PHILIPPINES EYES ADMINISTERING COVID-19 BOOSTER, THIRD SHOTS BY NOV. 15
MANILA — The Philippines eyes administering booster and third COVID-19 vaccine doses to priority groups by Nov. 15, an official leading the effort said.
"Pinagpapaplanuhan na rin po natin iyong tinatawag nating booster doses at third dose rollout," vaccine "czar" Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a taped meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte that aired on Wednesday.
"Iyong ating first phase po, iro-roll out po natin ay para sa health workers. At ito po ay magkakaroon tayo ng guidelines sa Nov. 5... Ang ating projected implementation is Nov. 15," he continued.
But he said authorities would have to wait for guidance from the policy team, the revised emergency use authorization of vaccines that would be used, and the recommendation of experts advising the World Health Organization.
If these requirements are met, there will be a "simultaneous" Nov. 15 rollout of third and booster shots to immunocompromised senior citizens and individuals, said Galvez, who serves as chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.
Some 1.5 million health workers and 4.6 million senior citizens have completed their coronavirus inoculation so far, based on Galvez's slideshow. It said the number of other immunocompromised individuals has yet to be determined.
PHILIPPINES TO GET MORE COVID-19 VACCINE DONATIONS FROM CHINA, JAPAN, GERMANY
MANILA — The Philippines will get several million more COVID-19 vaccines that would be donated by China, Japan, and Germany, among others, an official said.
"Kanina, naka-receive din ako ng text sa ambassador ng China na they will again donate another 2 million [doses]," vaccine "czar" Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a taped Nov. 2 meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte that aired on Wednesday.
"Marami pa pong countries like Japan, and also Germany, and other EU countries ang nag-ano po na talagang magdo-donate pa po sila," said Galvez, who also serves as chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.
He declined to give more details because negotiations were still ongoing.
The Philippines has received some 106.2 million vaccines as of the end of October. This included the all-time high monthly delivery of 34.8 million doses, Galvez said.
The vaccine-sharing platform COVAX Facility sent the Philippines 11.9 million jabs in October, raising its total deliveries to 27.9 million, he said.
Donations from the US have reached 20 million doses, added the official.
DUTERTE TO ATTEND APEC SUMMIT
MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte will join the virtual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting this month, which is expected to focus on COVID-19 response and sustainable and inclusive trade.
“Our President is expected to attend via video conferencing the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation or APEC (summit) on Nov. 12,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said at a press briefing yesterday.
Duterte is scheduled to attend the opening and closing ceremonies and the sessions on the International Monetary Fund’s global economic outlook, pandemic recovery and building prosperity for all people and future generations.
He will also join the handover ceremonies of the APEC chairmanship to Thailand.
APEC is composed of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.
This year’s conference is hosted by New Zealand, the first host of a fully virtual APEC meet. According to the organizers, the event is an opportunity for New Zealand to “help pioneer digital diplomacy” as it involves hundreds of meetings and events with 21 economies in 11 time zones.
“APEC is focused on supporting and enabling trade that is inclusive and sustainable. This year, our region’s response to COVID-19 and the opportunity to build a more resilient future are top of the agenda,” a statement posted on the APEC’s official website read.
DUTERTE WANTS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS PUNISHED FOR SLOW COVID-19 VACCINATION
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte said he wanted local governments to face sanctions for problems in their COVID-19 vaccinations.
Duterte, in a taped meeting with officials that aired on Wednesday, said he instructed the interior department "to impose the necessary sanction against LGUs and local chief executives who are not performing nor using the doses given to them in the most expeditious manner."
"I will hold each and every LGU accountable for this," he said.
Duterte said the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines was "weak" at the regional and provincial levels.
"Hindi ko malaman kung saan talaga nagkakamali, kung may mali, bakit mahina ang—ang paglabas ng bakuna dito sa national, medyo okay. Ang problema, pagdating doon sa provincial, regional level, dito, doon nagkakaroon ng medyo problema," Duterte said.
He ordered the police and military to lend their air assets for the delivery of vaccines to the provinces.
"If we adopt this program, madeliver agad namin... Dapat lang pagdating doon, andoon na iyong mga tao, the human resource side would be ready to do the injections," Duterte said.
"Kung sakali mangyari ito (if this happens), I hope that the local governments, the mayors would take time really to attend to this problem of delay," he continued.
