DUTERTE SAYS GOV'T COMING UP WITH GUIDELINES ON GENERAL COMMUNITY QUARANTINE

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said the Philippine government

is coming up with guidelines to ensure the effective implementation of the

general community quarantine (GCQ) amid the coronavirus disease 2019

(COVID-19) pandemic.

Duterte made the statement days after he ordered the easement of quarantine

protocols in parts in the country that are considered under moderate to low

risk of COVID-19.

The Inter-Agency Task Force earlier asked the Department of Health,

Department of Transportation, Department of Trade and Industry, Department

of Labor and Employment and the Department of Public Works and Highways to

draft the guidelines by April 25 after Duterte approved the recommendation

of the task force to place various parts of the country under the GCQ

starting May 1.

Under the GCQ, there will be an opening of select establishments, subject to

health standards. Public transportation meanwhile will be allowed to

operate, but in a reduced capacity.

“Itong sa transportation that would allow movement sa mga tao in areas under

general community quarantine. Pero maghintay kayo sa final orders kasi

pina-plantsa pa namin ito,” Duterte said, as he stressed that protocols on

sanitation and social distancing should still be observed.

“Yung mga tindahan, yung mga bazaars, mga malls big or small, it behooves

upon you to see to it that the workers are protected. Meaning to say, that

the sanitation of the place must be guaranteed and that the employees are

provided with the durable and workable masks. And aside, I said, from

sanitizing the place every now and then, when you asked us to open, we

agreed. But there are the protocols to be followed. Not immaculately clean,

but just sanitize it for COVID not to thrive tapos, you know, endangering

your employees,” he said.

QUARANTINE EASED IN 9 PROVINCES AFTER APRIL 30

MANILA — There may be easing of quarantine restrictions in nine provinces

under lockdown after April 30, while areas with low-to-moderate risk of

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) contagion can expect resumption of

selected industries, including transport.

The relaxing of quarantine rules is part of the recommendation of the

Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases

(IATF) through Resolution No.29 approved last Monday, presidential spokesman

Harry Roque said yesterday.

The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status of nine provinces will be

downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ) after April 30, based on

data provided by Malacañang.

These are Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Albay and Catanduanes in

Luzon; Antique, Aklan and Capiz in Panay in the Visayas; and Davao del Norte

and Davao de Oro in Mindanao.

Metro Manila, Central Luzon except Aurora province, Calabarzon region,

Pangasinan, Benguet including Baguio City, Iloilo, Cebu and Davao will

remain under ECQ until May 15.

Under ECQ, stringent quarantine measures will remain in force, including the

suspension of transportation system. Only essential businesses and services

are allowed to operate.

In areas that revert to GCQ from ECQ, public transport will be allowed but

in reduced capacity and select establishments will be allowed to reopen

subject to minimum health standards.

“Low risk areas may no longer be placed under quarantine after May 15.

Moderate risk areas will remain under GCQ. The government will decide

whether they will remain under GCQ,” Roque said at a press briefing

yesterday.

President Duterte thanked those who have complied with quarantine measures

and announced that some areas might open “partially.”

“Thank you for heeding the warnings of the government and allowing yourself

to be under quarantine to protect yourselves and other people. Soon, others

remain under lockdown we might open partially... construction workers and

things like that,” the President said in a public address aired Monday

night.

DOH GETS DBM NOD TO HIRE 15,000 HEALTH WORKERS

MANILA — The government will hire more than 15,000 health workers to

increase the number of frontliners in the fight against the coronavirus

pandemic.

“To boost the number of healthcare frontliners, the DBM (Department of

Budget and Management) has approved the request of the DOH (Department of

Health) for the engagement of an additional 15,757 healthcare professionals

under contract of service for a period of three months,” President Duterte

said in a report submitted to Congress last Monday.

The DBM approved a P2.7-billion outlay for the hiring of additional health

personnel. The DOH originally sought a budget of P5.2 billion to hire 17,757

personnel, according to the PresidentÂ’s report submitted to Congress last

April 14.

The budget for the hiring will be charged against available released

allotment of the DOH under the 2020 budget.

The Department of Health reported 181 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the

total number of cases in the Philippines at 7,958.

