PH WON'T LOSE 44 MILLION VACCINES FROM COVAX DESPITE DELAY: GALVEZ

MANILA - The delay in the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX

facility does not mean the Philippines is losing its allocation from the

global initiative, vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr., said Friday.

The arrival of Pfizer coronavirus shots from the COVAX facility was supposed

to arrive by mid-February but this was pushed back by a week as the

government fixes an indemnity agreement.

"I think the delay is only for 1 week. Wala naman sinabing ma-ano po 'yun,"

Galvez told ANC's Headstart when asked to react to Sen. Panfilo Lacson's

tweet that the Philippines "may be losing the free 44 million vaccines" due

to the indemnity issue.

"‘Yung tinatawag nating delay, it’s not coming from the Philippine

government. We are only on the receiving end and we are finishing our

documentation on time pero ‘yung tinatawag nating indemnification clause,

matagal na naming hinahanap 'yun, pero binigay lang this week," he said.

Galvez said government lawyers are hoping to finish the indemnity agreement

this Friday "so that we won't have any more obstruction on the delivery of

the vaccine."

Apart from the Pfizer vaccine from the COVAX facility, the Philippines is

also expecting to receive Sinovac shots within this month. However, the Food

and Drug Administration is yet to issue an emergency use authorization for

the Chinese drug.

CHINA COAST GUARD LAW AFFECTS POOR FILIPINO FISHERMEN, FOOD SECURITY:

ANALYST

MANILA - China’s new law allowing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels

may be a domestic legislation, but it presents a threat not just to the

safety of ordinary Filipino fisherfolk but also the country’s food security,

an international studies professor said Thursday.

“The most basic are fisherfolk, our poor, marginalized fisherfolk with their

wooden outriggers being confronted by steel Chinese coast guard vessels

sailing all the way from Hainan Island just to prevent our ordinary fishing

folks from earning their living,” Renato de Castro of the De La Salle

University said on ANC's Matters of Fact.

De Castro said China's coast guard law would deprive the Filipino people of

their livelihood and threaten food security.

“This is a clear example of how our food security is threatened by the

action of China,” he said.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila had said the law was a "normal domestic

legislative activity of China."

“Like other countries, you have laws regarding the coast guard. The point I

am emphasizing is the Chinese coast guard is different from all other coast

guards in the world,” De Castro pointed out.

“The role of the Chinese coast guard is to advance China’s maritime interest

which is based on maritime expansion—to ensure China’s control not only of

the South China Sea but what you call the First Island Chain, including the

East China Sea,” he said.

He believes China is not constrained to implement this even with “this

administration’s effort of appeasement.”

“China’s goal is to effect no matter what other countries would try to do

even friendly countries like the Philippines under this administration,” De

Castro said.

The professor said he is glad that two Cabinet members—Foreign Affairs Sec.

Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana—are speaking

against the Chinese law.

LORENZANA TO US: WE WANT TO KEEP VFA

MANILA — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday said that military and

defense officials are keen on continuing the Visiting Forces Agreement

(VFA), which they see as an instrument that ensures the Philippines and the

US can continue developing military interoperability and capability

doctrines in support of the Mutual Defense Treaty.

“The final decision to push through with the termination or withdraw the

notice rests on the President. We, at the defense department and the armed

forces, the general feeling is for the VFA to continue,” he said, noting

that the Armed Forces of the Philippines can enhance capabilities by testing

out and familiarizing themselves with new equipment from the US during joint

exercises through the VFA, whose abrogation by President Duterte has twice

been deferred.

Both Lorenzana and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III reaffirmed their

commitment during an introductory phone call earlier this week, discussing

developments on both countries’ defense relations as well as the security

situation in the West Philippine Sea and SCS.

DUTERTE SUSPENDS VEHICLE INSPECTION SCHEME

MANILA — Amid mounting complaints, President Duterte ordered the Land

Transportation Office (LTO) to suspend the mandatory conduct of the motor

vehicle inspection system (MVIS), a requirement for the registration or

renewal of vehicles.

“MVIS is no longer mandatory. That means there should be no additional

collection of payments when you register your vehicles,” presidential

spokesman Harry Roque Jr. confirmed yesterday.

Previously, vehicles being registered at the LTO were merely inspected for

compliance with the Clean Air Act through a smoke emission test done by

private emission testing centers (PETCs).

With the arrival of private motor vehicle inspections centers (PMVICs),

vehicles must pass an automated three-stage system with 73 inspection points

before being considered roadworthy and eligible.

