Weekend Balita- April 18, 2020

LOS ANGELES EDITION

Angel Locsin raises P11 million to provide tents to COVID-19 hospitals PAGE 12 VOL. XXIX NO. 16

TOP STORIES

Global News

Gov’t strategy to prevent Covid-19 spread: locate, isolate, cure 8  Duterte orders probe of 9 hospitals that refused patients 8  More cops will be deployed after Duterte’s warning of police, military takeover — Año 8  'Don't expect help,' Duterte tells cockfighters, drinkers amid Luzon lockdown 9  Philippines’ COVID-19 cases reach 5,878; recoveries widen lead over deaths 9  COVID-19 patients shoulder cost of PPEs used during treatment — PHAPi 9  House leaders: Police, military takeover in enforcing quarantine rules legal 9  Quarantine facilities can now take 168k ‘suspected’, ‘mild’ COVID-19 cases 18 

Sections BUSINESS. DTI chief urges mask production as demand climbs to 1.2B 19  COMMUNITY. NAFCON organizes Bayanihan Response Team for Fil-Ams in Los Angeles 5  ENTERTAINMENT. Barretto fundraiser leads to construction of quarantine facility at QC hospital 12  HEALTH & FAMILY. DOH: Antibody injection different from plasma therapy 14  FEATURE. I am Patient 2828 18 

April 18 - 24, 2020

THE LEADING SOURCE OF NEWS AND INFORMATION FOR FELLOW FILIPINO-AMERICANS

NEWSOM MAY LET “STAY AT HOME” ORDER TO EXPIRE ON MAY 3

By ABNER GALINO

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has again expressed his desire to re-open the American economy before the month of May but left the decision to governors to execute the plan.

Trump reportedly told the governors that while it is important to “preserve the health of our citizens, we must also preserve the health” of the American economy.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, for his part, has indicated that he would be going on board Trump’s plan to re-open

the economy as he told the media during a press conference on Wednesday (April 15) that the number of patients who have been testing positive for COVID-19 in California ho s pit a l s i s a l r e ad y declining.

The statewide Stay At Home order is set to expire on May 3.

NEWSOM

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A “Superman”-outfit-clad man sells face masks to passersby at the corner of Main Street and Rose Street in Venice Beach.

Face masks sale has been brisks in the City of Los Angeles and suburbs as wearing them has been mandated by the city and county to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Photo by ABNER GALINO

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM

April 15.

Ma ny A mer ic a ns a re expected to benefit from $1,200 checks under the stimulus law approved last month by President Trump.

Those with direct deposit information with the Internal Revenue Service will get the money first.

Paper checks will be sent after April 24, Business Insider’s Tanza Loudenbeck r ep or te d . T he fe der a l government is using 2019 tax returns — or the 2018 return since the deadline for this year was extended to June 80 MILLION

“Almost Paradise” is Cebu, Philippines

By FE P. KOONS

IF you have been watching “Almost Paradise” on WGN America on Monday evenings, you might think that it is a TV series like the Magnum P.I. or Hawaii Five-O that are being shot in U.S. settings. Nope, that beautiful beach location is actually in Cebu, Philippines.

And Filipino American Dean Devlin, CEO of the Electric Entertainment, produced this first Hollywood television series film in the Philippines.

“ALMOST PARADISE”

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MANIL A (Mabuhay) — A f i xed rate for crematorium services and "cremate now, pay later" option has been opene d to i nd igent families whose relatives have died due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

T he Me t r op ol it a n Manila Development Authority (MMDA), with funeral and crematorium officials, decided to set a fi xed rate of P25,000 for indigent patients, according to Marisol Abdurahman's report on 24 Oras.

CREMATE

80 million Americans to get their checks this week WA SHINGTON — The Treasury Department said over 80 million Americans will see their stimulus checks hit their bank accounts this week.

“This administration is delivering fast and direct economic assistance to hardworking Americans, and we hope these payments will bring them much-needed relief,” Mnuchin said in a statement.

The Treasury also said “ t e n s of m i l l ion s” of Americans will receive their money via direct deposit by

Cremate now, pay later option open for indigent families amid COVID-19

Samantha Richelle and Christian Kane star in WGN America’s “Almost Paradise.”

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De Lima: 'Tyrant' Duterte trapping Pinoys with false choice between safety, democracy

SEN. LEILA DE LIMA

MANIL A (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duter te showed his authoritarian motives when he warned of a possible military and police takeover of the quarantine enforcement amid the coronavirus situation, according to Senator Leila De Lima on Friday.

"Typical tyrant Duterte to trap us with a false choice between safety and democracy. In the face of this pandemic crisis, he was proven incompetent and has become more desperate DE LIMA:

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ABNER GALINO, Fil-Am News Editor

Fil-Am

Community Visit www.Balita.com

Saturday-Friday | April 18- 24, 2020

NEWSOM... FROM PAGE 1 Reports said there has been a 0.9 decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases since Wednesday.

Newsom has said that the state’s testing capacity to do more than 25,000 coronavirus tests on a daily basis by the end of this month is reportedly improving. He commended Californians for successfully flattening the so-called curve in the graph of the projected community spread of the said disease.

“We continue to need to maintain our vigilance, guided not by political decisionmaking, guided by data, guided by facts, guided by science, guided by health professionals all throughout the state of California.”

Earlier, in the California All online page, Newsom unveiled “six key indicators” that will supposedly guide the state on when and how to modify the stay-at-home order.

“While Californians have stepped up in a big way to flatten the curve and buy us time to prepare to fight the virus, at some point in the future we will need to modify our stay-at-home order,” said Governor Newsom.

“Until we build immunity, our actions will be aligned to achieve the following: • Ensure our ability to care for the sick within our hospitals; • Prevent infection in people who are at high risk for severe disease; • Build the capacity to protect the health and well-being of the public; and • Reduce social, emotional and economic disruptions

“ALMOST PARADISE”... FROM PAGE 1 California’s six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are: • The abilit y to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed; • The abilit y to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19; • The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges; • The abilit y to develop t herapeut ic s to meet t he demand; • The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and • The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.”

Meanwhile, in the City of Los Angeles, Mayor Eric Garcetti has already extended the city's "safer-at-home" orders to May 15.

The mayor laid out five principles that he said should be met first before Los Angeles could "begin to get back to work and back to school, back to fun, back to the life we had before all of this."

The said principles were as follows: 1. The city wants to see widespread testing for everyone with symptoms and those who are asymptomatic with significant risk of transmission.

There are reportedly two different

City of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti

types of tests that are important: One is a virology test for the presence of a current infection of coronavirus. And the second is an antibody test, involving a small sample of blood that can determine if a person had the virus in the past unknowingly and has developed resistance to it.

2. Officials need the ability to spot new outbreaks immediately, such as in one neighborhood or at a nursing facility, and take steps to contain the spread.

3. Health experts need to be able to isolate infected people, trace their contacts and quarantine those who were exposed to the infected person.

4. There needs to be a national push to increase capacity in ICUs and emergency rooms, as well as increase the supply of personal protective equipment before another wave of the virus hits.

5. Treatments, including vaccines and cures, need to be developed and shared quickly with doctors and nurses.

“The first time I was in the Philippines was in 1998. I wish my mom was alive today to see it. The TV series is in partnership with ABS-CBN. I am proud to show the creativity of the Filipino actors. This is a first in Hollywood productions. Most of what we see about the Philippines is news on Imelda Marcos shoes and poverty porn. It is an opportunity to show the world the Philippines. There is a great beauty in the Filipino culture, the exotic islands and the hospitality of the people.”

“The actors were very good.

The film directors Francis de la Torre, Hannah Espia, Dan Villegas and Irene Villamor are talented. For Samantha Richelle, who is Kai Mendoza, it is her first acting show. But she and Christian Kane as Alex Walker hit it off very well. She is quite well in doing the stunts. Cool Art Acuna and veteran actor Nonie Buencamino are just as gifted,” Devlin narrated.

Almost Paradise centers on Alex Walker, an ex-DEA agent with a hypertension ailment, who goes to a beach resort in Cebu to relax and sets up a local gift shop as his business while getting his retirement check from the nearby military base. But Walker gets involved with his undercover operative ways as various rich criminals who go to the resort and finds himself involved to do good things for the people in the island.

He gets hired by the local police headed by Ike Ocampo (Nonie Buencamino) and Kai Mendoza (Samantha Richelle) and Ernesto Alamares (Art Acuna).

The TV series created by Devlin and Gary Rosen, posed a really great challenged for Kane as he has to show his acting prowess while doing his own stunts at the same time.

In episode 2, Kane had to deliver emotion as a father (as Alex Walker) as teamed up with child actress Sophia Corine Reaola (as Rita) whose father was killed.

In the pilot episode Finding Mabuhay, character Walker was a guy who learned about the importance of family and the hospitality of the Filipinos in his neighborhood.

Walker learned about the severity of the drug problem in the area as character Samantha Richelle (played by Kai Mendoza) narrated to him how her mother was killed by the drug criminals.

Kane also showed that he has he comedic ability too, particularly in his scenes with character Cory Santos (played by Ces Quesada).

Kane, who is better known more as an action actor, made the audience laugh through his subtle yet amusing portrayal of Walker.

Art Acuna, as the “silent” par t ner of Wa lker, is a lso commendable. He displayed his strong knowledge of Filipino martial arts called “kali.”

Will Fredo, of the ABS CBN casting department, said that being part of Almost Paradise is such a great experience.

“As we watch the characters come to life. The actors whom we auditioned are the best. We really CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Saturday-Friday | April 18- 24, 2020

Community

“ALMOST PARADISE”... FROM PAGE 2 searched for the right actors for the roles based on the script, director per episode, and the show runner’s v i s i o n . Yo u will see lots of surprises in the nex t coming episodes,” Fredo said.

“Casting is a big deal.

However, in the Dean Devlin, left, and 'Almost Paradise' star Christian Kane Philippines, the studios usually develop programs based that the crew and cast of Almost Paradise have stepped up and really proved how on the already pre-selected stars.”

Among the top actors in the episodes capable they are.

Devlin said he wish his Filipina mother are Zsa Zsa Padilla and Lou Veloso.

Four of the directors of the TV series Pilar Seurat (born Rita Hernandez) was are Filipino. One of them is Hannah Espia alive to watch the series.

But Cebu is real paradise --- its serene who directed “Transit,” the Philippine entry to the Academy Awards’ foreign waters, the patience and hospitality of the Cebuanos, their food and their love language category in 2014.

Dean Devlin knows Hannah Espia as for music.

Episode 1 is about the drug problem his company decided to distribute the in the Philippines. In Episode 2 is about film.

“Dean was wonderful. He is very sex trafficking. And the third episode is supportive of my work. He also believes in about environmental issues, corruption Filipino talent and really wanted to show and elections.

In on of Kai Mendoza’s dialogue: “My the world how beautiful the Philippines is. I was reluctant to do the show because cousins grew up here. There was a drug it’s very different from the kind of films deal gone bad. I was nine years old. that I do, and I never had experience They (cousins) got killed. My mother directing action. But he assured me that was a spiritual leader. The politics, the his team will support me. They were very bureaucracy. I don’t give a crap about supportive and I’m really proud of the politics. All I care about are these islands.

The people who live here… starting with work that I did,” Hannah remarked.

As I watched brilliant character actor these five blocks.”

The pilot episode ended with the people Lou Veloso showed the fear in his eyes in Episode 3 Reef Eel Soup (directed by in the five blocks holding a feast for Alex Fil-Am filmmaker Francis dela Torre), Walker who just learned the real meaning I knew that the artistry of the Filipino of “Mabuhay!”

This is the kind of culture that the thespians have definitely made a mark Filipinos have. For Dean and Gary: on cable television.

Kane, who has been in the action and Mabuhay!

