PALACE: ALL INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS TO MACTAN DIVERTED TO NAIA

MANILA — President Duterte has ordered all international flights to Mactan-Cebu International Airport diverted to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City from May 29 to June 5 to ensure compliance with quarantine procedures including mandatory COVID-19 testing for all travelers seven days after arriving in the country.

Duterte relayed his order through Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea who issued a memorandum yesterday directing local government units, heads of departments, agencies and offices of the government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCC) to follow the order contained in Resolution 116-A of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

Malacañang issued the order after Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia defied the seven-day rule imposed by the IATF, which the governor deemed as “repressive” for Filipinos returning from abroad.

“All international flights bound for the Mactan-Cebu International Airport shall be diverted to the NAIA effective 0001H of 29 May 2021 until 2359H of 05 June 2021,” the memo read.

The Palace directed the Department of Transportation and its attached agencies, and the Manila International Airport Authority to ensure the smooth diversion of inbound flights.

In his memo dated May 27, Medialdea said the order is in “pursuit of national interest in preventing further spread of COVID-19 in the country.”

DUTERTE APPROVES BILL SPLITTING MAGUINDANAO INTO 2 PROVINCES

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte approved on Thursday the division of Maguindanao into 2 provinces, according to a document that Malacañang released.

Duterte signed Republic Act 11550 that divided the southern province into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.

Under the law, the new provinces will be composed of the following towns.

Maguindanao del Norte

Barira, Buldon, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Northern Kabuntalan, Parang, North Upi, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, and Talitay

Maguindanao del Sur

Ampatuan, Buluan, Datu Abdulla Sangki, Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Montawal, Datu Paglas, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Unsay, Gen. Salipada K. Pendatun, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Mangudadatu, Pagalungan, Paglat, Pandag, Rajah Buayan, Sharif Aguak, Sharif Saydona Mustafa, Sultan sa Barongis, Talayan, and South Upi

According to the law, Dati Odin Sinsuat will be the capital and seat of government of Maguindanao del Norte, while Buluan will be for Maguindanao del Sur.

The transfer of Maguindanao del Sur's capital to Buluan from Sharif Aguak is among the contentious issues when the measure was under deliberation at the Senate.

Each province will also have its own legislative district, with Cotabato City falling under that of Maguindanao del Norte.

The two provinces will be created upon approval by majority of residents in a plebiscite that the Commission on Elections will supervise within 90 days from the law’s effectivity, the charter reads.

Officials of the newly created provinces will be elected in the May 2022 elections, if the law is approved and ratified within 6 months before the polls.

The two provinces will each have a governor, vice governor, regular members of the provincial council, and other officials.

Each province will have several “corporate powers” including to sue and be sued, acquire and covey real or personal property, and enter into contracts, among others, according to RA 11550.

The creation of the 2 new Maguindanao provinces will make government services more accessible, he said.

Duterte, the first president from Mindanao, has promised to bring progress to the countryside.

MAGUINDANAO SPLIT WILL BRING SERVICES CLOSER TO PEOPLE, LAWMAKER SAYS

MANILA—Dividing Maguindanao, home to about 1.7 million people, will bring public services closer to people, a lawmaker said Friday.

" 'Yung social services hindi nararating kaagad. Kailangang mas mabilis pa ang social services at ibang serbisyo na maiparating sa constituents namin," Maguindanao 2nd District Rep. Esmael "Toto" Mangungudatu told ANC.

The southern province, one of the poorest in the country, had a poverty incidence of 47.8 percent, according to a 2018 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

This translates to about 600,000 people who were considered poor or couldn't afford "to provide their minimum basic needs of food, health education, housing and other essential amenities of life."

DUTERTE SIGNS LAW DIVIDING BULACAN INTO 6 DISTRICTS

MANILA — Bulacan will have more representatives in the next Congress.

President Duterte signed Republic Act 11546 on Wednesday, apportioning the province from four to six legislative districts.

