METRO MAYORS TO MEET ON QUARANTINE OPTIONS

MANILA — Metro Manila mayors will meet again today via video conference to

finalize details on what to recommend to authorities – whether to extend or

downgrade the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the metropolis to curb

the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).?

Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said yesterday that Metro Manila mayors

are leaning toward another 15-day extension of the ECQ.

Olivarez, concurrent chairman of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) composed of

17 mayors, said some of them are pushing for extension while others are

asking for an easing of the lockdown and downgrade into general community

quarantine (GCQ) status.

He said the MMC meeting hopes to come up with a recommendation to the

Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious

Diseases, which would make the final decision.

Under GCQ, some forms of mass transport and establishments would be allowed

to resume operations, but at reduced capacity.

Several areas in the country have been placed under GCQ.

Olivarez said some mayors also favor a metro-wide ECQ extension since the

cities and the municipality of Pateros in the metropolis are interconnected.

“We are afraid of the second wave (of the virus) and our momentum has been

great so far,” Olivarez said.?Quezon City, Manila, Parañaque and Makati are

among the cities with high number of positive COVID-19 cases.

“We cannot have one city under ECQ, while another is under GCQ. That would

be complicated. If there is an ECQ, every city should be placed under ECQ,”

Olivarez said.?The final decision, however, rests solely with the IATF as

the MMC is merely a recommendatory body, he emphasized.

ALAN PETER BLAMES NTC, VOWS TO FIX ABS-CBN MESS

MANILA — Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano yesterday vowed to “fix the mess”

spawned by the closure of broadcast giant ABS-CBN by the National

Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Breaking his silence since the networkÂ’s shutdown last Tuesday, and after

being blamed for the incident by some sectors, Cayetano said the cease and

desist order (CDO) issued by the NTC “unnecessarily complicated” the

franchise issue and forced the House of Representatives to adjust its

priorities instead of just focusing on measures to check the spread of the

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and ease its impact on livelihood.

He said the NTC and Solicitor General Jose Calida would be made to account

for their actions.

“As for the sudden flip-flopping of the NTC and the unconstitutional

meddling by the Solicitor General in the business of Congress, I promise you

– there will be a reckoning,” he vowed.

“We would have wanted to do this in an orderly manner. But what we want and

what we have to deal with are two different things. So this Congress has no

choice but to once again rise to the occasion and fix the mess others make,”

he declared in a statement.

“For those asking what Congress will do – the answer is simple – our job.

The committee on legislative franchises will conduct hearings in a manner

that is consistent with what we have always said. That is – fair, impartial,

thorough and comprehensive,” Cayetano said.

The panel chaired by Palawan Rep. Chikoy Alvarez is set to hold a hearing on

the ABS-CBN franchise issue on Monday with NTC officials expected to be in

attendance.

DUTERTE GOV'T CLAIMS PHILIPPINES ENJOYS 'FREE, ROBUST' PRESS DESPITE ABS-CBN

SHUTDOWN

MANILA- The Philippines continues to enjoy a "free and robust" press even

after state regulators forced the country's largest network off air,

Malacañang said Friday after the United States expressed concern over the

closure of ABS-CBN.

Opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte's administration "remains vocal"

despite the shutdown of the Philippines' biggest media network, his

spokesman Harry Roque said.

"The Philippines, we assure our foreign friends and allies, continues to

have a free and robust press where the critics and the political opposition

remain vocal in their aversion to the current government," Roque said.

"We share the view of the US State Department that an independent media is

vital to democratic societies like the Philippines. This stance has never

wavered on the part of the President and his Administration," he added.

The US State Department on Friday voiced concern over the shutdown of

ABS-CBN's broadcasting operations, as it highlighted the importance of free

media especially during the coronavirus pandemic.

"An independent media plays a critical role in facilitating the open

exchange of information and ideas which is vital to free, prosperous and

secure democratic societies," US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus

said.

While the Palace has insisted that President Duterte is "completely neutral"

on the franchise of ABS-CBN, it could be recalled that he had repeatedly

threatened to block the renewal of the company's license to operate.

NO NEW DEATHS AMONG DOCTORS, NURSES AS COVID-19 CASES AMONG HEALTH WORKERS

DWINDLE

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said there have been no

new deaths reported among health workers with COVID-19.

This as the number of new cases continued to dwindle.

