IATF EASES QUARANTINE, SWAB RULES FOR VACCINATED TRAVELERS

MANILA — Starting tomorrow, a shorter mandatory quarantine period of seven days in a government-accredited facility will be required for all Filipinos vaccinated in the Philippines regardless of travel history and those vaccinated abroad coming from “green” or low-risk countries.

All arriving individuals qualified for the seven-day quarantine rule are required to undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests on the fifth day of the quarantine, with day one being the date of arrival, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

The order is contained in IATF Resolution 123-C signed on Monday, which provides “green lanes” for fully vaccinated individuals traveling to the Philippines.

The IATF order requires unvaccinated travelers or those who have not completed their doses to undergo the 14-day mandatory quarantine.

The task force directed the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) to ensure strict symptom monitoring in the facility for seven days.

After completing the seven-day quarantine period, travelers are required to monitor themselves for any symptom in the next seven days.”

The IATF said the RT-PCR testing on the fifth day would be subject to review after 30 days from implementation.

“Should the RT-PCR test yield a negative result, the individual should complete the seven-day quarantine. If found positive, he should follow the prescribed isolation protocols,” the IATF said.

Upon completion of quarantine, the BOQ should issue a quarantine certificate indicating the person’s vaccination status.

Those fully vaccinated in the country are advised to carry their vaccination card, which should be verified prior to departure by the Department of Information and Communications Technology or the city health officer of the local government unit which administered the full vaccination.

Those vaccinated abroad must also carry their official documentation of full vaccination validated through the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO), or present their international certificate of vaccination, whichever is applicable.

TAAL VOLCANIC SMOG SPREADS TO METRO MANILA, NEARBY PROVINCES

MANILA —Taal Volcano continues to release volcanic smog that has reached Tanauan city and Talisay town in Batangas and nearby areas, Phivolcs said Wednesday.

The smog has reached Metro Manila, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales, according to the latest Phivolcs bulletin.

The haze over the National Capital Region, reported previously as "mainly due to smog from human activities," was confirmed in an updated tweet by Phivolcs as sulfur dioxide.

A 1-kilometer warm layer of air is preventing cooler air near the ground to rise, trapping pollutants and driving the accumulation of smog over the region, Phivolcs said.

The temperature inversion might dissipate within 24 to 48 hours, said Phivolcs officer-in-charge Renato Solidum.

"Stay indoors muna kung di kailangan lumabas," Solidum said in an interview with ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

Phivolcs had urged residents, most especially those staying around Taal Lake, to wear N-95 masks and close windows and doors to block pollutants.

"Ito po ay nagiging sanhi ng irritation sa lalamunan at nahihirapan huminga," Solidum said.

The vog, or air pollution due to volcanic gas, was due to Taal's continued emission of high sulfur-dioxide levels over the weekend, Phivolcs had said.

"It consists of fine droplets containing volcanic gas such as [sulfur dioxide] which is acidic and can cause irritation of the eyes, throat and respiratory tract in severities depending on the gas concentrations and durations of exposure," it said.

The release of sulfur dioxide means the magma beneath the volcano is being degassed, Solidum said.

"At 'yung posibilidad ng steam-driven explosion ay nandyan kaya bawal pong pumunta sa volcano island," he said.

Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 2, signifying "increased unrest" that warns of a probable magmatic activity that may or may not lead to an eruption, according to the Phivolcs.

'I AM NOT A LIAR': PACQUIAO ACCEPTS DUTERTE CHALLENGE TO NAME CORRUPT OFFICIALS, AGENCIES

MANILA — After President Rodrigo Duterte's tirade against him for calling out corruption in government, Sen. Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday recalled that it was the chief executive who first said that corrupt officials continue to plague the country.

In continuation of the public squabble among the ruling PDP-Laban's leadership, party chairman Duterte during a televised address dared Pacquiao, the party's acting president, to name corrupt officials and agencies so that he could address the issue within a week.

"If you fail to do that, I will campaign against you because you are not doing your duty," Duterte said, addressing Pacquiao.

