PH HAS ADMINISTERED 70 MILLION COVID-19 DOSES, GOVERNMENT SAYS
MANILA—The government has fully immunized 31,868,120 Filipinos — part of a total 70,677,771 vaccine doses administered as of Monday — the national task force monitoring the COVID-19 crisis said in a statement released Tuesday.
Vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr. said government was confident that 54 million Filipinos would have received one dose by the end of the month.
"With our current pace and the eagerness of all sectors of society to hit and sustain a daily jab rate of 1.5 million, we are confident that by the end of November, half of our target population will be fully vaccinated," Galvez said.
He added that the country's COVID-19 supply inventory has reached 124,914,000, with more doses expected to be delivered in the coming days.
"More than 16 million doses are still expected to arrive this November, which means that by the end of this month, we would be receiving 140 million doses since February. These will be crucial as we carry out a more aggressive vaccination rollout nationwide,” he said.
"The best Christmas gift that we can give to ourselves, our families, our friends and co-workers, and everyone in the community is to have ourselves vaccinated.
"Get the COVID 19 jab now so we can have a better and safer Christmas."
‘GAME CHANGER‘: PFIZER STRIKES GLOBAL LICENSING DEAL FOR COVID PILL
US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer on Tuesday announced a deal to make its prospective antiviral COVID-19 pill available more cheaply in the world's least-wealthy countries.
Pfizer will sub-license production of its promising Paxlovid pill to generic drug manufacturers for supply in 95 low- and middle-income nations covering around 53 percent of the world's population.
Under the deal struck with the global Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), Pfizer -- which also produces one of the most widely used COVID vaccines with German lab BioNTech -- will not receive royalties from the generic manufacturers, making the treatment cheaper.
The agreement is subject to the oral antiviral medication passing ongoing trials and regulatory approval.
The Pfizer drug is to be taken with the HIV medicine ritonavir.
Interim data from ongoing trials demonstrated an 89 percent reduction in the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death compared to a placebo, in non-hospitalized high-risk adults with COVID-19 within three days of symptom onset, said Pfizer.
Similar results were seen within five days of symptom onset, it added.
The Geneva-based MPP is a United Nations-backed international organization that works to facilitate the development of medicines for low- and middle-income nations.
If approved, the pill could be on the market in "a matter of months", MPP policy chief Esteban Burrone told AFP.
DUTERTE, LAWMAKERS IN 'INFORMAL, RELAXED' GATHERING AS DUST SETTLES ON 2022 ALLIANCES
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte met with lawmakers this week as the dust settled on alliances for the 2022 elections, including that of his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.
The meeting happened Tuesday night in Malacañang, said Duterte’s acting spokesman Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles
"It was an informal and relaxed gathering with lawmakers, many of whom are friends of the President dating back to his days as mayor of Davao City," Nograles said in a statement.
"It was, for the President, an opportunity to see friends he had not personally seen since the onset of the pandemic due to the restrictions that had been put in place," he added.
Nograles' statement runs counter to a report that the meeting was supposed to plot the removal of House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Majority Leader Martin Romualdez.
Velasco is a close ally of Duterte-Carpio, who is running for vice president under Romualdez's Lakas-CMD, instead of her father's party, the PDP-Laban.
The President over the weekend said he was displeased with his daughter's candidacy for the No. 2 job, given that she led surveys for the presidency. He blamed her decision on the Marcos camp, which confirmed on Tuesday that she would be his running-mate.
PH TO ADMINISTER COVID-19 BOOSTERS FOR ELDERLY ON 'NATIONAL VACCINATION DAY'
MANILA—The government is looking into administering booster shots for elderly during the 3-day national vaccination drive, which is set on Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, the country's vaccine expert panel said Wednesday.
Dr. Nina Gloriani, head of the DOST’s vaccine development expert panel, said senior citizens could also avail of additional doses earlier depending on the rollout of booster shots for health-care workers.
"Sa ngayon, ang sinasabi nga nila ang A2 baka mag-umpisa doon sa national immunization day dates," she told TeleRadyo.
Booster doses may be given to individuals with comorbidities or the A3 group in early December, Gloriani said.
The government on Wednesday started administering additional COVID-19 jabs to fully-vaccinated health-care workers.
The state drug regulator has approved at least 4 vaccine brands for booster use—Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sinovac as homologous third dose and Sputnik Light as heterologous third dose.
The Department of Health earlier said health-care workers could receive either Moderna, Pfizer or Sinovac vaccine brands for booster doses "regardless of the brand used for the primary series."
"'Pag sinabing booster, within a week, tataas iyong antibody. 'Yan 'yung immunologic basis na talagang mabilis. Dahil tataas 'yung antibody mo, you would expect na mas mataas ang protection mo," Gloriani said.
