US FIRM NOVAVAX APPLIES FOR EMERGENCY COVID-19 VACCINE USE IN PHILIPPINES

MANILA — American pharmaceutical firm Novavax has filed an application for Emergency Use Authorization in the Philippines for its COVID-19 vaccine, the country’s Food and Drug Administration said Friday.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo said in a text message to Philstar.com that Novavax has applied for emergency use approval but the requirements are still incomplete. He did not say when the US firm filed its application.

In March, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government signed a supply deal for 30 million doses of the Novavax vaccine. He said the Novavax jabs may arrive in the country between the third and fourth quarter of 2021.

The Maryland-based company said its COVID-19 jab is more than 90% effective, including against coronavirus variants.

The jab demonstrated 100% protection against moderate and severe disease and 90.4% efficacy overall, the company in a statement said after a large-scale North American study.

DUTERTE SIGNS LAWS RENAMING, CREATING STATE UNIVERSITIES

MANILA — President Duterte has signed six laws renaming and converting schools into state universities and colleges.

Malacañang said the President signed on July 23 Republic Act 11574 converting the Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology into a state university to be known as the University of Abra, and RA 11575 renaming the Compostela Valley State College as Davao de Oro State College.

Four other laws were signed on July 30.

Two of these are RA 11584, which renames Surigao del Sur University as North Eastern Mindanao State University, and RA 11585, which converts the Bicol State College of Applied Sciences and Technology into a state university to be known as Southeast Asian University of Technology.

RA 11586 converts Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology and renames it as Agusan del Sur State University while RA 11587 converts Occidental Mindoro State College into Occidental Mindoro State University.

OCTA WELCOMES PROBE BUT HOUSE MAY NOT BE 'PROPER VENUE'

MANILA - OCTA Research said Friday it was ready to face a formal inquiry into their credentials but cautioned a House of Representatives panel might not be the "proper venue" for it.

"Although we welcome the opportunity to discuss our methodology and address concerns on our credibility, I'm not certain if the House is the proper venue because they might not be the expert," OCTA Research fellow Dr. Guido David told Teleradyo.

He said lawmakers might be looking at the projections that the independent research group had been releasing since the start of the pandemic from a "layperson's point of view."

The inquiry should instead be held in a scientific venue where academics, scientists, and researchers can peer review their findings.

"They have the knowledge to analyze and assess what you are saying, your models," Guido said.

The group, composed of doctors, researchers and professors from different universities, maintained their projections were based on data from the Department of Health.

"'Yung datos namin exactly the same sa Department of Health... Kung luma ang datos namin, luma din 'yung ibang ginagamit ng ibang analysts, ibang health experts," he said.

While he was shocked by the proposed investigation, Guido said the group only wanted to use their expertise to help the government navigate the pandemic.

On Tuesday, 4 lawmakers filed House Resolution 2075, urging the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability to conduct a probe on OCTA Research in aid of legislation.

The lawmakers want to ascertain the credentials and background of the research unit, focusing on their “qualifications, research methodologies, partnerships, and composition.”

OCTA describes itself on its website as a “polling, research, and consultation firm” that provides “comprehensive, holistic, accurate, rigorous, and insightful data analysis to help our clients in government, the private sector and the NGO community."

BSP SAYS BANKING SERVICES TO CONTINUE DURING METRO MANILA ECQ

MANILA - The central bank said banking services will continue despite the imposition of an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila beginning Friday.

Banks should adopt necessary protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while ensuring services remain uninterrupted during the hard lockdown, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said in a statement.

"The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will closely coordinate with the banking industry to ensure continuous delivery of banking services during the enhanced community quarantine from 06 to 20 August 2021," the central bank said.

Meanwhile, the central bank's head office in Manila and its security plant complex in Quezon City will continue to operate with a skeleton workforce for "mission-critical" departments and support units but with shortened work hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., it said.

Several banks have also announced shortened work hours in areas under ECQ to comply with health restrictions as well as the curfew hours set by local government units.