The Health department also announced 43 new recoveries.

LGUS TOLD: DISTRIBUTE AID IN 3 DAYS, OR ELSE

MANILA — Local government units (LGUs) should finish tomorrow the

distribution of the first wave of emergency assistance provided to certain

sectors affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or face charges,

Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said local executives who fail to meet

the deadline may be charged for dereliction of duty.

“The DILG has issued an order. All local government units have three days

starting today to distribute the social amelioration program (SAP),” Roque

said, referring to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

“After that, there would be a show cause order requiring them to explain why

they should not be held administratively and criminally liable for

dereliction of duty, which is a form of graft,” he added.

The government has allotted P200 billion for the SAP, which aims to assist

18 million poor households.

A majority of the intended SAP beneficiaries have not received assistance,

even as most LGUs have received the funds, according to a report submitted

by President Duterte to Congress.

CORONAVIRUS TESTS FOR WORKERS ONLY WHEN NECESSARY: DTI

MANILA - Private companies re-opening in general community quarantine areas

have the option to test employees for COVID-19 when necessary, Trade

Secretary Ramon Lopez said Wednesday.

Only those that are suspected to have the disease and are showing symptoms

will be screened, Lopez told DZMM.

"Hindi po requirement ng lahat ng workers o empleydo. Pag nagbalikan po ang

workers, may cleansing na ang quarantine na ito. Alam na natin ang suspect,

may sinat may lagnat, sila po ang dapat i-test,"

"Gagawin po ang test whenever necessary (tests will be done whenever

necessary)," he said.

Select businesses and activities will be allowed to partially operate in

areas under GCQ.

Lopez said the Department of Labor and Employment and the DTI would come up

with interim guidelines on COVID-19 prevention in the workplace.

NOT A FREE PASS: FOREIGNERS WITH PERMANENT RESIDENCY MUST FOLLOW LAWS -

IMMIGRATION BUREAU

A foreigner who allegedly violated measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic

and cursed at policemen at an exclusive Makati subdivision last weekend

might face deportation proceedings, the Bureau of Immigration said

Wednesday.

Foreigners like Javier Salvador Parra, Spanish resident of the Dasmarinas

Village, are not exempted from lockdown rules and "have to obey our laws,"

said Immigration Spokesperson Dana Sandoval.

"Ang visa po o any relationship dito sa Pilipinas -- kahit sabihin nating

permanent resident po siya -- it's not a free pass for people, foreign

nationals to do whatever they want dito sa Pilipinas," she told DZMM.

"Kahit may asawa po siyang Pilipina o siya ay residente dito o kung ano man

ang status niya, maaari pa rin po siyang i-subject sa deportation

proceedings," she added.

The immigration bureau "perhaps within the week" will give more details on

its investigation against Parra, said Sandoval.

THE REST

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MANILA EYES 'HARD LOCKDOWN' IN TONDO: ISKO MORENO

MANILA - The City of Manila will be placing Tondo under a hard lockdown over

the weekend to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),

Mayor Isko Moreno said on Wednesday.

“Most likely it is going to be May 3 and 4,” Moreno announced on ANC’s

Headstart.

Moreno said Tondo is composed of 2 districts - District 1 has recorded 81

COVID-19 cases while District 2 has 51.

“In the case of Tondo, ito kailangang masusi ang pag-aaral dito because as

you all know, source ng komersiyo dÂ’yan nanggagaling sa Tondo at isa sa mga

pinag-iingatan nating desisyon sa pagpa-plano ng hard lockdown sa Tondo ay

'yung Divisoria vegetable, meat and fish night market because that supplies

our markets in 17 Pamilihang Bayan dito sa lungsod, and that helps also

Metro Manila public markets,” Moreno said in the interview via Zoom.

The mayor added that they were actually looking at May 2 and 3 and May 3 and

4 as the target date for the 48-hour lockdown after consultations with

industries in the west side of the city where the port is located.

“They have preferred dates because hindi masyadong magagambala 'yung

operation nila. Kasi may study na ibinigay sa amin ang port operators, ang

sabi nila ang pinakamahina nilang labas at dating ng bagahe or containers

for that matter is on a Sunday and Monday,” he said.

