US: CHINA CAN’T REQUIRE REPORTING FOR SOUTH CHINA SEA PASSAGE

MANILA — China’s new action requiring ships to report innocent passage in the South China Sea “seems to run directly counter to international agreements” and could trigger “potential conflicts,” according to United States Coast Guard Vice Admiral Michael McAllister.

The official said the South China Sea is a maritime superhighway and coast guard-to-coast guard cooperation is critical in the region for building good maritime governance.

McAllister noted an increased interest in partnering with the US Coast Guard on maritime safety and security capacity development.

“I would offer the new reporting requirements for ships on innocent passage to the South China Sea, certainly based on the reporting, seems to run directly counter to international agreements and norms,” McAllister told journalists during the Asia-Pacific Media Hub virtual forum on Friday.

“If our reading is correct, these are very concerning, and that’s because they begin to build foundations for instability and potential conflicts if those are enforced,” he added.

The US, he said, is in the region to support key partners that are growing increasingly concerned over China’s aggressive and coercive actions, and US partners’ concerns with their lack of capability or capacity to adequately respond to those actions.

“We do cooperate with China on areas of mutual interest between the US and China; not a whole lot of cooperative activity in the South China Sea,” McAllister said.

LENI ROBREDO WON'T RUN FOR SENATOR IN 2022

MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday said she is not open to running for a Senate seat in 2022, but she can go for a local position if she decides not to run for President.

Asked in an interview with ANC's Headstart if she is open to running for Senate, she said: "No, I’m not."

"Tingin ko, hindi 'yun 'yung aking strength," she said when pressed why she doesn't want to run for senator.

"I can run for a local position, I can retire, I can just help the next administration if I don’t run for president," she said.

Robredo has said she is open to running for president, but has yet to announce her final decision if she will do so.

She said she is "very, very grateful" for the trust different groups have given her in urging her to run for the presidency, saying she does not take this support lightly.

"I continue to give serious thought to this," she said.

Because she believes "so much is at stake" in the 2022 elections, she said she is meeting with "small groups" to involve them in her decision-making and "broaden our base."

"I still firmly believe that we need to talk beyond our usual circles. Yung paniniwala ko pa din is to go into 2022 with a united front," she said.

"Hindi ko naman tinitingnan yung sarili ko na savior. I have always kept myself close to the ground. Kaya sa akin, alam ko na hindi kaya ng very best of intentions. Sa akin, parati akong nakikinig sa pakiramdam ng maraming tao," she said.

Robredo said she is open to supporting the possible team-up of Sen. Manny Pacquiao and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno "if that will be the result of discussions of the broadest coalition that we can form."

"Bukas ako sa kahit ano na would put a stop to this kind of governance already," she said.

VP ROBREDO SLAMS PALACE'S 'LAME ATTEMPT' TO DIVERT OVERPRICED MEDICAL SUPPLY ISSUE

MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday called Malacañang's move to question the past administration’s purchase of personal protective equipment, a “lame attempt” to divert the issue hounding the current administration.

Robredo's remarks came after Malacañang said the Aquino administration bought PPEs at a costlier P3,500 to P3,800 per set, just as senators questioned the current administration’s purchase of medical supplies, including allegedly overpriced PPEs at P1,700 per set, for the pandemic.

“Napaka-lame attempt naman nito para i-divert ang usapan,” said Robredo in her weekly radio show.

Robredo said the procurement of the pricier PPEs during the Aquino administration was aboveboard, unlike the Duterte administration's purchase which was done without public bidding and whose suppliers and background are being questioned.

“Yung nanalo (ng deal) ngayon, magkano ba pinanalunan niya? Mga 10 billion. Bagong organized ang kumpanya, napakababa ng capitalization, walang opisina tapos ang mga tao pa na kabahagi ng kompanya ay meron pang criminal record sa Taiwan. Ang daming kwestyon,” she said.

She added that current officials should have done their due diligence and determined whether the foreign suppliers were reliable and had a good background.

Robredo said Malacañang could have tapped local suppliers.

“Ang pinaguusapan dito ay napakalaking pera eh, isang company lang ito, billion. Di nga P1 billion ang budget namin (OVP) pero ang dami naming napo-provide. Noong nagkakaubusan, nag-local suppliers pa kami para nagbibigay pa kami ng trabaho sa mga Pilipino. Pero ito, ang dami nang questionable, hindi pa Pilipino ang nakinabang,” she said.