Calumpit, Hagonoy, Paombong, Pulilan, Bulakan and Malolos will comprise the first district; Baliuag, Bustos and Plaridel (second district); San Ildefonso, San Miguel, San Rafael and Doña Remedios Trinidad (third district); Obando, Marilao, Meycauayan (fourth district); Guiguinto, Balagtas, Pandi and Bocaue (fifth district), and Sta. Maria, Norzagaray and Angat (sixth district).

All incumbent representatives of the province shall continue to hold office until the expiration of their term.

Bulacan Reps. Lorna Silverio and Gavinni Pancho said the law would result in more representation, budget, projects and services for the province.

Guiguinto Mayor and League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Bulacan chapter president Ambrocio Cruz said the creation of two more districts would translate into a P3-billion additional budget for the province in the next three years.

DUTERTE SPLITS CALOOCAN INTO 3 DISTRICTS

MANILA — Caloocan City will be divided into three districts after President Duterte signed a law creating another legislative post that will split into two the country’s most populous lone district.

Under Republic Act 11545, the first legislative district in Caloocan will be divided into two districts – the first and third districts.

The Commission on Elections will issue the implementing rules and regulations within 30 days after effectivity of the law.

PHILIPPINES VACCINATES PINOY ATHLETES BOUND FOR TOKYO OLYMPICS, SEA GAMES

MANILA - The Philippine government has begun vaccinating national athletes, officials and staff of the Philippine delegation bound for the Tokyo Olympic and SEA Games on Friday at the Manila Prince Hotel.

“Nagpapasalamat kami ng malaki sa national government, sa IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) na inaprubahan ang prioritization ng mga atleta natin, especially the Olympic- and SEA Games- bound athletes,” Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino said in a TeleRadyo interview.

Also lined up to be inoculated are officials and support staff of the delegation of both events, said Tolentino.

“Yung iba dito mga officials na kasama sa Tokyo bound kasi maraming kasama ang Olympians natin yung iba 3 coaches, nutritionist, psychologist, masseur. Marami pong kasama yan yung iba dito natin binakunahan,” he said.

Nine Filipino athletes have qualified for the Tokyo Games. They are Hidilyn Diaz; boxers Eumir Marcial, Irish Magno, Nesthy Petecio, and Carlo Paalam; pole vaulter EJ Obiena; gymnast Carlos Yulo; rower Cris Nievarez; and taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa.

“Sa ibang olympians na nasa abroad, especially sa US and Europe, definitely they will be given (the vaccine) in the US. Alam naman po natin na mabilis kumuha sa US,” said Tolentino.

Tolentino is expecting the number of Filipino athletes who would qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in July to increase to 15.

“Minimum of one gold will do, that’s our prayer. That’s the wish of the entire country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tolentino said the Philippines will send a delegation of around 700 to the SEA Games.

Vietnam announced a "no vaccine, no participation" policy for the 31st SEA Games that will take place in Hanoi from November 21 to December 2.

The second dose of the vaccine will be administered maybe after a month, said Tolentino.

“Abot na abot pa rin sa Tokyo, and of course, sa SEA Games,” he said.

DIVERSION OF INT'L FLIGHTS TO CEBU AIRPORT TO AFFECT THOUSANDS

MANILA - Thousands of local and international passengers will be affected by the diversion of international flights bound for Mactan-Cebu International Airport to Ninoy Aquino International Airport from May 29 to June 5.

MCIA officer-in-charge Atty. Glenn Napuli said the airport has notified all affected airlines on the government order to divert international flights to NAIA starting Saturday.

The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 recommended the redirection of flights in an effort to contain the pathogen's transmission in the Philippines.

“We have to comply with that order. We already notified the airlines tapos nag post kami ng public advisory informing the passengers kasi marami ang affected hindi lang yung inbound pati yung mga aalis from Cebu,” he said in an interview on ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

He said the directive will also affect passengers who were set to take connecting flights to other airports in the Visayas and Mindanao.

"Mag decrease yung kita at saka numbers ng passengers, yung lalapag na international, 80 percent nyan ‘di naman talaga for Cebu, other provinces for Visayas, Mindanao yan. Aaalis din yan meron sana kaming income but ang importante safety ng mga pasahero."

