MODIFIED 'LOCKDOWN' PROPOSED

IATF extends Luzon quarantine to April 30

MANILA - As Luzon braces for an extended enhanced community quarantine, a

"modified lockdown" should be considered to ensure smoother delivery of

basic goods and allow some businesses to reopen and serve communities,

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said yesterday.

In a televised interview, Pernia said restrictions on the entry of cargoes

of fresh produce and other agricultural goods from the provinces should be

eased to support agricultural activity and ensure sufficient food supply

while a quarantine aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus disease

2019 (COVID-19) is in effect.

"In areas like Calabarzon and Central Luzon and certain areas in the upper

north of Luzon, many of them are agricultural provinces. The transport of

goods from Benguet, the movement is still restricted. And so that can be

eased a bit," Pernia, director-general of the National Economic and

Development Authority (NEDA), said.

Businesses crucial to the manufacture of essential goods should also be

allowed to resume operations to satisfy demand.

"Some manufacturing industries need to come back to life in terms of

production and other retail businesses that would be useful in this time of

limited consumption on the part of the population," said Pernia. "Also,

manufacturing for export. We need to revive that particular sector."

Businesses that would be allowed to reopen should have shuttle services for

their workers. Rule on social distancing should be strictly enforced.

President Duterte has approved the extension of the quarantine until April

30.

This was meant to further contain the spread of COVID-19, as the health

sector steps up efforts to increase its capacity to embark on massive

testing beginning on April 14.

COVID-19 CASES IN PH UP BY 104; TOTAL AT 3,764

MANILA - The Department of Health on Tuesday announced that confirmed

COVID-19 cases in the Philippines have gone up by 104, bringing the total to

3,764 since the first case was recorded on Jan. 30.

It also reported 11 new recovered patients and 14 new deaths.

There are now a total of 84 COVID-19 recoveries, and 177 fatalities in the

country.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said majority of the cases are in Metro

Manila, the nation's capital.

"Outside Luzon, the most number of cases are in Davao region with 79 cases,"

Duque said in Filipino during a televised briefing. He said there are also

39 cases in Central Visayas.

Worldwide, there are more than 1.3 million people infected with the new

strain of coronavirus. The Philippines ranks between the 30th to 35th place

among countries with the most number of cases.

Of the millions of people with COVID-19, 285,000 have already recovered and

almost 75,000 have died, as of Tuesday.

The Philippines' number of COVID-19 cases doubles every four days on

average, according to DOH data analyzed by the ABS-CBN Data Analytics team.

Based on current data, the Philippines has yet to flatten the curve or to

lower the rate of infections.

Duque said that experts from various institutions have come up with

projections or models on the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

He said that they will be releasing their recommendations soon.

DOH: COVID-19 CASES IN QUEZON CITY RISE TO 625

The Quezon City government late Tuesday said the total number of coronavirus

disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases in the city has reached 625, according to the

Department of Health (DOH).

The number of COVID-19 cases with complete addresses in Quezon City is now

at 563, the city government added.

Of this number, the QC Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit has validated 550

so far.

"The sudden rise in confirmed cases is due to the database access given by

the Department of Health (DOH) to the City Health Department," the city's

government's media bulletin said.

The Quezon City government also said it recorded no new fatality on Tuesday,

with the total coronavirus-related deaths in the city still at 34, while 11

new recoveries were reported, bringing the total to 26.

Thirty-one barangays in the city have been placed under extreme enhanced

community quarantine.

In an effort to contain the virus in the city, Mayor Joy Belmonte has issued

Executive Order No. 25, series of 2020, which requires residents to wear any

form of covering in their nose and mouth when in public.

Belmonte said city authorities will give away face masks to help residents

comply with the order, and penalties will be slapped on violators.

"Umaasa akong makatutulong ang hakbang na ito upang mabawasan ang pagkalat

ng COVID-19 sa ating lungsod," she said.

CHINA LIFTS WUHAN TRAVEL BAN; BRITAIN, NEW YORK REPORT RECORD DEATHS

WASHINGTON - China lifted a travel ban on Tuesday on residents of Wuhan,

where the coronavirus pandemic began last year, and reported no new deaths,

but the situation remained grim elsewhere as Britain and New York State

recorded their highest number of fatalities yet.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson remained in intensive care, meanwhile,

after being admitted to a London hospital on Monday evening, 10 days after

being diagnosed with the virus.

