ON NATIONAL HEROES DAY, DUTERTE HONORS FRONTLINERS; ROBREDO SAYS EVERY FILIPINO CAN BE A HERO

MANILA — On National Heroes’ Day, President Rodrigo Duterte paid tribute to a “new breed of heroes” that stand ready in the country’s fight against the pandemic.

“These past two years, we have witnessed the indomitable spirit of these nameless health workers, uniformed personnel, government employees, and frontliners in essential industries who — hiding in anonymity — bravely led our battle against the COVID-19 pandemic,” the president said.

Duterte said the names of this “new breed of heroes” may not be etched on edifices nor statues will be built for them, “yet, for selflessly risking their lives to ensure the survival of our society, I can confidently say that they have more than earned their rightful place in the pedestal of heroes.”

“This year, let us consecrate this day not just as memorial to their extraordinary heroism, but as an enduring testament to our inherent capacity to rise above self-interest to fight for a cause far greater than our own,” Duterte added.

News5 reported that on National Heroes Day, health workers from at least ten hospitals will stage protests to call for the release of their benefits and long overdue special risk allowance.

‘EVERY FILIPINO IS A HERO’ - ROBREDO

Vice President Leni Robredo in her message said National Heroes’ Day reminds us that “heroism can be found beyond the gallows or the battlefield.”

She honored Filipinos who lay down their lives for the country, and said that while our history books may not reflect their names or origins, “their dreams and hard work live in us: A country that is safer, freer and more humane.”

Robredo said that in times of crisis, every Filipino is called a hero. “In this time, heroism is serving in the medical profession, in taking vaccines, in following health protocols, in sharing the truth and resisting lies, and in helping to the best of your capacity those in need,” she continued in Filipino.

The vice president said the potential to become a hero resides inside all of us, a heritage passed on by our fellow Filipinos who came before us and shared their good examples.

“In our homes, in schools, in offices, in our communities, we are called heroes—in every chance, in our own ways. Our history bears witness: We are a race of heroes,” she added.

KOKO PIMENTEL ELECTED AS NEW PDP-LABAN CHAIR REPLACING DUTERTE, SAYS FACTION

MANILA - Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III was elected Sunday as the new chairman of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino - Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN), replacing President Rodrigo Duterte, a faction of the ruling party said.

National and regional officers, and national committee chairmen led by Sen. Manny Pacquiao, whom the faction regards as still party President, held a national council meeting at 2 p.m., said Ron Munsayac, National Executive Director and Chairman of the Public Information Committee of PDP-Laban.

"The PDP Laban National Council elected Sen. Koko Pimentel as its Chairman & former Gov. Lutgardo Barbo as Vice Chairman," Munsayac said in an initial statement to the press.

Pimentel, a longtime member of the party and son of the late Sen. Nene Pimentel, one of the PDP-Laban founders, confirmed the development in a separate statement.

"Meron pong grupo na gustong agawin ang ating partido dahil meron silang plano sa pulitika na sikreto o hindi nila maipaliwanag nang mabuti, mga baguhan laman sa rating partido," said Pimentel, according to a PDP-Laban statement.

Pacquiao briefly attended the virtual meeting even as he was airborne on his way home to the Philippines after his fight last week in Los Angeles against Cuba's Yordenis Ugas.

The faction said the National Assembly set this month is expected to be attended by thousands of grassroots and party leaders and members.

ICC: VICTIMS 'OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT' INVESTIGATION INTO PHILIPPINE 'DRUG WAR'

MANILA — An “overwhelming” number of victims back the International Criminal Court Office of the Prosecutor’s request for a full investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte and his men’s “war on drugs,” an initial report by the ICC Registry said.

The ICC Registry’s Victims Participation and Reparations Section (VPRS), in its public redacted report dated August 27, said it found that “victims overwhelmingly support an investigation by the ICC prosecutor into all crimes against humanity allegedly committed in the context of the so called [‘war on drugs’] in the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 17 March 2019.”

The ICC Registry a “neutral organ of the Court” that provides services to other organs of the ICC. Its services include support for victims to participate in proceedings and apply for reparations.

The VPRS said it received a total of 212 representations, but following legal assessment, it transmitted 204 victim representations to the Pre-Trial Chamber, which is deciding whether it would grant the request of the OTP to launch a full investigation into the Philippines.

The 204 victim representations were on behalf of 1,503 individual victims and 1,050 families. Of these, four were assessed as individuals and 200 as collective.

“They also bring forward the victims’ views and concerns on the OTP request and on other related matters, including justice, the ICC, the potential scope of an investigation and the impact of the so-called ‘War on Drugs’ has on victims’ lives and their society,” the ICC said.

The 30-page public redacted report showed that 94% of victims want an investigation by the ICC Prosecutor, while three percent were unclear, three said no.

Of the submissions, 192 forms indicated that the victims want the Prosecutor to investigate the crimes committed in the “drug war.”

PHILIPPINES READY FOR WHO TRIALS OF 3 VACCINES

MANILA — It’s all systems go for the long awaited World Health Organization (WHO) Solidarity Vaccine Trials for three candidate COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

Science Secretary Fortunato dela Peña said the country’s WHO SVT team is ready to start with the clinical trials once the WHO gives its green light.

“WHO will be the one to announce (the three COVID-19 vaccines and when the trials start). Our teams have already prepared,” Dela Peña told The STAR yesterday.

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Rowena Cristina Guevara, who chairs the Task Group on Vaccine Evaluation and Selection, said the Food and Drug Administration has approved the conduct of the Phase 3 clinical trials with an P89-million budget allocated last year.

Since the country’s total counterpart funding for the SVT is P483 million, the Department of Budget and Management provided the DOST an additional P384.4 million. The Department of Health added P9.6 million.

Yesterday, National Task Force against COVID-19 spokesman Restituto Padilla said at least five million jabs weekly or one million each day must be administered to exhaust the country’s monthly vaccine supply of 20 to 25 million doses.

Padilla issued the statement following calls from different bodies, including the WHO, for the Philippine government to speed up vaccination of its priority population.

DUTERTE URGED TO RAISE HEALTH WORKERS' PAY AS HE HAD DOUBLED POLICEMEN'S

Health workers in 10 private hospitals in Metro Manila have yet to receive their special benefits, prompting them to conduct a walkout, said Robert Mendoza, president of the Alliance of Health Workers.

"Sana, dagdagan at itaas ang sahod both public and private health workers. Kung nadoble ni Pangulong Duterte ang sahod ng mga kapulisan, sana sa panahon ng pandemya, magkaroon siya ng political will na doblehin ang sahod ng ating health workers," he told ANC's Headstart.

"Sa bukambibig po ng ating Presidente, tinatawag tayong bayani pero hanggang doon lang po. Sa usapin ng health and safety at saka benepisyo, wala tayong nakitang pagkalinga at pangangalaga ng Presidente at Department of Health."

The walkout of St. Luke's Medical Center Employees Union was to begin at 9 a.m., followed by the UST Hospital union at 12 noon, said Jao Clumia, president of the former group.

"One hour lang po ito, ayaw din po namin madisrupt ang (operations ng) ospital kasi buhay po ang nakataya d'yan. Ang mga pasyente, kawawa naman. Ang mga sasali po ngayon, magdu-duty po ng PM, so meron silang oras para sumali," he said.

The Filipino Nurses United and other groups will also conduct a protest in front of the DOH, said its president Maristela Abenojar.

A mass action will take place there on Wednesday, Sept. 1, according to Mendoza and Abenojar.

Health workers have been calling on government to release their benefits such as the special risk allowance, hazard pay, and meals, accommodation, and transportation allowance (MAT).

"Kung totoong may malasakit po ang Department of Health, sana noon pa pong nakaraang taon, noong sinabi ito ay dapat ibigay, binigay na nila. Bakit di nila ginawan ng paraan? Kinailangan pa ang health workers na lumabas ng kanilang ospital at magpahayag ng kanilang sitwasyon," Abenojar told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

GOV'T TOLD: 'MODERN DAY' HEROES RECOGNITION 'IN VAIN' IF WORKERS' DEMANDS IGNORED

MANILA — A teachers' group has called for a salary hike and release of delayed benefits to health and education workers to mark this year's National Heroes' Day.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers in a statement on Monday said the government's recognition of COVID-19 frontliners as "modern day heroes" would only be lip service if it fails to improve their working conditions.