The MCIA earlier limited the number of arriving international passengers to 300 due to lack of quarantine facilities.

“Average natin is 300 passengers per day so [May] 29 to June 5 times 300, yun ang passengers na affected,” he said.

He said their goal right now is to serve as bridge to help airlines and affected passengers. They are also in talks with airlines and looking at all possible options.

DOH: NEARLY 4.7 MILLION INDIVIDUALS VACCINATED SO FAR VS COVID-19

MANILA—The Philippines has so far vaccinated nearly 4.7 million individuals against COVID-19, a health official said Friday, as the government shifts to “population protection” before the end of the year.

"We were able to vaccinate already almost 4.7 million individuals. We are averaging 100,000 jabs per day," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told Teleradyo.

The country aims to increase the daily vaccination rate to 500,000 to immunize at least 50 million people against the novel coronavirus, Vergeire added.

However, Vergeire noted that would depend on the vaccine supply as global demand was tight.

At least 1 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against the virus, which causes the respiratory illness, DOH data as of May 25 showed.

REMOVING LEONEN WOULD BE A SETBACK FOR THE SUPREME COURT, SAYS LAWMAKER

MANILA - The move to impeach Associate Justice Marvic Leonen would have been a setback for the Supreme Court if it had been successful, a lawmaker said Friday.

"I would believe that if Leonen was removed from office, the Supreme Court will not have a voice of independence, a voice of probity, a voice who decides based on the facts of the case, the evidence and his conscience," Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez said in an interview on ANC's Headstart.

Leonen is among the last 3 remaining appointees of former President Benigno Aquino III in the Supreme Court, as the tribunal is now dominated by magistrates handpicked by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The House of Representatives justice committee earlier junked the impeachment complaint against Leonen for being insufficient in form.

ECONOMY COULD 'BEGIN GROWING AGAIN' IN Q2: FINANCE CHIEF

MANILA - The Philippine economy could start growing again in the second quarter of 2021 due to the mass vaccination program and a reduction in COVID-19 cases, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said.

If overseas manufacturers could deliver the committed volume of doses, the government would have enough COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate not only 70 million adults but also about 15 million teenagers once the vaccine for them is approved, Dominguez said during a business forum held Thursday.

"There is good news on the horizon, however. In the second quarter of this year, we expect to begin growing our economy again. We see that the second wave of infections that started at the end of March has subsided dramatically. We hope that this will be the last surge," Dominguez said.

“We are also in the process of negotiating for the booster shots next year. The COVID-19 pandemic should soon be contained,” he added.

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DAVAO NAMED PHILIPPINE’S CHOCOLATE CAPITAL

DAVAO CITY — This city has been declared as the chocolate capital of the Philippines and Southern Mindanao as the country’s cacao capital.

President Duterte made the declaration under Republic Act 11547, which he signed yesterday.

The law cited Davao’s contribution in making the Philippines world-renowned and sought-after by chocolate makers in Europe, Japan and the United States.

Malagos chocolate products from premium cacao beans grown in a farm here have received international recognition.

The law recognizes the importance of cacao as a driver of rural development, which also placed the Philippines on the map for producing the finest cocoa beans.

At least 78.76 percent of the country’s annual cacao production reportedly comes from the Davao region.

SUSPECT ADMITS FACILITATING, BUT NOT SELLING JAB SLOT

MANILA — The suspect in the alleged vaccine-for-sale scheme has told police investigators that he only facilitated a deal for a COVID-19 jab slot and was not into selling it.

Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is checking the veracity of this claim by suspect Cyle Bonifacio.

Bonifacio, who surrendered to Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos and Mandaluyong Mayor Carmelita Abalos last Wednesday after investigators were able to track him through social media, claimed that he earned money only from facilitating a jab slot.

However, Eleazar said Bonifacio is the same person they have identified in the supposed sale of COVID-19 vaccine slots in Mandaluyong and San Juan cities. The PNP was about to issue a subpoena against him but was overtaken by his surrender.