“Kahapon ay wala tayong naitalang bagong kaso ng health care worker na

namatay dahil sa COVID-19,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire

said during a televised briefing.

Vergeire reported the same on Wednesday.

As of Thursday (May 7), there have been 1,934 health workers with COVID-19.

This is 48 individuals higher than the day before.

There were also 46 new recoveries among health workers, bringing the total

number of recovered patients to 449. That leaves 1,451 remaining active

cases.

DOH data shows that 982 of them have mild symptoms while 462 are

asymptomatic. Only 7 of the cases are considered severe.

“Nitong mga nakaraang araw paunti na ng paunti ang nakikita nating health

care workers na nagpopositibo,” Vergeire said.

Of the 1,934, 721 are nurses, 616 are physicians, 124 are nursing

assistants, 71 are medical technologists, 38 are radiologic technologists

and the rest are other health care workers.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS EYE EARLY OPENING

MANILA — Some private schools may start classes ahead of the Aug. 24

schedule set by the Department of Education (DepEd) for public elementary

and high schools.

Joseph Noel Estrada, managing director of the Coordinating Council of

Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), said 60 percent of their members

have manifested readiness to open the school year between June and August

using flexible learning options.

“This number will go up as private schools continue to prepare,” he told The

STAR. “This flexibility has long been recognized by DepEd and we expect it

to be unchanged.”

PAL SEES 'SLOW, SURE' AVIATION RECOVERY AFTER LOCKDOWNS EASE

MANILA - Philippine Airlines said Friday it could take 6 to 8 months before

air travel could return to normal and the industry's recovery would be a

"slow and sure climb."

The airline does not expect to resume full capacity of 300 daily flightswhen

operations resume mid-May, said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna. Social

distancing protocols will cut passenger count, she said.

"As the months unfold there will be a gradual return to the normal, it would

be a slow and sure climb. That is a reality that we have to contend with.

Not only in the Philippines but the global aviation arena," she added.

New normal protocols will be imposed once the lockdown is lifted on May 15.

Passengers will have to allot at least 4 hours before international flights

to give way to additional health checks.

Carry-on baggage will be reduced to 2kg from 7kg to lessen contact, she

said, adding that the reduced weight allocation would be added to check-in

baggage.

Airlines in the Philippines suspended flights since mid-March due to

lockdown measures here and abroad to contain the spread of COVID-19.

THE REST

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DOH OKS CORONAVIRUS TESTING LAB IN CAVITE

MANILA – The Department of Health (DOH) has certified the De La Salle

Medical and Health Sciences Institute (DLSMHSI) in Dasmariñas, Cavite as a

COVID-19 testing laboratory, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla said Saturday,

raising the country's overall coronavirus testing capacity.

According to a certification from the Research Institute for Tropical

Medicine (RITM), the medical school and health institution can now perform

independent tests for COVID-19 through reverse transcription polymerase

chain reaction (RT-PCR), considered by experts as the gold standard in

coronavirus testing.

The DLSMHSI will start testing COVID-19 frontline workers next week, Remulla

said.

“Time to work. Time to implement our healing strategy. Next week, we will

start testing the frontliners for free,” he wrote on Facebook.

The province is about to receive some 300,000 test kits to start its

“mass-targeted testing,” Remulla earlier said.

To date, Cavite has recorded 205 COVID-19 cases, with Bacoor having the most

number of infections at 63.

The Philippines has so far 24 COVID-19 laboratories, records from DOH

showed.

To become a licensed COVID-19 testing center, a laboratory must pass the

5-stage process, which includes assessment, validation or on-site assessment

by experts, personnel training, proficiency testing or validation by RITM,

and full-scale implementation.

COVID-19 TALLY IN EASTERN VISAYAS RISES TO 19

The number of COVID-19 cases in Eastern Visayas climbed to 19, the

Department of Health (DOH) Region 8 said Friday.

Five of the new cases were recorded in Tarangnan town in Samar, the DOH

Region 8 said in a bulletin.

The patients will be transferred to the Tarangnan Community Hospital for

medical assessment and isolation.

Meanwhile, Tarangnan Mayor Arnel Tan and some of his staff also tested

negative for COVID-19, DOH Region 8 revealed.

The town mayor urged his constituents to follow health protocols and stay at

home to curb the spread of the virus.

Due to the new COVID-19 infections in Tarangnan, Tan said their response

operation has been affected as many frontline workers had to be isolated.

