DUTERTE TO GET FULL HONORS FROM US IF HE VISITSMANILA - President Duterte will be accorded full honors given to heads ofstate if he decides to go to the United States and accept President DonaldTrump's invitation for the Philippine leader and other heads of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to attend a special summit inLas Vegas, Nevada in March.Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez gave theassurance and agreed with an earlier statement made by Sen. Panfilo Lacsonthat Duterte will be accorded the necessary diplomatic immunity and courtesybefitting a head of state if he goes to the US."Sen. Lacson is right. President Duterte, if he decides to go, will be givenfull honors accorded to all heads of state," Romualdez told The STAR in atext message yesterday from Washington.Romualdez, who also writes a column for The STAR, referred to a statement ofLacson, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security.The senator was among those who earlier called on Duterte to accept Trump'sinvitation since the Philippines is a prominent and senior member of theASEAN.As such, Lacson said the Philippines must maintain its status in theinternational community."Since he was officially invited by President Trump, Duterte will beaccorded the necessary diplomatic immunity and courtesy befitting a head ofstate. So there should be no apprehension on how he will be treated while inthe US territory," Lacson added.DUTERTE HIGHLIGHTS PHILIPPINES-CHINA TIES IN CHINESE NEW YEAR MESSAGEMANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte said he hopes for stronger ties betweenthe Philippines and China in his Chinese New Year 2020 message released onSaturday."The fact that we are celebrating this event and embracing it as one of ourown reflects the strong and inseparable bond that has been forged throughcenturies of friendly and beneficial relations between the Philippines andChina," read the president's message published on social media by PTV.The president's pro-China statement comes barely a couple of days after histhreat to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippinesand the United States.The Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces has since started processingthe termination of the VFA.Duterte has been criticized by the opposition for verbally using the saidagreement as leverage for Sen. Bato dela Rosa's US visa, apparently onlyholding an anti-imperialist stance "when convenient" and not being as firmin foreign affairs related to rising power China."As we open a new page in our shared history, may we foster even strongerbonds of friendship with those of Chinese descent all around the worldthrough cooperation, investments, cultural exchanges, and people-to-peopleties," Duterte said.The president also said he hopes that the Chinese-Filipino community willcontinue to hold socio-civic and charitable acts "that will uplift the livesof our people, especially the power and the marginalized.""Together, these small acts of kindness shall create a ripple effect thatwill benefit not only those belonging to your community but also countlessothers, creating a much bigger wave of compassion that will eventuallyredound to the greater good of our country."PHILIPPINES NOW DENYING VISAS TO WUHAN TOURISTSMANILA - The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has started denying applications forvisa-upon-arrival (VUA) by tour groups from Wuhan City, China due to risksposed by the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).The decision to deny VUA for tourists from Wuhan came after the CivilAeronautics Board (CAB) suspended all direct flights from the city to thePhilippines, BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said yesterday.The BI launched the VUA program in 2017 to attract more tourists andinvestors from China.Before the flight suspension, the BI recorded 1,122 tourist arrivals and 901departures on board Pan Pacific Airlines and 637 and 750 arrivals anddepartures, respectively on Royal Air from Dec. 1 to 31.A total of 2,164 arrivals and 1,741 departures on Pan Pacific Airlines and848 arrivals and 567 departures on Royal Air were recorded from Jan. 1 to24.Authorities are intensifying efforts to prevent the 2019-nCOV from enteringthe country.CHINA VIRUS DEATH TOLL RISES TO 56, TOTAL CASES NEAR 2,000WUHAN (UPDATE) - The death toll from a virus in China has risen to 56 andthe number of people infected across the country is nearing 2,000,authorities said Sunday.Fifteen more people have died and at least 688 new cases of the coronavirushave now been confirmed, according to the National Health Commission.Among the new deaths, 13 were in Hubei, the province at the heart of theoutbreak, while Shanghai reported its first death.At least 52 people have now died in total