DUTERTE APPROVES FILING CRIMINAL, ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGES VS MORALES, OTHER

PHILHEALTH OFFICIALS

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday approved the filing of criminal

and administrative charges against former Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth) president Ricardo Morales and other officials over alleged

corrupt practices.

Duterte, in his weekly public address, read the report submitted to him by

Task Force PhilHealth on its recommendations regarding the corruption

scandal hounding the state health insurance agency.

The task force said the evidence and results of their investigation support

their conclusion that several officers of PhilHealth violated the Anti-Graft

and Corrupt Practices Act.

Aside from Morales, the task force recommended charges against PhilHealth

Senior Vice President for Information Management Sector Jovita Aragona,

Acting Senior Manager, Information Technology and Management Department

Calixto Gabuya Jr., Senior Vice President for Fund Management Sector Renato

Limsiaco Jr., Senior Vice President for Health Finance Policy Sector Israel

Francis Pargas, and Executive Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer

Arnel De Jesus, among others.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President approved all of the

recommendations of the task force.

"The issue of PhilHealth corruption was really an important issue to the

Filipinos and to everybody, and everybody, again, is placed in jeopardy by

the actions of the officials," Duterte said.

"I'm sorry for them but they have to undergo a trial. Although, they can

always prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt...The presumption of

innocence still attaches, but the report of another agency says otherwise,"

he added.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was spared, with the task force led by

the Department of Justice (DOJ) recommending only that he be “strongly

admonished” for the offenses attributed to the PhilHealth officials.

The task force, composed of representatives from the Department of Justice,

the Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP), the

Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), the National Bureau of

Investigation (NBI), and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), among

others, talked to 14 witnesses in the course of 7 hearings.

DEVOTEES JOIN NAZARENE PARADE VS COVID -19

MANILA — For the first time since the lockdown was enforced in March due to

the coronavirus pandemic, the image of the Black Nazarene was brought out of

the Quiapo Church in Manila yesterday for a motorcade.

Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of the Minor Basilica of the Black

Nazarene, said the image was paraded around Quiapo to give “hope to those

who may be in despair because of quarantine restrictions.”

Devotees joined the one-hour procession that began at around 1 p.m. despite

heavy rains.

The Black Nazarene went around the streets of Evangelista, Raon, Quezon

Boulevard, Hidalgo, Mendoza and Quinta Market.

“Parang pagsumamo sa Nazareno na mawala na ang virus na ito,” Badong said.

“This is our prayer not only for the Philippines, but for the whole world.”

Monsignor Hernando Coronel, Quiapo Church rector, officiated a mass prior to

the motorcade.

The parade was done after former Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal

Tagle tested positive for COVID-19 upon his arrival in the country on Sept.

10.

DUTERTE PREFERS COVID-19 VACCINES FROM CHINA, RUSSIA

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday his administration will

prioritize coronavirus vaccines made by China and Russia, if they are proven

safe and effective, even as he accused Western pharmaceutical companies of

"profiting" amid the pandemic.

"If the vaccine of Russia and China are equally good and effective just as

any other vaccine by any country, I will buy [them] first. But then... I

hope the Chinese and Russian government, that when we buy, we have to go

into a bidding," Duterte said in a public briefing aired past 10 p.m.

"The Russian and the pharmaceutical companies of China can, very well, join

us."

The President said he prefers China and Russia because of their "generosity"

to the Philippines when "nothing at all was in sight" during the start of

the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We were drifting, tapos dumating itong bagyo. Walang ibang bayan na

tumulong sa atin," he said.

Claiming that Western countries and companies "want cash advance" for help,

Duterte said the Philippines doesn't "need to beg or to plead" to China for

a COVID-19 vaccine.

"Kaya sabi ko we will give preference to Russia and China provided that

their vaccine is as good as any other in the market. It could be as good as

'yung mga kompanyang sinabi nila, 'di ko sasabihin. Baka magpapa-advertise

sila," he said.

"One thing wrong of Western countries, it's all profit, profit, profit.

There's a pandemic, and you say, 'We have something for sale. Or something

to sell to you.

"Now they're asking for parang reservation fee, wala pa sila [vaccine]. Sabi

nila, 'Pag naimbento na ito, natapos na namin 'yung trials...pero kung

sabihin mo na, sige, wala pa 'yung vaccine. There is nothing with finality

and you want us to make a reservation by depositing money. You must be

crazy," Duterte said.

