HOUSE OKs ‘NEW NORMAL’ BILL

MANILA — The House of Representatives has passed the bill setting public

rules and protocols for the “new normal” in workplace and public spaces

while the country continues to battle the COVID-19 crisis.

A total of 242 members voted unanimously in plenary Monday evening to

approve on third and final reading House Bill No. 6864 or the proposed

Better Normal for the Workplace, Communities and Public Spaces Act of 2020

filed by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and other House leaders.

Majority Leader Martin Romuladez, one of the principal authors of the bill,

said the measure is crucial to preventing the spread of the disease as the

nation prepares for a “new normal” way of living after the community

quarantine measures currently being enforced by the government.

“We seek to lay the groundwork that will expedite our people’s adaptation to

the demands of the new normal. The soonest we adapt, businesses can resume

operations and workers can go back to their jobs without fear of contracting

the dreaded coronavirus,” the Leyte representative stressed.

HB 6864 seeks to set new norms of physical distancing and safety measures in

government and private offices, schools, commercial establishments and other

public spaces once social and economic activities resume.

It sets “standards and protocols that would simultaneously protect the

vulnerable from the disease and prevent transmission from asymptomatic or

untested carriers of the virus, while ensuring the restoration of livelihood

opportunities and sources of income for all.”

The proposed measure seeks mandatory wearing of masks, availability of

handwashing or sanitizing stations in public areas, temperature checks and

physical distancing of at least one meter in all public spaces.

Under the bill, physical distancing will apply during queuing for tickets

and in the interiors of vehicles in public transportation, while contactless

payment mechanisms will be implemented and passengers will be required to

wash their hands or sanitize before boarding public utility vehicles (PUVs).

The operation of motorcycle taxis will remain suspended to prevent the

spread of the virus through the use of common helmets and close contact

between drivers and their passengers.

For schools and other learning institutions, on-site classes, sports and

other extracurricular activities shall also remain suspended subject to

consultation with the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher

Education.

Online learning platforms will, in the meantime, be the primary mode of

learning for students in all public and private schools.

Restaurants and other food service places may resume operations under a “new

normal,” but initially only for take-out and delivery.

As for banks, supermarkets, malls and most commercial spaces, the entry of

people will be limited at any given time, and online transactions and

shopping services as well as cashless and contactless payments should be

encouraged.

Salons, parlors and spas – once allowed to reopen – will be required to

strictly observe frequent handwashing, disinfecting and cleaning practices,

including the sanitizing of scissors and other tools.

Applicable safety and distancing measures must be applied at construction

sites, industrial workplaces, offices, call centers and other public spaces.

HB 6864 also promotes online transactions, contactless payments and services

as well as full implementation of the law on the establishment of a national

ID system along with the national broadband program of the Department of

Information and Communications Technology as well as the proposed bill on

e-government systems.

JAIL TIME FOR ALL CORRUPT PHILHEALTH EXECS VOWED

Duterte: Yayariin ko kayong lahat

MANILA — President Duterte has vowed to send to jail corrupt officials of

the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), which is embroiled in a

controversy over billions in funds allegedly lost to fraud and the purchase

of supposedly overpriced equipment.

Duterte said he has to recover the money lost to purported anomalies in the

state insurer, which gained the spotlight as the Philippines is grappling

with the COVID-19 contagion.

“Huwag kayong magkakamali...itong PhilHealth. Sabi ko yayariin ko kayong

lahat, maniwala kayo. Iyong mga inosente naman, wala kayong dapat i-ano,

tahimik lang kayo at continue working (Make no mistake, PhilHealth. I told

you, I will finish you all, believe me. If you are innocent, you donÂ’t need

to worry. Just continue working quietly),” the President said in a televised

address aired Monday night.

“Nakalusot kayo sa ibang maybe presidente o ano pero dito sa akin, sadsad

talaga kayo (You evaded other presidents, but there’s no escaping me),” he

added.

Duterte said he would get the “true” figures of PhilHealth’s finances from

the Commission on Audit (COA), one of the agencies in the multi-agency task

force he formed to probe the issues hounding PhilHealth.

“I will really send these sons of b****** to jail... I will recover (the

funds)... if the ombudsman summons you... you canÂ’t say no. I think the

ombudsman will be pissed off. You will just be dismissed for refusing to

obey the order,” Duterte said.

“With the help of Cabinet members, I won’t brag but these are simple people.

Why? Why are they really helping me to get rid of you? If possible I would

kill you. You know why? Because simply they love their country,” he added.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte would allow the task force

to perform its mandate before acting on calls for him to name a new

PhilHealth chief or a caretaker.

