GCQ IN METRO MANILA EXTENDED UNTIL AUG. 15 DESPITE INCREASE IN COVID-19

CASES

MANILA -- President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the general community in

Metro Manila to Aug. 15 despite the rising number of COVID-19 infections in

the country.

Cebu City, which was formerly under modified enhanced community quarantine,

will also transition to the more relaxed GCQ starting Aug.1, Presidential

Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Other areas that will remain under GCQ are:

-Bulacan

-Batangas

-Cavite

-Laguna

-Rizal

-Lapu-Lapu City

-Mandaue City

-Talisay City

-Minglanilla

-Consolacion

-Zamboanga City

The decision comes even after the Philippines reported 3,954 new COVID-19

cases, the highest single-day tally since the country recorded its first

COVID-19 case back in January.

The record-high new cases pushed the country's cumulative total of COVID-19

infections to 89,374, of which, 22,327 are active.

The rest of the Philippines will be under modified general community

quarantine.

“Tiis tiis muna kayo (Endure a little more),” Duterte said.

The president also asked the public to observe health precautions.

“Konting ingat lang (Be carefeul). Do not mix together and observe distance

rule,” he said.

Duterte, who is pinning his hopes on a coronavirus vaccine, earlier said in

his speech that he is hoping the country will be back to normal by December.

But while laboratories across the world are racing to develop a coronavirus

vaccine, the World Health Organization said COVID-19 vaccinations cannot be

expected until early 2021.

DUTERTE: PHILIPPINES' FIRST COVID-19 VACCINE MIGHT COME FROM CHINA

MANILA-- President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday the Philippines' first

vaccine for the novel coronavirus might come from China, where the

infectious disease originated as well.

Duterte, in a taped address aired Friday, appealed to Filipinos for

patience, saying he hopes that the situation would go back to normal by

December.

"I promise you, by the grace of God, I hope by December we will be back to

normal," he said.

"Ang una nga makuha siguro natin from China," he added, noting that China's

Sinopharm and Sinovac have reported progress in their inactive vaccines.

During his fifth State of the Nation Address, Duterte told Filipinos that he

asked Chinese President Xi Jinping to prioritize the Philippines once China

develops a vaccine. "Nangako sila na may priority tayo," the President said.

Poor Filipinos first-takers of COVID-19 vaccine

Duterte said the beneficiaries of cash assistance from the government and

the sick will be among the first to receive coronavirus vaccines once they

become available in the market.

Second on the list of people who will receive free vaccine from the

government are the middle-income Filipinos.

The chief executive said the police and the military—the “backbone” of

Duterte’s administration—will be third in line.

“‘Yung mga upper income, magbili na lang kayo,” the chief executive said.

Duterte offers vaccines to NPA rebels

Duterte is offering COVID-19 vaccines to New People's Army rebels if they

stop fighting military troops until December 2020.

"If you stop fighting for a while during the period or until December

because my soldiers will be busy monitoring, supervising - 'wag niyo nang

galawin - puwede kayo sumali," he said in a press briefing aired Friday.

"Post COVID na tayo mag-away ulit. I am just telling you, stop it and allow

the normal process of helping the country."

Military as implementing arm

Duterte, who has been criticized for his militarized response to a public

health emergency such as COVID-19 pandemic, said he is assigning the Armed

Forces of the Philippines to implement the immunization drive.

“There’s set-up, may task force. But implementing arm is military,” he said.

Duterte also tasked retired military generals to lead the country's pandemic

response, which include Peace The President has Process Adviser Secretary

Carlito Galvez Jr., Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, Defense Secretary Delfin

Lorenzana and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu.

He later on said in his speech that nurses in “nearest police stations” may

be tapped for the vaccination program.

No vaccine for drug pushers, addicts

Duterte said Thursday he would deny drug offenders the vaccine for the novel

coronavirus once it becomes available.

Duterte, who has repeatedly headlined his war on drugs campaign, said he

views drug offenders as "dogs."

"Mga drug pusher, drug addict, I will not waste money on you. Ibigay ko na

lang 'yan sa ibang lugar," the President said in a public address aired

Friday.

"Tingin ko? Mga drug pusher, drug addict, aso. Hindi ako magtulong sa inyo.

