-longer-lockdown/717537/
The team, composed of Orville Jose Solon, Toby Monsod, Maria Socorro Gochoco-Bautista, Emmanuel de Dios, Joseph Capuno, Renato Reside Jr., Ma. Joy Abrenica, Agustin Arcenas, Ma. Christina Epetia, Laarni Escresa, Karl Jandoc, Cielo Magno and Carlo Irwin Panelo, recommended “intermittent but limited lockdowns” as a policy tool for local and national public health authorities that can be wielded when necessary.
“Here we propose principles and parameters for how supply chains can be unbundled and organized by sector and quarantine restrictions lifted accordingly, at the same time providing authorities with regular and reliable information on the behavior of the disease on the ground,” the group said in their paper titled “A Sectoral View of Lifting the Lockdown and the Use of Sample-based Random Testing,” which was obtained by The Manila Times.
The economics experts assumed that the lockdown could be a “stable long-term scenario” that might occur “only 18 months from now” when a vaccine is expected to be available.
They also identified sectors along two dimensions, “high” or “low,” based on how the sectors sustain the economy over the next year and a half, and their potential contribution to the spread of the coronavirus.
The paper said goods and services involved in the supply chains for food and essential goods, as well as occupations involved in public works, private construction and business process outsourcing (BPOs) are considered “high” sectors, while the remaining ones are considered “low.”
The paper also points out those “high-risk” spreader occupations, such as those involved in logistics and transportation networks, food distribution and retail networks, hotel and restaurant, and other entertainment/retail networks (malls, theaters, casinos). Other occupations would be “low-risk” spreaders.
The group is proposing the lifting of the restriction on movement for family subsistence agriculture workers, excluding those 60 years old and/or with comorbidities.
It also proposed mandatory basic safety measures like physical distancing, wearing face masks, coughing manners and handwashing.
Constraint movement for workers in food and agricultural production, banking and finance institutions, telecommunications, and BPOs should be lifted as well, provided that basic safety measures and periodic sample-based random testing should be implemented.
Meanwhile, establishments such as malls, theaters, resorts, casinos, schools and educational institutions should remain closed, the group suggested.
The group said movements from the logistics and transport networks, food distribution and retail networks including public markets and restaurants; private security and public/construction works will also be lifted but will be required to do regular sample-based testing.
Dine-in services should remain prohibited, and work-from home arrangements should be maintained until a vaccine or cure is available, it added.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/04/23/news/top-stories/up-profs-propose-longer-lockdown/717537/
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Luzon lockdown may continue if coronavirus infections spike
A LUZON-wide lockdown probably won’t be lifted if coronavirus infections continue to soar, the government’s chief enforcer of policies against the pandemic said on Tuesday night.
The Philippines “cannot rush into normalcy,” Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. told a news briefing, noting that cases could enter a “second wave” similar to what happened in Singapore if the lockdown was lifted sooner.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island on March 17, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the outbreak. The so-called enhanced community quarantine was supposed to end on April 13 but he extended it by two more weeks until April 30.
Mr. Duterte said people should stay home and go out only to buy food and other basic goods.
“We need to continue and heighten the enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine,” Mr. Galvez said in Filipino. “While doing this, it’s better if we also conduct mass testing to locate, test, isolate and cure patients.”
Presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque told Radyo Pilipinas on Wednesday Mr. Duterte was still studying his options, adding that totally lifting the lockdown was out of the question.
The government was considering limiting the lockdown to certain areas as recommended by health experts to Mr. Duterte on Monday, he said.
“The enhanced community quarantine may be enforced in the entire province, city or at the village level,” Mr. Roque said in Filipino. “That is one of the options the President is considering.”
Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, Mr. Duterte’s close friend and former aide has said the President would probably announce his decision on Thursday.
Also yesterday, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said a task force made up of Cabinet secretaries against COVID-19 should base its lockdown recommendations on scientific evidence.
“NEDA is recommending to make the decision based on scientific evidence on the risk of transmission of the virus if we modify or lift the enhanced community quarantine,” Acting Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said in a Viber message.
Business groups have urged government to do a calibrated reopening of the economy after April 30 and allow businesses to partially operate again.
“What people want to see is hopefully for the economy to start resuming in stages for them to able to start working,” British Chamber of Commerce Philippines Executive Director Chris Nelson told the ABS-CBN News Channel yesterday.
