PH EXTENDS TRAVEL BAN ON 10 COUNTRIES UNTIL END-AUGUST: PALACE

MANILA—The Philippines will continue suspending the entry of travelers from 10 countries until the end of August to arrest the spread of the highly infectious Delta COVID-19 variant, Malacañang said on Friday.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the extension until Aug. 31 of the travel ban that was initially set to end Sunday, said his spokesman Harry Roque.

The restriction covers India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The travel ban exempts Filipinos who are part of repatriation efforts or special commercial flights, Malacañang earlier said.

With more than 1.7 million coronavirus cases and some 29,500 deaths, the Philippines has the second-worst COVID-19 outbreak in Southeast Asia.

The Philippines has so far reported 627 cases of the Delta variant, first detected in India, but health experts say there could be more undetected cases because of the slow pace of the country's genome sequencing capacity.

At least 12 million out of the Philippines 109-million population have been fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. The government is aiming to immunize up to 70 million people before the year ends to safely reopen the economy.

The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 approved the request of airlines to resume international transit hub operations, said Roque.

"These international transit hub operations shall be limited to airside transfers between Terminals 1 and 2, and within Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, and further limited for countries/jurisdictions/territories in the Green List," he said in a statement.

Fully vaccinated travelers from "green" territories could enjoy shorter quarantine upon arriving in the Philippines.

PHILIPPINES VERIFYING ALLEGED PRESENCE OF CHINESE SHIP NEAR SCARBOROUGH SHOAL

MANILA - Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday his department is verifying a reported sighting of a Chinese research ship near Scarborough Shoal (Panatag or Bajo de Masinloc) in the West Philippine Sea.

"Our next course of action will be based on the facts that are gathered by the maritime patrols in the area," Lorenzana said in a statement.

"Rest assured that the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), through the Northern Luzon Command, undertakes regular domain awareness operations and provides all the necessary support to the Philippine Coast Guard and other agencies to secure and implement our laws in our territorial waters and the EEZ (exclusive economic zone)."

The Philippines considers Scarborough Shoal a part of Masinloc, Zambales. It is located 124 nautical miles west of the province and has been declared by an international arbitration court as a traditional fishing ground of different nationals.

An assistant professor at the US Naval War College had tweeted that the Chinese research vessel, named "Hai Da Hao", was spotted "operating" 65 nautical miles, or at least 120 km, east of the shoal.

According to Ryan Martinson, a core member of the China Maritime Studies Institute of the US-based college, the ship is operated by China Ocean University.

DUTERTE WANTS PHILHEALTH DEBT PAID SOONEST, PALACE SAYS AS HOSPITALS SEEK RELIEF

President Rodrigo Duterte wants state medical insurer PhilHealth to pay its debt to hospitals as soon as possible, Malacañang said on Thursday, following complaints from facilities treating COVID-19 sufferers.

The Philippine Hospital Association said PhilHealth owed private and public medical facilities some P20 billion in COVID-19 claims.

"Kapag hindi natin binayaran iyan, hindi pupuwedeng magpatuloy ang mga pribadong ospital na gamutin ang mga nagkakasakit sa COVID at hindi po sapat ang ating pampublikong mga ospital," said Palace spokesman Harry Roque.

"Panawagan po uli ng Presidente, and I’m sure si Atty. Gierran will listen to this, kinakailangan bayaran iyan sa lalong mabilis na panahon... We need to see results now," he said in a press briefing, referring to PhilHealth chief Dante Gierran.

Dr. Jose Rene De Grano, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc, said delayed reimbursements would be used to cover the salaries of health care workers, medical equipment and supplies.

"Malaki ang epekto 'yan kasi siyempre ang private hospitals nagre-rely lang sa aming services, admission namin sa aming mga pasyente," he said.

"Pagka nawalan na nga ng pondo, siyempre maapektuhan po 'yung pangsuweldo, pambili ng supplies, pambayad sa oxygen," he added.

METRO MANILA MAYORS OK UNIFIED VACCINATION CERTIFICATE

MANILA - Local chief executives in the capital region are working together with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to come up with a unified certificate for fully vaccinated individuals.

Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said in a Teleradyo interview that local government units in Metro Manila had been sending their lists of inoculated individuals to DICT for the unified vaccination certificate.

The LGUs aim to complete the submission within August, added Olivarez, also chairman of Metro Manila Council.

On Thursday, the DICT urged localities to use its vaccination administration system for the planned digital vaccine certificates.

DICT Secretary Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan II said his office, together with the Department of Health, was working on the “VaxCertPH,” which would be issued to fully vaccinated citizens in the country.

This comes after Hong Kong refused to accept vaccination cards from the Philippines because they do not come from a single source.

Honasan had said that "VaxCertPH" was based on the World Health Organization's standards.

Without a unified vaccination card, Filipinos traveling abroad would have to obtain the International Certificate of Vaccination or yellow card as proof of their vaccination. The card is issued by the Bureau of Quarantine.

575,800 ASTRAZENECA DOSES BOUGHT BY PRIVATE FIRMS ARRIVE IN PHILIPPINES

MANILA — A total of 575,800 doses of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine procured by private firms arrived Friday in the Philippines.

The shots landed at 9:35 a.m. at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport onboard China Airlines flight CI 701 and were welcomed by vaccine czar Carlito Galvez and presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion.

The jabs are part of the 2.6 million doses private firms bought through an agreement with AstraZeneca and the Philippine government inked last November 2020.

Concepcion said more doses procured by private firms are expected to arrive by the end of next week.

While the shots would mostly be used for the inoculation of workers of private firms, Galvez said that he and Concepcion have agreed to share vaccine supplies.

“Just in case they need doses, the government procurement, we can give some to them,” Galvez said, noting that the government may also source doses from the private sector.

Bulk of the shots will be deployed in Metro Manila, where most of the private firms who bought the jabs are located, but some will also be allocated to Calabarzon, Concepcion said.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, taken in two doses spaced eight to 12 weeks apart, is 63.09% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection.

The country is also set to receive Friday afternoon 15,000 doses of the second dose of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine.

GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTORS TOLD: NATIONAL ID IS VALID PROOF OF IDENTITY

MANILA—The Philippine Statistics Authority on Friday urged government agencies and private entities to accept the national ID cards as valid proof of identity, amid complaints that banks rejected them.

Deputy National Statistician Assistant Sec. Rose Bautista said the issue stemmed from the ID not containing the holder’s signature.

“Actually we have issued an earlier advisory, so the one issued yesterday is just a reiteration that the PhilID should be a valid proof of identity. However, the complaints we received is that because it does not have a signature, so it’s the reason why the users or the agencies to whom it is presented do not recognize it because of the lack of signature,” Bautista told ANC’s “Rundown.”

“You know in our culture we have always been very dependent on the signature, but our national ID does not contain the signature, and there’s really a reason behind why our lawmakers did not include it because, you know, signature is very easy to fake.”

Bautista said her agency will soon conduct webinars for financial institutions to address issues.

Bautista said 28 million Filipinos have had their biometrics captured, the second step in the registration for the national ID.

Some 700,000 ID cards have been delivered, she added.

DOH EXPECTED TO SUBMIT 'COMPREHENSIVE, CLEAR' REPORT ON SPENDING DEFICIENCIES — PALACE

MANILA — Malacañang is expecting the Department of Health to come up with a "comprehensive" and "clear" response to what it described as "serious" findings of state auditors about the supposed deficiencies in the management of COVID-19 response funds.

In its 2020 annual audit report for the DOH, the Commission on Audit cited "deficiencies" involving more than P67 billion worth of public funds for measures designed to fight the pandemic.

According to COA, billions of pesos in the agency's coffers have remained not obligated and disbursed at yearend, a situation that it labeled as "counter-beneficial" to efforts to contain the pandemic. The deficiencies were caused by non-compliance with pertinent laws and regulations and have contributed to "challenges encountered and missed opportunities" by the DOH, the annual report added.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte has instructed the DOH to respond appropriately to the COA's observations.