Some 21 town police personnel were isolated after 6 of them were tagged as

“probable” COVID-19 cases. They will be replaced by a new troop.

“While the municipality of Tarangnan is doing their best to respond to this

situation, let us support them in this time of crisis. Let us help each

other the bayanihan way,” DOH Region 8 Director Minerva Molon said in a

statement.

To date, the Philippines has tallied 10,463 coronavirus infections, of whom

696 died while 1,734 recovered.

CHURCHES TO ACCEPT WEDDINGS

MANILA — The Archdiocese of Manila will start accepting weddings once the

enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila is lifted, but will prohibit

lavish weddings in all churches under its jurisdiction once Metro Manila

shifts to general community quarantine (GCQ) due to the coronavirus disease

2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo, in a seven-page protocol, said

they will accept “only simple weddings” with no bridesmaids and limited

number of guests during the GCQ.

“We allow only simple weddings this year, with only the bride and the groom

with one set of sponsors and the immediate family. Wala na munang mga abay,”

Pabillo, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Manila, said. The

Archdiocese of Manila covers all Catholic churches in the cities of Manila,

Mandaluyong, Pasay, Makati and San Juan.

He added they will also start accepting christenings under GCQ with limited

guests and some changes in the ceremony. Only parents and one set of

godparents will be allowed per child.

“If there are many to be baptized, the children to be baptized can be

organized by smaller batches. Let the parishes allow baptisms to be

celebrated during set times on weekdays to decongest baptisms on Sunday,”

Pabillo said.

He also told Church officials to use one cotton ball for each baby in

putting the holy oil on their heads. The cotton balls should not be recycled

and be burned immediately after the ceremony.

While they will accept weddings and christenings, Pabillo said they will

temporarily not accept mass confirmations this year, except for those who

will be baptized or get married or need to be confirmed.

He said the parish priest can do confirmation “as church discipline

dictates.”

SUNOG SUMIKLAB SA BARKO NG PHILIPPINE NAVY; 2 SUGATAN

Nagkaroon ng sunog sa BRP Ramon Alcaraz Huwebes ng gabi, ilang oras

pagkaalis sa Port of Cochin, India pabalik ng Maynila.

Sa opisyal na pahayag, sinabi ng Philippine Navy na nagsimula ang sunog sa

main engine room ng barko at naapula matapos ang 10 minuto.

Dalawang personnel ang nagtamo ng second degree burns. Sasailalim sila sa

"extensive medical attention" sa naval hospital sa Cochin, India.

Nagsasagawa ng assessment ang mga sakay na engineer ng barko upang malaman

kung tutuloy sila sa paglalayag o babalik sa India para sa pagkumpuni ng

bahagi ng barko.

HALOS 4,000 CRUISE SHIP WORKERS, SUMAILALIM SA COVID-19 TEST

MAYNILA - Nadagdagan pa ng halos 2,000 ang seafarers na sumailalim sa

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test matapos dumaong sa bansa ang

sinasakyan nilang mga cruise ship, ayon sa Philippine Coast Guard.

Sa kabuuan, ayon sa PCG, nasa halos 4,000 na mga cruise ship workers sa

Manila Bay ang na-test simula Mayo 2. Ang ilan sa mga barko ay patapos na

ang 14-day quarantine.

Ayon sa Philippine Coast Guard, mayroon pang nasa 14 na malalaking cruise

ship ang nasa Manila Bay anchorage area. Lahat ay may Filipino crew na

naka-quarantine sa loob ng barko.

Umabot na rin nitong Biyernes sa halos 1,800 na Filipino cruise ship workers

ang na-test ng medical workers ng PCG. Umakyat sila sa MV Sapphire Princess,

MV Costa Serena, MV Majestic Princess at ang MV Explorer Dream, na may

pinakamaraming Pinoy crew na aabot sa halos 1,000.

Ginawang testing center ang teatro o mga theater sa loob ng cruise ship at

mga dining hall.

Kapag nag-negative ang resulta ng test, bibigyan ng quarantine clearance ang

mga OFW at tutulungang makabalik sa kani-kanilang probinsya. Kung positive

naman ay agad silang dadalhin sa COVID-19 referral hospital.

CHR: LIFT MRT, LRT BAN ON SENIORS, PREGNANT WOMEN

MANILA — An official of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) yesterday asked

the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to revisit its policy that would ban

senior citizens and pregnant women from riding the elevated railways when

Metro Manila eases into a general community quarantine (GCQ).