Moreno assured Tondo residents of food provision during the lockdown period

as many of them are from poor households.

“Bago pa magkaroon ng krisis mahirap na sila, mas nahihirapan sila ngayon,”

he said.

“We are now on the last phase of this week’s ayuda and after these cash

incentives, in a matter of a few hours we're going to start distributing to

almost 500,000 individuals, more or less 100,000 families in Tondo,” he

said.

He assured ManilaÂ’s other districts of the same support from the city.

Manila first placed Sampaloc under a hard lockdown from Thursday to Saturday

after the district reported the most number of coronavirus infections in the

city with 103.

Moreno said while it is too early to say if the Sampaloc lockdown has made

impact, he believes that it still helped in changing the mindset of its

residents.

ARMY OFFICER TESTS POSITIVE AFTER ALREADY BEING CLEARED OF COVID-19

An Army officer who was discharged after he recovered from COVID-19 tested

positive in a third swab test, according to the Department of Health

regional office in Zamboanga City.

Dr. Joshua Brillantes, DOH-9 assistant regional director, says the

52-year-old senior officer had been in medical isolation at Camp Sang-an in

Labangan town for the extended quarantine while waiting for his test

results.

The military official was one of three patients discharged early this month

in Zamboanga del Sur.

Brillantes says the officer was discharged last April 7 from the COVID

referral hospital in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur and will be brought

back there.

"Based on the result of the swab, it is correct he was again positive of

SARS Cov2. This is possible to happen, because this virus corona, a new

strain which scientists are still studying the character," Brillantes says.

He says this re-emerging case is the third in Mindanao with two other

patients in Davao City also testing positive days after their discharge from

confinement.

PHILIPPINES SPEEDING UP PAROLE, PROBATION AS COVID-19 HITS DETENTION

FACILITIES

The justice department is "expediting" the processing of parole and

probation for convicts to decongest prisons, after several prisoners tested

positive of the novel coronavirus, President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesperson

said Wednesday.

The interior department also set up isolation areas for detainees who would

catch COVID-19 while waiting for or undergoing trial, said Presidential

Spokesman Harry Roque.

Two female inmates from the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) have

died from the coronavirus disease or COVID-19, the Bureau of Corrections

announced late Tuesday night.

The first inmate, 72, died on Monday afternoon (April 27). She was earlier

reported to be the first COVID-19 case at the CIW and was hospitalized on

April 13 at the Sta. Ana Hospital after experiencing symptoms for pneumonia.

The second inmate died on April 21 at the East Avenue Medical Center due to

sepsis, systemic lupus, and pneumonia but her test results only came out on

Monday indicating she was also positive for the coronavirus.

The BuCor, in a Facebook post, said the woman had been in and out of EAMC

since February 2020 because of her systemic lupus, kidney disease, and other

ailments but was last admitted on April 13.

The death of the 2 female inmates brought to 3 the total number of inmates

who died due to COVID-19 while in prison.

The New Bilibid Prison, which is also under BuCor, recorded its first death

on Thursday last week, an inmate who was admitted to the Research Institute

for Tropical Medicine.

HOTEL HEALTH PROTOCOLS READIED

MANILA — The Department of Tourism (DOT) as well as tourism stakeholders are

emphasizing the need for safety protocols for the operations of

accommodation establishments in areas to be placed under general community

quarantine.

In a Viber message yesterday, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said

the government has yet to approve safety protocols for the operation of

accommodation establishments in areas under general community quarantine.

“We have already drafted the safety protocols for the accommodation sector

and have given it to the private sector for their comments,” Puyat told The

STAR.

Puyat said this will then be presented to the Inter-Agency Task Force on

Emerging Infectious Diseases for approval.

“But for now, hotels will continue to operate during a modified ECQ

(enhanced community quarantine) and used as quarantine facilities for

overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and overseas Filipinos as well as

accommodation for essential industries such as healthcare facilities, banks,

BPOs (business process outsourcing) and other frontline service sectors,”

Puyat said.

