PHILIPPINE POSTS HIGHEST SINGLE-DAY COVID RECOVERIES AT 101

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday that 101 more

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients have recovered – the highest

ever recorded – bringing the total number of survivors to 1,315 as of May 4.

At a press conference, DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said,

however, that 16 patients died, raising the death toll to 623.

She noted that the total number of confirmed cases rose to 9,485 after 262

new cases were reported to the DOH. Of these new cases, 122 came from the

National Capital Region (NCR) while 88 were from Region 7.

As this developed, Vergeire said the COVID-19 cases in the country could

have come from Japan, Australia, and Shanghai in China, based on initial

results of the genome sequencing conducted by the Philippine Genome Center

(PGC).

But the official clarified more sequencing of samples must be performed to

concretely establish the “source, spread and evolution or changes” of the

virus in the Philippines.

18 SENATE STAFF TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID AS SESSIONS START

MANILA — Eighteen Senate personnel tested positive for the coronavirus

disease 2019 (COVID-19) in rapid tests for the virus as part of the

chamberÂ’s screening before the opening of session yesterday.

Out of 500 personnel and senators tested for infection, the 18 employees

were detected to have antibodies possibly triggered by the disease, Senate

President Vicente Sotto III said.

“(I have) sent them already to hospitals with swab tests then quarantine,”

Sotto told reporters via Viber, referring to the procedure to take throat

swabs for confirmatory tests.

Among those found to be positive for antibodies were one staff each from the

offices of Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Sherwin

Gatchalian, Richard Gordon, Francis Tolentino and Joel Villanueva.

A page at the session hall and a waiter were also found to be positive while

the rest of the possible COVID-19 cases were from the Office of the Senate

Sergeant-at-Arms.

Hours before the session, Sotto inspected COVID screening facilities that he

said were regularly disinfected.

Aside from being subjected to rapid tests for COVID, those entering the

Senate building will have to go through thermal scanners, temperature

checks, walk through disinfection mats and have their hands rubbed with

alcohol.

Elevator rides are also limited to four people, including the operator, who

will all stand within markers placed on the floor.

Sotto said members of media are encouraged to cover the proceedings in live

streaming through the Senate website.

Fifteen senators were physically present during the session while eight

participated via video conference.

LOCKDOWNS TEMPER APRIL INFLATION

MANILA — Lockdowns and a halt in public transport in areas under community

quarantine tempered inflation for the fourth straight month this year in

April, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.

Inflation, as measured by consumer price index, slowed to 2.2% year-on-year

in April, down further from 2.5% the prior month and slower than 3% recorded

same period a year ago.

The latest data fell comfortably within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

(BSP)Â’s 1.9-2.7% forecast for the month. Average inflation for the first

four months eased to 2.6%, also within BSPÂ’s 2-4% annual target.

“The latest inflation number is consistent with the BSP’s prevailing

assessment that inflation is expected to be benign over the policy horizon

due to the adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the domestic and

global economy,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno told reporters in a Viber

message.

The impact of the pandemic can easily be gleaned from PSAÂ’s latest report.

Statisticians noted how a 6.1% slump in transport inflation, “the lowest

inflation since October 2015,” slowed down the consumer price uptick last

month.

PHILIPPINES TARGETS TO ACCREDIT 58 ADDITIONAL COVID-19 TESTING LABS

MANILA — The Philippines is aiming to operate 78 laboratories by the end of

the month to expand the number of new coronavirus tests that can be

processed daily, the deputy chief implementer of the governmentÂ’s COVID-19

response said.

During a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte aired late Monday, Bases

Conversion and Development Authority President Vince Dizon said the

government should invest in ramping up its testing efforts as it will take

months or years before a vaccine for the virus is developed.

“Our goal, mayor, is to build 58 more or to accredit and operate 58 more

laboratories so that by May 30, in less than a month from now, we will have

78 laboratories all over the country strategically located in areas that can

really address the future surges in the communities all over the country,”

Dizon said.

DUTERTE ASKS DOJ TO STUDY WHETHER PINOY HEALTH WORKERS CAN BE PREVENTED FROM

MIGRATING

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte wants the justice department to study

whether Filipino health workers can be prevented from migrating to other

countries, saying their movement to another territory exposes them to risks.

