LORENZANA: CHINESE MILITARY DRILLS IN SOUTH CHINA SEA 'HIGHLY-PROVOCATIVE'

MANILA - Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has raised alarm over

China's move to hold military exercises in contested areas in the South

China Sea.

"That is very concerning. We view that with alarm. If they did it in their

part of the South China Sea, then it's okay," Lorenzana said Wednesday after

the Asian superpower recently launched naval drills in Paracels Island that

is claimed by China and Vietnam.

Lorenzana added, "But if they are doing it the contested areas then that

will, you know, sound the alarm bells for all the claimants here in the

South China Sea or West Philippine Sea."

The defense chief noted that the Philippines had conducted military

exercises with the American soldiers in the country's territorial waters in

the past.

"The Chinese can do theirs in their territorial waters, within their

exclusive economic zone and I think that's okay. But if you do it here in

the contested area, as I said earlier, then that's highly provocative,"

Lorenzana said.

He also reiterated his opposition over China's plan of establishing an air

defense identification zone (ADIZ) over the South China Sea.

"They should not do that. If they do that and they try to control the

airspace and the sea and require others to ask permission to pass through,

then that's another story," he said.

Lorenzana revealed there had been a "slight increase" of Chinese incursions

and harassment against Philippine government ships and fishing boats

recently.

DUTERTE TO MEET WITH POLICE, MILITARY COMMANDERS OVER COPS' KILLING OF 4

SOLDIERS

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte will meet with top officials of the

military and police force to tackle the death of four soldiers in the hands

of police officers in Jolo, Sulu, a cabinet official said Thursday.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the meeting is "coming very, very soon"

as he refused to divulge more details, citing security reasons.

"The President is going to the south to talk to our PNP (Philippine National

Police), AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) commanders," he said in a

Palace press briefing.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque earlier said Duterte was "saddened" by

the incident.

Año, a former military chief who now supervises the PNP, said the President

might also speak with the police officers involved in the soldiers' fatal

shooting.

"Sabi ko nga kung may time pa siya (Duterte) kausapin niya 'yung mga

suspect," Año said.

"It is my duty also to make sure that justice is served not only because

they are AFP people," he added.

The President is known to have an affinity for state troops.

Police had claimed the soldiers fled a checkpoint in Jolo on Monday and drew

their guns at the officers, prompting them to fire.

Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay denied this, calling it

“fabricated, parang sine (like in the movies).”

The soldiers, all intelligence operatives, were tracking 2 suspected suicide

bombers from the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group when their van was flagged down

by the police officers at a checkpoint in Jolo.

Gapay had said even though the soldiers cooperated and identified themselves

as military personnel, they were still shot dead. He said the men were not

armed, and called the incident a "rubout."

The PNP has relieved the chief of police of Jolo as the National Bureau of

Investigation studies the case.

PALACE ON DUTERTEÂ’S 4 YEARS IN OFFICE: A GREAT PERFORMANCE

MANILA — Despite the controversies that hounded his administration,

President Duterte delivered a “great performance” in his four years in

office, Malacañang said yesterday, as it expressed optimism that the

Philippines would overcome the coronavirus pandemic due to “very sound

fundamentals.”

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Philippine economy was one

of the best performing in the world before the pandemic.

He cited the countryÂ’s 6.5 percent average economic growth, low inflation

and interest rates and credit rating upgrade.

“So it was actually a great performance as far as the economy is concerned;

as far as approval of the President is concerned, it did not go below 80

percent. So the people approve of the things being done by the President,

including the campaign against illegal drugs,” Roque said at a press

briefing.

“It’s been a great four years. We faced trials but because we have very

sound fundamentals, we will recover from COVID-19 (coronavirus disease

2019),” he added.

Human rights groups have criticized DuterteÂ’s key policies including his

crackdown on narcotics, which has so far left more than 6,000 drug suspects

dead. They claimed that DuterteÂ’s fiery rhetoric, including his order to

shoot drug suspects dead, has resulted in extrajudicial killings and other

abuses.

Officials have disputed the claims and maintained that the President does

not condone unlawful activities.

Critics have also assailed the administration for allegedly adopting a

militaristic approach in its COVID-19 response but Malacañang denied this,

saying its policies are based on science and take into account the economic

impact of the pandemic.