Long Live those who fight for survival! drama films for over two decades, said

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Iniangkop ng Kawanihan ng Senso ng U.S. ang mga Operasyon upang Mapalaki ang Kapasidad ng Call Center para sa 2020 Senso A B R I L 10 , 2 0 2 0 — A n g Kawanihan ng Senso ng U.S., sa pagsunod sa patnubay na mula sa pederal, pang-estado, at lokal na opisyal ng kalusugan, ay ipinatupad ang mga hakbang sa pagdidistansya sa mga tao at mga kaayusan sa staffing upang tumulong sa pagprotekta sa kalusugan at kaligtasan ng mga empleyado ng call center para sa 2020 Senso. Bilang resulta, maaar ing makaranas ang mga tumatawag ng higit pang paghihintay.

Upa ng mapa la k i a ng kapasidad ng call center, ibinabalik ng Kawanihan ng Senso ang opsyon ng pagtawag muli at gawing available ang higit pang mga empleyado upang sumagot sa mga kahilingan. Ang opsyon ng muling pagtawag ay nagpapahintulot sa tumatawag na mag-iwan ng mensahe at matawagan ng tagapanayam sa oras upang iproseso ang kanilang pagsagot sa 2020 Senso kapag abala ang mga ahente ng call center sa pagtulong sa iba. Pansamantalang inalis ng Kawanihan ng Senso ang opsyon ng muling pagtawag dahil sa mga kaayusan sa staffing.

Mayroon na ngayong opsyon ng muling pagtawag sa pitong wika (Ingles, Cantonese, Koreano, Mandarin, Ruso, Espanyol at

Vietnamese). Magkakaroon ng opsyon ng muling pagtawag para sa natitirang pitong wika (Arabe, Pranses, Haitian Creole, Hapon, Polish, Portuges at Tagalog) bago lumampas ng Martes, Abril 14, 2020.

Ang Kawanihan ng Senso ay mayroong mga handang sumagot na kinatawan ng serbi s yo sa c u stomer na sumusuporta sa mga direktang linya ng telepono sa 14 na iba't ibang wika. Mahalaga ang bawat pagsagot sa senso at nagpapasalamat ang kami sa pagtitiyaga ng mga tumatawag habang hinahangad naming sagutin ang lahat ng paparating na kahilingan.

Maaari ring sagutan ng mga sambahayan ang senso online sa anumang oras sa 2020census. gov sa mga sumusunod na wika: Ingles, Arabe, Tsino, Pranses, Haitian Creole, Hapon, Koreano, Polish, Portuges, Ruso, Espanyol, Tagalog, at Vietnamese. Naghahandog ang Kawanihan ng Senso ng mga webpage at mga patnubay sa 2020 Senso sa 59 na wika, k abila ng a ng A mer ic a n Sign Language, bukod sa mga patnubay sa Braille at malalaking print. Bisitahin ang aming page sa Suporta sa Wika para sa higit pang impormasyon.

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TRACKING CALIFORNIA’S CENSUS RESPONSE RATE – WHO’S AHEAD AND WHO’S BEHIND? EMS reports on the race to the Aug. 14 finish line

By MARK HEDIN, Ethnic Media Services

A

mont h af ter t he f irst invitations to participate in the 2020 census were mailed out, 48.3% of California’s known households have completed the questionnaire, putting the Golden State just slightly ahead of the country’s 47.9% rate. This despite the fact that California has 11 million people considered “hard to count” — the most of any state.

California budgeted $187.3 million for census outreach efforts to get everyone counted. It’s ahead of New York, which also dedicated tens of millions to outreach efforts. Texas, by comparison, made no statewide expenditures.

With counting set to continue into August, California at 41.8% ranks 20th in how many households have filed by Internet. The national rate (2020census.gov/en/response-rates. html#) for Internet responses — the Census Bureau’s preferred response methodology — currently is 39.9%.

But the San Francisco Bay Area leads the way in California’s overall response. Santa Clara, San Mateo, Alameda and Contra Costa counties all have responded above 50% so far. In 2010, those four counties all outdid the state’s 68.2% overall response rate.

San Francisco, both a county and a city, has a 41.9% response rate that’s slightly higher than the city of Fresno’s 41.5% and tops Los Angeles’ 34.4%, but trails Sacramento (45.7%),

San Diego (48.8%) and San Jose (51.1%).

Nationwide, most major urban areas are responding below their states’ rates. New York City comes in at 33.9% in a state reporting at 38.3%. Houston’s 37.1% trails Texas’ 39%, Chicago’s 38.6% trails Illinois’ 48.5%, Atlanta’s 39.6% trails Georgia’s 41.5%, and St. Louis, at 36.8%, similarly trails Missouri’s 43.6%.

Major cities also typically are more challenging to enumerate. In California, that’s holding true for San Francisco and Los Angeles, but besides San Diego and San Jose , Oakland and Berkeley, too, both at 49.2% are also doing better than the state as a whole.

East Palo Alto is out-reporting Beverly Hills, 36.35% to 34.2%, but neither is as strong as San Bernardino, 40.3% or Riverside, 45.5%. All four cities hit above 60% in 2010.

As in 2010, California’s lowest response rates are coming from the counties along the Nevada border.

In Sierra County, just west of Reno, only 4.9% have responded so far.

In 2010, when only 44.1% of that county’s households responded, it ranked as the state’s second-most underpopulated county. Alpine County had the state’s lowest record 10 years ago, with just a 20.2% response rate. So far this year, it’s at 9.8%.

80 MILLION... FROM PAGE 1 15 — to determine eligibility.

Single-filers earning below $75,000 will get the full check, but the amount scales down until the eligibility cutoff at $99,000.

The same goes for couples making below $150,000. If they earn above $198,000, the couple no longer qualifies for the money.

Individuals or couples with dependents under age 17 will also get an additional $500 per child.

Social Security recipients are also slated to have the stimulus checks sent to them.

People with no deposit information with the IRS will have their money sent to them around September.

Around 17 million people have lost their jobs in the past few weeks, as the coronavirus pandemic takes a drastic toll on the American economy.

The checks are designed to soften the blow, though they’re only a one-time payment.

Trinity, another trouble spot, shows 5% responding, nearly all using the Internet. In Lake County, it’s the reverse — a 27.2% response rate with only 18.5% using the Internet.

Within Mendocino’s 31.7% response rate, 25.7% is by Internet.

The Central Valley is another story. In 2010, every county from Sacramento to Riverside reported at rates of at least 63%. So far in 2020, Madera County’s 36.8% is bringing up the rear. Kern County is at 39.3%, King’s at 39.4%, Tulare’s at 39.5%, Merced’s at 39.8%, and San Bernardino, Fresno and Riverside are at 40.4%, 41.6% and 42.2% respectively. Sacramento County is at 48.7%.

But some counties are much more populous than others. Even if Riverside County, the fourth-most populous in the state, ultimately reports at 80%, the number of people still not counted will exceed the entire population of Alpine County to the north.

When it comes to the census’ firstever use of the Internet as a way to be counted, the Central Valley has so far trended more toward using mail and telephone methods than have other regions of the state. The Internet is still the primary way people respond, but in Sacramento County, 2.1% of households have used other ways. In Riverside and San Bernardino counties, it’s 4.1% and 4.7%, respectively, and 8% or

more in Fresno, Kern and Merced counties and 10.7% in Tulare.

The census is not yet reporting on response rates based on ethnicity, but Indian Countr y, with 100 state-recognized reservations or rancherias in California alone, shows there is much to be done — rates are neither strong nor consistent.

The Table Bluff Rancheria boasts a 31.5% response rate, after totaling 38.2% in 2010, and Trinidad Rancheria, at 17.4%, has almost matched its 2010 tally of 19%. But the Tule River Reservation’s 9.4% response, all Internet, is far below its 48.6% in 2010.

Hoopa Valley is at 3.1%, also all Internet, but the Census Bureau doesn’t report numbers for 2010.

Hopland Reservation, at 25.3%, 8.9% via the Internet, hit 37.5% in 2010.

Pala’s 3.6% is all Internet, with no data available for 2010.

If yours is a household not yet counted, you can change that by going to: my2020Census.gov or calling (844) 330-2020. Starting in May and continuing through Aug. 14, the Census Bureau will send out enumerators to knock on the doors of households that haven’t responded.

The enumerators will visit to get the data that determines, among other things, political representation and up to $1.5 trillion in annual federal spending for more than 300 programs.

OBIT

Engr. Abelardo E. Diaz Sr.

, nicknamed “ADS,” who was born on April 27, 1936 has passed away last April 11, 2020.

He was a native of Dagupan City, Pangasinan Philippines.

He is survived by wife: Vener L. Diaz and by his six children, namely; Dr. Mariver Diaz-Tapawan Engr. Gilber Diaz John Felix Diaz Grace Marie D. Bautista John Leonardo Diaz John Abel Diaz Jr. He had 13 grand children and 3 great grandkids.

There will be a Mass on April 21, 2020 at the St. Mel Church in Woodland Hills, California at 10:00am to 12:00 am.

Prior to that there will Rosary praying at 9:00 am – Rosary before the viewing starts at 9:30 am.

Live stream will be provided for those who cannot attend.

Saturday-Friday | April 18- 24, 2020

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NAFCON organizes Bayanihan Response Team for Fil-Ams in Los Angeles

n the US, Filipinos remain in the frontline of the pandemic as medical staff, nurses, caregivers, grocery store workers, food service workers, delivery drivers, and seafarers who continue their work, in what have been deemed essential industries.

However, a majority of these workers are exposed to high-risk conditions, with critical shortages of life-saving personal protective equipment (PPE).

For poor and working-class Filipinos, like the rest of the working class in the US, cuts in work hours and the lack of a financial safety net from the US government during the pandemic has made poor families vulnerable to evictions and utility shut-offs.

Lack of public health infrastructure is exposing racial and wealth inequalities stemming from unequal access to health care and testing.

A Filipino Grand Princess Cruise Ship worker died in a San Francisco hospital on April 2nd after finally being transferred off of a ship exposed to forty COVID-19 positive passengers in March.

Passengers of the cruise ship were the first prioritized to disembark, while over 600 crew members (including 78 Filipino workers) continue to remain on board without the promise of testing or medical treatment from Princess Cruises or the Philippine government.

California has the 17th Smallest Increase in Unemployment Due to Coronavirus – WalletHub Study WITH the U.S. losing over 22 million jobs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, WalletHub today released updated rankings for the States with the Biggest Increases in Unemployment Due to Coronav irus, along w ith accompanying videos.

To identify which states’ workforces have been hurt most by COVID-19, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia based on increases in unemployment claims.

We used this data to rank the most impacted states in both the latest week for which we have data (April 6) and overall since the beginning of the coronavirus crisis (March 16). Below, you can see highlights from the report, along with a WalletHub Q&A. Increase in California Unemployment Due to Coronavirus (1=Worst, 25=Avg.): • 1,576.34% Increase in Unemployment Claims (April 2020 vs April 2019)  660,966 the week of April 6, 2020 vs 39,429 the week of April 8, 2019  10th lowest increase in the U.S.

• 1,700.02% Increase in the Number of Unemployment Claims (April 2020 vs January 2020)  660,966 the week of April 6, 2020 vs 36,720 the week of January 1, 2020  19th highest increase in the U.S. • 1, 83 3 . 86% I nc r e a s e i n Unemployment Claims Since Pandemic Started  2,824,438 between March 16, 2020 and April 6, 2020 vs 154,016 between March 18, 2019 and April 8, 2019  7th lowest increase in the U.S. How do the job losses from coronavirus compare to those caused by the Great Recession?

“During the Great Recession, a grand total of 8.8 million Americans lost their jobs. The coronavirus pandemic has already claimed 22 million jobs,”

said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst.

“While there have been 22.7 million jobs created since the Great Recession, COVID-19 is unfortunately on track to wipe out all of the job gains by the end of this week, according to WalletHub projections.”

How do red states and blue states compare when it comes to increases in unemployment?

“With an average unemployment rank of 24, Red States suffered a higher increase of their unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak than Blue States, which rank 29 on average,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst. “The lower the rank, the higher the increase in initial unemployment claims that state received during the coronavirus pandemic.”

The state with the current largest number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is New York. How has New York’s unemployment rate been affected?