Amid warnings that worse is yet to come, death tolls mounted in a crisis

that has now claimed more than 80,000 lives out of nearly 1.4 million

confirmed cases around the world.

While other major cities around the world remained locked down, thousands of

people rushed to leave Wuhan after the Chinese authorities lifted a more

than 2-month ban on travel from the city in Hubei Province.

Flights also resumed at Wuhan's international airport and roadblocks were

removed around the city.

The National Health Commission said Tuesday that no new deaths had been

logged in the preceding 24 hours, the first fatality-free day since China

began publishing figures in January.

China's official tally is some 81,000 overall infections and more than 3,300

deaths but there are suspicions Beijing has under-reported the real numbers.

Britain reported 786 new deaths and New York state saw 731 in 24 hours,

after Spain, France and Italy all recorded new surges in fatalities.

New research showed Britain's toll on a steeper trajectory than other

nations and predicted as many as 66,000 deaths by July, far more than in

Italy, which has the highest fatalities to date -- 17,127.

FIRST PHILIPPINE SATELLITE SIGNS OFF

MANILA - The first Filipino-built satellite has finally reentered the

Earth's atmosphere, officially ending its mission that has gone way beyond

its original life expectancy.

Initially expected to stay in orbit only for two years, Diwata-1 - the first

microsatellite designed and developed by Filipinos - was launched into space

in March 2016.

It stayed in orbit for four years, sending back satellite images used for

assessing impact of disasters, monitoring vegetation and bodies of water and

observing weather patterns.

On Monday, Diwata-1 was located close to the widely accepted boundary

between outer space and the Earth's atmosphere, according to the

STAMINA4Space Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

At this point, it said the chances of successfully establishing contact with

Diwata-1 are extremely low.

"This, therefore, marks the official end of the mission lifetime of

Diwata-1," said the group. "Welcome back home!"

Weighing 50 kilos, the microsatellite contains a wide field camera, a middle

field camera, a high precision telescope and spaceborne multispectral

imager.

It was designed and built by a team of Filipino engineers with the support

of Japan's Tohoku University and Hokkaido University.

The STAMINA4Space Program said Diwata-1 has opened horizons of space to the

Philippines.

'STABLE' SUPPLY OF FOOD, ESSENTIALS AS LUZON BRACES FOR LONGER LOCKDOWN

MANILA - The Philippines' supply of food and essentials is "stable" as half

the population braced for 3 weeks more under lockdown to beat the

coronavirus disease pandemic, the country's trade chief said Wednesday.

Many manufacturers are operating at 80 to 90 percent of capacity, which

means that they have a 45-day inventory of raw materials and there are no

problems with cargo, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said.

"As to the production and the supply, pati iyong pinanggalingan na raw

materials, agricultural products, maganda ho ang kalagayan. Stable po ang

ating inventory," he told DZMM.

Regulators earlier capped supermarket purchases to make supplies last

despite the high demand, Lopez said.

The Philippines as of Tuesday confirmed 3,764 cases of COVID-19, with 177

deaths and 84 recoveries.

CASH AID DATA TO BE 'RESOLVED' AS PHILIPPINES LOCKDOWN NEARS 1-MONTH MARK

MANILA -- The Philippines will resolve varying numbers on beneficiaries for

cash aid, the head of the country's COVID-19 pandemic response said

Thursday, nearly a month into the lockdown of millions in Luzon.

Conflicting records of local governments and the social welfare department

will be reconciled and validated, said COVID-19 Response Chief Implementor

Carlito Galvez Jr.

The lockdown on Luzon, home to half the country's 100 million people was

extended for 18 days until April 30. Millions of vulnerable families stand

to get P5,000 to P8,000.

"Nagsabi na po si Presidente na pag-aralan nang mabuti... Ang nakikita ko

po, mari-resolve po natin ito," he told DZMM.

Asked if problems with the assistance could spark unrest, Galvez said,

"Hindi naman siguro kasi nagkikita nating maraming tumutulong din, nakikita

natin ang private sector."

