PH RECEIVES FRESH BATCH OF 918,450 PFIZER COVID-19 VACCINES

MANILA - The Philippines on Sunday received nearly a million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine from global alliance COVAX Facility.

Some 918,450 doses arrived Saturday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 at 4:15 p.m. via Emirates flight EK 332, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said.

Another batch containing 924,300 doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 jab will arrive on Monday afternoon, it added.

Heather Variava, the Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Manila said the US has already donated 21 million vaccine doses to the Philippines through the COVAX Facility.

Sunday's batch raises the country's total received Pfizer vaccine donations to more than 11.7 million. Some 8.1 million out of 40 million doses that government procured from Pfizer have arrived.

MARIA RESSA SAYS NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WIN SHOWS 'WORLD IS WATCHING' PHILIPPINES

MANILA - Rappler CEO Maria Ressa was hoping her Nobel Peace Prize would give "adrenaline and energy" to Filipino journalists, as her win was also proof the world is watching the Philippines.

"I hope it gives adrenaline and energy to Filipino journalists that we are not alone, that the world is watching and that this is hopefully a turn for the better," Ressa said Monday.

She added she was "stunned" when she was announced as a winner for the prestigious award.

"Who would’ve thought. This is also for you. We are not alone. I feel like I've just been doing my job, the same way I always has when I started in 1980 as a reporter. You put one foot in front of the other," she told ANC's Headstart.

"And I hoped for ABS-CBN. This is ours."

Ressa said she was supposed to receive the award in person on December 10 in Oslo, Norway but she has been "denied the right to travel" since August last year.

She will apply to get clearance to travel from the court, her counsel Theodore Te said.

"Leading up to August, the courts that handled all of these charges gave me authority to travel 36 times. Every time I came back. Even when there was one--actually 2--where I knew government had filed more charges and had an arrest warrant waiting for me," she said.

"My track record clearly shows I want to win this court battle. As we have written numerous times, it has no legs to stand on."

Malacañang, which has attacked Ressa and her news organization several times, has yet to comment on her win.

"It’s actually a professional thing to do. Even (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and the Kremlin congratulated Dimitri, the co-winner," she said.

"It’s never personal, whether it is President Duterte, President Aquino, President Ramos or President Arroyo. Journalists do our jobs. Power takes things sensitively but that is our role as the Fourth Estate. I think this is why the Nobel committee gave the prize this year to journalists because we have this power given to us that is a reflection of the power of the people."

ROBREDO SAYS SHE WAS CONVINCED TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT AFTER 1SAMBAYAN ENDORSEMENT

MANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday the endorsement of opposition coalition 1Sambayan was a linchpin for her decision to run for president in next year’s national elections.

She said she initially did not plan to run for the country’s top post, hoping to unite two potential candidates for president to increase the chance of preventing a repeat of a Marcos or Duterte administration.

“Yung balak ko talaga— either magpapahinga ako o kakandidato ako ng lokal. Kaya nag-exert tayo ng maraming effort na magkaroon sana ng unification para tutulong na lang ako sa national candidates at uuwi ako sa amin para dun naman magbuhos ng serbisyo," she said in her weekly radio program.

"Nung ni-nominate tayo ng 1Sambayan na, dun talaga na parang, dun nagbago na seryosong isipin na tumakbo na."

When the unification talks failed, Robredo said she decided to think about who to support next — particularly a candidate who holds the same values as hers.

“Yung pinagdarasal natin, 'di nangyari. At andoon, na-realize - mahirap na mag-unite 'pag merong hindi alignment sa paniniwala,” she said.

But again, no one, in her definition came close. Hence, her decision to run even without the necessary resources to win.

“Alam natin kung gaano kahirap kasi wala tayong makinarya ngayon, 'di tulad nung 2016. Wala tayong resources na kailangang-kailangan sa kampanya. Hindi tayo naghanda. Alam natin na marami sa mga kumakandidato, ilang taon nang naghahanda. Tayo ay wala talaga," she said.

Robredo thanked those who expressed their support immediately after her announcement.

“Nag-decide tayo with finality noong Huwebes.. 'Di natin inaasahan yung overwhelming reaction ng tao,” Robredo said.

This includes volunteers spending their own money and resources to help her campaign, those posting their support on social media, and even celebrities backing her up.