“(Justice) Secretary Meynard Guevarra, the chairman of the task force, said

they can immediately issue an order for preventive suspension. Whether he

(Duterte) would assign a new president of PhilHealth, the President has not

spoken much about it,” he added.

CHEAT SHEET ON THE LOOMING LEGAL BATTLE ON THE ANTI-TERRORISM LAW

MANILA — The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 has become one of the most

challenged laws before the Supreme Court with at least 26 petitions filed

against it a month after it was signed.

The first petition, filed by professors and religious brothers of the De La

Salle University, was filed—albeit electronically—less than 24 hours since

Malacañang announced that President Rodrigo Duterte had signed the

anti-terrorism bill into law.

More petitions came shortly after—from Framers of the Constitution, a former

acting chief justice and ombudsman, the law academe, lawmakers, religious

leaders and civil society and progressive groups, even social media

personalities and the Filipino youth.

With at least 25 petitions in the SCÂ’s dockets, the justices set the

pleadings for oral arguments in late September.

In a full court session on August 11, the SC ordered Calida to answer the

six latest petitions filed against the anti-terrorism law. The SC said that

this will also include a “comment on the petition and application for

[Temporary Restraining Order].”

With quarantine protocols still enforced, at least in Metro Manila, until

August 18, it is unclear how the oral arguments will be conducted.

The SC has resorted to conducting its sessions on videoconferencing in the

meantime.

PHILIPPINES TO CONDUCT HUMAN TRIALS OF RUSSIA'S COVID-19 VACCINE; PREZ

CLAIMS HE HAS 'HUGE TRUST' IN THE SHOT

Russia has offered its newly-registered vaccine against the coronavirus to

the Philippines, and the country's President Rodrigo Duterte has reportedly

accepted the offer. Duterte said he is also willing to participate in human

trials for the vaccine.

The vaccine has received regulatory approval and has become the world's

first registered vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 virus. This annoucement was made

yesterday, 11 August by Russian President Vladimir Putin during a government

meeting. He said that his daughter has also been given the vaccine.

Russia will provide the vaccines to the Philippines by either supplying it

to the country, teaming up with a local company to produce it or via the

participation of the Philippines in clinical trials. Russian Ambassador to

the Philippines Igor Khovaev told reporters, “The Russian side is ready to

closely cooperate with Philippine partners in this field."

Duterte lauded Russia's efforts to speedily develop a coronavirus vaccine.

"I will tell President Putin that I have huge trust in your studies in

combating COVID and I believe that the vaccine that you have produced is

really good for humanity," Duterte said.

To reassure the Filipino public, Duterte said: "I can be the first they can

experiment on."

Russia's Sputnik V vaccine has been developed by the Gamaleya research

institute in coordination with the country's defence ministry.

The Gamaleya candidate, which is among the 28 in clinical evaluation, is

listed as only being in Phase 1.

Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund which

finances the vaccine project, said Phase 3 trials would start on Wednesday,

industrial production was expected from September and that 20 countries had

pre-ordered more than a billion doses.

The World Health Organization said any WHO stamp of approval on a COVID-19

vaccine candidate would require a rigorous safety data review, after Russia

announced Tuesday it had approved a vaccine.

PESO CLOSES AT NEARLY 4-YEAR HIGH VS. US DOLLAR

The Philippine peso closed at its strongest level against the US dollar in

nearly four years on Tuesday.

The local currency gained nine centavos to break the P48-barrier and close

at P48.92 to a dollar. It marked the peso's strongest performance against

the greenback since Nov. 10, 2016 when it ended trading at P48.66.

The peso, one of Asia's best-performing currencies, is gaining from dismal

imports that characterized the past months of lockdown.

A strong currency, while beneficial to make imports cheaper and temper

inflation, also cuts the value of remittances Filipino families earn.

FITCH: NO CHOICE FOR GOV'T BUT TO SPEND MORE IF PANDEMIC RECOVERY STALLS

The Philippine government could be forced to spend more to fight the

pandemic, even if it tries not to, if the economy would not bounce back from

pandemic-induced recession as quickly as projected in 2021, Fitch Ratings

said.

"The governmentÂ’s record of macroeconomic management lends credibility to

the projections, but curtailing pandemic-related spending may be difficult

if the economy continues to contract and fails to recover as fast as the

authorities expect," Fitch said in a research note Tuesday.

"Indeed, if the recovery stalls, there may be pressure for even more fiscal

stimulus," it added.

