GOVERNMENT TO ENFORCE LOCALIZED LOCKDOWN

MANILA — The government may limit lockdowns to barangays or villages with

coronavirus cases instead of resorting to widespread community quarantines,

to minimize the impact of the pandemic on the economy.

Carlito Galvez Jr., chief implementer of the national policy on the

coronavirus, said the interior department is now coordinating with local

government units (LGUs) to implement a localized lockdown.

Yesterday, the city government of Parañaque placed 10 streets in Barangay

Baclaran under “calibrated lockdown” for three days until Saturday due to a

high number of COVID-19 cases.

“Our way forward is we will localize the national action plan through the

LGUs. This is being done by (Interior and Local Government Secretary

Eduardo) Año. He is talking to all LGUs,” Galvez told President Duterte

during a meeting on the coronavirus pandemic last Tuesday.

“What we are doing now, Mr. President, is we may no longer declare a

lockdown per region, but the lockdown will be imposed by barangay. That

means we will narrow the scope. What we will do is we will place barangays

with (coronavirus) cases under lockdown to preserve our economic

(corridors),” he said.

Duterte reminded the public not to be complacent even if quarantine measures

have been eased.

“We are in the process of a gradual opening of the movement of people from

their place of residence to the place of work under the general community

quarantine,” the President said.

“Since there is already the opening, a gradual opening, we will see if it is

doable... If the contamination will be as fast as before and it will

continue to infect people allowed to go out, then weÂ’ll have to just go back

to the original (quarantine restriction),” he added.

MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY PHILIPPINES STILL EXPERIENCING FIRST WAVE OF COVID-19

CASES

MANILA — The Philippines is still dealing with the first wave of coronavirus

disease infections because the epidemic curve has not yet flattened, medical

experts said Thursday refuting the health chiefÂ’s announcement that the

country is now experiencing the second phase of the pandemic.

“This is just the first wave and we’re still in the continuum. We’ve never

been able to downplay or flatten the curve,” infectious diseases expert Dr.

Benjamin Co said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

Dr. Tony Leachon, adviser to the governmentÂ’s COVID-19 task force, also said

it is “counterintuitive” to relax restrictions on movement if the country is

experiencing a second wave.

“Counterintuitive na ikaw ay nag-ease ng lockdown kung tayo ay nasa second

wave. Kaya nga tayo nag-ease ng lockdown because nag-improve nang kaunti ang

ibang barangays pero ‘yung ibang areas hindi pa,” Leachon said in an

interview on DZMM Teleradyo.

He added that a second wave of the outbreak will be caused by importation of

cases.

In a Senate hearing Wednesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the

second wave of COVID-19 infections has been here since March.

In justifying his claim, Duque classified the first COVID-19 “imported

cases” in the Philippines in late January and early February as the “first

wave” of infections even as during those months, the country has not been

doing enough tests to detect more suspected cases of the novel disease.

ABS-CBN FATE NOW UP TO SC, SAYS DRILON

MANILA — With Congress adjourning sine die in six days, the fate of ABS-CBN

and its 11,000 employees who face possible retrenchment in August now lies

with the Supreme Court (SC), according to Senate Minority Leader Franklin

Drilon.

“The only possible remedy is the case before the Supreme Court – the TRO

(temporary restraining order) sought by ABS-CBN,” Drilon told Teleradyo

yesterday.

The broadcasting giant had earlier asked the SC for a TRO against the

cease-and-desist order issued by the National Telecommunications Commission

(NTC).

The SC on Tuesday gave the NTC 10 days to reply and another five days for

ABS-CBN to respond accordingly.

Drilon, a former justice secretary, said ABS-CBN should just hope for a

speedy intervention from the SC.

'WE HAVE NOT YET FLATTENED THE CURVE': IATF ADVISER SAYS PH STILL IN

CORONAVIRUS FIRST WAVE

MANILA - The Philippines is still in the first wave of the novel coronavirus

outbreak, a medical expert said Thursday, refuting Health Secretary

Francisco Duque III's statement that the country is now experiencing the

second wave of the pandemic.

"Ang first wave na alam ko 'yung unang nag-lockdown, 'yong community

quarantine kasi ang doubling time nun mabilis," Dr. Anthony Leachon,

Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) adviser, told ABS-CBN Teleradyo.

"We have not yet flattened the curve eh kasi ang second wave nangyayari

after na mag-flatten ka. So parang 'yan ay experience sa Spanish influenza

ng 1918, nag-flat siya tapos tsaka ka nagkaroon ng second wave," he added.

Leachon said it is "counter-intuitive" to ease the lockdown during the

second wave of the outbreak.

