registration

P23-B EMERGENCY SUBSIDY FOR AREAS UNDER ECQ SIGNED

MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday approved the release of PHP23-billion emergency subsidy to about 22.9 million individuals in Metro Manila and four nearby provinces placed under a week-long enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Duterte signed a document allowing the release of "in-kind" aid to beneficiaries during a meeting with Cabinet members aired over staterun PTV-4.

In the same meeting, Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said 11.2 million from Metro Manila, 3 million from Bulacan, 3.4 million from Cavite, 2.7 million from Laguna, and 2.6 million recipients from Rizal will receive the emergency subsidy.

Avisado said the funds will be sourced from the remaining unutilized funds under Bayanihan 2, the government’s second pandemic stimulus package.

He said the distribution of in-kind aid may start during the first week of April.

Avisado said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will directly release the emergency subsidy to local government units (LGUs) for distribution to affected individuals.

“So wala po tayong cash po (So we won’t be distributing cash). We will leave it to the local government units,” Avisado said.

To avoid corruption, Avisado said LGUs will be required to provide a list of beneficiaries and submit reports of disbursements and utilization of funds.

“Let us just be careful. Siguraduhin lang natin na walang katiwalian (Let’s make sure there’s no corruption). I place my full faith and confidence in the mayors,” Duterte told Avisado.

During the ECQ last year, beneficiaries received PHP5,000 and PHP8,000 for the months of April and May. The second tranche of cash aid was also distributed for Filipinos who did not receive the first tranche.

Duterte has placed Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under ECQ, the most restrictive quarantine status, until April 4 to curb the spike in Covid-19 cases.

Under ECQ, all households will be required to observe strict home quarantine. Movements will be limited to Authorized Persons Outside Residence, those accessing essential goods and services, and workers in establishments allowed to operate.

As of Monday, the country has recorded 731,894 confirmed Covid-19 cases, 13,186 are deaths, and 603,213 are recoveries.

The country saw at most 10,016 daily infections since new Covid-19 variants have been detected. (MNS)

DepEd to schools: Use online platforms, drop boxes in early registration

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Department of Education (DepEd) is reminding its field offices to utilize available online platforms and drop boxes in the registration for the next school year to protect the health of students and teachers amid the threat of COVID-19 pandemic.

The early registration started on March 26 and will last until April 30, 2021, according to DepEd. "Similar to the previous year, early registration forms will be available in barangay halls and other public spaces," DepEd Undersecretary for Planning and Human Resource and Organizational Development Jesus Mateo said in a statement.

According to Mateo, an early registration drop-box will be made available for parents or guardians to collect and submit the forms in these identified places.

In areas under modified general community quarantine, Mateo said, in-person early registration is allowed provided that health and safety measures are being observed.

The DepEd, however, said School Division Superintendents (SDS) are authorized to implement full remote early registration even in MGCQ areas depending on the area’s current risk assessment level on COVID-19. "Only parents or guardians are permitted to transact within the school premises for early registration purposes,” Mateo said.

The DepEd official also reminded that regional and division offices should create hotlines for the provision of technical assistance to schools on policy and process-related concerns.

On the other hand, schools are encouraged to set-up hotlines and provide their respective official school details to the general public to cater to the queries and concerns regarding the early registration.

The DepEd, meanwhile, reminded schools of the strict implementation of the cut-off age in Kindergarten, especially for schools commencing their school year in August. "Kindergarten learners should be five-years-old by August 31, and the extension period shall be until October 31," the DepEd said.

The month-long activity is initiated to ensure that incoming Kindergarten, Grades 1, 7, and 11 in public elementary and secondary schools are registered for the school year and help DepEd to prepare for possible issues and concerns that may arise, as stipulated in DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2018, or the Basic Education Enrollment policy.

In the absence of face-toface classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the government decided to implement distance learning among schools nationwide.

The DepEd earlier recommended to President Rodrigo Duterte to conduct face-toface classes in areas with low COVID-19 risk in January 2021.

The President initially approved the proposal, but he had recalled this amid the discovery of a new coronavirus variant.

Early this month, the Senate adopted a resolution recommending the resumption of face-to-face classes in the country by immediately launching the pilot testing of localized limited physical classes.

(MNS)

DOJ: Special investigation team eyed to probe killing of labor leader

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Wednesday a special investigation team might look into the killing of labor leader Dandy Miguel last Sunday.

Guevarra said the technical working group of the AO 35 task force on extrajudicial killings issued the recommendation following a preliminary assessment aimed at determining whether Miguel’s death was connected to his leadership of labor group Pamantik-Kilusang Mayo Uno.

He also said the motive for the killing remained unclear.

Under the AO 35 mechanism, prosecutors will supervise law enforcement officers investigating a crime.

Miguel, vice chairperson of Pamantik Kilusang Mayo Uno, was shot dead on Sunday evening in Laguna.

He was among those who filed complaints before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) over the killing of nine activists during police operations on March 7.

Following Miguel’s death, the CHR asked for “urgent action and tangible measures” to counter the “escalating situation of violence and harassment against union leaders and activists.”

