October 23-25, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 83 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages
USA
DATELINE HHS awards $16-M to help primary care practices address patients’ unhealthy alcohol use FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Gov’t targets to lift 1-M Filipinos out of poverty every year — Palace by NESTOR
CORRALES Inquirer.net
THE government has targeted to lift 1 million Filipinos out of poverty evTHE U.S. Department of Health and Human ery year, Malacañang said Tuesday, Services, through the Agency for Healthcare October 22. Research and Quality (AHRQ), announced on Tuesday, October 22, a $16 million initiative to help primary care practices increase efforts to address patients’ unhealthy alcohol use. Excessive alcohol use, which affects almost a third of adults, is the nation’s third leading cause of preventable death. It is a major risk factor for many health, social, and economic problems, and has an estimated annual economic burden of over $250 billion. “President Trump has promised Americans a healthcare system that’s patient-centric, and treats you like a person, not a number. That means caring for Americans’ full range of health needs, including substance use challenges such as unhealthy alcohol use,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “Primary care providers have emerged as an important pathway for connecting patients to treatment for substance use challenges, and HHS is pleased to support, through
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo issued the statement after the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed fewer Filipino families labeled themselves poor. The survey showed 42 percent or some 10.3 million Filipino families
consider themselves poor as of September this year. Panelo said that “notwithstanding the latest survey showing favorable results, there is no denying that millions of families remain poor.” But he assured the public that
A STUDY conducted by the United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) found that the Philippines has the “fastest growing epidemic” of the sexually transmitted disease, with a 203 percent rise in new HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infections from 2010 to 2018. Worldwide HIV cases, on the other hand, declined by at least 18 percent. Only Pakistan and Malaysia registered an increase in HIV cases in the Asia-Pacific region, with 57 percent and 4 percent, respectively. “Fastest growing in terms of growth rate, comparing 2010 and 2018…” said UNAIDS country director Louie Ocampo in a forum on Monday, October 21. According to him, the growth of HIV cases can be attributed to vulnerable populations, such as the youth, which do not have access to contraceptives or do not effectively use them. “But in terms of absolute number, it is still very low and we have not defeated African countries when it comes to the number of cases,” Ocampo noted.
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US official denounces China’s action on SCS by BERNADETTE
E. TAMAYO
ManilaTimes.net
CHINA’S repeated provocative actions in the South China Sea (SCS or West Philippine Sea) inhibit Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, including the Philippines, from accessing over $2.5 trillion in energy reserves and have contributed to instability in the region. United States Assistant Secretary of State for East David Stilwell, U.S. assistant Asian and Pacific Affairs Dasecretary of state for East Asian vid Stilwell stressed this on October 16 before the Senand Pacific Affairs Photo from State.gov ate Foreign Relations Committee. “We remain skeptical of the PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) sincerity to negotiate a meaningful Code of
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UN body: PH the country with fastest growing epidemic of HIV
“bringing a comfortable life for all, with the objective of reducing poverty at a significant level, is the overarching socioeconomic goal of the Duterte administration.” He, however, said that “poverty
ROYAL CEREMONY. President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio, witnessing the Ceremony of the Enthronement of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday, October 22. Malacañang photos
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‘Nene Pimentel would have made a good President’ by NEIL
WAKE OF NENE PIMENTEL. Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, and his mother, Bing (seated), at the wake of the late Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City on Tuesday, October 22. The former senator’s remains will be brought to the Senate on Wednesday, October 23, and to the Cagayan de Oro City Hall in the afternoon until Friday, October 25. On Friday afternoon, Pimentel’s remains will be brought back to The Heritage Park in Taguig. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan
ARWIN MERCADO Inquirer.net
FORMER Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. would have made a good president. This was the pronouncement of former senator Bam Aquino on Tuesday, October 22, as he revealed that Pimentel was one of the leaders eyed to succeed former President Ferdinand Marcos. “Nung 80s kasi naaalala ko pa nung kasama namin siya noong panahon ng laban sa diktadura, I was very young at that time, siguro mga 6 or 7 years old (Back in the 80s, I remember when we were with him in fighting the dictatorship. I was very young at that time, maybe 6 or 7 years old),” Aquino told reporters at the Heritage Park in Taguig City where Pimentel’s wake was being held.
“Maraming meetings yung mga leaders ng opposition and I remember yung pagtingin kay Senator Nene Pimentel noong panahong ‘yun. Sabi, ‘balang araw ito kung magiging presidente ng Pilipinas (There were meetings among opposition leaders and I remember how Senator Nene Pimentel was viewed at that time. They say, ‘someday, he will become the President of the Philippines),’” he said. Asked if he thinks Pimentel would have made a good President, Aquino said: “Yes, definitely.” “Naaalala ko yung mga panahong yun, this was even before EDSA [People Power Revolution], isa siya sa mga nakikita nung mga tao noon na posibleng sumunod matapos ang mga Marcoses. Of course alam natin na nag-
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Drug, bribery raps filed vs Albayalde ‘2-year probationary period to force Filipinos to work abroad’ by WILLIAM
DEPASUPIL ManilaTimes.net
Former PNP chief Oscar Albayalde ManilaTimes.net photo
A SLEW of criminal charges were filed on Monday, October 21, against former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde for his alleged complicity in the recycling and selling of seized illegal drugs by so-called “ninja cops.” The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) filed before the Department of Justice (DoJ) an amended complaint naming Albayalde as a respondent. He will join the 13 police officers, or the ninja cops, who were earlier charged by the police before the Justice department. Lt. Col. Joseph Orsos, CIDG counsel, filed the complaint at the office of Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento. Albayalde was charged with violation of SectionS 27, 29, 32 and 92 of Republic Act
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by SHEILA
CRISOSTOMO Philstar.com
THE proposed two-year probationary period for newly hired employees has “wide-ranging implications,” including forcing Filipinos to seek employment abroad, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) warned Tuesday, October 22. TUCP president Raymond Mendoza said the proposed measure, if approved, will also “expand the gap between the rich and the poor and strengthen the short-term labor slavery practice in the country.” Mendoza noted that House Bill 4802 authored by Probinsiyano party-list Rep. Jose Singson Jr. “is very dangerous and highly disadvantageous to workers because of its deleterious effect on working people and their families once it is enforced.” “We are at a time when we are struggling to close the gap between the rich and the poor by eliminat- House Bill 4802 authored by Probinsiyano party-list Rep. Jose Singson Jr. the extension of ing this short-term endo (end-of-contract) and to the probationary period is being proposed to be prolonged from the current six months to
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two years. Singson claimed that six months are not enough for employers to determine if a worker deserves to be regularized. Philstar.com photo