ROMUALDEZ OPEN TO TANDEM WITH SARA

MANILA — With an endorsement from President Duterte, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said he is open to running for vice president, with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as administration standard-bearer in next year’s elections.

“We haven’t made any final decisions yet, but we will consider all candidates,” Romualdez said at an online press conference Thursday afternoon, when asked about their possible tandem.

The Leyte congressman is the national president of the once-dominant and now re-emerging Lakas-CMD party.

He said Lakas-CMD is allied with the Davao City mayor’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) regional party and that they are “looking forward to strengthening” their alliance for the 2022 elections.

Still, Romualdez said he does not want to preempt Mayor Duterte, who has yet to decide whether to join the presidential race.

“First and foremost, we don’t want to preempt Mayor Inday because she has yet to make her final decision on the matter. But definitely Inday Sara, her brand of leadership, is really qualified for a national post. But we don’t want to preempt, so that question may be premature,” he explained.

He was asked if such possibility would not create a conflict with his cousin, former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., also reportedly being eyed as runningmate of Mayor Duterte.

“I don’t foresee any conflict as what you’re anticipating. Because you know that all conflicts, problems, as long as we face them, and we talk about them, we will be able to solve the problem before it arises,” he pointed out.

Romualdez also confirmed that he and Marcos had a meeting with former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo earlier this week and discussed the 2022 polls.

With them at the meeting on June 14 in the residence of the former president were Sen. Imee Marcos and Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo.

“Senator Imee was asking for some advice, and then there were exchanges, updating as to what are the plans of everyone there. It was just another get-together; catching up and exchanges of ideas. And I guess soliciting some advice,” Romualdez revealed.

SMART, PLDT-SMART FOUNDATION BRACE FOR TYPHOON SEASON, DEPLOY GENSETS FOR CONNECTIVITY

MANILA — To ensure uninterrupted telco connectivity as inclement weather disrupt power supply, Smart and PLDT-Smart Foundation have deployed generator sets to typhoon-prone provinces.

The prepositioning comes ahead of the rainy season and the entry of tropical cyclones. Recently, Tropical Storm Dante cut across parts of Eastern Visayas, Bicol and Southern Luzon causing flooding in some areas and power outages. On average, the Philippines is pounded by around 20 typhoons annually.

The gale force winds and heavy rain that destructive typhoons bring often damage power lines and key infrastructure, plunging communities into darkness for days. Without power, residents also face communication problems as they have no way to charge their mobile phones.

“Communication is very important in times of emergency. It gives responders a clearer picture of what to expect before they head out to distressed communities," said Jane J. Basas, senior vice president and head of Consumer Wireless Business at Smart.

Smart and PLDT-Smart Foundation have distributed 37 generator sets in areas that are often hit by typhoons in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

They’re currently on standby in Pampanga, Bulacan, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Leyte, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Davao Del Sur, Davao Del Norte, Agusan Del Norte and Surigao Del Sur.

“Smart is committed to help communities it serves, especially during times of calamity. The generator sets will also complement our Libreng Charging (free charging), Libreng Tawag (free calls) and Free WiFi (free wifi) stations that we set up in areas that have been ravaged by disasters as communication aid to help our customers in times of need,” said Melvin Consunji Nubla, department head and vice president at Smart for Go-To-Market and Subscriber Management.

DPWH: MORE PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR

MANILA — The Department of Public Works and Highways expects the flow of traffic to improve further, not only along EDSA, but throughout Metro Manila with the completion of various projects this year, DPWH Secretary Mark Villar said yesterday.

The China-funded Estrella-Pantaleon Bridge is set for completion by next month, he said, and “will help reduce traffic in EDSA, which has already seen a lot of improvement.”

“The Binondo-Intramuros Bridge is also nearing completion, and of course, we have a lot of other bridges being constructed,” he added.

The DWPH opened the new Sta. Monica-Lawton Bridge, now dubbed Kalayaan Bridge, across Pasig River last week.

Its opening has brought the agency closer to finishing the entire BGC-Ortigas Center Link Road project, which Villar targets to complete by the end of the year.