Sinisira ninyo ang Pilipinas. Pinapatay ninyo ang tao," he added.

PHILIPPINES SETS ASIDE P20-B TO VACCINATE 20-M VS COVID-19

MANILA — Faced with a resurgence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), the

Philippines is looking ahead and allotting P20 billion to be among the

first-takers of vaccines for the deadly disease once they are approved for

use by December, officials said on Friday.

The plan is for the government to spearhead the vaccination of a "minimum"

of 20 million people, equivalent to 18.5% of the present 108 million

population, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in recorded

televised briefing.

"We have a plan and we can execute it...Certainly late this year, if it is

already available, we can already buy it," he said.

In the face of ballooning COVID-19 costs, Dominguez said the Philippines can

finance a large scale vaccine procurement. The initial P20 billion, he said,

will be borrowed by the Philippine International Trading Corp., a government

corporation, from state banks, Land Bank of the Philippines and Development

Bank of the Philippines.

The health department would then pay for the loans directly to banks through

the agency's budget where the Executive department is expected to insert

funds for vaccination. The government is in the middle of preparing its

proposed 2021 budget to be submitted to Congress on or before Aug. 26.

The Duterte administration has come under heavy fire over its inefficient

handling of the health crisis, not to mention untrusted case figures from

the health department.

On Thursday, health officials came under heavy fire anew after reporting a

sudden spike in recoveries from COVID-19 by designating people with mild or

no symptoms as healed 14 days from onset of symptoms or testing.

'ISUMBONG NIYO': DUTERTE TELLS TELCOS TO REPORT LGUS OBSTRUCTING PERMITS

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte said Friday telecommunications companies

should report to his Cabinet officials the local government units hampering

the building of cell sites in the country.

In a televised address, Globe Telecom president and CEO Ernest Cu told the

President that it takes about 28 to 30 permits and over 8 months to build

just one tower.

The permitting woes are on top of miscellaneous fees collected including

tower fees and special use permits, Cu said, who was present in the briefing

recorded late Thursday.

"Alam mo 'you can ask Bong (Senator Bong Go), or Sonny (Finance Secretary

Carlos Dominguez III) or the generals, kay Sec. (Eduardo) Año. Isumbong niyo

na lang ng diresto (you can report to them directly)," Duterte said.

"At ang order ko sa Cabinet ngayon is to really take the, ‘kung

pinakamabigat, the most drastic measure that you can find, para

magkaintindihan. This is my last mile," he added.

In his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA), Duterte threatened to shut or

expropriate telcos if no improvements are made in December.

In jest, the President told Cu he would hang him in one of Globe Telecom's

towers if no improvements would be made.

"I will hang you in one of your towers. Sabi niya (he said) 'Mayor, you

cannot do that because there is no tower. The local governments are all

f-----g it up,” Duterte said.

Department of Interior and Local Government Sec. Eduardo Año said in the

same briefing, that the target was to reduce time spent in producing permits

to 16 to 20 days.

The administration has been pushing for the ease of doing business to

shorten the permitting stage, including the construction of telco towers.

Both Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc have said they are ramping up spending to

continue expansion plans and to improve services in the country.

Third telecommunications player DITO Telecommunity, mounting to challenge

Globe and PLDT, is set to launch on March 2021.

PRESSURE ON TELCOS, WATER UTILITIES HEIGHTENS POLITICAL RISK — MOODY’S

MANILA — The pressure exerted by Malacañang on big businesses, particularly

on telecommunications providers as well as water concessionaires, may

indicate unpredictability as well as weakening political and legal

governance in the Philippines, according to US-based rating agency MoodyÂ’s

Investors Service.

In an online media roundtable, MoodyÂ’s senior vice president Christian de

Guzman said the debt watcher has assigned a higher political risk to the

Philippines due to the unpredictability in government policies.

“We have cited that there has been a weakening in political and legal

governance that shows somewhat of a risk of unpredictability with regards to

policy. And these are tied with relatively high political risk that we

assign to the Philippines,” De Guzman said.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address, President Duterte told PLDTÂ’s

Smart Communications and Ayala-led Globe Telecom to shape up by December or

face expropriation.

Businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan leads PLDT while the Ayalas control Globe.

Both businesses also control water concessionaires Maynilad Water Services

Inc. through Metro Pacific Investments Corp. and Manila Water Co. through

Ayala Corp.

De Guzman said MoodyÂ’s is also looking at other developments including the

failure of media giant ABS-CBN to obtain a new franchise from the House of

Representatives.

“I think we are looking at what that means for institutions and governance

strength. As IÂ’ve mentioned, there are certain mitigating factors currently,

but it is something that we are looking at as well,” he said.

DUTERTE BACKS STUDY ON REVIVAL OF NUCLEAR ENERGY

MANILA — The Department of Energy (DOE) said it would continue working with

global experts in nuclear energy after President Duterte signed an executive

order (EO) supporting the Philippine nuclear energy program.

In a statement, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi hailed the signing of EO 116

which, he said, is a “major step towards the realization of a Philippine

nuclear energy program.”

EO 116 provides for the creation of the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency

Committee (NEP-IAC) to be chaired by the DOE, with the Department of Science

and Technology (DOST) as vice chair.

The inter-agency body is mandated to primarily conduct a study for the

adoption of a National Position on a Nuclear Energy Program (NEP).

EO 116 requires the NEP-IAC to submit an initial report to the Office of the

President within six months or by January 2021.

“The Department of Energy welcomes EO116 as a major step towards the

realization of a Philippine nuclear energy program – one which would benefit

our people by enhancing our energy supply levels and help shield our

consumers from traditional power price volatilities,” Cusi said.

THE REST

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SLMC REDUCES BED CAPACITY AS FRONTLINERS GET SICK

Bed capacity at St. Luke's Medical Center has been reduced as frontliners

are falling ill amid the coronavirus pandemic, St. Luke's chief medical

officer Dr. Benjamin Campomanes said Friday.

"Hindi na namin mabigyan ng tao ang ibang ward. Nagbabawas kami ng bed

capacity dahil wala kaming tao," he told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

The Department of Health earlier said it is hiring up to 8,000 healthcare

workers for 3-month contracts to be deployed in different hospitals all over

the country.

St. Luke's is allotting 30 percent of its total bed capacity for COVID-19

patients due to a boom in coronavirus cases.

Campomanes said the hospital's intensive care unit in Quezon City is now at

145 percent occupancy, with some patients placed in provisional ICUs.

DEPED: PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN OVER 300 DISTRICTS HAVE CONDUCTED DRY RUNS FOR

BLENDED LEARNING

MANILA — Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Friday said that public

schools in 345 districts have conducted dry runs in preparation for the

resumption of classes on August 24.

"We can definitely start on August 24 with our blended learning approach.

For months now, we have been conducting dry runs and simulations in all

districts using different approaches," Briones said in Filipino during a

COVID-19 task force meeting with the president.

These approaches include learning through radio, television, online

platforms and modules, Briones added.

All classes for the rest of 2020 will be conducted through a blended

learning approach, as President Duterte on Monday announced that he would

not allow face-to-face classes until 2021, which is when he expects a

vaccine for COVID-19 to be available.

Although classes officially begin on August 24, Briones said the opening of

the school year will be launched two weeks earlier on August 10.

GRAB LAUNCHES FREE SWAB TEST FOR RIDERS, DRIVERS

MANILA — Around 60,000 Grab drivers and riders will undergo free reverse

transcription polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR swab testing for the

coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

An initial batch of drivers had their swabs taken during the pilot run of

the project at the Quezon Memorial Circle yesterday.

The swab samples will be processed at the Red Cross laboratory, which has a

turnaround time of around three to four days.

Grab Philippines said the initiative would run for two months in other

cities.

The project is in partnership with the National Task Force for COVID-19 and

Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

GOVERNMENT TO OPEN 22 FACILITIES FOR MILD COVID-19 CASES

MANILA — The government will open 22 mega quarantine facilities for mild and

asymptomatic COVID-19 patients in the National Capital Region (NCR), an

official said yesterday.

Vince Dizon, National Task Force against COVID-19 response deputy chief

implementer, said the facilities would augment the current 2,700 hotel beds

that the government is paying for and reserving for asymptomatic and mild

COVID patients.