"Mismo po ang DILG ang magsasampa ng kaso sa kanila at puwede po silang masuspinde o kaya naman matanggal sa serbisyo kung mapapatunayan pong nagkaroon sila ng mga kasong ito," he said in a public briefing.
PHILIPPINES BEGINS COVID-19 VACCINATION OF KIDS AGED 12 TO 17
MANILA — The Philippines on Wednesday began the vaccination of all children aged 12 to 17 in an expansion of its pediatric jab coverage against COVID-19.
Government aims to inoculate at least 80 percent or some 9 million out of 12 million children by year-end, the Department of Health earlier said.
The program was initially rolled out to children with comorbidities last month. Some 23,727 children have received an initial dose, the DOH said last week.
The expansion of the pediatric vaccination aims to encourage other family members to get vaccinated and boost confidence in the resumption of in-person classes, DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje had said.
Adults, however, are urged to get inoculated against the respiratory illness to protect children who are not yet eligible to receive the jab.
Some 27.4 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated, while 31.95 million others have received a first dose as of Monday, according to government data.
COMELEC: NO REASON TO CANCEL DEAL WITH UY-LINKED FIRM
MANILA, Philippines — Despite public criticisms, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) does not see any valid reason to cancel its contract with F2 Logistics Philippines Inc., which is linked to businessman Dennis Uy, a major contributor to President Duterte’s presidential campaign in 2016.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said “suggestions being floated now” are not valid grounds for the poll body to rescind the contract with F2 Logistics. He said only a violation by the trucking company can make the Comelec cancel the deal.
“There has to be a valid reason for a rescission of the contract. There would have to be some sort of violation by F2, or a change in circumstances, all of a sudden hindi na kailangan ng Comelec ‘yung kontrata. I suppose a case can be made for rescission then,” Jimenez said.
“But in terms of what’s being floated now, in terms of suggestions being made, again that would not be grounds for recession,” Jimenez said.
YOUNG FILIPINO ACTIVISTS WANT WORLD LEADERS TO NOT JUST LISTEN, BUT ALSO ACT VS CLIMATE CHANGE
MANILA, Philippines — To have his voice heard in Glasgow, United Kingdom, 23-year-old climate activist Jefferson Estela had to tangle with financial difficulties.
The architecture student who leads the Youth Strike for Climate Philippines had to set up a crowdfunding page to raise pocket money for his trip.
He also reached out to lawmakers, hoping they would support his journey to attend the crucial United Nations climate talks, known as COP26, which could determine the kind of present and future that Estela and billions of young people across the planet could experience.But most of the politicians did not respond and did not spare him a peso.
Luckily, he made it to the cold and damp Scottish city through the help of Loss and Damage Youth Coalition as well as other organizations and individual donors. But his experience reflects the reality that the most vulnerable often face difficulties in attending important events due to high costs of travel and lack of political will.
“If they really support youth actions, then why such a thing is not being supported? We don’t want to be praised, we want to be supported,” Estela said.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, one billion children are at extremely high risk to climate change impacts.
“COP26 must be the COP for children,” UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said.
CIVIC GROUPS ASK COMELEC TO CANCEL COC OF PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT BONGBONG MARCOS
MANILA, Philippines — A group of political detainees, human rights and medical organizations on Tuesday asked the Commission on Elections to cancel former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s Certificate of Candidacy for the 2022 presidential elections.
Six petitioners from civic groups on Tuesday filed a 50-paged Petition to Cancel or Deny Due Course the COC of Marcos before the Comelec, as they accused him of filing the certificate that “contains multiple false material representations.”
“Specifically, Marcos falsified his [COC] when he claimed that he was eligible to be a candidate for President of the Philippines in the 2022 national elections when in fact he is disqualified from doing so,” the petitioners said in a statement.
The petitioners are from Task Force Detainees of the Philippines, Kapatid-Families and Friends of Political Prisoners, Medical Action Group Inc., Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance, Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates and Balay Rehabilitation Center.
Section 78 of the Omnibus Election Code states that a CoC may be cancelled or denied due course “on the ground that any material representation contained therein as required under Section 74 hereof is false.”
CITING PDP-LABAN INFIGHTING, FORMER PACQUIAO VOLUNTEER GROUP SHIFTS SUPPORT TO MORENO
MANILA, Philippines — MP Nation, among the biggest and most organized volunteer organizations supporting the presidential candidacy of Sen. Manny Pacquiao, has switched its support for Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso.