SARA DUTERTE SAYS PDP-LABAN REJECTED BID TO SUPPORT TANDEM WITH MARCOS
MANILA — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Tuesday said she had sought an alliance with the administration PDP-Laban party for a slate with presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. but that the party refused.
PDP-Laban is fielding Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go for president through an allied party. President Rodrigo Duterte, the Davao City mayor's father, is backing Go, his longtime aide.
"Ang aking partido ay nakipag-alyansa at humingi ng suporta para kay Bongbong Marcos at para sa akin matapos kong tanggapin ang inyong hamon at panawagan," she said. "Tinanggihan ito ng PDP at naiintindihan natin ito (PDP rejected it, and I understand that).
Duterte-Carpio is the standard-bearer of the Lakas-CMD party while Marcos is the presidential candidate of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas. PFP issued a resolution over the weekend "adopting" Duterte-Carpio as vice-presidential candidate.
"Pero gusto ko lamang na linawin — walang pangalan na sinisira o dinudungisan, walang sinasagasaan, walang inaagrabyado, inaaway, pinapaiyak o inaapi," she said.
President Duterte said over the weekend that Go cried when he learned that Duterte-Carpio would be running against him for the vice-presidency.
Go has since withdrawn his candidacy for vice president under the PDP-Laban and filed to run instead as Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan's presidential candidate. PDP-Laban shortly after said that it had formed an alliance with PDDS, which is also backing the president's bid for a Senate seat.
"Sa muli, nananawagan ako ng pagkakaisa. Ang layunin natin ay hindi lamang ituloy ang mga magagandang nasimulan ni Pangulong Duterte kundi ang mas pagbutihin at mas palawigin pa ang mga ito," Duterte-Carpio said.
Marcos' campaign said earlier Tuesday that he is "no longer aligned" with the administration, reversing a statement the former senator made just a month prior.
THINK TANK: DUTERTES LIKELY TO WIN IN 2022 ELECTIONS
MANILA — Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, are likely to win their respective vice-presidential and senatorial bids in the 2022 elections, Fitch Solutions said.
“The Dutertes should perform well in the upcoming elections, given their strong public support, with Sara a likely favourite for vice president,” the United Kingdom-based think tank said in a commentary published Tuesday.
Fitch Solutions said it expects Duterte-Carpio’s popularity to remain strong in the vice-presidential race as she is seen to benefit from the continued support her father enjoys.
Frontrunners in surveys for top posts this early in the election season have usually lost as voter preference typically shifts the closer election day approaches.
Duterte-Carpio’s toughest opponent, Fitch said, would be Senate President Tito Sotto, who surged to the top in the September 2021 Pulse Asia pre-election survey, with 25% of Filipinos saying they would vote for him as vice president.
Fitch Solutions also sees a tighter presidential race with Duterte-Carpio out of the picture, while it expects Sen. Bong Go’s chances of clinching the presidency improving dramatically as the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan and the president are backing him.
With the Dutertes expected to remain in the political arena beyond 2022, Fitch said they will likely exert continued influence on policy making.
PACQUIAO’S BET FOR CEBU GOV CHANGES MIND
MANILA — A former mayor of Pimamungajan town in Cebu has decided to forgo her plan to run for governor so she can focus on campaigning for presidential aspirant Sen. Manny Pacquiao.
“I have chosen not to seek a post at the Cebu provincial capitol and instead focus all my energy on his campaign. This journey is not about me but all about Sen. Manny Pacquiao. I believe that for genuine change to happen in this country, we need a leader who is God-fearing, with integrity and a heart for the people,” Geraldine Yapha said yesterday.
Pacquiao had said Yapha would file her certificate of candidacy (COC) for governor under his adopted Promdi party on Monday.
PNP TO REVIEW ONGPIN DRUG CASE
MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Dionardo Carlos yesterday ordered a review of the case of cocaine possession filed by the La Union police against Julian Roberto Ongpin, which was dismissed by a court in San Fernando, La Union.
Carlos instructed Maj. Gen. Omega Jireh Fidel, PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management director, to review the case following an apparent oversight and lapses by the police in the handling of drug evidence against Ongpin.
“We want to know which aspect of the case may have been overlooked to preclude similar situations in other police operations,” Carlos said in a statement.
PAGSUNOD SA 'APAT DAPAT' MAHALAGA SA PAPASYALAN NG MGA BATA - HEALTH EXPERT
MAYNILA - Pinaalalahanan ng isang pediatric infectious disease specialist ang mga magulang na kailangan pa rin masunod ang minimum public health standard sa mga lugar kung saan nila nais na ipasyal ang kanilang mga anak.