“New York has seen a 783% increase in initial unemployment claims from the beginning of 2020 to the 15th week,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst.

“This is better than the average increase of 1,709%.”

What can states do in order to minimize the rise in their unemployment rates?

“States should aggressively focus on helping the companies in the most need. The federal response will include sending checks to most citizens, even those whose income has not been affected by the coronavirus. States can use a more targeted approach to divert resources to the companies affected the most, thus having maximum impact for the money spent,” said Jill Gonzalez, WalletHub analyst.

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit: h t t p s :// w a l l e t h u b . c o m /e d u / states-with-the-biggest-increasein-unemploy ment-due-to coronavirus/72730/

NAFCON is in solidarity and calls on the Filipino American community to unite with our frontline workers, fellow immigrants, and people across communities to support and provide for the needs of our people.

As of now, the Bayanihan Response has organized a network of volunteers that has so far directly assisted over 30 Filipino workers through online training of their rights as workers and connecting them with available

emergency funds and state assistance to workers impacted by COVID-19.

The Bayanihan Response Team will further expand its services through the establishment of its own “Bayanihan Emergency Fund,” as more and more workers with growing needs are referred to the Bayanihan Response effort.

Other direct services will include the dissemination of easy-tounderstand resources on newly created government policies such as the CARES ACT, as well as the distribution of goods to Filipino families and health care workers in Southern California.

Through NAFCON’s Bayanihan Community Response to COVID-19, we can work together to disseminate r el iable i n for m at ion to ou r community and deliver resources and services urgently needed by impacted communities.

By channeling the Bayanihan spirit and building a wide alliance across communities, we can address the prevalent issues made more explicit by the pandemic and build support for reforms that meet people’s basic needs.

Join or connect with NAFCON’s Bayanihan Response effort at nafconla@gmail.com, on Facebook at NAFCON Southern California, and Instagram @nafconsocal.

For more information, visit https:// www.nafconusa.org/.

Pilipino po tayo!

LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH U. REYES, P.C. ATTORNEY-AT-LAW

*Certified Family Law Specialist The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization - Certified Family Law Specialist - Certified Public Accountant (Inactive) -J.D Southwestern University Law School Los Angeles, CA - B.S Accounting California State University, San Bernardino, CA

CALL OR E-MAIL FOR AN APPOINTMENT 213-204-6366 or

kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com

FAMILY LAW - Divorce - Community Property Division - Child Custody and Spousal Support - Domestic Violence Restraining Order - Legal Separation and Nullity - Parentage - Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

IMMIGRATION - Marriage Petitions - Relative Petitions - Removal of Condtional Green Card - Humanitarian Reinstatements - Child Status Protection Act Issues - Deportation Defense - Employment Based Petitions and PERM - H-1B Visas

ESTATES AND TRUST - Living Trust - Wills - Probate - Conservatorship CIVIL LITIGATION - Contract Disputes - Business Disputes - Corporate and Partnership Disputes

View POINT PEOPLE are asking whether home prices will crash? NAR Realtor Survey reports that home prices are already falling is this true? I am confident of a correction but can’t see a market crash even after the beginning of this pandemic. Now, we are all of course foreseeing this pandemic to be temporary.

We’d have to agree there has been significant housing development, but never quite enough. Trump tried to end the regulation that has been and still does strangle housing construction in California, Florida, Arizona, Illinois and other states.

Will home prices drop in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Denver, Philadelphia, Tampa, Dallas, Houston, Seattle and Boston and New York, However analyst are predicting that if the Dems won the 2020 election, and shipped jobs back to China, vast amounts of investment capital would flee the US. The job loss, defaults, and lack of lending would indeed be part of an epic type

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Should I create a Will and Living Trust in preparation for the Covid-19 Pandemic?

THE Covid-19 Pandemic is a scary reality which affects everyone globally and has shut down the global economy. Individuals over 60 years old and individual that are immune compromised are more at risk of having serious complications with this virus. Individuals are dying all over the world in exponential numbers.

Although we cannot completely control how our bodies and immune system would respond to this virus, we can prepare our finances and estate in case the worst happens to make sure our loved ones are properly provided for. Legally, there are several ways you can do this.

1. Create a Living Trust If you pass away with at least $166,250 in gross assets and you do not have a living trust (even if you have a will), your beneficiaries would have to open up a probate case before title to the assets can pass to them. When I say gross

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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Saturday-Friday | April 18 - 24, 2020

Will Home Prices Plunge at Any Time?

housing market crash and stock market crash. This possibility darkens the 6 month and 1 year projections considerably.

With the stock market on a slight rebound, a 2.2 Trillion dollar Federal aid package, and the confidence of a great nation in place, is it even conceivable we could see a housing market crash?

What causes a housing market crash?

Major economic events such as a worldwide work stoppage could topple the first few dominoes.

Previously, I’ve forecasted strong, unstoppable, resilient economy, stock markets, and housing markets, and dismissed the efforts of the Dems to crash the economy.

But crash factors (listed below) are often unseen. In fact, no one posed a biological disaster as the one that would do it. Will the next factor be global debt crisis or a war? Or just a bad quick decision by President Trump? How about a Democrat win?

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A new war, unregulated financial markets, instability caused by unfair global trade, consumer fear, and voter rebellion over income polarity all could launch a change of attitude about home buying.

With oil countries like Russia and Saudi Arabia financially vulnerable, there is a lot of insecurity in the world right now.

To crash a market takes a lot, but we have to remember that prices were ridiculously bubbled up, far beyond what buyers could afford. They’ve been sticking their necks out and many are coming to realize it.

What would a timeline for a housing crash look like? Here’s a guess: a 5% drop in home prices in May, 7% in June if everything holds economically. If the Corona Virus is held at bay, home prices could stay flat for July, and then begin a slight 1% increase in August and September.

If President Trump is elected, and that’s a big worry now given his handling of the Corona Virus emergency. We’re at Easter now and in no way can people go back to work or kids go to crowed classrooms.

The drain on the economy is huge and the housing market will see a slide.

Consumers are expected to resume spending once the pandemic is over, but everyone can see how dependent the economy is on US consumers.

The Democrats are persistent in their media assaults on the President, believing that at some point they can haul him to the ground. But as voters ready to

vote, Trump will warn them about capital flight, international supply chain dangers, dangers of foreign dependence, government spending pullbacks, lost jobs, lower wages, and foreclosures.

Threats to the Markets Number one threat now: The endless continuation of Corona Virus infections.

With no cure on the horizon, no one can say when the economy can get rolling again. However, it does appear that China is rolling again. It’s a wild card because medical experts simply don’t know what havoc it will wreak on the economy.

Another open trade deal with China is very risky. It might push jobs back out of the US and devastate business investment here. Investors are confused about where to put their money and are simply holding on to it.

If President Trump accepts a poor trade agreement with the Chinese, it could crash US stock markets and push us into recession, even if multinational corporations breathe their own sigh of relief. I don’t believe any trade deal would be signed and the two are miles further apart now. America First, means the Chinese are gone.

For now, just save up “Cash is Always King” be safe and keep on doing what your doing till this blows over. Thanks for your comments, please call Ken Go of 1st Innovative Finance Group at 562-508-7048 or write to kennethgo@verizon.net. CABRE 01021223 NMLS 238636

Saturday-Friday | April 1818 -24, 24,2020 2020

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Delaying Mortgage Payments? What You Need To Know

FIVE of the country’s largest banks announced recently that they have agreed to temporarily suspend mortgage payments for homeowners affected by the virus. California has indeed suffered an

unexpected economic devastation from the virus with more than 1 million Californians applying for unemployment benefits since March 13.

So far, Wells Fargo, U.S. Bank, Citi, JP

BARRISTER’S CORNER… FROM PAGE 6 asset, I mean regardless of how much debt you owe on them. For example if you own a house valued at $350,000 at the time of your death, it does not matter that your mortgage balance is $300,000, a probate case has to be opened in order to pass title to that property. The same is true with other types of assets such as owning a business, a professional practice, bonds, equities, etc. This is a very low threshold to exceed specially in California where real estate prices, even after the economic crisis, remains in the upper end of the curve among the 50 states.

Commencing a probate case is expensive and a very slow process. Someone qualified will have to file a Petition with the probate court to have someone appointed as executor or administrator. The Petitioner's attorney gets paid a statutory rate for attorney's fees commencing with 4% of the gross estate. The probate referee will have to be paid for appraising the assets of the estate. If it is necessary to post bond, the premium on the bond would have to be paid as well. There is also the cost of administering the estate such as selling some of the assets to satisfy the estate's obligations and to divide the estate according to the will or the intestate line of succession if there is no will. The entire process could take up years specially if certain beneficiaries and creditors file certain claims. The probate court file would be public record.

On the other hand if you have a living trust, your estate can avoid the entire court system and court supervision. In certain situations, the process may also save you estate taxes which may be substantial if your assets exceed a certain threshold. Basically, you and/or your spouse can be named as the initial trustee of the trust while you are alive. The trustee is the person who manages the trust. This means you retain control of all your assets the same way as if you never had a trust. For revocable trusts, you can later on, at any time during your lifetime, revoke the entire trust if you change your mind.

The assets held in your living trust will be managed by the trustee and distributed according to your directions without court supervision and involvement when you pass away. This can save your heirs time and money. Since the trust would not be under the direct management of the probate court, your assets and their value and your beneficiaries' identities would not become a public record.

Your heirs and beneficiaries would still have to be notified about the living trust and advised, among other things, of their right to obtain a copy of the trust.

Having a trust is also beneficial in case you become incapacitated. The person you name as successor trustee can step up and manage the assets in your trust on your behalf.

2. Power of Attorney A power of attorney designates another individual the power to manage your financial affairs on your behalf. You can limit this power and define what the scope of the power you are giving your attorney in fact. A power of attorney is also revocable if you decide to cancel the power you have given this individual. By giving another person the power of attorney, you do not lose the power to manage your financial affairs. You can continue to make financial decisions on your own affairs.

Morgan Chase have said that they will defer mortgage payments for 3 months.

Bank of America said that they will only do it for one month although this could change.

With millions of people out of work nationwide, the requests for mortgage forbearance has risen by at least 1900%.

The recently passed CARES act allows people with federally backed loans to delay payments and be relieved from accumulating interests for up to 12 months.

Of course, this is quite a relief for a lot of people who can’t even pay for basic living expenses let alone afford their mortgage payments. Since most people live paycheck to paycheck, one month of no income can easily cause financial problems to snowball. The average family has less than $5,000 in savings, and that can run out pretty quickly.

The purpose of this article is to briefly explain what a “forbearance” is so that potential problems down the road can be avoided. One thing to remember is that your bank still expects you to pay the missed payments at some point, ant it may even require that you pay everything back in a lump sum. So ,it is important for you to find out from your lender exactly how and when the missed payments will be due so there are no surprises in the end.

Again, this is NOT mortgage payment forgiveness. A forbearance is simply an agreement that allows you to pause or reduce payments for a limited period of time without your lender starting the foreclosure process. By accepting a forbearance, you agree to resume making payments after the forbearance period, pay all the accumulated back payments, including interest, to bring your account up to date.

How the skipped payments will be paid back is very important for you to know NOW, not later. Your lender may put you on a repayment plan (which means that you make your regular mortgage payments plus an extra amount each month until you are caught) OR ask that you pay everything back all at once.

(None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped over 5,000 clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call RJB Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1-866477-7772).

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4. Last Will and Testament A Last Will and Testament allows your to designate how your assets will be distributed after you pass away. This allows you to customize how your estate will be divided and distributed. In the absence of a Will, you would pass away intestate and the probate court would simply follow the California intestate succession laws which are in the probate code.

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, APC is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com

NOTE: Due to the current lockdown order caused by COVID-19, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems.

DEBT PROBLEMS?

3. Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare A Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare allows your to designate specific individual to have the power to make healthcare decisions on your behalf incase you no longer have the capacity to make decisions for yourself due to health conditions. You can define the scope of your agent’s authority. This is also revocable if you change your mind in the future. Your agent will have the authority to access and review your medical records and sign any authorization on your behalf. This is helpful incase you are unable to make healthcare decisions for yourself.

