PH AIMS TO VACCINATE 300,000 DAILY WHEN BULK OF COVID-19 JABS ARRIVES

MANILA - The Philippines aims to vaccinate some 250,000 to 300,000 citizens against COVID-19 every day when the bulk of its vaccine supply arrives this year, an official said Wednesday.

The country began its immunization last week following the arrival of donated vaccines from Chinese drugmaker Sinovac and global alliance COVAX Facility.

Government earlier said it aims to inoculate 50 to 70 million adults, or two-thirds of the country's 108 million people this year to achieve herd immunity.

"We have a goal of inoculating of about 50 million Filipinos this year. To achieve that target we need to, for the remainder of the year, especially when the bulk of the vaccine comes in, give roughly about 250,000 to 300,000 per day," Secretary Vince Dizon told ANC's Headstart.

"In the initial stages it will be really difficult to measure this and have a steady state of inoculations per day simply because our supplies are just trickling in at the moment."

The Philippines has so far received more than 1.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for its health workers. Of this figure, 600,000 were CoronaVac jabs and 500,000 doses were from AstraZeneca.

DUTERTE TO ROBREDO: I AM NOT PIKON

MANILA — While he’s not quick tempered, Vice President Leni Robredo’s supposed peddling of “half-truths” about the safety of COVID-19 shots has “irritated” him, according to President Duterte.

“Hindi ako mapikon...hindi ko sarili ito (I am not quick to anger. It’s not me),” Duterte said during a pre-recorded public address last Monday.

“I am angry, but not so angry that I want to kill someone. Anger that is more of an irritation. I was irritated by the words that you said,” he added.

Robredo had called Duterte pikon, or short-tempered.

Duterte said Robredo’s recent remarks had cast doubts on the safety of COVID-19 shots at a time when the government is convincing health workers to get themselves vaccinated.

Robredo previously said the vaccines developed by Chinese drug maker Sinovac should be reviewed by the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) before they are given to health workers.

Malacañang has disputed this, saying health technology assessment is only recommendatory to the health department under the law.

Robredo made the recommendation after it was revealed that the China-made vaccines only posted a 50.4 percent efficacy rate among health care workers exposed to COVID-19.

LAWYERS URGE SC TO REVIEW RULES ON SEARCH WARRANTS

MANILA — The "Bloody Sunday" killings of 9 activists in the Calabarzon region have highlighted concerns about the service of search warrants while 2 recent quashals of search warrants indicated the problem starts right from the very beginning — the application for such warrants.

Human rights lawyers are now suggesting several proposals ranging from the use of body cameras during enforcement of search warrants to automatic review of the case. They also propose making the records for the application of the search warrant immediately available to those arrested.

At a forum Tuesday on attacks against lawyers and petitioners who challenged the Anti-Terrorism Act before the Supreme Court, lawyers were one in saying the high court needs to review and clarify its guidelines for search warrants.

Among the suggestions, require police and law enforcement agents to wear body cameras in serving search warrants.

“Kung gagawin ng Supreme Court halimbawa na i-require lahat ng service ng search warrant na may body cameras lahat ng police officers o law enforcement officers na magserve ng search warrant, maiiwasan natin yung mga gawa-gawang istorya,” said lawyer Evalyn Ursua.

“Kailangan kasi, malinaw ano ba ang nangyari. Hindi tayo magrerely sa testimony ng mga law enforcers na ‘nanlaban.’ Kailangan meron tayong objective na ebidensya na ‘nanlaban’ nga,” she explained.

Police claimed all 9 activists killed in Cavite, Batangas and Rizal provinces resisted arrest, a claim contradicted by those who saw the raids.

But Ursua would go further so as to suggest that the Supreme Court come up with a rule presuming that non-compliance with the body camera requirement means there were irregularities in the operations - a rule that goes against current evidentiary presumptions that law enforcement agents are presumed to have regularly performed their duties.

The current rule places the burden on alleged victims to show the police violated the rules.

Ursua’s proposal will reverse that burden.

MORE COPS OFF TO PASAY, OTHER COVID-19 HOT SPOTS

Public display of affection prohibited

MANILA — More police personnel are being deployed to enforce health protocols, quarantine passes are back in several areas and a longer Metro-wide curfew is being considered as the government moves to contain a spike in COVID cases that could be due to more infectious variants.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) deployed at least 180 additional police officers in Pasay City to help strictly enforce minimum health standards following a surge of COVID-19 cases in the city, Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said yesterday.