"I accept the challenge of President Rodrigo Duterte. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to help you and provide you with information for the anti-corruption campaign," Pacquiao replied in a statement written in Filipino.

"The President himself mentioned in his statement on October 27, 2020 that government corruption is on the rise," Pacquiao said, referencing a pre-recorded public address of Duterte's. "In his own words he said that 'I will concentrate the last remaining years of my term fighting corruption because until now it has not weakened and is getting stronger.'"

"Alam mo this country continues to be plagued with corruption. (You know, this country continues to be plagued with corruption)," Duterte also said then.

"I have made mistakes in my life that I have straightened out and corrected but there are two things that I hold onto: I am not corrupt and I am not a liar," Pacquiao said.

He went on to allege corruption at the Department of Health, citing in specific its procurement of supplies needed to combat the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

"Let's look at and review all purchases from rapid test kits, [personal protective equipment], masks and more," he said, renewing concerns aired by several members of the Senate since last year.

DUQUE 'DISHEARTENED' OVER PACQUIAO'S CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS VS DOH

MANILA - Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday said he was "disheartened" over Senator Manny Pacquiao's corruption allegations in the Department of Health (DOH), noting that the agency has always submitted to the government’s auditing efforts.

In a statement, the health department said it is ready to undergo another round of auditing to pinpoint where its funds went, and downplayed Pacquiao's allegations as “baseless.”

“We submit ourselves to inquiries from legislators as this is a part of the checks and balances in our government. I have always been a champion of good governance and the DOH has always been transparent with regard to our fund utilization,” Duque was quoted as saying.

The country's health chief also said money from funding agencies does not directly go to agencies.

The statement came after Pacquiao named the DOH as the first on his list as being the top corrupt government office in the country, citing the purchases made for personal protective equipment and overpriced test kits at the height of the country’s fight against COVID-19.

“Handa ka ba Sec. Francisco Duque na ipakita ang kabuuan ng iyong ginagastos? Saan napunta ang pera na inutang natin para sa pandemya?” he asked.

But Duque said he is prepared, and would show where the money for the vaccine loans ended up.

The government official also cited the reports they submitted to the Senate and other concerned government agencies on the matter.

“Ang utang po natin para sa bakuna ay naipaliwanag na noon ng Department of Finance sa Senate Committee of the Whole hearing -- ang inutang na pondo ay diretsong napupunta sa vaccine manufacturer mula sa funding agency,” he said.

According to the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group, as of early April this year, the total government loans in response to the pandemic has ballooned to P754 billion.

The P58.5 billion in loans for COVID-19 vaccines comprise three recent loans—all signed in March—from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). They account for only 8 percent of total government loans for COVID-19 response to date.

The supposed lost funds in PhilHealth have already been taken into account, according to its new chief Dante Gierran.

DUTERTE ENDORSEMENT STILL HOLDS POWER – PULSE EXEC

MANILA, Philippines — Despite criticisms over his administration’s war on drugs and handling of the COVID-19 crisis, President Duterte’s endorsement power will still matter come 2022 elections given his high approval and trust ratings, according to Pulse Asia Research director Ana Maria Tabunda.

“I think it will be more powerful (than the late former president Benigno Simeon Aquino III) because of the trust and the approval ratings he’s getting,” Tabunda told Rappler in an interview on YouTube on Monday.

“I don’t think he will become a lame duck president,” she added. Tabunda said the President’s approval and trust scores “did not change” and have remained high in Pulse Asia’s face-to-face surveys in the last two quarters.

Tabunda said she believes Duterte will maintain his ratings despite the International Criminal Court’s possible probe on his drug war.

‘NO DEATH AMONG FILIPINO HCWS FULLY VACCINATED WITH SINOVAC’

MANILA — Unlike in Indonesia, no doctor fully vaccinated with China-made Sinovac has died of COVID in the country, according to COVID-19 Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) member Dr. Maria Consorcia Quizon.

“What I can say at least, here in the Philippines, we started Sinovac (vaccination) in our health workers back in February and praise God, there was no one hospitalized or died when they are fully vaccinated,” Quizon said in OneNews’ “The Chiefs.”