Duterte said the health workers are given the necessary travel documents "in

a jiffy" by coronavirus-hit countries that desperately need manpower,

placing the Philippines at a disadvantage. He said the migrant workers end

up being in places were there is so much risk of contracting the

coronavirus, which he said "has changed the way of life for everybody in

this planet."

"The problem, I said, is weÂ’ll have to look into this again. It has to be

this week. Maybe two days from now, weÂ’ll have to meet again and consult

legal, (Justice) Secretary (Menardo) Guevarra whether or not it would be

legal for us to just stop the migration of health workers simply because

they are being taken in in a place where is there is so much (risk),"

Duterte said at a televised address Monday night.

"Please do not misunderstand me. I am making it clear now. I do not want you

to go there and come back in a coffin. ThatÂ’s my...only argument if you may

because you are Filipinos and I love the life of my countrymen," he added.

PANGILINAN THANKS DUTERTE FOR 'SINCERITY, KINDNESS' AFTER APOLOGY

MANILA -- Tycoon Manuel Pangilinan on Tuesday thanked President Rodrigo

Duterte for his "sincerity and kindness" after the chief executive

apologized to him over "hurting words."

The chairman of Metro Pacific Investments Corp, which included PLDT,

Maynilad, Meralco and Metro Pacific Tollways said he was "fully committed to

being a partner of government" in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I would like to thank the President for his remarks tonight, most

especially for his sincerity and kindness," Pangilinan said on his verified

Twitter account.

Duterte's rants against Maynilad and rival Manila Water led the 2 firms to

drop their multi-billion arbitration claim. The government is also

renegotiating their contracts to supply water to the capital.

The Ayalas in February took in port magnate Enrique Razon as an investor in

Manila Water. Razon secured a 51-percent voting stake.

In an address to the nation late Monday, Duterte thanked businessmen for

contributing to the pandemic response then apologized to Pangilinan and the

Ayalas of Manila Water.

"Yung mga masakit kong salita, to the Ayalas and to, si Pangilinan, I

apologize for the hurting words. If you can find it in your heart to forgive

me because if you do not, if you do not want to forgive me, I will undercut

you, I will go direct to God," Duterte said.

"The COVID humbled me. With the kind of response that you gave, showed to

the public. It's a humbling experience also for me that, you know, baka

kailangan mo rin sila balang araw," Duterte said.

"Maybe, there will be a lot of legal issues but we can talk. I'm ready to

talk and I'd be reasonable," he added.

Since the start of his term, Duterte has been criticizing those he called

"oligarchs".

He has accused the Ayalas and Pangilinan of allegedly taking advantage of

their water concession agreements with the government.

The Ayala group, led chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, and

president and COO Fernando Zobel de Ayala, earlier said on it was rolling

out a P2.4-billion relief package for employees and partners affected by the

enhanced quarantine imposed over Luzon due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Pangilinan's PLDT, meanwhile, has donated 30 service vehicles to the Armed

Forces of the Philippines for use in anti-COVID-19 operations.

PHILIPPINES TO LOSE P50 BILLION IF POGOS CLASSIFIED AS BPOS: SENATOR

MANILA - Classifying Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGOs) as

business process outsourcing (BPO) firms will allow them to skip the payment

of license fees, resulting in the loss of some P50 billion overdue franchise

fees, Sen. Franklin Drilon said Tuesday.

Drilon, however, said BPOs were not liable to pay franchise fees.

"Mali po 'yan at nakakalungkot. Sinasabi natin kailangan natin ipa-operate

ang POGO dahil kailangan natin ng salapi, 'yan po ay questionable," he told

radio DZMM.

"Kung sasabihan natin silang pwede sila mag-operate dahil silaÂ’y BPO edi

hindi natin sila pwede kolektahan ng franchise tax o license fee na

kinokolekta ng PAGCOR."

In a statement, the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines

said there are several key differences between POGOs and BPOs: BPO companies

are registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority or the Board of

Investments, while POGOs are registered with the Philippine Amusement and

Gaming Corporation, POGOs are unable to practice their betting or gambling

functions in their respective shores, and IT-enabled jobs BPO companies

create are of much higher value, requiring a range of technical, domain, and

soft skills.