“In the past weeks, our asymptomatic positives have increased in number.

That is why there is an increase in the occupancy in our mega quarantine

facilities and in the local government facilities,” he explained.

The facilities, he added, would be ready in two to three weeks.

PNP PERSONNEL INFECTED WITH COVID-19 NOW 2,084

MANILA — Thirty-six more police officers have been infected with the

coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said there are now 2,084 police

officers who have contracted the virus.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said the death toll remains at 10

while 757 or around 36.32 percent have recovered.

Banac said 27 of the new cases are from Metro Manila while Calabarzon and

Davao have four cases each. A personnel from Central Visayas was also

infected.

At least 2,084 others are suspected cases.

LTO EXTENDS CAR REGISTRATION VALIDITY

MANILA — The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has extended the validity of

vehicle registration amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In an advisory issued yesterday, the LTO said vehicles with license plate

numbers ending in 6 in the National Capital Region, Laguna, Cebu and Region

3 were given an additional 30 days on top of the 60-day extension initially

announced by the agency.

With the new extension, motorists can now process the renewal of their

vehicle registration until Sept. 3.

Vehicles with plate numbers ending in 6 in other areas were given a 30-day

extension beginning June 30.

LTO chief Edgar Galvante said they extended the period for renewal of

registration of motor vehicles due to the health crisis.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

NADINE LUSTRE, ALDEN RICHARDS OPEN TO STAR IN A MOVIE TOGETHER

MANILA – Nadine Lustre and Alden Richards were recently tapped as the

celebrity ambassadors of Century Tuna Superbods.

After seeing them work in this healthy lifestyle campaign, some of their

supporters have wondered if the two would be open to star in an acting

project together.

Their fans, however, do not have to wonder anymore because Lustre and

Richards themselves have answered this question.

In their recent press conference, entertainment site Push reported that

Lustre and Richards are both willing to star in a movie together.

“Yes, yes, yes,” said Richards, who obviously got excited with the idea.

As for Lustre, she said: “Yeah, that would be awesome!”

Unknown to many, this lifestyle campaign is not the first time Richards and

Lustre have collaborated. According to them, they got to work for a clothing

line several years ago.

“Nagkatrabaho kami sa isang clothing line before and during the early stages

of Nadine’s career. So nagkikita kami doon during Sunday shoots namin,”

Richards said.

Sharing their working experience, Richards said: “Magaan siyang katrabaho

and wala kaming hardships ni Nadine during the shoot. IÂ’m really happy din

kasi thatÂ’s what I looked for sa mga co-worker ko or sa mga nakaksama ko sa

trabaho, ’yung magaan katrabaho.”

Now that they have reconnected through the Superbods campaign, Lustre said

she is “really hoping we could catch up.”

Richards is a talent of a rival network, but he has already shown his

willingness to collaborate with Kapamilya artists, agreeing to star in the

smash hit "Hello, Love, Goodbye" with Kathryn Bernardo.

SPORTS

CLARKSON, JAZZ COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT PELICANS, AS NBA REOPENS

Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points off the bench and Donovan Mitchell added

20, including 8 of the Utah Jazz's last 12 points, as they rallied past the

New Orleans Pelicans 106-104 Thursday (US time), the NBA's first game since

the league halted play for four months because of COVID-19.

Rudy Gobert, whose virus infection in March triggered stoppage in games,

sealed the victory with 2 free throws with 6.9 seconds left in the game.

The Jazz were down 60-44 in the second quarter, where the Pelicans dumped 34

points and took command.

Utah gradually chewed into the deficit in the second half, until a Mitchell

basket with 4:09 remaining put the Jazz back in the driver's seat 98-97.

Tied at 104 after both teams engaged in a seesaw battle, Derrick Favors

fouled Gobert, who in turn made the winning free throws.

Mike Conley added 20 points for Utah, while Gobert chipped in 14 points and

12 rebounds.

Brandon Ingram led New Orleans with 23 points.

Zion Williamson, the No. 1 draft pick of this year's rookie class, finished

with 13 points playing in only 15 minutes for the Pelicans.

Williamson missed the team scrimmages leading up to Thursday's game.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 49.15

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. - Abraham

Lincoln