NCR GRANULAR LOCKDOWNS MUST BE COMPLEMENTED WITH ADD'L MEASURES: ROBREDO

MANILA - Additional measures must be implemented once government imposes granular lockdowns in Metro Manila and lifts the travel ban on several countries starting this week, Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday.

"Kung magga-granular lockdown lang tayo, buhusan na natin ng test, buhusan na natin ng trace, yung mga lockdown, buhusan na natin ng ayuda para maging effective siya,” Robredo said in her weekly radio program.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 response approved the enforcement of granular lockdowns in Metro Manila beginning Wednesday, according to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on Saturday.

Robredo said she is also in favor of opening businesses as long as they conform to strict health standards, since some workers are given health care services at work.

“Kahit kasi tayo mag-granular lockdown nang mag-granular lockdown, kung 'yung pinaka-basic 'di naman natin ginagawa, wala rin itong epekto. Patuloy na tataas pa rin ang kaso, whether malawakan na lockdown o granular,” Robredo said.

ROBREDO TO FOCUS BUDGET ON COVID IF TAPPED TO LEAD PANDEMIC RESPONSE

MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo said Monday she would allot budget to COVID-19 response, including health workers' benefits, if she was given blanket authority to help government in battling the pandemic.

Robredo earlier said she was willing to volunteer to lead agencies' pandemic response.

"It’s not the lack of effort ng mga ahensiya na gumagawa. Talagang nakikita ko naman, we have partnered with some of them...nakikita ko ang effort," she told ANC's Headstart.

"Dahil 'di ako privy sa nangyayari sa taas, di ko alam san talaga ang problema kasi ang nakikita natin ngayon, merong pera, merong pangangailangan pero bakit 'di nagagastos ang pera sa pangangailangan."

The Vice President said she has stopped watching President Rodrigo Duterte's weekly report to the public as she feels it does not focus on the pandemic.

"'Pag pinapakinggan ko and binabasa ko ang transcript (ng press conferences) may sense ako na hindi niya alam lahat ng detalye, ang tingin ko lang kulang sa pagtutok sa detalye," she said.

"The last 2 press conferences were really quite frustrating for us...nasa middle tayo ng surge na kailangan all hands on deck tapos ang greater part of the press conference is pinupuna ang mga senador, yung COA (Commission on Audit)."

Robredo said the administration should have focused the 2022 budget allocation to COVID response.

COCONUT INDUSTRY RENEWS CALLS TO TAP VCO VS COVID-19

MANILA — Coconut processors and manufacturers have renewed calls for the government to consider tapping the antiviral, health boosting and locally available virgin coconut oil (VCO) as a major weapon against COVID-19.

Engineer Marco Reyes, president of VCO Philippines and vice chairman of the United Coconut Association of the Philippines (UCA), said the Department of Health has yet to make a serious effort to promote VCO despite positive results of a clinical study of the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) conducted last year.

The study showed that VCO is a highly effective functional food that can help cure or speed up recovery of COVID-19 cases.

“VCO is the most viable prophylaxis against COVID-19 so far, which has been scientifically studied,” Reyes said.

“VCO should still be as effective against the Delta strain and upcoming strains. Because the mutation is in the spike protein. VCO works on the viral envelope – same mechanism as with HIV, SARS and other lipid coated viruses,” he noted.

“VCO is the most viable prophylaxis against COVID-19 so far, which has been scientifically studied,” Reyes said.

“VCO should still be as effective against the Delta strain and upcoming strains. Because the mutation is in the spike protein. VCO works on the viral envelope – same mechanism as with HIV, SARS and other lipid coated viruses,” he noted.

Dr. Ed Lalusis, patented inventor of VCO in capsule form Growrich VCO approved by the Food and Drug Administration, said it was lamentable that the DOH continued to snub the immunity boosting and other health benefits of VCO in the fight against the coronavirus.

“With the Delta variant said to be more contagious or more transmissible, then we should adopt more strategies to boost our protection against COVID, and VCO really should be one of the strategies,” Lalusis told The STAR.

“VCO is readily available in our country. It’s organic. I really don’t see why it remains to be ignored by our doctors in the government,” he said.

SEAFARERS’ MAGNA CARTA SEEN TO BECOME LAW

MANILA — Sen. Sonny Angara is optimistic the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers will finally become law after over a decade of languishing in the legislative mill.

