PH RECORDS MORE COVID-19 RECOVERIES; 230 NEW CASES REPORTED

MANILA - New coronavirus disease or COVID-19 recoveries in the Philippines

reached another record-high, with 58 new recoveries announced Wednesday.

This brings the number of COVID-19 recoveries in the country to 353, the

Department of Health (DOH) said in its update.

“Kasama po sa mga naitalang naka-recover ay ang mga pasyenteng na-confine,

at mga pasyenteng may mga positive mild and asymptomatic cases na

naka-recover mula sa kanilang self-isolation at home quarantine,” Health

Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a televised briefing.

The health department also announced 230 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, with

the cumulative total number of cases now at 5,453.

Of that number, there were 14 new fatalities or a total of 349 deaths.

This is the first time since March 10 that the total number of recoveries

was higher than the total number of deaths.

PHILIPPINES TO ALLOW FOREIGN CRUISE SHIPS CARRYING FILIPINOS TO DOCK IN

MANILA

MANILA-- Foreign cruise ships carrying Filipino seafarers will be allowed to

dock at ports in Manila, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Thursday as

the Philippines continues to repatriate its people displaced by the COVID-19

pandemic.

The government will also allow the use of ships as quarantine facilities

subject to the guidelines on the repatriation of overseas Filipino workers,

Nograles said.

"Ang mga foreign cruise ship na may dalang mga Pilipinong crew members ay

papayagang dumaong sa mga pantalan sa Maynila at magamit bilang quarantine

facility nila..." the Cabinet official said in a virtual press briefing.

Foreign crew members of such ships meanwhile will be allowed to disembark in

Manila too and leave the Philippines once they complete the 14-day mandatory

quarantine upon disembarkation.

"Ang mga foreign crew members na kasama nila ay papayagang umuwi sa kanilang

mga bansa basta nakatapos din sila ng mandatory 14-day quarantine dito,"

Nograles said.

More than 13,000 migrant Filipino workers who have been displaced by the

impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have already been repatriated to the

country.

Globally, the number of Filipinos abroad who fell ill with COVID-19 rose to

736 on Wednesday, the Philippine foreign ministry said.

The death toll remains at 88, while the number of those who recovered is up

by 6 to 222.

DOLE LACKS FUNDS FOR CASH AID OF 1 MILLION WORKERS

MANILA - The labor department said Thursday it lacked funds to give cash aid

to some 1 million workers who suffered income loss during the nearly

month-long lockdown of Luzon to halt the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some 1.5 million workers sought the P5,000 aid from the agency, which would

shell out around P2 billion for about 435,000 whose applications were

approved, said Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello.

The remaining 1 million workers with still-pending applications will be

assisted instead by the finance department, which might give a bigger aid of

P8,000, he said.

The government "is doing everything it can" to help the workers, he said.

"Nararamdaman ko rin ang impatience ng ating mga kababayan. Alam din nating

gutom sila kaya hindi natin masisisi sila 'pag nagrereklamo sila," Bello

told DZMM.

"They deserve it (assistance). Obligasyon naming ibigay sa kanila iyan. Kaya

lang, mas kaunting pasensya lang po, ipararating namin iyan," he added.

DOST TO INSTALL SAMPLE COLLECTION BOOTHS FOR CORONAVIRUS NATIONWIDE

MANILA — The Department of Science and Technology will install COVID-19

specimen collection booths across the archipelago as the government began a

more aggressive testing program to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

In a Facebook post Thursday , DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said the

agencyÂ’s regional offices, together with the Department of Health, will set

up specimen collection booths in the country.

Further details of the project will be released in the following days, De la

Peña said.

The expanded testing for COVID-19 began Tuesday, with the government

targeting to conduct 8,000 tests by the end of the month.

Philippine authorities have been criticized for its slow testing for

COVID-19, a disease that has so far infected 5,453 people and killed 349

locally. But the government began ramping up its efforts due to increases in

test kits and laboratory capacity.

The number of individuals tested for COVID-19 stood at nearly 40,000 as of

Wednesday.

The goverment is eyeing to purchase 900,000 polymerase chain reaction-based

kits and some two million rapid test kits.