Quizon made the remark in reaction to the reported deaths among fully vaccinated doctors in Indonesia.  She also noted that these cases “need further investigation” and that based on real-world studies, Sinovac showed as high as 98 percent efficacy rate against severe COVID infection.

“This alone gives us confidence in the vaccines that we have in the country,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire agreed, adding that the report from Indonesia did not clearly indicate who among those who died were vaccinated.

IBP, NBI INK COOPERATION AGREEMENT TO PROTECT LAWYERS VS THREATS

MANILA — The National Bureau of Investigation and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines inked a deal last week to extend assistance to, and protect, members of the Judiciary who experience threats and harassment.

The NBI, in a statement, said its OIC-Director Eric Distor and IBP president Domingo Egon Cayosa signed a Memorandum of Agreement to strengthen coordination and communication between the agency and the IBP’s chapter organizations.

The IBP is the national organization for Philippine lawyers.

The bureau said both parties agreed to maintain direct lines between their leaderships for faster coordination and to help prevent attacks on lawyers. The agreement also covers data sharing between the NBI and IBP.

The NBI will also expedite and prioritize probes into incidents or cases of violence against members of the legal profession.

The House of Representatives meanwhile approved on third and final reading the “Philippine Judiciary Marshals Service Act” early in June. It aims to protect the members of the Judiciary from threats and allow them to exercise their functions free from external factors.

POPE FRANCIS SADDENED BY PNOY’S DEATH, CONDOLES WITH FILIPINOS

Pope Francis offered his condolences to Filipinos on the death of former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

“Saddened to learn the death of former President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the People of the Philippines,” the Pope said in a statement addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte and shared by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

“Recalling the late president’s service to the nation, I commend his soul into the hands of the all-merciful God. Upon his family and all who mourn his passing, I invoke abundant consolation and peace in the Lord,” he added.

THE REST

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PH CONFIRMS 4,479 NEW CASES; ACTIVE INFECTIONS AT 50,000

MANILA - The Philippines on Tuesday confirmed 4,479 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest announced in nearly a week, with active infections reaching over 50,000.

According to the health department’s 4 p.m. COVID-19 bulletin, the country now has 1,408,058 cumulative coronavirus infections, of which 50,037 or 3.6 percent are still active.

The day’s fresh cases and active infections are the lowest since June 23, the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group said.

The positivity rate is at 10.7 percent, based on results of 32,044 individuals who got screened for the virus on Sunday - below 13 percent for 8 straight days already, the ABS-CBN Data Analytics team pointed out.

But the positive test results on Sunday were still high compared to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation of below 5 percent benchmark for at least 2 weeks in order to say that the country’s COVID-19 situation is already controlled.

CEBU DEFENDS COVID-19 TRAVEL PROTOCOL, SHORTER IN-FACILITY QUARANTINE

MANILA - The Cebu provincial government continues to test travelers for COVID-19 upon arrival and on the seventh day as it would be more expensive to keep them quarantined in a hotel facility for 10 days, a local health official said Wednesday.

Local officials had stood their ground Tuesday in a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force Against COVID-19, recommending that travelers stay in an isolation facility for 2 to 3 days while continuing the remaining quarantine period at home.

The national government, however, requires travelers from abroad to stay for 10 days at a quarantine facility and another 4 days in home quarantine, and undergo COVID-19 screening on the seventh day since arrival.

Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) are activated to monitor the home quarantine of returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) and migrant workers, said Dr. Mercedes Cañal, head of the epidemiology and surveillance unit of the health department in Central Visayas.

The BHERTs' surveillance "in the grassroots level is very good," she said.

"Mas expensive po ata 'yung ide-detain natin sila for more than 10 days considering itong ROFs, sila po ang nagbabayad," she told ANC's Headstart.

"We’d like to entrust ROFs and OFWs na responsibility niyo 'to na 'wag kayong lalabas regardless na na-discharge ka na from the hotel and you went back to your respective LGUs. Hindi naman lahat ng bahay ng ROFs nakakapasa po as a quarantine facility, they have to be in their TTMF (temporary treatment medical facility)."