Under the Government Procurement Reform Act, Philippine authorities or

agencies are not allowed to buy items that have yet to be produced, the

President stressed.

"If [those] companies are here, or their representatives, mag-uwi na kayo sa

inyo. Kapag hindi, sipain ko kayo 'pag nakita ko kayo. If I happened to have

dinner outside and see you somewhere, I'll kick your ass. Bastusin ko kayo,

umuwi kayo doon sa inyo," he fumed.

DUTERTE WANTS PRIVATE HOSPITALS TO INCREASE COVID-19 BEDS

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday appealed to private hospitals

to increase their beds dedicated to COVID-19 patients as the country

continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic.

"What struck my attention is ito sana appeal to private hospitals to

increase the number of beds dedicated to COVID patients. Kung sana ho

madagdagan ninyo," Duterte said during his weekly public address.

According to Duterte, the government needs the support of private hospitals

as COVID-19 cases in the country continue to increase.

"Madagdagan lang ho sana ninyo because still the numbers are increasing. The

infections vary. In some cases, and in some provinces or cities, there's a

fast recovery rate, while others are lagging behind, and probably this is

because 'yung prior infection na hindi na-detect during the height of the

pandemic," he said.

"So mayroon pa hong mga naiwan, para ho makatulong talaga kayo sa bayan, I

am appealing some for the country and for the people. Alam naman ninyo na

hindi lang tayo ang tinamaan, so your help will go a long way," Duterte

added.

Duterte also said Filipinos will remember the help they received once the

pandemic has passed.

"Remember, everybody will remember someday that there was this great

epidemic that passed by our lives and we were able to deal it with a lot of

mutual help and tulong ng kababayan (help from our fellowmen)," he said.

ADB SEES PHILIPPINES SINKING DEEPER INTO CONTRACTION THIS YEAR

The Philippine economy would contract worse than the government expects this

year as the pandemic's impact lingers, the Asian Development Bank said on

Tuesday.

Gross domestic product (GDP) is likely to shrink 7.3% year-on-year in 2020,

worse than the 3.8% contraction seen last June and 2% growth projected last

April.

A bounce-back to 6.5% growth next year was retained.

The 2020 forecasts were worse than the Duterte administration's own

assumption of a 5.5% contraction this year. From January to June, the

economy has entered recession by slipping 9% year-on-year.

'WE MIGHT GO BACK TO ECQ': AÑO SAYS REDUCED PHYSICAL DISTANCING IN PUVS

'DANGEROUS'

Two Cabinet secretaries warned that easing physical distancing controls in

public transport will lead to an increase in the number of coronavirus

infections in the country.

In a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte and other Cabinet members,

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año called the proposal to reduce distance

between commuters in public utility vehicles “dangerous” as he stressed the

need to listen to experts and thoroughly study the proposal.

“Sumasang-ayon ako doon sa ating mga health workers, health sector na ito ay

magsisimula na naman ng spike at parang roller coaster na babalik na naman

tayo sa pinagmulan natin. Magiging ECQ na naman,” Año said

DUTERTE TASKS DFA WITH CHECKING ON STRANDED SEAFARERS

Duterte tells the Department of Foreign Affairs to check for Filipinos

stranded at sea abroad because their ships cannot dock.

"In so many places around the world where Filipinos are working, some are

still in limbo. Hindi nila alam kung saan sila pupunta."

He says he means seafarers who are "floating without really knowing what is

tomorrow for them."

FAMILIES IN LOCALIZED LOCKDOWNS TO RECEIVE AID

MANILA — Families in areas to be placed under localized lockdowns would

receive financial aid under the Bayanihan 2 law as the government shuns

region-wide community quarantines that may disrupt economic activity.

The law, signed by President Duterte last Friday, allocated P6 billion to

fund social welfare programs like the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis.

The AICS, a component of the governmentÂ’s social amelioration program,

provides emergency subsidies to households in areas affected by lockdowns.

Officials have announced plans to limit lockdowns to specific areas with

high coronavirus infections as imposing regional quarantine restrictions may

disrupt the livelihood of workers and the operations of businesses.

“We will provide P5,000 to P8,000 aid to those who will be affected by the

granular lockdown declared by the local government,” presidential spokesman

Harry Roque said at a press briefing yesterday.

