PH WIDENS RED LIST, BARS TRAVEL FROM 7 EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AMID OMICRON THREAT
MANILA - The government body tasked with controlling the COVID-19 pandemic has banned travelers from 7 European countries, in addition to the 7 African nations it earlier placed under the travel Red List.
The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) said Sunday that it was placing Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy under the Red List effective Nov. 28 until Dec. 15.
South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini and Mozambique were earlier placed in the Red List amid the threat of the Omicron variant first reported in the region.
The IATF said it will not allow inbound international travelers coming from or who have been to Red List areas within the last 14 days, regardless of their vaccination status.
Only Filipinos returning to the country via government-initiated or non-government-initiated repatriation and Bayanihan Flights may be allowed, the IATF said. Even then, these Filipinos' entry will be subject to the prevailing entry, testing, and quarantine protocols for Red List areas.
The government meanwhile said it will not bar passengers already in transit and all those who have been to these Red List areas within 14 days immediately before their arrival in the Philippines, or who arrive before 12:01 a.m. Nov. 30.
"They shall nevertheless be required to undergo facility-based quarantine for 14 days with testing on the 7th day, with day 1 being the date of arrival, notwithstanding a negative RT-PCR result," the IATF said in a statement.
Passengers who have already arrived prior to November 28, and are currently undergoing quarantine pursuant to the classifications of their country of origin, shall complete their respective testing and quarantine protocols.
PCRS DETECT OMICRON, STUDIES UNDER WAY FOR OTHER TESTS: WHO
GENEVA, Switzerland — While PCR tests can detect infection with Omicron, studies are looking to whether the Covid-19 variant of concern has any impact on other test types, the WHO said Sunday.
"The widely-used PCR tests continue to detect infection, including infection with Omicron, as we have seen with other variants," the World Health Organization said in an update on what is known so far about the new variant.
"Studies are ongoing to determine whether there is any impact on other types of tests, including rapid antigen detection tests."
Omicron spread across the globe on Sunday, shutting borders and renewing curbs as the EU chief said governments faced a "race against time" to understand the strain.
In its update, the WHO said it was "not yet clear" whether Omicron spreads more easily from person to person, or whether infection with the variant causes more severe disease compared to other strains.
"There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants," the UN health agency said.
"WHO is coordinating with a large number of researchers around the world to better understand Omicron," it said.
"More information will emerge in the coming days and weeks."
COMELEC LIMITS NUMBER OF VOTERS INSIDE POLLING CENTER FOR 2022 ELECTIONS
MANILA — A maximum of 10 voters will only be allowed inside polling precincts during the May 2022 national and local elections, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
However, polling places which are relatively larger and can accommodate more people will be allowed more than 10 voters as long as they observe distancing protocols.
Holding areas will also be set up for voters waiting for their turn to vote.
During a stakeholders forum organized by the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) on Monday, the poll body released its COVID-19 preventive measures that will be implemented during the elections next year.
PH MAY BRING BACK MANDATORY FACE SHIELD USE AMID OMICRON VARIANT
MANILA - The Philippine government may bring back the mandatory use of face shields anew amid the threat of COVID-19's Omicron variant, a top official said on Sunday.
In a virtual press conference, vaccine czar and National Task Force chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said they have yet to decide on it, but the government is keen on requiring the use of any additional protection to keep people safe.
"We will look at the possibility. 'Yan nga 'yung inaano ni Secretary Duque na he is, he is pro na ano, maibalik 'yung any protection na pwede nating gamitin. Kasi some people from WHO also believe na kaya nagkaroon tayo ng result dito sa Delta as compared to others is because of the added protection of the face shield," he said.
SAFETY FIRST: COMELEC EXPLAINS GUIDELINES ON IN-PERSON CAMPAIGNING
MANILA – A unified approach to the pandemic is needed, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday, as it explained why it patterned its in-person campaigning guidelines after the COVID-19 response task force’s alert level system.
The poll body last week released its "new normal" face-to-face campaigning guidelines specifically crafted in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the guidelines, caucuses, meetings, sorties and caravans are allowed at limited capacities, depending on the area’s alert level classification from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on COVID-19.