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

If it’s the former, that will be easier for most people although can still be difficult if your monthly income remains the same. If the latter, that could prove to be impossible for a lot of homeowners and can lead to the loss of the home in foreclosure.

If you are unable to bring your account current under either option, the bank may need to modify your loan.

This happened back in 2008 during the last recession when the Obama Administration came out with the MHA (Making Home Affordable) Program.

After that program expired years later, banks continued to modify loans using their own investor guidelines. A loan modification alters the terms of your original mortgage either by reducing the interest, extending the payment terms or even deferring or canceling part of the principal. It remains to be seen whether the government will eventually pass similar laws to help struggling homeowners at this time.

If you or someone you know is struggling with their mortgage payments at this time due to the virus, I can help evaluate the situation advise on available options. Most people who are in this situation, I’m sure, are also struggling with other debts such as credit cards, car loans, personal loans, payday loans, etc. and don’t know which debts to pay first. Again, I will thoroughly review your case and am offering a free consultation.

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IN-HOME CAREGIVERS: ARE YOU PAID OVERTIME? IF you are employed as a 24-hour caregiver, working around-the-clock to provide care and assistance to an individual inside their home, you are most likely entitled to overtime compensation. If you are paid a fixed daily rate, regardless of the actual hours you work or the quality and quantity of work you perform, you are not receiving overtime compensation and likely have a valuable claim for wage theft. This is true whether you are hired directly by the care recipient or paid through a home care agency.

In 2014 the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights (“DWBR”) became law in California. The law was passed as part of a movement to enhance the rights of domestic workers, whom the California Legislature deemed to be some of the most invisible and vulnerable workers in the state. Now, under the DWBR, in-home caregivers are entitled to receive overtime wages for all hours worked in excess of 9 in a day or 45 in a week.

In California, most 24-hour caregivers must be paid a minimum of $378.00 per day to comply with the requirements of the DWBR. The first 9-hours of work should be paid at the legal minimum wage rate of $12.00 per hour, which equals $108.00. Then, for the remaining 15 hours, the law requires overtime payments at a rate of $18.00 per hour, which amounts to an additional $270.00 per day.

Unfortunately, in actual practice, most caregivers receive far less than the applicable minimum wage, often earning as little as $180 to $240 per day. A 24hour caregiver who is earning less than $378.00 per day likely has a very valuable claim for wage theft.

For example, if you are a caregiver working 24-hours per day, 5 days per week for a salary of $1,100 per week (or $220 per day), your weekly unpaid overtime claim is calculated as follows: Your weekly salary of $1,100 is divided by 45 hours to calculate a regular rate of pay, equal to $24.44 per hour. Your overtime rate is 1.5 times your regular rate of pay, which amounts to $36.66 per hour.

Your pre-determined salary does not compensate you, at all, for the 15 daily overtime hours you work.

So, each day, you accrue $550.00 of unpaid overtime wages. Employers, who willfully fail to pay an employee the requisite overtime compensation, are also subject to liquidated damages, which could add an additional $180.00 per day to the wage theft claim. Plus, the law provides for interest, attorneys fees, and penalties.

In the above example, the hypothetical caregiver is owed $2,750 in unpaid overtime wages per week.

On a yearly basis, the overtime claim alone exceeds $140,000. We have helped many caregivers whose claims exceed $500,000 in damages with the addition of penalties, liquidated damages and interest, after working for several years.

Caregivers, who are victims of wage theft, may recover their unpaid wages going back 4 years from the date a lawsuit is filed in court. We have helped many caregivers file claims against their former employers. Even if you last worked several years ago, you still have time to pursue a claim. The one exception is if the care recipient patient has passed away. In that instance, a claim against the care recipient’s estate must be filed within 1 year of their passing, or sooner if an estate has been opened.

If you are a caregiver and are hesitant to proceed with claims for wage theft against your current or former employer please visit our website at www.caregiverovertime.com/pa/concerns/ to review our article that addresses many of the common concerns we have heard from caregivers.

If you are a caregiver working 24-hour shifts without overtime compensation, we want to talk with you about your legal rights. We provide compassionate and confidential consultations. Please contact us at (818) 807-4168, for a free case evaluation.

This article is an attorney advertisement written by Daniel Chaleff, employment law attorney at Chaleff Rehwald Peterson in Woodland Hills. Our examplesare areofofaageneral generalnature natureand andare arenot notaaguarantee guaranteeregarding regardingthe theoutcome outcome of of your your individual individual matter. The law firm focuses examples focuses on on caregiver caregiverrights. rights.

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More cops will be deployed after Duterte's warning of police, military takeover -- Año MANILA, (Mabuhay) — Expect that more policemen would be deployed to run after those who will violate the guidelines of the enhanced community quarantine, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Friday.

This came after President Rodrigo Duterte had directed the police and the military to be ready to enforce social distancing and curfew if Filipinos continue to have no discipline during this period.

"Magdedeploy pa tayo ng dagdag na pulis lalo na inutos ng Pangulo na 'yung mga pasaway, nagtutupada, naga-gambling,” Año said in a radio interview.

He said Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa already issued a directive to cops to intensify measures against those who will violate the directives on the quarantine.

"Naglabas na ng kautusan si General Gamboa kagabi na paigtingin natin 'yung kampanya laban diyan,

sigurado madami tayong aarestuhin," Año said.

In his address on Thursday night, Duterte said he might order security forces to take over by next week.

"I’m just asking for your disiplina.

Kasi pag ayaw ninyo, ayaw ninyong maniwala, mag-takeover ang military pati pulis. I am ordering them now to be ready. Ang pulis pati military ang mag-enforce sa social distancing at yung curfew. Sila na," Duterte said.

"Parang martial law na rin. Mamili kayo. Ayaw ko, pero pagka naipit na yung bayan at walang disiplina kayo," he added.

The President also warned that no government assistance would be provided to individuals who will be caught engaging in drinking sessions and cockfights despite the quarantine in which mass gatherings are prohibited.

Duterte had ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government to look into the cases of violations.

(MNS)

Gov’t strategy to prevent Covid-19 spread: locate, isolate, cure MANILA — The government’s strategy to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is to “locate, isolate and cure” suspected patients, Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Vince Dizon said Friday, as more facilities are being converted into “We Heal As One Centers.”

“Yung mga quarantine facilities ay kasama sa ikalawang parte ng sistema na pag-isolate (The quarantine facilities are included in the second part of the isolation system),” Dizon said during the Laging Handa public briefing.

Dizon, also the Presidential adviser for flagship programs and projects, said the system should be implemented effectively to control the spread of the coronavirus.

The National Task Force Covid-19 led by chief implementer and Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr., and

the Department of Public Works and Highways led

by Secretary Mark Villar have been leading the efforts to convert facilities into quarantine centers to reduce the community spread of Covid-19, and to decongest hospitals and save more lives. “ We He a l A s O ne Centers” in the National Capital Region include the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila, and the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum Halls and the World Trade Center in Pasay.

Also being converted are the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, the PhilSports Arena or ULTRA in Pasig, and the Filinvest Tent in Alabang.

In Pampanga and Tarlac, two major facilities were converted by the government into We Heal As One Centers for Covid-19-positive patients.

These are the ASEAN Convent ion Center i n Clark, and the New Clark City Government Center in Capas, Tarlac, which can

accommodate a combined total of more than 800 patients.

The 525-room New Clark City Athletes’ Village can also accommodate suspected and probable cases.

Dr. Jay Rivera, Pampanga provincial medical consultant, said the converted facilities in Clark are “very, very adequate” in accordance with the “locate, isolate and cure” strategy.

“Kung sila ay positive, susunod tayo sa pag-isolate at kung mag-progress, meron tayong 'cure,' merong mga ospital na naka-standby for the 'cure' (When they are positive of Covid-19, we will isolate them and if it progressed, we have hospitals on standby for the ‘cure’),” he said.

All the We Heal As One Centers have air-conditioned cubicles with plugin outlets, free food for patients and the medical staff, free internet connection, and round-theclock medical assistance.

(PR-BCDA)

Duterte orders probe of 9 hospitals that refused patients MANILA, (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday ordered the Department of Health (DOH) to start investigating nine hospitals that allegedly refused to accept patients amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat.

"Nine hospitals ang nag-ano, nag tanggi, nine hospitals who refused to accept patients and therefore we are calling, not after the COVID crisis, I'll be asking today the DOH to start the investigation," Duterte said in a live briefing.

On Tuesday, a 65-year-old male who suffered from difficulty in breathing in Nueva Ecija died at home after being refused by six different hospitals.

The President, however, did not specify the hospitals that will be investigated.

"I'm sorry but there are rules to be followed... Hospital kayo; you are the sanctuary of the sick, you do not choose the

ailment of the patient you are accepting," Duterte said.

DOH recommends declaration of public health emergency after COVID-19 local transmission "It is simply not within your power, morally, kaya mag-hanap kayo ng paraan on how to deal with the problem because you are a hospital," he added.

Duterte proposed the building of makeshift tents where patients can be temporarily admitted.

"You are also trying to protect everybody in the hospital, including the sick patients, so I can understand [...] but whether or not it is really enough that is the problem," he said. "[Y]ou are a hospital. So kung hindi mo kaya maging hospital, sasarahan na lang kita [...] why pretend to be a hospital when you cannot be a hospital?" he added. (MNS)

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'Don't expect help,' Duterte tells cockfighters, drinkers amid Luzon lockdown MANILA, (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte said Thursday that people caught gambling and drinking liquor amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon shouldn't expect help from government.

"Yung kayo nagsasabong at nag-iinuman, ibig sabihin may pera kayo.

Do not expect any help from me.

Sabihin ko talaga, sorry na lang," Duterte said in a public address.

"May per a pa la k ayong pangsabong, may pera pala kayong pang-inom, di ibigay ko na lang [sa iba]. There's not enough (aid) to go around. Di talaga magkasya. We're getting low sa supply ng pagkain. Ilang araw na 'yung buong Pilipinas pinapakain mo," he added.

Duter te sa id he will order the De-

partment of Interior and Local Government to investigate such incidents.

"The thing is, you must not reduce the population by something like that," he said.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno earlier ordered the total shutdown of Barangay 20 in the capital city after learning its residents have been conducting leisure activities such as boxing and bingo while under community quarantine.

Barangay in Manila placed under 'total shutdown' due to boxing, gambling while on lockdown Some barangay officials also surrendered after holding cockfights in the Manila North Cemetery, despite the Luzon lockdown.

Since March 17, Luzon has been placed under lockdown, which strictly enforces home quarantine and prohibits mass gatherings, to curb the spread of COVID-19. (MNS)

COVID-19 patients shoulder cost of PPEs used during treatment — PHAPi MANILA (Mabuhay) — Coronavirus disease 2019 patients admitted in private hospitals shoulder the cost of personal protective equipment being used through the course of their treatment, the Private Hospitals Association Philippines Inc. (PHAPi) said on Friday.

"Matagal ko na pong panawagan sa DOH (Department of Health) kung pwede bigyan din ang private hospitals ng donated PPEs. Hindi po kami nakakakuha ng marami doon, pakonti-konti lang," PHAPi President Dr. Rustico Jimenez said.

"Nag-oorder pa kami sa ibang bansa.

Bago po dumating 'yan mga isang buwan at mataas na ho 'yung presyo so saan po namin kukunin ang panggastos rito kung hindi rin namin icha-charge sa pasyente?"

Each PPE set costs around P1,800 to P2,000 and an admitted patient daily requires the attention of two nurses who regularly change their protective gear, Jimenez said.

"Palit po nang palit iyon every eight hours so mahina po 'yung anim o walong set sa 24 hours. Talagang macha-charge po ang pasyente," Jimenez said, adding, "Kung donated po [ang PPE] hindi na dapat icha-charge ng ospital."

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, COVID-19 patients are usually confined at hospitals for a period of two to three weeks.

Jimenez clarified that private hospitals do not impose any other additional charges to take advantage of the COVID-19 situation.