The region has received reports of "domestic violence and mental instability" due to isolation periods, Cañal added.

Cebu, meanwhile, follows domestic travel protocols which require a negative test result from a traveler, she said.

"We have no problem with that kasi po whatever the protocol is fina-follow po ni domestic tapos ang Bureau of Quarantine is on standby po to monitor," she said.

OPERASYON NG BAKUNAHAN SA TAGUIG BALIK-NORMAL NA

MAYNILA—Kasunod ng dalawang araw na pagkaantala sa bakunahan, inanunsiyo na ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Taguig na tuloy na ang normal na operasyon ng vaccination hubs sa lungsod Miyerkoles.

Ayon sa LGU, pwede nang pumunta sa vaccination sites ang mga may online appointment o group booking ngayon araw. Pinababalik naman sa vaccination hub ang mga may schedule ng 2nd dose.

May ilang mga taong nakapila naman sa vaccination hub sa Western Bicutan National High School ang umuwi saglit dahil hindi nila alam kung tuloy ang pagbabakuna sa lugar.

Sabi naman ng isang nagbabantay sa paaralan na pinapapasok na nila ang mga may schedule ng 2nd dose ng Sinovac. Pero naghihintay pa sila ng abiso kung matutuloy ang bakunahan para sa first dose.

Samantala, inilipat naman sa Huwebes at Biyernes ang schedule ng mga taga-Taguig na hindi natuloy ang appointment noong Lunes at Martes.

VALENZUELA CITY SUSPENDS PERMIT OF FACTORY THAT PAID WORKER IN COINS

MANILA — Valenzuela City has suspended the business permit of the factory that paid one of its workers in five and 10-centavo coins.

Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian suspended plastic hose factory NexGreen Enterprise’s business permit after its owners admitted in a meeting at city hall that it did not pay proper wages to factory worker Russel Mañoza.

The city found that NexGreen did not pay Mañoza the correct minimum wage, overtime pay, night shift differential and holiday pay.

The city’s Workers’ Affairs Office calculated that Mañoza should have received P55,614.93 for the five months of work he rendered for NexGreen.

Other violations of NexGreen include its payment of coins beyond the limit allowed by law, and its failure to provide government-mandated benefits.

The city is giving NexGreen just 24 hours to correct these violations or else it “will have no recourse but to have the issued business permit … suspended or revoked or not renew[ed.]”

Gatchalian said NexGreen has a “pattern” of improper treatment of workers and warned its owner that such practices have no place in the city.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

JOHN LLOYD CRUZ, KATRINA HALILI DATING? NEW POST STIRS SPECULATIONS

MANILA — Kapuso actress Katrina Halili’s birthday post for returning actor John Lloyd Cruz sparked romance rumors between the two.

In her Instagram account, Katrina posted photos with John Lloyd, greeting the actor on his special day.

“Belated happy birthday @johnlloydcruz83,” Katrina wrote in the caption.

In the same post, Katrina also posted photos of her bonding with John Lloyd’s son Elias.

Social media users were shocked upon seeing the two together because they haven’t worked together in a project.

“Wait.. parang pwede sila..” Instagram user @brighterthansunshine888 said.

“May relasyon ba sila? @peterpaulcruz02 commented.

“Relasyon agad? Masyado kayong advance friends nga eh diba. So what pareho namn silang single,” @tamalas13 pointed out.

John Lloyd’s last relationship was with Elias’ mom Ellen Adarna while Katrina has been reportedly single for the last seven years.

SPORTS

NBA SCORES JUNE 28

FINAL

1          2          3          4          T

4 Clippers2-3    36        23        32        25        116

2 Suns3-2         26        26        26        24        102

GAME 5: PHO LEADS 3-2, PHOENIX SUNS ARENA, PHOENIX, AZ

SCORING LEADERS

P. George LAC

41 PTS 13 REB 6 AST

D. Booker PHO

31 PTS 4 REB 3 AST

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 48.50

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Never give a man up until he has failed at something he likes. - Lewis E. Lawes