LIKE THE 'EXCELSIOR PASS': PHILIPPINES EYES DIGITAL PROOF OF COVID-19 VACCINATION

MANILA - The Philippine government is working on a common digital ID that would serve as proof of an individual's vaccination against COVID-19, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Monday.

Nograles said the Department of Information and Communications Technology is working on a "common vaccination digital ID with QR code" for Filipinos.

"What we want really is a QR code, digital...The digital vaccination ID card will be very important," he told ANC's Headstart.

Currently, local government units in the Philippines issue cards to individuals who get inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines. The card contains information on the brand of vaccine used, how many doses the person has received and when it was given. The cards vary per city and municipality.

The Philippines is among several countries that asked the World Health Organization to come up with a standard protocol for a digital "common vaccine passport."

Nograles said the interagency task force on COVID-19 is discussing "what advantages or what sort of incentives or new protocols" will be observed for fully vaccinated individuals. Among the incentives being floated is the waiving of RT-PCR tests for tourist trips, he said.

The task force is also monitoring how other countries are doing vaccine passports. A small group headed by the Department of Foreign Affairs has also been tapped to look into ways how the government can verify the vaccination of those coming in from abroad, he said.

They are expected to present their proposal within the week.

MODERNA VACCINES ARRIVING JUNE 27: PHILIPPINES TO RECEIVE 'MORE THAN ENOUGH' VACCINE DOSES: ENVOY

The Philippines will be receiving "more than enough" COVID-19 vaccines for the entire population, the Philippine ambassador to Washington said Monday, after the government signed a supply agreement for 40 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the country will first receive 20 million doses from vaccine maker Moderna on June 27, 11 p.m.

"June 27, sigurado na 'yan. 100 percent. Kausap namin almost every day this past week. Nagkaroon lang nang problema dun sa storage facility at dun sa kanilang transportation diyan," he said in an interview on ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

He said of the 20 million, 13 million doses will go to the government, which will then be distributed all over the country especially in places with the highest COVID-19 infections.

The remaining 7 million doses will go to the private sector.

He said the Philippines will also be receiving 40 million doses from Pfizer, as well as an additional 44 million doses from the international Covax vaccine-sharing facility.

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said delivery of the Pfizer doses are expected to begin “after eight weeks starting August” and the shipments will be delivered in bulk.

The country will also benefit from the 80 million doses of vaccine stockpile that the United States has committed to the world, Romualdez said.

"I am very happy to say na binibigyan talaga tayo ng priority ng US ngayon diyan sa mga vaccines dahil we have been talking to them about it," he said.

Sabi ni Secretary Galvez, we will have more than enough. Totoo 'yan," he added.

VP ROBREDO JOINS CALLS FOR INCREASED VACCINE SUPPLY OUTSIDE OF METRO MANILA

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo echoed calls on Sunday for the national government to deploy more coronavirus vaccines outside of Metro Manila.

As it currently stands, nine economic centers dubbed as “focus areas” are set to receive 42% of the incoming vaccine supply, the Palace disclosed earlier this week.

Speaking on her weekly radio show, the country’s No. 2 pointed to high infection rates all over the country in areas beyond the so-called NCR+ bubble.

“Our request right now, is not just at Metro Manila, but also for areas of concern all over the Philippines to be given support,” she said in mixed English and Filipino.

PHILIPPINES HAS 4 NEW CASES OF COVID-19 DELTA VARIANT, 35 CARRIERS OF OTHER STRAINS

MANILA - Four Filipinos have tested positive for the COVID-19 Delta variant, bringing the total number of Filipinos infected with the variant to 17, the government said Monday.

Three of the 4 Delta variant carriers are seafarers from the MV Eastern Hope, a ship currently docked in South Korea, while the fourth case arrived from Saudi Arabia on May 24, 2021, the Department of Health said in a statement.

"Upon detection of the PCR-positive Filipino crew in South Korea, they were repatriated back to the Philippines on June 3, 2021," it said.

"Two cases have completed the 10-day isolation after arrival in the country and were discharged upon certification of recovery, while one is still admitted in a hospital in Metro Manila," it said.

