COVID-19 RED LIST TRIMMED: PHILIPPINES TO SUSPEND ENTRY OF TRAVELERS FROM 4 COUNTRIES

MANILA — The Philippines will suspend the entry of travelers from 4 countries that belong to a shortened "Red List", government said on Friday, as it fought an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

The COVID-19 task force trimmed the red list from 9 countries down to 4, including from Grenada, Papua New Guinea, Serbia, and Slovenia, said Malacañang spokesperson Harry Roque.

This new classification shall take effect on Sept. 19 to 30, he said in a statement.

The curb exempts returning Filipinos via government-initiated or non-government repatriation programs and special commercial flights.

The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 also updated the list of "Green" territories.

US SHIPPING 2.5M MORE COVID-19 VACCINE DOSES TO PHILIPPINES

WASHINGTON—The US government will begin shipping 2.58 million more doses of COVID-19 vaccine to the Philippines on Thursday through the COVAX global distribution program, a White House official said on Thursday.

The latest shipments of vaccines made by Pfizer Inc and Germany's BioNTech, bring the total number of vaccines sent to the Philippines to just over 9 million, the official said.

Scientific teams and legal and regulatory authorities from both countries worked together to ensure prompt delivery of safe and effective vaccine lots to the Asian nation, the official added.

ICC PROBERS CAN GATHER EVIDENCE ON DRUG WAR KILLINGS WITHOUT GOING TO PH, SAYS LAWYER

MANILA – A lawyer believes the International Criminal Court (ICC) can still gather evidence on the Philippines' war on drugs without setting foot in the country.

“What the ICC needs is evidence. Plain and simple. If they can get the evidence, in any other way aside from going to the Philippines, aside from physically presenting themselves before the Office of the President or any other office, then they can proceed,” said Atty. Cristina Conti, assisting counsel of Rise Up, an organization of the relatives of victims killed in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

ICC judges authorized Wednesday a full-blown investigation into Duterte's anti-narcotics campaign, which rights groups estimate has killed tens of thousands of people, saying it resembled an illegitimate and systematic attack on civilians.

Conti, a member of the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers, said there are ways that lawyers' groups can assist in the ICC investigation.

"First, we will need to cooperate with the Office of the Prosecutor and volunteer ourselves to be part of this prosecution team. Coordinate with them, and as we’ve all seen during this time of the pandemic, there are alternative ways to physical meetings," she said in an ANC interview.

“So we can meet with them virtually, and the mail is open already, the post offices are open, and we can send them the information that we can,” she said.

“To take note, we’ve hurdled several mini-stages already in this investigation all throughout the pandemic, so to be frank physical distance will not be a hindrance to the submission of tension of documents,” she added.

Conti said the ICC move is “significant” for the family members of the victims.

“It’s significant for the collective. Individually the mothers were shouting, screaming, crying, all at the same time. But then, when they look back, it’s no longer about a single person this time,” said

“So far, in the Philippines, we’ve looked at various remedies, which largely focused on individual prosecutions. So for every case, or perhaps every killing, there would be one case in the Philippines. That is if you have evidence, if you have witnesses, if you have documents.”

“So with the ICC, even those who don’t have that strong evidence or documents even to build a case in the Philippines, now they stand a chance to at least have some sort of clarity into all these killings.”

DUTERTE TO SOLGEN: INSTRUCT COA TO AUDIT RED CROSS

MANILA — President Duterte is pushing an audit of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), whose chairman, Sen. Richard Gordon, leads the Senate panel probing the billions of pesos worth of alleged overpriced pandemic response supplies purchased by the government.

During a pre-recorded public address aired yesterday, Duterte said he was ordering Solicitor General Jose Calida to write Commission on Audit (COA) Chairman Michael Aguinaldo to request for an immediate audit of the finances of the PRC.

“The next step would really be the letter to be delivered to the COA by Solicitor General Calida regarding my request to audit the Red Cross,” Duterte said.

Previously, Aguinaldo said the COA has no jurisdiction over the PRC, which is a non-government humanitarian organization.

However, the President insisted that the Red Cross is not exclusively an international body because it receives government funds.

Duterte said the senators investigating the procurement of medical supplies are “stupid” and are just grandstanding.