”Companies want to be able to get their cash flow going because liquidity is important,” he said.
Mr. Chua said at a briefing it would probably be safe for people to go back to work by June or July, assuming the government can test at least 5,000 people daily.
Also yesterday, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III called for a modified lockdown.
“We need to extend the lockdown but with modifications,” he told DZMM radio.
Mr. Sotto said areas with zero or few cases may be allowed to lift the lockdown provided social distancing measures are maintained. Places hit hard by the virus such as Metro Manila should still be locked down, he added.
Local governments may relax public transportation restrictions, Mr. Sotto said. Tricycles may be allowed to operate again but only with one passenger, he added.
Mr. Sotto on Monday attended a meeting where health experts explained lockdown options to Mr. Duterte.
Mr. Sotto said health experts had warned of a spike in infections once the lockdown is lifted.
Meanwhile, University of the Philippines professors said lifting the lockdown should be done gradually and selectively.
This first approach considers resuming mobility within the village, then within cities and municipalities, and then between cities, the academic experts said in a research paper published on April 21.
The second approach seeks to revive economic activity beginning with highly important sectors to sustain the economy in the next 18 months, they added. — Gillian M. Cortez, Charmaine A. Tadalan and Beatrice M. Laforga
https://www.bworldonline.com/luzon-lockdown-may-continue-if-coronavirus-infections-spike/
The Philippines “cannot rush into normalcy,” Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. told a news briefing, noting that cases could enter a “second wave” similar to what happened in Singapore if the lockdown was lifted sooner.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island on March 17, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the outbreak. The so-called enhanced community quarantine was supposed to end on April 13 but he extended it by two more weeks until April 30.
Mr. Duterte said people should stay home and go out only to buy food and other basic goods.
“We need to continue and heighten the enforcement of the enhanced community quarantine,” Mr. Galvez said in Filipino. “While doing this, it’s better if we also conduct mass testing to locate, test, isolate and cure patients.”
Presidential spokesman Harry L. Roque told Radyo Pilipinas on Wednesday Mr. Duterte was still studying his options, adding that totally lifting the lockdown was out of the question.
The government was considering limiting the lockdown to certain areas as recommended by health experts to Mr. Duterte on Monday, he said.
“The enhanced community quarantine may be enforced in the entire province, city or at the village level,” Mr. Roque said in Filipino. “That is one of the options the President is considering.”
Senator Christopher Lawrence T. Go, Mr. Duterte’s close friend and former aide has said the President would probably announce his decision on Thursday.
Also yesterday, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said a task force made up of Cabinet secretaries against COVID-19 should base its lockdown recommendations on scientific evidence.
“NEDA is recommending to make the decision based on scientific evidence on the risk of transmission of the virus if we modify or lift the enhanced community quarantine,” Acting Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua said in a Viber message.
Business groups have urged government to do a calibrated reopening of the economy after April 30 and allow businesses to partially operate again.
“What people want to see is hopefully for the economy to start resuming in stages for them to able to start working,” British Chamber of Commerce Philippines Executive Director Chris Nelson told the ABS-CBN News Channel yesterday.
”Companies want to be able to get their cash flow going because liquidity is important,” he said.
Mr. Chua said at a briefing it would probably be safe for people to go back to work by June or July, assuming the government can test at least 5,000 people daily.
Also yesterday, Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III called for a modified lockdown.
“We need to extend the lockdown but with modifications,” he told DZMM radio.
Mr. Sotto said areas with zero or few cases may be allowed to lift the lockdown provided social distancing measures are maintained. Places hit hard by the virus such as Metro Manila should still be locked down, he added.
Local governments may relax public transportation restrictions, Mr. Sotto said. Tricycles may be allowed to operate again but only with one passenger, he added.
Mr. Sotto on Monday attended a meeting where health experts explained lockdown options to Mr. Duterte.
Mr. Sotto said health experts had warned of a spike in infections once the lockdown is lifted.
Meanwhile, University of the Philippines professors said lifting the lockdown should be done gradually and selectively.
This first approach considers resuming mobility within the village, then within cities and municipalities, and then between cities, the academic experts said in a research paper published on April 21.