PCG TO HIRE 5,500 PERSONNEL

MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard will hire 5,500 personnel this year, PCG

Commandant Admiral George Ursabia Jr. announced yesterday.

Of the number, Ursabia said 4,000 personnel would be deployed to various PCG

offices while the rest will be assigned to the Bureau of Customs.

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management will train the PCG

recruits in its facility in Bagac, Bataan, according to Ursabia.

Meanwhile, the PCG recognized yesterday Jefferson Cayabo, a seaman, for

returning a wallet containing around P53,000 left by a Japanese at the Ninoy

Aquino International Airport.

BUSINESS APPLICATIONS IN MANILA UP BY 42%

MANILA — Applications for new businesses in Manila went up by 42 percent

amid the pandemic, Mayor Isko Moreno reported yesterday.

Moreno said the city’s bureau of permits headed by Levi Facundo registered

911 new businesses from Jan. 1 to Feb. 7.

Facundo said only 642 businesses applied for permits last year while 480

businesses were registered in 2019.

He said applications for business permit renewal slightly dropped to 44,526

from 49,956 last year.

In 2019, Facundo said city hall registered 47,553 business permit renewals.

“The city government will continue to implement programs supporting local

businesses to achieve economic growth,” he said.

In September last year, Moreno launched “Manila supports local” campaign to

help businesses increase their earnings amid the pandemic.

“We are hopeful that these new businesses will help improve the local

economy as businesses shut down last year due to the pandemic,” Facundo

said.

SENATOR URGES GOV'T TO STEP UP RESPONSE TO TEEN PREGNANCY SURGE

MANILA — Sen. Win Gatchalian is calling for a more aggressive government

response to the surge in teen pregnancies, sounding the alarm over the

growing number of young mothers who are trapped in poverty.

This comes after PopCom reported last week that births among girls aged 14

years and below jumped by 7% in 2019 against the previous year’s figure

provided by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). "In 2019, [there

were] 2,411 girls considered as very young adolescents aged 10 to 14 [who]

gave birth,” it said.

Gatchalian warned that the coronavirus pandemic could further increase the

number of teen pregnancies based on data from past calamities and disasters.

Citing a study conducted by the Department of Science and

Technology-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP), he said

23.5% of teenage girls in Eastern Visayas got pregnant after Typhoon Yolanda

struck.

"Even before the pandemic hit our country, the rise in teenage pregnancies

could already be considered a crisis," Gatchalian said in Filipino. PopCom

has been asking President Rodrigo Duterte to formally declare the surge

adolescent pregnancies a national social crisis since 2019.

Need for 'grassroots' reproductive health education

For Gatchalian, keeping girls in school, where they can access information

and sexuality education, is the best way to prevent teenage pregnancy.

However, he also emphasized the need for a more grassroots approach to

reproductive health education which involves not just schools but barangays

and parents as well.

"We need to help young people and their parents through intensified health

and education programs," Gatchalian said in Filipino. "Parents need to be

capacitated in terms of effectively talking to their children about

sexuality and reproductive health issues."

Gatchalian last month filed Senate Bill No. 1985 which seeks to

institutionalize in every barangay and municipality the Parent Effective

Service Program, meant to help parents and parent substitutes "enhance their

knowledge, skills, and attitude in parenting."

Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros earlier this week renewed her call for the

passage of Senate Bill No. 161, which she filed in July 2019, seeking to

institutionalize social protection for teenage parents.

THE REST

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PH REPORTS 1,734 NEW COVID-19 CASES; RECOVERIES BREACH 500,000

MANILA — The Philippines reported 1,734 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday as

the country's cumulative total of recoveries from the infectious disease

breached the 500,000 mark.

According to the latest COVID-19 bulletin of the Department of Health (DOH),

the country's total coronavirus infections climbed to 543,282, of which,

500,335 or 92.1 percent are recoveries.

The DOH recorded 423 new recovered patients, and 68 new fatalities that

raised the death toll to 11,469.

ENTIRE BICOL NOW AFFECTED BY ASF

MANILA — African swine fever has reached Masbate, the remaining ASF-free

province in the Bicol region.

In a document signed by Department of Agriculture (DA)-Bicol executive

director Rodel Tornilla, it was confirmed that the swine disease was

detected in hogs owned by Mayor Arturo Virtucio of Aroroy town.

The DA did not give details on the number of infected hogs.

The first ASF case in Bicol was detected in Camarines Norte in July and

Albay in September. The swine disease spread to Catanduanes last December

and Sorsogon last month.