Deploying additional cops will help the Pasay police in reminding people to constantly wear face masks and face shields, as well as maintain physical distancing protocols in public places.

Apart from Pasay, Malaya said the PNP would deploy more policemen in Navotas where 508 active COVID-19 cases were logged as of Monday, and Malabon where three cases of the United Kingdom (UK) variant were recently detected.

BILL REAPPORTIONING BULACAN INTO 6 DISTRICTS OK’D

MANILA — The Senate approved on third and final reading yesterday a bill reapportioning Bulacan into six legislative districts from the current four.

House Bill 6867 was passed with 21 affirmative votes, no negative votes and no abstention.

Sen. Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Senate committee on local government, said the measure seeks to ensure equitable representation of residents of the province in consideration of its population and growing industrial and commercial sectors.

Under Senate Bill 1787, the counterpart measure filed by Sen. Joel Villanueva, the reapportionment of the province will take effect in the elections in 2022.

Calumpit, Hagonoy, Paombong, Pulilan, Bulakan and Malolos will comprise the first district; Baliuag, Bustos and Plaridel (second district); San Ildefonso, San Miguel, San Rafael and Doña Remedies Trinidad (third district), and Obando, Marilao and Meycauayan (fourth district).

Guiguinto, Balagtas, Pandi and Bocaue will comprise the fifth district while Sta. Maria, Angat and Norzagaray will comprise the sixth district.

Villanueva said the reapportionment of Bulacan would aid in the equitable growth and better representation of the 3.3 million residents of 21 towns, three cities and 569 barangays.

RULES TIGHTENED IN MASS TRANSPORT

MANILA — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has ordered the strict implementation of health protocols in public transport vehicles and terminals nationwide as COVID cases surge.

“The safety of commuters is paramount. I am ordering all transport sectors to strictly enforce the health and safety protocols in order to help prevent the spread of COVID,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said yesterday.

Tugade directed enforcers from the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, as well as train marshals to ensure that proper social distancing is being observed in public transport vehicles and transport terminals.

Enforcers and marshals were also ordered to make sure that commuters entering terminals and boarding public transport are using masks and face shields.

Transport marshals have been directed to remind commuters not to talk or eat while in the trains.

Tugade instructed public transport operators to ensure that their vehicles are safe and properly disinfected.

ANTI-DRUG COPS GUN DOWN CALBAYOG MAYOR, POLICE ESCORTS

MANILA — The mayor of Calbayog City, Samar and five other persons, including a municipal police chief, were killed in what authorities described as a clash between the local chief executive’s security escorts and police anti-narcotics officers on Monday.

The Eastern Visayas Police has formed a special investigation task group that will look into the circumstances surrounding the incident, which took place at Laboyao Bridge in Barangay Lonoy, Calbayog City at around 5:30 p.m on Monday.

Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, 59, was on his way to his son’s birthday celebration north of Calbayog in a Toyota Hi-Ace van when his bodyguards reportedly opened fire at several vehicles which they believed were tailing them.

The people in the other vehicles turned out to be lawmen from the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU).

Aquino, his van driver Dennis Abayon, 33, and police escort S/Sgt. Rodeo Sario, 40, were killed during the exchange of gunfire.

S/Sgt. Romeo Laoyon, an intel operative of the Samar Police Provincial Office, died on the spot.

PDEU commander and Gandara town police chief Cpt. Joselito Tabada was found dead under the bridge at dawn yesterday.

A civilian, whom police have yet to identify, was also killed after being caught in the crossfire.

Aquino’s aide Mansfield Labonete, 29, and local government employee Clint John Paul Yauder, 26, were wounded.

Yauder, whose car was just passing by but got caught in the crossfire, reportedly died while being treated at the St. Camillus Hospital in Calbayog City.

One companion of Laoyon and Tabada, identified as S/Sgt. Neil Cebu, was also wounded. Cebu, a policeman detailed to a K9 unit, was taken to the hospital.

Other policemen who were inside the vehicle of Tabada’s group were reportedly held in custody by investigators.

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PH RAMPS UP TESTING AS COVID-19 CASES SURGE IN METRO MANILA

MANILA - The Philippines is testing more as COVID-19 cases rise in Metro Manila and other regions just a week after it began its vaccination drive, an official said Wednesday.