The independent body also called for an end to the alleged crackdown on human rights defenders. (MNS)

NTF adviser backs extension of ECQ in NCR, neighboring areas

MANILA (Mabuhay) — A medical adviser for the National Task Force Against COVID-19 on Wednesday said the stringent lockdown re-imposed in the National Capital Region and neighboring provinces should be extended beyond April 4.

Dr. Ted Herbosa said an extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna would help ensure a reduction in COVID-19 transmission.

“Kung ako ang tatanungin siyempre,... maganda kung tuloy-tuloy [ang ECQ]" (If you ask me, of course, it would be better if the ECQ is extended), he said in a Laging Handa briefing.

Herbosa even added that a more-than-a-week extension would be better "hanggang sa bumaba ‘yung reproduction number” (until the reproduction number goes down).

Reproduction number refers to the number of people that each COVID-19 case can infect. Herbosa said this figure currently stands at around 1.4.

Likewise, Herbosa said that hospitals and quarantine facilities might not be able to cope with an increased number of COVID-19 cases if restrictions are loosened soon.

“We can see ‘yung actual situation na naghihintay ‘yung mga positive cases sa emergency room, hindi makahanap at hindi matanggap dahil puno na ‘yung hospitals natin sa NCR Plus” (The situation is: positive cases are waiting in emergency rooms, unable to get [beds] because our hospitals in NCR Plus are full), he said.

But, Herbosa is not ready to concede to the idea that the country has lost its fight against COVID-19, as the Philippine Hospital Association sees it has.

He called on the government’s inter-agency task force to continue being “creative” in finding ways to extend the ECQ.

“As long as may mga pasyenteng positive na naghihingalo, hindi maipasok sa ospital, may problema pa tayo" (as long as we have patients who are dying and are not in hospitals, we have a problem), he said.

Malacañang earlier said an ECQ extension would only be considered as a “last resort.” (MNS)

Food delivery allowed 24/7 — Palace

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Food delivery is allowed 24/7 in areas under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), Malacañang clarified on Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this reminder after a video of a GrabFood rider being barred from delivering lugaw (hot rice porridge) went viral.

“A video, which has been circulating online, has come to our attention. Lugaw, or any food item for that matter, is considered an essential good,” Roque said in a statement.

Roque on March 27 said delivery and courier services transporting essential goods will be allowed during the ECQ.

“Delivery of food items must remain unhampered 24/7. Huwag natin harangin sa checkpoints (Let’s not stop them at checkpoints),” he added.

In a Facebook live video early Wednesday morning, rider Marvin Igancio was apparently scolded by a female personnel from San Jose del Monte City government in Bulacan at a quarantine checkpoint, saying the lugaw is a non-essential item. "Essential po ba si Lugaw? Hindi. Kasi mabubuhay ang tao ng walang lugaw," she was videoed as saying.

'LUGAW' IS ESSENTIAL. A server pours "lugaw" (rice porridge) at an eatery along Scout Ybardolaza Street, Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City on Thursday (April 1, 2021). The government clarifi ed that the delivery of rice porridge and other food items is essential, following a viral video of a female village employee who intercepted a delivery rider at a quarantine checkpoint saying that rice porridge is a non-essential item. (MNS photo)

She cited the curfew in areas under ECQ from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. by showing the rider a copy of guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

However, she seemed to have forgotten that Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APORs), workers, cargo vehicles, and public transportation exempted by the said curfew.

She said the rider should explain the IATF guidelines to the company he works for.

“Sabihin niyo dun sa Grab niyo. Paano po ‘yan pinapa-implement naming? (Tell that to Grab. What about the rules we need to implement?”) she said.

Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal are currently under ECQ until April 4 to curb the spike in Covid-19 cases nationwide. (MNS)

New TRB chief wants toll road projects fast-tracked

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The newly appointed head of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) is eyeing to fast-track the ongoing and planned toll road projects and review pending applications for toll rate increases.

Executive director Alvin Carullo, appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte last March 15, replaced former TRB chief Abraham Sales who resigned in January, and DOTr Assistant Secretary Giovanni Lopez who became the TRB’s officer-in-charge while waiting for Sales’ replacement.

Carullo said Tuesday the TRB needed an “effective and proactive regulation” of existing toll road facilities through “responsive policies” and emphasized the need to expedite the completion of toll road projects.

“I intend to inculcate the culture of competence, integrity, and good public service in the TRB,” Carullo said.

Among his plans include increasing the number of TRB personnel to ensure the efficient performance of the agency's toll regulatory functions and to promote the “professional welfare” of its workforce.

He said he would also review pending applications of toll operators for toll rate increases, noting there will be “just and reasonable” toll rates through a transparent consultation.

“Toll rates should not be too low as to be confiscatory nor so high as to be oppressive,” Carullo said.

In December last year, Sales was questioned by senators during a Senate public services committee hearing over issues in the implementation of the cashless toll collection in Luzon expressways.

Duterte also previously told TRB officials to resign for allowing toll operators to implement “flawed” radio-frequency identification installation systems that resulted in massive traffic jams. (MNS)