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PHILHEALTH KAYANG LINISIN SA LOOB NG 6 NA BUWAN: BELGICA

MAYNILA - Naniniwala ang Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission na anim na

buwan ang kakailanganin para tuluyang linisin ang Philippine Health

Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) mula sa korapsiyon.

“Kaya po ‘yan. ‘Di po ako naniniwala na ‘di matatapos ito ng 6 months. You

put the right system, put the right people, do the right thing, 6 months

‘yan ma-improve ‘yan,” pahayag ni PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica.

Iniimbestigahan ng Senado ang PhilHealth dahil sa alegasyon ng korapsiyon.

Ayon kay Belgica, may mga IT solutions sa gobyeno at pribadong sektor na

handang tumulong sa PhilHealth na ayusin ang kanilang IT system nang libre.

"Gamitin muna itong nag-o-offer ng libre. In 6 months, linis po 'yang IT

system. Meron nang validation mechanism, ‘di na makakapasok ang upcasing,

mga fake documents, fake claims,” saad niya.

Naunang sinabi ni Belgica na kayang manipulahin ng ilang empleyado ang

transaksiyon sa ahensiya dahil sa kakulangan nito sa validation mechanism.

Dalawang paraan lamang ang nakikita niya para tuluyang malinis ang ahensiya.

Una na rito ay ang pagtanggal sa korap na mga opisyal at pagbabago sa

sistema dito.

“Ang paglilinis na gusto natin sa PhilHealth ‘di puwedeng presidente lang

ang tatanggalin, 'yung board lang ang aalisin dahil hindi lang naman sila

ang involved. Meron d'yan regional officers na sila ang nag-di-disburse ng

pera, sila kausap ng mga ospital,” sabi niya.

Kapag tanging ang presidente lamang ang inalis sa puwesto at hindi rin ito

susundan ng imbestigasyon, magiging parehas lang din aniya ang resulta.

“Alisin mo mga tao sa ilalim, makakapag-simula ka ng imbestigasyon at titino

ang sistema,” sabi niya.

DRILON URGES PHILHEALTH EXECS TO TAKE LEAVE OF ABSENCE DURING PROBE

MANILA - Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Wednesday called on

PhilHealth officials to take a leave of absence as lawmakers and other

anti-corruption bodies probe alleged corruption in the state insurance firm.

Drilon said the PhilHealth must be "re-organized" after it has consistently

figured in alleged anomalies.

Drilon bats for new law to 'reorganize' PhilHealth, outsource modernization

plan

"Ilang beses nang pinalitan ang pangulo nila, ganun pa rin. Ibig sabihin

embedded 'yung katiwalian, systemic. Hindi pwede magpalit ka lang ng tao,

president," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

"At the very least, dapat magleave sila dahilan sa habang nand'yan sila,

meron silang access sa mga dokumento. Pwede nilang palitan ang mga dokumento

kaya dapat magleave muna sila."

SAP BENEFICIARIES SA MARIKINA, MAGDAMAG PUMILA PARA SA AYUDA

Magdamag pumila ang mga benepisaryo ng social amelioration program (SAP)

para kumuha ng kanilang ayuda sa isang remittance center sa J.P. Rizal

Street sa lungsod ng Marikina.

Alas-9 ng gabi ng Martes ang unang nasa pila sa labas ng remittance center.

Ang iba ay sa bangketa na nagpalipas ng gabi para makakuha ng ayuda mula sa

gobyerno.

Ang iba ay may baong sako at kumot na kanilang ilalatag kapag mapagod sa

pila at tamaan ng antok.

Kailangan nilang tiyagain ang pagpila para masigurong una sa pila.

May cut-off din na 50 katao kada araw ang remittance center kaya nanigurado

silang makakasama sa bilang.

Mas gusto naman ng iba ang pamamaraan ng pagbabahagi ng ayuda noong unang

tranche ng SAP na idinaan sa barangay. Anila, sa remittance center ay 1 o 2

lamang ang nagpoproseso sa lahat ng kukuha ng ayuda kumpara sa barangay na

maraming lamesa at nagdidistribute ng ayuda.

EX-COMELEC CHIEF DIES AFTER BOUT WITH COVID-19

MANILA — Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes

Jr. died yesterday at the Manila Medical Center in Manila. He was 80.

“My boss and former Comelec chair Sixto S. Brillantes Jr. passed away at

11:08 a.m. yesterday. What a great honor to serve the country by your side.

Maraming salamat (Thank you so much)!” Brillantes’ former chief of staff

Emil Marañon said on his Twitter account.

