HOUSE PANEL OKS COVID ANTI-DISCRIMINATION BILL

MANILA — A special panel of the House of Representatives has approved a

proposed measure prohibiting and penalizing discrimination against

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, health workers and repatriated

overseas Filipino workers.

In a virtual session on Tuesday, the defeat COVID-19 committee passed on

first reading House Bill 6676 or the COVID-related Anti-Discrimination Act

filed by Quezon City sixth district Rep. Jose Christopher Belmonte.

“The law should grant protection against discrimination to patients who have

already suffered and recovered from the disease, those who carry the brunt

of providing medical care, logistical and service support and those who

enable us to access food during the quarantine,” Belmonte said.

The bill also seeks to prohibit public disclosure online about the status of

COVID-19 patients.

The proposed measure prohibits verbal, physical or psychological harassment

of persons infected with the virus as well as probable carriers of COVID-19.

IATF RECOMMENDS GCQ IN METRO MANILA STARTING JUNE 1

MANILA — The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Diseases (IATF) on

Wednesday night recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte that Metro Manila

be placed under a less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ).

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año confirmed this in an interview with CNN

Philippines' "The Source" on Thursday.

"For Metro Manila, our recommendation is that it undergoes general community

quarantine, except for high risk barangays, the so-called critical zones,

which will stay under total lockdown," Secretary Año said in Filipino. He

added that barangays with more than two COVID-19 cases within seven days

will be considered high-risk.

Año said the final decision still lies with Duterte who will meet with the

IATF and his Cabinet tonight.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier announced that Duterte will

announce his decision Thursday night in a televised address.

IATF also suggested that Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao

Occidental, and Davao Oriental shift to the loosest lockdown or modified GCQ

from June 1.

The proposal needs President Rodrigo Duterte's approval.

GCQ reboots the economy by allowing almost all industries to operate up to

75-percent capacity.

Under the more relaxed rules, local officials can still place communities

deemed as high-risk under lockdown.

PHILIPPINES NEEDS P11.7-B TO HIRE COVID-19 CONTACT TRACERS

MANILA — The Philippines would need more than P11 billion to hire and retain

enough contact tracers for the COVID-19 outbreak in the country, the

Department of Health on Thursday.

The DOH earlier said the ideal ratio set by the World Health Organization is

one contact tracer for every 800 people in the country.

Contact tracers are the ones who track down close contacts of confirmed

COVID-19 cases, ensuring that suspect cases are isolated and tested.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a Thursday morning

briefing with media that the country would need more than 120,000 contact

tracers to meet this goal.

“Nung tinignan natin, meron na tayo existing na 38,000 plus na contact

tracers. And we still need 95,000 plus na contact tracers,” she said.

“Nung kinompute natin ito with proposed qualifications ng mga contact

tracers, nakita natin na mangangailangan tayo ng 11.7 billion (Pesos) in 3

months,” she added.

On Wednesday, Vergeire explained that contact tracers should ideally be from

the medical profession like a nurse or an “allied medical professional” or

at least a graduate or undergraduate of an “allied medical course.” Allied

health professions may refer to a wide range of professions that deal with

health care.

Contact tracers are expected to do data gathering, interviews and health

assessment of contacts and health education.

Vergezre said they are already discussing the hiring of more contact tracers

with the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“Because we are expecting that DILG will be the ones to manage this para

'yung mga local government units nila ang magha-hire, sila ang magte-train

at sila rin naman ang gagamit ng contact tracers,” she said.

As of Thursday, there has been 15,049 confirmed COVID-19 cases although more

than 22,000 individuals have already tested positive. The DOH said they are

still validating cases before including them in the list of confirmed cases.

BILL SEEKING 3-MONTH EXTENSION OF BAYANIHAN LAW FILED IN SENATE

MANILA — A bill seeking to extend the effectivity of the law giving

President Rodrigo Duterte additional powers to address the coronavirus

crisis for another three months has been filed in the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri filed Senate Bill 1546, which

seeks to extend the validity of the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act until

September 30.

“Despite claims of flattening the curve, there is sustained local community

transmission as more cases are reported daily. It is apparent that the

country is far from seeing the end to this extraordinary situation and the

threat to life and livelihood persists,” Zubiri, a COVID-19 survivor, said

in the bill's explanatory note.