It said BPOs come to the Philippines to leverage off the Philippines' human

capital, directly benefiting millions of Filipinos by providing them with

better employment opportunities throughout the years.

“In the case of POGOs, majority of their staffing comes from foreign labor

brought into the country to support their operations, it added.

"China, the principal market, is beginning to recover from COVID-19, so

there is definitely a resumption of demand. ThatÂ’s free money to fund health

care," he said.

INCREASE IN PHILHEALTH PREMIUMS OF OFWS SUSPENDED

MANILA — President Duterte has suspended the increase in premium

contributions of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the Philippine Health

Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) amid the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19

pandemic.

At the same time, Duterte ordered agencies to make the payment of premiums

voluntary for departing OFWs to provide them relief while the country is

grappling with the health crisis.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said yesterday migrant workers would no

longer be required to pay PhilHealth premiums to secure papers needed for

them to leave the country.

“Now that we have a crisis, the decision of the President is we should not

impose additional burden to our OFWs, especially at a time when many of them

have been repatriated and have lost their jobs,” Roque said at a press

briefing.

THE REST

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CAN ABS-CBN OPERATE WITH EXPIRED FRANCHISE? 'THERE IS PRECEDENT,' SAYS

SENATOR

There is a "precedent" in government allowing broadcast outlets like ABS-CBN

Corp. to continue operating beyond the expiration of their franchise, a

senator said Tuesday, contrary to a warning by the executive branch's lead

lawyer.

Congress earlier asked the National Telecommunications Commission to issue

provisional authority to the country's largest media network while the House

of Representatives has yet to tackle the renewal of its franchise that

expired on May 4, said Sen. Sonny Angara.

"That is what happened in the case of other broadcast TV stations and

entities in the past so there's a precedent," he told ANC.

The Office of the Solicitor General on Sunday warned the NTC against giving

ABS-CBN provisional authority because there was no law giving it the power

to do so.

Despite this "gap" in the law, "the practice has been to grant it

(provisional authority) in the past," said Angara.

The senator said he and "the majority of Congress" did not believe the

provisional permit was illegal because "it has been done in the past and it

has not been invalidated."

Solicitor General Jose Calida earlier lodged a quo warranto challenge that

sought to nullify ABS-CBN's 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 65-year

service.

DESPITE PANELO'S CLAIMS, COVID-19 NOT THE 'INVASION' TO JUSTIFY MARTIAL LAW

MANILA — Chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo's legal theory

that the COVID-19 pandemic may constitute an “invasion” that can justify a

declaration of martial law drew just a short reply from former Supreme Court

justice Antonio Carpio: “Hahahaha.”

Carpio, the former senior associate justice, sent the message to

Philstar.com after he was asked on Panelo’s legal theory on the “evolved”

definition of invasion in the context of martial law.

He did not expound further.

Panelo falsely claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic counts as “invasion,” a

Constitutional requirement in declaring martial law,

In an streamed message, Panelo said there are only two grounds when martial

law may be declared: In case of rebellion or invasion, when public safety

requires it.

Panelo said that rebellion by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New

PeopleÂ’s Army has never stopped.

He added that while framers of the Constitution may have only defined

“invasion” to mean “forced entry of an army into a country to occupy it and

make it under control,” its definition has evolved.

"You know, internationally... there is a new international meaning of

invasion. It can mean the entry of a disease and the transfer from one area

to another," he claimed without citing his sources.

"There is an actual invasion of the coronavirus disease. It threatens in

fact the entire country" he added.

GOODBYE, BUS CONDUCTORS? CITY BUS OPERATORS RECEIVE GUIDELINES ON NEW NORMAL

MANILA - A group of metro bus operators on Tuesday said it has received

guidelines from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) on the "new normal"

following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The country's coronavirus task force earlier released measures on public

transport in general community quarantine areas which includes mandatory

wearing of face masks, 50 percent capacity for public utility vehicles and

suspension of motorcycle taxis.

Among the guidelines the group received is the implementation of physical

distancing, wearing of face masks, disinfection of buses, and automated fare

system, according to Juliet de Jesus, managing director of Samahan ng

Transport Operators ng Pilipinas.