ITR FILING MOVED TO MAY 30

MANILA — Following the extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community

quarantine until April 30, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) further

extended the deadline for the filing of various tax returns and payments.

This is pursuant to BIR Revenue Regulation No. 10-2020, which was signed by

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Internal Revenue Commissioner

Caesar Dulay on April 9.

Among those extended by the new regulation is the due date for the filing of

annual income tax returns (ITR) of individuals and corporations for the

calendar year ending Dec. 31, 2019, which is now moved to May 30.

Initially, the due date for ITRs and the payment of corresponding taxes was

extended from April 15 to May 15.

This was confirmed by BIR Deputy Commissioner Marissa Cabreros in a text

message. “From May 15, (it’s) now May 30,” she said.

The filing of the annual ITR of corporations for fiscal year ending Jan. 31

was also moved to June 15.

PHILHEALTH LIMITS COVID COVERAGE

MANILA — Starting yesterday, new case rates were implemented by the

Philippine Health Insurance Corp., which limited the treatment cost

PhilHealth would pay for people hospitalized due to coronavirus disease 2019

(COVID-19).

At a press conference, PhilHealth executive vice president for corporate

affairs Shirley Domingo said they came up with appropriate case rates to

ensure adequate financial assistance for COVID-19 patients.

“I want to make clear that PhilHealth will continuously assist people who

were hospitalized due to COVID-19 even after April 14. We have the case

rates now and this will ensure the sustainability of our subsidy,” she said.

There are four categories for cases of pneumonia, the usual complication of

COVID-19.

For mild pneumonia, the package set is P43,997; P143,267 for moderate

pneumonia; P333,519 for severe pneumonia and P786,384 for critical

pneumonia.

Until April 14, PhilHealth was shouldering in full the hospitalization of

COVID-19 patients. But from April 15 onwards, the new case rates shall

apply.

According to Domingo, the PhilHealth Board had decided to implement full

subsidy early on in the epidemic because of lack of “costing data” on

COVID-19 cases from hospitals.

“Our case rates for COVID-19 are not the usual cases rates where the amounts

are low,” she added.

CONGRESS EYEING LEGISLATIVE CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT

MANILA — Congress is considering moving its calendar this year amid

government measures against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Speaker

Alan Peter Cayetano bared yesterday.

Cayetano revealed that the leaderships of both the House of Representatives

and the Senate are in talks and looking into the possibility of adjusting

the legislative calendar following the six-week enhanced community

quarantine (ECQ).

Both chambers are currently on a seven-week Lenten break and set to resume

session on May 4 – a recess almost simultaneous with the implementation of

quarantine.

“All of us are grappling with what will be the new normal, or do we go back

on May 4 or do virtual session for the meantime. ThatÂ’s being discussed. But

let me assure you, we will do whatever is best for the nation, however, way

we can help,” Cayetano explained.

The Speaker said the Senate leadership has already communicated such plan

two weeks ago through Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri, who himself

contracted the disease but has recovered.

“If ever we move the calendar so that we can be more responsible and

practice social distancing... we will tackle that week by week,” he said.

But if Congress decides not to adjust its calendar, House Majority Leader

Martin Romualdez said they are ready to resume session on May 4.

“We are already doing everything we can to fast-track so that when we are

supposed to resume on May 4, we will hit the ground running and weÂ’ll be

ready to tackle and already implement all     our initiatives,” he

stressed.

NON-ESSENTIAL ESTABLISHMENTS ORDERED CLOSED

MANILA — The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has

ordered the closure of non-essential business establishments in Luzon which

have reopened despite the enhanced community quarantine.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año directed local chief executives and the

Philippine National Police (PNP) to close down commercial establishments

that are not allowed to operate under the guidelines issued by the

Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Año ordered the police to arrest establishment owners who refuse to stop

their operations.

“If there is resistance or disobedience to authorities, the PNP has the

authority to make arrests,” Año said in a statement.

Those arrested could be fined or imprisoned from one month and one day to

six months.

