HOUSE PANEL APPROVES DIVORCE BILLMANILA - A committee in the House of Representatives approved in principleyesterday the Marriage Dissolution Bill, a measure equivalent to divorce inother countries.House Bill 100, principally authored by Albay 1st District Rep. EdcelLagman, was shelved in April 2018 and refiled in July 2019 under the 18thCongress.Speaking before the House committee on population and family relations,Lagman said the proposed measure is a consolidated version of three divorcebills.Prior to its refiling, the House in the 17th Congress (July 2016-June 2019)voted to pass the bill endorsed by then-speaker Pantaleon Alvarez through avote of 134-57-2."It is safe to say that a divorce bill has been approved by the panelsubject to consolidation by a TWG (technical working group), which will meeton Feb. 12 (this year)," Lagman said.His colleagues in the TWG are Reps. Arlene Brosas of women's group Gabriela;Ma. Victoria Umali of A-Teacher party-list; Juliet Marie Ferrer of NegrosOccidental, and Ma. Lourdes Acosta-Alba of Bukidnon."These (bills) should be prioritized and may be disposed of as mattersalready reported, upon the approval of majority of the members of thecommittee present, there being a quorum," the congressman said.Alvarez, who still represents the first congressional district of Davao delNorte, said the Philippines and Vatican City - where Pope Francis and hisfellow celibate cardinals reside - are the only places around the globe thatdo not have any law on divorce."Dalawa na lang po tayo, ang Pilipinas at ang Vatican ang walang divorce lawsa buong mundo," he said.Since none among the cardinals and priests in the Vatican are even married,Alvarez said: "So, we're the only ones (without a divorce law) to beprecise."But Deputy Speaker Eddie Villanueva, of Citizens' Battle Against Corruption(CIBAC) party-list, objected to the approval of Lagman's bill."The passage of a divorce bill is practically unnecessary. First, it doesnot address issues of high cost of litigation and slow-grinding dispositionof cases, which are the real problems encountered by those seeking relieffrom troubled marriages," he said."Second and more importantly, it is a clear defiance to God and to theConstitution because it will terribly degrade the sacrosanctness of marriageas an inviolable institution," he said.Villanueva, an evangelist and head of the Jesus is Lord Movement, insistedthat state-sanctioned divorce would only ruin the sanctity of marriage anddestroy families."The divorce bills filed in Congress simply enumerate and consolidateremedies for broken marriages already existing in our current laws. That iswhy the divorce bill is unnecessary," he said.Lagman countered: "Divorce will not destroy marriages because there is nomore marriage or happy union to speak of when couples reach the difficultdecision to seek divorce."PHILIPPINES HAS 3RD NCOV CASEMANILA - A 60-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan City is the Philippines'third confirmed 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (nCoV ARD)case, the Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday, while a Filipinoseafarer aboard a cruise ship docked in Yokohama, Japan has tested positivefor the deadly virus, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).The Chinese woman's case brings to three the total number of confirmed casesof the virus infection in the country. The first was a 38-year-old Chinesewoman now recovering, while the second one was her partner, a 44-year-oldChinese man who died of severe pneumonia last weekend.Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said the third confirmed case arrived inCebu City from Wuhan via Hong Kong on Jan. 20 and immediately traveled toBohol."She was not feeling well, so she just stayed at the hotel. On Jan. 22, sheconsulted a private hospital in Bohol after experiencing fever and coryza(head cold)," Domingo said in a press conference.CHINA VIRUS DEATH TOLLS RISES TO 560: GOVTBEIJING - The number of confirmed fatalities from China's coronavirusoutbreak rose to at least 560, after authorities in hardest-hit Hubeiprovince reported 70 new deaths on Thursday.In its daily update, the health commission in Hubei also confirmed another2,987 new cases.That puts the national total at more than 27,300, based on numberspreviously issued by the central government.The epidemic, which has spiraled into a global health emergency, is believedto have emerged in December from a market that sold wild game in Hubei'scapital Wuhan.Hu Lishan, an official in Wuhan, warned Wednesday that despite building ahospital