OVER 560,000 ADDITIONAL PFIZER VACCINE DOSES ARRIVE IN PH

MANILA - More than 560,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine arrived in the Philippines on Wednesday night, as the country continues to intensify its vaccination efforts amid the detection of the more contagious Delta variant.

The shipment of 562,770 Pfizer doses arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

They are part of the 40 million doses of vaccines the government procured from the American pharmaceutical giant, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press conference earlier in the day.

A total of 2,472,210 doses of the said vaccine brand had been delivered to the country prior to Wednesday's shipment, based on the monitoring of the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group.

Pfizer's vaccine candidate was the first to be granted emergency use authorization (EUA) in the Philippines, getting the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval on Jan. 14.

Meanwhile, the country also expects to receive 1.5 million more doses from Sinovac on Thursday, July 22, and another 1 million from the Chinese drugmaker on Friday, July 23, officials said.

The Philippines has so far received nearly 28 million COVID-19 shots in total, prior to Wednesday's delivery.

As of Tuesday, some 5 million people in the country have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 10.5 million others have received their first dose, according to data from government.

The country, which has the second-highest COVID-19 tally in Southeast Asia with over 1.5 million coronavirus cases.

DUTERTE WON’T APOLOGIZE TO PACQUIAO – PALACE

MANILA — Malacañang yesterday rejected the call of a former lawmaker for President Duterte to apologize to Sen. Manny Pacquiao over his recent tirades against the senator.

Duterte has been criticizing Pacquiao in public remarks, highlighting the soured relationship between the once close political allies.

He called Pacquiao “punch-drunk” for alleging that some P10 billion in aid for sectors displaced by pandemic-related lockdowns is missing.

The President also claimed that Pacquiao has a “very shallow” knowledge of the West Philippine Sea row after the senator said he finds the administration’s response to the dispute lacking.

Former Bacolod congressman Monico Puentevella, an ally of Pacquiao, recently told One News channel’s “The Chiefs” that Duterte owes Pacquiao an apology for his harsh words directed at the senator.

Puentevella also admitted that Pacquiao may no longer be considered an ally of Duterte.

“There is no reason to apologize,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing.

“All of these (remarks) are part of the free marketplace of ideas.”

Last Saturday, Pacquiao was ousted as acting president of the ruling PDP-Laban during a meeting attended by Duterte, who also serves as party chairman.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi was elected as the new party president but allies of Pacquiao insist that the meeting and the election had violated the party’s constitution.

WHO OFFICIAL LAMENTS 'MAJOR IMBALANCE' OF VACCINE DISTRIBUTION

MANILA - There is still a "major imbalance" in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, an official from the World Health Organization said Thursday.

Dr. Babatunde Olowokure, WHO regional emergency director for the Western Pacific, called on wealthier nations to help poorer countries get more vaccines quickly.

"Although significant progress has been made, there remains a major imbalance in the distribution of this vaccine," he told ANC's "Rundown".

To date, more than 3.4 billion jabs have been administered worldwide against the illness, Olowokure said.

Of the 129 million doses shipped to 136 participants through the vaccine sharing scheme COVAX facility, more than 21 million were delivered in the Western Pacific Region, he added.

"So, WHO is now calling for a massive vaccine push to vaccinate at least 40 percent of the population of every country by the end of the year and 70 percent by mid next year," he said.

"If we meet those targets, not just in the Philippines, but elsewhere in the region and globally, we cannot only end the pandemic, we can also reboot the global economy. So, as you are aware, until all countries are safe, no country is safe," he added.

SC: PLEAS VS ICC WITHDRAWAL MOOT; PETITIONERS HAVE NO LEGAL STANDING TO SUE

MANILA — Senators, the Philippine Coalition for International Criminal Court and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines lacked the legal standing to question the government’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute, the Supreme Court said.

Voting unanimously, the SC, in a ruling penned by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, dismissed the three consolidated petitions questioning the Philippine government’s unilateral departure from the ICC due to mootness.