5 LOCAL EXECS TOLD TO EXPLAIN ALLEGED LUZON LOCKDOWN VIOLATIONS - DILG

MANILA - The national government has asked at least 3 governors and 2 mayors

to explain their supposed violations of the Luzon lockdown, the Department

of the Interior and Local Government said Thursday.

The local officials, who govern outside Metro Manila, have replied after

being given 48 hours, DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said.

"Our legal services are now assessing the replies of these governors and

mayors to find out if thereÂ’s basis for us to proceed with the

administrative cases against them," he told ANC.

"We will do this as fast as we can. This is a very sensitive matter because

we wouldnÂ’t want to affect the COVID-19 response of the provincial

government so weÂ’re taking it on a case-to-case basis. WeÂ’re weighing all

the options available to us."

The DILG "has not issued more than 10" show-cause orders for supposed

violations such as failure to implement the prohibition of mass gatherings,

prohibiting the movement of goods, failure to implement strict physical

distancing, failure to allow entry of overseas Filipino workers and

essential personnel like health workers, Malaya said.

"WeÂ’re negotiating with them, hopefully we would see no need to file cases,"

he said.

"We donÂ’t really consider local governments as our subordinates. We consider

them as partners. Under the Local Government Code, they have autonomy. If

they refuse to implement the law, then thatÂ’s where we come in. We want to

be fair with them because theyÂ’re also our stakeholders."

The DILG would directly go after barangay officials if the situation calls

for immediate action such as those that have caught the public's attention

like the alleged cockfight in Manila Cemetery, Malaya said.

"Since we're in a crisis situation, we want to show to the public that the

DILG can also respond directly to complaints from the public with regards to

barangay fficials," he said.

THIRD TELCO 'ON TRACK' TO MEET DEADLINES DESPITE PANDEMIC: DICT

MANILA - Third telco DITO is "on track" to meet its commitments despite the

6-week lockdown of millions in Luzon to curb the coronavirus pandemic, the

Department of Information and Communications Technology said Thursday.

The joint venture between tycoon Dennis Uy's Udenna Corp and China Telecom

did not ask to move the July deadline to install up to 37-percent coverage

with 27 mbps data speed, said DICT Undersecretary Eliseo Rio.

"Ibig sabihin n'yan, on track sila even with this emergency situation that

we're having now," he told DZMM.

DITO can continue building towers during the lockdown because telecos are

considered essential service providers, he said.

The consortium should start commercial operations by March 2021, based on

its license to operate.

PHILIPPINES READY TO JOIN CLINICAL TRIALS FOR COVID-19 DRUG

MANILA — President Duterte has expressed the Philippines’ interest to join

clinical trials for possible treatment for coronavirus disease 2019

(COVID-19), during his exchange with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a

video conference with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

(ASEAN) last Tuesday.

Aside from stressing the importance of ensuring food security in the region

amid the pandemic, Cabinet Secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on

Emerging Infectious Diseases spokesman Karlo Nograles said Duterte signified

the countryÂ’s intention to participate in clinical trials of the influenza

drug Avigan (favipiravir) to treat COVID-19 cases.

“If you remember last Monday, President Duterte mentioned Avigan, a medicine

used as treatment for flu; this was one of the discussions in the ASEAN Plus

Three Summit,” Nograles said in Filipino during his virtual presser

yesterday.

“The President had an exchange with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

regarding this drug and, during the meeting, reiterated that the Philippines

is ready to participate in clinical trials of drugs like Avigan. According

to Prime Minister Abe, there are 50 countries that are interested in

studying this drug further,” he added.

The IATF is backing the PresidentÂ’s call for the clinical trial for Avigan

and other potential treatments.

FIRST SET OF RESULTS FOR VALENZUELA CITY TARGETED MASS TESTING IN

The first set of results for targeted mass testing in Valenzuela City came

back Wednesday, with two patients testing positive for COVID-19 and 18

turning out to be negative. The city says the two positive cases were

repeated, verification tests on patients who had already previously tested

positive.

"Valenzuela City ensures that both positive patients are being

well-monitored. The first patient, a senior citizen with comorbidity, was

immediately transferred to a hospital and the second patient, a frontliner

from a private hospital outside the city, was transferred to an identified

PUI facility of the City," the city's public information office says.

