PHILIPPINES BEGINS COVID-19 VACCINATION DRIVE
MANILA - The Philippines began Monday its immunization program against COVID-19, with healthworkers getting the first jabs of China's Sinovac vaccine as the country neared 600,000 virus cases.
The country, which has the second-highest number of virus cases in Southeast Asia, began its move towards herd immunization as several hospitals who received the doses started inoculating their staff Monday.
Philippine General Hospital head Gerardo Legaspi received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines, just several hours after a batch of doses from the Chinese company Sinovac arrived.
In a live feed of the vaccination via PTV, Legaspi received the CoronaVac jab from PGH nurse Sherlock Santos.
After being inoculated, he presented a certificate showing that he received the vaccine.
"Ang asawa ko po at anak kinausap ko kahapon dahil hyper-allergic sila malamang itong bakuna ang i-recommend ko sa kanila," Legaspi said during a briefing after he was vaccinated.
Sinovac vaccine is said to have only common vaccine side effects. No adverse or serious side effects or allergic reactions have been observed among those vaccinated with Sinovac’s jabs.
Second to be vaccinated was Dr. Edsel Salvana, who is part of the Department of Health Technical Advisory Group and also a PGH doctor.
Next in line was Food and Drug Administration Director General Eric Domingo.
Also set to be vaccinated at PGH were Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos and vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque was also seen being screened for the Sinovac vaccine.
During his speech before the vaccination, Galvez said that while there are other vaccines with higher efficacy rate, “There is no such best vaccine dahil ang pinaka-best vaccine ay yung effective at efficient na dumarating ng mas maaga.”
The Philippines is the last Southeast Asian country to receive initial vaccine supplies, fueling concerns over recovery prospects for a consumption-driven economy that suffered its worst slump on record last year, hit by lengthy coronavirus lockdowns.
A total of 1,200 doses was sent to Sinovac on Monday after the Chinese company’s vaccines arrived in the country on Sunday.
Government aims to vaccinate some 50 to 70 million Filipinos by yearend if supplies arrive on time, inoculation czar Secretary Carlito Galvez earlier said.
A shipment of 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine was expected to arrive later Monday but Health Secretary Francisco Duque said Sunday it would be delayed by another week.
Some 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines through global alliance COVAX Facility were supposed to arrive last month but the shipment was delayed due to the absence of an indemnification agreement, officials said.
Nearly half or 47 percent of Filipinos said late last year they would not get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a Pulse Asia survey.
In the capital region, only four of 10 residents said they were willing to get coronavirus vaccines, an OCTA Research Group poll found. The interior department placed this figure lower, saying only 3 in 10 Metro Manila residents wanted to get the jabs.
The Philippines as of Sunday tallied 576,352 COVID-19 cases, including 29,763 active infections and 12,318 deaths.
DUTERTE WANTS TO GO TO CHINA, THANK XI FOR COVID-19 SHOTS
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday said he intended to visit China and thank his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for donating to the Philippines its first official supply of COVID-19 vaccines.
Duterte welcomed in person the arrival of 600,000 vaccine doses from Beijing-based pharmaceutical group Sinovac Biotech, which he said was Beijing's only donation "that was carried by a Chinese government plane"
"Towards, maybe at the end of the year, when everything has settled down, I intend to make a short visit to China, to just shake hands with President Xi Jinping, and to personally thank him for this donation," Duterte said in a speech.
"I would like to thank and to travel China even one day just to tell President Xi Jinping thank you and I fly home. I want it to do personal because China has been good... I suppose that a debt of gratitude should be paid by a personal visit," the President added in a press briefing.
He said he also wanted to visit Xiamen City, China where he said a school was named after his mother Soledad Duterte, one of the first teachers in a Chinese school in their home city Davao.
PHILIPPINES RECEIVES CHINESE VACCINE, BUT DUTERTE PREFERS ANOTHER BRAND
MANILA — President Duterte attended a ceremony to mark the arrival of the initial 600,000 doses of Sinovac Biotech’s CoronaVac, which were delivered by a Chinese military aircraft ahead of a further 25 million CoronaVac doses due to be delivered in batches this year.