PACQUIAO’S PDP-LABAN DENIES CLAIMS HE IS BUILDING NEW NATIONAL PARTY

MANILA — The faction of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino—Lakas ng Bayan led by Sen. Manny Pacquiao denied claims that he is turning his local party into a national party, as purported by the ruling party’s wing led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

“Up to today, the PCM (People’s Champ Movement) is a local and regional political party. The expelled group is only peddling lies to further their malicious and baseless claims,” the Pacquiao wing said in a statement on Thursday night.

It added, “His continuous allegiance to the PDP-Laban is unquestionable having been the campaign manager and presently the national president of the party.”

The Cusi wing of PDP-Laban threatened to expel Pacquiao over reports that he was converting PCM into a national party, saying this was a “major ground for expulsion” from the ruling party.

But the Pacquiao wing said all the actions of the Cusi group are “null and void,” calling them “usurpers and expelled members of PDP-Laban who have no rights or authority whatsoever.”

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NEW COVID-19 CASES SURPASS 12,000 FOR 2ND CONSECUTIVE DAY

MANILA — For the second straight day, new coronavirus cases yesterday breached 12,000, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases nationwide jumped to 1,700,363 as the DOH recorded 12,439 new cases, the highest tally since April.

It reported 6,090 new recoveries, bringing to 1,583,161 the number of those who recovered from the illness. But the number of active cases hit 87,663 while those who died rose to 29,539, including 165 newly reported fatalities.

At least 14 cities have reached or are close to critical capacity of their local intensive care units (ICUs), illustrating the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases nationwide, OCTA Research said.

Citing data from the DOH, OCTA noted the 100-percent ICU utilization rate in the cities of Taguig and Las Piñas in Metro Manila; Bacoor and Dasmariñas in Cavite; and Meycauayan in Bulacan.

LAGUNA, ILOILO CITY, CAGAYAN DE ORO TO SHIFT TO MECQ ON AUG. 16: COVID-19 TASK FORCE

MANILA—The COVID-19 lockdown of Laguna, Cagayan De Oro, and Iloilo City will be lowered starting next week, Malacañang said on Friday, as authorities battled a spike in coronavirus infections linked to the highly contagious Delta variant.

The 3 areas are under the strictest of 4 lockdown levels, or enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), until Aug. 15.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the 3 areas' shift to modified ECQ, the second toughest lockdown level, from Aug. 16, Monday, until Aug. 31, Palace spokesman Harry Roque said.

Metro Manila remains under ECQ until Aug. 20, while Bataan is under the same lockdown level until Aug. 22, added Roque, who is also spokesperson for the inter-agency task force on COVID-19.

The following areas will also be under MECQ from Aug. 16 to 31, Roque said in a statement.

Aklan

Apayao

Bulacan

Cebu City

Cavite

Ilocos Norte

Iloilo Province

Lapu-Lapu City

Lucena City

Mandaue City

Rizal

Meanwhile, the following areas were placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) with heightened restrictions from Aug. 16 to 31, said the Palace spokesman.

Luzon: Ilocos Sur; Cagayan; Quezon and Batangas in Calabarzon; and Naga City

Visayas: Antique, Bacolod City and Capiz in Region 6; and Negros Oriental and Cebu

Mindanao: Zamboanga del Sur; Misamis Oriental; Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, and Butuan City

Tarlac will be placed under GCQ beginning Aug. 13 until the end of the month, Roque said.

He said the following areas will also be under GCQ from Aug. 16 to 31.

- Luzon: Baguio City in the Cordillera Administrative Region

- Santiago City, Quirino, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya in Region 2

- Puerto Princesa in Region 4-B

- Guimaras and Negros Occidental in Region 6

- Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City and Zamboanga del Norte in Region 9

- Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur in Region 11

- General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and South Cotabato in Region 12

- Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Dinagat Islands in CARAGA

- Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

All other areas shall be placed under the loosest quarantine level, modified GCQ from Aug. 16 to 31, Roque said.

PREGNANT WOMEN NOW PART OF JAB PRIORITY GROUP

MANILA — Pregnant women are now part of the priority group for vaccination against COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) announced yesterday as it opted to expand the immunization coverage upon the recommendation of experts.