It held: “The president, as primary architect of our foreign policy and as head of state, is allowed by the Constitution to make preliminary determinations on what, at any given moment, might urgently be required in order that our foreign policy may manifest our national interest.”

“Absent a clear and convincing showing of a breach of the Constitution or a law, brought through an actual, live controversy and by a party that presents direct, material, and substantial injury as a result of such breach, this Court will stay its hand in declaring a diplomatic act as unconstitutional,” the SC said.

COVID-19 ROADMAP, CLEAR STAND ON WEST PHILIPPINE SEA EXPECTED OF DUTERTE AT FINAL SONA

MANILA — A "roadmap" for the country's pandemic response and a clearer stance on the West Philippine Sea are what senators expect to hear from President Rodrigo Duterte at his final State of the Nation Address next week.

"I expect and hope that there will be a COVID-19 roadmap that the president will lay out so that the next administration will be able to follow up or follow through," Senate President Vicente Sotto III told CNN Philippines "The Source" in a pre-recorded interview aired Tuesday.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, meanwhile, told reporters during an online briefing that she wants the president to outline plans to ramp up the country's vaccination program amid the presence of the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 in the country.

"And then I hope to hear from him a clear stand on the West Philippine Sea," Sotto said. "Once and for all, let's hear it."

"Malacañang must stand up to China," Hontiveros said in Filipino, emphasizing that the Philippines is not indebted to the regional power despite Duterte's claims.

"It is time to hold them accountable for their abuse of Filipino fishermen and for their destruction of our natural resources."

Hontiveros said she also wants to hear updates on Duterte's crusade against corruption, citing that the Philippines recently ranked 115th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's global corruption index.

Sotto is also expecting an update on the current state of the administration's campaign against illegal drugs.

Asked if he believes Duterte's "drug war" succeeded, Sotto said the following: "That was a very difficult promise to make and to make do. No president will be able to do that in six years."

SONA ATTENDEES TO GET QR-CODED FACE SHIELDS

MANILA — Those physically attending President Duterte’s last State of the Nation Address (SONA) and joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa complex on Monday will each be issued QR-coded face shields after passing at least two COVID-19 tests.

An advisory signed by Senate Secretary Myra Marie Villarica to senators and their staff listed the requirements for their physical and virtual attendance at the SONA and joint session.

All those entering the plenary hall of the House of Representatives must be fully vaccinated or already have two doses two weeks prior and must have the original vaccination cards with them.

Lawmakers and their staff also have to present a negative RT-PCR swab test conducted not more than 48 hours before July 26.

All those entering the plenary hall undergo a “confirmatory” Sofia antigen swab test to be conducted by the Presidential Security Group on Monday. Only those who test negative will be allowed in.

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PHILIPPINES LOGS 6,560 NEW COVID-19 CASES

MANILA — The Department of Health on Wednesday said there were 6,560 more individuals who contracted the COVID-19, pushing the country's total to 1,524,449.

Today's numbers saw active cases up by 1.190 from July 20's 46,806. The Department of Health said four laboratories failed to submit testing results.

Active cases: 47,996 or 3.1% of the total

Recoveries: 5,364, bringing the number to 1,449,579

Deaths: 32, or now 26,874 in total

TUGADE OPENS 54.7-KM DAVAO BIKE LANE

MANILA — Cyclists in Davao City are now assured of their own safe space on the road as Transportation Secretary Art Tugade opened a 54.744-kilometer bike lane network in the city on Tuesday.

“These are dedicated and protected bicycle lanes. Ang ibig sabihin nito ang mga siklista, hindi na kailangang makipagbunuan sa kalsada... Wala nang pakiusapan sa ibang motorista, mapasasakyan man yan o motorsiklo na please, please, please share the road,” Tugade said during the virtual opening, which was also attended by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar.

The project completes the 497-kilometer bike lane network in Davao City, Metro Manila and Metro Cebu, which aims to promote active transport as a sustainable and efficient mode of transportation.