Various private groups raised a collective P1.7 billion to help relief

efforts, he said.

The government allocated P200 billion for the 2-month cash subsidies for 18

million families under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act that gave President

Rodrigo Duterte additional powers to address the pandemic.

The government is also strengthening the COVID-19 testing capacity of Metro

Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Davao and Zamboanga regions, Galvez said.

"Ang hinihingi ko lang po sa ating mga kababayan ay talaga pong kaunting

pasensya kasi po ang ating gobyerno, alam po natin ang ginagawa natin," he

said.

ALL CHURCH BELLS TO PEAL SIMULTANEOUSLY VS COVID-19

MANILA - Starting at 3 p.m. today, Holy Wednesday, all churches nationwide

will simultaneously peal their bells in a bid to storm the heavens with

prayers to contain the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said in a

circular that the pealing of bells will signify the inter-faith prayer in

response to the government's request for a "Buklurang Panalangin ng

Pagkakaisa para sugpuin ang COVID-19."

"It will be comforting and encouraging for our people when they sense and

observe that a spirit of unity and working together is there in these trying

times," CBCP said.

The CBCP said that the pealing of bells comes after the government decided

to extend the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon until midnight of April

30.

DAY OF PRAYER TODAY; HOLY WEEK GATHERINGS BANNED

MANILA - All Holy Week rites that involve mass gatherings or those that

require the faithful to go outside their homes would not be allowed, the

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said yesterday, urging the

public to pray and reflect instead within the confines of their homes.

With all masses in most Churches gone virtual through social media, NCRPO

chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said they would not accept excuses offered by

those caught violating the quarantine.

President Duterte earlier asked Filipinos to pray together today as the

Philippines struggles with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

"This being the Holy Week, I am calling on the nation to come together this

Holy Wednesday afternoon and pay tribute to the indomitable spirit of the

Filipino and unite in one prayer to God to fight our common enemy," the

President said in a televised address Monday night.

Sinas said, "We have talked to the chaplain service and there are no Visita

Iglesia and other rites, those are prohibited because we are under

quarantine."

Catholics, however, need not miss out on the yearly tradition as the

Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has offered a virtual

"Visita Iglesia in 360," wherein the faithful will have the opportunity to

virtually visit seven or more churches with a 360-degree view without

leaving their homes.

Visita Iglesia is a Roman Catholic tradition during Lenten season wherein

the faithful would visit seven churches on the evening of Maundy Thursday

while the Blessed Sacrament is displayed for adoration.

Other rites include the Pabasa, various processions and other liturgical

activities done within churches.

"No processions and pabasa, also. People can do pabasa, but only in their

homes. But if you fetch neighbors to do so, that's prohibited," Sinas said.

"We have issued directives to all policemen that should there be masses,

talk to the priests. And there shall also be no processions."

2 SOUTH KOREANS RECOVER FROM CORONAVIRUS AFTER PLASMA THERAPY

SEOUL - Two elderly South Korean coronavirus patients recovered from severe

pneumonia after being treated with plasma from survivors, researchers said

Tuesday, offering hope in the face of the global pandemic.

Scientists have pointed to the potential benefits of plasma -- a blood fluid

-- from recovered individuals who have developed antibodies to the virus

enabling the body's defenses to attack it.

Since emerging in China in December, the coronavirus has killed almost

75,000 people as drugmakers worldwide race to develop a vaccine and

treatments for the disease.

Plasma therapy could become "an alternative treatment for patients in

critical condition who do not respond to antiviral drugs," said Choi

Jun-yong, a doctor and researcher at Severance Hospital in Seoul, where both

patients were treated.

But large-scale clinical trials were needed to prove its effectiveness, he

added.

RITM TO PROCESS 10,000 COVID-19 TEST SAMPLES A DAY

The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) expects to process

10,000 COVID-19 test samples a day within the next three months, the

coronavirus task force said.

The hospital is also preparing to distribute 900,000 testing kits to various

accredited testing centers in the country.

"Focus on testing and we'll take care of the logistics. We will help you

fulfill your requirements. Tell us what you need and we will help you,"

COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez told administrators of the medical

facility.