The second approach seeks to revive economic activity beginning with highly important sectors to sustain the economy in the next 18 months, they added. — Gillian M. Cortez, Charmaine A. Tadalan and Beatrice M. Laforga
https://www.bworldonline.com/luzon-lockdown-may-continue-if-coronavirus-infections-spike/
Duterte told to limit lockdown to some areas and industries
HEALTH experts on Monday advised President Rodrigo R. Duterte to limit the lockdown to certain areas and industries, while expanding the government’s testing capacity to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
“The more we expand our testing capacity, the more we have confidence in modifying the quarantine,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said at a briefing on Tuesday.
Mr. Nograles, who also speaks for an inter-agency task force against the virus, said the President needed more time before deciding on the lockdown that started on March 17. It was supposed to end on April 13 but he extended it by two more weeks until April 30.
“It’s not an easy decision,” Mr. Nograles said, adding that Mr. Duterte has until the end of the week to make up his mind.
The President needs more data before deciding on the so-called enhanced community quarantine, his spokesman Harry L. Roque said at a separate news briefing.
He said the experts had told Mr. Duterte to either relax or lift the Luzon-wide lockdown in areas where there are not too many COVID-19 cases.
The task force will keep in mind the guidelines of the World Health Organization, which had warned of a spike in cases worldwide if the lockdowns were lifted too soon.
Also yesterday, Party-list Rep. Virgilio S. Lacson said the lockdown should be relaxed in some areas to allow micro, small and medium enterprises and informal entrepreneurs to resume business.
The relaxed quarantine should be enforced by villages because they know the needs of their communities, the congressman said in a committee report.
Small business should be allowed to operate while the local governments monitor them for compliance with social distancing and disinfection measures to contain the pandemic, he said. — Gillian M. Cortez and Genshen L. Espedido
https://www.bworldonline.com/duterte-told-to-limit-lockdown-to-some-areas-and-industries/
“The more we expand our testing capacity, the more we have confidence in modifying the quarantine,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles said at a briefing on Tuesday.
Mr. Nograles, who also speaks for an inter-agency task force against the virus, said the President needed more time before deciding on the lockdown that started on March 17. It was supposed to end on April 13 but he extended it by two more weeks until April 30.
“It’s not an easy decision,” Mr. Nograles said, adding that Mr. Duterte has until the end of the week to make up his mind.
The President needs more data before deciding on the so-called enhanced community quarantine, his spokesman Harry L. Roque said at a separate news briefing.
He said the experts had told Mr. Duterte to either relax or lift the Luzon-wide lockdown in areas where there are not too many COVID-19 cases.
The task force will keep in mind the guidelines of the World Health Organization, which had warned of a spike in cases worldwide if the lockdowns were lifted too soon.
Also yesterday, Party-list Rep. Virgilio S. Lacson said the lockdown should be relaxed in some areas to allow micro, small and medium enterprises and informal entrepreneurs to resume business.
The relaxed quarantine should be enforced by villages because they know the needs of their communities, the congressman said in a committee report.
Small business should be allowed to operate while the local governments monitor them for compliance with social distancing and disinfection measures to contain the pandemic, he said. — Gillian M. Cortez and Genshen L. Espedido
https://www.bworldonline.com/duterte-told-to-limit-lockdown-to-some-areas-and-industries/
Duterte to decide fate of Luzon lockdown on April 23; modified quarantine possible
President Rodrigo Duterte will decide on the fate of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon on Thursday, April 23, to give Filipinos ample time to prepare for possible changes, his former aide Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go said Tuesday.
Duterte will meet with the country's pandemic task force on the same day, Go said. There is a possibility that the enhanced community quarantine will be modified, he added.
"Ngayon po ay pinag-aaralang mabuti at ngayong Huwebes ay magdedesisyon ang ating Pangulo. Ipupulong niya ulit 'yung ilang miyembro ng ating inter-agency task force," the lawmaker told radio DZMM.
(Now that is being studied and this Thursday the President will decide. He will again meet with some members of the inter-agency task force.)
The decision will come a week before the extended lockdown in Luzon is scheduled to expire.
The President on Monday met with medical experts, including former secretaries of the Department of Health, to get their views on the government's next move in containing the spread of COVID-19.