Once these bridges are finished, Villar said EDSA and C-5 would be relieved of 20 percent and 10 percent of their traffic volume, respectively.

“So very soon, there will be a significant improvement in traffic here in Metro Manila,” he said.

“When we started, it was mentioned that we will put an end to the EDSA traffic. Now, the speed of traffic flow in EDSA has almost doubled and this will further improve because we will be delivering additional bridges in Pasig,” Villar said.

SEGREGATION PROPOSED FOR VACCINATED PEOPLE IN PUBLIC PLACES

MANILA — Presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion is proposing segregation in business establishments between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals to allow a safer reopening of the economy, which is still reeling from the impact of COVID-19 pandemic.

“The application can be on time or physical location,” Concepcion said in a phone interview yesterday. He said for instance, in certain sports events like basketball, vaccinated spectators may view the game from an area separate from that occupied by unvaccinated fans.

In movie theaters, he said the segregation could be applied by setting a different showing time for those vaccinated and unvaccinated.

He said segregation is being considered by the private sector as a way to allow further reopening of the economy with some business activities still closed and prohibited from operating.

“These are ideas we are floating on how to increase capacity. In other words, right now, movie theaters are closed, etc. So how do you open it up safely? These are ideas,” he said.

As more people are being vaccinated, he said the objective is to give them more mobility and access. “That is the best incentive you can give,” he said.

SINOVAC STILL PREVENTS SEVERE COVID-19, SAYS DOH AMID INDONESIA INFECTIONS

MANILA - Chinese-made Sinovac remains effective in preventing severe COVID-19 symptoms or virus-related deaths, the Department of Health said Friday, as officials sought to allay public fears of the jab's supposed inefficiency.

"Let's get the vaccine. Let us not be doubtful. Let's give that confidence," DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters, as she responded to queries about Indonesia, where 350 fully vaccinated health workers still contracted the disease.

Reuters reported that most of the workers who tested positive were asymptomatic and only a few needed hospitalization.

While 350 vaccinated medical workers in Indonesia caught COVID-19, the number could still be insignificant, said Vergeire.

"Hindi po natin maikakaila na may breakthrough infections... pero kailangan pa din po natin ng kumpletong datos para ma-analyze ng maigi," she said.

If Indonesia has 5,000 health workers, then 350 is just 7 percent, so the Sinovac jab is still 93 percent effective, she said.

While the data remains incomplete, Filipinos should avoid doubting the effectiveness of the jab, the Undersecretary added.

Vaccine manufacturers have yet to submit data on the effectiveness of their jabs against new COVID-19 variants, that are known to be more contagious than the original strain, Vergeire said.

The Philippines has been mainly using Sinovac vaccines in its inoculation program.

So far, the "overall percentage for adverse events" in the Philippines remain at 0.68 percent, the DOH official said.

These individuals reported experiencing chills, fever, fatigue, nausea and pain in the injection site after being vaccinated, she said.

"Wala pa rin po tayong kaso ng adverse events which have direct causality with the vaccine," she said.

PLDT BLOCKS 10,000 LINKS TO CHILD ABUSE MATERIALS IN 'AGGRESSIVE' CRACKDOWN

MANILA - Some 10,000 links to child abuse materials online have been blocked in what PLDT Inc has called its "most aggressive" campaign just yet, it said Friday.

In the first half of June alone, PLDT Inc and Smart blocked access to over 4,500 URLs and domains that linked to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, the telco said in a statement.

The crackdown was made possible with the membership access to the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), the telco giant said.

“We have extracted IWF’s complete list of links that host child sexual abuse materials or CSAM. This has enabled us to block more than 10,000 links since we joined the organization. IWF continues to update its database and, as allies, we also receive the same updates every day,” said PLDT and Smart chief information security officer Angel Redoble.

The IWF is backed by the European Commission and the global internet industry, PLDT said. It is a non-profit that is working with governments and other organizations in taking down web pages, keywords, and digital fingerprints that contain child abuse materials.