116 MORE DELTA VARIANT CASES DETECTED

MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday reported the detection of 116 Delta variant cases, bringing the total number of the highly transmissible virus in the country to 331.

Of these additional Delta cases, 95 are local cases, one is a returning overseas Filipino (ROF) while 20 others are still under verification, the DOH said.

It added that while community transmission of the Delta variant is still being studied, the national government, together with local government units, is taking aggressive measures as if there is already community transmission.

The DOH noted that 83 of the Delta variant patients indicated the National Capital Region in their addresses while three came from Calabarzon and four from Central Visayas.

Davao region posted two more Delta variant cases while Zamboanga peninsula, Cagayan Valley and Ilocos region recorded one case each.

“All cases have been tagged as recovered and all other information is being validated by our regional and local health offices,” the DOH said.

CUSI: PDP-LABAN TO ENDORSE BONG GO-DUTERTE TANDEM FOR HALALAN 2022

MANILA - Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go and President Rodrigo Duterte will likely be PDP-Laban's standard-bearers in the upcoming 2022 elections, an official of the country's ruling party said Thursday.

PDP-Laban president and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi told ABS-CBN News that in their national executive council meeting on Wednesday, party members agreed to endorse the Go-Duterte tandem for Halalan 2022.

PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag earlier confirmed that in the same meeting, Go emerged among the frontrunners for the party's presidential bets, while Duterte led the top picks for its vice-presidential candidate.

Matibag however said Thursday they have yet to finalize their PDP-Laban lineup for Halalan 2022.

"There was an endorsement but it will still be discussed during the National Assembly on Sept. 8," he said.

The announcement came amid an ongoing rift between Senator Manny Pacquiao and two top officials of PDP-Laban, namely Duterte and Cusi.

STILL NO PHYSICAL CLASSES: DEPED SAYS NEW TERM TO START SEPTEMBER

MANILA - The Department of Education has released its calendar and activities for School Year 2021 to 2022, with the new term starting September and physical classes still barred.

In a department order issued Thursday, the agency said the school year will start on Sept. 13 and end on June 24, 2022. It will be composed of 209 school days, inclusive of Saturdays and the 5-day midyear break, it added.

DepEd also said face-to-face classes, whether in partial or full scale, will not be allowed unless permitted by President Rodrigo Duterte.

As to private schools and state or local universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs), the agency said they have the choice to implement or deviate from the school calendar.

“Moreover, they may begin classes not earlier than the first Monday of June and not later than Sept. 13, 2021 pursuant to RA (Republic Act) 11480,” it said.

“Nevertheless, any deviation from the school calendar shall be reported to the respective Regional Offices (ROs) in advance.”

DepEd also said schools may observe national and local celebrations or activities and holidays, provided that these are beneficial to the teaching-learning process and that the total number of class days will not be compromised.

DILG ORDERS MANILA MAYOR ISKO MORENO TO EXPLAIN WHY ERAP FAILED IN 'WAR ON DRUGS'

MANILA - The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday issued a show-cause order against the city government of Manila for its alleged lack of performance in the campaign against illegal drugs in 2018 during the term of then-mayor Josep "Erap" Estrada.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, who only became mayor of the capital in 2019, was ordered to explain why he and other local officials should not be held administratively liable for the alleged failure of the Estrada administration.

In the order addressed to the city government, DILG Undersecretary for External and Legislative Affairs Ricojudge Echiverri said the city government, which was under the Estrada administration, failed to comply with measures provided by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DILG-DDB) Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2018-01, which include guidelines for local anti-drug abuse councils.

Echiverri alleged that the city government failed to comply with the circular based on the 2018 Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC) Performance Audit.

ABS-CBN News obtained a copy of the DILG show-cause order.

"Wow Galing ha! Sunod sunod na!" Moreno, who has 10 days to respond to the order, said in reaction to the DILG's order.

In 2019, Moreno ousted the 82-year-old Estrada, who was seeking a third and final term.