MalacaƱang said options that were discussed are relaxing the lockdown in some areas, lifting it in areas that have few COVID-19 cases, and retaining the lockdown in areas with a high number of cases.
So far, MalacaƱang said COVID-19 cases are high in Metro Manila, parts of Bulacan, and the Southern Tagalog Region (Calabarzon).
Should the government decide to extend the enhanced community quarantine in certain areas, Go said the President is appealing to authorities to strictly enforce COVID-19 protocols.
"It will serve as a challenge sa lahat ng mga probinsya na hindi ibig sabihin na kung modified na kayo ay luwangan na ninyo at normal na," the senator added.
(If the lockdown will be modified in your area, it doesn't mean that you will be complacent and that the situation is already normal.)
Over 50 million people were forced to stay home as Luzon was placed under lockdown on March 17 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The lockdown, which was supposed to end on April 12, was extended until April 30 as the government said it needed more time to prepare for a "new normal."
“It’s not an easy decision to come up with and we still have time for the President to give his decision,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, also the spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the COVID-19 pandemic said on Tuesday.
"[The President] needs more time basically," Nograles said.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/21/20/duterte-to-decide-on-fate-of-luzon-lockdown-on-april-23-modified-lockdown-possible
Duterte will meet with the country's pandemic task force on the same day, Go said. There is a possibility that the enhanced community quarantine will be modified, he added.
"Ngayon po ay pinag-aaralang mabuti at ngayong Huwebes ay magdedesisyon ang ating Pangulo. Ipupulong niya ulit 'yung ilang miyembro ng ating inter-agency task force," the lawmaker told radio DZMM.
(Now that is being studied and this Thursday the President will decide. He will again meet with some members of the inter-agency task force.)
The decision will come a week before the extended lockdown in Luzon is scheduled to expire.
The President on Monday met with medical experts, including former secretaries of the Department of Health, to get their views on the government's next move in containing the spread of COVID-19.
MalacaƱang said options that were discussed are relaxing the lockdown in some areas, lifting it in areas that have few COVID-19 cases, and retaining the lockdown in areas with a high number of cases.
So far, MalacaƱang said COVID-19 cases are high in Metro Manila, parts of Bulacan, and the Southern Tagalog Region (Calabarzon).
Should the government decide to extend the enhanced community quarantine in certain areas, Go said the President is appealing to authorities to strictly enforce COVID-19 protocols.
"It will serve as a challenge sa lahat ng mga probinsya na hindi ibig sabihin na kung modified na kayo ay luwangan na ninyo at normal na," the senator added.
(If the lockdown will be modified in your area, it doesn't mean that you will be complacent and that the situation is already normal.)
Over 50 million people were forced to stay home as Luzon was placed under lockdown on March 17 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
The lockdown, which was supposed to end on April 12, was extended until April 30 as the government said it needed more time to prepare for a "new normal."
“It’s not an easy decision to come up with and we still have time for the President to give his decision,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, also the spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the COVID-19 pandemic said on Tuesday.
"[The President] needs more time basically," Nograles said.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/21/20/duterte-to-decide-on-fate-of-luzon-lockdown-on-april-23-modified-lockdown-possible
What’s next?
It is good to know that President Duterte met with a wider panel of experts last Monday. He needs help as he decides whether to lift the enhanced community quarantine by month’s end or extend it. It is not an easy decision to make.
Some view it as choosing between saving lives or saving the economy. It is more complicated than that. While continuing the lockdown will slow down infection in our population, it will also kill a lot of businesses and livelihoods that could result in a social breakdown.
It is a given that we will continue to be vulnerable to infection by the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 beyond April 30. The virus will remain an ever-present threat in the next two years or so.
The lockdown we endured was not supposed to eradicate the virus, but to slow its infection of our population. We needed to do that so our hospitals will not be deluged with more patients than they can handle. We also needed time to scale up our testing.
But the lockdown is such a drastic and expensive move. We actually closed the economy down. Jobs were lost and those who are paid by the day have nowhere to turn to.
Sure… the government allocated some P200 billion to help the poor survive in the meantime, but the execution of the plan left out many who need help.
Obviously, the lockdown must end or be modified soon. Doctors and other health scientists say it is the only viable option in our toolbox until a vaccine comes around. But a continued lockdown is so distressing to everybody that some other way must be devised.