"It’s time for us to take on a more proactive role in protecting our customers against cyber-attacks. Our cybersecurity operations center has extended the same protection commonly found in enterprise clients to residential internet users because the home network often lacks the sophisticated capabilities to identify and fend off cyber-attacks,” Redoble added.

In total, PLDT has cut access to over 13,000 URLs and domains that host sexually explicit materials featuring children, it said.

MMDA EXPECTS THE WORST IN EDSA TRAFFIC

MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has admitted it is “expecting the worst” for traffic on EDSA as the number of cars using the major thoroughfare is approaching pre-pandemic figures.

In an interview with One News yesterday morning, MMDA Chairman Benhur Abalos said the number of cars currently using the avenue is already nearing 400,000 – almost similar to the “Carmageddon” along EDSA before the COVID-19 pandemic struck last year.

“Now, that is our situation. Only a few (thousand number of cars) and we are back to the (number of cars during) pre-pandemic time,” Abalos said in Filipino and English.“There is only a difference based on the status. For example, when the new variant (of COVID-19) was found earlier in the year, the number (of cars) dipped by 10,000. Every time there is a new status, the number dips. But for now, let us expect the worst. Let us expect it to a number closer to pre-pandemic figures,” he added.To alleviate traffic congestion along EDSA, Abalos said they are looking into instituting several possible policies, taking into consideration that the capacity is only about 300,000 cars a day.

He stressed the need to maximize Metro Manila’s mass transport system that include the railways and bus carousels. Last week, President Duterte said the traffic in EDSA has been “solved” by his administration, noting that travel time from Cubao in Quezon City to Pasay only takes 15 minutes.

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DAVAO LOGS HIGHEST COVID-19 CASES IN ONE DAY

MANILA — Davao City logged 482 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the highest recorded in the area in one day, according to OCTA Research.

“This is the highest number reported in the city since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and the first time the city recorded more than 300 cases in one day, “ OCTA said.

In a report released yesterday, the group said utilization rate for intensive care units (ICU) in the city was at “critical level” at 91 percent.

OCTA said hospital bed utilization rate was “moderate.”

The group said Davao registered a one week growth rate of 26 percent and a reproduction rate of 1.47.

OCTA said Tagum in Davao del Norte and Digos in Davao del Sur also reported a spike in new cases.

The cities of Bacolod, San Pablo, Cebu and Baguio recorded a ”significant” increase in new cases.

Bacolod registered a growth rate of 35 percent for one week.

OCTA said the increase in cases in Dumaguete City slowed down, but its average daily attack rate remained ”very high.”

Polomolok and the cities of Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Butuan, Tacloban, Davao and Tuguegarao are classified as areas of concern.

BOC SEIZES P1 BILLION FAKE GOODS IN MAKATI

MANILA — Government agents confiscated at least P1 billion worth of counterfeit items, mostly luxury brands, during a raid on a warehouse in Barangay Magallanes, Makati, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported yesterday.

The raiders seized fake designer goods labeled as Chanel, Coach, Givenchy, Gucci and Michael Kors.

The raiding team also confiscated fake products of Adidas, Bench, Calvin Klein, Fubu, Esprit, Guess, Hilfiger, Jag, Lacoste, Macbeth, Oxygen, Reebok, Tribal, Wrangler and Zara.

The BOC was joined by members of the Port of Manila District Office and Armed Forces during the operation.

Fake merchandise accounted for the third largest segment in the BOC’s haul, next to smuggled cigarettes and illegal drugs.

MGA PATOK NA ULAT NG ABS-CBN NEWS PROGRAMS, MASISILIP SA SOCIAL MEDIA

MAYNILA -- Hindi pa tapos ang kuwento.

Muling ibinabalik ng ABS-CBN News ang mga ulat mula sa mga current affairs programs nito na naalis sa ere dahil sa broadcast shutdown ng Kapamilya Network noong isang taon.

Sa pagkakataong ito, mas pinadali pa ang pag-access at ginawang mas abot-kamay ang pagsilip sa naturang mga programa sa pamamagitan ng pinalawak pang tahanan sa digital ng ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs.