In a statement issued through Domagoso's camp, MP Nation Lead Convenor Col. Dani Enriquez said it was a "collegial decision" of its executive committee members to abandon Pacquiao and throw their support behind Moreno.
“MP Nation is now IM4P or Isko Moreno For President Movement,” Enriquez said, adding that the group "would have wanted the two of them (Moreno and Pacquiao) to be in one ticket."
"We must admit that the infighting of PDP-Laban, has caused much damage and backlog to Sen. Manny’s campaign,” said Enriquez.
Pacquiao filed for his presidential run under the ruling political party amid an ongoing legal contest between two factions within the party: Pacquiao and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III’s group; and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi’s.
PALACE PRESSES PHILHEALTH TO PAY HOSPITAL CLAIMS
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang yesterday urged the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to settle the unpaid claims of private hospitals after some of them threatened to disengage with the state health insurer.
“I will repeat President Duterte’s request to (PhilHealth) president (Dante) Gierran to pay the private hospitals,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.
Roque also appealed to private hospitals to reconsider their plan to cut ties with PhilHealth, saying more people need their service especially in this pandemic.
“I also appeal to the private hospitals. The President has repeatedly shown his support for them because we recognize that more people now rely on private hospitals than public hospitals,” Roque said.
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CURFEW IN METRO MANILA LIFTED STARTING NOV 4: MMDA
The curfew in Metro Manila will be lifted starting November 4, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos announced Wednesday.
"Yes, tatanggalin na po simula November 4," he said in a TeleRadyo interview.
Abalos said the decision to lift the curfew came about after he met with Metro Manila mayors and mall owners on allowing Christmas sales in malls.
He said mall owners agreed to adjust mall hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. starting November 15 and hold Christmas sales only on weekends but raised concerns about the curfew.
He added that midnight sales in malls will be allowed subject to the regulations of local government units.
Metro Manila, home to around 13.5 million people and which accounts for about a third of the country's GDP, earlier implemented a 12 midnight to 4 a.m. curfew as part of anti-COVID measures.
IKEA OFFICIALLY OPENS ONLINE STORE IN PH; TO OPERATE 24/7
MANILA - IKEA on Wednesday said its e-commerce operations in the Philippines is now in full swing as it officially opened its online store which would operate 24/7 starting Nov. 3.
The Swedish furniture maker started a test run of the capability of its online store in September by catering to orders in a limited capacity, ahead of its official launch as well as the opening of its physical store in Pasay City.
“After several weeks of learning from our test-run, we are glad that we are now accessible to more Filipinos,” said IKEA Pasay City store manager Georg Platzer.
Filipinos stuck at home during the pandemic were prompted to organize their homes and to invest in their remote work setup.
IKEA Pasay City, the world's largest, is expected to open this quarter. The 5-storey facility will house its retail operations, warehouse, restaurant as well as a call center for the e-commerce part of the business among others.
Prior to opening, Swedish Ambassador to the Philippines Harald Fries and his wife were given a tour of the facility.
58 FILIPINOS REPATRIATED FROM BAHRAIN — DFA
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday said it brought home 58 previously stranded Filipinos from the Kingdom of Bahrain.
DFA in a statement said the repatriates flew home on a Gulf Air direct commercial flight on October 28 and arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport the following day.
"The repatriates included detainees, overstaying OFs, wards at the [Philippine] Embassy [in Bahrain] Shelter, and two OFs with medical conditions," the department said.
It added that many distressed Filipinos in Manama Bahrain have requested the embassy's assistance in booking tickets at the special rate offered by Gulf Air amid the continued limitation of arriving passengers in the Philippines.
100,000 DOSES OF VACCINES DESTROYED IN ZAMBOANGA FIRE
MANILA, Philippines — More than 100,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses were damaged when a fire hit the maintenance and supply area of the Department of Health (DOH) building Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) on Sunday night in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.
The Police Regional Office-9 reported that the fire started Sunday night at the control motor for the water pump of the maintenance department and quickly engulfed the Red Cross, DOH and IPHO building.
The smoke reached the upper floors that were adjacent to where the COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms were staying. Twelve patients were reportedly evacuated to a nearby ward.
“About 100,000 of doses of vaccines were damaged because the fire started on the first floor of the provincial office where the cold storage and the vaccines were stored,” Dr. Joshua Brillantes, DOH-9 regional director said.