in Hubei, two in central Henanprovince, one in Heilongjiang in the northeast and one in Hebei in thenorth.Hubei's health authorities separately reported 323 new confirmed cases ofthe virus, which first emerged in the provincial capital, Wuhan, in lateDecember.Chinese authorities have so far reported 1,975 cases nationwide.President Xi Jinping warned Saturday that China faced a "grave situation" asauthorities raced to contain a respiratory illness that has caused thewidespread abandonment of Lunar New Year celebrations nationwide andoverwhelmed health facilities in Hubei.The contagion remained centered on the Hubei provincial capital of Wuhan,which accounted for seven of the new deaths and 46 of the new confirmedcases, said the Hubei Health Commission.Wuhan and more than a dozen other cities in the province have been lockeddown in a rapidly expanding quarantine effort marked by transport shutdownsand other restrictions on movement.Hundreds of military doctors have been sent to Hubei and authorities arerushing to build a pair of field hospitals to deal with the crisis aspatients swamp local medical facilities.The virus has spread nationwide in China and cases have been reported inseveral other countries as far away as the United States, France, Australiaand Malaysia.BRAZILIAN FAMILY FROM WUHAN IN PALAWAN HOSPITAL FOR CORONAVIRUS SYMPTOMSTaiwanese girl who mingled with Wuhan tourist also under observationMANILA - A Brazilian family of 3 were placed at the isolation room of ahospital in Puerto Princesa, Palawan Friday after showing flu-like symptomsfollowing a recent trip to Wuhan, China, the epicenter of a fast-spreadingdisease that has killed dozens and infected more than a thousand people.The family, a couple and their 10-year-old boy, came in for a checkup at therural health unit of tourist haven El Nido on Friday, said Dr. AudieCipriano, medical professional staff chief at the Ospital ng Palawan.While the parents had no fever, their child had to be confined after showingrespiratory symptoms including difficulty breathing and fever.The family had to be isolated given their history of travel in Wuhan, aChinese transport hub of 11 million people now on lockdown in a bid toarrest the spread of the disease."''Yong Brazilian, number one they came from Wuhan. Then symptoms 'yong bata(the child) had presenting symptoms ng respiratory symptoms, difficulty ofbreathing and galing sa Wuhan (they came from Wuhan)," he said.WITH WUHAN VIRUS GENETIC CODE IN HAND, SCIENTISTS BEGIN WORK ON A VACCINECHICAGO/LONDON, Jan 24 - When a newly organised vaccine research group atthe U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) met for the first time thisweek, its members had expected to be able to ease into their work.But their mandate is to conduct human trials for emerging health threats -and their first assignment came at shocking speed.In just three months time, they likely will be testing the first of a numberof potential experimental vaccines against the new SARS-like coronavirusthat is spreading in China and beyond."I told them, 'you are going to have your baptism of fire, folks'," AnthonyFauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and InfectiousDiseases within NIH, said of his inaugural address to the group this week.Three months from gene sequence to initial human testing would be thefastest the agency has ever gotten such a vaccine off the ground, Faucisaid.Chinese scientists were able to quickly identify the genetic sequence of thenew coronavirus and officials posted it publicly within a few days, allowingscientific research teams to get to work right away.With the genetic code in hand, scientists can start vaccine development workwithout needing a sample of the virus.They are attacking from several angles, with global health and epidemicresponse agencies hoping at least one treatment will be in human trialswithin a few months.Fauci's agency is partnering with U.S. biotech Moderna Inc , whichspecializes in vaccines based on ribonucleic acid (RNA) - a chemicalmessenger that contains instructions for making proteins.DFA SENDS RESPONSE TEAMS TO IRAQMANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has deployed two rapidresponse teams to Iraq to facilitate the repatriation of Filipinos from theMiddle Eastern nation, an official said yesterday.Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs Sarah LouArriola said four Filipinos from Iraq's northern province of Erbil arrivedon Friday afternoon, including two who were victims of trafficking.The new arrivals brought the number of Filipino repatriates from Iraq to 21since Alert Level 4 was declared earlier this month.Arriola said the recent arrival of repatriates is part of the efforts of therapid response teams deployed in Iraq.ROBREDO ASKS FOR PRAYERS FOR MOTHERMANILA - Vice President Leni Robredo has asked for prayers for her motherwho remains confined in a hospital.In a post on Facebook on Friday, Robredo said she rushed home to Naga Cityto be with her mother Salvacion Gerona, noting that she "turned for theworst.""Please help me pray that she pulls through this," she said as he posted aphoto of the medical equipment beside her mother's hospital bed.Robredo did not disclose her mother's illness.In her post yesterday, the Vice President said her mother was still onventilator."She's much better today and her vital signs have improved. Still prayingfor her complete healing,"she said.Robredo was busy with relief operations for victims of Taal Volcano's unrestin the past two weeks.TAAL VOLCANO ALERT DOWN TO LEVEL 3MANILA (2nd UPDATE) - Taal Volcano's status was lowered to alert level 3 onSunday morning as state seismologists monitored a decreased tendency towardshazardous eruption, Phivolcs officer-in-charge Renato Solidum said."Ang pagbaba sa alert level 3 base sa mga parametrong binabanatayan aynagpapakita ng pagbaba ng tendency towards towards hazardous eruption,"Solidum told DZMM."Pero ito po ay hindi nangangahulugan na ang aktibidad ng Taal Volcano aytumigil na, o di kaya'y ang banta ng mapanganib na eruption ay nawala na po.Nandyan pa po," he added.On Jan. 12, Phivolcs raised the alert level over Taal from Level 1 to 4 dueto magmatic unrest, prompting mandatory evacuation of residents in areaswithin its 14-kilometer radius. Alert level 4 warns of a hazardous explosiveeruption possibly within hours to days.In its 8 a.m. bulletin on Sunday, Phivolcs said "Taal Volcano's condition inthe two weeks following the 12-13 January 2020 phreatomagmatic eruption(main eruptive phase) has generally declined into less frequent volcanicearthquake activity, decelerated ground deformation of the Taal Caldera andTaal Volcano Island edifices and weak steam/gas emissions at the MainCrater."Solidum urged residents to stay away from the volcano's 7-kilometer radiusas it lowered the alert level, and local officials to assess damages androad accessibilities in their areas.Residents of all towns under lockdown except Agoncillo and Laurel, which arewithin the prohibited area, may return to their respective residences orplaces of work, Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas told reporters."It is still possible that Taal Volcano may still erupt. Therefore, allreturning residents must be constantly alert, vigilant and ready to evacuatewithin one hour," he said.In an advisory, Mandanas identified the following as areas where residentshave the option to return: Alitagtag, Balete, Cuenca, Lemery, Lipa City,Malvar, Mataas na Kahoy, San Nicolas, Sta. Teresita, Taal, Talisay, andTanauan City.The volcano island remains on permanent lockdown.ANOTHER PANGASINAN TOWN UNDER STATE OF CALAMITY DUE TO ASFMALASIQUI, Pangasinan - This town, where hogs in three barangays testedpositive for African swine fever (ASF), has been placed under a state ofcalamity.A resolution declaring a state of calamity was passed by the municipalcouncil on Thursday to contain the spread of the disease and assist affectedhog raisers in Barangays Apaya, Polong Norte and Mabulitec, Mayor NoelAnthony Geslani told The STAR yesterday.Geslani said 395 hogs were culled in Barangay Apaya and 283 in Polong Norte.Piggeries in Mabulitec are being monitored.He said P2 million was initially allocated to assist affected hog raisers.Geslani said he ordered the closure of the slaughterhouse in the town whileit is being disinfected.He appealed to hog raisers to observe the lockdown among other preventivemeasures to prevent the spread of the swine disease.Binmaley had been earlier placed under a state of calamity due to ASF, whichhas affected five barangays.REFORMING DRUG USERS UNDERGO TESTING IN BASILANISABELA CITY - Hundreds of reforming former drug dependents here underwentFriday another testing for use of methamphetamine hydrochloride as part ofan intervention for them to fully bounce back from addiction.The continuing program to usher them back into the mainstream communities isa joint initiative of the Isabela City police station, the office of IsabelaCity Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, the Philippine Drug EnforcementAgency and the city's 45 barangay governments.The local government unit of Isabela City, a port hub in the island provinceof Basilan, is aiming to soon have at least 12 more "drug-cleared" barangaysto add to the nine barangays already sanitized through the efforts ofcommunity leaders, the police and Basilan-based PDEA personnel.SAM CONCEPCION FEELS THE PRESSURE AS HE STARS IN NEW STAGING OF 'JOSEPH THEDREAMER'MANILA -- Film, TV and theater actor Sam Concepcion was specificallyhandpicked to ply the title role in "Joseph