Some 40,000 tests are conducted daily nationwide, half of which are in Metro Manila, said testing czar Vince Dizon.

"In fact we’re testing more. In Metro Manila, we’ve been hitting 20,000 tests. This is up from maybe about 12,000-15,000 in the prior weeks," he told ANC's Headstart.

"What we need to do is really implement the strategies that allowed us to bring down the numbers from July and August of last year...What we did not have last year is the vaccination rollout. Now we have that additional intervention."

The country as of Tuesday logged 2,668 new COVID-19 cases, raising the country's total to 600,428. The capital region, home to about a tenth of the country's population, has recorded more than 1,000 new virus cases daily for five consecutive days.

TARGETED LOCKDOWNS IN METRO MANILA AS CORONAVIRUS CASES SURGE

Targeted coronavirus lockdowns were expanded in Metro Manila Tuesday and night-time curfews reintroduced in hot spots as authorities battle a resurgence in infections.

The number of new daily cases has soared past 3,000 in recent days -- twice as many as two weeks ago and the highest in five months -- as more contagious variants of the virus spread.

Most of the new cases are in Metro Manila where officials have been quarantining compounds, streets, neighborhoods and even hotels in a bid to contain new clusters, while minimizing the economic impact.

The mayor of Quezon City -- one of 16 that make up the capital -- announced Tuesday that 11 more communities would be locked down for two weeks. The move potentially affects tens of thousands of people.

Manila City also announced a four-day lockdown for two neighborhoods and several hotels.

Officials and business leaders have warned against shutting down the entire country again as its economy struggles to recover from the first recession in three decades.

"We cannot afford any more lockdowns," Sergio Ortiz-Luis, head of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, told a briefing Tuesday.

His comments echoed those of presidential spokesman Harry Roque, who all but ruled out another blanket lockdown.

"Too many people are going hungry," Roque told reporters Monday.

"Our appeal is for us to take care of ourselves so that we will be able to work."

QUARANTINE PASS AT COLOR-CODING SCHEME, POSIBLENG IBALIK SA MANDALUYONG

MAYNILA - Pinag-aaralan ngayon ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Mandaluyong ang pagpapairal muli ng quarantine pass at color-coding scheme sa mga pamilihan.

Sa panayam sa TeleRadyo, sinabi ni Mayor Menchie Abalos na ito ay upang malimitahan muli ang paglabas ng mga residente bunsod ng pagtaas ng naitatalang mga kaso ng COVID-19 sa lungsod.

Idinagdag ng alkalde na maghihigpit din sila sa mga bumibiyaheng pampublikong sasakyan gaya ng pagiinspeksiyon sa mga barrier ng pampasaherong jeep at pagpapairal ng one passenger policy sa mga tricycle.

DOF RECOGNIZES PARAÑAQUE AS PHILIPPINES SIXTH RICHEST CITY

MANILA — The Department of Finance recognized Parañaque as the sixth richest city in the country in 2019, according to a report released by the DOF’s Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) last month.

BLGF executive director Niño Raymond Alvina said Parañaque earned P4.8 billion in local revenue generation in 2019.

The report bared the national ranked top 10 provinces, cities and municipalities in 2019. The selection was based on the performance areas of nominal locally sourced revenue, collection efficiency of LSR and year-on-year growth in LSR.

Mayor Edwin Olivarez commended the city treasurer’s office, headed by Anthony Pulmano, for exceeding the collection target in 2019 and for the office’s excellent performance in tax collection for the past six years.

“Since my first term in office, Pulmano and his team has introduced several innovative business processing system and tax reform measures in which the city became top in terms of revenue collection,” Olivarez said.

Because of Pulmano’s exemplary performance in tax collection, Parañaque, from a sleepy town three decades ago,is now one of the richest cities throughout the Philippines, the mayor said.

PANOORIN: PULIS 'NAGTANIM' NG BARIL MATAPOS ANG MADUGONG BUY-BUST

Iniimbestigahan ng Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao ang "pagtatanim" umano ng baril ng isang pulis sa isang napatay na suspek matapos ang isang madugong buy-bust operation sa Valencia City, Bukidnon.