His victory nipped Estrada’s emerging dynasty in Manila, which began with the former president’s first mayoral win in the city in 2013.

Moreno, who transferred to political alliance Aksyon Demokratiko on Thursday, is rumored that he will soon declare his intention to run for president in the 2022 national elections, but the party has yet to make a formal announcement.

AFTER ‘SHOW-CAUSE ORDER’ FLUB, ISKO MORENO TELLS DILG: FILE CHARGES IF YOU WANT

MANILA—Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Friday said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) "can do what they want" and file charges after the agency issued a show cause order for the capital city's failure to curb illegal drugs in 2018.

Domagoso had dismissed the memorandum on social media, noting that he was elected Manila mayor in 2019.

On ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo on Friday, he said what the DILG does is out of his hands.

"They can do what they want to do. I'm busy attending to the COVID-19," he said.

"They can file charges if they want to. Who will hinder them? I still continue to believe that there is democracy in this country."

The document, ordering Domagoso to explain why he and other local officials should not be held administratively liable for the alleged failure of the previous city administration, was issued on July 9, 2021.

The show-cause order against Domagoso was only made public on Thursday.

The DILG has since withdrawn the order, saying it was an "inadvertent re-issuance."

The DILG directive emerged as throngs of people overwhelmed vaccination sites in Manila and other cities, as they feared not being immunized could land them in jail during enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila.

That disinformation circulated hours before Domagoso was expected to take his oath as a member of Aksyon Demokratiko, fueling speculation that he was eyeing the presidency in next year's elections.

When asked if he thought the show-cause order was part of a campaign to tarnish his reputation, Domagoso said: "Bilib naman ako sa kanila. Dapat maghanap-buhay sila sa Quiapo para mahulaan nila ano magaganap bukas. Mukhang alam nila."

The Manila Mayor said he does not expect an apology from the DILG, noting that this is the second time the agency issued a faulty show cause order against him.

"Sa akin parang pumasok sa isang tenga, labas sa kabilang tenga," he said.

"It is not up to me to ask [for an apology]. Kanya-kanya tayo ng character sa buhay and someday magkikita kita din tayo sa Panginoong Diyos," he said.

PNP VOWS TO EXERCISE MAXIMUM TOLERANCE VS HEALTH PROTOCOL VIOLATORS DURING ECQ

MANILA - The country’s top cop on Friday said policemen will exercise maximum tolerance as they start implementing protocols under the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila.

In an interview on ANC’s Rundown, Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said arresting health protocol violators would be the last resort.

“Kung talagang insisting ang mga yan lalo na kung meron talagang disobedience, obstruction and related criminal offenses then we will arrest them,” said Eleazar.

Eleazar said that police manning border control points could just deny motorists passage if they are found to be violating the rule on Authoritized Person Outside Residence (APOR) while local ordinances will be imposed on those who don’t comply with health protocols and defy the stay at home order.

“But basically maximum tolerance and we will respect the rights of each citizens,” he said.

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GOV'T EYES 50 PERCENT VACCINATION IN METRO MANILA BY END OF ECQ: GALVEZ

MANILA - Government is targeting to vaccinate more people during the 2-week enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila to increase the number of fully vaccinated people in the capital region to at least 50 percent.

“Ini-expect namin by the end of lockdown at least nakapag-vaccinate na tayo ng additional 4 million people para at least makuha natin yung 50 percent ng fully vaccinated dito sa Metro Manila at maiangat din natin ang fully vaccinated sa ibang area,” vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez said in a TeleRadyo interview.

Government approved the request of Metro Manila mayors for an additional 4 million COVID-19 vaccines to ramp up their immunization program during the ECQ.

Galvez said Metro Manila and other areas under the toughest lockdown would receive millions of vaccines against COVID-19.

“Dinodoble namin supply. Sa Metro Manila, isusupply namin more or less 4 million at 2.5 million sa karatig regions. Ibang areas na may surge areas we will also provide millions of vaccines,” he said.