“The alert level of the IATF is a ready-made system that already, is already based on science. And ultimately, they will have more resources to determine whether or not a particular alert level is appropriate for a specific place,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said.
“Our intention of course is to make sure that the campaign restrictions are calibrated to these standards that they’ve already set,” he added.
Jimenez said it is important that government agencies do not contradict each other in terms of handling the pandemic.
DOCTORS’ GROUP BACKS ROBREDO’S BID
MANILA — More physicians and health care workers in the country are actively engaging in voting advocacy, refusing to be “fence sitters” in the election of new leaders and unafraid to take a stand and support Robredo’s presidential bid.
Dr. Winlove Mojica, a clinical associate professor at the Department of Dermatology of the Philippine General Hospital - University of the Philippines and officer of the Healthcare Professionals Alliance Against Covid-19 (HPAAC), said yesterday that COVID-19 has placed extreme demands on health care workers who faced genuine threats to their own physical safety and indirectly to that of their families.
Mojica said these challenges moved them to support a candidate who carefully makes decisions based on science and who is truly concerned for their welfare.
“There was support from the government, but not enough. There were a lot of missteps. So now, the Doctors for Leni decided that we no longer want to be fence-sitters,” Mojica said in Filipino during the Vice President’s weekly radio program BISErbisyong Leni.
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing such an impact on their lives as health care professionals, he said they consider the chance to elect the next president in May 2022 as the “fight of our lives.”
SANDIGAN ORDERS RETURN OF ‘MARCOS CRONY’S’ ASSETS TO GOVERNMENT
MANILA — The Sandiganbayan has ordered the offices of the registry of deeds in Rizal, Tagaytay and Cagayan to transfer to the government the ownership of seven properties, which the court said were part of the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses and their alleged cronies.
The anti-graft court said the properties remain under the name of Alfonso Lim and his family’s company despite a 2015 court ruling awarding these assets to the state.
In a resolution promulgated on Nov. 26, the court’s Second Division granted the motion for execution filed on Jan. 15, 2020 by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG).
In its motion, the OSG sought the enforcement of the 2015 court ruling, which ordered the turnover to the government of the properties of the Lim and Marcos families, which have a total appraised value of P511.12 million as of 2006.
The OSG said despite the ruling and the issuance of a writ of execution dated Feb. 19, 2018, the Lim family and its logging company Taggat Industries Inc. have not yet returned the properties.
Without any formal act of conveyance by the defendants, the OSG said the deed registrars of the concerned local government units could not automatically transfer the land titles to the state.
The anti-graft court said it earlier ordered Lim and Taggat Industries Inc.to submit within 10 days their comments on the OSG’s motion.
It said no comments or oppositions were filed even as records showed that lawyers Benjamin Santos and Reynald Suarez, counsels for Lim and Taggat Industries, respectively, received the copies of the OSG’s motion as well as the court order.
The properties were among those earlier sought by the Presidential Commission on Good Government to be awarded to the state through a forfeiture case it filed in 1987 against the Marcos family and their alleged cronies.
PHARMALLY EXECS 'OVERPAYMENT' IN TAXES 'PREPOSTEROUS': DRILON
MANILA - Pharmally officials' claim of overpayment in taxes is "preposterous," Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Monday.
Drilon earlier showed during a Senate inquiry that most of the Pharmally officers' income tax returns were not filed, unreadable, or incomplete.
Pharmally president Twinkle Dargani paid only P29,187 in taxes in 2018 and only P1,000 in 2020 while his brother Pharmally Secretary and Treasurer Mohit Dargani only paid P22,062 in 2019 and P97,241 in 2020.
"They are claiming an overpayment of taxes and therefore claims of tax refund of over P500,000 which is certainly preposterous and therefore we are asking for these documents to show they committed fraud in their filing of income tax returns," Drilon told ANC's Headstart.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue has asked until the end of the year to look over the siblings' documents, according to the senator.
The Darganis will be transferred to the Pasay City Jail over their continued failure to submit subpoenaed documents, said Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee which is investigating Pharmally over its alleged anomalous deals with government.
COPS TO SECURE 28 NCR SCHOOLS FOR F2F CLASSES
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) will secure 28 schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) that are being eyed by the Department of Education (DepEd) as the pioneering batch in the region for the resumption of face-to-face classes next month.
PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said yesterday they will coordinate with the DepEd for a final list of the schools that will participate in the program, which will start on Dec. 6.
“The PNP will secure a final list of the participating school so I can order the chiefs of police in those areas to plan for their deployment to ensure security in these school premises,” he said.
The PNP will coordinate with school officials on security coverage, which Carlos said would be limited to police presence outside schools, except during emergencies wherein the assistance of lawmen is needed.
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PH CONFIRMS 838 NEW CASES OF COVID-19, LOWEST THIS YEAR
MANILA - The Philippines confirmed 838 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the country’s total to 2,831,807.
This was the lowest number of fresh cases this year, and the fifth straight day that the country had less than a thousand new cases.
The Department of Health also reported 1,217 new recoveries, pushing the total number of Filipinos who recovered from the disease to 2,766,816.
This means that the country has a total of 16,630 active cases as of 4 p.m. Sunday.
One hundred fifty six new deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, bringing the country’s death toll from the disease to 48,361.
After weathering the ravages of COVID-19’s Delta variant, which is blamed for the worst surge in cases in the country, the Philippines is now on the lookout for the possible entry of the Omicron variant.
CEBU PACIFIC RECEIVES FIRST AIRBUS A330NEO IN BID TO BECOME 'GREENEST' ASIAN AIRLINE
MANILA - Cebu Pacific said it has received its first Airbus A330neo as part of its goal of becoming the "greenest airline" in Asia.
In a statement, the country's largest airline said the 459-seater Airbus A33neo (New Engine Option) could carry more travelers in a single flight resulting in the lowest carbon footprint per passenger.
The plane also uses 25 percent less fuel than previous generation aircraft and consumes as little as 1.4 liters per seat per 100 kilometers, "burning less fuel and emitting less carbon," Cebu Pacific said.
“We believe that growth and sustainability are not mutually exclusive and should in fact be inclusive if we want to work towards the greater good. This is why we will always choose the greener options – increased aircraft efficiency, reduced noise and carbon emissions, to ensure that more low fares will be available for every Juan,” Cebu Pacific chief strategy officer Alex Reyes.
The airline said it is on track to have an all-Neo fleet by 2027.
The aircraft's exterior noise footprint is also nearly 60 percent less, Cebu Pacific said. It is powered by a Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engine.
Airbus Asia-Pacific president Anand Stanley said the A330neo is the first aircraft in the world certified to comply with ICAO's (International Civil Aviation Organization) CO2 emission standards beyond 2028.
"The airline will benefit from the aircraft’s step-change in performance and economics, while maintaining passenger comfort and lowest operating costs,” Stanley said.
Currently, Cebu Pacific operates in 33 domestic and 12 international destinations with its fleet of 73 aircraft.
MMDA: NCR MAYORS AGREED TO RESUME ENFORCEMENT OF NUMBER CODING
MANILA — Mayors of the National Capital Region have agreed to resume the implementation of the number coding scheme.
State-run PTV 4 quoted Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benhur Abalos as saying that the mayors have agreed to implement again number coding for 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Abalos added that the scheme will be implemented this week but did not mention a specific date yet.
The report added that public transportation and motorcycles are exempted from the number coding scheme.
The scheme has been suspended since the pandemic last year, but the MMDA chair last week said they are looking to resume its enforcement for rush hours, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Abalos has also said that medical front liners and drivers of public utility vehicles will be exempted if the number coding is again enforced.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
HOW ALEX GONZAGA, MIKEE MORADA CELEBRATED FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
MANILA – Alex Gonzaga dropped a new vlog where she gave a glimpse of how she and her husband Mikee Morada spent their first wedding anniversary.
Last November 4, the two decided to have a date at a popular restaurant in Tagaytay.
While they were on the way, Gonzaga shared that she considers their biggest achievement to date as a married couple was getting pregnant even though it did not push through, as she had a miscarriage.
The couple closed their first pregnancy chapter on October 12, and they shared the unfortunate news to the public five days later.
For Morada, getting through that difficult phase of their life together was something remarkable.
As for her anniversary gift for her husband, Gonzaga got Morada a game console.