As author of Senate Bill 135, which has been consolidated along with similar measures into Senate Bill 2369, he said this would ensure the rights of Filipino seafarers will be upheld and they will be given protection under existing laws.

“This proposal has been tabled several times. The contribution of seafarers to our country is very important so we should further extend their rights and intensify the protections given to them under the law,” Angara said.

The bill, which is now up for debates in plenary, lists the various rights of Filipino seafarers, which include the right to just terms and conditions of work; right to self-organization, engage in collective bargaining, and participate in democratic exercises; right to educational advancement and training at a reasonable cost; right against discrimination and to be protected against all forms of harassment and bullying, among others.

Filipino seafarers will also be provided with various perks and minimum standards of employment, including compulsory benefits like decent accommodation, sanitation, recreation and food facilities.

“It is a very large and very important sector in our country so it is only right that they be given the appropriate benefits for their families as well,” Angara said.

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PHILIPPINES CONFIRMS OVER 20K NEW COVID-19 CASES FOR THIRD STRAIGHT DAY

MANILA - The Philippines confirmed 20,019 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the country’s total to 2,080,984 as the more transmissible Delta variant continued to spread.

This was the third straight day that over 20,000 new infections were confirmed.

The Department of Health also reported 20,089 new recoveries, pushing the total number of Filipinos who recovered from the disease to 1,889,312.

This means that the country has a total of 157,438 active cases as of 4 p.m. Sunday.

One hundred seventy three more deaths were reported from COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the disease’s death toll in the Philippines to 34,234.

PHILIPPINES MAY REACH 30,000 FRESH COVID-19 CASES BY 'NEXT WEEK': OCTA

MANILA - The Philippines might reach 30,000 daily fresh cases of COVID-19 by next week, OCTA Research said Sunday, amid the continuing spread of the more transmissible Delta variant in the country.

The independent research firm, however, doesn't see 43,000 daily new infections in Metro Manila alone, as projected by the health department, said its fellow Guido David.

"Maaring umabot tayo ng 30,000 sa buong Pilipinas by end of September sa trajectory, pero di namin nakikita ang 43,000 sa Metro Manila alone," he told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.

"It could happen baka today or tomorrow. Nandyan ang possibility, definitely by next week mukhang mahihigitan natin yan."

The decline of the country's reproduction number, or the number of people infected by a single virus patient, is slowing down, according to David.

It is currently at 1.32 nationwide, and 1.41 in Metro Manila, he said.

"Pag umabot tayo ng 43,000 sa Metro Manila, ang ADR (average daily attack rate) aabot ng 300. Just to put it into perspective, this will be much worse than India, Indonesia," he said.

"Kung mangyayari yan, pero wala yan sa projections namin sa ngayon, sobrang malaking impact niyan sa ating bansa, sa NCR.

Maraming mamamatay, maraming masasawi kung ganyan kataas ang bilang ng kaso."

VOTER REGISTRATION RESUMES IN MECQ AREAS

MANILA — Voter registration in Metro Manila and other areas under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) will resume today, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced yesterday.

James Jimenez, spokesman for the Comelec, urged voters to register from Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Comelec has ruled out the extension of voter registration beyond the Sept. 30 deadline.

The poll body has opened satellite registration in shopping malls to encourage more voters to sign up for the May 2020 general elections.

Jimenez said applications may be filed at the Offices of the Election Officer (OEOs) in local government units.

The Comelec has ordered OEOs in areas under MECQ to implement i-Rehistro or online appointment system.

Walk-ins will be entertained through strict numbering or queuing system, Jimenez said.

138TH MALASAKIT CENTER OPENS IN SULU

MANILA — Sen. Bong Go welcomed the opening of the 138th Malasakit Center at the Sulu Sanitarium in Jolo, Sulu on Friday.

The Sulu Sanitarium is the eighth hospital in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and second in Jolo to open a Malasakit Center, next to the Sulu Provincial Hospital.

In a message delivered virtually, Go said the center aims to make the government’s medical and financial assistance more accessible to patients who are having difficulty paying for their hospital expenses

SULU GOV HOPEFUL FOR TOURISM AS SECURITY SITUATION IMPROVES

ZAMBOANGA CITY — When the pandemic is, over the provincial government of Sulu will face a different battle when it opens mountains where the Au Sayyaf used to operate to tourism.