from scratch and converting public buildings to accommodatethousands of extra patients, there was still a "severe" lack of beds in theregion.There was also a shortage of "equipment and materials," he told reporters,adding that officials were looking to convert other hotels and schools inthe city into treatment centers.Authorities in several other cities in China have placed restrictions on thenumber of people allowed to leave their homes.MAYON 'ERUPTIVE ACTIVITY' MAY FOLLOW 'CRATER GLOW': PHIVOLCSMANILA - "Crater glow" observed recently at Mount Mayon could be a precursorof eruptive activity, the country's chief volcanologist said Thursday.Mayon's crater could have glowed in the last 2 days because magma or acharge of molten rocks rose towards its crater, said Phivolcs DirectorRenato Solidum.Magma usually solidifies. However, it will glow if the volcano is about tohave another eruptive activity, he said."Mayroon iyan pamumula ng bulkan o crater glow at minsan iyong crater niya,may pag-umbok na mapapansin bago magsimula ng panibagong eruptive activity,"Solidum told radio DZMM."Inoobserbahan natin kung talagang mayroong bagong aktibidad ang volcano,"he added.Mayon, a tourist attraction because of its near-perfect cone shape,displaced tens of thousands of people after spewing ash, rocks and lava in2018.The volcano is still under Alert 2 due to its "moderate level of unrest,"which means entry is prohibited within its 6-kilometer radius, Phivolcsearlier said.Mayon's most destructive eruption was in February 1814, when lava buried atown and killed 1,200 people.Phivolcs is also monitoring Taal Volcano, south of the capital, which speweda giant ash column last Jan. 25, which authorities said sent tens ofthousands to evacuation centers and damaged around P3.4 billion inagriculture and infrastructure.OBESE COPS START LOSING WEIGHTMANILA - Officials of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO)busted some moves on Tuesday as they stepped up weight reduction efforts forover 750 obese policemen to improve their mobility.NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas led hundreds of police officers in aZumba session in the first day of the project dubbed BMI (body mass index)reduction program at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.The program, which will run until end of March, targets Metro Manila policeofficers categorized as obese 2 (moderate-risk) and 3 (high-risk)."From this day until Feb. 18, you will be weighed daily. On March 31, ifthere is no substantial change, you will be administratively relieved fromyour posts to undergo training," Sinas told policemen.The police officers danced to the moves of Mocha Uson, who served as Zumbainstructor along with two fitness coaches."The approach would be comprehensive and tailor-fitted for our targetpeople. We divided them according to their BMI and they won't be forced tosuddenly shed weight," Toni Saret of Fit Filipino Movement said.Uson vowed to bring the whole crew of the Mocha Girls in the next physicalexercises to "inspire" policemen.Sinas, who weighs around 150 kilos, said he wanted to trim down to 110kilos, which is the ideal weight for his height."But if I couldn't I would not force myself to lose that much, I'm gettingold. I will do it to the best of my ability," Sinas told reporters, addingthat he hopes to lose two kilos per week until the end of March.He said those who would fail to shed excess weight would undergo summer campfor a month, where policemen would exercise daily every morning andafternoon and observe a planned diet.The NCRPO Regional Mobile Force Battalion has crafted an obstacle course forthe summer camp."If one month of summer camp will not suffice, we will push through withanother month of rigid training and exercises" Sinas said.'FAKE NEWS' HAMPERS CREMATION OF PHILIPPINES' FIRST NOVEL CORONAVIRUSFATALITYMANILA - False online information spooked some funeral parlors into backingout of a commitment to cremate the Philippines' first fatality due to thenovel coronavirus, the Department of Health said Thursday.Health Secretary Francisco Duque said he ordered his agency to instead finda public cemetery that would cremate the remains of the 44-year-old malefatality from Wuhan in central China, believed to be the virus' origin.Duque earlier said a funeral parlor in Quezon City agreed to do thecremation after a Chinese-Filipino business community backed out of itspromise to shoulder the procedure."Iyong mga umu-oo, bandang huli umaatras... Walang batayan iyong kanilang[pangamba] kundi iyong mga takot na nakikita daw nila sa kanilang