But Duterte, who turns 77 next month, told a news briefing that, though he wants to be vaccinated, his doctor wants a different Chinese brand of vaccine for him.
His comment emphasizes the lack of support the Phillipines’ faces as it launches its inoculation drive. One opinion poll showed that less than a third of Filipinos are willing to be vaccinated because of perceptions over potential side-effects.
DUTERTE SAYS PHILIPPINES MAY RETURN TO NORMALCY IN 2023
MANILA — Filipinos may see some sense of normalcy by 2023, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Sunday, as the Philippines received its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines.
"Early in the first maybe first or second quarter of year '23, 2023, baka, tulong ng Diyos (maybe with the help of God)," he said, when asked for an estimate of when the Philippines could return to normalcy.
Carlito Galvez Jr, Chief Implementer of the National Task Force on COVID-19, also earlier said the country may return to normalcy by 2023.
"It is only through this that we can implement a sustainable immunization program to recover the economy and restore normalcy in the lives of the Filipino people by 2023 through our bayanihan spirit," Galvez said in a public briefing.
ROBREDO REJECTS REMOVAL OF SWAB TEST, QUARANTINE AS TRAVEL REQUIREMENT
MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo opposed yesterday the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to remove mandatory swab tests and quarantine as travel requirements.
While she supports the standardization of travel requirements across local government units (LGUs), Robredo said the removal of mandatory RT-PCR tests and the 14-day quarantine on travelers could trigger a spike in COVID-19 cases.
“If you recall, during the early days of the pandemic, the cases were concentrated in Metro Manila, but it spread all over the country when the LSIs (locally stranded individuals) were allowed to return to their provinces,” she said in Filipino.
“We don’t want this to happen again,” said the Vice President.
She cited how she and members of her staff always undergo swab test before visiting communities.
The IATF had exempted government officials and personnel on official business from mandatory testing and quarantine protocols.
Lost holidays
On another issue, Robredo disagreed with President Duterte in making Nov. 2, All Souls’ Day; Dec. 24, Christmas Eve; and Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve as special working days instead of holidays.
“It could have big implications because you will pay the workers more if they work on a regular holiday,” she said.
She said if the government wants to revive the economy it should have to let workers go to their provinces where they could spend the holidays.
“There are many ways to reopen the economy. First of all, if the vacation is longer, the workers will have the opportunity to go home and spend time with their families – that, I think, could help the economy more,” Robredo said.
FOREIGNERS CAN GET REENTRY PERMITS AT AIRPORT
MANILA — Foreigners who are holders of valid visas, but whose reentry permits have expired, will now be allowed to enter the Philippines after paying the required fees at the airport, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente yesterday said.
In a statement, Morente said the move aims to facilitate the entry of foreigners with existing valid visas.
He added that the new policy covers foreigners who have been issued immigrant and non-immigrant visas and are returning to the Philippines after being stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said new rules are being adopted by the Bureau of Immigration on orders of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to allow the reentry of aliens with expired reentry permits (RPs) and special return certificates (SRCs), instead of sending them back to their ports of origin.
An RP is issued to a holder of an immigrant visa who is a permanent resident here, while the SRC is obtained by a non-immigrant such as holders of 9(g) working visa and 9(f) student visa.
These foreigners cannot leave the country unless they have secured their RP or SRC as well as their immigration clearance certificate, the BI said.
Official receipts of payments are to be presented to the immigration officer upon these aliens’ return to the country.
Reentry permit fees are valid from six months to one year from the date of a foreigner’s departure.
DEPED CONTINUES PREPARATIONS FOR LIMITED IN-PERSON CLASSES
MANILA - The Department of Education said Monday it was continuing its work to prepare for possible limited in-person classes in areas deemed low-risk of COVID-19 transmission.
"The Department of Education will continue to do the preparations even as we await the final approval of the holding of limited face-to-face [classes]," Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio told ANC.
"We will implement the decision but we will continue to make preparations so that the moment we are allowed to do this, we will be able to do it immediately."
In a press briefing Sunday, President Rodrigo Duterte rejected again the holding of face-to-face classes even as the country begun its COVID-19 vaccination program.
He said the reopening of select schools would "place the children in jeopardy."
San Antonio stressed that face-to-face classes should be a shared responsibility by DepEd, local officials and other stakeholders.