“It would be all in vain, and nothing but a publicity stunt if they would continue to ignore the woes and demands of our teachers and healthcare workers,” said Raymond Basilio, ACT secretary general.

ACT renewed its call for the upgrading of teachers' salary that it said President Rodrigo Duterte failed to fulfill as part of his campaign promise in 2016.

It added that teachers have yet to receive compensation for 87 days' worth of overtime work in School Year 2020 to 2021.

"Is this really how the government treats its modern day heroes?" Basilio continued in Filipino. "All praises have no purpose if our teachers and health workers continue to endure low pay, no rest, and delayed benefits."

The World Health Organization has urged government too, to ensure health workers would get enough support.

SARA-BONG GO TANDEM ‘IMPOSSIBLE’ – HUGPONG

MANILA — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, does not see the possibility of her running for president in tandem with Sen. Bong Go because “it does not make political sense.”

“From the point of view of HNP and of course, Mayor Sara, it does not make political sense to have a tandem coming from the same area,” Anthony del Rosario, HNP secretary general, said in an interview with “The Chiefs” on Cignal TV’s One News and TV5 Friday night.

“Since they (Duterte-Carpio and Go) both come from the same area, more so Davao City, so it is not possible,” he added, noting that the HNP – although a regional party – understands that the presidency requires a nationwide campaign.

Even if the idea of a Sara Duterte-Bong Go tandem came from President Duterte himself, Del Rosario said: “I do not think it is going to happen.”

The HNP, he said, knows that Duterte-Carpio makes her own decisions, and that is why even if she has been topping surveys on potential candidates for president in next year’s elections, she is giving herself some time to think it over.

BRUNEI SEEKS EXEMPTION ON PHILIPPINES' HEALTHCARE WORKER DEPLOYMENT CAP

MANILA — Brunei's government is seeking an exemption on the Philippines' cap on the deployment of healthcare workers because of increased demand, the labor department said.

Citing a briefing with Labor Attaché Melissa Mendizabal of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Brunei Darussalam, the Department of Labor and Employment said a request was sent in July because of a demand for 200 nurses and 30 doctors.

"There are two hospitals here, one government hospital and one private hospital. The salary is comparable to the salary of nurses in Singapore. Nurses receive high take-home pay because of the free accommodation and transportation. If they render overtime work, they earn as much as 2,000 Brunei Dollars per month," Mendizabal is quoted as saying.

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PH LOGS HIGHEST COVID-19 POSITIVITY RATE, CONFIRMS OVER 18K NEW CASES

MANILA - The Philippines confirmed 18,528 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, the second-highest tally, bringing the country’s total to 1,954,023.

The country also logged its highest positivity rate of 27.9 percent, out of 66,225 tests conducted on Aug. 27. This was way above the World Health Organization’s prescribed 5 percent positivity rate in which the outbreak is under control.

The Department of Health meanwhile also reported 17,922 new recoveries, pushing the total number of Filipinos who recovered from the disease to 1,777,693.

This means that the country has a total of 143,221 active cases as of 4 p.m. Sunday.

One hundred on1 more deaths were reported from COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the disease’s death toll in the Philippines to 33,109.

More cases of the Delta variant of COVID-19 were also confirmed on Sunday, with the tally of the highly infectious mutation now at 1,789.

HONG KONG BANS PHILIPPINE AIRLINES FLIGHTS FROM MANILA FOR 2 WEEKS

The plans of many domestic workers - not to mention employers and agencies - were given an unexpected shake-up after the government on Sunday banned Philippine Airlines from operating flights between Manila and Hong Kong, one day before a policy shift was to reopen the city's doors to helpers vaccinated overseas.

The two-week ban, which took effect on Sunday and is set to end on September 11, was imposed after three of the seven imported coronavirus cases confirmed in Hong Kong on Sunday were found to have come from Manila via the airline's flight PR300.

Mike Cheung Chung-wai, president of the Overseas Employment Centre, said he was surprised to find out about the sudden flight suspension.

"I'm just hearing about this, but we will be affected," he said. "It's just going to be a big impact, not only for clients intending to bring in helpers ... but also future clients who are open to hiring helpers overseas will now have second thoughts."