“We will be revising our existing guidelines for pregnant women based on these recommendations and to indicate that they are now part of Expanded A3,” the DOH said in a statement, referring to the group with comorbidities prioritized for inoculation.

It noted that based on the recommendations of experts, COVID-19 vaccines are generally safe for pregnant women and that getting vaccinated against the disease is “actively recommended during the 2nd or 3rd trimester.”

The DOH said high-risk pregnant women in their 1st trimester may also be vaccinated provided that the benefits and risks have been fully explained and after securing a medical clearance from their doctor.

It added that most of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the country are safe for pregnant and breastfeeding women. At this time, only Gamaleya Institute’s Sputnik V is not allowed to be given to pregnant women.

Gamaleya is still applying for emergency use authorization (EUA) in the Philippines for its one-shot jab vaccine, Sputnik Light.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

TEARS, FAMILY IN NEW ‘MARRY ME, MARRY YOU’ TRAILER

MANILA — A new trailer for the ABS-CBN romcom series “Marry Me, Marry You” has been released, this time highlighting its dramatic storylines, about families both torn and bonded.

In the second trailer of the Dreamscape Entertainment production, the respective families of Andrei (Paulo Avelino) and Camille (Janine Gutierrez) are shown hurdling struggles, and drawing strength from each other.

Andrei has troubled relationships with his father, Emilio (Edu Manzano), and his stepmother, Lavina (Teresa Loyzaga) — a stark contrast to Camille’s healthy ties with her three mother figures Paula (Sunshine Dizon), Elvie (Cherry Pie Picache), and Marvi (Vina Morales), and her extended family members.

Paula, whose marriage failed, is on a journey to move on, while Marvi has petty fights with her husband Myke (Jett Pangan). Elvie is dealt a mortal problem after getting stabbed in a robbery, leaving her husband Victor (Lito Pimentel) and Kelvin (Adrian Lindayag) in distress.

Whereas the first trailer released early this week mostly shared glimpses of the romance between Andrei and Camille, this latest preview focused on the serious side of the series.

Directed by Dwein Baltazar and Jojo Saguin, “Marry Me, Marry You” is scheduled to premiere across ABS-CBN platforms in September 2021.

SPORTS

PARALYMPIC FLAME CEREMONIES BEGIN AS VIRUS SURGES IN JAPAN

TOKYO -- Japan held its first Paralympic flame-lighting ceremonies on Thursday, with athletes waiting to learn whether spectators will be in the stands as the country battles a spike in virus cases.

Fans were banned from almost all venues at the pandemic-postponed Tokyo Olympics, which ended Sunday, while athletes faced restrictions on movement and were tested daily.

The Paralympics are expected to take place under similar conditions when they begin on August 24, Japanese media said, with an official decision on spectators expected early next week.

Although Japan has seen a comparatively small COVID-19 outbreak overall, with around 15,300 deaths, the latest wave driven by the more infectious Delta variant is pushing daily case numbers to new records.

Tokyo and five other regions are currently under a virus state of emergency, which bans bars and restaurants from serving alcohol and asks them to close by 8pm.

Instead of a traditional relay on public roads, "torch-kiss" Paralympic flame-lighting events will be held in towns and cities across Japan over the next week, with the flame transferred from torch to torch.

The flames will be brought to Tokyo and combined, but plans to have spectators line the route of a relay in the capital have been scrapped, a city government official told AFP.

"We had planned to hold the Paralympic torch relay in Tokyo with some 700 torchbearers," said Tokyo Metropolitan Government official Koichi Osakabe.

"But because of the state of emergency, we decided not to do the relay on public roads."

The emergency measures are scheduled to last until the end of August. Similar "quasi-emergency" measures are in place in other regions where cases are rising.

"We wanted to have a diverse group of people, young and old, non-Japanese nationals and those with disabilities, to take part in the event," the city official in charge of the ceremony told AFP.

"We did not advertise the ceremony. We will take thorough anti-infection measures, of course."

Around 4,000 Paralympians and 12,000 officials, staff and media from overseas will be in Japan for the Games.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t. - Rikki Rogers