The bike lane network was completed on June 30 and spans across 14 road sections within Davao City.

HOME QUARANTINE NOW PROHIBITED IN QUEZON CITY, LOCAL GOV'T SAYS

MANILA — Quezon City residents who are positive for COVID-19 will no longer be allowed to undergo isolation inside their homes, the city government announced Wednesday.

In a statement, the local government said that Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte passed a measure requiring the asymptomatic and symptomatic patients in the city to be isolated in facilities authorized by the city's health department only.

“We deem it necessary to prohibit COVID-19 patients, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, from undergoing isolation in their homes, to prevent infection among their household members as well as their communities, especially with the dreaded and more infectious Delta variant now in Metro Manila,” Belmonte said in passing the measure.

THINK TANK URGES FOOD DELIVERY APP USERS TO CONSIDER RIDERS' LABOR ISSUES

BAGUIO CITY — Users should rethink using a delivery service reported to have suspended riders for participating in a protest against lower earnings, public policy think tank InfrawatchPH said.

In a statement, convenor Terry Ridon said tech delivery platforms "should do better than treat their riders with indignity and contempt," referring to the ten-year suspension that delivery service Foodpanda imposed on its supposedly freelance riders.

"As a platform business, Foodpanda's success is dependent on its users: food vendors, riders and customers. We are encouraging its users to migrate to other platforms that can provide better beneficial relationships, most particularly to its riders, whose daily subsistence incomes are dependent on every transaction," he also said.

As first reported by Davao Today, the food delivery app suspended some of its drivers for ten years for planning and joining a protest over significantly reduced pay. Under the country's labor code, a suspension of an employee may not exceed 30 days.

According to a report by the Inquirer, the suspensions on some of the riders were lifted "through a whistleblower program, which offered the suspended riders their jobs back in return for information about the protest."

The labor department has set a dialogue between Foodpanda and its delivery riders later this month. The company has meanwhile acknowledged that it "offboarded" over the protest, which it said called for a "disruption that may affect the wider ecosystem" of its riders, vendors and customers."

NUJP: RADIO COMMENTATOR SHOT IN CEBU

MANILA — A radio commentator in a Cebu-based station was shot on Thursday morning after he finished his program, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines reported.

The journalists' union issued an alert on the shooting of DYRB blocktime commentator Renante “Rey” Cortes in front of their radio station.

According to its Facebook page, the DYRB station is located in Mambaling, Cebu City.

Citing an interview of Cebu Daily News with witnesses, the journalists’ group said unidentified assailants aboard a motorcycle shot Cortes.

“He was rushed to the hospital after incurring gunshot wound in his chest and his arm,” the NUJP also said.

No other details on Cortes have been given as of this story’s posting. The NUJP said they will provide updates.

The Philippines ranks 136th out of 180 countries in the 2021 World Freedom Index, indicating the “difficult situation” of press freedom in the country. This is the third consecutive year that the country slipped in the list of Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders.

In a July report, RSF also listed President Rodrigo Duterte among world leaders who were noted for being “press freedom predators” for "[trampling] on press freedom by creating a censorship apparatus, jailing journalists arbitrarily or inciting violence against them."

SIGNAL NO. 1 RAISED OVER BATANES, BABUYAN ISLANDS DUE TO TYPHOON FABIAN

MANILA - Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 was raised over Batanes and Babuyan Islands as Typhoon Fabian is expected to still intensify and reach its peak by Friday, state weather bureau PAGASA said early Thursday.

In its 5 a.m. weather advisory, PAGASA said Fabian was last sighted 530 km northeast of Itbayat, Batanes packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and 185 gusts while moving west southwestward at 10 kph. Strong winds are extending outwards up to 640 km from the center of the typhoon.

TCWS no. 1 was raised in Batanes and Babuyan Islands due to the projected arrival of strong winds in the areas within 36 hours.