Zubiri said the extension will allow Duterte “to continue to exercise the

realignment of items in the national budget and other powers granted to him

under the said law to be able to provide emergency support for vulnerable

groups and individuals, expand medical resources to fight COVID-19, and

finance emergency initiatives to keep the economy afloat.”

Approved in a special session last May 23, the Bayanihan Act granted the

president authority for three months to realign funds to distribute

emergency cash aid to the poor and those who were left jobless by the

pandemic, and impose stiffer penalties for local officials refusing to

comply with emergency measures.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Wednesday the upper chamber will

extend the law for another three months. He also said the extension will be

done before Congress adjourns on June 3.

PALACE TO PARENTS: ENROLL YOUR CHILDREN

MANILA — Parents should enroll their children in schools as formal learning

will start on Aug. 24 despite quarantine restrictions being implemented to

contain the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic, Malacañang said

yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said students should enroll because they

have to be assessed on whether they can be promoted to the next educational

level.

“What is certain is by Aug. 24, formal learning will resume. What is

uncertain is whether or not face-to-face classes would resume; that would

really depend on whether we have achieved the new normal. But (the

Department of Education) is now preparing for blended learning,” Roque said.

“Enrollment will proceed because whether it be face-to-face or blended…

there has to be a basis for assessing whether or not after one year, your

children will progress to the next level,” he told ANC in an interview.

NO NEED FOR QUARANTINE PASS FOR PERSONS ALLOWED OUTSIDE HOMES DURING GCQ:

POLICE

MANILA - Persons allowed outside of their residences will no longer need to

present a quarantine pass once Metro Manila shifts into general community

quarantine, police said Thursday.

These include frontliners, workers employed under authorized industries to

operate, senior citizens and those aged 21 to 59 who need to avail of

essential goods and services, according to Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo

Eleazar.

"Hindi na po actually kailangan 'yun kasi unang-una alam naman po natin na

dito sa GCQ mas madami nang allowed lumabas. Either you belong in the

workforce of the permitted industries or you will avail the goods and

service ng mga ito," said Eleazar, head of the Joint Task Force COVID-19.

"Kung kayo po ay nandun sa mga mag-a-avail, dapat po i-avail niyo basically

dun sa lugar niyo. Hindi pa rin tayo dapat nagko-cross ng mga lugar."

PCIJ, LUISTRO NAMED MOST DISTINGUISHED FILIPINO HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS

MANILA — Rights watchdog Amnesty International Philippines has recognized

the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and Br. Armin Luistro for

exposing inequalities and standing up for the vulnerable sectors of the

society.

PCIJ—an independent, non-profit media agency—was named as the Ignite Awards’

most distinguished human rights defender for group category. It produced

investigative reports on President Rodrigo DuterteÂ’s statement of assets,

liabilities and net worth, election spending of senatorial candidates, the

governmentÂ’s brutal drug war, the countryÂ’s congested jails, among others.

Luistro, a former Department of Education, was conferred the most

distinguished human rights defender for individual category.

Aside from PCIJ and Luistro, Lorenzo Miguel Relente and Michael David Tan

were the recipients of Young Outstanding Human Rights Defender and Art that

Matters for Literature, respectively.

THE REST

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METRO MANILAÂ’S MODIFIED LOCKDOWN SHOULD BE LONGER, UP RESEARCHERS URGE

A group of researchers from the University of the Philippines on Thursday

urged the government to extend the modified lockdown of 12 million people in

Metro Manila and other high-risk areas to curb the spread of the coronavirus

pandemic.

The region and the southern city of Davao has yet to log a 2-week decrease

of COVID-19 cases, said Guido David of the UP Institute of Mathematics.

“Hindi pa natin nakikita iyong (we have yet to see the) flattening of the

[coronavirus] curve sa NCR at Davao City,” he told DZMM.

President Rodrigo Duterte before the weekend will decide whether to place

Metro Manila under general community quarantine or GCQ that lets almost all

industries to operate up to 75 percent.

The region, which accounts for a third of the gross domestic product, is

under modified enhance community quarantine until May 31 which lets select

industries operate by up to 50-percent capacity.

"Kung kalusugan lang ang batayanÂ… base sa mga nakikita naming datos ay dapat

manatili muna tayo sa MECQ hanggang maklaro ang datos para mag-move sa GCQ –

hindi lang sa NCR, kundi sa high-risk areas," said Prof. Ranjit Rye of the

UP-Diliman Political Science Department.

David said his group lacked expertise on the economy, which the government

would likely take into account in easing the lockdown. The UP researchers

will "support" the government's decision, he said.

The success of the lockdown will depend on the public's cooperation, he

added. "Wag naman tayong maging masyadong pasaway. Magtulong-tulong tayo,"

said David.

PUBLIC ALERTED ON ‘ARTIFICIAL RISE’ IN COVID CASES

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday alerted the public on the

possible “artificial rise” of new cases of coronavirus disease 2019

(COVID-19) as swab test results of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) started

to come out.

According to DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, there has already

been an increase in the number of cases last May 26, due mainly to the tests

results of OFWs included in the departmentÂ’s data system.

“Let’s expect in the coming days, we will see more cases coming in from

among the OFWs tested. Our data will increase,” she told the virtual Kapihan

sa Manila Bay media forum.

NBI, BI TO HELP POLICE LOCATE, PROBE ILLEGAL COVID-19 CLINICS

MANILA — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra is tapping the National Bureau

of Investigation and the Bureau of Immigration to help the police in

locating illegally operated COVID-19 clinics.

“It seems that clandestine medical clinics catering mostly to foreign

nationals have sprouted and have been operating without proper authority,”

Guevarra told reporters in a text message.

Members of the Southern Police District and the city health department on

Tuesday raided Goldstar Clinic and Pharmacy Corp. in Makati City allegedly

operating without permit.

Police also arrested a Chinese doctor working in the clinic despite having

no license to practice medicine in the country.

The raid happened a week after police arrested two Chinese nationals for

illegally operating a makeshift hospital at a villa in Fontana Leisure in

Clark Freeport, Pampanga.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros is urging the government to "deport and blacklist"

Chinese nationals who were involved in the opening of an illegal coronavirus

disease 2019 (COVID-19) clinic in Makati.

Opening an underground clinic is a "blatant disregard of our laws" and

"should merit immediate deportation and blacklisting," Hontiveros said in a

statement.

WILLIE REVILLAME DEFENDS ABS-CBN AFTER HARRY ROQUE JOKES ABOUT SHUTDOWN ON

'WOWOWIN'

MANILA — Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque threw shade at ABS-CBN shutdown

in his guesting on "Wowowin" today

In his interview with the show's host Willie Revillame, Roque joked that for

the first time ever, Willie is the only one seen on national TV.

"Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, ikaw lang ang napapanood sa buong bansa,"

Roque said.

"Alam mo, duda ko, kaya 'yung isa nawalan ng prangkisa, ikaw may kagagawan

niyan e. Oh, aminin, aminin," he added.

Willie, meanwhile, showed support for the Kapamilya network because he

started his showbiz career from there.

"Malaki din po ang utang na loob ko sa istasyon na yan. Do'n ako nagsimula,

do'n ako nakilala, nasa puso ko pa rin 'yan. Kapamilya, Kapatid, Kapuso,

bawat Pilipino. Kaya Sec, wag mo akong idamay. Baka ma-bash po ako.

Nanahimik po ako," Willie said.

Roque replied with "Pero anyway, nag-iisa na lang kayo."

Willie then told Roque that they are there not to talk about the franchise

but about the future of the Filipinos who are now suffering due to the novel

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

"'Wag na nating pag-usapan 'yan. Hindi natin paguusapan ang kahit ano mang

prangkisa. Ang paguusapan natin dito ay 'yong ating hinaharap na

kinabukasan," Willie said.

'DAPAT MAY DISCOUNT': LAWMAKER BACKS LOWER SCHOOL FEES UNDER CORONAVIRUS

PANDEMIC

MANILA - A lawmaker on Thursday backed lower school fees after some private

schools announced the start of enrollment on June 1 amid the coronavirus

pandemic.

Ang Probinsyano Rep. Ronnie Ong said some schools announced the upcoming

school enrollment after Malacanang reiterated that the school year will open

on August 24 but will use blended learning or tapping the internet, radio

and television to teach students.

"In reality, dapat talaga may discount. Probably 10 to 20 percent pero right

now everyone is waiting for direction from DepEd on what to do and of course

[Commission on Higher Education. ThatÂ’s why ang ginagawa ng mga private

schools now they are jumping the gun, they are asking for enrollment fees,”

he said in an interview with ANC's Headstart.