CHR focal commissioner on rights of older people and women Karen

Gomez-Dumpit said banning older people and pregnant women from using the

Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and (LRT) at any time, even during situations that

allow them to leave their homes, potentially restricts their ability to

access essential goods and services or to go to work.

“If this ban is enforced, pregnant women and older persons who normally

commute to their workplaces, health facilities, and to access other

essential places using the MRT or LRT will utilize other modes of public

transportation,” she said.

The CHR official said the ban limits the transportation options of older

people and pregnant women, as well as exposes them further to the commuting

crowd.

She said this could also result in other individually imposed restrictions

on other modes of public transportation, which may further escalate to

discriminatory acts.

Dumpit urged the DOTr to focus on proactive measures and consult the sectors

involved, noting that clear protocols and guidelines are needed instead of a

total ban.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

MISSION POSSIBLE: TOM CRUISE TO FILM IN SPACE

LOS ANGELES — Tom Cruise will film his next Hollywood blockbuster on

location -- 250 miles up in the air and orbiting the Earth once every 90

minutes.

The "Top Gun" star will fly through the stratosphere to shoot an

as-yet-unknown film aboard the International Space Station (ISS), NASA said

on Tuesday.

The American space agency's director Jim Bridenstine confirmed the news on

Twitter, saying he was excited that the move would "inspire a new generation

of engineers and scientists" to work on space travel.

Cruise, 56, famously still does his own cliff-hanging, car-rolling stunts.

He gained his commercial piloting license after his role in Top Gun as Pete

"Maverick" Mitchell, a hotshot US Navy pilot who has a dangerous and

reckless flying style, and reportedly flew some aircraft in the long-awaited

sequel to the 1986 classic due later this year.

But if his latest daring project goes ahead, Cruise will be the first

Hollywood A-lister to appear onscreen from outside the planet's atmosphere.

Entertainment website Deadline Hollywood first reported rumours of the film

shoot on the weekend, adding that tech mogul Elon Musk's SpaceX venture was

attached to the project.

SpaceX is slated to launch astronauts to space from US soil for the first

time in nearly a decade later this month aboard the Crew Dragon, which will

dock with the ISS.

Musk and SpaceX have yet to confirm their involvement in the film venture,

but Musk responded to Bridenstine's tweet to say the project "should be a

lot of fun."

SPORTS

BOXING: WORLD CHAMP ANCAJAS ASSURED HIS HEALTH, SAFETY A PRIORITY DURING

RING RETURN

World junior bantamweight champion Jerwin Ancajas has begun sparring after

receiving word that international promoter Top Rank Inc. will start holding

fight cards next month.

Ancajas was supposed to make his Las Vegas debut on April 12 against

Jonathan Rodriguez, but the fight was scuttled when the COVID-19 pandemic

broke out.

Now that Top Rank's Bob Arum has started lining up features next month, the

camp of Ancajas decided to ramp up his training with sparring sessions in

Magallanes town, Cavite.

"Regular sparring na kami," said Ancajas' coach, Joven Jimenez. "Three

rounds muna."

Jimenez said that, like in the case of fellow champion John Riel Casimero,

MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons is helping him to secure a date between

June and July.

The trainer added that he was elated to hear that boxing will be resuming,

after all sports came to halt for months due to coronavirus.

"Panalangin namin maayos na ang lahat para balik normal.

Lahat na pro boxers ay umaasa lang sa laban para mabuhay ang pamilya nila,"

Jimenez said.

When asked about Ancajas' safety amid virus fears, Jimenez said they have

been assured by Gibbons that there will be measures in place to avoid

getting infected.

Jimenez said that everyone who will participate in the staging of the bout

will undergo quarantine before fight night.

"Napag-usapan din namin ni Jerwin 'yan kanina. Sinabi naman ni Sean Gibbons

sa amin na ang Nevada (State Athletic) Commision ang mag-ayos sa lahat

tungkol sa patakaran nila na gagawin. At 'yon din sinabi ni Bob Arum," he

said.

"Nasabi na may quarantine bago ang laban, at nasa hotel lang titira lahat ng

magpupunta sa venue."

He added that the fight will be held behind closed doors to prevent mass

gathering.

INDICATORS

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

He that cannot endure the bad will not live to see the good. - Jewish

Proverb