Government is considering a phase-by-phase lifting of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned against abruptly lifting lockdowns. Crafting just the right strategy is keeping our officials busy.
There are discussions on which industries and sectors would be allowed to resume operations, whether the quarantine should still cover the entire island of Luzon, or only selected areas.
For example, DOTr sought and got approval to restart work on fixing the rails used by MRT3. Other major infra projects should also be allowed to resume.
At the very least, DPWH should be allowed to resume its rehabilitation (or reblocking) of EDSA and C5 to take advantage of low traffic volume. Priority infra projects like the Stage3 SLEX-NLEX connector project of San Miguel should be allowed to resume work.
There was a media report of many construction workers stranded in MetroManila during the lockdown, unable to return to their homes in the provinces. They have problems surviving the no-work situation. Not all construction companies can afford to sustain them in the meantime.
Indeed, given their sordid living conditions in many construction areas, we may have a situation similar to Singapore where the resurgence of the virus happened in crowded barracks where migrant workers live. If work resumes, contractors can be held responsible for their well-being.
Limited public transport should be allowed in a modified community quarantine. This will allow workers from vital industries like food processing to easily get to work. Even as some essential industries like food manufacturers are claiming continued operations, the high utilization capacity cannot be sustained unless workers can easily get to work.
We have to accept many reasonable fixes to the quarantine rules because we will not have a cure or a vaccine soon. Experts talk of a vaccine being at least 18 months away.
In other words, we have to learn to live with the virus by working around it. This makes it important for doctors and other experts (healthcare, logistics, supply chains of essential goods and services, economics) to agree on a balanced program.
There are basics to bear in mind. The first is to know how badly the virus has infected our population and where are the hot spots. This is why mass testing is important.
Government claims they are now doing mass testing. But they are silent on how they are doing it.
Ideally, we should test a random sample of the population. We may not have enough test kits to do that now so maybe they are doing a more targeted testing. That’s not so bad.
Doing targeted rapid testing in Valenzuela that went beyond the guidelines of DOH (to limit the tests to those with symptoms), revealed a number of infected people who showed no symptoms.
It happened in Boston too. They were surprised that of the 397 people tested in a homeless shelter, 146 people tested positive. Not a single one had any symptoms.
We just don’t know how many asymptomatic people there are out there who are contagious. Unless we do, it will be difficult to lift lockdown. Honestly, we don’t know what must be done to contain the virus unless we know how badly it is entrenched and where.
The proper use of rapid tests will enable companies and communities to screen people who can return to work versus those who must remain under quarantine or go for confirmatory testing. This will allow healthy people to resume work with the confidence they are working with similarly healthy people.
Of course, the use of face masks and other safety protocols must be practiced by all to avoid catching and spreading the virus.
Then comes isolating. We have finally built a good number of isolation facilities to confine those suspected until they test negative. This prevents infection of their families and communities. Then do contact tracing.
Then we do testing, isolating and contact tracing all over again to find out how the virus is progressing and where. Unless we know, how can we properly respond?
As Bill Luz of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation puts it, “we need to transition from lockdown to livelihood. We have to balance this delicate equation so we don’t exacerbate this already-difficult situation.
Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco
https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/04/22/2008802/whats-next
Some view it as choosing between saving lives or saving the economy. It is more complicated than that. While continuing the lockdown will slow down infection in our population, it will also kill a lot of businesses and livelihoods that could result in a social breakdown.
It is a given that we will continue to be vulnerable to infection by the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 beyond April 30. The virus will remain an ever-present threat in the next two years or so.
The lockdown we endured was not supposed to eradicate the virus, but to slow its infection of our population. We needed to do that so our hospitals will not be deluged with more patients than they can handle. We also needed time to scale up our testing.
But the lockdown is such a drastic and expensive move. We actually closed the economy down. Jobs were lost and those who are paid by the day have nowhere to turn to.
Sure… the government allocated some P200 billion to help the poor survive in the meantime, but the execution of the plan left out many who need help.
Obviously, the lockdown must end or be modified soon. Doctors and other health scientists say it is the only viable option in our toolbox until a vaccine comes around. But a continued lockdown is so distressing to everybody that some other way must be devised.
Government is considering a phase-by-phase lifting of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned against abruptly lifting lockdowns. Crafting just the right strategy is keeping our officials busy.