“Nung first pregnancy, siyempre nalungkot si Mikee. Siguro para mawala-wala sa isip niya yung nangyari sa amin, naghanap siya [ng PS5]. Kaso nung naghanap kami, sold out. Kaya ngayon, nakahanap ako,” she said.
Morada, on the other hand, got Gonzaga a necklace.
Gonzaga and Morada tied the knot at their residence in Taytay, Rizal in November last year. The two were in a relationship for four years before they got married.
SPORTS
PBA TO OPEN GOVERNORS CUP ON DEC. 8 BUT FANS NOT YET ALLOWED ON OPENING DAY
MANILA -- The PBA announced on Monday that its Governors Cup will start on December 8 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City, with fans not yet allowed to watch inside the venue.
Ynares will host the first two games of the conference, which features imports with a height limit of 6-foot-6.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial is expected to meet with the various local government units that will host their games, with the hope that they will allow the league to welcome back fans in venues.
"Kasalukuyan tayong nakikipag-usap sa mga LGUs at tayo ay umasa na mapagbibigyan ang ating kahilingan na pahintulutang makapasok at makapanood ang ating mga fans ng laro," said Marcial.
He will meet with the LGU of Pasay City on December 1, Marcial also said.
The IATF, on the other hand, has already given the league the green light to push through with the Governors' Cup.
Aside from the Ynares in Pasig City, also tapped to host PBA games are its usual venues: the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, and the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
More rarely used by the league but still a potential venue is the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
The PBA has held its last two conferences -- both All-Filipino affairs -- in bubbles in Pampanga.
Metro Manila and its neighboring regions are under Alert Level 2 until November 30. Areas under Alert Level 2 are allowed to hold contact sports events, pending the approval of the LGU.
NBA SCORES NOV 27
FINAL/2OT
1 2 3 4 OT T
Timberwolves10-10 35 21 16 28 13 121
76ers10-10 20 21 29 30 13 120
WELLS FARGO CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA
SCORING LEADERS
D. Russell MIN
35 PTS 4 REB 8 AST
J. Embiid PHI
42 PTS 14 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Knicks11-9 28 23 34 14 99
Hawks11-10 27 23 24 16 90
STATE FARM ARENA, ATLANTA, GA
SCORING LEADERS
A. Burks NY
23 PTS 7 REB 3 AST
T. Young ATL
33 PTS 4 REB 7 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Suns17-3 34 22 34 23 113
Nets14-6 20 26 26 35 107
BARCLAYS CENTER, BROOKLYN, NY
SCORING LEADERS
D. Booker PHO
30 PTS 1 REB 4 AST
K. Durant BKN
39 PTS 9 REB 7 AST
FINAL/OT
1 2 3 4 OT T
Hornets13-9 30 41 28 36 8 143
Rockets3-16 43 30 37 25 11 146
TOYOTA CENTER, HOUSTON, TX
SCORING LEADERS
T. Rozier CHA
31 PTS 3 REB 5 AST
C. Wood HOU
33 PTS 16 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Heat13-7 27 22 23 35 107
Bulls13-8 20 26 28 30 104
UNITED CENTER, CHICAGO, IL
SCORING LEADERS
G. Vincent MIA
20 PTS 2 REB 5 AST
D. DeRozan CHI
28 PTS 7 REB 1 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Magic4-17 22 27 20 23 92
Cavaliers10-10 27 27 24 27 105
ROCKET MORTGAGE FIELDHOUSE, CLEVELAND, OH
SCORING LEADERS
W. Carter Jr. ORL
19 PTS 11 REB 1 AST
D. Garland CLE
26 PTS 4 REB 11 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Wizards13-7 41 20 30 29 120
Mavericks10-8 36 33 24 21 114
AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER, DALLAS, TX
SCORING LEADERS
B. Beal WAS
26 PTS 5 REB 7 AST
L. Doncic DAL
33 PTS 4 REB 10 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Pelicans5-17 23 22 22 38 105
Jazz13-7 37 27 32 31 127
VIVINT ARENA, SALT LAKE CITY, UT
SCORING LEADERS
J. Hayes NO
15 PTS 4 REB 1 AST
D. Mitchell UTA
21 PTS 7 REB 7 AST
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 50.43
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
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