“I understand na sobrang excited ng families na lumabas ulit, mamasyal pero tandaan naman natin na hindi pa naman nawawala yung virus,” pahayag ni Dr. Anna Ong-Lim na kasapi din ng Technical Advisory Group ng Department of Health.
Sa panayam sa TeleRadyo Miyerkoles ng umaga, sinabi ni Lim na mas bulnerableng mahawa ng COVID-19 ang mga bata lalo’t hindi pa bakunado laban sa virus.
“Sila ngayon yung lantad na hawahan ng sakit kasama na yung mga bata. Bilang mga magulang dapat pinag-iingatan natin kung saan natin sila ipapasyal,” sabi niya.
Payo ni Lim sa mga magulang na muling balikan ang panuntunan na APAT DAPAT o Air circulation, Physical distancing, Always wear masks at Thirty minute interaction o less, sa tuwing ipapasyal nila ang kanilang mga anak.
Ang magandang tandaan ng lahat ng pamilya lalo na parating na ang Pasko, ayaw naman nating may maospital over the Christmas holidays, isipin natin kung yung pupuntahan natin ke park o mall masusunod ba natin yung APAT Dapat. Kaya ba nating i-perfect? Kung kaya maganda. Kung hindi, mag-isip ng dalawa hanggang tatlong beses kung sulit ba itong pupuntahan natin,” sabi niya.
WEEKLY COVID-19 TEST PARA SA MGA DI BAKUNADONG EMPLEYADO ISINUSULONG
MAYNILA - Suportado ni Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion ang isinusulong na lingguhang COVID-19 test para sa mga empleyadong hind bakunado.
Hinihintay na lang sa ngayon ang implementing guidelines ng Inter-agency Task Force. Bagama't sa pagkakaalam niya ay papayagan ang antigen test kung hindi kaya ang RT-PCR test.
Pero ang gastos ay sagot ng empleyado at hindi ng kompanya.
Giit ni Concepcion, hindi magiging ligtas ang lahat kung hindi bakunado ang lahat ng empleyado.
"We support this, but the idea did not come from us pero alam mo matagal na ako nagsasabi that we really have to push vaccination," ani Concepcion.
PHILIPPINES WINS GLOBAL SCIENCE COMPETITION
MANILA — The Philippines won the first-ever Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Catalyst Pitch competition given by the US Department of State with its Philippine-based startup Galansiyang, placing first in two categories.
The GIST Catalyst Pitch is a global competition launched in 2017 that gives science and technology entrepreneurs a platform to develop innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.
The US embassy yesterday said Galansiyang was declared winner on Nov. 9.
Globally, 25 teams went to the semifinal round of GIST in October.
In November, five innovators were chosen to advance to the finals of the competition, with Galansiyang representing the Asia-Pacific region.
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LTFRB ALLOWS ENTRY OF NEW TRANSPORT FIRMS
MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has lifted the moratorium on the entry of transport network companies (TNCs) in the ride-hailing industry.
In a memorandum circular dated Nov. 12, said it decided to give other companies an opportunity to apply to invite healthy competition among TNCs in the transport network vehicle services (TNVS) market.
“In uniformly applying the existing policies of the board, while giving new entrants the opportunity to apply, thus, inviting healthy competition among the TNCs, the moratorium on the acceptance of application for accreditation as TNC is hereby lifted,” the LTFRB said.
LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra III and board members Joel Pernito and Sherwin Mylil Begyan signed the memorandum circular.
The transport regulator suspended the acceptance of new TNC applications on Aug. 10, 2018 after it received a “considerable number of applications.”
However, it has decided to lift the moratorium after observing that only one TNC, which it did not name, “has been dominating the market in terms of bookings and ridership” while other firms “appeared to be not operationally capable to assume the responsibilities as TNC.”
13 ABU SAYYAF BANDITS SURRENDER IN SULU
ZAMBOANGA CITY — The military said the strength of the Abu Sayyaf has continued to diminish with the surrender of more of its members.
Thirteen Abu Sayyaf bandits, who surrendered in Patikul, Sulu on Monday, turned over 14 firearms to the 1103rd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Barangay Bon-Bon, according to brigade commander Brig. Gen. Benjamin Batara.
Batara said 10 M1 Garand rifles, two M16 rifles, an M79 grenade launcher with a round of ammunition and a 9mm pistol were turned over by the surrenderees.