There are discussions on which industries and sectors would be allowed to resume operations, whether the quarantine should still cover the entire island of Luzon, or only selected areas.
For example, DOTr sought and got approval to restart work on fixing the rails used by MRT3. Other major infra projects should also be allowed to resume.
At the very least, DPWH should be allowed to resume its rehabilitation (or reblocking) of EDSA and C5 to take advantage of low traffic volume. Priority infra projects like the Stage3 SLEX-NLEX connector project of San Miguel should be allowed to resume work.
There was a media report of many construction workers stranded in MetroManila during the lockdown, unable to return to their homes in the provinces. They have problems surviving the no-work situation. Not all construction companies can afford to sustain them in the meantime.
Indeed, given their sordid living conditions in many construction areas, we may have a situation similar to Singapore where the resurgence of the virus happened in crowded barracks where migrant workers live. If work resumes, contractors can be held responsible for their well-being.
Limited public transport should be allowed in a modified community quarantine. This will allow workers from vital industries like food processing to easily get to work. Even as some essential industries like food manufacturers are claiming continued operations, the high utilization capacity cannot be sustained unless workers can easily get to work.
We have to accept many reasonable fixes to the quarantine rules because we will not have a cure or a vaccine soon. Experts talk of a vaccine being at least 18 months away.
In other words, we have to learn to live with the virus by working around it. This makes it important for doctors and other experts (healthcare, logistics, supply chains of essential goods and services, economics) to agree on a balanced program.
There are basics to bear in mind. The first is to know how badly the virus has infected our population and where are the hot spots. This is why mass testing is important.
Government claims they are now doing mass testing. But they are silent on how they are doing it.
Ideally, we should test a random sample of the population. We may not have enough test kits to do that now so maybe they are doing a more targeted testing. That’s not so bad.
Doing targeted rapid testing in Valenzuela that went beyond the guidelines of DOH (to limit the tests to those with symptoms), revealed a number of infected people who showed no symptoms.
It happened in Boston too. They were surprised that of the 397 people tested in a homeless shelter, 146 people tested positive. Not a single one had any symptoms.
We just don’t know how many asymptomatic people there are out there who are contagious. Unless we do, it will be difficult to lift lockdown. Honestly, we don’t know what must be done to contain the virus unless we know how badly it is entrenched and where.
The proper use of rapid tests will enable companies and communities to screen people who can return to work versus those who must remain under quarantine or go for confirmatory testing. This will allow healthy people to resume work with the confidence they are working with similarly healthy people.
Of course, the use of face masks and other safety protocols must be practiced by all to avoid catching and spreading the virus.
Then comes isolating. We have finally built a good number of isolation facilities to confine those suspected until they test negative. This prevents infection of their families and communities. Then do contact tracing.
Then we do testing, isolating and contact tracing all over again to find out how the virus is progressing and where. Unless we know, how can we properly respond?
As Bill Luz of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation puts it, “we need to transition from lockdown to livelihood. We have to balance this delicate equation so we don’t exacerbate this already-difficult situation.
Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco
https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/04/22/2008802/whats-next
Rody makes time for ECQ decision
There is no definite decision yet on whether to lift or extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), or the euphemism for lockdown being implemented all over Luzon. While the country remains vulnerable to the continuing spread of the deadly flu-like contagion called as the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), President Rodrigo Duterte is obviously keeping his options open amid the ongoing debate whether to carry out a calibrated lifting of ECQ and adopt instead a “modified” version of the current Luzon-wide lockdown, or extend it anew.
This comes at the heels of growing fears and concerns on the looming economic disaster that COVID-19 contagion has caused the country since it has been enforced on March 15. A week before the original month-long ECQ was to lapse last April 14, President Duterte extended it for another 15 days ending this April 30.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, official spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Infectious and Emerging Diseases (IATF-EID), admitted yesterday they have not reached consensus of what to recommend to President Duterte. According to him, the President told the IATF to go back to the drawing board and fine-tune the various proposals.
This included proposals from the Duterte economic managers like presidential adviser Jose “Joey” Concepcion who is pushing for a modified ECQ. Concepcion urged to allow the return of workers to presently classified non-essential production activities but under strict physical distancing safeguards to prevent COVID-19 infection.
The President invited leaders of the 18th Congress, namely Senate president Vicente Sotto III and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano to sit down in a meeting last Monday at Malacanang with the IATF members chaired by Health Secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III. Obviously, this was to take into consideration the political side of the ECQ and COVID-19 related issues and matter.
But the most important meeting the President had that day was consulting with the former secretaries of the Department of Health (DOH) – all medical doctors themselves who served during the previous administrations. They included ex-DOH Secretaries Janet Garin, Esperanza Cabral, Jaime Galvez-Tan, and Susan Mercado. Also invited were other public and private health and medical practitioners doctors Anthony Leachon, Ana Lisa Ong Lim, Marissa Alenjandria, Katherine Ann Reyes and Alfredo Lagmay. For a change, we are seeing a more consultative approach of the government in trying to get inputs and recommendations from all health and medical authorities and experts.
In a public health crisis like COVID-19 contagion we are having now, it would do well to listen to the men and women in white coats.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque who attended the meeting with the ex-DOH officials noted there seemed to be “almost a consensus” among them to adopt a “modified,” or relaxing certain ECQ regulations without compromising the protection of healthy Filipinos from COVID-19 infection. Roque disclosed President Duterte talked sparingly but listened more to the individual briefings.
In fact, Roque listed down five specific questions propounded by the former Davao City Mayor during the meeting:
“What will happen if he (President) lifts ECQ to certain kinds of people?”
“What good will lifting or relaxing ECQ give to certain sectors of society?”
“How many people will die if ECQ is lifted, modified or retained?”
“Is there a possibility of a second wave of COVID if ECQ is relaxed or lifted?”
“If people are allowed to go out of their homes, is there a danger for the disease to spike anew or is this just really round one of COVID?”
Whether or not to extend the ECQ, both Roque and Nograles reiterated, President Duterte would be guided by “science-based” decision and guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the quarantine measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Nograles even enumerated the following official interim guidelines of the WHO to COVID-affected countries before adjusting public health and social measures:
• COVID-19 transmission is controlled
• Sufficient public health workforce and health system capacities are in place
• Outbreak risks in high-vulnerability settings are minimized
• Preventive measures are established in workplaces
• Manage the risk of exporting and importing cases from communities with high risks of transmission
• Communities are fully engaged.
If done prematurely, the WHO warned yesterday this could trigger a “second wave” or resurgence of cases of COVID-19 infection. In a virtual press conference, Dr. Takeshi Kasai, WHO regional director for Western Pacific issued this piece of advice: “Lifting of lockdowns needs to be done gradually. I’m sure nobody wants to see another spike by lifting restrictions so soon.”
“If restrictions are relaxed before strong systems are in place to identify, isolate, and care for sick and tracing their contact, this will likely lead to a resurgence of disease,” Kasai warned.
This reminded me of another warning earlier echoed by American doctor, Anthony Fauci who is currently the director of the National Institutes of Health in the United States. Dr. Fauci is better known for initiating research for the treatment and cure of acquired immunity deficiency syndrome-human immuno-virus (AIDS-HIV) when it became a global pandemic in the 1980’s.
Dr. Fauci has served as consultant to six US Presidents in the past. At present, President Donald Trump also sought the expertise of now 74-year old Dr. Fauci to help guide the White House on policies to contain the COVID-19 pandemic contagion that have caused already thousands of deaths in the US. When Mr.Trump announced his plans to ease up by Easter (April 12) the US government COVID-19 restrictions, Dr. Fauci spoke against it during a CNN interview: “You don’t make the timeline. The virus makes the timeline.”
After having an 18-minute telephone talk with Mr.Trump last Sunday, President Duterte has perhaps heard already the advice of Dr. Fauci. This is why President Duterte is taking time before making a final decision on the ECQ.
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2020/04/22/2008886/rody-makes-time-ecq-decision
This comes at the heels of growing fears and concerns on the looming economic disaster that COVID-19 contagion has caused the country since it has been enforced on March 15. A week before the original month-long ECQ was to lapse last April 14, President Duterte extended it for another 15 days ending this April 30.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, official spokesman of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Infectious and Emerging Diseases (IATF-EID), admitted yesterday they have not reached consensus of what to recommend to President Duterte. According to him, the President told the IATF to go back to the drawing board and fine-tune the various proposals.