socialmedia, iyon ang itinuturing nilang totoo," he told radio DZMM."Mahirap na iyong trabaho natin, lalo pang humihirap dahil iyong virus ofdisinformation, mas mabilis kumalat," he said.The fatality's 38-year-old female companion also tested positive for thenovel coronavirus and remained under observation, said Duque.Authorities as of Wednesday have traced 203 out of nearly 300 people whocame in close contact with the 2 virus patients.A third patient -- a 60-year old woman -- had returned to China before asecond set of tests confirmed that she was also positive for the virus, thehealth department said Wednesday.DOH SEEKS DELAY IN HOMECOMING OF PINOYS FROM CHINA VIRUS EPICENTERMANILA - The Department of Health said Tuesday it wants to push back thisweekend's repatriation of nearly 50 Filipinos from the central Chinese cityof Wuhan, the epicenter of a global coronavirus outbreak.Authorities are still fixing the water connection of a mega drug rehabcenter in Nueva Ecija that will be used to quarantine about 40 to 48Filipinos from Wuhan. The 10,000-bed facility also needs additional linen,said Health Secretary Francisco Duque."Nakiusap kami na ma-delay ng 2 days para sigurado tayo na hanggangmakakaya, 100 percent ready," he said of the Filipinos' return, initiallyscheduled on Saturday.The building that will be used for the quarantine is separate from the maincompound, where some 840 drug users are being rehabilitated, he told radioDZMM.Duque said President Rodrigo Duterte ordered him to inspect the facility onWednesday, which made the Cabinet official miss a House hearing into thegovernment's response against the novel coronavirus.The pathogen has killed at least 560 and infected some 27,300, mostly inChina, its health officials said Thursday.DFA: 2ND OFW QUARANTINED IN HONG KONG IS HEALTHY, ASYMPTOMATICMANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that a second Filipinaworker has been quarantined in Hong Kong after exposure to a carrier of thenovel coronavirus (2019-nCoV ARD).The Filipina household service worker was placed on quarantine after heremployer tested positive for the deadly virus.The Philippine Consulate General said the Filipina worker is healthy andasymptomatic or does not show any symptom of illness, the DFA said.Like the first case, the second OFW will need to undergo a 14-day quarantinebased on Hong Kong protocols.The DFA assured the public that the government has a tested plan to ensurethe health and welfare of overseas Filipinos amid the 2019-nCoV ARDoutbreak."The DFA continues to work closely with relevant government agencies toextend immediate assistance to Filipinos quarantined abroad," the DFA saidin a statement.The agency appealed to overseas Filipinos to abide by the guidelines oftheir host countries and take precautionary measures to ensure their healthand safety.GRAB'S SELFIE, AUDIO, VIDEO RECORDING SYSTEMS SUSPENDEDMANILA - The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has suspended GrabPhilippines' passenger selfie verification as well as the pilot test forin-vehicle audio and video recording systems, citing risks to the privacyrights of commuters.The NPC issued the order on Feb. 3 after its Data Security and ComplianceOffice found deficiencies in the ride-hailing app's three data processingsystems.The passenger selfie verification requires passengers following on-screeninstructions on the app to take a selfie to verify their identity.The selfie generated photo would have a retention period of seven years andwould not be shared with the driver, but could be provided by Grab asevidence in case of disputes, conflicts or complaints.Conversations between the passengers and drivers during the trip aredocumented through audio and video recording, respectively.SOTTO HAS EXPLANATION FOR FROWNING NANCY VIRAL MEMEMANILA - Viral photos showing Senator Nancy Binay making faces behind SenatePresident Vicente Sotto during a congressional hearing have reached thesenators, with the chamber's leader offering an explanation, Thursday.Binay was caught on camera frowning and scrunching her face during theSenate inquiry on the Philippines' preparedness against the novelcoronavirus, which has killed nearly 500 people and infected some 24,000others worldwide."Kumakain daw siya ng Cheetos hehehe," Sotto told Senate reporters whenasked about the photos that have now become online memes.Sotto and Binay posed for a selfie a day after their photos went viral, withthe Senate President saying in jest on Instagram: "O bakit ito hindi nyoI-viral? Hehehe"ABS-CBN News has reached out to Binay for comment, but the senator