1 DEAD, 59 IN HOSPITAL AFTER AMMONIA LEAK IN NAVOTAS COLD STORAGE PLANT

MANILA - One died while 60 residents from a bayside community in Navotas

City were rushed to the hospital Wednesday afternoon following an ammonia

leak in a cold storage facility owned by the family of Navotas City Mayor

Toby Tiangco, authorities confirmed.

The fatality was a 47-year-old male employee at T.P. Marcelo Ice Plant and

Cold Storage, the source of the chemical leak. He was declared dead on

arrival at a hospital, according to Vonne Villanueva, the incident ground

commander.

Some 60 others, meanwhile, were sent to the Navotas City Hospital and Tondo

General Hospital, of which 6 were reportedly minors, said Tiangco.

Seven, meanwhile, were being treated, while 2 people needed to stay longer

in hospital, according to authorities.

An ammonia tank inside the ice plant exploded in the afternoon, authorities

said, adding that they had a hard time entering the building because of the

chemical's strong odor.

Villanueva said the leakage has been controlled, but there was difficulty

controlling the odor because it was windy.

In a later statement, the mayor said the odor has subsided as of the story's

posting, citing information from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Office.

"Sa ngayon po ay nasarado na ang valve na nag-leak at hinihintay na lamang

nating humupa ang amoy ng ammonia. Tinatayang aabot ng 2 hanggang 3 oras

bago po humupa ang amoy sa lugar," the mayor said in a statement.

Food packs for affected residents were also sent to the City Social Welfare

and Development Office. First-aid stations will also remain in the area, he

added.

Tiangco earlier ordered residents to evacuate because of the ammonia leak,

and advised the public to avoid North Boulevard and R-10 Road.

Liquid ammonia is used as a refrigerant or coolant for manufacturing

purified tube ice.

In an interview on ABS-CBN's Teleradyo, Tiangco said the cold storage

facility is a family-owned business.

"First I would disclose.. 'yan po ang pagmamay-ari ng isang korporasyon na

mother ko ang isa sa mga may-ari . . . Namana nila iyan sa lolo ko," he

explained.

He was informed about the leak at 4:19 p.m. and advised residents to

evacuate as soon as he got the news.

The mayor said authorities from the Bureau of Fire Protection arrived in the

area shortly after.

Ambulances and emergency vehicles were also called nearby.

"Masakit daw sa ilong... kapag malapit sa lugar. The first thing they had to

do was ilikas ang mga residente to make sure they are safe. Then pumasok

'yung BFP," he explained.

DUTERTE OKAYS LONGER 'NO DISCONNECTION' RULE FOR ELECTRICITY 'LIFELINERS'

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension of the "no

power disconnection" policy for "lifeliners" or low-income Filipinos to help

them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, one of his aides said on Thursday.

In a meeting of the Duterte Cabinet on Wednesday, the energy department told

the President that lifeliners consume around 100 kilowatt-hours. While they

comprise around 32 percent of the customer base, they only account for 3

percent of electricity sales, said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

Hence, the energy department recommended that the "no power disconnection"

policy for lifeliners, which "is very doable", be "continued," he said.

"The President readily agreed, given that electricity is a basic necessity

our countrymen cannot live without," Nograles told reporters in an online

briefing.

"Makakahinga na po nang malalim ang ating mga kababayan na malalim o walang

kita. Hindi po kayo mapuputulan ng kuryente," he added.

Nograles did not say until when the policy would be in place.

The President is urging Congress to pass a law that would extend to 2051 the

subsidized electricity rates for lifeliners, which would end in the middle

of this year, he said instead.

DUTERTE GREEN LIGHTS MORE PORK IMPORTS TO RAISE SUPPLY, CURB RISING PRICES

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has allowed additional pork imports to

boost its supply and curb its escalating prices, his aide said on Thursday.

In a meeting on Wednesday, the agriculture department reported that a kilo

of pork was around P132 in one region, and as high as P244 in another

region, said Cabinet Secretary Carlo Nograles.

The agency estimated that with a demand of 1.6 million metric tons, the

Philippines needs to review its minimum access volume (MAV), which refers to

the quantity of an agricultural product that may be imported with a lower

tariff, he said.

The current MAV is at around 54,000 metric tons, and the agriculture

department has recommended its expansion "just enough to cover the projected

shortfall for the year," Nograles said. He did not say how much the

shortfall would be.