He claimed that while there is corruption in some agencies of government, his Cabinet members are clean.

“I’m making you this guarantee — my Cabinet members are not involved in corruption. They are all clean. Senators are the ones involved. Gordon is one,” he said.

“Who are you Gordon? You are nothing but a corrupt official. We will reach a point that I will have it (PRC) audited. I will force the issue... You accepted money so you should be amenable to the audit because that is the money of the Filipino people,” he added.

'PLEASE HUWAG KAYONG MAGALIT': MMDA SAYS NO ADVANCE NOTICE ON GRANULAR LOCKDOWNS

MANILA—Granular lockdowns will be implemented without prior notice, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said Friday, as the capital region shifted to a new level alert system.

MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos said giving warning to residents might defeat the purpose of the localized restrictions aimed at halting transmission of COVID-19.

"Kung ia-announce natin na magla-lockdown, talagang mag-uuwian at talagang magspre-spread po lahat ito," he told Teleraydo.

Metro Manila is under Alert Level 4 in a 5-tier system, which government hopes will boost business activity while keeping the spread of COVID-19 in check. The new scheme is being piloted in the region and may be replicated in other parts of the country if it proves successful.

Abalos appealed for understanding from the public.

"Please lang po huwag kayong magagalit sa mga mayor ninyo. Talagang ito'y estrikto nating ipinatutupad. Ito'y para sa ating lahat," he said.

Under the new guidelines, granular lockdowns will be imposed in an area for 14 days to give way to mass testing, contact-tracing, and isolation.

Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, who chairs the Metro Manila Council, had said a street could be locked down if it had 2 cases of COVID-19.

LUCY RUNNING FOR ORMOC MAYOR; SARA, BASTE FOR REELECTION

MANILA — Contrary to earlier reports, Leyte fourth district Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez is not running for senator.

The congresswoman is running for mayor of Ormoc while her husband Mayor Richard Gomez will seek her current post in next year’s elections.

Senate President Tito Sotto had earlier said Lucy would be part of the senatorial lineup of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

The Gomez couple made the decision to swap positions following a meeting with members of the Ormoc Development Team (ODT) at their residence in Carlota Hills.

The ODT said Ormoc Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr. would seek reelection as Lucy’s runningmate.

Meanwhile, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and her brother Sebastian, the incumbent vice mayor, will seek reelection in next year’s polls.

Carpio’s spokesperson Mayor Christina Franco of Liloan, Cebu confirmed the reelection bid of the Duterte siblings.

Carpio had earlier called on Filipinos to support her father President Duterte, who has announced his plan to run for vice president.

The mayor said she and her father have an understanding and agreement with regard to their political careers.

In Ilocos Norte, the eldest son of former senator Bongbong Marcos will run for congressman of the first district of the province.

“I officially announce my candidacy to run for congressman. I thank you for all the support and heed your call to serve our beloved province,” Ferdinand Alexander Marcos said in a speech in Sarrat town recently.

Marcos is the political officer of his uncle, Leyte Rep. and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, and economic consultant of the Ilocos Norte provincial government headed by his cousin Matthew Manotoc.

SENATORS SEEK RECORDS OF 1,479 SUSPECTED PALACE TROLLS

MANILA — Senators have asked the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) for the records of 1,479 contractual employees of the Palace communications group who are suspected of being trolls.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon demanded the records of the contractual workers, 375 of whom work at the PCOO and flagged recently by the Commission on Audit (COA), to determine if there are state-funded troll farms.

During the budget hearing of the PCOO in the Senate yesterday, Drilon aired his suspicion that these contractual employees could be “trolls.”

“These are the trolls?” Drilon asked lightly in Filipino. “But you won’t admit that you have a troll.”

Sen. Richard Gordon, who presided over the hearing, and Senators Nancy Binay and Imee Marcos supported Drilon’s instructions to the PCOO.

In internet speak, a troll is defined as a person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content.

PCOO Undersecretary Kris Ablan denied the government has troll farms. He confirmed the PCOO alone had hired 375 employees on “contract of service” status with a budget of P76 million.