Roque reiterated that the governmentÂ’s lockdown measures are effective in

containing the virus, which has so far infected more than 38,000 persons in

the country.

Chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo claimed the administration

has attained “countless achievements” in the last four years.

He cited the giving of financial support to poor patients, regularization of

workers, distribution of lands titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries, the

President’s “independent foreign policy” and the signing of laws on

universal healthcare, Bangsamoro autonomous region, mobile number

portability, expanded maternity leave and student discounts.

Authorities, he added, have seized P42.85 billion worth of shabu in the last

four years.

Panelo also claimed that the President has no “sacred cows,” citing the

firing of officials tagged in irregularities. Critics, however, have scored

Duterte for giving new posts to some of the officials he fired.

PH LOGS ONLY 294 ADD’L COVID-19 CASES, DOH POINTS TO ‘EXTRACTION TIME’

MANILA — The Department of Health reported only 294 additional COVID-19

cases on Thursday because of a change in the data process.

This brings the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country to

38,805.

The DOH attributed the relatively fewer new cases recorded to a change in

the “extraction time”, or the time at which the agency’s Epidemiology Bureau

(EB) extracts the testing data from their system.

The last time the country only had around 200 additional cases in a day was

on June 5 when the DOH reported 244.

“Mababa ang bilang ng reported cases natin na ito, maaaring dahil nag-adjust

tayo ng oras kung kailan natin ine-extract galing sa DOH Epidemiology Bureau

ang datos mula po sa COVIDKaya system,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario

Vergeire said in a televised briefing, referring to the governmentÂ’s

centralized data system for COVID-19 cases.

“Mula sa dati na 24 hours, 19 hours worth of data lamang ang mga numero

natin ngayon dahil nga po tayo ay nagbago ng proseso,” she added.

“Ito po ay upang mabigyan ang ating Epidemiology Bureau ng mas mahabang oras

na gumawa ng in-depth analysis ng mga datos na inilalabas po natin.”

Vergeire said it will just be a “temporary adjustment” that will allow

government to release more insightful and timely data in the coming days.

She also said that out of the 72 laboratories, only 58 or 81% were able to

submit their list of test results.

Of the additional cases, 52 are “fresh cases” and 242 are “late cases.”

Fresh cases refer to those whose test results were released within the last

3 days, while late cases are those whose results were released four days ago

or earlier.

The DOH also reported 235 new recovered patients for Thursday, or a total of

10,673 recoveries.

There were also 4 new COVID-related deaths, or a total of 1,274 fatalities.

SC ASKED: COMPEL GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT MASS TESTING, RELEASE ACCURATE

COVID-19 DATA

A group of 11 Filipinos from different segments of the society, led by

former Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, asked the Supreme Court to

compel the government to conduct mass testing and release accurate and

timely information on the countryÂ’s COVID-19 situation.

Taguiwalo and ten others filed a Petition for Mandamus on Friday before the

SC to direct the members of the Duterte cabinet to conduct mass testing,

citing violations to the Filipino peopleÂ’s rights to health and right to

information.

The former DSWD secretary is joined by a community doctor, molecular

biologist, former migrant worker, learner, jeepney driver, workers and a

mother.

STILL NO GOING HOME FOR 127,000 STRANDED

MANILA — At least 127,000 locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in Metro

Manila are still waiting to be sent home to the provinces following the

moratorium on local repatriation, with the government requiring them to

undergo swab testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Defense

Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday.

Lorenzana said the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the provinces

has been blamed on the repatriation of stranded travelers.

“The problem is that the first batches of LSIs who returned to the provinces

were tagged as the source of infections. ThatÂ’s why local government units

are reluctant to receive them,” he said. “It is unfair for the LGUs to be

overwhelmed because they do not have the quarantine facilities.”

Some provinces and regions have asked the national government to suspend

local repatriations as their isolation and healthcare facilities were

already full.

Some islands, including Camiguin and Basilan, have informed the national

government that their quarantine facilities are being overwhelmed following

the surge of returning LSIs to their provinces.

President Duterte earlier ordered Interior Secretary Eduardo Año to gather

all stranded people and that the government would pay for their food and

accommodation.