ALL SUPREME COURT COVID-19 RELATED CIRCULARS, ORDERS ALSO EXTENDED

All circulars and orders of the Supreme Court related to COVID-19 will

remain in effect until the end of the extended enhanced community

quarantine.

SC spokesperson Brian Hosaka said the special session of the high court in

Baguio City will also be canceled.

"We will be releasing the corresponding orders once they have been signed by

the Chief Justice," Hosaka said.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

ZSA ZSA PADILLA RECOVERING FROM FOOD POISONING

MANILA - Zsa Zsa Padilla left some of her supporters worried after she

posted on social media that she had a food poisoning.

Through Instagram Stories, Padilla said on Tuesday morning that she felt so

tired from all the throwing up she did the night before.

The veteran singer, however, assured her followers that there's nothing to

worry about since she's already recovering from it.

"Hello. Had food poisoning last night but feeling better this morning. Grabe

how sensitive my tummy gets from too much antibiotics use. I need to take

more probiotics," she said.

In the photo she posted, Padilla is wearing a sweater which apparently was

given to her by her daughter Karylle.

"Always comforts me when I wear it," she said.

Although stuck at home due to the enhanced community quarantine declared in

Luzon, Padilla has been busy recording her song numbers for "ASAP Natin 'To"

from her living room.

DESPITE NO GRADUATION MARCH, SUNSHINE CELEBRATES DAUGHTER ANGELINA BECOMING

A 'KOLEHIYALA'

MANILA - With mass gatherings, including graduation ceremonies, prohibited

amid the coronavirus pandemic, singer Angelina Cruz now counts herself as

one of the students who didn't get to receive her diploma and bow on stage.

The eldest daughter of former couple Sunshine Cruz and Cesar Montano had

been scheduled to march on April 3.

"Though the ceremony hasn't happened because of the COVID-19 crisis that

we're currently facing, know that I am very much proud of you," Cruz told

her daughter in an Instagram post showing Angelina's graduation photo.

"Congratulations Angelina. May kolehiyala na ako! I'm still hoping that

after our country gets through this, I would still get to see you march,

walk up the stage and receive your diploma. I love you anak!" she said.

Angelina, 18, is the first among three daughters of Cruz and Montano to

follow in her parents' foot steps, having juggled her education with her

modeling and singing careers in recent years.

The sisters are under Cruz's custody, following her separation from Montano

and the subsequent annulment of their marriage.

SPORTS

JAPAN ENDS OLYMPIC FLAME DISPLAY DUE TO COVID-19

The Olympic flame will be removed from display in Japan, officials said

Tuesday, as the country braces for a state of emergency due to the

coronavirus that also forced the historic postponement of Tokyo 2020.

It had been on public display in the northeastern Fukushima region since

last week, but Japanese Olympic organizers decided to shelve it as

coronavirus cases climb in the country.

The ill-fated flame, lit in Greece, arrived in Japan on March 20 for a torch

relay originally scheduled to start six days later and climax at the

Olympics opening ceremony on July 24.

But the raging pandemic prompted the first postponement of the Games in

peace-time, with the opening ceremony now slated to take place on July 23,

2021.

To keep the Olympic spirit alive in Japan, local organizers decided to

maintain the flame in a lantern and display it in Fukushima, where the torch

relay was going to start.

"Originally we wanted to hold the public display until the end of April. But

considering recent developments, we decided to stop," said a Tokyo 2020

organizing committee spokesman.

He declined to comment on where the flame will be stored, saying that

organizers had no immediate plan to show it to the public and hoped to

prevent people from congregating around the storage location.

The flame has had a troubled journey due to the coronavirus since being lit

in ancient Olympia without spectators to avoid spreading the disease.

The Greek leg of the torch relay was scrapped when large crowds mobbed

Hollywood actor Gerard Butler as he lit a cauldron in the town of Sparta.

The flame arrived to a muted welcome in northern Japan in front of a few

dozen officials and guests, after plans to invite 200 schoolchildren were

abandoned.

It then attracted large crowds in Japan despite calls from organizers to

avoid mass gatherings because of the virus.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 50.68

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

To stay young requires unceasing cultivation of the ability to unlearn old

falsehoods. - Robert Heinlein