“Hindi talaga namin inaasahan. Parang affirmation na tama ang desisyon namin. Ang dasal ko… klaro ang mensahe ng nasa taas kung ano ang dapat kong gawin,” she said.

'RUN SARA RUN': CLAMOR GROWS FOR DUTERTE DAUGHTER PRESIDENTIAL BID

MANILA — Philippines' "First Daughter" Sara Duterte has been in lockstep with her father, following him into law and succeeding him as a city mayor. Now, she's leading the race to replace Rodrigo Duterte as president.

So far, the feisty politician, who once punched a court sheriff in front of TV cameras, has rejected calls to seek the country's highest office, insisting she wants to serve another term as Davao city mayor.

Supporters have plastered "Run Sara Run" posters and tarpaulins across the archipelago nation, held rallies and posted thousands of messages urging the 43-year-old to change her mind.

In a cryptic Facebook post on Saturday -- the day after the deadline for registering as a candidate -- Sara thanked her supporters who turned up at the Manila registration site for national positions, including president.

"Although I was not at the Sofitel (hotel), you did not lose hope and patience during the wait," she said, hours before her office announced she had tested positive for COVID-19. "For this I offer my heartfelt thanks."

The elder Duterte has not named a successor, but indicated recently Sara would run alongside his longtime aide Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go.

While Sara missed Friday's closing date, analysts say she has until November 15 to make a late entry into the presidential race -- like her father did in 2015.

Sara, known for her quick temper and fondness for big motorbikes, was in first place in the latest Pulse Asia poll of voter preferences for president.

She was followed by Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of a former dictator, celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.

All except Sara have declared they will run for the top job.

DELA ROSA SAYS PICKED AS PRESIDENTIAL BET 2 HOURS BEFORE COC FILING DEADLINE

MANILA — Sen. Bato Dela Rosa on Monday revealed he was picked as the presidential bet of a faction of President Rodrigo Duterte's political party just 2 hours before the filing of candidacies closed.

Dela Rosa said he was the second choice of the party, after Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, who was initially nominated as standard-bearer but filed his certificate of candidacy for vice president.

Dela Rosa's name did not surface in the earlier national assembly and convention of the PDP-Laban wing led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

"Tinawagan ako [ni Cusi] 3 o’clock in the afternoon [on Friday] na pumunta sa Sofitel para mag-file ng COC," Dela Rosa said in a virtual conference.

The deadline for filing of candidacies was at 5 PM last Friday at the Commission on Elections' tent at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.

Dela Rosa said Cusi told him, "Wala na tayong ibang nakitang puwedeng magpapatuloy ng legacy ni President Duterte na iiwan, kundi ikaw."

A former police chief, Dela Rosa had led Duterte's anti-narcotics drive before he was elected as senator in 2019.

Dela Rosa said he replied, "'Okay, I'll be there, pero malayo ako ha, baka ma-traffic ako, alas-5 ang deadline."

"Binilisan ko, pumunta ako doon," Dela Rosa said. "Iyon na, ginawa namin 'yong COC at nag-file."

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PHILIPPINES CONFIRMS OVER 12K NEW COVID CASES, ALMOST 28K NEW RECOVERIES

MANILA - The Philippines confirmed 12,159 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the country’s total to 2,666,562.

The Department of Health also reported 27,727 new recoveries, pushing the total number of Filipinos who recovered from the disease to 2,536,011.

This means that the country has a total of 90,927 active cases as of 7:45 p.m. Sunday.

One hundred nineteen new deaths were also reported, bringing the country’s death toll from the disease to 39,624.

The country is still struggling to ramp up its vaccine rollout. The government has said that it wants to inoculate over 77.1 million Filipinos by the end of the year.

ABS-CBN News however has been tracking the number of vaccinations since March, and as of Sept. 30, only 22.9 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This means that the government has reached just 29.7 percent of its target after more than 6 months.

PHILIPPINES SEES 411 MORE DELTA VARIANT CASES

MANILA — The Department of Health on Monday reported 411 more cases of the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19 from samples collected as far as February this year.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the new infections accounted for 55% of the 747 samples collected up until last month.

The number of local cases and of returning Filipinos from overseas with the Delta were not immediately available.

But Vergeire added 88 cases of the Alpha or the variant first identified in the United Kingdom were also seen, as well as 78 cases of the Beta or that originally reported in South Africa.