Meanwhile, Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez urged Agriculture Secretary

William Dar to review the protocols in dealing with ASF, particularly

concerning the movement of hogs from Mindanao that pass through Leyte.

Gomez questioned why hogs bound for Manila pass through Ormoc.

“They want to pass through Ormoc na wala pang infection. Kung magdala ang

mga baboy ng virus, kami naman ang tatamaan ng ASF,” he said.

Gomez said the government could use Navy ships to deliver hogs to Metro

Manila rather than risk the rest of Leyte to the infection.

GOV’T ALLOWS CINEMAS, MUSEUMS TO REOPEN IN AREAS UNDER GCQ

MANILA — Residents living under general community quarantine will soon be

allowed to see the big screen again as the government has allowed cinemas to

reopen in those areas, subject to guidelines by the Department of Health and

local government units.

Malacañang announced Friday that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the

Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, which leads the government’s

response to the coronavirus pandemic, has allowed the reopening of cinemas

and other select establishments in areas under GCQ.

Other establishments which can operate again in areas under GCQ are driving

schools, video and interactive game arcades, libraries, archives, museums,

cultural centers, meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions, and

limited social events of establishments accredited by the Department of

Tourism.

“Our economy needs to open further as our countrymen need to find additional

livelihood,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in Filipino during

the Laging Handa briefing aired on state-run People’s Television.

CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE EASES CURB ON RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN GCQ AREAS

MANILA — The inter-agency task force leading the country's pandemic response

is easing a curb on religious services in areas under general community

quarantine (GCQ) beginning next week, Malacañang said on Friday.

Starting Monday, religious services are allowed to fill up to 50 percent of

venue capacity in GCQ areas, said Palace spokesman Harry Roque. Religous

gatherings were previously allowed to fill only 30 percent of a venue's

seating capacity under this lockdown level.

"Nakikita natin na hindi naman po tumataas ang ating [COVID-19] attack rate

at hindi naman po masikip iyong ating mga ospital, pagamutan," Roque said,

when asked why authorities eased the restriction.

But for the rest of the month, Metro Manila, the Cordilleras, and 6 other

areas will remain under GCQ, the third strictest of 4 lockdown levels.

The rest of the country is under modified GCQ, the least stringent level,

where religious gatherings were earlier allowed to fill 50 percent of venue

capacity.

Bishops earlier urged authorities to relax crowd limit for religious

gatherings.

The Philippines has tallied some 543,000 coronavirus infections, as of

Thursday.

'ANG DATING DAAN' PREACHER BRO. ELI PASSES AWAY

MANILA — Televangelist and "Ang Dating Daan" preacher Eliseo “Brother Eli”

Soriano has passed away. He was 73.

“It is with deep sadness, yet with full faith in the Almighty, that we

announce the passing of our beloved and one and only Bro. Eliseo ‘Eli’

Soriano—a faithful preacher, brother, father and grandfather to many,”

Soriano’s media program “Ang Dating Daan” posted on its social media pages

dawn of Friday.

“Up to the last moments of his life, Bro. Eli was able to fulfill his vow to

the Almighty that manifests in his love to serve the brethren,” it added.

The reason for his passing remains undisclosed.

Soriano led the Members of the Church of God International, whose flagship

program “Ang Dating Daan” is “recognized as the longest-running religious

show in the Philippines and has counterparts in more than 70 countries,” it

said on its website.

Soriano’s church had assured that Soriano’s projects will continue following

his loss.

ONLINE FLOWER SALES BLOOM BEFORE VALENTINE'S AMID PANDEMIC

MANILA - Online flower shops are raking it in before Valentine's Day as

people prefer to have flowers delivered instead of going out to buy gifts

for their loved ones amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the founder of

Flowerstore.ph said Friday.

Sales have increased 10 to 20 times since the COVID-19 pandemic,

Flowerstore.ph founder Saul Molla told ANC's Market Edge.

"We are seeing this shift from offline to online," he said.

"It started with the pandemic. We are seeing it also continuing during

Valentine's," he added.

The online shop sources its blooms from local suppliers from Benguet and

Bukidnon, while some 500 workers are assembling the bouquets in a warehouse,

he said.

"We are seeing the demand is very strong. We see that because people cannot

go out because they feel the virus is here," he said.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it is a "good moment" to start a business in

the Philippines, Molla said.

"There are very affordable locations," he said.