LANDBANK OFFERS P150,000 LOAN FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS

MANILA - The state-run Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) is offering

loans up to P150,000 per student to parents and guardians who may find it

difficult to raise money for tuition during the COVID-19 pandemic, the

Department of Finance (DOF) said.

The new program, dubbed the Interim StudentsÂ’ Loan for Tuition toward

Upliftment of Education for the Development of the Youth (i-STUDY), carries

a fixed interest rate of 5 percent per year, the DOF said Monday in a

statement, citing a report by Landbank president and CEO Cecilia Borromeo to

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III.

“This program will not only help families who have kids they want to send to

school, but will also assist private schools and downstream industries to

sustain and continue their operations,” Borromeo said.

Under the program, short-term loans payable within a year are available for

pre-school, primary and secondary school students.

Term loans payable up to a maximum of 3 years, inclusive of a one-year grace

period on the principal amount, are available for tertiary-level students,

said the DOF.

Loans under the program cannot exceed P300,000 per eligible borrower.

The program was introduced “in response to President Duterte’s call on the

institution to support students during this time of crisis,” said Borromeo.

ONLINE SALE AIMS TO GIVE PH HOTELS, RESORTS A BOOST AMID PANDEMIC

MANILA -- A hotel marketing group is holding an online sale starting

Tuesday, throwing a lifeline to the country's hospitality industry as it

reels from the economic blow dealt by the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Aptly called SOS or September Online Sale, the event is organized by Hotel

Sales and Marketing Association (HSMA) in partnership with the Department of

Tourism (DOT), the Tourism Promotions Board, Atlantis, and iSentia.

From September 15 to 30, 89 hotels and resorts in the country will offer

discounts of up to 70% on regular rates through HSMA's website.

"SOS also means help for the travel industry. Hopefully, things will be

better soon," HSMA treasurer Carmela Bocanegra said in a recent virtual

briefing with the media.

"It's our worst nightmare ever in the hospitality industry," she added,

referring to the pandemic. "We are just trying to survive and get by, at

least break even as much as we can."

According to Bocanegra, the minimum expiration for the hotel and resort

vouchers is one year, with others having unlimited validity.

HSMA chair Margarita Munsayac, for her part, said hotels and resorts will be

"very flexible" in adjusting to quarantine rules set by the government.

Munsayac also assured buyers that all properties featured in SOS have passed

health and safety guidelines.

Over the weekend, the DOT said it has received approval from the

government's pandemic response task force to allow staycations or short-term

leisure stays in hotels in GCQ areas.

BSP: REMITTANCES HIGHEST SO FAR THIS YEAR IN JULY

Cash remittances from migrant workers bucked pessimistic expectations and

sustained a recovery in July toward their biggest monthly level this year.

Cash inflows coursed through banks rose 7.8% year-on-year to $2.78 billion

in July, the largest so far this year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)

reported on Tuesday.

The surprise uptick was slightly faster than June's 7.7%, and came against

the wave of migrant workers getting displaced by the pandemic. The labor

department expects 700,000 overseas Filipino workers losing jobs this year.

From January to July, cash remittances amounted to $16.81 billion, down 2.4%

on-year, now running lower than the central bank's forecast of a 5% drop

this year.

THE REST

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DOH LOGS 4,699 NEW COVID-19 CASES, NATIONAL TALLY AT 265,888

The Department of Health confirms 4,699 newly-reported cases of COVID-19 in

the Philippines, raising the national tally to 265,888.

The DOH also reports 249 new recoveries, bringing the total reported

recoveries to 207,504. The national death toll is now at 4,630 with 259

additional reported deaths.

Active COVID-29 cases (net of deaths and recoveries) now stand at 53,754.

ILANG BARANGAY SA QC NAGLAGAY NG SARILING QUARANTINE FACILITIES

MAYNILA - Naglagay ng sariling mga quarantine facility ang walong barangay

sa Quezon City nitong Lunes para sa mga coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

patients na asymptomatic o mild cases.

Ito ay para maiwasan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 virus sa isang komunidad at

para matulungang lumuwag ang ilang malalaking quarantine facility sa

lungsod.

Kabilang sa nagdagdag ng sariling quarantine facilities ang Barangay Holy

Spirit, Barangay Masagana, Barangay Milagrosa, Barangay Dioquino Zobel,

Barangay Bagumbuhay, Barangay Duyan Duyan, Barangay Silangan, at Barangay

Bayanihan.