Based on reports, the fire destroyed some 9,176 AstraZeneca doses, 14,400 Moderna doses, 88,938 Pfizer-BioNTech doses and 36,164 Sinovac vaccines, as well as other routine vaccines such as those for hepatitis, measles, and polio.
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE
LUIS MANZANO GETS YOUTUBE'S GOLD PLAY BUTTON FOR 1M SUBSCRIBERS
MANILA -- Host-actor Luis Manzano has received the Gold Creator Award from video-sharing site YouTube, which is given to channels with 1 million subscribers.
Manzano shared his latest social media milestone in his newest vlog uploaded on Monday. Aside from his bonding with wife Jessy Mendiola and mother Vilma Santos at a health and wellness resort in Batangas, the actor also shared a clip of him unboxing the award.
"Thank you very much sa inyo. Thank you kay Howhow (Mendiola) dahil siya ang nag-convince sa akin na mag-vlog. Thank you very much sa lahat ng mga naka-collab ko, thank you very much sa mga makaka-collab ko. And, yes, thank you very much sa lahat ng suportang ibinibigay niyo sa vlog ko, sa vlog ni Howhow, sa vlog ni mommy," said Manzano, who also thanked the whole team behind his YouTube page.
Manzano started vlogging in October last year. His first vlog was with comedian Long Mejia. The two worked together in "I Can See Your Voice" and "Minute To Win It."
As of this writing, Manzano's YouTube channel, LuckyTV, has over 1.11 million subscribers.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES NOV 1
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Cavaliers4-4 40 25 23 25 113
Hornets5-3 21 28 27 34 110
SPECTRUM CENTER, CHARLOTTE, NC
SCORING LEADERS
J. Allen CLE
24 PTS 16 REB 2 AST
L. Ball CHA
30 PTS 7 REB 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Trail Blazers3-4 21 32 28 22 103
76ers5-2 27 27 32 27 113
WELLS FARGO CENTER, PHILADELPHIA, PA
SCORING LEADERS
N. Powell POR
22 PTS 1 REB
S. Curry PHI
23 PTS 6 REB 5 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Spurs2-5 33 23 27 35 118
Pacers2-6 43 35 31 22 131
GAINBRIDGE FIELDHOUSE, INDIANAPOLIS, IN
SCORING LEADERS
D. Murray SA
16 PTS 2 REB 6 AST
D. Sabonis IND
24 PTS 13 REB 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Bulls6-1 34 25 30 39 128
Celtics2-5 35 32 36 11 114
TD GARDEN , BOSTON, MA
SCORING LEADERS
D. DeRozan CHI
37 PTS 7 REB 2 AST
J. Brown BOS
28 PTS 7 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Raptors5-3 26 27 38 22 113
Knicks5-2 34 23 22 25 104
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN, NEW YORK, NY
SCORING LEADERS
O. Anunoby TOR
36 PTS 6 REB 2 AST
R. Barrett NY
27 PTS 6 REB
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Wizards5-2 23 37 17 34 111
Hawks4-3 34 29 21 34 118
STATE FARM ARENA, ATLANTA, GA
SCORING LEADERS
B. Beal WAS
24 PTS 2 REB 3 AST
T. Young ATL
26 PTS 4 REB 6 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Nuggets4-3 26 32 15 24 97
Grizzlies4-3 31 29 22 24 106
FEDEXFORUM, MEMPHIS, TN
SCORING LEADERS
N. Jokic DEN
23 PTS 7 REB 7 AST
J. Morant MEM
26 PTS 7 REB 8 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Magic2-6 26 27 19 43 115
Timberwolves3-3 32 26 20 19 97
TARGET CENTER, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
SCORING LEADERS
C. Anthony ORL
31 PTS 9 REB 8 AST
A. Edwards MIN
24 PTS 6 REB 3 AST
FINAL
1 2 3 4 T
Thunder1-6 23 21 30 20 94
Clippers2-4 14 26 26 33 99
STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA
SCORING LEADERS
S. Gilgeous-Alexander OKC
28 PTS 7 REB 2 AST
P. George LAC
32 PTS 9 REB 7 AST
INDICATORS
FOREX $1 = P 50.39
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The test of a successful person is not an ability to eliminate all problems before they arise, but to meet and work out difficulties when they do arise. - David Joseph Schwartz
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