Matutunghayan sa https://www.facebook.com/ABSCBNCurrentAffairs ang bahagi ng mga hitik sa kaalaman at premyadong ulat na naitampok ng ilang current affairs programs ng ABS-CBN.

Sa ngayon, makikita sa naturang Facebook page ang kinagiliwan at inabangang mga programa noon.

Maaaring mapanood dito ang bahagi ng mga naitampok sa "Red Alert" tuwing Huwebes, "#NoFilter" tuwing Biyernes, "DocuCentral" tuwing Sabado, at "Failon Ngayon" tuwing Linggo.

Matutunghayan din ang mga tampok na balitang ito sa https://www.instagram.com/ABSCBNNews/

Ang proyektong ito ay bahagi ng insiyatibo ng ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs na humanap at gumawa ng paraan para patuloy na makapaglingkod sa mga Pilipino saan mang panig ng mundo.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

ABS-CBN NEWS APP ADDS 'LISTEN,' VOICE SEARCH FEATURES

MANILA -- Users may now listen to news articles and use voice search to look up hot topics with the latest enhancements in the ABS-CBN News App.

With these add-on features, the ABS-CBN News App hopes to deliver an even better user experience to its audience on the mobile app space. What's more, the new features allow more flexibility and options for users, making the App good companion for busy people who still want to keep monitoring the news.

These features are available by downloading or updating the ABS-CBN News app on Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

VOICE SEARCH

For Android devices with text-to-speech function, users can search for content using their voice by tapping the microphone button on the upper left of the app's screen.

This activates the voice search function visible through a prompt with a microphone image and the words "Speak now."

Users can then mention the subject of the news they want to access by saying something like, "search COVID-19," or any other keyword or topic.

LISTEN TO ARTICLES

Users can also listen to articles on the News App by saying the word "play," followed by "Top Stories," "Editor’s Pick" or "Article."

Once the command is recognized, the App will open the latest article on the indicated section.

After an article has been opened, the read-article feature will immediately initiate.

AUDIO STREAMING, NEWS ALERTS

The streaming and news alerts features of the ABS-CBN News App also continue to be convenient tools for users who want to be constantly updated on topics and issues that matter to them.

The app streams TeleRadyo and ABS-CBN News' coverage of big news events in and concerning the country.

The app also has a personalized news feed where users can customize and choose topics relevant to them.

The ABS-CBN News app is available on Google Play Store and on Apple App Store.

SPORTS

FIBA ASIA CUP QUALIFIERS: GILAS CRUISES PAST INDONESIA EN ROUTE TO BLOWOUT WIN

Gilas Pilipinas overpowered Indonesia, cruising its way to a lopsided 76-51 win against the visiting team in the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers at Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center in Pampanga Friday night.

But to complete the victory, the nationals had to shrug off a slow start that had them committing errors in the first half.

Nevertheless they still led Indonesia, bannered by former PBA import Lester Prosper, in the first two quarters, 30-22.

After making adjustments, Gilas broke away in the third period with Justine Baltazar coming off the bench to score a pair of treys.

Gilas also managed to silence Prosper in the third quarter with Ange Kouame and Kai Sotto manning the paint.

It was Lebron Lopez's turn to shine in the fourth period where Gilas unleashed a 13-0 run that had Indonesia reeling.

In the end, Gilas finished just five points away from duplicating its 30-point blowout of Indonesia during their first meeting back in February 2020.

Baltazar had 11 points and nine rebounds, while Kouame added 11 markers and five boards.

Dwight Ramos scored 10, while RJ Abarrientos and Sotto contributed nine and seen, respectively.

Prosper finished with 22 points for Indonesia.

It was the Filipinos' follow-up to their dramatic 81-78 win over South Korea last Wednesday.

NBA SCORES JUNE 17

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

2 Nets3-3          19        29        19        22        89

3 Bucks3-3       26        33        19        26        104

GAME 6: SERIES TIED 3-3, FISERV FORUM, MILWAUKEE, WI

SCORING LEADERS

K. Durant BKN

32 PTS 11 REB 3 AST

K. Middleton MIL

38 PTS 10 REB 5 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 48.43

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated. – Confucius