Ang Barangay Milagrosa, pansamantalang ginawang quarantine facility ang

kanilang daycare building.

May 5 kuwarto para sa mga babae, at 5 kuwarto para sa lalaki.

May sariling banyo, bentilador, toiletries, at food packs ang mga pasyente.

Hinahatiran din ng ayuda ang kanilang mga pamilya.

Plano rin ng barangay na magkaroon ng hiwalay na pasilidad para sa kanilang

senior citizens, ayon sa chairman na si Alejandro Cuizon.

Ayon kay Dr. Rolly Cruz, head ng Epidemiology And Surveillance unit ng QC

Health Department, dapat ay well-ventilated, may hiwalay na mga kama,

running water at hiwalay na laundry area ang quarantine facility.

SWS: 57% OF FILIPINOS FEAR 'WORST IS YET TO COME' OF COVID-19 CRISIS

About 57% of Filipinos fear "the worst of the COVID-19 crisis is yet to

come", according to a Social Weather Stations survey released Tuesday.

The same poll shows that 35% of Filipinos said "the worst is behind us."

The probability-based survey was conducted from July 2 to 6 using mobile

phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing among a nationally

representative sample of 1,555 working-age Filipinos nationwide.

VEHICLE SALES REVERSE BACK TO SLUMP AFTER BRIEF AUGUST LOCKDOWN

Vehicle sales U-turned to a fresh monthly slump in August as a struggling

consumer demand for big-ticket purchases was hit by fresh lockdowns.

Manufacturers sold 17,906 units in August, down 39.5% year-on-year, the

Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers Association of the Philippines Inc. and

Truck Manufacturers Association said on Monday.

Compared to the previous month, sales went down 12.8% after the government

enforced a brief lockdown of Metro Manila and neighboring areas from Aug. 4

to 18.

"Spending remains a challenge especially for big-ticket items such as cars,"

CAMPI President Rommel Gutierrez said in a statement.

MANILA CATHEDRAL SET TO REOPEN

MANILA — The Manila Cathedral, considered to be the Mother Church in the

country, will finally reopen its doors to the public tomorrow after six

months of coronavirus lockdown.

Also known as the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the

Immaculate Conception, the Manila Cathedral announced that beginning Sept.

16, it would welcome back the faithful who want to attend masses, but would

limit the attendance to just 80 people per mass to continue observing social

distancing.

BREWING STORM TO DRENCH MOST OF PH

MANILA — A low pressure area or brewing storm will dump rains over most of

the Philippines on Tuesday, said the state weather bureau PAGASA.

The weather disturbance was about 40 kilometers west of Pili, Camarines Sur

at 3 a.m. It might intensify into a storm on

Wednesday and Thursday, said PAGASA weather forecaster Meno Mendoza.

The LPA is expected to trudge through southern Luzon and the Visayas, he

told ABS-CBNÂ’s TeleRadyo.

The brewing storm will bring light to moderate and at times heavy rains in

Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Mindanao, and Aurora

provinces, PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said on Facebook.

Residents in these areas should be on the lookout for possible floods and

landslides, he said.

The rest of Luzon will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with

isolated rains, said Aurelio.

La Niña, a weather pattern characterized by more frequent rains than

typical, has a 70 percent chance of emerging in the last quarter of the

year, PAGASA earlier said.

The weather pattern can last until the first half of 2021, said the agency.

La Niña, caused by below-average sea surface temperatures, can occur on

average every 2 to 7 years, said the US National Ocean Service.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

Dimples Romana shares virtual date with friends Kathryn Bernardo, Julia

Montes

MAYNILA -- Actress Dimples Romana on Tuesday shared how she bonds with her

friends under the "new normal" setup.

On Instagram, Romana posted a screengrab from her virtual date with friends

including fellow Kapamilya stars Kathryn Bernardo and Julia Montes.

"What dates with my constants look like these days. Kayo? Sino ka-date ninyo

online these days?" Romana wrote in the caption.

In previous interviews, Romana shared her closeness with Bernardo and

Montes. Their friendship started on the set of the 2010 series “Mara Clara.”

Bernardo will soon be doing a new TV project with Daniel Padilla.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things. -

Peter F Drucker