Gov. Abdusakur Tan Sr. announced the plan during the courtesy call of Maj. Gen. Generoso Ponio — acting Western Mindanao Command chief — over the weekend.  Ponio was there to give a briefing on the province after, where the military has been conducting continuing operations against terrorist groups.

"Finally our tourism is booming. People go out and enjoy our white sand beaches. The mountains that were previously infested with terror groups are now trekking sites," Tan told Ponio.

Tan said local tourists are now seen regularly trekking on Mount Tukay, Bud Talipao, and Mount Sinumaan, the mountains that the Abu Sayyaf group used to hide their captives or to seek shelter from military operations.

"Because of this turnaround and frequent eco-adventure tourism, many of the locals in the area are venturing into small-scale businesses, a positive opportunity for the people," Tan said, adding the province is preparing for visitors once tourism is allowed again.

Tan said the province also offers the best of exotic fruits such as the native durian, mangosteen and sweet lanzones, aside from the fresh seafood which naturally abound in the province.

Ponio said that since an all-out offensive following the August 22, 2020 suicide bombing in Jolo, the military and local government units have been able to prevent the Abu Sayyaf group from launching terror attacks.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

VICE GANDA LAMBASTS CORRUPT OFFICIALS, URGES YOUTH TO REGISTER AND VOTE

MANILA — Vice Ganda criticized public officials engaged in corruption following the release of audit reports by the Commission of Audit involving various government agencies.

In “It’s Showtime’s” Reina ng Tahanan segment on Friday, a grade school teacher contestant said that she intends to share portions of her winnings to students for their gadgets.

“Sobrang makapuso, makatao itong si Nanay. Samantalang ang ibang government officials, my God, magkano ang ipinapatong nila sa mga kontratang ipinambibili nila? Kuning-kuning, echos-echos, ibibigay kunyari sa eskuwela, pang medical equipment. Nakakaloka!” Vice said.

“Iyong iba, ang laki na ng cut niyo, hindi pa kayo nakuntento talaga. Ang kakapal na ng mukha ng madami. Sana tablan naman ho kayo. Marami sa ating mga opisyales, maawa naman ho kayo, hirap na hirap na ‘yung mga tao,” he added.

Vice asked government officials to give justice to the Filipino people as she called on the public to register in the upcoming elections and choose the right candidate.

“Sa ating mga officials, bigyan niyo po kami ng hustisya. Bigyan niyo po ng hustisya ‘yung mga ninakaw sa aming mga Pilipino na taxpayers, kasi pera natin ‘yun. Utang na loob, bigyan niyo kami ng hustisya. Ang lala ng nakawan. Nakakaloka,” Vice said.

“Sa eleskyon talaga, please, huwag na tayo magpanakaw ulit,” he said. “Magparehistro na ‘yung mga hindi pa nagpaparehistro, utang na loob. Bigyan niyo ng hustisya ang bawat isa. At 'pag magparehistro, bumoto tayo,” she added.

SPORTS

TNT STRETCHES PERFECT RUN

MANILA — Asserting its might on another major contender, TNT hammered out an 83-76 victory over Magnolia to stay perfect in six games in the PBA Philippine Cup last night in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Hot off their 91-76 demolition of Meralco, the Tropang Giga put up their A-game again and out-steadied the tough Hotshots (5-2) in the marquee showdown for the lead at the Don Honorio Ventura State U Gym.

Veteran Kelly Williams turned back the hands of time with a sterling effort of 13 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and two steals to anchor a balanced attack for the victors.

“It feels good to start feeling like myself again,” said Williams, who came out of “retirement” to help comebacking coach Chot Reyes this season. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in this situation and I’m grateful for this opportunity.”

Bacolor pride Jayson Castro (17 markers, four assists), Mikey Williams (14 plus five dimes), RR Pogoy (12) and Troy Rosario (11) also turned in solid numbers for TNT.

Earlier, Terrafirma showed it’s not solely dependent on gunner Juami Tiongson to get the job done.

With Tiongson shackled after his major scoring spree, the Dyip’s support crew stepped up to the plate and worked out a 96-84 drubbing of Blackwater.

Aldrech Ramos (17), Reden Celda (15), and Andreas Cahilig (12) took the cudgels offensively as Tiongson was held down to 10 by the Bossing defenders after averaging 29.5 in their previous upsets of San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don't. - Steve Maraboli