"We also reminded our field officials, the principals and superintendents to collaborate closely with local government units because we feel that any attempt to do this has to be an effort not only of schools but it should be a collaboration," he said.
Should it push through, San Antonio said they were looking into fitting at least 15 students per classroom. Stringent health measures such as mandatory wearing of face masks and observing physical distancing will be imposed by the agency.
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PRESYO NG PETROLYO MAY PAGTAAS SA PAGPASOK NG MARSO
MAYNILA – Nag-anunsiyo ang mga kompanya ng langis na magkakaroon ng pagtaas sa presyo ng kanilang produkto sa Martes, Marso 2.
Ayon sa Shell at Cleanfuel, tataasan nila ng P1 ang presyo ng kada litro ng gasolina at P0.85 naman sa kada litro ng diesel.
Magpapatupad din ang Shell ng P0.70 taas-presyo sa kada litro ng kerosene.
Magta-taas-presyo ang Shell alas-6 ng umaga habang alas-4:01 ng hapon naman epektibo ang mga bagong presyo ng Cleanfuel.
POLICY CHANGE URGED TO PREVENT ANOTHER PNP-PDEA SHOOTOUT
MANILA — The government may need to adjust its policies to prevent a repeat of the shootout between Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives in Quezon City last week, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said yesterday.
Lacson, a former PNP chief, said one such adjustment would involve the PDEA “overseeing” anti-drug operations and focusing on intelligence work, and leaving assault operations to specially trained police personnel.
“We have to resolve the trust issue between the PNP and PDEA. But it would be better if the PDEA acted as overseer in anti-drug operations, and focus on intelligence gathering, whether it is technical or human intelligence,” Lacson told dzBB in Filipino.
QUEZON CITY AIDS DISPLACED FLOWER VENDORS
MANILA — The Quezon City government has allowed 18 flower vendors displaced by road clearing operations to sell their wares in one of the city-owned cemeteries.
The local government said the vendors were given vending sites near the Bagbag public cemetery to help them cope with the pandemic.
Under a memorandum circular issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, vendors along sidewalks are categorized as road obstructions.
“We know the extent of the impact of the pandemic, that’s why we allowed some of the vendors to sell flowers in an area where it’s safer and there would not be road obstructions,” city’s Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD) head Procopio Lipana said.
The vendors must register first with the MDAD, Lipana said.
PASIG PASS QR CODE NOW VALID IN MANDALUYONG
Pasig's contact tracing app is now interconnected too with Mandaluyong, Mayor Vico Sotto announces.
The interconnectivity of the systems of PasigPass (Pasig), ValTrace (Valenzuela), Bantay Covid (Antipolo) and MandaTrack (Mandaluyong) starts on Monday, March 1.
"Puwede na tayong mag-shopping sa Megamall!" Sotto tweets.
NATIONAL MUSEUM TO REOPEN ON MARCH 2
MANILA – The National Museum of the Philippines will reopen to the public almost a year since it stopped operations due to the threat of the coronavirus.
The announcement was made on the National Museum's official Facebook page on Monday.
Its central museums within the complex in Rizal Park -- the National Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of Anthropology, and the National Museum of Natural History -- will begin accepting visitors again starting Tuesday.
The National Planetarium, on the other hand, will remain closed until further notice.
With this move, the National Museum issued several guidelines to ensure the health and safety of the visiting public as well as its personnel.
According to its Facebook update, all central museum buildings will be open from Tuesday to Sunday excluding religious holidays, with a morning session from 9 a.m. to 12 noon and an afternoon schedule from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The number of visitors for each museum building will be limited to 100 per session.
Only those persons aged 15 to 65 will be admitted, but they have to pre-book their visits online at the National Museum website at least a day before their planned tour.
BORACAY, EL NIDO BEACHES AMONG ASIA’S TOP 25 – TRIPADVISOR
MANILA — Two Philippine beaches entered the ranks of a travel website’s list of top 25 beaches in Asia.
Boracay Island’s White Beach and El Nido Palawan’s Nacpan Beach were ranked 12th and 18th, respectively, by TripAdvisor.