"At the same time, there is very good talent. There are a lot of good people

from companies that have closed," he said.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

Angel Locsin at Neil Arce, ano nga ba ang plano ngayong Valentine's Day?

MAYNILA -- Sa bihirang pagkakataon, kasama ng aktres na si Angel Locsin na

humarap sa camera ang kanyang fiancé, ang prodyuser-direktor na si Neil

Arce.

Sa programang "Sakto" ng TeleRadyo nitong Biyernes, ibinahagi ng dalawa ang

kanilang plano ngayong Valentine's Day.

Ayon kina Locsin at Arce, hindi tulad ng ibang magkarelasyon, hindi sila

sumasabay sa mismong Araw ng mga Puso na ipinagdiriwang tuwing Pebrero 14.

"Actually every year halos hindi kami nagse-celebrate ng Valentine's," ani

Arce.

"Medyo hindi kami traditional type of couple kasi talaga," paliwanag naman

ni Locsin.

Dagdag ni Arce, dahil na rin sa pandemya, takot pa ang aktres na lumabas

ngayon.

"Pero we make sure na magde-date kami maybe before or after. Alam mo 'yon,

para hindi sabay sa rush. Actually may revelation ako rito, kahit si Angel

nakikita niyo sa labas, palagi sa mga ospital ganoon, takot siya lumabas.

Takot pa siya," ani Arce.

"Hindi pa ako puma-party-party. Kapag kailangan lang ako lumabas, lumalabas

ako. Pero as much as possible eh hindi talaga. Kahit anong parties wala pa

akong na-attend-an simula noong pandemic. Medyo praning pa ako," ani Locsin.

"Mas naging conscious pa talaga ako to distance myself. Kung hindi

kailangan, hindi ko gagawin talaga."

"So I think sa Valentine's, medyo pandemic Valentine's," dagdag na hirit

naman ni Arce.

Sa ngayon, maliban sa vlogging, magkasama rin sa programang "Iba 'Yan" sina

Locsin at Arce.

Si Arce ang tumatayong direktor ni Locsin sa nasabing public service

program.

Ipinapalabas ang "Iba 'Yan! tuwing Linggo, 6:30 ng gabi sa Kapamilya

Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, iWant TFC at A2Z Channel 11.

SPORTS

NBA SCORES FEB 10

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Raptors 12-13    40    34    29    34    137

Wizards 6-16    28    33    32    22    115

SCORING LEADERS

    N. Powell TOR

28 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST

    B. Beal WAS

24 PTS, 4 REB, 5 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Hawks 11-13    32    30    28    27    117

Mavericks 12-14    33    19    29    37    118

SCORING LEADERS

    J. Collins ATL

33 PTS, 8 REB, 1 AST

    L. Doncic DAL

28 PTS, 10 REB, 10 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Hornets 12-14    38    30    15    31    114

Grizzlies 10-10    34    36    31    29    130

SCORING LEADERS

    T. Rozier CHA

34 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST

    K. Anderson MEM

27 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Pacers 12-13    18    12    32    32    94

Nets 15-12    27    35    20    22    104

SCORING LEADERS

    D. Sabonis IND

18 PTS, 9 REB, 4 AST

    K. Irving BKN

35 PTS, 4 REB, 8 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Clippers 18-8    27    20    33    39    119

Timberwolves 6-19    32    21    20    39    112

SCORING LEADERS

    K. Leonard LAC

36 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST

    N. Reid MIN

23 PTS, 3 REB, 0 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Pelicans 11-13    34    40    14    28    116

Bulls 10-14    44    22    40    23    129

SCORING LEADERS

    Z. Williamson NO

29 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST

    Z. LaVine CHI

46 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Cavaliers 10-16    17    26    23    29    95

Nuggets 13-11    34    30    36    33    133

SCORING LEADERS

    J. Allen CLE

18 PTS, 10 REB, 2 AST

    P. Millsap DEN

22 PTS, 4 REB, 3 AST

FINAL/OT

    1    2    3    4    OT    T

Thunder 10-14    37    30    17    21    8    113

Lakers 20-6    23    34    23    25    9    114

SCORING LEADERS

    A. Horford OKC

25 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST

    L. James LAL

25 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST

FINAL

    1    2    3    4    T

Bucks 16-9    32    39    30    23    124

Suns 15-9    32    27    39    27    125

SCORING LEADERS

    G. Antetokounmpo MIL

47 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST

    D. Booker PHO

30 PTS, 6 REB, 3 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 48.04

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but to hold hands. -

Alexandra Penney