Thousands of LSIs have been camping outside Ninoy Aquino International

Airport and the port of Manila in the hope that they would be able to return

to their provinces.

Some are being housed at temporary shelters put up on the grounds of the

Philippine Army in Pasay City.

The government is still ironing out protocols for the mass testing of LSIs

following the surge in COVID-19 infections.

ALERT LEVEL 2 STILL UP OVER MAYON VOLCANO AFTER MAGMATIC ACTIVITY RECORDED

MANILA — State seismology bureau Phivolcs on Friday recorded magmatic

activity beneath Mayon Volcano's edifice in Albay Pronvince.

State seismologists observed a "faint crater glow" and slight inflammation

at the volcano's summit, and a continued emission of "white steam-laden

plumes."

Phivolcs' bulletin on Thursday also recorded one volcanic earthquake in the

last 24 hours.

Mayon Volcano continues to be on Alert Level 2 as it is "at a moderate level

of unrest."

The volcano has been exhibiting moderate unrest for over two years now and

entry into its six kilometer-radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) continues to

be strictly prohibited. Mayon is the country's most active volcano.

It last erupted in January 2018, causing thousands of Albay province

residents to evacuate.

"The public is reminded that sudden explosions, lava collapse, pyroclastic

density currents or PDCs and ashfall can occur without warning and threaten

areas in the upper to middle slopes of Mayon. People residing close to these

danger areas are also advised to observe precautions against rockfalls,

PDCs, and ashfall" Phivolcs said on Friday.

THE REST

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'PARANG KAMI MAY KASALANAN': 1ST DAY WOES AFFECT RETURN OF JEEPNEYS

Under LTFRB's new rules, around 6,000 traditional jeepneys have been allowed

to ferry passengers in 47 routes.

However, they are allowed to carry only half of their passenger capacity to

observe physical distancing protocols against COVID-19.

Jeepney operators were also supposedly required to obtain QR codes from the

LTFRB website, but the policy was deferred until next week due to technical

problems in its website.

According to Efren de Luna, national president of Alliance of Concerned

Transport Organization (ACTO), these last minute changes are consequences of

failed leadership of transport agencies.

"Ang katotohanan niyan bumuwelo lang sila, napahiya lamang 'yang LTFRB at

DOTr (Department of Transportation)... Ngayon ay lumalabas kinakain na nila

'yung mga requirements nila at alam naman natin na mapapahiya sila kaya

kahit wala nang QR code ay puwede na daw lumabas," De Luna told Teleradyo.

"Kapag ang namumuno hindi nakakintindi ay talagang karamihan niyan ay mali

ang mga plano," he added.

Mody Floranda of PISTON, meanwhile, criticized DOTr consultant Alberto

Suansing who said some safety measures initiated by drivers, like plastic

partitions installed in their jeepney units, put passengers more at risk to

COVID-19 infection.

"Ito nagiging problema sa kabagalan maglabas ng guideliens. Parang kami pa

may kasalanan na naglagay kami ng paraan. Ito po ay pagpapakita na ang

driver at operator ang handa, ang hindi handa dito ang LTFRB at DOTr dahil

ngayon pa lang sila nagbibigay ng patakaran," Floranda said.

Traditional jeepneys however are the last option in terms of public

transport based on the government's system due to difficulties in

implementing minimum health standards such as physical distancing.

HIRING OF 10,000 TEACHERS ONGOING

MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing through with the

hiring of 10,000 new mentors as it pursues its learning continuity program

or LCP amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) new normal and physical

distancing protocols.

Education Undersecretary for planning, human resource and organizational

development and field operations Jesus Mateo said their recruitment

activities are ongoing despite the DepEd being on work-from-home mode since

March.

“Hiring is ongoing. In fact, application has started as early as December,”

Mateo said yesterday.

He said if there was remote enrollment being resorted to by teachers to get

students enrolled for school year 2020-2021, they was also remote hiring or

recruitment.

Job interviews of potential teacher-hires were done online, he added.

ROCKY START FOR EDSA BUSWAY OPERATIONS

MANILA — The second day of the interim operations of the EDSA Busway

project was marred by confusion after some buses dropped off passengers at

the still uncompleted bus stops yesterday.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic chief Bong Nebrija

said some 90 commuters were unloaded at the Ortigas bus stop even though it

was not yet secured with fences.