Apart from the above-mentioned, other hotels currently allowed to operate in

areas under enhanced community quarantine are those with long-staying

guests, stranded tourists as well as transiting foreign nationals.

Industry groups in the tourism sector also stressed the need for safety

protocols in the operations of accommodation establishments.

DEPRESSION ON THE RISE DUE TO ECQ

MANILA — Expect the number of individuals with depression to rise in the

country following the prolonged lockdown.

“Mood disorder, as prime characteristic of depression, is on the rise. Many

people feel sad and slowly lose interest in life because of the enhanced

community quarantine (ECQ) caused by COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Roland

Cortez, chief of the National Center for Mental Health during a Zoom press

conference yesterday.

Every day, Cortez said, about 200 people call the 24-hour hotline numbers

(0917-898-8727 and 989-8727) of the hospital ever since the ECQ took effect

in Luzon last month.

BAR EXAM RESULTS IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The 2019 Bar Exam results will be uploaded in the Supreme Court website

after the en banc session.

The list of passers will not be displayed in the Supreme Court premises in

light of the government's call for social distancing to prevent the spread

of COVID-19.

The chairperson's message will also be uploaded online and will no longer be

delivered in the SC premises.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

LIZA SOBERANO, IVANA ALAWI AMONG 'MOST BEAUTIFUL FACES' NOMINEES

MANILA — Kapamilya stars Liza Soberano and Ivana Alawi are among the early

nominees in the 2020 edition of "100 Most Beautiful Faces," an international

list driven by social media.

The annual list, compiled by TC Candler, recently named nominees based on

comments and votes on its YouTube channel. Nominations were both for the

separates lists for men and women.

Soberano has been a regular in the "Most Beautiful Faces" list since 2015.

She ranked first overall in 2017, and in 2018, was was included in its "Hall

of Fame" for consecutive appearances.

Alawi's possible inclusion comes amid her showbiz and social media

breakthrough, with her launching series in a lead role "Ang Lihim ni Ligaya"

in the works and her YouTube channel continuing to grow in popularity.

Soberano and Alawi's fellow nominees include the likes of Taylor Swift, Emma

Watson, Lily Collins, Selena Gomez, Gal Gadot, Scarlett Johansson, and Lisa

of BLACKPINK.

SEXBOMB GIRLS REUNITE FOR COVID-19 FRONTLINERS

MANILA — They’ve been cooped up inside their homes due to the lockdown.

But on on Tuesday, the members of all-female celebrity sing and dance group

SexBomb Girls shared their fun attempt to reconnect via a video call —filled

with laughs, touching stories about how they changed since their fame,

technical blunders, and a performance of one of their songs.

SexBomb Girls founding member Rochelle Pangilinan uploaded their video chat

on YouTube, which featured Jopay Paguia, Weng Ibarra, Izzy Trazona, Yvette

Pabalan, and Monic Icban.

Pangilinan revealed near the end that their reunion doubles as a fundraiser

for the frontliners against the coronavirus, saying that it's the least they

could do during the pandemic, aside from staying in their homes and

following quarantine rules.

SPORTS

NBA: LAKERS, L.A. IN TALKS OVER PRACTICE FACILITY ACCESS

With Los Angeles on lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, the Lakers are

in discussions with the city mayor's office about the possibility of gaining

access to the team facility.

ESPN reported a conference call with the mayor's office included general

manager Rob Pelinka and head coach Frank Vogel. They provided an outline of

protocol the franchise will follow to comply with specific parameters

defined by the NBA as part of the league-wide opening for voluntary workouts

starting May 8.

Approval is needed for the Lakers to get back to work. L.A. residents are on

a shelter-in-place order until May 15.

One of the NBA's requirements of all 30 teams is to appoint a team executive

to be "facility hygiene officer." That role includes learning and overseeing

the application of sterilization procedures, which will include gym

surfaces, training equipment, uniforms and player's and coach's shoes.

The team facility, UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, has been

closed for nearly a month.

If workouts are permitted in Los Angeles -- and at all other NBA venues --

they will be voluntary.

Two Lakers players tested positive for COVID-19 in the days after the league

shut down on March 11.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 50.67

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Fear is a disease; hope is its only cure. - Jedi Proverb