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DOH PROJECTS DAILY COVID-19 CASES IN NCR MAY REACH 43,000 BY END SEPTEMBER

MANILA— Daily COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila may reach up to 43,000 by the end of September, the Department of Health said Friday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the daily tally of new coronavirus infections might range from 16,000 to 43,000 by Sept. 30. The projection is based on mobility, public health system and adherence to minimum health standards, she added.

Vergeire made the remark after the UP COVID-19 pandemic response team projected that COVID-19 cases would continue to rise until the end of September or early October, with numbers reaching 30,000 to 40,000 cases per day.

This, as the positivity rate remains high at nearly 30 percent, which means 1 in every 3 tests could turn out to be positive, the group said.

The DOH first made the projection in early September amid the presence of the more contagious Delta variant.

Should there be improvements, Vergeire said Metro Manila would not experience such high number of COVID-19 cases. The region on Thursday shifted to a new quarantine scheme that allows greater economic activity while reinforcing certain restrictions.

"Hopefully with what we are doing right now, with this pilot implementation, we will not reach this kind of projections," she said in a press briefing.

VAPERS: SMOKERS WANT BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO CIGARETTES

MANILA — Nine of 10 Filipino smokers want a law that would encourage them to switch to less harmful alternatives to cigarettes, a survey commissioned by consumer advocacy group Vapers PH showed.

Based on the survey conducted by Asian research network ACORN Marketing & Research Consultants, 94 percent of 2,000 respondents have agreed that the government should enact policies that would encourage adult smokers to use less harmful alternative cigarettes.

Such policies would also ensure that these products will not be available to those aged 18 and below.

ACORN, the largest independent Asian research network with offices in 11 Asian countries including the Philippines, conducted the survey on the attitudes of Filipino tobacco and nicotine consumers from Aug. 3 to 15. The 2,000 respondents were legal-age smokers (above 18) and vapers (above 21) nationwide.

The survey showed that 90 percent of respondents believe that the government should come up with new ways to reduce the harm caused by smoking cigarettes.

According to Vape PH president Pete Paul Dator, the results of the survey “come at a crucial time when the Senate is deliberating on the Vaporized Nicotine Products (VNP) bill.”

“We hope that our senators will listen to the voice of Filipino smokers and vapers when we call on them to pass the VNP bill to encourage smokers to switch to less harmful alternatives to cigarettes,” Dator said in a statement.

MAKATI STREET PLACED UNDER 14-DAY LOCKDOWN

MANILA — The Makati government yesterday placed H. Santos street in Barangay Tejeros under a 14-day granular lockdown.

“I ordered the granular lockdown due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the area. We need to contain the transmission of the virus by promptly identifying, isolating and treating infected residents,” Mayor Abby Binay said in a statement.

Binay assured the affected residents they would receive essential goods, citing the successful implementation of a localized community quarantine in Barangay Pio del Pilar last March.

“After successfully implementing a localized lockdown before, we can assure the affected families that we will take care of their basic needs while they remain at home. We have prepared food packs and other essential items, including COVID-19 kits for infected residents,” Binay said.

Binay said a “concierge-like” station has been set up in a strategic area within the locked down zone to assist residents, including those who need to buy medicines and other essentials.

City hall will deploy swab teams to conduct house-to-house RT-PCR tests. Asymptomatic patients and their close contacts will be prioritized.

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

ENZO PINEDA IS NOW A PHILIPPINE MARINE RESERVIST

MANILA -- Actor Enzo Pineda has completed the basic citizen military course as a Marine reservist under the Philippine Navy with the rank of staff sergeant.

Pineda, who admitted that it was his dream to serve the country and join the military, thanked all those who expressed their support for him to finish the course.

"By far this is one of the toughest challenges I’ve ever done in my life. I thank God for giving me and my batchmates the strength and resilience to finish the course. I also thank my family for their support and for always inspiring me to become better. I’m excited for the new adventures that this path awaits me. SSgt Pineda reporting for duty," he wrote on Instagram on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Pineda's girlfriend Michelle Vito congratulated the actor for completing the course.

"Congratulations to our Enzo. we are so proud,," she wrote.

Vito and Pineda marked their first anniversary in March.