"Counter-intuitive na ikaw ay nag-ease ng lockdown kung tayo nasa second

wave. Kaya nga tayo nag-ease ng lockdown because nag-iimprove nang kaunti

itong barangays pero 'yong ibang area hindi pa," the doctor said.

"Kaya tayo nag-ease ng lockdown para 'yong economy natin huminga at the same

time modified [enhanced community quarantine] 'yon. Para sa ganoon

nababantayan mo pa rin ang mga tao. ... Nasa first wave pa tayo," he added.

The task force adviser clarified that the first three cases of the country,

who are Chinese nationals from Wuhan, are just "first index cases."

"First few cases 'yon dapat na ginamit mo para makapag-start ka na ng

testing ... 'yon ang ginawa sa [South] Korea, Vietnam. Habang mayroon ka

pang maliliit na cases that was the best time para makapag-testing," he

said.

"Kung 'yong 3 cases iko-consider mong peak 'yon eh 'pag flinat mo eh wala

kang makikitang bundok eh. 'Pag flinat mo sa epidemic curve wala kang

makikitang bundok," he added.

PHILIPPINES' COVID-19 CASES SOAR PAST 13,000, MAJORITY REMAINS 'ACTIVE

CASES'

MANILA — (UPDATED) Philippines now has 13,221 confirmed coronavirus disease

(COVID-19) cases, majority of which are considered active cases, the

Department of Health (DOH) reported Wednesday.

The DOH said there were 279 new cases, the highest reported daily number in

the past 9 days, and announced hours after Health Secretary Francisco Duque

told a Senate hearing that Philippines was already on the second wave of the

COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the 13,221, 9,447 or 71.45 percent are considered active cases. These are

patients who are still in the hospital or are undergoing home quarantine.

STUCK AT SEA: 6,000 SEAFARERS ONBOARD QUARANTINE SHIPS AWAIT COVID-19 TEST

RESULTS

MANILA - Some 6,000 Filipino seafarers remain stuck onboard 16 quarantine

ships in Manila Bay, some for as long as 2 months, as they await the release

of their coronavirus test results before they are allowed to disembark, a

crew ship manning agency said Thursday.

The government earlier said 5,000 of some 28,000 overseas Filipino workers

tested for the virus have yet to receive their test results.

More than 20 ships are docked in the area as isolation facilities for

overseas Filipino workers, according to Marlon Roño, chairman of Magsaysay

Maritime Corporation.

The company has sent counselors to the ships to assess the mental and

physical health of the sailors, he said.

"Kung ikaw ay nasa kabina ng 2 buwan...napakahirap po. May hina-hire kami na

counselor upang makipagusap sa kanila, nakapakahirap makulong sa kabina o

kwarto ng 2 buwan," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

"Kailangan po naming gawin 'yun dahil una may mental at physical anxiety na

'yan. Kaya ho sana mapabilis agad 'yang release ng mga certificate upang

silaÂ’y makauwi sa kani-kanilang pamilya."

Some 45,000 seafarers also need to be brought home and be replaced in their

duties after their contracts lapsed, Roño said.

OFWs should be considered essential workers and be given the right to

unimpeded travel to Metro Manila, he added.

THE REST

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PAL FLIES LONGEST ROUTE EVER AHEAD OF RESTART FROM COVID-19

MANILA -- Philippine Airlines said Thursday it flew its longest non-stop

flight ever, bringing Filipinos home from Miami on a special mission, as it

prepared to restart operations from a 2-month-long grounding due to

COVID-19.

The flag carrier, along with Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines are

seeking an "emergency credit line" to cope with heavy losses, Philippine

Airlines COO Gilbert Santa Maria said. At PAL alone, year to date losses are

nearing $1 billion (P50.6 billion).

"We are not in immediate danger of bankruptcy," Santa Maria told ANC's

Market Edge.

The 10,000-mile journey from the Florida capital to Manila to pick up

stranded Filipinos is PAL's duty, Santa Maria said.

"We can't wait to fly again. We're eagerly awaiting the end of the

lockdown," he said.

Santa Maria said air travel could resume first between GCQ areas. On June 1,

5 to 10 percent of international flights and 20 to 30 percent of domestic

routes could reopen, he said.

TEEN HELD OVER ‘THREAT’ VS DUTERTE

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Authorities held a 19-year-old netizen who

offered P200 million for the head of President Duterte in Barangay Abar 2,

San Jose City, Nueva Ecija last Tuesday.

City police chief Lt. Col. Heryl Bruno said concerned citizens brought to

their attention the May 16 social media post of Fernando Dandan Jr., who

also said the killer can bring DuterteÂ’s head to his place in Sitio Dilain

to collect the reward.