The Delta variant carrier from Saudi Arabia "has completed the mandated isolation" and has been considered as a recovered patient on June 10, 2021, the DOH said.

Of the 17 Delta variant carriers in the Philippines, 1 died while the rest have either recuperated or are still recovering from COVID-19, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an earlier interview.

Aside from the additional Delta variant cases, the DOH said 14 Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant cases, 21 Beta (B.1.351) variant cases, and one Theta (P.3) variant case were also confirmed to have entered the Philippines.

ALCOHOL, PARACETAMOL TOP ‘PANDEMIC POISONS’

MANILA — The Philippine Society of Clinical and Occupational Toxicology (PSCOT) and environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition have warned the public against common items at home, which could be poisonous to children.

The groups issued the warning, coinciding with the observance of National Poisoning Prevention Week, which starts today.

The PSCOT and EcoWaste cited data from the National Poison Management and Control Center (NPMCC), which identified isopropyl and ethyl alcohol, sodium hypochlorite or disinfecting bleach, paracetamol, kerosene, iron salts, ibuprofen and cell batteries as among the top agents for pediatric poisoning cases in 2020.

Alcohol and paracetamol have become household necessities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Also included in the NPMCC’s list were pyrethroid, phenylephrine, silica gel, mefenamic acid, nami and clonazepam.

“Since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, we advise every family to be aware of the potential hazards in their household and community and to take preventive measures that will protect everyone, especially children, from poisoning agents that can be ingested, inhaled or absorbed by the skin or splashed in the eye,” Carissa Dioquino-Maligaso, president of PSCOT and chairperson of the Philippine General Hospital Department of Neurosciences, said.

DENR CREATES INTERIM UNIT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

MANILA — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has created an interim office as part of efforts to intensify the enforcement of environmental laws.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has signed an administrative order, creating the Environmental Law Enforcement and Protection Service (ELEPS).

The DENR said ELEPS would act as an interim unit while the agency is waiting for Congress to approve a proposed bill seeking the creation of an Environmental Protection and Enforcement Bureau (EPEB).

“The department has many laws to implement, but we are lacking when it comes to enforcement. While we are waiting for the passage of the EPEB bill, Secretary Cimatu ordered the creation of ELEPs to protect our forests and other natural resources,” Jonas Leones, DENR undersecretary for policy, planning and international affairs, said.

WHO TO COVER 3 VACCINES IN PHILIPPINES TRIALS

MANILA — The World Health Organization Solidarity Vaccine Trials for candidate COVID-19 vaccines are set to start, with the final SVT protocols and vaccines as well as WHO counterpart funding available this week, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said yesterday.

Dela Peña said the WHO trials would involve three COVID-19 vaccines as the delay in completion of the final protocol for the SVT was due to the addition of a third vaccine developer.

The DOST chief, however, did not identify the three vaccines that would be studied in the SVT.

Dela Peña announced that the final protocol would be finished this weekend.

DUTERTE MEMO ON FACE SHIELDS OUT 'THIS WEEK,' SAYS NOGRALES

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte's memorandum on the use of face shields is expected "this week," Cabinet Secretary Nograles said Monday.

Until then, government's regulation on the wearing of face shields remains "status quo" or the same, according to Nograles.

"We listed places indoor na aming appeal or recommendation to the President. The President was supposed to issue a memo...A memo is forthcoming para maliwanag na (so it's clear)," he told ANC's Headstart.

"Yeah para mag-status quo muna tayo (so we can be under status quo) until the memo comes out," he said when asked if face shield are required everywhere.

HOUSE URGED TO CONDEMN, INVESTIGATE KILLINGS OF 3 LUMADS IN SURIGAO DEL SUR

MANILA — The Makabayan bloc is calling on the House of Representatives to condemn the killing of three members of a Manobo community, one of them a 12-year-old girl, in Surigao del Sur last week and to launch an investigation into what it called a brutal massacre by soldiers.

According to rights group Karapatan, Willy Rodriguez, Leni Rivas and 12-year-old Angel Rivas were part of a group whom troops from the 3rd Special Forces Battalion of the Philippine Army opened fire on. They were shot while on the way to the town center of Lianga after harvesting abaca hemp.