"Talagang ayaw na nila ng konduktor because they want the automatic fare

system pero hindi po sigurado 'yun how we can do it...if it's possible

within a short time," she told radio DZMM.

De Jesus said the group is set to meet with government officials later

Tuesday to discuss the guidelines to be placed in Metro Manila once the

lockdown is lifted on May 15.

JEEPNEY DRIVERS SEEK FASTER CASH AID RELEASE ALMOST 2 MONTHS INTO COVID-19

LOCKDOWN

Transport leaders urged the government on Tuesday to hasten the release of

cash aid to jeepney drivers who have lost their income in the nearly 2-month

long lockdown of Metro Manila and other areas at high risk of a COVID-19

outbreak.

The transportation department should help the social welfare agency check

records to speed up the aid distribution to drivers who had been unable to

ply roads due to the lockdown, said both Zeny Maranan, president of the

Federation of Jeepney Operators and Pasang Masda president Obet Martin.

"Kaawa-awa naman kaming mga driver. Alam naman ninyong 'pag hindi kumayod,

walang kita," Martin told DZMM.

"Hihingin ko lang po sana kay Kalihim [Rolando] Bautista ng DSWD na kung

pupuwede ipa-expedite ang pag-release ng amelioration sa mga driver sapagkat

magtu-2 months na po kaming nakanganga. Mayroon naman pong natatanggap sa

mga city government... pero kulang pa rin po iyon," he added.

Some drivers have started putting plastic dividers to maintain physical

distancing among passengers in preparation for when government allows

jeepney trips to resume, said Maranan.

"Ang social distancing magagawa namin... kahit na kalahati lang ang

maisasakay namin," she said.

"Sana iyong mga lugar na hindi naman talaga grabe [ang COVID cases] at

papayagan na nga nilang makalabas ang mga sasakyan, isama naman nila kaming

mga jeepney," she added.

PRITIL MARKET DINAGSA NG MAMIMILI MATAPOS ANG 'HARD LOCKDOWN'

Mahaba na ang pila sa Pritil Market sa Tondo, Maynila ngayong Martes ng

umaga matapos ang hard lockdown sa naturang lugar.

Dahil sa pagsarado ng palengke nitong hard lockdown, agad na bumili ngayong

araw ang mga residente at nakapila.

May nag-aanunsiyo rin ukol sa physical distancing at nakasuot naman ng face

mask ang mga tao sa pila.

Hindi makakapasok sa palengke ang mga mamimili kung walang quarantine pass

at ID at kailangan din magpa-temperature check.

Masaya naman ang karamihan na maaari na silang bumili ng pagkain.

HOTTEST DAY: METRO MANILA SIZZLES AT 36.5ºC

MANILA — Metro Manila residents experienced scorching heat yesterday as the

temperature hit 36.5 degrees Celsius, the hottest recorded in the area so

far this year, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical

Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

The maximum temperature was recorded at the PAGASA Science Garden in Quezon

City at 3:45 p.m.

The agency said the heat index — the temperature as felt by the human body —

reached 41 degrees Celsius in the capital.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

EDITED PHOTO? ANDI EIGENMANN ANSWERS FOLLOWER ACCUSING HER OF 'FAKE' CURVES

MANILA — With a simple "thanks," Andi Eigenmann appears to have simply

shrugged off accusations that she edited her photo to look more curvy.

In comments on her Instagram post on Sunday, one follower said Eigenmann's

photo looked fake.

The follower wrote, unedited: "It looks so fake to some degree sry Andie

(peace sign emoji) Notice the wood near her butt and too slim waistline

which makes her arm bigger."

"Thanks!" Eigenmann wrote with a laughing emoji.

Her sisters, however, did not let pass the accusation. In their respective

comments, Max and Stevi Eigenmann came to the defense of Andi.

"I didn't realize strong arms matched with a toned waist and a firm butt was

considered fake na pala. Good job, baby. You look amazing!" Max wrote.

Stevie, meanwhile, said Andi is not "techy enough to understand what you're

saying."

Andi, who gave birth to her second child in July 2019, has been open about

her past struggles with her body image, saying she has learned to embrace

her "imperfections" and be more confident in her own skin.

INDICATORS

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted. - Martin

Luther King Jr