This development pushed the Philippines' total count of Delta cases to 3,798, or 26.2% of the 14,517 samples tested in total.

Beta variant followed with 3,307 cases or 22.78%, while the number of Alpha variant cases stood at 2,935 or 20.22%.

"The increased proportion of these variants can be attributed to their increased transmissibility," Vergeire said in a briefing.

She added, however, that sampling methodology also affects the proportions as authorities remain prioritizing samples from target areas or populations.

Vergeire said these include those in areas with clustering of cases, severe to critical infections, as well as samples from areas with a sudden increase in cases and fully vaccinated individuals.

SITWASYON SA PALAPAG BALIK-NORMAL NA MATAPOS ANG BAGYONG ‘MARING’

MANILA – Balik-normal na ang sitwasyon sa bayan ng Palapag sa Northern Samar matapos itong bayuhin ng bagyong Maring nitong nakaraang linggo.

“Back to normal na po. At least yung bagyong [Maring] nakaraos din sa’min kahapon,” ani acting Mayor Ricardo Batula.

Nitong Sabado, nasa 50 tao ang sinagip sa lugar matapos ma-stranded nang tumaas ang tubig sa Sangay-Napo River dahil sa tuloy-tuloy na ulan.

Na-stranded ang mga residente dahil na rin sa nasirang temporary na tulay, ayon sa municipal disaster office.

Ani Batula, lagpas-tao ang naging baha sa Barangay Napo.

“Hanggang lagpas-tao yung ano doon sa may Barangay Napo, which is yung mga nirescue namin gamit yung rescue boat ng (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office).”

Hiling din ni Batula na sana matapos na ang ginagawang tulay sa kanilang lugar.

“Ongoing na po yung ginagawang tulay dyan which is project ng provincial government under ng province,” paliwanag niya.

“Kailangan kasi matapos na yun kaagad dahil maraming tumatawid diyan which mga barangay, mga limang barangay po yun kasi naka-andyan, tumatawid araw-araw, so kailangan po talaga matapos yung tulay na yun.”

“Dahil pag maliit kasi yung ilog, doon talaga malakas yung alon, ‘pag yung baha lumalakas ‘pag konting ulan lang kasi masikip,” aniya.

Nang tanungin kung anong petsa target masimulan at matapos ang nasabing proyekto, sinabi ni Batula, “Supposed to be ang ano niyan is June 30. Ano palang, nagki-clearing pa lang nung last month.”

“Sana sana, pinapakiusap ko sa contractor na maumpisahan kaagad yun dahil yung temporaring tulay na ginagamit namin ngayon eh naano na naman, nasira na naman yung mga dulo.”

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

ALESSANDRA DE ROSSI PUTS UP HER OWN INDIE MUSIC LABEL

Alessandra de Rossi is a chameleon. She can do romantic comedies, horror, drama, and even fantasy.

Would it surprise you that she is following the path of Sofia Coppola, who she admits is an inspiration, by not only writing and directing but also scoring her own film?

Music, after all, is passion and love.

“I used to go to the old Tower Records and Music One in Glorietta and would buy a lot of CDs of music including bands that weren’t mainstream,” de Rossi said of her love for music.

De Rossi recently announced that she is putting up AWOOO Records – for A World Of Our Own – with Filipino-German chanteuse Hya and Southern California singer-songwriter Alfa as her initial roster of talents.

Both artists are women who signify the kind of strength that de Rossi wants to uphold. She said she's going to be on the lookout for artists who have distinct vocals and styles that are worth putting out there, and if possible, break out internationally.

“She sounded like an angel, and my world just stopped. I knew in my heart that this girl, given a chance, could be someone new singers can look up to,” de Rossi said of Hya (or Lee’Anna Weber Layumas), whose impressive range and knack for soothing melodies impressed the actress.

Her lilting debut single “Raindrops” arranged and co-produced with Nick Lazaro for La Balls Studio, is the first single from AWOOO.

Alfa is a schooled multi-instrumentalist who gravitated towards music very early on, eventually releasing three albums, an EP, and snagging top honors in the world category of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest in 2020.

While de Rossi is keen on promoting her young stable of artists, she admits to being shy about her personal music.

ACTOR JAKE CUENCA HELD AFTER CAR CHASE

MANILA — Authorities have filed criminal charges against actor Jake Cuenca, who reportedly sped off in his Rubicon jeep after ramming a police car during an anti-narcotics operation in Mandaluyong City on Saturday night.

Cuenca, 33, was arrested following a car chase where a driver of ride-hailing firm Grab was hit by a stray bullet from police, according to Eastern Police District director Brig. Gen. Matthew Baccay.

Charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property were filed against Cuenca.

The actor would be subjected to a medical examination, police said.

Baccay said Cuenca drove through the scene of the drug sting and hit a police vehicle at around 9 p.m.

The actor allegedly sped off instead of checking the damage, prompting a car chase that ended along Shaw Boulevard near Pasig.

“Police chased him. Our personnel had to disable the vehicle and fired at one of the tires during the chase. A stray bullet hit a Grab driver,” Baccay said in an interview on dzBB.

Police said Grab driver Eleazar Martinito, 43, was taken to the nearest hospital and is now in stable condition.

Baccay ordered the Mandaluyong police to take care of the victim’s needs.

“It’s a very unfortunate incident. Our personnel might have had an adrenaline rush when the accident took place. We confiscated marijuana during the sting,” Baccay said.

With the absence of a medical report, Baccay said he could not say if Cuenca was under the influence of drugs or liquor.

Baccay said probers did not find drugs in Cuenca’s car, which has been impounded by the police.

In a television report, Cuenca’s father said the actor suffered injuries.

He said Cuenca sped away out of fear because he did not know that the men chasing after him were police personnel in civilian clothes.

SPORTS

SAN MIGUEL DEF. TNT, 116-90 (PBA) SEMIS GAME 4

San Miguel Beermen defeated TNT Tropang GIGA, 116-90 to tie their best-of-7 semifinal series at 2-2 in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Moala Tautuaa led the Beermen with 25 points (7/9 FG, 10/13 FT), 9 rebounds, 1 assists, 1 steal and 1 block in 25 minutes of play. Terrence Romeo with a solid game of 16 points (6/11 FG, 2/5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal while June Mar Fajardo finished with a double-double of 13 points (5/6 FG, 3/5 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block.

The Scores:

SAN MIGUEL 116 - Tautuaa 25, Romeo 16, Fajardo 13, Lassiter 13, Cabagnot 12, Santos 11, Ross 7, Pessumal 4, Zamar 3, Gamalinda 2, Gotladera 0.

TNT 90 - Castro 15, Khobuntin 13, M. Williams 11, Rosario 10, Exciminiano 8, Mendoza 6, Heruela 5, Montalbo 4, Alejandro 4, Javier 4, Erram 3, Marcelo 3, Pogoy 2, Reyes 2.

Quarters: 26-14, 52-37, 91-61, 116-90.

MAGNOLIA DEF. MERALCO, 81-69 (PBA) SEMIS GAME 4

Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots defeated Meralco Bolts, 81-69 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their best-of-7 semifinal series in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Calvin Abueva led the Hotshots with a double-double performance of 17 points (5/18 FG, 2/7 3PT, 5/7 FT), 12 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. Ian Sangalang had his own double-double of 17 points (7/17 FG) and 11 rebounds while Mark Barroca added 17 points (6/11 FG, 2/3 3PT, 3/3 FT), 6 assists, 1 rebound and 1 steal.

Magnolia spoiled Reynel Hugnatan's huge game of 21 points (8/17 FG, 3/7 3PT), 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Magnolia shot 28/77 or 36% from the field (Meralco - 25/69 FG, 5/32 3PT) including a 5-of-24 shooting from downtown and went 20-of-27 from the free throw line and committed 10 turnovers (Meralco - 22TO) in the contest.

The Scores:

MAGNOLIA 81 - Abueva 17, Sangalang 17, Barroca 17, Jalalon 10, Lee 9, Ahanmisi 5, Dionisio 4, Corpuz 1, Reavis 1, Dela Rosa 0.

MERALCO 69 - Hugnatan 21, Hodge 13, Newsome 11, Quinto 7, Pinto 6, Belo 3, Pasaol 3, Baclao 3, Maliksi 2, Caram 0.

Quarters: 23-18, 46-35, 68-50, 81-69.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Success comes not from having certainty, but being able to live with uncertainty. - Jeffrey Fry