"It is imperative for members of Congress, as representatives of our people, to defend the rights of our people and check on excesses and violations, especially in this time of crisis," members of the Makabayan bloc, which has six seats at the House, said.

The lawmakers, who filed House Resolution 1903 last week, said the House "must bring perpetrators to account to put a stop to the killings and rights violations against its people," they added.

An investigation at the House, which is dominated by a supermajority allied with the Duterte administration, is unlikely.

Karapatan also said those who were killed were presented as members of the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Family members who identified the bodies claimed the remains were desecrated and the female victims’ genitals bore signs of possible sexual assault.

The Commission on Human Rights said last week its office in the Caraga region will dispatch an investigation team.

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PHILIPPINES CONFIRMS 5,803 NEW CASES OF COVID-19

MANILA - The Philippines confirmed 5,803 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday bringing the country’s total to 1,359,015.

The Department of Health also reported 7,652 new recoveries, pushing the total number of Filipinos who recovered from the disease to 1,277,715.

This means that the country has a total of 57,679 active cases as of 4 p.m. Sunday.

Eighty four more deaths were reported from the illness, bringing COVID-19’s death toll in the Philippines to 23,621.

'WALK-IN' SA VACCINATION SITES SA MAYNILA, BAWAL NA

Bawal na ang 'walk-in' sa mga vaccination site sa Maynila simula ngayong araw ng Lunes.

Ayon sa Manila Public Information Office, pupunta lang sa vaccination site ang magpapabakuna kapag nakatanggap ng text message na nagsasabi kung saan at anong oras ang kanyang vaccination slot.

Manila Covax ang magtetext sa mga residente at kailangang ipakita sa vaccination site ang mismong text message.

Bawal ang screenshot lang at kung na delete mo ang message, kailangan mong maghintay na lang sa susunod na schedule.

Ito ang unang beses na may scheduling system o appointment system sa vaccination ang lunsod ng Maynila. Nitong nakalipas na mga buwan, napakahaba ng pila palagi sa mga vaccination site at marami ang naabutan lagi ng cutoff. Ang ibang residente gabi o madaling araw pa lang pumipila para makasiguro na aabot sa cutoff.

Marami ang nagreklamo at nagtataka noon bakit walang appointment system ang Manila gaya sa ibang lungsod.

Nanindigan si Manila Mayor Isko Moreno noon na hindi muna nila ipinatupad ang appointment system dahil sa kakulangan ng bakuna at nabanggit niya rin noong isang linggo lang na kahit naman may appointment system sa iba ay humahaba pa rin ang pila.

'PAMI-PAMILYA NAGKAKAROON NG COVID': BICOL COVID CASES STILL RISING, DOCTORS SAY

MANILA - A doctors' group on Monday expressed alarm over rising COVID-19 cases in Bicol, saying infections are occurring within households.

"Pami-pamilya na po ang nagkakaroon ng COVID cases. So, minsan... mag-asawa o pamilya ang nasa loob ng isang kuwarto," Dr. Eloisa Pornillos, president of Philippine College of Physicians-Bicol Chapter, told Teleradyo.

Last week, Bicol logged an additional 212 coronavirus infections, raising its tally to 16,153. So far, 507 have succumbed to the disease in the region.

Camarines Sur (4,522), Sorsogon (2,410) and Albay (2,296) recorded the most COVID-19 cases among provinces.

Pornillos noted that beds dedicated to coronavirus patients were fully occupied.

"Ang masasabi ko lang, for the past 2 weeks, gano'n pa rin ang problem namin. Walang bakante," she said.

Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega has said that Bicol’s hospital utilization rate was critical due to the surge of COVID-19 cases.

"There’s a surge in Bicol now... Naga and Legazpi, there’s a surge that’s why testing, contact tracing and isolating the infected have been aggressive. Those have to be done to stem the increase," he said in Filipino.

The region is under varying quarantine restrictions to halt the spread of the virus.

PHILIPPINES TO EXPERIENCE 2021'S LONGEST DAY TODAY - PAGASA

MANILA - It's the longest day of the year.

The Philippines on Monday will experience its shortest night and longest daytime during the summer solstice, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

According to agency's astronomical diary, the summer solstice will fall at 11:32 a.m., June 21.