Operatives immediately tracked and collared Dandan, whom they charged with

inciting to sedition and violation of Republic Act No. 10175, or the

Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Malacañang recently appealed to netizens to be responsible in their posting

on social media platforms and avoid threatening officials, which only tends

to undermine governmentÂ’s effort to mitigate the crises brought by the

COVID-19 pandemic.

HIGIT 700 CONSTRUCTION WORKERS NA STRANDED SA PARAÑAQUE, HUMIHINGI NG TULONG

Humihingi ng tulong ang nasa 700 na construction worker sa Parañaque City

matapos ma-stranded dahil sa lockdown.

Hanggang sa bakod lang ng kanilang barracks sa Barangay Tambo nananatili ang

mga construction worker ng isang kumpanya.

Dalawang buwan na silang walang labasan sa barracks mula nang ipatupad ang

enhanced community quarantine sa Metro Manila dahil sa coronavirus disease

2019 (COVID-19).

Ayon kay Elly Simon, sagot ng kanilang kumpanya ang kanilang pagkain pero

madalas itong hindi sapat.

Wala pa rin silang nakukuhang relief goods o pinansyal na ayuda at dahil no

work, no pay, wala na rin silang pambili ng iba pang pangangailangan tulad

ng mga sabon at toothpaste.

Karamihan sa mga construction workers ay taga-Bicol, Visayas at Mindanao.

Kung magtatagal pa ang tigil-trabaho dahil sa COVID-19, nais na lang umuwi

ng ilan sa kanila.

MERALCO SAYS SORRY, TO REFUND P47 ONLINE PAYMENT FEE

MANILA -- Manila Electric Co said Thursday it would refund customers for an

online payment fee and apologized for failing to shoulder it during the

COVID-19 lockdown.

The Philippines' largest power distributor said it got nothing from the P47

per transaction "convenience fee," charged by online payment platform

PayMaya. Meralco and PayMaya parent PLDT Inc are both both part of Metro

Pacific Investments Corp.

"I sincerely apologize for this lapse. Meralco will shoulder the convenience

fee charged during the aforesaid ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) period

and refund the customers the fees they paid during this period," Meralco

President and CEO Ray Espinosa said in a letter to the Department of Energy.

"I wish to assure you that we shall be more sensitive in the future and

shall be ever mindful of the best interest and well-being of our customers,"

he said.

The convenience fee was charged when customers used the Meralco app. The

power distributor also reminded the public of alternative payment modes such

as credit card auto-debit and ATM.

DOMINGUEZ COUNTERS MARCOS WITH HISTORY TO DEBUNK MASAGANA 99 'SUCCESS'

MANILA — History was not kind to Senator Imee Marcos during a Senate hearing

on Wednesday.

The hearing was meant to discuss the governmentÂ’s handling of the

coronavirus pandemic, but Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III briefly

went off topic to debunk MarcosÂ’ claims that one of her fatherÂ’s pet

projects, the “Masagana 99” was “effective” and successful.

The diversion was prompted by Marcos herself, who while prodding Dominguez

to muster a bigger government stimulus to assist farmers and informal

settlers displaced by the outbreak, referred to the late dictator Ferdinand

Marcos Sr.Â’s agriculture program.

Launched in 1973, Masagana 99 served as the Marcos patriarchÂ’s program to

increase rice production by offering highly-subsidized loans to farmers so

that they can buy fertilizers and invest in equipment. The programÂ’s name

was derived from Filipino word meaning “bountiful” and the 99 sacks of rice

targeted to be yielded per hectare at the time.

"During the Masagana 99 in the 70s there was also an effective use of

commercial banks, rural banks and even cooperative banks and I believe that

scheme would truly work," Marcos told the finance chief.

"However, perhaps we could consider enlarging the national government's

stake even in that regard," she added.

Unfortunately for Marcos, she was addressing the question to Dominguez, who

served as agriculture chief during the presidency of Corazon Aquino. Aquino

succeeded Marcos, whose corrupt dictatorship got toppled by the people

through a bloodless revolution in 1986.

“Ma'am, before we go ahead, you mentioned Masagana 99. I was the Secretary

of Agriculture that cleaned up the mess that was left by Masagana 99,”

Dominguez said.

“There were about 800 rural banks that were bankrupted by that program. We

had to rescue them. So whether it's a total success or not, it has to be

measured against that,” he added.

Marcos tried to rebut Dominguez by saying while her fatherÂ’s program did not

benefit the banks, it sure did facilitate Philippine rice exports. But the

finance chief also debunked this: “We never exported, Ma’am.”