This included proposals from the Duterte economic managers like presidential adviser Jose “Joey” Concepcion who is pushing for a modified ECQ. Concepcion urged to allow the return of workers to presently classified non-essential production activities but under strict physical distancing safeguards to prevent COVID-19 infection.
The President invited leaders of the 18th Congress, namely Senate president Vicente Sotto III and Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano to sit down in a meeting last Monday at Malacanang with the IATF members chaired by Health Secretary Dr. Francisco Duque III. Obviously, this was to take into consideration the political side of the ECQ and COVID-19 related issues and matter.
But the most important meeting the President had that day was consulting with the former secretaries of the Department of Health (DOH) – all medical doctors themselves who served during the previous administrations. They included ex-DOH Secretaries Janet Garin, Esperanza Cabral, Jaime Galvez-Tan, and Susan Mercado. Also invited were other public and private health and medical practitioners doctors Anthony Leachon, Ana Lisa Ong Lim, Marissa Alenjandria, Katherine Ann Reyes and Alfredo Lagmay. For a change, we are seeing a more consultative approach of the government in trying to get inputs and recommendations from all health and medical authorities and experts.
In a public health crisis like COVID-19 contagion we are having now, it would do well to listen to the men and women in white coats.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque who attended the meeting with the ex-DOH officials noted there seemed to be “almost a consensus” among them to adopt a “modified,” or relaxing certain ECQ regulations without compromising the protection of healthy Filipinos from COVID-19 infection. Roque disclosed President Duterte talked sparingly but listened more to the individual briefings.
In fact, Roque listed down five specific questions propounded by the former Davao City Mayor during the meeting:
“What will happen if he (President) lifts ECQ to certain kinds of people?”
“What good will lifting or relaxing ECQ give to certain sectors of society?”
“How many people will die if ECQ is lifted, modified or retained?”
“Is there a possibility of a second wave of COVID if ECQ is relaxed or lifted?”
“If people are allowed to go out of their homes, is there a danger for the disease to spike anew or is this just really round one of COVID?”
Whether or not to extend the ECQ, both Roque and Nograles reiterated, President Duterte would be guided by “science-based” decision and guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) on the quarantine measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Nograles even enumerated the following official interim guidelines of the WHO to COVID-affected countries before adjusting public health and social measures:
• COVID-19 transmission is controlled
• Sufficient public health workforce and health system capacities are in place
• Outbreak risks in high-vulnerability settings are minimized
• Preventive measures are established in workplaces
• Manage the risk of exporting and importing cases from communities with high risks of transmission
• Communities are fully engaged.
If done prematurely, the WHO warned yesterday this could trigger a “second wave” or resurgence of cases of COVID-19 infection. In a virtual press conference, Dr. Takeshi Kasai, WHO regional director for Western Pacific issued this piece of advice: “Lifting of lockdowns needs to be done gradually. I’m sure nobody wants to see another spike by lifting restrictions so soon.”
“If restrictions are relaxed before strong systems are in place to identify, isolate, and care for sick and tracing their contact, this will likely lead to a resurgence of disease,” Kasai warned.
This reminded me of another warning earlier echoed by American doctor, Anthony Fauci who is currently the director of the National Institutes of Health in the United States. Dr. Fauci is better known for initiating research for the treatment and cure of acquired immunity deficiency syndrome-human immuno-virus (AIDS-HIV) when it became a global pandemic in the 1980’s.
Dr. Fauci has served as consultant to six US Presidents in the past. At present, President Donald Trump also sought the expertise of now 74-year old Dr. Fauci to help guide the White House on policies to contain the COVID-19 pandemic contagion that have caused already thousands of deaths in the US. When Mr.Trump announced his plans to ease up by Easter (April 12) the US government COVID-19 restrictions, Dr. Fauci spoke against it during a CNN interview: “You don’t make the timeline. The virus makes the timeline.”
After having an 18-minute telephone talk with Mr.Trump last Sunday, President Duterte has perhaps heard already the advice of Dr. Fauci. This is why President Duterte is taking time before making a final decision on the ECQ.
https://www.philstar.com/opinion/2020/04/22/2008886/rody-makes-time-ecq-decision
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)