Last week, five Abu Sayyaf bandits who surrendered also turned over their guns.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
'NO 3RD PARTY': JANINE GUTIERREZ, RAYVER CRUZ HAVE BROKEN UP, SOURCE CONFIRMS
MANILA — Janine Gutierrez and Rayver Cruz have broken up after four years together, a source close to the former couple confirmed with ABS-CBN News on Tuesday.
Gutierrez, 32, and Cruz, 32, separated “a month and a half ago,” or sometime early October, according to the source.
Cruz had just greeted Gutierrez on her birthday through an Instagram post on October 2, before their split. That post, where he referred to Gutierrez as a diamond and told her “ILY” (I love you), is no longer visible on Cruz’s page.
As of writing, both still appeared to follow each other on the social media platform. As celebrity breakups go, severing ties online is seen as the first hint of the separation.
“No third party was involved,” the source told ABS-CBN News.
“They haven’t seen each other for a long time because of the lock-in tapings,” the source said, referring to new-normal protocols for showbiz productions, where projects are quarantined for weeks.
“Perhaps they drifted apart,” the source added.
Gutierrez is the lead star in the ongoing ABS-CBN family drama “Marry Me, Marry You,” which wrapped filming in late October; while Cruz was a main cast member in a recently concluded GMA-7 series.
Prior, Gutierrez and Cruz had both been busy with other projects — “Dito at Doon” and “The Clash,” respectively, among others — which started during the pandemic.
The two had shared a professional home in GMA-7 for two years, before Gutierrez switched networks to ABS-CBN in January.
Neither Gutierrez nor Cruz has issued a statement on their breakup, as of writing.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES NOV 15
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Celtics7-7 19 18 28 33 98
Cavaliers9-6 22 17 25 28 92
ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE, CLEVELAND, OH
SCORING LEADERS
J. Tatum BOS
23 PTS 8 REB 5 AST
R. Rubio CLE
28 PTS 6 REB 2 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pelicans2-13 25 33 22 20 100
Wizards10-3 25 16 32 32 105
CAPITAL ONE ARENA, WASHINGTON, DC
SCORING LEADERS
B. Ingram NO
31 PTS 5 REB 4 AST
S. Dinwiddie WAS
27 PTS 5 REB 9 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Kings6-8 31 37 24 37 129
Pistons3-10 12 32 26 37 107
LITTLE CAESARS ARENA, DETROIT, MI
SCORING LEADERS
B. Hield SAC
22 PTS 2 REB 2 AST
S. Bey DET
28 PTS 4 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pacers6-9 20 29 25 10 84
Knicks8-6 16 32 21 23 92
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, NY
SCORING LEADERS
M. Brogdon IND
22 PTS 8 REB 7 AST
I. Quickley NY
16 PTS 5 REB 1 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Magic3-11 31 25 28 27 111
Hawks6-9 30 30 33 36 129
STATE FARM ARENA, ATLANTA, GA
SCORING LEADERS
C. Anthony ORL
29 PTS 3 REB 11 AST
T. Young ATL
23 PTS 4 REB 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Nuggets9-5 32 26 25 18 101
Mavericks9-4 35 14 30 32 111
AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER, DALLAS, TX
SCORING LEADERS
N. Jokic DEN
35 PTS 16 REB 6 AST
K. Porzingis DAL
29 PTS 11 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Rockets1-13 20 36 15 31 102
Grizzlies7-7 33 41 31 31 136
FEDEXFORUM, MEMPHIS, TN
SCORING LEADERS
J. Green HOU
15 PTS 2 REB 1 AST
J. Morant MEM
22 PTS 6 REB 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Heat9-5 23 20 31 29 103
Thunder5-8 24 19 24 23 90
PAYCOM CENTER, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK
SCORING LEADERS
T. Herro MIA
26 PTS 7 REB 6 AST
L. Dort OKC
20 PTS 4 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Suns10-3 18 22 26 33 99
Timberwolves4-9 21 18 23 34 96
TARGET CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
SCORING LEADERS
D. Booker PHO
29 PTS 5 REB 5 AST
K. Towns MIN
35 PTS 13 REB 2 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Raptors7-8 33 27 25 28 113
Trail Blazers7-8 24 37 24 33 118
MODA CENTER AT THE ROSE QUARTER, PORTLAND, OR
SCORING LEADERS
O. Anunoby TOR
29 PTS 6 REB 2 AST
C. McCollum POR
29 PTS 3 REB 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Bulls10-4 33 24 37 27 121
Lakers8-7 25 23 25 30 103
STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA
SCORING LEADERS
D. DeRozan CHI
38 PTS 3 REB 6 AST
T. Horton-Tucker LAL
28 PTS 6 REB 2 AST
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 50.30
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong. - Mahatma Gandhi
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