"House lockdowns were now removed on the 18 individuals who tested negative

for COVID-19. Resources were also redeployed in some other areas, while

Mayor REX assures of aggressive medical intervention on the identified

positive COVID-19 cases having a clearer focus on resource allocation."

UP MULLS EARLY END OF SEMESTER

MANILA — Officials of the University of the Philippines have recommended an

early end to the current semester in light of the public health crisis

brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

A committee composed of the chancellors of all UP constituent units

nationwide on Tuesday recommended the end of the semester to be set on April

30 instead of the original May 23.

No student will receive a failing grade, although they would be given an

option to drop their subjects should they fail to comply with the

requirements set by their teachers.

“We are now living in extremely challenging times. The extension of the

enhanced community quarantine and the rapid COVID-19 escalation have caused

profound human suffering, especially among Filipinos at the margins of

Philippine society,” read the recommendation.

In the recommendation, UP students would not receive an automatic pass in

their subjects this semester. Instead, they would get “deferred grades”

pending completion of requirements set by their teachers.

Students would have up to May 31 next year to complete the course

requirements.

“Should they be unable to do so, students have the option to drop and

re-enroll the course in the succeeding semester,” read the proposal.

Those who would be able to comply would receive a “Pass” mark, with the

faculty allowed to indicate remarks such as Excellent, Very Good and Good.

POGOS TO RESUME OPS POST-LOCKDOWN AMID TASK FORCE MEETINGS DELAY

MANILA — Despite figuring in a myriad of controversies preceding the

lockdown of mainland Luzon, Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs) are

slated to resume their operations by the time the lockdown-esque quarantine

is lifted, the Labor Department said.

In the months leading up to the initial quarantine, POGOs were implicated in

a string of Senate probes, which looked into incidents ranging from links to

sex trafficking, immigration bribery, identity theft, money laundering,

kidnapping and prostitution.

Even after the first quarantine's declaration, the online casinos mostly

manned by Chinese nationals, still continued to run on skeletal workforces,

even pledging P150 million to aid the government's response to the worsening

outbreak.

In an interview with One News, Labor Undersecretary Dominique Tutay said

these were expected to resume their regular operations by the end of April,

when the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon is slated to be

lifted.

“POGOs will continue as long they are allowed by law. We will just continue

our initiative to regulate and ensure that these firms are compliant with

labor and immigration laws as well as payment of taxes,” Tutay said.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

'EERIE' PREQUEL IN THE WORKS, DIRECTOR REVEALS

MANILA — Acclaimed filmmaker Mikhail Red on Wednesday revealed that work has

started on the prequel to the hit horror film "Eerie."

While film industry productions are suspended amid the coronavirus

quarantine, Red said his team continues to flesh out the story of the

project.

His cousin Rae Red is returning as one of the screenwriters, along with Hyro

Aguinaldo, according to the director.

Red shared the development on Wednesday during #KuwentuhanLang, a fundraiser

that aims to help film industry workers whose livelihood have been affected

by the pandemic.

Despite the lockdown, Red said that he has been able to hold meetings

regarding his film projects, the "Eerie" prequel among them.

"Eerie," a 2019 box-office hit that earned critical praise, follows a

clairvoyant guidance counselor (Bea Alonzo) whose visions lead her to

solving the mystery of a student's death.

DISNEY ANIMATOR BEHIND 'LITTLE MERMAID,' 'LION KING,' 'POCAHONATAS' DIES -

REPORT

Longtime Walt Disney Studios animator Ann Sullivan has passed away at the

age of 91.

The Hollywood Reporter said Sullivan died of complications due to the

coronavirus disease as confirmed by her retirement home in Woodland Hills

run by the Motion Picture and Television Fund.

Sullivan is best known for her work in the Disney films “The Little

Mermaid,” “The Lion King” and Pocahontas” among many others.

“Lilo & Stitch” and “Treasure Planet” were among her last notable projects

before she retired in the early 2000s.

The Hollywood Reporter said Sullivan is survived by her four children, eight

grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

We speak of educating our children. Do we know that our children also

educate us? - Lydia Sigourney