has yetto respond.Binay, a frequent subject of viral memes, earlier said she appreciated thesehumorous online pictures."Effort maghanap ng picture mo, di ba? Tapos pagkatapos hanapin ang picturemo, gagawan ka pa ng graphics. That takes a lot of their time," she said inan ANC interview in 2018."Sa social media kasi may anonymity ka. The things you can't say in person,you say it online. Hindi mo lang nakikita 'yung reactions na nakakasakit kapero nakakasakit ka. You have to be nice," she said.SAM CONCEPCION ADMITS TO 'DEFINITELY' LIKING JANELLA SALVADORMANILA -- There was a picture shown to Sam Concepcion on "Tonight With BoyAbunda," taken during a party held for the cast of the hit series "TheKiller Bride," which he was a part of.It showed him sitting next to Janella Salvador with Joshua Garcia on theother side of the young actress.The fan speculation, based purely on facial expressions and hand movements,was that Garcia became jealous when Concepcion started speaking withSalvador. So when he looked away for a second, Garcia felt the need to wraphis arm around Salvador.According to Concepcion, during his guesting on the late night talk show,there's no truth to what fans thought had happened.He also insisted that all of three of them became good friends while workingon "The Killer Bride."Though Concepcion did admit, when prodded about it, that he "definitely"likes Salvador."Marami akong gusto about her," he said, adding that he particularly admireshow "dedicated" Salvador is when it came to their craft.He also answered that he would when asked a hypothetical question about himcourting Salvador.Concepcion was on "Tonight With Boy Abunda" to promote his newest project, arole in the restaging of "Joseph the Dreamer," a musical from professionalgospel theater company Trumpets.The story of "hope and forgiveness," according to Concepcion, will run fromFebruary 21 until March 7 at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater in Taguig.It will be directed by Paolo Valenciano.EDU MANZANO TO PLAY KEY ROLE IN 'MAMASAPANO MASSACRE' MOVIEMANILA -- Five years ago, a special forces raid to capture a terror suspectin Mamasapano, Mindanao went horribly wrong. Resulting in the death of 44police Special Action Force (SAF) troopers, it is among the costliestgovernment operations in years.A massacre, it is referred to.This week, as reported by Pep, a movie being made about it has taken anotherstep forward with the meeting of Edu Manzano and former military generalBenjamin Magalong.Manzano is portraying Magalong, who back then led a board which was taskedto investigate the bloody incident. His inquiry found reason to implicateboth ex-police chief Alan Purisima and then-president Benigno Aquino III formishandling the operation.Flash forward to this Wednesday, when charges were dropped but plans for themovie have not, and Manzano was asked about his reasons to accepting whatcould be a controversial role."For the love of our country," the actor and TV host said.He also said that their movie could help get the "truth" out there "so thatthe families [of the slain SAF officers] can find closure.""Let's not make it a useless sacrifice," Manzano added.The movie is being produced by a film production outfit headed by Atty.Ferdinand Topacio, and is being planned as an entry for this year's MetroManila Film Festival in December.It also stars Myrtle Sarrosa, and will be based on the reports from theSenate and Magalong's board on the incident.It was not disclosed in the Pep report what Magalong and Manzano talkedabout during their meeting, but it had already been stated in previousreports that the movie has the former's blessing.NBA SCORES FEB 4FINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Bucks 43-7    26    32    42    20    120team logo Pelicans 20-31    33    28    24    23    108SCORING LEADERSG. Antetokounmpo MIL34 PTS, 17 REB, 6 ASTB. Ingram NO32 PTS, 7 REB, 1 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Hornets 16-35    34    29    25    22    110team logo Rockets 32-18    22    40    30    33    125SCORING LEADERSM. Bridges CHA20 PTS, 15 REB, 0 ASTJ. Harden HOU40 PTS, 9 REB, 12 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Trail Blazers 23-28    28    10    36    25    99team logo Nuggets 35-16    37    27    36    27    127SCORING LEADERSD. Lillard POR21 PTS, 2 REB, 9 AST    N. Jokic DEN29 PTS, 13 REB, 9 ASTFINAL    1    2    3    4    Tteam logo Spurs 22-28    19    22    33    28    102team logo Lakers 38-11    21    30    36    42    129SCORING LEADERSD. DeRozan SA28 PTS, 9 REB, 7 ASTL. James LAL36 PTS, 7 REB, 9 AST