House leaders: Police, military takeover in enforcing quarantine rules legal MANIL A (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte is legally authorized to tap the police and military to strictly enforce the enhanced community quarantine, House leaders said Friday.

Deputy Speaker Jesus Crispin Remulla of Cavite made the response in connection with the Chief Executive’s comments that the military and the police should stand ready to enforce social distancing and curfews, like martial law, to prevent COVID-19 transmission amid incidents of people loitering, engaging in cockfights and street boxing, among other violation of quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our Constitution is the only legal basis that I need to cite. Section 1 of Article 7 of the Constitution lodges executive power with the President of the Philippines. The act of instructing or directing the military or the police to take over in terms of implementation of Bayanihan law and enhanced community quarantine is an exercise of executive power and is legal,” Remulla said.

Remulla was referring to the provision in the Baya n i ha n law wh ich states that the President can take other reasonable measures to carry out the declared national policy subject to the Bill of Rights and other constitutional

guarantees.

C a v it e Re pr e s e nt at ive E lpid io Ba r z a ga , Vice-Chairperson of the House Health Committee, agreed with Remulla by citing the Supreme Court 2019 ruling which upheld t he President’s pol ice power in shutting down Boracay for a six- month rehabilitation in 2018.

Barzaga said the High Court ruling on Boracay upheld the state’s inherent and plenary power which enables it to prohibit all things hurtful to the comfort, safety, and welfare of society.

“The laws grant broad emergency powers to the President, including placing the military and police in charge of enhanced community quarantine,” Barzaga said in a separate talk.

Ako Bicol representative Alfredo Garbin, for his part, said that the President’s action is in accordance with his declaration of a state of public health emergency amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

He reiterated his call for DOH and the private sector to also help the private hospitals secure enough donated PPEs amid the health emergency to ease the financial burden of the patients.

He said the hospitalization cost of a COVID-19 patient in a private hospital could cost up to P3 million.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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Philippines' COVID-19 cases reach 5,878; recoveries widen lead over deaths MANILA (Mabuhay) — The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country has reached 5,878 with 218 new cases, data from the Department of Health showed on Friday.

There were again more recoveries than deaths, 52 against 25, bring the total number of recoveries to 487.

The death is now at 387.

Meanwhile, 88 more Filipinos abroad have tested positive for COVID-19, the highest increase since the end of March, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday.

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 837 among overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) living across the Asia Pacific Region, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East or Africa.

The DFA also recorded eight new recoveries from the Americas and three more deaths from the same region and the Middle East, bringing the tally to 248 and 106, respectively.

According to data from the DFA, there are 160 recoveries, 111 patients undergoing treatment, and one fatality in the Asia Pacific Region.

In the Middle East or Africa, recoveries remained at four while patients undergoing treatment increased to 141 and fatalities to seven.

There were no additional cases recorded in Europe with recoveries remaining at 22 and fatalities at 33 while patients undergoing treatment were reduced to 181.

In the Americas, recoveries and fatalities increased to 62 and 65, respectively, while patients undergoing treatment climbed to 50. (MNS)

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ANG SENSO AY SIMPLE AT PRIBADONG 9 NA KATANUNGAN SA SURBEYO KABILANG ANG KOMUNIDAD LUMAHOK KABILANG ANG PAMILYA SA SENSO LAHAT AY KABILANG NGAYON

CaliforniaCensus.org

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Mahilig ako sa mga numero!

Tungkol ito sa 2020 Census at pondong pampubliko. ‘Di ako accountant, pero gustung-gusto ko ‘pag nag-a-add up ang mga numero.

Kada sampung taon, ine-aim ng census na makakuha ng tama at tumpak na bilang ng lahat ng naninirahan sa United States. Mas tumpak ang data, mas maraming oportunidad na makakatanggap ng pondong pampubliko ang ating komunidad. Iyon ay higit 675 bilyong dolyar kada taon para sa pondong pampubliko para sa mga schools, health clinics at roads.

Magre-respond ako! Kayo?

Kapag sama-sama, mas may lakas, mas may pwersa!

Kumpletuhin ang census sa

2020CENSUS.GOV/tl Paid for by U.S. Census Bureau

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Barretto fundraiser leads to construction of quarantine facility at QC hospital

A

fundraiser spearheaded by actress Julia Barretto and her sisters, Dani and Claudia, has led to the construction of a quarantine facility for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients at a Quezon City hospital.

The celebrity siblings launched the relief project, dubbed #ParaMayBukas, on April 4, with the goal of raising P600,000 to fund the construction of the facility designed by architecture firm WTA Design Studio.

The aim, Julia said, is to help address the issue of overcrowding at hospitals due to the surge of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines.

Each 6x26-meter facility has 15 beds and two

toilets, with airflow that is directed from front

Carol Banawa now a COVID-19 frontliner in the US

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Carol Banawa has been busy working as a COVID-19 frontliner in the United States.

Banawa recently shared a new photo, where she is seen wearing her “new gear.”

“Just got word that I will be floating out of my home unit starting next week to train and help out other units in the next few weeks. Preparing for the incoming surge of covid patients. Grateful to receive this added protection just in time.

Here we go,” she wrote in the caption.

Banawa has been living in the US with her husband and two kids since she left show business many years ago.

In 2018, she earned her nursing degree after finishing summa cum laude at the Northern Virginia Community College in Washington D.C. She became a registered nurse in the US in the same year. (MNS)

Ruffa Gutierrez discovers cooking skills while under lockdown MANILA (Mabuhay) — Ruffa Gutierrez has been using her quarantine time wisely.

Based on her social media updates, Gutierrez said she was happy to learn how to cook, now that she has spare time due to the Luzon-wide lockdown.

“I’ve never had the time before but I am grateful to learn a new skill now,” she said.

A mother of two, Gutierrez said she’s lucky to have earned her daughters’ approval of the first d i sh t h at she ever made.

“My very first dish this quarantine is called RUFFA’S LEMONY GARLIC CHICKEN,” she said. “Ubos except for half a leg which Simba and Nala shared.”

Considering herself a beginner, the celebrity mom said in jest that her only wish is to not burn anything in the kitchen and not poison anyone. (MNS)

to rear through vents to prevent recirculation, ac-

cording to WTA Design Studio's website.

On April 11, or a week after the Barretto sisters announced their project, #ParaMayBukas exceeded its goal, with a total of P651,952.22.

The remainder of the money raised, they said, will be used to provide per sona l prote c t ive equipment and meals to builders and volunteers.

The quarantine facility funded by the Barrettos and their donors is now under construction at Fe

Del Mundo Medical Center in Quezon City — one of 60 sites where the same architecture group is aiming to reach with the help of donations. (MNS)

Angel Locsin raises P11 million to provide tents to COVID-19 hospitals MANILA (Mabuhay) — It's mission accomplished for "The General's Daughter" star Angel Locsin, as she announced Monday that she has achieved the goal of her fundraising initiative in relation to the coronavirus pandemic.

Locsin, 34, launched #UniTentWeStandPH on March 25, with the goal of helping address overcrowding at hospitals by providing specialized tents for patients with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

As of April 13, the program has raised P10,956,702.98, Locsin announced through an Instagram video that also shows the breakdown of expenses, including the purchase of the 12x24-meter tents.

What started out as a relief drive with 7 hospital beneficiaries within Metro Manila, has since ballooned to a massive project that continues to deliver tents, medical supplies, as well as personal protective

equipment to 150 hospitals including those from neighboring provinces.

Locsin — along with her collaborators Neil Arce, Dimples Romana, Marev Matic, and Gines Sarangaya — have

Ellen Adarna not going back to showbiz, at least ‘not in the next 7 years’

By MELDA GUERRA

WHEN controversial sexy star Ellen Adarna became active in social media again, fans and followers are thrilled and happy that they will see her again in the entertainment world, specially after a two-year hiatus from showbiz.

Not to quash their expectations, however, but Adarna, in an interview on Good Times with Mo on April 3, reveals that she has no plans of resuming her showbiz career for now.

“I’m working now for my fa mily so I don’t plan to go b ac k to showbiz anytime soon. Not in the nex t seven years.

A nd I don’t h a v e pl a n s with vlogging as well,” she said.

She explained that she is a full-time mom to Elias, her son with John Lloyd Cruz, and wants to spend as much time to him.

“I want to be with my son in his formative years, which is the first seven years. I’m a very hands-on mom, like, really…

“People are not expecting [this of me].“I know they think I’m just in the club, drinking, ‘This party girl is still the same,’” she said in jest.

While admitting that the

“old me” is still in her, Adarna said she’s learned “how to control it but it comes out every once in a while.” “[I miss] how free-spirited I was and how I had no worries.

But now I’m a mom. I have to think about my son all the time. I’m a professional worrier now,” she said.

When asked if she wants her son to also follow in her or his dad’s footsteps in showbiz, she says he’s too young to decide yet.

“He will decide but now he can’t yet, right? So I want to have a choice. There are pictures [of Elias] though, it’s been circulating but I don’t want it coming from me or his father,” she said.

Adarna and Cruz became a couple in 2017 and have reportedly split up — for reasons both camps refuse to reveal — even before their son, Elias, turned one in June 2019.

been personally handling the fundraising transactions, as well as the setup of the tents.

"Binuo po ang #UniTentWeStandPH para po makatulong kahit papaano sa overcrowding situation ng ating mga ospital, sa mga pasyente na hindi na po nagagamot, sa mga health workers na hindi nabibigyan ng tamang proteksyon, sa mga pasyente na nahahalo sa ibang cases. Iyon po ang dahilan kung bakit tayo nandito," she said.

As the fundraiser has received "more than enough" donations, Locsin announced that it will stop accepting further monetary help, as they now shift the focus on setting up the remainder of the tents at hospitals. (MNS)

Christopher de Leon now negative for COVID-19 MANILA (Mabuhay) — Veteran actor Christopher de Leon has tested negative for the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) more than three weeks after catching the respiratory illness.

De Leon's wife Sandy Andolong made the announcement through a post on her Instagram Story on Monday night.

“At last the long wait is over!

All praise and glory to God,” Andolong wrote across the copy of de Leon’s laboratory test results.

De Leon announced last March 17 that he tested positive for COVID-19, amid a pandemic that has put the Philippines under a state of calamity and the entire Luzon in lockdown.

One week later, the 63-yearold actor was discharged from the hospital and underwent home quarantine, his manager Lolit Solis confirmed on March 24. (MNS)

BALITA 13 Entertainment JM de Guzman, Angelica Panganiban talk about their process of moving on

Saturday-Friday | April 18- 24, 2020

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plained that he does not regret going through that rough patch in his life.

“Feeling ko kailangan kong pagdaanan 'yun, ma-experience 'yun para meron ka ng awareness na may posibilidad ka palang pwedeng maging ganun kapag na-in love ka or nasaktan ka. So mas malakas 'yung reflex ko ngayon doon,” he said.

When asked if he feels a broken heart needs another heart to mend it, de Guzman said: “No. All you need is yourself and God. Kailangan sapat na 'yung love

mo sa sarili mo, hindi ka dedepende sa puso ng iba.”

The Lockdown Cinema Nights which Panganiban and de Guzman took part in is a fundraiser for the benefit of those in the film industry who currently have no jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the Luzon-wide lockdown was implemented in March, all film outfits have suspended productions to help contain the spread of the COVID-19.

Dianne Medina, Rodjun Cruz expecting first child JM DE GUZMAN AND ANGELICA PANGANIBAN MANILA (Mabuhay) — Angelica Panganiban and JM de Guzman drew upon their personal experiences as they turned candid about how they have moved on from failed relationships.

After doing an online script reading of “That Thing Called Tadhana” for Lockdown Cinema Nights, the two gamely answered questions from netizens about dea ling w ith a breakup.

According to Panganiban, she likes to travel to divert her attention.

“Nakakatulong sa akin 'yung pagbiyahe, 'yung

pagbago ng environment.

So far nung huling heartbreak ko, 'yun ang naging pinaka-effective talaga.