"This is the time when the Sun attains its greatest declination of +23.5 degrees and passes directly overhead at noon for all observers at latitude 23.5 degrees North, which is known as the Tropic of Cancer," PAGASA said.

"This event marks the start of the apparent southward movement of the Sun in the ecliptic," it added.

A solstice is an astronomical event during which the sun is at its greatest northerly or southerly distance from the equator.

The summer solstice is in contrast with the December winter solstice where the country experiences longer nights and shorter days.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

DOMINIC ROQUE LEAVES FANS SPECULATING IF BEA IS ALREADY HIS GIRLFRIEND

MANILA – Dominic Roque left fans speculating about the real score between him and actress Bea Alonzo.

This, after he posted on TikTok a video of when he recently visited a Japanese restaurant to enjoy a fine meal only to keep the identity of his date a secret.

“Jap night is date night,” he simply wrote in the caption.

In the video, Roque can be seen having a glass of wine with a girl whose face he did not show.

The end of the clip, however, showed him holding hands with another person.

While their intertwined hands were the only things revealed in the last part of the video, some eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice that the girl Roque’s with was wearing a watch similar to one owned by Alonzo.

Fan pages dedicated to Alonzo and Roque also noted how the actress shared almost similar posts as Roque in her Instagram Stories a few days ago.

In an interview with G3 San Diego for Mega Entertainment last April, Alonzo confirmed that she is indeed dating Roque.

When asked if she is exclusively seeing him, the actress said: “No. Wala pa kami. Ang hirap kasing sabihin, alam mo, parang in a way, as much as I don’t want to be a prisoner of my past, meron din akong parang, nahihiya ako sa mga tao na ‘I’m 33, I am dating.’”

“Hindi ko alam kung it will materialize into something else or like it would lead to something else but then, what if I fail again? I don’t want to keep failing in front of you guys, it’s embarrassing,” she added.

Alonzo, however, noted that Roque is “a good guy.”

SPORTS

FIBA ASIA CUP QUALIFIERS: YOUNG GILAS DOWNS KOREA AGAIN TO GO UNDEFEATED

CLARK CITY - The Philippines win in their rematch against Korea in another close game to clinch first place in Group A, 82-77.

The win maintained the status of the Philippines as one of the few undefeated squads through the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers.

Korea started the game out on fire once again, blasting off to a 9-0 run.

However, just as they did the first time these teams played against each other, the Philippines came roaring back and started taking control of the momentum.

The young Gilas squad dominated on the boards, specifically on the offensive end. They grabbed 20 offensive rebounds in total, resulting in 24 second chance points to stop Korea from gaining any flow on offense.

Dwight Ramos lined up on a three-pointer with just under 4 minutes left in the game to give the Philippines their biggest lead of the fourth quarter. At the moment, it felt like the clincher for the Philippines but Korea had another burst left in them, cutting the lead down to just 77-75 with less than a minute to go.

In the end, a fumbled possession that fell into the hands of Justine Baltazar led to a breakaway dunk which more or less sealed the game for coach Tab Baldwin and his team.

It was a well-balanced offense for the Philippines, with Ramos leading the team in scoring for 19 points. The rising star has been rock solid in all games of the Qualifiers and had another great game once again with 5 three-pointers, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals as well.

Korea’s main big man, Ra Guna, provided the firepower inside with 20 points and 13 rebounds, but the team needed much more from the outside shooting of their wings. The team made 10 three in this game but connected on only 28.6 percent of those long-range shots.

The win locked up first place for the Philippines in Group A with a 6-0 record while Korea finishes in second place with a 5-1 record.

NBA SCORES JUNE 19

FINAL/OT

1          2          3          4          OT       T

3 Bucks4-3       25        22        35        27        6          115

2 Nets3-4          28        25        28        28        2          111

GAME 7: MIL LEADS 4-3, BARCLAYS CENTER, BROOKLYN, NY

SCORING LEADERS

G. Antetokounmpo MIL

40 PTS 13 REB 5 AST

K. Durant BKN

48 PTS 9 REB 6 AST

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. - Winston Churchill