Duterte approved this proposal, along with the creation of a sub-task group

on economic intelligence "to go after smugglers, profiteers, and hoarders of

agricultural products," he told reporters in an online briefing.

"Kung meron mga grupo o negosyante na pinagsasamantalahan ang pandemya para

pagkakitaan ang taongbayan, hindi po ito palalampasin," Nograles said.

CAYETANO AND ALLIES PUSH FOR ADDITIONAL CASH AID FOR FAMILIES

MANILA — Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (Taguig-Pateros) and his allies filed a

bill seeking to give additional cash assistance to families even if the

government has chosen to stop extending costly aid as the economy slowly

reopens.

In their proposal, called Bangon Pamilyang Pilipino, Filipino families

affected by the COVID-19 pandemic would receive a one-time cash aid of

P1,500 per head or P10,000, whichever is higher.

“Assistance to our countrymen is still needed to help them survive and get

back on their feet amidst the pandemic while a viable vaccine program for

all Filipinos is being rolled out by the government,” the former House

speaker and his allies said in filing House Bill No. 8597.

The poorest of the poor, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo

parents, displaced, retrenched or separated workers, frontline medical

workers, families of overseas Filipino workers, those who were unable to get

assistance through any of the social amelioration programs of the government

will be prioritized under the proposed handout.

Filipino citizens holding a Philippine national ID and other members of

vulnerable sectors will also be among the priority sectors for the cash aid.

PHILIPPINES 55TH OF 167 COUNTRIES IN DEMOCRACY INDEX

MANILA — The Philippines ranked 55th out of 167 countries in the Democracy

Index 2020 released yesterday by London-based think tank the Economist

Intelligence Unit (EIU), making it a “flawed democracy.”

It placed 51st in 2017, 53rd in 2018 and 54th in 2019.

The country recorded an average 6.56, after scoring 9.17 in electoral

process and pluralism, 5 in functioning government, 7.78 in political

participation, 4.38 in political culture and 6.47 in civil liberties.

The score put the Philippines under the “flawed democracy” category,

countries that, according to EIU “have free and fair elections, even if

there are problems (such as infringements on media freedom), basic civil

liberties are respected.”

The country remained in ninth place in Asia and Australasia while New

Zealand topped the regional rankings with a score of 9.25, followed by

Australia, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, which were classified as “full

democracy.”

Globally, the Democracy Index 2020 was topped by Norway with 9.81, followed

by Iceland with 9.37, Sweden 9.26, New Zealand 9.25, Canada 9.24, Finland

9.20 and Denmark 9.15.

The Democracy Index, on a 0 to 10 scale, is based on five categories:

electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political

participation, political culture and civil liberties.

Meanwhile, Malacañang refuted the rankings, saying that Philippines’ status

is far from being classified as a hybrid or authoritarian regime since the

study was based on pandemic response.

Chief presidential legal counsel Salvador Panelo also said that government

would continue “pursuing measures and implementing policies designed to

promote a more vibrant democracy.”

SOME 5 MILLION FILIPINOS LOST THEIR JOBS DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC: DOLE

MANILA - About 5 million Filipinos lost their jobs due to the COVID-19

pandemic, Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello III said Thursday, citing his agency's

official records.

The Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey that estimated 12.7 million

Filipinos were without jobs in the fourth quarter of 2020 was correct "in a

way" but was not completely accurate, said Bello.

"Ang record namin as of December, umaabot lamang po ng mga around a little

less than 5 million," he told ANC's Headstart.

The SWS survey must have included those who were "temporarily terminated" or

those who will be re-hired by their companies after 6 months, and also those

who were affected by "flexible working arrangements," said Bello.

He said there were about 3 million employees who were temporarily terminated

and some 4 million whose working hours were reduced due to flexible working

arrangements.

Bello said the DOLE pitched for a P40-billion budget for this year to

subsidize workers' wages, but this was not approved. However, he hopes that

it will be included if there will be a third stimulus package or Bayanihan

3.

"In effect, we are telling the employers, wag muna kayong mag-terminate or

mag-retrench ng mga empleyado niyo. What we can do to help you is we

subsidize from 25 to 50 percent of the salaries of your workers. That was

the reason for our budgetary proposal of a P40-billion wage subsidy, kaya

lang hindi nasama sa 2021 budget. Hopefully and I pray it happens,

magkakaroon ng Bayanihan 3 na maisama 'yan," he said.