With this, they hope to increase the daily vaccination for Metro Manila to at least 250,000, more or less 150,000 a day for regions 3 and 4, and also increase significantly the vaccination in other regions.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

SHARON CUNETA UNDERWENT SURGERY IN US TO IMPROVE BREATHING

MANILA -- Veteran actress-singer Sharon Cuneta underwent surgery in United States to fix her deviated septum to improve her breathing.

Cuneta made the revelation in a digital conference for her new movie "The Revirginized," which premiered worldwide on Friday, August 6.

The 55-year-old actress said her deviated septum affected her breathing and forced her to breathe through her mouth.

"Do you know all my life I lived with deviated septum? My left septum. I want my Sharonians especially to know. The thing was sa recordings ko kung pakikinggan niyo, lalo na later in life, dinig na dinig ang hinga ko after every line nadidinig sa ibang recordings ko," Cuneta said.

"Because I would breathe through my mouth because this one (right nostril) was maluwag and this one (left nostril) was masikip kahit sa swabbing. Kahit my EENT here knew. So when I was in the States, since I already had this (breast) done, sabi ko pa-check ko na nga ito. Do you know that I went to the one of the very best doctors for the nose? When he checked this, I was so shocked with what he said. It wasn't only deviated, there was a bone pa or a cartilage na nakatukod pang ganoon. The word he used was ‘horrible,’" she added.

"The one thing I kept repeating was 'please do not change my nose. I love my nose.' Do not change my nose. Ang dami nang kinita niyan. And he did a great job. Do you know the first thing I said when he removed that thing inside, when I inhaled for the first time with two nostrils, with two straight septums? Sabi ko, 'You mean to tell me all my life this is how all of you have been breathing?' Now, I can breathe," said Cuneta.

"I said, 'Oh my God, I can't imagine how am I going to sing now that I can use both my nostrils.' Because, oh my God, I'm so excited to sing. So you know I am waiting for the chance," she said.

Cuneta also revealed that she will be recording a new album.

"May bago ng album na gagawin, collection ng mga kanta ng isa sa favorite composers ko. Sabihin ko na nga album ni Odette Quesada. Ayaw ko na siyang tago, inaangkin ko na siya. And then we will going to do probably a Christmas album and other stuff," she said.

Cuneta's last album "Megastar" was released in 2018 under Star Records.

SPORTS

PAALAM VIES FOR OLYMPIC GOLD; MARCIAL BRINGS HOME BRONZE

A golden opportunity within reach of Filipino boxer Carlo Paalam as he enters the flyweight finals of the Tokyo Games. Meanwhile, his countryman and fellow Olympian Eumir Marcial settles for a boxing bronze.

FOOTBALL: MESSI TO LEAVE BARCELONA DUE TO 'FINANCIAL OBSTACLES', SAYS CLUB

MADRID—Six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona despite both parties having reached an agreement over a new contract, the La Liga club said on Thursday, citing economic and structural obstacles to the renewal of the deal.

Messi, who joined Barca's youth set-up aged 13, is the club's all-time top scorer and appearance maker with 672 goals in 778 games in all competitions.

The Argentina forward was free to negotiate a transfer with other clubs after his deal ran out at the end of June, but Barcelona had always maintained he wanted to stay with the club.

Messi, who has spent his whole career at Barcelona, had been expected to sign a new five-year deal with the Catalan club, which would have included a salary reduction of 50%.

Barcelona needed to financially restructure in order to get the deal over the line, which proved impossible in the end as they failed to reduce their wage bill in order and stay within La Liga's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

La Liga chief Javier Tebas said last month that Barcelona, who have a total debt of more than 1 billion euros ($1.18 billion), would not be shown any leniency when it comes to obeying the league's strict financial control rules.

The news of Messi's exit comes a day after La Liga agreed in principle to sell 10% of a newly formed company housing most of its business to private equity firm CVC Capital Partners for 2.7 billion euros ($3.2 billion).

"Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish La Liga regulations)," Barca said in a statement.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln