MODERNA GETS EUA FOR COVID-19 JAB USE ON ADOLESCENTS

MANILA — Philippine drug regulators on Friday cleared Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old.

Director General Eric Domingo of the Food and Drug Administration told a government briefing they issued the amendment to Moderna's emergency use authorization today.

It came, he said, after a "thorough evaluation of our vaccine [and] regulatory experts."

The US manufacturer got its first EUA in the Philippines in May. By August, it sought to expand its emergency use to include the said age group.

Domingo said usual precautions should be followed in administering the Moderna jab.

But like other mRNA vaccines, he said recipients should also be monitored for "very rare" cases of myocarditis, or the inflammation of the muscle of the heart.

"Definitely with the Delta variant affecting a lot of children, our experts saw the benefit of using the vaccine outweighs the risk," he said.

Still no vaccinations for children

In total, the government is procuring 20 million Moderna doses under a deal inked early this year.

But half a year since inoculation efforts began, only a few doses of the jabs have been delivered.

Philstar.com research showed 4.29 million doses have been sent to the country, most as donation from the COVAX Facility at more than 3 million.

Some 888,000 were government-led procurement while 408,000 were by the by the private sector.

'MU' CORONAVIRUS VARIANT PREDOMINANT IN COLOMBIA - HEALTH OFFICIAL

BOGOTA, Colombia - A new coronavirus variant known as "Mu," identified first in Colombia in January, is now the country's predominant strain and behind its deadliest pandemic wave yet, a health official said Thursday.

The variant was responsible for Colombia's deadly third infection wave between April and June, health official Marcela Mercado told a local radio station.

During this period, with about 700 deaths per day, nearly two-thirds of tests from people who died came back positive for the Mu variant, she said.

"It is already in more than 43 countries and has shown high contagiousness," she added.

On Tuesday, the World Health Organization declared Mu, scientific name B.1.621, a "variant of interest."

It said the variant has mutations that indicate a risk of resistance to vaccines and further studies were needed to better understand it.

"The Mu variant has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape," the agency said.

The WHO lists four coronavirus variants of concern, including Alpha, present in 193 countries, and Delta, in 170.

Colombia recently has counted around 100 Covid-19 deaths and 2,000 infections per day, on average.

Less than a third of Colombians have been vaccinated against the virus, which has claimed nearly 125,000 lives in the country to date.

AS COVID-19 CASES TOP 2 MILLION, DUTERTE LAUDS DUQUE, HEALTH WORKERS FOR RECOVERIES

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday highlighted the number of recoveries from COVID-19 as the country's total cases breached the 2-million mark, a "consolation" which he credited to medical workers and Health Secretary Francisco III.

The Philippines passed the 2 million mark in coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with a fifth of those recorded in the past month alone.

"Ang consuelo natin is 1.8 million of these have recovered, so meron na lang 200 [thousand] na wala," Duterte said in a taped national address.

"And that is a very good reflection what our health people are doing, and I would like also to commend Secretary Duque for that."

At least 103 medical workers have died during the pandemic, among some 33,500 coronavirus fatalities overall.

Scores of healthcare workers protested this week to demand an end to what they called government neglect and unpaid benefits, as pressure built at hospitals fighting one of Asia's longest-running coronavirus epidemics.

Protesters wearing protective medical gear gathered at the Department of Health on Wednesday and held placards demanding their risk allowances and hazard pay, and the resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque.

"It is sad that many of us have died, many of us became sick, and many have resigned or opted to retire early, yet we are still kneeling before the DOH to give us our benefits," Robert Mendoza, president of the Alliance of Health Workers, said from the back of a pickup truck.

DUTERTE DENIES GOV'T-PROCURED MASKS, FACE SHIELDS OVERPRICED

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night denied overpricing in the administration's procurement of anti-coronavirus masks and face shields, which the Senate is scrutinizing.

Some senators noted the lack of a memorandum of agreement when the health department transferred some P42 billion to the budget department for the procurement.

They also asked why some appeared overpriced, including masks at P27 each and face shields worth P122 a piece.

“‘Were the purchases of mask overpriced?’, iyon ang tanong. Ang sagot is no, they are not,” Duterte said in a taped national address.

The masks were procured below the suggested retail price at that time, despite the “high demand” as countries raced to secure supplies, he said.

“It is not accurate to compare the purchase price of surgical masks at the height of COVID-19 and during the period when the supply of surgical masks began to stabilize,” the President said.

“Iyong presyo na ‘yon mataas kasi kung kakaunti lang kasi ang supply because manufactures were just producing it at that time, mahal talaga kasi walang supply, so agawan,” he added.

The economic principle of supply and demand “applies in all commercial transactions,” he said.

DUTERTE ACCUSES GORDON OF USING PH RED CROSS AS 'MILKING COW'

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday lashed out at Senator Richard Gordon, accusing him of using his position at the Philippine Red Cross for his political career.

Gordon is the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, which is looking into government transactions including those of the Department of Health (DOH), the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Duterte accused Gordon of using the Philippine Red Cross, nongovernment humanitarian organization, for his political career as the latter is allegedly eyeing the vice presidency.

"Are you really investigating in aid of legislation, or in aid of your personal political interests? I heard that you want to run for vice president next year and you are trying to impress the opposition that they would consider you. Totoo ba ito Secretary (sic) Gordon?" he said in a recorded public address aired Thursday night.

"Alam mo, tatakbo din ako. Kung mag-usap lang tayo, puwede namang ikaw ang maging vice president, kung karapat-dapat ka," Duterte added.

"Alam mo (Sen. Richard Gordon) ginagamit mo itong Red Cross and I dare say na ginamit mo talaga ito para sa eleksyon. Ito 'yung milking cow mo eh sa totoo lang," Duterte said. "You have been there for quite a time. Is it not fair to say now na bumitaw ka na and give others a chance at para mahinto na 'yung ginagawa mong kalokohan?"

Duterte claimed it is unethical for Gordon to be a senator while also serving as the chairman and chief executive officer of the nongovernment PRC.

"If Red Cross is also a government agency, tapos member ka ng Congress, tumatakbo ka rin, at nanalo ka, and you're holding the Red Cross, you are the top honcho there and being a senator at the same time, eh medyo malabo yata ang ginagawa mo," Duterte claimed.

"Paki-clear lang nito of you holding two government positions," Duterte added.

Duterte also blasted Gordon for threatening to stop testing during the early months of the pandemic, as the government failed to pay its P1.1 billion debt to the humanitarian group.

"When the government was struggling to source funds, you threatened to stop testing," he said.

"Alam mo ginagamit itong Red Cross, and I dare say, ginamit mo talaga ito sa elections," Duterte alleged.

Earlier this month, Gordon said the government owes the PRC at least P550 million.

He has yet to respond to Duterte's allegations, as of posting.

HEALTH WORKERS: BENEFITS FIRST BEFORE BUILDING MEMORIAL

MANILA—Health-care workers on Friday called on the government to prioritize payments of delayed benefits instead of building a memorial wall depicting them as modern-day heroes.

"Pinakamagandang gesture po ibigay po 'yung nararapat na benepisyo po ng ating mga health-care worker dahil 'yun po talaga ang magpapatunay na kami po ay talagang pinapahalagahan," Dr. Maricar Limpin, president of Philippine College of Physicians, told Teleradyo.

Scores of medical frontliners have staged protests and threatened to go on mass resignation as many have yet to receive pandemic benefits promised by the government.

The government will spend P2 million to P5 million to construct the memorial wall at the Libingan ng mga Bayani to honor health workers who have died while working on the front lines.

"Maliit lang po 'yun. Pero that memorial will always symbolize 'yung heroism... the expense na ibibigay natin po doon, that's priceless," National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. had said.

Limpin urged the government to keep its promise.

"Sinasabi namin na hindi kami nagde-demand ng malaki. In fact, sila naman po ang nagbigay niyan eh. 'Pag nagsalita ho sana sila eh tuparin ho 'yung salita nila," she said.

The government had said health workers would be entitled to meal, accommodation and transportation allowance, special risk allowance and active duty hazard pay.

While the Alliance of Health Workers also welcomed the construction of memorial wall, its president said the funding could be used for the payment of their unpaid benefits.

"Dapat tuunan ng pansin 'yung health and safety at protection and welfare ng mga health workers habang buhay pa ang mga health workers," AHW president Robert Mendoza also told Teleradyo.

EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES ARE SEPARATE, LAWMAKER SAYS

The executive and legislative branches of government are expressly separate under the Constitution, a lawmaker said Friday after President Rodrigo Duterte told senators not to investigate ongoing programs of government agencies.

In a public address aired Thursday night, Duterte reportedly said Senate investigations "derail" and "delay" these programs. In an earlier speech after the chamber began looking into the Department of Health's management of COVID-19 funds, he also said these inquiries lead nowhere.

"There are 3 branches of government and the delineation is quite clear under the Constitution, so I believe the Senate will proceed as they deem appropriate," Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo told ANC's Headstart when asked for a reaction to Duterte's latest statement.

Quimbo also said while it "may be quite confusing" that Duterte lauded Health Sec. Francisco Duque III after saying last month that he would accept the minister's voluntary resignation, she is "not as surprised" because "we are now used to his style."

The Philippines passed the 2 million mark in coronavirus cases on Wednesday. In his speech on Thursday, Duterte commended Duque and said the consolation is that 1.8 million of those cases have recovered.

LACSON WANTS PROBE INTO DOH'S PURCHASE OF ALLEGED OVERPRICED AMBULANCE

MANILA — Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said on Friday that he will bring up the issue of the Department of Health’s supposed purchase of overpriced ambulance in next Senate hearings.

News5 reported that Lacson said he will raise questions on overpriced units in the next Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing set on Tuesday, or during the budget deliberations for the health department

“In this instant case, I checked the official records of such procurement—one by the DOH and the other by the LGU. The difference in their purchase prices [is] too glaring to ignore,” Lacson said.

The Senate Blue Ribbon committee, led by Sen. Richard Gordon, is holding hearings into government pandemic spending. Other than DOH, the panel is also looking into PhilHealth and the Department of Budget and Management’s procure service.

THE REST

========

CREATION OF 'CHINA DESKS' AT PNP OFFICES SEEN TO PROCEED

MANILA — The Philippine National Police is in talks with Chinese police counterparts on the "establishment of China Desks in the PNP offices" that local police would likely implement "within the year," sources said.

This comes after Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP chief, led a delegation of top PNP officials at a bilateral meeting with Chinese police counterparts from the Ministry of Public Security headed by Vice Minister Wang Xiaohong.

One source present at the meeting who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that Chinese officials specifically requested the establishment of the desks to address crimes against Chinese nationals.

"It will proceed. They talked about continuing the proposed China desk," the source said of the meeting, adding that the desks were the directive of Eleazar himself.

"Isang desk yan dedicated sa kanila, sa mga Chinese complainants...Para madali sila makapag-file ng complaint (There will be a desk dedicated to Chinese conplainants so they can file complaints easily)," Police Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon, executive officer of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence, also told Philstar.com in a phone call.

GATCHALIAN CONFIRMS OFFER TO RUN AS SARA DUTERTE'S VP

MANILA -- Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has confirmed that he has offered to run for vice-president should Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio seek the presidency in the 2022 elections.

"As mentioned before, if given the chance, my experience and track record as local chief executive can be utilized in nation building in a role in the executive department, that is why I humbly tendered my name as potential running mate to Mayor Sara Duterte, if she so decides to run," he said in a statement.

In a statement posted on her Facebook page Tuesday, Duterte-Carpio said Gatchalian and Senator Bong Go have personally expressed their interest to be her vice-president.

Gatchalian has admitted that he intends to run for the position of vice president, but only if he is chosen as Duterte-Carpio's running-mate.

"I’m vying for the vice president position, but this is still very fluid... It’s very fluid at this point because it’s still being discussed with groups. There’s no final decision yet ," he told ANC's Headstart.

DOLE: 4,700 FIRMS HIT BY COVID-19

MANILA — Out of the more than 48,000 companies inspected, around 4,700 firms reported they have employees who got infected with COVID-19 as of July, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

“We see that most of the cases are from the service sector, those in trade. Those doing related services are placed in this category, followed by the manufacturing, wholesale and retail sectors, including the groceries and supermarkets,” DOLE Assistant Secretary Maria Teresita Cucueco said yesterday.

“Next are those involved in finance and insurance activities and finally, those in construction. These are the top five sectors that are reporting cases to us,” she added.

To get an accurate picture of the pandemic at the workplace, DOLE is looking at requiring all companies to report should they have COVID-19 cases. The labor department added that it aims to inspect some 75,000 establishments for the whole year.

“When we do inspections, we are able to help companies that are still lacking in information (about protocols). Our approach is developmental,” she concluded.

PERFECT ATTENDANCE: 6 SENATORS WHO ATTENDED ALL REGULAR SESSIONS

MANILA—Six senators recorded perfect attendance during the first and second session of 18th Congress, a document from the chamber has showed.

Senators Franklin Drilon, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Vicente Sotto III, Joel Villanueva, and Juan Miguel Zubiri were present for all plenary sessions from from July 22, 2019 to Sept.1, 2021, according to records from the upper House.

"I’m accountable to those who trusted me with my position. Therefore, it’s incumbent upon me to work diligently come hell or high water," Sotto said in a statement.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

JULIA BARRETTO JOINS GERALD ANDERSON IN COAST GUARD K9 SQUADRON

MANILA — Kapamilya actress Julia Barretto joined boyfriend Gerald Anderson in the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Auxiliary K9 Squadron.

In PCG’s Facebook page yesterday, Julia was presented together with Gerald.

“The Philippine Coast Guard PCG) has welcomed AUXILIARY ENSIGN JULIA BARRETTO in the PCG Auxiliary K9 Squadron today, 01 September 2021,” PCG wrote.

During the event, Julia thanked the PCG, especially the PCGA K9 Squadron, for welcoming her into the field of public service. She pledged to actively support the initiatives of the unit toward the delivery of humble and compassionate service to Filipinos.

Julia and Gerald are auxiliary members of the PCG, which means they are volunteers.

According to the post, PCG Commandant, CG Admiral George V Ursabia Jr. led the donning and oath-taking ceremonies of Julia, together with Auxiliarist Ando Cruise Catipay, Auxiliarist Jalil Laidan, and Auxiliarist Harold Jocel Talan, held at the National Headquarters, Port Area, Manila.

CG Admiral CG Admiral George Ursabia expressed his gratitude to the new members of the PCGA who committed to serve the nation by supporting the Coast Guard in the performance of humanitarian missions and disaster response operations.

The PCG highlighted the increasing need for K9 units in the country for the promotion of national security.

“With the construction of the PCG - PPA K9 Academy in Clark, Pampanga, CG Admiral Ursabia shared that the Department of Transportation - Philippines (DOTr), through PCG and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), could soon provide high quality and competent K9 units in different government agencies nationwide,” PCG wrote.

Gerald is an auxiliary lieutenant commander of the PCGA K9 Squadron.

SPORTS

MANGLIWAN ENDS PHILIPPINES STINT AT PARALYMPICS WITH 8TH PLACE FINISH

MANILA — The campaign for Team Philippines in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics has ended on Friday.

Jerrold Mangliwan, the last Filipino para athlete who remained in contention, ended up last in the final of the men's wheelchair racing 100-meter T52 event.

Mangliwan ended up in 8th place with a time of 20.08, thus missing the podium.

The Filipino para athletes will leave Tokyo without a medal.

Out of six Filipino para athletes who qualified for the Paralympics, only three were able to compete.

The other three, Achele Guion, Jeanette Aceveda and Allain Ganapin were unable to compete after testing positive for COVID-19.

Mangliwan was joined by the two para swimmers, Gary Bejino and Ernie Gawilan, as the only Filipinos to compete in the pandemic-hit Games.

Gawilan, like Mangliwan, had a chance to give the Philippines a medal when he qualified for the final in the 400-meter freestyle S7.

He ended up sixth, though, and missed on the podium.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 49.82

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth. - Benjamin Disraeli