The DOLE currently has about P16 billion to assist those who lost their jobs

and an additional P3 billion specifically for those who worked in the

tourism sector. This allocation will also be used to help informal workers

and overseas Filipino workers, said Bello.

METRO MANILA MAYORS: WRONG TIME FOR CHA-CHA

MANILA — Several mayors of Metro Manila believe this is not the time for

amending the Constitution.

Mayors Joy Belmonte of Quezon City and Toby Tiangco of Navotas said

yesterday that the timing is off for Congress to pursue Charter change

(Cha-cha) amid the pandemic.

“Pakiusap naman, huwag muna ngayon (Not now, please),” Tiangco, a former

congressman, urged his former colleagues in the House of Representatives

through the virtual Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.

THE REST

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COURT POSTPONES ARRAIGNMENT OF RAPPLER CHIEF RESSA, WRITER ON 3RD CYBER

LIBEL CASE

MANILA - A Manila court on Thursday granted the plea of Rappler chief Maria

Ressa and writer Rambo Talabong to postpone their arraignment for a cyber

libel case over an article alleging "thesis for sale" at the De La

Salle-College of St. Benilde.

The respondents had filed a motion to quash questioning court’s jurisdiction

and claimed the Rappler report was a qualifiedly privileged communication, a

defense against libel.

Talabong’s report alleging thesis-for-sale is a fair and true report, made

in good faith, without any comments or remarks of an official proceeding,

said Rappler counsel Ted Te.

Both Ressa and Talabong have posted P30,000 bail, Te earlier said.

The article, published in January 2020, alleged that Benilde professor Ariel

Pineda allowed students to pass their thesis subject in exchange for

P20,000, through a middleman.

Pineda is a “well-known” professor in the Export Management Program and is

also a program director, according to portions of the article cited in the

criminal information.

This is the third cyber libel cases that has been filed against Ressa. She

is currently appealing her and former Rappler researcher/writer Reynaldo

Santos’ cyber libel conviction over a 2012 article linking businessman

Wilfredo Keng to alleged shady deals.

Keng filed a second cyber libel case against Ressa over a tweet shortly

after her arrest in February 2019 that shared screenshots of a 2002

Philippine Star article linking Keng to the killing of a Manila councilor

and other illegal activities, which was referred to in the 2012 Rappler

article.

SENATE TO PROBE VEHICLE INSPECTION SYSTEM

MANILA — The Senate committee on public services is set to conduct an

inquiry into the operations of Private Motor Vehicle Inspection Centers

(PMVICs), with motorists now paying more than double their usual vehicle

registration fees.

The inquiry was prompted by a resolution filed by Sen. Grace Poe, who chairs

the panel and who wants to look into the implementation of Department Order

2018-019 of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Memorandum Circular No.

2018-2158 of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and other related

issuances.

“The intention behind the law is noble, but the fees following its

implementation cannot come at a worse time in the middle of a pandemic where

people are barely getting by and now have to add another item in their list

of expenses,” Poe said.

BORACAY TOURISTS WHO FAKE COVID-19 TESTS WILL BE DECLARED PERSONA NON GRATA:

MAYOR

MANILA - The local government of Malay, Aklan will declare as persona non

grata Boracay tourists who forge COVID-19 tests, its acting mayor said

Thursday.

Acting Mayor Frolibar Bautista made the remark after 3 of 6 visitors who

presented fake COVID-19 test results have contracted the disease.

"Nag-agree kami last meeting, ang sagot ng bayan ng Malay kung sinuman

nahulihang mameke ay magpasa ng resolution na i-declare ang nameke ng test

as persona non grata para di na makapasok ng Boracay," he told ABS-CBN's

Teleradyo.

The 3 patients are quarantined in Aklan's capital Kalibo and will be charged

with violation of quarantine protocols, Bautista said.

The city has yet to record local transmission as establishments and

residents are compliant with minimum health standards, he added.

The local government is also considering a proposal for hotels to verify

guests' coronavirus tests before confirming their bookings, according to the

mayor.

The local chief executive, meantime, asked for assistance from national

government as the country's once top tourist destination now only receives

400 travelers daily versus 6,000 pre-pandemic.

"Umaasa lang talaga kami sa local taxes. Marami talaga ang walang trabaho,

so sana ang national government pumasok na. We need support of the national

government talaga," he said.

HOUSE OKS BILL LOWERING HEIGHT REQUIREMENT FOR COPS

MANILA — The House of Representatives has passed a measure seeking to lower

the minimum height requirement for police officers.