CEBU PACIFIC SETS ONE CARRY-ON BAG POLICY

MANILA — Beginning Sept. 1, budget carrier Cebu Pacific will strictly implement a one carry-on bag policy.

In a statement, the airline said passengers’ carry-on bag must not exceed seven kilos in weight and must fit in the overhead bin or under the aircraft seat.

Passengers who do not comply with the policy will be charged a gate baggage fee of P1,000 each for domestic flights, P1,500 for short-haul international flights and P3,000 for long-haul international flights.

Candace Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and customer experience, said the move seeks to ensure that the airline avoids any unnecessary flight delays as much as possible.

“We have been continuously reviewing our processes to make sure we are able to provide the best customer experience for everyJuan,” Iyog said.

Passengers who purchased additional items at the airport are exempted and will not be charged with the fee as long as they can show the official receipt from the store where they shopped.

Cebu Pacific said other items that would be accepted as extra free hand carry are equipment for medical needs or for infants.

“We hope this will convince our passengers to become more mindful as we do not want them to shell out additional, avoidable fees,” Iyog said.

METRO MAYORS ADOPT ‘VAX AS ONE’ SCHEME

MANILA — Mayors in the National Capital Region have agreed to adopt the “Vax as One” scheme to speed up the vaccination rollout in the NCR, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos announced yesterday.

Abalos said the Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of mayors, adopted the concept for local government units to inoculate people that are not residents of their respective LGUs.

“Since the start of the vaccine rollout, LGUs in Metro Manila have been inoculating medical frontliners and economic workers even if they are not residents in their areas,” Abalos said.

“Considering that some LGUs have almost reached their vaccination targets, they decided to accommodate non-residents. Slots should be by appointment, strictly no walk-ins allowed,” he added.

Abalos said priority areas would be Metro Manila and the nearby provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

JULIANA PALERMO IS NOW ENGAGED

MANILA – Juliana Palermo is now engaged to her non-showbiz boyfriend.

On Instagram, the former actress shared a series of photos of when her boyfriend proposed to her while they were in Cancun, Mexico.

As seen in the photos, her boyfriend asked for her hand in marriage while they were walking the by shore of a beautiful beach.

In the other pictures, Palermo proudly showed off her new bling.

“Nasagot na din lahat ng bakit… I love you, Daddy,” she simply wrote in the caption.

Just last June, Palermo noted on social media how she considers it an achievement to find a partner “whom you share the same life goals with, complement each other’s weaknesses and strengths, and still see eye to eye.”

In a Father’s Day tribute, she wrote of her partner: “Being a good father is an all-around job. Working hard to provide, not only the tangible things in life, but also providing the love & respect within our relationship for our children to grow into and follow.”

Although she started as a model, Palermo became popular when she appeared in movies.

Palermo also appeared in a number of television shows with the Kapamilya network such as “OK Fine Whatever,” “The Adventures of Pedro Penduko,” “Wansapanataym” and “Maalaala Mo Kaya.”

SPORTS

PARALYMPICS: GAWILAN, BEJINO MISS OUT ON SWIMMING FINALS

Para swimmers Ernie Gawilan and Gary Bejino will not advance to the finals of their respective events, after falling short in the heats on Monday morning at the Tokyo Aquatics Center.

Gawilan, in what was his third and last event of the Tokyo Paralympics, finished 10th among 11 swimmers in the men's 100m backstroke-S7.

Only the top eight athletes will progress to the final later today.

Gawilan placed sixth and last in his heat, with a time of 1:21.60. He was 12.48 seconds behind Argentina's Pipo Carlomagno, who won the head with a personal best time of 1:09.12.

Meanwhile, Bejino also didn't make the cut in the men's 50m butterfly-S6.

He finished 14th among 16 para swimmers, with a time of 36.14 seconds. Bejino placed seventh in his heat, 4.48 seconds behind Colombia's Nelson Crispin Corzo who topped the heat with a time of 31.66 seconds.

While Gawilan has already concluded his Paralympics campaign, the 25-year-old Bejino is still scheduled to compete in the men's 400m freestyle-S6 on Thursday, September 2, and the men's 100m backstroke-S6 on Friday, September 3.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

No man should escape our universities without knowing how little he knows. - J. Robert Oppenheimer