Ong said the push for more online learning due to the coronavirus pandemic

could pose a challenge for some students.

“Are we going to ask the parents to invest in new gadgets, new cellphones?

Even if they do, may internet ba sa area nila? May data ba? Minsan nga

marami pang area na walang kuryente paano natin gagawin yan?” he asked.

The lawmaker said DepEd should consider postponing school year 2020-2021 to

protect students as government continues to battle the coronavirus.

Ong hopes to gather education stakeholders, including health experts, in a

hearing before Congress goes on break on June 3.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

‘I THINK I’M DOING ALRIGHT’: BEAUTY GONZALEZ PENS LETTER TO HERSELF ON HER

BIRTHDAY

MANILA —Actress Beauty Gonzalez is celebrating her birthday on Thursday, May

28.

In an Instagram post, the "Kadenang Ginto" actress wrote a message to

herself.

“As one ages, it’s only natural to look back at one's past, to see the paths

you have taken to get to where you are. To not only learn from our mistakes

but to build on even the tiniest glories, to celebrate the tender mercies. .

May I say to myself on my birthday, ‘I like me’ and ‘Good job mama,’” wrote

Gonzalez, who is married to businessman-art curator Norman Crisologo. They

have a daughther, Olivia.

“I think I’m doing alright. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, with all

the people I was meant to be with. Anything bad in the past has now turned

into good, if it didnÂ’t kill me, it made me stronger!

Remember, we are in control of our own destinies, we allow it, we make it

happen. Make yours happen,” Gonzalez added.

AFTER DANIEL, KATHRYN JOINS ACTORSÂ’ CUE SERIES TO HELP DISPLACED FILM

WORKERS

MANILA – After her boyfriend Daniel Padilla joined the discussion on acting

last Friday, it is now Kathryn BernardoÂ’s turn to discuss her craft in a

special edition of Actors' Cue.

Still a part of the #ExtendTheLove initiative, the Facebook Live session

will happen on May 29 at 7 p.m.

Just like the previous guests, Bernardo is expected to talk about her films

and her passion as an actor in the online session to be moderated by

filmmaker Adolfo Alix Jr.

The streaming is for the benefit of the displaced film workers affected by

the quarantine due to the coronavirus pandemic.

#ExtendTheLove is an initiative to help displaced film workers that are

affected by the lockdown because of the pandemic. It started by screening

films online and then through live sessions related to film.

Actors' Cue is an online session where actors talk about their work and

passion.

Already in its 11th session, previous sessions featured Padilla, Zanjoe

Marudo, Joshua Garcia, Jaclyn Jose and Piolo Pascual among many others.

SPORTS

PBA BOARD TO MEET, PLOT STEPS FOR TEAMS' RETURN TO PRACTICES

MANILA -- The PBA Board of Governors and commissioner Willie Marcial will

meet in person next week to plan the steps needed to be taken for the

league's eventual return to action.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas and most of the board members are expected to be

physically present in the meeting that will be held in the league office

next Wednesday, where they will observe physical distancing protocols.

"First time na magkikita-kita. Pero 'yung gustong through online pa rin ang

attendance, pwede naman," said Marcial, as quoted by the league website.

"Those who are showing up in the office will observe social distancing," he

assured. "We're meeting in our video review room, which is about two and

half times bigger than our regular conference (room), so we can strictly

observe physical distancing."

The Board will discuss the protocols that will be implemented in team

practices when the lockdown in Metro Manila is downgraded to the general

community quarantine (GCQ).

More sports and physical fitness activities are allowed in areas under GCQ,

although 5-on-5 basketball is still not permitted. Sporting events are also

among the mass gatherings still banned.

The league, however, will still put together guidelines for the teams'

return to training.

"What we're looking at ay makabalik lang for conditioning exercises ang mga

players natin," Marcial explained. "Hindi kami magmamadali. Health and

safety of all remain our paramount concern."

The PBA workforce will undergo COVID-19 testing on Saturday before returning

to work in the league office on Monday. The facility in Libis, Quezon City

will be disinfected on Sunday.

INDICATORS

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Every society honors its live conformists and its dead troublemakers. -

Mignon McLaughlin