Mandaluyong City police chief Col. Gauvin Mel Unos said yesterday that they looking into other persons of interest who may be involved in the scam.

STRICTER QUARANTINE IN ILOCOS SUR TOWN, SIBUGAY, ISABELA

MANILA — Another town in Ilocos Sur will revert to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

Cabugao Mayor Edgardo Cobangbang Jr. approved Resolution 21 placing the town under MECQ from March 26 to June 8 due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

The stricter quarantine was based on the declaration of the Local Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 and an executive order issued by Gov. Ryan Luis Singson.

Cabugao recorded 15 new cases.

The town was supposed to be under general community quarantine (GCQ) until May 29.

Singson had earlier placed Vigan under MECQ from May 22 to June 5.

Meanwhile, Isabela City in Basilan will revert to GCQ for two weeks starting today.

TOURISM FRONTLINERS NOW IN A1 PRIORITY GROUP FOR COVID-19 VACCINES

MANILA - Tourism frontliners, including those manning isolation facilities and quarantine hotels, are now part of the A1 priority group for the COVID-19 vaccination program, the Department of Tourism said Friday.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved the inclusion of tourism frontliners in the A1 priority list in a letter to Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat dated May 15, the DOT said in a statement.

The A1 priority group is intended for medical frontliners and is the first group to be vaccinated under the government's inoculation drive.

 Puyat said the decision would greatly benefit the tourism industry.

Some 2,507 employees of quarantine hotels nationwide have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the DOT said.

PARAÑAQUE AWARDS ‘SAFETY SEAL’ TO SM MALL

MANILA` — The SM Supermall in Sucat, Parañaque has received the “Safety Seal” certification from the city government for complying with the minimum health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Safety Seal award is a guarantee that business establishments are compliant with the requirements set by the government to ensure public safety and boost consumers’ confidence.

The SM Supermall is the first business establishment to receive the award.

The program was launched by the Departments of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Trade and Industry (DTI) and the city government of Parañaque.

The Safety Seal certificate should be conspicuously displayed in the establishments to inform the public that they adhere to COVID-19 protocols.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

OSCARS TO AGAIN ALLOW MOVIES ON STREAMING PLATFORMS TO COMPETE FOR HONORS

The organizers of the Oscars on Thursday moved the date of the 2022 ceremony to late March, a month later than originally planned, and said that films released on streaming services would again qualify for Academy Awards consideration.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a statement that the Oscars ceremony would take place on March 27, 2022 at the show's traditional home in Hollywood. The ceremony was originally scheduled for February 27.

No reason was given for the date change.

The Academy added that due to the coronavirus pandemic, it will for the second time allow movies made primarily for release in theaters that were shifted to a streaming platform to be eligible for Oscar consideration.

Dozens of movies have been released on streaming services such as Disney+ (DIS.N), HBO Max, Netflix (NFLX.O) and Amazon (AMZN.O) in the past 15 months while movie theaters around the world have been shuttered because of the pandemic.

The 2021 Oscars were delayed from February to late April because of the pandemic and took place for the first time at Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles.

SPORTS

NBA SCORES MAY 26

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

8 Wizards0-2    24        33        23        15        95

1 76ers2-0        35        36        23        26        120

SCORING LEADERS

B. Beal WAS

33 PTS 4 REB 3 AST

B. Simmons PHI

22 PTS 9 REB 8 AST

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

5 Hawks1-1       27        30        18        17        92

4 Knicks1-1       20        24        32        25        101

SCORING LEADERS

T. Young ATL

30 PTS 1 REB 7 AST

D. Rose NY

26 PTS 4 REB 4 AST

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

8 Grizzlies1-1    27        27        43        32        129

1 Jazz1-1          36        38        29        38        141

SCORING LEADERS

J. Morant MEM

47 PTS 4 REB 7 AST

D. Mitchell UTA

25 PTS 2 REB

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 47.98

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The known is finite, the unknown infinite; intellectually we stand on an islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of inexplicability. Our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land. - T.H. Huxley