BrillantesÂ’ death after battling COVID was confirmed yesterday by Comelec

spokesman James Jimenez, who said that he would have turned 81 on Aug. 14.

“The Commission en banc, and his entire Comelec family, was deeply saddened

to learn of the passing of former chairman Sixto S. Brillantes Jr. At this

time of bereavement, the entire Comelec conveys the most heartfelt

condolences to (his) family,” Jimenez noted.

Malacañang has sent condolences to the family of Brillantes.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT GERALD ANDERSON TO BE MORE RESILIENT

MANILA – Gerald Anderson admitted that one of the important lessons this

coronavirus pandemic has taught him was to be more resilient.

During the Star Magic special “Love from Home Lockdown” over the weekend,

Anderson said itÂ’s crazy how the global crisis has taken so much from

everyone so quickly.

“It’s a different situation. This is life and death. This is being sick.

Your livelihood is being taken away -- from the ABS-CBN shutdown, my fitness

business, the gym,” he said, adding that every day is not guaranteed for

anyone.

“Ito talaga ‘yung literal na we really don’t know what can happen tomorrow.

We don’t know what can happen. Sino ba ang posibleng magkasakit tomorrow.”

Anderson said the pandemic has helped him appreciate the people around him

more, and “just not take for granted everything that I’ve achieved.”

Meanwhile, the actor said he is relieved that both his parents are living in

the province where there are fewer coronavirus cases compared to Metro

Manila.

“I just came back from almost three weeks lock-in taping for ‘A Soldier’s

Heart.Â’ We had our own bubble. ItÂ’s good na theyÂ’re not here because they

wonÂ’t be exposed when I come home. Although I did all the testing, all the

process para maging safe, but at the end of the day, you’ll never know,” he

said.

No matter how difficult the current situation is for everyone, Anderson said

he is grateful that he still gets to do something that he loves.

“I’ll be very honest. It was a very hard situation when we were there

because everyone was exposed. But everyone was motivated because we know

that weÂ’re doing something good for our supporters. I think ABS is the best

at finding ways to give back to people who support us,” he added.

SPORTS

NBA: LILLARD'S 61-POINT MASTERPIECE GIVES BLAZERS CRUCIAL WIN OVER MAVS

Damian Lillard tied his career-high with 61 points, and the Portland Trail

Blazers claimed a crucial 134-131 triumph over the Dallas Mavericks in their

seventh game of the NBA restart, Tuesday in Orlando (US time).

Lillard made 17 of his 32 attempts, including nine three-pointers, and added

eight assists as the Blazers improved to 5-2 inside the bubble.

With the victory, Portland moves up to the No. 8 spot in the Western

Conference and now controls their playoff destiny, with just one seeding

game left in their schedule.

Memphis, which lost earlier in the day to Boston, drops to the ninth seed.

Phoenix, still unbeaten in the NBA restart, is at No. 10 and San Antonio is

at No. 11. With all four teams having just one seeding game left, the race

for the No. 8 seed will go down the wire.

NBA: GRIZZLIES YIELD LEAD IN PLAY-IN RACE AFTER FALLING TO CELTICS

The Boston Celtics rode the hot hand of Jayson Tatum in the first half to

add to the Memphis Grizzlies' Disney disappointment with a 122-107 win on

Tuesday (US time).

Ja Morant led the Grizzlies, losers of 6 of 7 in the NBA restart, with 26

points and 13 assists.

The loss dragged Memphis (33-39) into a tie with Phoenix at the Nos. 9 and

10 spots.

Victory by Portland (34-39) against Dallas later in the day gave the

Trailblazers 8th place at the moment.

Portland's victory was especially crucial to determining the last playoff

ticket still up for grabs.

All 4 teamsÂ’ playoff fates will be determined in their last regular-season

games Thursday.

Memphis will take on East top seed Milwaukee, Phoenix will face Dallas, San

Antonio will battle Utah, while Portland will play Brooklyn, the EastÂ’s No.

7 seed.

In the play-in, the No. 8 seed only needs to beat the No. 9 team to advance,

while the latter needs to win twice.

NBA: DEVIN BOOKER TORCHES 76ERS, AS SUNS STAY PERFECT AT DISNEY

Devin Booker finished with 35 points, and Ricky Rubio added 16 points and 10

assists, as the Phoenix Suns stretched their bubble streak to 7 games by

beating the Philadelphia 76ers 130-117 Tuesday (US time).

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 48.92

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude

towards them. - Antoine de Saint-Exupery