Sa video na kumakalat ngayon sa Facebook, makikita ang isang lalaking naka-suot ng long-sleeved shirt na asul malapit sa patay na suspek.

Maya-maya, meron na siyang hawak na revolver at pinaputok ng tatlong beses sa isang direksyon. Binitawan ng lalaki ang revolver at pa-simpleng itinapon sa gilid.

Ayon sa nag-post, kuha ito noong Feb. 20 ng hapon sa Purok 4, Brgy. Batangan sa Valencia. Ang patay na suspek ay kinilalang si Pol Lopez Estanol, dating barangay tanod na umano'y nasangkot sa droga, at ang naka-asul ay si Patrolman Benzoin Gonzales.

Ayon sa pulisya noon, napatay ang suspek matapos niyang "manlaban".

Saad ni Police Capt. Francisco Sabud Jr., spokesperson ng PRO-Northern Mindanao, ini-imbestigahan nila ang pangyayari. Hinihintay din nila umano ang recommendation mula sa Regional Internal Affairs Service 10 na magsagawa din ng imbestigasyon.

Dagdag niya, namatay si Gonzales noong Feb. 25 pagkatapos ma-operahan sa ulo dahil sa pagkakasangkot nito sa isang traffic accident.

Pinasuri na ang video sa PNP Anti-Cyber Crime Group ukol sa “authenticity” nito.

Ayon kay Sabud, ang pagpapaputok ng pulis ay hindi kasama sa briefing bago isinagawa ang operasyon.

Aniya, intindihin sana ng publiko na "isolated case" lang ang umano'y pagtatanim ng baril ng pulis.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

BELA PADILLA REUNITES WITH BOYFRIEND IN TURKEY

MANILA — Five months after publicly introducing her boyfriend on social media, actress Bela Padilla shared new photos as they reunited in Turkey.

On Instagram, Padilla has been posting snaps of her overseas trip, with glimpses of her activities with Norman Ben Bay.

One photo shows Bay with a dog companion along a street of Ürgüp, a town in the historical region of Cappadocia.

Another set of photos, meanwhile, sees Padilla enjoying the sun at the beach, with Bay all-smiles in a separate capture.

“Let’s do nothing,” Padilla captioned the post, with a wave emoji.

“Drove seven hours from Cappadocia to Antalya because a tropical girl always needs the sea,” Padilla said in another post, referring to the beachside hotel she and Bay stayed at.

In her October 2020 post revealing her current relationship, Padilla had referred to Bay as “the one I met in St. Gallen” — a reference to her 2018 romance drama film “Meet Me in St. Gallen,” set in the Switzerland town, and an apparent indication that Bay is Swiss.

SPORTS

TEN-MONTH PBA SEASON 46 EYED

MANILA — The PBA sets out to bring a whole lot of basketball in 2021, eyeing two conferences over a 10-month period after managing to do a solitary bubble tourney last year.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas of TNT said the pro league is looking forward to staging the centerpiece Philippine Cup plus the import-flavored Governors’ Cup for Season 46 under a semi-bubble or closed circuit setup.

The All-Filipino will run for four months and the Governors’ Cup, featuring a double round-robin format with foreign reinforcements standing 6-foot-5, six.

“It is our hope we’ll be able to bring 10 months of basketball to the Philippines starting April 11,” Vargas said after the PBA board of governors’ two-day planning session.

The PBA has a pending request with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for its 2021 activities. It is optimistic ground situations will vastly improve to allow the games under non-bubble setup, especially with vaccines being rolled out.

“We’re looking good despite the challenges in 2019 and the pandemic in 2020 where financials were hit. If we do this right this season, we’ll be able to recover our financial standing. If not equal to, a little lower than what we experienced in 2019,” said Vargas.

Simultaneously, the PBA is launching its standalone 3x3 league. To be played Fridays and Saturdays, PBA 3x3 will have three conferences composed of six legs and one grand finals each.

The PBA’s own vaccination program got a big boost as PLDT chairman Manny V. Pangilinan is donating 3,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID 19 vaccines for the players and their dependents.

“For that, we are very grateful to Mr. MVP for looking after the welfare of players of all teams and their dependents,” said PBA vice chair Bobby Rosales of Terrafirma.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

In science one tries to tell people, in such a way as to be understood by everyone, something that no one ever knew before. But in poetry, it’s the exact opposite. – Paul Dirac