Mahal nga lang. At saka dasal. Lord, tulungan mo na ako, tapusin mo na ‘to,” she said.

Panganiban, however, refused to call herself an expert when it comes to breakups.

“Hindi naman ako expert sa pagmu-move on. Lagi lang ako nagmu-move on.

So baka eventually maging expert na rin nga talaga ako,” she said in jest.

With a life that’s become an open book since her childhood, Panganiban

has made no secret of her heartbreaks over failed relationships as well as the lessons she learned from them.

Panganiban has three known former boyfriends who are also in showbiz: Carlo Aquino, Derek Ramsay, and John Lloyd Cruz.

Meanwhile, de Guzman acknowledged that his moving on process isn’t something to emulate.

“Mali-mali 'yung mga proseso ko noon pero natuto na ako. Iba 'yung proseso ko dati, pa-self destruct eh,” he said.

The actor, however, ex-

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(MNS)

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Celebrity couple Dianne Medina and Rodjun Cruz are expecting their first child.

The couple made the announcement on Medina's Instagram page on Easter Sunday.

Medina posted a photo of her holding her baby bump, and Cruz holding a sonogram of their baby.

"Today, as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are also celebrating this gift of NEW LIFE inside me!

“We are immensely happy to announce that Rj and I are expecting! I’m 17 weeks pregnant!" Medina wrote in the caption.

She also used the hashtag #HoneymoonBaby in her post.

Medina and Cruz tied the knot in December after being in a relationship for more than a decade. (MNS)

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Health & & Family Health Family

Saturday-Friday | April 18 - 24, 2020

DOH: Antibody injection different from plasma therapy MANILA (Mabuhay) — The so-called antibody injection for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is different from the convalescent plasma therapy that is being used in some Philippine hospitals to treat critically ill patients, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday.

"Iba po ito sa plasma therapy kung saan ang mga naka-recover na pasyente sinasalin 'yung kanilang dugo sa mga may sakit pa dahil ang iniisip natin may antibody na sila

doon sa kanilang katawan para makatulong doon sa mga may sakit," Vergeire said.

"Itong isa naman po (antibody injection) ay sinasabi na antibody na kinukuha sa mga kung anong gamot na mayroon tayo na sinasabing naimbento o sinasabing pinagsama-sama na gamot," she added.

Sur v ivors of COVID-19 a re cu r rent ly being encouraged to donate their plasma to the Philippine General Hospital and other health facilities to help patients severely suffering from the virus to recover.

On t he ot her hand, Vergeire said antibody inject ions for COVID-19 still have to secure approval from t he c ou nt r y 's Food a nd Dr ug Administration to ensure that they are safe for use.

President Rodr i go D ut e r t e on Thursday claimed that "k iller a ntibodies" allegedly capable of curing COV-

HEALTH UNDERSECRETARY MARIA ROSARIO VERGEIRE

ID-19 will soon be released by experts in a few days.

Earlier, he also said that pharmaceutical giants had developed an antibody treatment for COVID-19, and the antidote is set to roll out in May. "Sabi, ang bakuna is about 2021 [lalabas].

Pero ‘yung ibang medisina, ‘yung mga killer antibodies, andiyan na ata," he said. "Kung mabili ‘yan in mass production, mabigyan ng quota ‘yung Pilipinas, I will lift the [quarantine]. Ang medisina lang kailangan ko."

The president also cited claims that horses have more potent antibodies that are being explored as a possible cure for COVID-19.

“Usually, magkuha ka kasi doon sa patay, kunan mo ng dugo niya, i-inject mo doon sa kabayo. ‘Yung kabayo, kaya niyang nang ano…

Da ha n-da ha n la ng, hanggang ma-immune.

'Pag marami nang antibodies ‘yung kabayo, doon na kunin ‘yung maraming [dugo].”

An article from Time's website last month mentioned that a biopharmaceutical company in Maryland is looking to other possible sources of antibodies against COVID-19—specifically, horses. (MNS)

Duterte claims COVID-19 cure ready in a few days, lifting of quarantine to follow MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte claimed on Thursday night that “killer antibodies” allegedly capable of curing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will be rolled out in a few days.

“The experiments are getting into high gear. Baka makakita tayo ng lunas in a few days,” he said in a televised address.

The chief executive earlier claimed that pharmaceutical giants had developed an antibody treatment for COVID-19 set to roll out in May and vowed to lift the Luzon-wide quarantine once they are delivered to the Philippines.

“Sabi, ang bakuna is about 2021 [lalabas]. Pero ‘yung ibang medisina, ‘yung mga killer antibodies, andiyan na ata,” he said. “Kung mabili ‘yan in mass production, mabigyan ng quota ‘yung Pilipinas, I will lift the [quarantine]. Ang medisina lang kailangan ko.”

The president also claimed that horses have more potent antibodies that are being explored as a possible cure for COVID-19.

“Usually, magkuha ka kasi doon sa patay, kunan mo ng dugo niya, i-inject mo doon sa kabayo. ‘Yung kabayo, kaya niyang nang ano… Dahan-dahan lang, hanggang ma-immune. 'Pag marami nang antibodies ‘yung kabayo, doon na kunin ‘yung maraming [dugo].”

Duterte clarified, however, that he is not a doctor: “abogado lang ako.”

No ‘magic cure’ yet Earlier on Thursday, health authorities repeatedly stressed that no cure for COVID-19 has been discovered yet.

“Wala pa talaga tayong magic drug na napag-aralan na na-establish sa mga clinical trial na epektibo at safe na gamitin para sa COVID-19,” Dr. Marissa Alejandria of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases said.

She explained that while no cure for COVID-19 has been found yet, some medicines already in the market are being used as investigational or repurposed drugs, such as the antimalarial chloroquine or HIV medications ritonavir and lopinavir.

“Itong mga gamot na ito, nakita sa laboratoryo na puwede siyang labanan ‘yung virus, ‘yung SARS-CoV-2… pero lahat 'yan ay sa eksperimento lang at hindi pa siya 'yung tinatawag natin na clinical trial para masabi na sila talaga ang pinaka-epektibong gamot sa COVID,” Alejandria explained.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire likewise clarified that the antibody treatments discussed by Duterte in his briefing on Monday are still being studied by experts. (MNS)

How to Wear a Cloth Face Covering Cloth face coverings should— • fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face

• allow for breathing without restriction

• be secured with ties or ear loops

• be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape

• include multiple layers of fabric

BANDANA FACE COVERING (no sew method)

Materials • Bandana (or square cotton cloth approximately 20”x20”) • Rubber bands (or hair ties) • Scissors (if you are cutting your own cloth) Tutorial

CDC

(Source: cdc.gov)

Saturday-Friday || April April 1818 -24, 24,2020 2020 Saturday-Friday

DOH: EVERY FILIPINO IS COVERED BY PHILHEALTH’S COVID-19 CASE RATES THE Department of Health (DOH) today announced that PhilHealth has issued guidelines on “casebased payment of benefits” (PhilHealth Circular 2020-0009- Benefit Packages for Inpatient Care of Probable and Confirmed COVID-19 Developing Severe Illnesses/Outcomes) for COVID-19 patients.

“This is part of PhilHealth’s mandate to ensure that all Filipinos have equitable access to quality, affordable and accessible health care services,” Health OIC-Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the Beat COVID-19 Virtual Presser that featured Dr. Shirley Domingo, PhilHealth Vice President for the Corporate Affairs Group as its guest.

According to Dr. Domingo, patients confined as probable or confirmed cases can avail of the benefit packages as follows: PHP 43,997 package for patients with mild pneumonia confined in Level 1 to 3 hospitals; PHP 143,267 package for those with moderate pneumonia in Level 1 to 3 hospitals; PHP 333,519 package for patients with severe pneumonia confined in Level 2 to 3 hospitals, including ICUs; and P786,384 package for patients with critical pneumonia confined in Level 2 to 3 hospitals, including ICUs. These packages cover the rates for a private hospital room, management and monitoring of illness, laboratory, diagnostics and imaging, medicines included in the guidelines and protocol of the DOH, and supplies and equipment, including PPEs. “Tuloy-tuloy ang bayad ng PhilHealth sa lahat ng COVID-19 cases,” declared Dr. Domingo. Philhealth will cover all expenses for patients admitted from February 1 to April 14, 2020, while the newly issued case rates will apply beginning April 15, 2020. Rates will be adjusted upon review of new evidence and updates on guidelines, protocols, and costings are introduced. Additionally, all health workers including those essential to the frontline service exposed to COVID-19 will be fully secured by PhilHealth in the entire duration of the pandemic.

Dr. Domingo further stressed that with the passage of the Universal Health Care Law, all Filipinos are now automatically members of PhilHealth and are immediately eligible to avail of the mentioned benefits. They only need to accomplish the PhilHealth Member Registration Form (PMRF) and present with two valid IDs. Existing members with missed contributions remain eligible to avail of the COVID-19 benefits.

The PhilHealth Spokesperson also appealed to health facilities not to require deposits or advance payments from patients and assured them and the public that the government will cover their financial expenses through PhilHealth.

“Walang sisinuhin ang Philhealth pagdating sa sakit na ito,” USec. Vergeire stated. PhilHealth is ready to cover all Filipinos in these trying times. “Sana po ay ‘wag huwag tayong mag alinlangan na pumunta upang magpatingin sa ating mga ospital kung kinakailangan, lalo na po kung ito ay ayun sa rekomendasyon ng ating mga doktor,” USec. Vergeire concluded. (DOH)

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Spraying objects with disinfectants not dangerous to people — Duque MANILA (Mabuhay) — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday clarified that spraying inanimate objects with disinfectants as a preventive measure against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not dangerous to people.

Duque made the remark to clear up public confusion regarding the DOH's earlier advisory against spraying and misting as a disinfection method to prevent catching the disease.

During the virtual meeting of the House Defeat COVID-19 Committee, Duque said the DOH is advising against spraying and misting only on people due to health complications it may cause.

"Pero yung pag-sspray sa inanimate objects, sa mga lamesa, kung saan-saan, hindi naman ito delikado sa mga tao," he said.

"Yun namang spraying tsaka misting, pwede lang yun sa tao [kapag] naka-complete personal protective equipment katulad ng mga nakikita natin sa mga ospital. Pero kapag walang PPEs, hindi pwedeng i-sprayan," he added.

According to Duque, spraying and misting on people could cause skin irritations and lesions and trigger asthmatic attacks and may be dangerous for people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

He added that spraying or misting may also cause what he called "aerosoling."

"Pwedeng yung tao ay may dalang mikrobyo o may dalang COVID virus ay biglang naubo o nahatsing dahil nga may misting, pwedeng umikot-ikot yung virus at yung susunod na tao ay pwedeng malanghap niya at magkakasakit din

siya," he said.

Even as there is no danger in spraying objects, Duque advised that it is better to just wipe surfaces with disinfectants.

As of Thursday, there are a total of 5,660 cases of COVID-19 reported in the Philippines, with 362 deaths and 435 recoveries. (MNS)

House panel tackles health measures vs. Covid-19 MANILA (Mabuhay) — The health cluster of the House of Representatives’ Defeat COVID-19 Committee (DCC) on Wednesday held its technical working group (TWG) meeting to discuss solutions to improve the government’s capacity in containing the spread and impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The virtual meeting of the DCC health cluster, chaired by Representatives Angelina Tan and Janette Garin, was attended by the Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III, Health Undersecretary Lilibeth David, PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales, and other health experts.

In his opening remarks, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the country recorded the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the Asean region as of Wednesday, stressing that the government must strengthen its efforts to contain the pandemic.

“In the face of adversity, we have no choice but to remain steadfast, resolute, and optimistic as we work tirelessly in the service of the Filipino people. We, your Representatives, are your eyes and ears on the ground, and your voice on the national stage,” Romualdez said.

“Rest assured that the House of Representatives is working towards crafting a solution to help ensure the promotion of

public health and safety, the delivery of basic goods and services, the upliftment of the economy, and the restoration of the livelihood of many of our countrymen,” he added.