Fabian is expected to move generally westward or west-southwestward and then advance northwestward, before it leaves the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday evening or Saturday, and barrel towards southern Japan, said PAGASA.

The typhoon is still unlikely to bring heavy rainfall in the Philippines but it will continue to enhance rains under the influence of the southwest monsoon, according to the agency.

Rough to very rough seas will also be experienced over the northern, western, and eastern seaboards of Luzon, including Batanes and Babuyan islands.

"Sea travel is risky for small seacrafts over these waters. Mariners without the proper experience should immediately seek safe harbor," PAGASA said.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

‘HELLO, UNIVERSE!’ WHAT KISSES SAID AFTER INCLUSION AS MISS UNIVERSE PH CANDIDATE

MANILA — Kisses Delavin expressed gratitude to her supporters as well as pageant fans on Wednesday, after she was announced as among the candidates in the 2021 edition of Miss Universe Philippines.

On Instagram, the former Kapamilya actress shared a video of her doing her “pasarela,” or pageant walk.

In its caption, she wrote: “Hello Universe! Life updates: I’ll get to enjoy the small joys in life like heels and pretty dresses again at the Miss Universe Philippines!”

“Salamat po Kissables and pageant fans and Filipinos sa lahat ng pagmamahal at pagsuporta! Samahan niyo po ako sa journey ko sa #MissUniversePhilippines!”

Delavin is no stranger to pageantry, having won Miss Teen Masbate in 2013 and Miss Kaogma in 2016, before she entered showbiz via ABS-CBN’s “Pinoy Big Brother.”

Delavin’s foray in a national-level pageant was formalized Tuesday with her inclusion in list of the top 100 candidates in this year’s Miss Universe Philippines.

Other familiar names in the list include “Asia’s Next Top Model” winner Maureen Wroblewitz, Miss Globe 2019 second runner-up Leren Mae Bautista, Miss Supranational 2018 first runner-up Katrina Dimaranan, and Binibining Cebu 2018 Steffi Aberasturi, and returning Miss Universe Philippines 2020 candidate Christelle Abello.

The top 100 will be trimmed gradually in the coming weeks, through various preliminary rounds, including public voting, panel deliberations, and live interviews.

The final 30 will then compete on the coronation night on September 25, with one of them succeeding Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo.

The national winner will represent the Philippines in the 70th Miss Universe pageant, to be held in December in Eilat, Israel.

SPORTS

PHILIPPINE COACH OUT OF TOKYO OLYMPICS AFTER POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST

TOKYO – A coach of Team Philippines will be sent home following back-and-forth false positive and negative tests for COVID-19, Philippine Olympic Committee president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino revealed during a mini conference at the CONRAD Tokyo on Thursday.

The daily tests at the Athletes Village on coaches and players, yielded a false positive test on the said coach, prompting his isolation and a confirmatory test, which turned out to be negative. A third test the following day, however, yielded another false positive on the said coach, who is now running a fever.

“While waiting for another confirmatory test, I have ordered our chef de mission Mariano Araneta to separate him from our team. If the next result is negative, we are sending him home. If he tests positive again, he will be brought to a quarantine hospital,” said Tolentino.

Armed with two negative RT-PCR tests, the coach passed the rigid screening at the Narita airport.

“The coach must have gotten it on the plane or at the airport, during the incubation period kaya hindi lumabas sa tests noong una,” said Tolentino.

“To further mitigate the risks to the Philippine team, we have decided to separate the coach from the delegation," said POC Secretary-General Edwin Gastanes.

Tolentino, however, sees little impact this will bring to Team Philippines here.

“Maybe, to the national sports association involved, apektado sila kasi nawalan sila ng coach, but to the rest of the Team Philippines, I don’t see their morale going down because of this. Everyone is in high spirits and raring to go to battle for the country,” said Tolentino.

It was not immediately known if the persons the coach have been in close contact with, will be isolated, too, although they have yielded negative results for COVID-19 infection.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down. - Charles F. Kettering