The Ortigas bus stop is almost complete and is connected to the Metro Rail

Transit Line 3Â’s Ortigas station platform with a stairway.

A bus was also flagged down for picking up passengers at the North Avenue

median lane even though there is no bus stop there yet, Nebrija added.

“These are the birth pains of the project. We will try again tomorrow,”

Nebrija said, adding that some bus operators may have been misinformed about

the interim Busway operations.

RIZAL PARK OPENS ‘FOR EXERCISE ONLY’

MANILA — Visitors are prohibited from holding hands while walking in Rizal

Park, which was partially opened to the public on Wednesday “for exercise

only,” according to the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC).

Cecille Romero, NPDC executive director, said that health standards –

including social distancing and wearing of face masks – will be implemented

in the park, which was closed when Metro Manila was put under quarantine in

mid-March.

“There will be no holding hands while walking. We still want to promote

physical distancingÂ… if you adhere to exercise, you cannot be holding hands

all throughout,” she said in an interview.

The NPDC said on its official Facebook page that only the parkÂ’s promenade

will be open from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

8 MORE AIRPORTS RESUME OPERATIONS

MANILA — Eight more airports in the country have been given clearances to

operate commercial flights after concerned local government units granted

the request of airlines to resume commercial operations.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines spokesman Eric Apolonio said

Busuanga airport would start operations today while Tacloban, Ormoc,

Catbalogan, Catarman, Borongan and Surigao airports would resume operations

on July 10.

Siargao airport will start operations on Sept. 1.

The Manila International Airport, Clark International Airport, Puerto

Princesa International Airport, Davao International Airport as well as the

Laguindingan, Dipolog, Pagadian, Cotobato, General Santos, Legaspi, San Jos,

Virac and Basco airports resumed commercial flights on Wednesday.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

VICE GANDA, IKINALUNGKOT ANG PAGSASARA NG MGA COMEDY BAR

MAYNILA -- Ikinalungkot ni Vice Ganda ang pagsasara ng ilang comedy bars

tulad ng Zirkoh at Klownz ni Allan K.

Naibahagi ni Vice ang kanyang saloobin sa "It's Showtime" nitong Huwebes

nang may makausap na isang kalahok na nagtatrabaho sa isang comedy bar sa

bansa.

"Alam mo talaga nakakalungkot sa sitwasyon ngayon, walang choice ang mga

comedy bar kung hindi magsara. 'Yung Zirkoh, 'yung Klownz nagsara na, 'yung

Punchline at Laffline nagsara na. Ang daming komedyante ang nawaalan ng

trabaho," ani Vice.

"At saka 'yung legacy ng comedy bar, parang 'di ko ma-imagine na mawala na

totally ang comedy bar sa lipunan," dagdag ni Vice na sa comedy bar nahasa

ang talento pagdating sa komedya.

Sa gitna ng krisis, ibinahagi ni Vice ang kabutihang ginagawa ng mga

komedyante na ang iba ay patuloy na nagbibigay saya online.

"Mayroon silang mga nakokolekta na mga donation pero hinahati-hati nila 'yon

para maitulong sa staff ng comedy bar, 'yung mga waiter, 'yung nasa valet,

'yung mga cook. Kasi 'yan, lahat 'yan ay wala na. Wala naman silang mga

online show kaya yung mga bakla tumutulong para mabigyan nila ng ayuda ang

ibang staff," ani Vice.

SPORTS

GOV'T ALLOWS BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL TEAMS TO PRACTICE DURING COMMUNITY

QUARANTINE

MANILA -- Practice and conditioning for basketball and football are now

allowed even while community quarantine protocols are still in place across

the country, Malacañang said Friday.

The government's pandemic task force has approved the resumption of practice

for players of the two sports, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.

"Pinayagan po 'yung practice and conditioning ng basketball at saka

football," he said in a virtual press briefing.

The approval comes on the request of the Philippine Basketball Association

and football associations, Roque said.

The joint administrative order on guidelines on sports during the

coronavirus pandemic was approved by the Philippine Sports Commission, Games

and Amusements Board, and the Department of Health.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 49.73

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The best things and best people rise out of their separateness; I'm against

a homogenized society because I want the cream to rise - Robert Frost