In session on Tuesday night, a total of 203 lawmakers approved on third and

final reading House Bill 8261 that revises the height requirement for

applicants in the Philippine National Police and other agencies under the

Department of the Interior and Local Government.

Nobody voted against the measure while six congressmen abstained.

The measure proposed the lowering of the minimum height from 5’4” to 5’2”

for male police officers, and from 5’2” to 5’ for females.

The same adjustment was sought for applicants in the Bureaus of Fire

Protection, Jail Management and Penology and Corrections.

The bill also sought the removal of existing waiver of height requirement

for applicants from the cultural communities and indigenous peoples, citing

abuses in implementation.

The measure set the height requirement for applicants at 5’ for males and

4’8” for females.

The bill provided for exemptions for applicants in the Philippine National

Police Academy based on the request of PNPA acting director Brig. Gen.

Rhoderick Armamento.

The bill was approved by the House committee on public order and safety last

month.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

RAPPER EZ MIL APOLOGIZES FOR 'TWISTING HOW THINGS WERE' IN VIRAL SONG

MANILA – Rapper Ez Mil, whose song “Panalo” has gone viral on YouTube with

millions of views, has apologized for a line in the track that several

people deemed to have twisted Philippine history.

In the song, there’s a line that goes “pinugutan si Lapu sa Mactan” which

obviously did not happen in real life.

In an interview with Hbom Segovia, Ez Mil explained why he included the line

in the now viral song.

“That whole why I chose the term, 'pinugutan si Lapu sa Mactan,' it’s like

-- because in terms of the rhyming pattern, I always go to this dilemma or

doubt in my head in terms of when I’m closing out a song. Am I gonna close

it out with absolute truth or am I gonna make people talk about it? That’s

like me weighing the options,” he said.

Ez Mil said he’s aware Lapu-Lapu was never beheaded but he chose that line

so people would actually talk about the track.

“That's me putting an exaggerated term in a ploy to drive traffic and talk.

It's inaccurate but he still died. He's dead right now. It's not overall

factual in a way,” he said.

“The thing that is factual about that is that whenever he did die from back

then, people were still saddened. The original Filipinos were still

saddened. That's just me twisting how things were,” he added.

Ez Mil then went on to apologize if he has offended anyone.

“I'm sorry to anybody who was offended with the fact that me putting

inaccurate sources in our history as Filipinos. That's why the song is what

it is right now,” he said.

“The way I wrote that got people talking. I got people agreeing to it. I got

people disagreeing. I got people in the in-betweens. I had to check that all

out. The way it is now, people are talking about it. I got to be smart about

it.”

According to a MYX article, Ez Mil was born in Olonga City on July 27, 1998.

His parents are both from the music industry.

Growing up, he was exposed to R&B, pop and hip-hop that Chris Brown and

Eminem were his first obsessions.

SPORTS

NBA SCORES FEB 2

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Raptors 9-12    33    31    32    27    123

Magic 8-14    31    29    22    26    108

SCORING LEADERS

    F. VanVleet TOR

54 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST

    E. Fournier ORL

21 PTS, 5 REB, 4 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Clippers 16-6    32    26    32    30    120

Nets 14-9    24    33    31    36    124

SCORING LEADERS

    K. Leonard LAC

33 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST

    K. Irving BKN

39 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Grizzlies 9-7    27    23    35    31    116

Pacers 12-9    37    34    33    30    134

SCORING LEADERS

    D. Brooks MEM

25 PTS, 3 REB, 1 AST

    D. Sabonis IND

32 PTS, 13 REB, 5 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Trail Blazers 11-9    40    35    31    26    132

Wizards 4-13    23    40    27    31    121

SCORING LEADERS

    D. Lillard POR

32 PTS, 2 REB, 8 AST

    B. Beal WAS

37 PTS, 2 REB, 4 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Pistons 5-16    22    24    31    28    105

Jazz 16-5    33    36    25    23    117

SCORING LEADERS

    J. Grant DET

27 PTS, 4 REB, 4 AST

    D. Mitchell UTA

32 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Celtics 11-8    24    28    34    25    111

Warriors 11-10    35    17    33    22    107

SCORING LEADERS

    J. Tatum BOS

27 PTS, 9 REB, 3 AST

    S. Curry GS

38 PTS, 11 REB, 8 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 48.01

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. - Henry David

Thoreau