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

YASSI PRESSMAN DEFENDS COCO MARTIN AGAINST BASHERS

MANILA – Yassi Pressman came to the defense of her "FPJ's Ang Probinsyano"

leading man Coco Martin, who is being criticized by some quarters over his

speech during the first #LabanKapamilya streaming event where he protested

the government closure of ABS-CBN.

Pressman’s post comes after their other co-workers in “Ang Probinsyano,” in

an earlier video, expressed support for the actor, who they said was only

driven by compassion for those whose livelihood have been affected by the

shutdown.

On Instagram, Pressman attested to MartinÂ’s good character, having worked

with him for several years now.

“Mga kaibigan po, mga Kapamilya, mga Kapuso, at mga mahal ko pong mga

kababayan... Si Coco Martin po ay ilang taon ko na pong kilala, at sa

pagkakakilala ko po sa kanya ay mabuti po siyang tao,” she said.

“Pasensya na po kayo, kung sa pagkarinig po ninyo ay nadadala po siya sa

kanyang emosyon, at 'yun po ay dahil mahal na mahal niya po ang mga

‘kapamilya’ niya. Kami po iyon... mga katrabaho, sa harap ng kamera at sa

likod. Mga pamilya po niya,” she added.

Pressman then asked for peopleÂ’s understanding, saying Martin was just

defending his family.

“Katulad po nang pagtatanggol po ninyo sa mga kaibigan, kapatid, mga

magulang, at anak.... ganun rin po ang tingin niya sa amin. Sana po

maintindihan po ninyo,” she said.

The actress then thanked her onscreen leading man for everything heÂ’s done

for all of them in “Ang Probinsyano.”

“Salamat Coco, sa lahat ng mabuting nagawa mo para sa aming lahat, at hindi

namin makakalimutan ang lahat ng iyon habang buhay,” she said.

'HELLO, NBI?' ANGEL LOCSIN EXPOSES TWITTER ACCOUNT OFFERING P200M TO KILL

HER, OTHER ABS-CBN STARS

MANILA — Angel Locsin did not let pass a death threat targeting her and

fellow Kapamilya stars on Wednesday, as she exposed the Twitter account and

sought the attention of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Locsin, 35, posted a screenshot of the threat on her Instagram page, with

the caption: "Hello, NBI? Beke nemen po..."

The Twitter account, which was created in May 2020 and had 1 follower as of

writing, contained only tweets pertaining to ABS-CBN and its offer of P200

million to kill the network's artists and blow up its compound.

Personalities the account mentioned were Locsin, Kathryn Bernardo, Kim Chiu,

Coco Martin, as well as ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak.

Locsin, Bernardo, Chiu, and Martin are among the celebrities who joined the

#LabanKapamilya campaign, an online protest against the government closure

of ABS-CBN.

The account also accused Locsin of being part of the New People's Army

(NPA).

"Baka pwedeng makahingi naman ng pang ayuda kuya," Locsin wrote with a

laughing emoji, referring to the account's reward money offer.

"Wag nyong imessage," she then told her followers, "Natawaloka lang ako!"

SPORTS

NBA LEANING HEAVILY TOWARD DISNEY WORLD

Disney World has emerged as the front-runner to host NBA teams and games if

the 2020 season resumes, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported Wednesday.

Orlando has moved ahead of Las Vegas as the top neutral-site candidate,

according to Charania.

ESPN reported Wednesday that the league is still weighing a return with

action in both Orlando and Las Vegas.

Commissioner Adam Silver said on May 12 he wanted to decide within "two to

four weeks" whether the NBA would attempt to resume the season halted on

March 11 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to ESPN, Silver and owners reached agreement on the preference of

a "campus environment" for the health and safety of the players and teams,

as well as the general public.

The league is set to issue protocols around June 1 regarding the return of

out-of-town players to teams, ESPN reported Wednesday. The same approximate

time frame is when clubs are expected to be able to boost training from the

current socially distanced structure.

Per ESPN, the NBA's plan calls for a two-week stretch for the return of

players to allow for quarantine periods as needed per local regulations, one

to two weeks of solo training at team sites and two to three weeks of a full

training camp.

The end result could be the league giving the go-ahead in June for games to

start in July, ESPN reported.

The report added that Silver emphasized that in order for a return to occur,

all parties would need to accept that a single positive test for COVID-19

would not derail the season.

If a positive test would "shut us down, we probably shouldn't go down this

path," Silver said, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The league suspended play March 11 after Utah Jazz All-Star center Rudy

Gobert tested positive for the virus.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 50.65

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all

the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than

on the opinion of others. - Marcus Aurelius Antoninus