Romualdez noted that the DCC’s economic cluster is working on a PHP370-billion stimulus-response package to flatten the recession curve and keep the country’s economy afloat.

“We intend to use these resources to improve our capacity in containing this novel coronavirus and in mitigating the ill effects it has brought to our daily life. With all your inputs today, I have no doubt that we can achieve this mission and craft a better plan to address the remaining challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.

Duque, meanwhile, said that while the last three months has been “difficult” for the DOH, the fight against the disease must still go on.

“Marami po sa amin ang nagkasakit na, na-quarantine ... pero patuloy na lumalaban para sa kalusugan ng Pilipino," Duque said.

“The fight against Covid-19 is not a fight of one man or agency, but the fight of all Filipinos,” he added.

As of Wednesday, the Philippines has 5,453 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with 349 fatalities and 353 recoveries. (MNS)

POPCOM: Physical distancing at home ‘nearly impossible’ for 3.8 M NCR residents amid COVID-19 MANILA (Mabuhay) — As families are forced to stay at home amid the enhanced community quarantine due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), around 3.8 million residents in Metro Manila are struggling to exercise physical distancing in cramped living spaces, according to the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM).

Its database of demographic vulnerabilities showed that 27% of the National Capital Region's 13.9 million population live in 812,584 housing units under 20 square meters (sq.m.).

“With an average number of 4.7 persons in each household, that leaves a living space of only 4.25 sq. m. per person, which makes it nearly impossible to

STRICTER DISTANCING. Authorities implement stricter physical distancing at the Balintawak Market in Quezon City on Thursday (April 16, 2020). The Department of the Interior and Local Government recently ordered a stricter implementation of the social distancing measure to control the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

(MNS photo)

achieve physical distancing,” POPCOM chief Undersecretary Juan Perez III said in a statement Perez stressed that the two million poorest residents in the metro live in single-detached houses of less than 20 sq. m.

“In this type of housing, the average number of persons in a household increases to 4.9; therefore, the living space goes down to 4.0 sq. m. per person,” he said.

In these tight living spaces in Metro Manila, 84,276 senior citizens—vulnerable to COVID-19—are residing with other household members.

These information were generated from POPCOM's recently-developed database of demographic vulnerabilities in NCR that would help improve coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) responses at the barangay level.

The database aims to help local government units to execute better pandemic responses.

Perez said that all of the 42,044 barangays nationwide will be covered by the database which will show their vulnerabilities based on living spaces and the number of senior citizens living in COVID-19-susceptible conditions.

POPCOM will be able to complete its analysis for all barangays in the country within the third week of April, he added. (MNS)

16

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O

n Easter Sunday, several US television news channels showed various medical facility doctors and nurses still plea for necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) - ranging from the N95 approved COVID 19 medical masks, to rubber gloves, to plastic gowns and still quite a shortage of ventilators. All of us who are on lockdown wonder what happened to the thousands of PPEs which were stated to have been distributed to various states here in the United States.

As recently as Monday, April 13, 2020 medical frontliner doctors and nurses have complained that in one large hospital in Los Angeles, each medical staff were only given one (1) N95 mask to be used for a week and some ventilators have two (2) COVID 19 patients hooked on it.

That's why some families of those medical frontliners who passed away, now claim that their deaths could have been PREVENTED had the medical facilities they were working at, were BETTER equipped with the necessary PPEs they needed.

Sad to note that those who died were alone, with no relatives around to hold their hands, as they breathe their last; some of them still have to be buried, while others were cremated with no ceremony and no one to bid goodbye.

It is this helplessness and grief that people who now lose loved ones become more heartbroken most particularly when they lose someone they love.

On a recent article written by Emily Pierskalia, a registered nurse who's a member of the Minnesota Nurses Association

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Worldwide medical frontliners still plea for more COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment

(MNA), wrote a lengthy essay which appeared in a journal of the MNA, entitled "I Want My Death To Make You Angry."

Pierskalia wrote: " what is it like being a nurse in a Pandemic? Everyday, I bounce through the stages of grief like a pinball.

The ricochet of whiplash leaves myself tired and bruised.

Denial: I have spent less and less time in the denial stage.

Still, I see many of my loved ones, politicians and lay people stuck in this phase.

Anger: When our elders and immuno-suppressed folks are referred to as disposable members of society, when pocketbooks of stockholders are considered more important than

human lives, when we've known for a while that this Pandemic was coming, I burn with ANGER! Anger: It is ANGER of the system that prioritizes profits over health. It's a system that regularly runs out of "essential" and "critical" supplies seasonally. I have anger knowing the fragility of our supply chain is exposed, time and time again...

Bargaining: the government bodies bargaining with supply chain availability over scientific evidence. A paper bag is given magic power to show how to preserve masks that have already expired and soiled. Droplet precautions are now satisfactory for airborne illnesses.

But don't we dare leave a scotch tape on the walls.

Depression: heaviness in my heart knowing that my co-workers and friends become unwilling sacrif ices, so the system can continue in its self-destructive path. And there's grief for the many people I will not have the resources to care for and save.

Acceptance: I have accepted that I will be infected with Covid 19 at some point. I am not scared of getting sick, but I am scared of infecting those who will not survive. Everyday, I check other state's available hospital beds and ventilators, and wonder if my illness becomes severe, will there be resources left for me? Though I will instantly be tagged as a "hero" on social media, if I die, I don't want to be remembered as a "hero."

I want my death to make you ANGRY too, because I want you to use it as a fuel to demand CHANGE in this industry; to demand PROTECTION, liv-

ing wages and SAFE working conditions, for all nurses and medical workers; Use my death to mobilize others; use my name in the bargaining table; Use my name to show those who have profited or failed to act, leaving us to 'clean the mess.'

Don't say 'heaven has gained an angel,' but rather tell them t h at N E GL IGE NC E a nd GREED has murdered a person for choosing a career dedicated to compassion and service."

Similar pleas for more PPEs were also posted by a Pinay named Mayeth Monta in the UK practically "begging for more PPEs to save the lives of their patients there." She also listed the names of 16 Filipino medical frontlines who passed away.

Her list included: Amor Gatinao, Marjorie Teves, Romeo Castillo, John Alagos, Delia Manay, Arbek Ganias, Elvira Bucu, Leilani Dayrit, Oskar King, Jr., Fernando Caparral, Raoul Apostol, Leilani Medel and Dr. Aileen Abdon Sartaguda.

Let us all light our Easter candles of blessings for the Filipino medical heroes worldwide who gave their life of service and let us al pray for their eternal peace in heaven.

DE LIMA:... from Page 1 in wielding his authoritarianism,� De Lima said. “Ikaw kaya ang papiliin, Duterte: step up or step aside?" she added.

On Thursday, Duterte threatened to mandate the state security forces to takeover the enforcement of quarantine protocols of the public will continue violating curfew and social distancing rules.

"I’m just asking for your disiplina. Kasi pag ayaw ninyo, ayaw ninyong maniwala, mag-takeover ang military pati pulis. I am ordering them now to be ready. Ang pulis pati military ang mag-enforce sa social distancing at yung curfew. Sila na," Duterte said.

"Parang martial law na rin. Mamili kayo.

Ayaw ko, pero pagka naipit na yung bayan at walang disiplina kayo," he added.

An enhanced community quarantine has been imposed by the national government over Luzon in mid-March and has been extended until April 30.

Strict confinement measures are also in place in other parts of the country.

As of April 13, the Philippine National Police has recorded a total of 108,088 violators of the guidelines of the strict quarantine protocols amid the health emergency.

On Friday, the number of COVID-19 cases in Philippines reached a total of 5,878, with 387 deaths and 487 recoveries.

(MNS)

CREMATE... from Page 1 "Ang P25,000 para po sa mga indigent, maari po'ng sagutin ng local government o ng kanila po'ng local DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development)," MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said.

"Ang kanilang local DSWD ang magdedetermine kung kayo po ay indigent para po ma-avail ang P25,000 flat rate," she added.

The decision was issued as part of efforts to ease the financial burden of families who lost their loved ones to COVID-19 and amid complaints of overpricing of cremation services that were reportedly priced between P80,000 to P100,000.

According to the report, some funeral parlors in Metro Manila did not have a problem with the P25,000 fixed rate.

"Nasa krisis tayo kaya kailangan tumulong tayo sa gobyerno in a way we can. We give hazard pay to our staff, tapos 'yung pagpo-provide namin nu'ng aming PPE sa mga tauhan namin," Remedios Esperidion, the owner of the Veronica Funeral, said.

"Hospitals are running out of PPEs and cadaver bags, so kami na ang nagpoprovide nu'n," she added.

Though bodies were not stacked at

crematoriums, Esperdion said that there were lines of bodies to be cremated.

"Sa crematorium nakapila sila dahil marami talaga ang nagpapa-cremate and you know 'yung iba, nakaka-average lang ng five to six bodies a day," Esperidion said.

To prevent delay in the cremation of bodies, concerned officials have reportedly agreed that patients will use a temporary certification.

Meanwhile, Pialago advised facilities that need cadaver bags to contact the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD).

"Meron po'ng available na 7,000 cadaver bags and Office of the Civil Defense. Ang tanging kailangan lang ho gawin ng hospital concerned ay mag-request po [ng] formal," Pialago said.

Should the situation worsen, she said freezer vans were available at the OCD. Concerned authorities have also repor tedly agreed to implement a borderless cremation, meaning patients may be cremated anywhere in the National Capital Region regardless of residency.

As of Friday, there are 21 crematoriums in Metro Manila. Of these, four are public.

(MNS)

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I am Patient 2828

By HOWIE G. SEVERINO

AFTER 11 days in the hospital, a bout of pneumonia and a major scare, I think I can now be called a COVID-19 survivor.

I know of a few others, all attempting to return to low-profile lives in a fearful world, but most choose to remain invisible.

There are strong reasons for this anonymity. This disease is one of the most stigmatized and loneliest in human history, perhaps comparable only to leprosy where quarantine can be forever.

One of my fellow COVID-19 patients in the hospital can’t go home because his condo building won’t let him move back, despite already testing negative for the virus.

I am one of the lucky ones who have been able to go home, resume a semblance of my former life, and live to tell the tale.

It’s a tale of long painful needles that couldn’t find a vein in my hands, the swabs down my throat that made me gag, the torture of long sleep deprivation, and the team of doctors who formed a Viber group to discuss updates on my case and the experimental drug chloroquine that worked on patients elsewhere and eventually worked on me.

Since the pandemic is far from over, many more will be infected and confined. Some will not make it. Those of us among the pioneers — I’m Patient 2828 in the lower part of the curve - have a responsibility to talk about this experience in a way that will enable the public to understand it, lessen the fear, and create compassion for those who survived COVID-19.

A few takeaways: Transparency is an obligation.

While there are good reasons to keep this condition under wraps — there are even privacy laws that can justify it — it's not fair to anyone who has had close contact with you.

For the greater good, we are required to disclose our COVID-19 status to the Department of Health.

Contact tracing can go a long way in preventing its further spread. This is more than a notification of work colleagues.

One of my more critical decisions was informing my close neighbors.

They reacted with compassion and appreciation for the information, but I’m not sure how they would have reacted if they found out later or through the barangay.

This disease need not be so lonely.

You’re in isolation in a hospital or at home, with no visitors except frontliners in PPE spacesuits. You can’t see their faces and tell them apart aside from their body shapes. That doesn’t mean you need to feel alone.

Like many under lockdown, our phones are our lifeline and our source of social support. I had Zoom meet-

ings from my hospital bed, saw family social events and group conversations.

The most someone can do for a COVID-19 patient is to stay in touch online. Even with this connection, the regular visits of nurses to perform tests and take your vital signs were indispensable in maintaining a mental balance. I got to know many of them, the risks they take, their long walks home, their own isolation at home, the fear of others when they walk by.

When reaching out to COVID-19 patients, do so with more than get well messages. Share family news, your playlists, jokes and memes, anything that can offer a respite from the constant reminders of our condition. We do not need more pity.