The two became close while working together in the ABS-CBN series "Nang Ngumiti Ang Langit."

SPORTS

NLEX SENDS BLACKWATER REELING TO LONGEST LOSING STREAK IN PBA HISTORY

The NLEX Road Warriors got back on the winning track after crushing the Blackwater Bossing, 90-73, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the DHVSU Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga on Thursday, September 16.

NLEX halted its three-game losing skid and handed Blackwater its 18th straight loss dating back to last year’s bubble season, tying the league’s longest losing streak set by Great Taste in 1980.

The Road Warriors now improved to 5-5, while Blackwater remained winless in the conference with a dismal 0-10 record.

JR Quiñahan led the charge with 16 points and 8 rebounds, while Philip Paniamogan had 14 markers for NLEX in the victory.

Coming off a disappointing loss to NorthPort on Sunday, the Road Warriors came out firing from the get-go and quickly built a 12-point lead, 23-11, with 5:05 remaining in the opening period.

Still leading by 12 points, 70-58, at the start of the final frame, the Road Warriors never looked back as they extended their advantage to 16 points midway through the quarter, 80-64, to put the hapless Bossing away for good.

Don Trollano added 12 points for the Road Warriors, while Kenneth Ighalo and Kevin Alas contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Simon Enciso finished with 17 points, 7 assists, and 3 rebounds, while Carl Bryan Cruz chipped in 14 points for the Bossing, who will look to put an end to their disastrous losing streak on Saturday when they take on the No. 2 Meralco Bolts.

The Scores

NLEX 90 – Quiñahan 16, Paniamogan 14, Trollano 12, Ighalo 11, Alas 10, Porter 8, Cruz 8, Oftana 4, Mcaloney 3, Soyud 2, Miranda 2, Ayonayon 0, Galanza 0.

Blackwater 73 – Enciso 17, Cruz 14, Torralba 10, Canaleta 6, Golla 6, Magat 6, Daquioag 5, Desiderio 4, Tolomia 3, Escoto 2, Paras 0, Dennison 0.

Quarters: 28-22, 46-38, 70-58, 90-73.

RETURNING MERALCO RIPS TERRAFIRMA TO KEEP SOLO SECOND SPOT

The Meralco Bolts showed no signs of rust in their return to action as they crushed the Terrafirma Dyip, 95-83, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the DHVSU Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga on Thursday, September 16.

Six players scored in double figures for the Bolts, but it was Bong Quinto who led the way with 17 points and 8 rebounds as they remained No. 2 in the standings with a 6-2 record.

Despite coming off a one-week absence due to the league’s health and safety protocols, the undermanned Bolts, who missed the services of key players Chris Newsome and Cliff Hodge, hardly looked like they missed a beat as they quickly built a double-digit advantage, 23-12, with two and a half minutes to play in the opening quarter.

The Dyip, led by big men Aldrich Ramos and Joseph Gabayni, managed to crawl back and kept within striking distance with the Bolts as they trailed by only 3 points, 70-73, at the end of the third period.

However, Meralco flipped the switch in the final frame and went on a furious 23-9 rally to extend its lead to its biggest at 14 points, 93-79, which proved too much for the struggling Dyip to overcome with only two minutes left in the ball game.

Anjo Caram added 13 points for the Bolts, while Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Rookie Alvin Pasaol and veteran big man Reynel Hugnatan also put up 10 points apiece for Meralco in the victory.

Ramos topscored for the Dyip with 15 points, while Gabayni had a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds as Terrafirma suffered its third straight loss and dropped down to 3-7 in the standings.

The Scores

Meralco 95 – Quinto 17, Caram 13, Maliksi 12, Almazan 11, Hugnatan 10, Pasaol 10, Belo 0, Jackson 5, Pinto 4, Jamito 2, Baclao 2, Black 0.

Terrafirma 83 – Ramos 15, Gabayni 14, Tiongson 10, Celda 10, Calvo 9, Camson 6, Mccarthy 4, Ganuelas-Rosser 4, Adams 2.

Quarters: 25-19, 50-49, 73-70, 95-83.

INDICATORS

FOREX $1 = P 49.97

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The reward for conformity was that everyone liked you except yourself. - Rita Mae Brown