the Dreamer," the musicalwritten by Freddie Santos, which will be restaged by Trumpets 31 years afterit was first seen onstage."I still can't believe that I'm doing this project," said the 27-year-oldactor, who did not have to go through a rigorous audition process. "Itreally does feel like a dream come true, knowing that I really have bigshoes to fill."The choice of Concepcion was a no-brainer for the show's producers,Trumpets, as he is an actor who knows how to sing, dance and act."You have to act, sing and dance. How many actors can do that?" saidTrumpets' Audie Gemora, who starred in the original "Joseph the Dreamer.""David Ezra, Arman Ferrer can sing the hell out of any song. They can'tdance to save their lives."Concepcion was already anointed by Gary Valenciano as "the next Gary V,"veritably an heir-apparent."Sam has a charm onstage," Gemora insists. "He is a really good actor. Hecan do hip-hop, pop, R&B. If Sam takes theater seriously, he can give themall a run for their money. He's a real leading man material."Hearing those words puts "pressure" on Concepcion. "Coming from the originalJoseph himself, who paved the way for this show, there's pressure,definitely," Concepcion admits. "It's also very inspiring to be given thatrole."He is thankful that the people behind the project gave him the honor ofplaying the role and entrusting him with the musical play. "That, to me, isa challenge," Concepcion humbly acknowledged.He confessed that more than making movies and acting on TV, theater is hisfirst love. However, his last production was "No Filter," a straight playwith monologues staged in 2015. Previously, he also did "The Lion, The Witchand the Wardrobe." "High School Musical" and "Peter Pan.""I was scared to do 'Joseph the Dreamer' at first," Concepcion said. "Iwasn't sure if I could still do it, if I still had the ability being on thetheater stage doing a musical. I didn't want to come in cold."Yet, Concepcion was assured by the musical's producers he can deliver thedemands required for the role. "It's like riding a bike," he said. "It doesfeel like home. I did have to make a lot of adjustments. Slowly, every day,I'm feeling it. I'm still learning. There's still so much room to grow."NBA SCORES JAN 24FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Bucks 40-6    24    26    28    38    116team logo Hornets 15-31    31    24    23    25    103SCORING LEADERSG. Antetokounmpo MIL30 PTS, 16 REB, 6 ASTM. Monk CHA31 PTS, 5 REB, 5 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Celtics 30-14    24    29    29    27    109team logo Magic 21-25    30    27    20    21    98SCORING LEADERSK. Walker BOS37 PTS, 2 REB, 6 ASTE. Fournier ORL30 PTS, 5 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Grizzlies 21-24    35    31    26    33    125team logo Pistons 17-29    23    38    24    27    112SCORING LEADERSJ. Jackson Jr. MEM29 PTS, 6 REB, 1 ASTD. Rose DET22 PTS, 3 REB, 8 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Raptors 31-14    20    36    29    33    118team logo Knicks 12-34    28    25    26    33    112SCORING LEADERSK. Lowry TOR26 PTS, 6 REB, 3 ASTM. Morris NY21 PTS, 10 REB, 2 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Rockets 28-16    36    27    31    37    131team logo Timberwolves 15-30    26    34    24    40    124SCORING LEADERSR. Westbrook HOU45 PTS, 6 REB, 10 ASTK. Towns MIN30 PTS, 12 REB, 3 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Hawks 11-35    30    28    32    21    111team logo Thunder 27-19    33    33    38    36    140SCORING LEADERSJ. Collins ATL28 PTS, 6 REB, 0 ASTD. Gallinari OKC25 PTS, 6 REB, 3 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Kings 16-29    29    25    21    23    98team logo Bulls 17-30    21    23    25    12    81SCORING LEADERS    B. Hield SAC21 PTS, 8 REB, 1 AST    Z. LaVine CHI21 PTS, 6 REB, 2 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Clippers 32-14    22    41    38    21    122team logo Heat 31-14    30    35    20    32    117SCORING LEADERSK. Leonard LAC33 PTS, 10 REB, 10 ASTJ. Butler MIA20 PTS, 8 REB, 7 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Nuggets 31-14    37    26    31    19    113team logo Pelicans 17-29    28    28    26    24    106SCORING LEADERSN. Jokic DEN27 PTS, 12 REB, 7 ASTJ. Redick NO18 PTS, 2 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Suns 19-26    22    34    22    25    103team logo Spurs 20-24    28    16    28    27    99SCORING LEADERS    D. Booker PHO35 PTS, 4 REB, 10 AST    D. DeRozan SA30 PTS, 8 REB, 4 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Pacers 30-16    35    32    31    31    129team logo Warriors 10-37    30    21    35    32    118SCORING LEADERS    T. Warren IND33 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST    D. Russell GS37 PTS, 4 REB, 5 AST