“Calm, warm waters, gently sloping sand. Very relaxing. Possibly the most beautiful beach in Asia,” the review on Boracay’s White Beach read.
For Nacpan Beach, TripAdvisor declared: “A long coastline, golden sand, beautiful crystal waters and a completely virgin landscape make a visit to this place unforgettable!”
The list was drawn based on the responses of travelers and tourists, the website said.
India’s Agonda Beach took the top spot in the list, followed by India’s Cavellosim Beach (2), then Myanmar’s Ngapali Beach (3), Kelingking Beach in Bali, Indonesia (4), and Radhanagar Beach in Havelock Island, Andamar and Nicobar Islands (5).
The Yonaha Maehama Beach in Miyakojima, Japan (6), Cox’s Bazar Beach in Bangladesh (7), Bentota Beach in Sri Lanka (8), Khlong Muang Beach in Thailand (9) and Coconut Beach also in Thailand round out the top 10.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
BEA ALONZO SAYS SHE ONLY WANTS 'A BORING FAMILY LIFE'
MANILA – Bea Alonzo confessed all she actually wants is to have a “boring family life.”
Alonzo admitted this in a conversation with Ian Veneracion for her most recent vlog post.
“I want to have a partner for life. I want to have someone to be there to raise a family and build a life with. Sana makahanap ako ng kasing buti mo bilang tatay. I just want a boring family life,” she said.
Among her group of friends, Alonzo said she never thought she would be the last one who would settle down.
“Dati ang pangarap ko lang naman, at 28 to get married and have children. Tapos ngayon lahat ng fears ko, halos lahat sila about to get married or they are already married and they have their kids. Kapag inisip ko, like I wouldn’t have guessed nung time na yun 15 years ago na ako yung huling mababakante,” she said.
Nonetheless, the actress said she’s always thought that she is the marrying type.
Currently is rumored to be in a relationship with actor Dominic Roque. They have been seen together since last year, prompting speculations of a brewing romance.
Early this month, fans believed that they went to Amanpulo together going by their respective social media posts. This, despite the fact that they never posted photos of them together.
In one of her most recent vlogs, Alonzo also did the “jojowain o totropahin” challenge with her mom, where she said that she would rather date Roque than just befriend him.
In another vlog, Enchong Dee revealed that Alonzo’s last caller was a certain “Nic,” which the actress confirmed was Roque.
Alonzo was last known to be in a relationship with actor Gerald Anderson. They separated in mid-2019 after three years together.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES FEB 27
FINAL/OT
1 2 3 4 OT T
Cavaliers 13-21 28 28 16 20 20 112
76ers 22-12 23 24 23 22 17 109
SCORING LEADERS
C. Sexton CLE
28 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST
J. Embiid PHI
42 PTS, 13 REB, 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Timberwolves 7-27 29 23 29 31 112
Wizards 13-18 27 27 44 30 128
SCORING LEADERS
K. Towns MIN
23 PTS, 11 REB, 5 AST
B. Beal WAS
34 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pacers 15-17 32 20 26 29 107
Knicks 17-17 23 31 27 29 110
SCORING LEADERS
D. McDermott IND
20 PTS, 5 REB, 0 AST
J. Randle NY
28 PTS, 10 REB, 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pelicans 14-19 32 29 22 31 114
Spurs 17-12 33 34 26 24 117
SCORING LEADERS
B. Ingram NO
29 PTS, 4 REB, 5 AST
D. DeRozan SA
32 PTS, 1 REB, 11 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Nuggets 18-15 38 27 34 27 126
Thunder 14-20 20 23 26 27 96
SCORING LEADERS
J. Murray DEN
26 PTS, 2 REB, 5 AST
D. Bazley OKC
22 PTS, 4 REB, 0 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Jazz 27-7 22 32 33 37 124
Magic 13-21 21 29 26 33 109
SCORING LEADERS
D. Mitchell UTA
31 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST
N. Vucevic ORL
34 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Mavericks 16-16 38 30 26 21 115
Nets 22-13 26 38 18 16 98
SCORING LEADERS
L. Doncic DAL
27 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST
J. Harden BKN
29 PTS, 7 REB, 6 AST
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
He who does not enjoy solitude will not love freedom. - Arthur Schopenhauer
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