One of my most memorable moments of relief was when my friend Alonso told me the hilarious story from years ago of being in a kalesa on Roxas Blvd and being chased by a police car for the driver’s traffic violation “the world’s slowest police chase).

He recalls spotting me on my bike so that I stopped and lobbied the cops to let my passenger friend go.

COVID-19 need not be a death sentence. I am living proof. A combina-

tion of good fortune, physical fitness and competent medical treatment probably saved my life.

Don’t believe all the statistics. One false impression is that the fatalities outnumber the recoveries, artificially bloating the case fatality rate. The reality is many of the recoveries don’t get counted, while the deaths often make the news, adding to the overwhelming sense of dread. The odds of survival are pretty good.

Don’t underestimate the power of the mind. The debilitating effects of the disease and the medication combined with the uncertainty produced one of the worst nights of my life. Unable to sleep, I was delirious with visions of death crossing my mind.

My wife calmly walked me through meditation and breathing exercises she learned at theater workshops. In the dark, I closed my eyes, imagined lavender fields, and started counting to 100. I was trying to dispel the dreadful thoughts and finally fell asleep before the count of 100.

Frontliners are true heroes, but many more have chosen to stay out of harm’s way. One can’t blame them considering the risks and discrimi-

HOUSE… FROM PAGE 9 “The President has legal basis. In times of a declared national public health emergency where public health, public safety, and security is at stake, the President may call out the Armed Forces and the police in order to secure the safety of every citizen,” Garbin argued.

But for Rizal representative Fidel Nograles, enforcing the enhanced community quarantine is a job for the police, a civilian force.

“Under the Constitution, it is our civilian law enforcement agencies, like the police force, that should be in the helm on keeping the peace and enforcing laws,” Nograles, Vice Chairman of the House Justice panel, said in a separate text message.

Nograles then said that the President, as Commander-in-Chief, can call out the Armed Forces of the Philippines to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion.

“If there is [a] showing of these factors, the President has the power to call out the Armed Forces,” Nograles, a lawyer like Remulla, added.

But for Bayan Muna representative Ferdinand Gaite, a takeover, whether it is by the police or military, is not needed to make people stay at home.

“Hindi pwede ang military o police takeover sa enforcement lamang ng quarantine. Sa ating Konstitusyon sa Article 7, Section 18, ang Pangulo ay maari lang ipatawag ang armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion,” Gaite pointed out.

“Wala namang malawakang lawless violence.

Hindi rin pwede ang pagdeklara ng Martial law dahil invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it ang maaaring basis nito,” Gaite added. (MNS)

COIVD-19… FROM PAGE 9 "Pwede pang umabot ng P3 milyon kasi po ang gastos mo sa respirator everyday umaabot 'yun ng mga P20,000 to P30,000 a day. Eh 'yung mga gamot pa po at saka 'yung gagastusin na PPE kasi kung nandoon ka sa intensive care unit, 'yung mga tao na magbabantay sa'yo palit po ng palit po iyon," Jimenez said.

The Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) said it would shoulder the full cost of

treatment of COVID-19 patients until the end of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine on April 14.

Starting April 15, the state health insurer said it would implement a new benefit package for COVID-19 patients depending on severity of illness.

Under the new benefit package, coverage for patients with mild pneumonia is at P43,997, P143,267 for those with mod-

KAPUSO JOURNALIST HOWIE SEVERINO

erate pneumonia, P333,519 for those with severe pneumonia, and P786,384 for those with critical pneumonia.

PhilHealth President Ricardo Morales on Thursday said the agency considers covering the entire cost of treatment of COVID-19 patients belonging to the 18 million low-income families receiving emergency cash subsidies from the government. (MNS)

nation.

When my wife contacted a private nursing agency in search of additional nursing support, out of 200 nurses on their roster, only one stepped up.

He happened to be a strapping young man in PPE who was interested in documentary.

I taught him how to shoot and he began to document his life as a frontliner, which eventually became a documentation of his patient. This apprenticeship was a great diversion, kept my mind active while giving me a blessed sense that even lying there in isolation I was getting something done.

It will be hard to pay them back, but one can pay it forward. If it’s true that I will have antibodies in my blood that can help others fight off infection, I’ll be glad to donate this accidental gift.

It’s a small price for all survivors to pay for the chance to see the sun again.

Very often when alone in my room, I’d gaze out of my window into the empty streets, the trees, and a giant bas relief of the Philippine map displayed in a dry fountain in the hospital’s parking lot. It reminded me of a world I was eager to rejoin.

Quarantine facilities can now take 168k ‘suspected’, ‘mild’ COVID-19 cases MANILA (Mabuhay) — With the setting up of more quarantine facilities, including those outside Metro Manila, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said on Friday that close to 168,000 suspected and mild cases can now be accommodated.

Nationwide, there are at least 2,780 quarantine facilities that can admit a total of 167,781 patients, task force chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a briefing, quoting figures from the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Aside from these quarantine facilities, Galvez said several “quarantine ships” are also available for use from the private sector. BRP Ang Pangulo, the presidential yacht has also been converted into a facility for use of COVID-19 patients.

According to Galvez, the government is also continuously working on the setting up of “mega quarantine facilities” outside Metro Manila.

He said he has visited the ASEAN Convention Center in Clark, Pampanga, the New Clark City Government Building and New Clark City Athletes’ Village in Capas, Tarlac, which will all serve COVID-19 patients.

The three structure can accommodate at least 1,700 patients from Pampanga, Tarlac and provinces from Region 3. (MNS)

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Philippine economy could lose up to P2.5 trillion due to COVID-19 — PIDS MANILA (Mabuhay) — Philippine economic losses due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could reach as much as P2.5 trillion if the deadly illness is not contained, a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) showed.

Conducted by PIDS fellows, the study showed that the Philippine economy may lose between P276.3 billion at a best-case scenario, and P2.482 trillion at a worst-case scenario from the COVID-19.

The PIDS is a nonstock, nonprofit government corporation that serves as the government's primary socioeconomic policy think tank.

Under the study, the P2.5-trillion losses could be realized if the pandemic is not contained around the world, and the global economy slows down into a recession.

"The COVID-19 outbreak is expected to affect not only local health systems, but also local economies. Arguably, the most direct impact could be observed on the ability of workers to participate in the labor market," it read.

The figure takes into consideration a 5.3% reduction in household consumption as a result of a 19.7% drop in annual average labor supply, and 20% net reduction in average incomes

among displaced workers.

Under such estimates, the most hard-hit sectors would be manufacturing (-P855.2 billion); trade (-P724.8 billion); transportation, storage, and communication (-P124.3 billion); and agriculture, forestry and fishing (-P110.3 billion).

"The estimates are only indicative; they are based on specific assumptions on perceived likely trajectory of the epidemic and consumption patterns," it read.

The same study indicated that in a best-case scenario -- if the pandemic is effectively contained around the world by the end of the second quarter

Some P30B funds reallocated from Build, Build, Build budget for COVID-19 response still untouched — DPWH’s Villar MANILA (Mabuhay) — Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar on Friday clarified that the around P30 billion funds identified from Build, Build, Build infrastructure projects to be used to augment the government’s COVID-19 response efforts have yet to be touched.

During the Laging Handa public briefing, Villar said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is preparing the said amount in case additional budget will be needed to respond to the crisis.

“Mag-identify lang kami ng mga projects na hindi naman pinaka priority,” he said.

“Pero sa ngayon po pinaghahandaan pa lang, hindi pa naman nababawasan,” he added.

The Public Works chief assured the public that the government’s massive infrastructure initiative will be fast-tracked once the Luzon-wide enhanced community is lifted.

“Sa Build, Build, Build tuloy-tuloy naman ang ating flagship projects at pagkatapos ng quarantine asahan na mabilis ang construction at makakahabol

BSP slashes policy rates by another 50 basis points MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Thursday announced another round of key rate cuts, a decision made off-cycle from the regular policy meetings conducted every six weeks.

In a message to reporters, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said key policy rates will be slashed by 50 basis points effective Friday, April 17, 2020. Further details were not immediately available.

The Monetary Board was scheduled to revisit key policy rates on May 19, 2020.

The BSP last month already slashed policy rates by 50 basis points, providing economic stimulus given the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) health crisis.

It also reduced the reserve requirement for all universal and commercial banks by 200 basis points starting March 30. (MNS)

naman kami sa targets ng 2020,” Villar said.

After the quarantine, the Cabinet official said the DPWH will draft guidelines to ensure the safety of construction workers amid the COVID-19 threat.

“Habang may quarantine pinaghahandaan na a ng comeback ng Build, Build, Build p r o j e c t s ,” Villar said.

(MNS) DPWH SEC. MARK VILLAR

-- economic losses would still amount to P276.3 billion.

"The results suggest that imposing community-wide quarantines alone may not be enough to sufficiently flatten the epidemic curve to avert substantial economic losses," said PIDS. "It also suggests that extending community-wide quarantines may increase these economic losses given the same non-medical mitigation measure implemented," it added.

The government has since extended the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) placed over Luzon until April 30, which started on March 17.

"Extending the Luzon-wide community quarantine by one month is projected to result in at least P150-billion worth in foregone economic activity based on our projection assumptions," said PIDS. Moving forward, PIDS said the government should be able to isolate at least 70% of the symptomatic cases, even with the partial lifting of the ECQ, would be able to drastically reduce the number of infected cases on the peak day to 900,000 cases, predicted to occur in May or June 2021.

"To summarize, extending the ECQ without other mitigation measures merely delays the progression of the outbreak and still results in a large number of cases," it said.

"Aggressive efforts to implement early testing and, more importantly, earlier isolation of the majority of symptomatic cases to prevent them from infecting other susceptible individuals will be crucial to suppress the outbreak," the think tank added.

(MNS)

Dominguez denies he’s the reason for Pernia's resignation MANILA — Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has decried allegations naming him as the reason behind the resignation of Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

“I can’t imagine why,” he told journalists Friday in a Viber message when asked for his reaction on talks regarding this.

Pernia, who was also the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) director general, attributed his decision “partly to personal reasons and partly to differences in development philosophy with a few of my fellow Cabinet members.”

He thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for making him

a part of his Cabinet “for the past nearly four years” and the NEDA officials and employees who helped him in “crafting and pursuing the goals of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and the Ambisyon Natin 2040.”

“I leave NEDA knowing that we have initiated and implemented meaningful changes that will help the country overcome these challenging times and on to a higher growth trajectory,” he said.

Pernia was replaced by Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua, who has been appointed by President Duterte as NEDA Acting Secretary.

Dominguez said Chua, who led the Department of Fi-

Former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia (PNA file photo)

nance’s (DOF) tax reform campaign, will not have a concurrent position at the NEDA and DOF. (PNA)

DTI chief urges mask production as demand climbs to 1.2B MANILA — Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez expects the demand for face masks to increase to 1.2 billion per month amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a text message to reporters Friday, Lopez said

assuming 20 million households need two face masks daily, the demand for the product would reach 1.2 billion for one month.

The figure excludes the needs of hospitals for health care workers.

“We will continue to encourage more manufacturers to produce medical products, which would now be part of our basic necessities even after the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine,” he said.

Amid the Covid-19 outbreak in the country, the government has mandated wearing face masks when going out.

Before the outbreak of the corvonavirus here, the Philippines had one face-mask maker, which is based in Bataan.

Lopez said some manufacturing companies are repurposing their factories and are now producing personal protection equipment (PPE) and other products related to the government’s fight

against Covid-19.

For instance, the Confederation of Wearable Exporters of the Philippines (Conwep), a group of garments and wearable exporters, has begun producing PPE sets, while the electronics company New Kinpo Group will manufacture face masks and shields, as well as ventilators.

“What the DTI is doing is we encourage manufacturers or exporters to produce medical equipment or devices that are much needed nowadays,” Lopez said during the Laging Handa public briefing early this week.

The Board of Investments, a DTI-attached agency, on Wednesday, began accepting applications for enterprises that would produce medical equipment and devices, as well as suppliers of raw materials and packaging of these products.

The government has offered firms that would manufacture such products exemption from import duties, taxes, and other fees. (PNA)

20

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