Weekend Balita (Los Angeles edition) January 2, 2021

LOS ANGELES / ORANGE COUNTY

Over 700 Pinoy frontliners contract Covid-19 in UK PAGE 18 VOL. XXX NO. 1

January 2-8, 2021

CA partners with CVS, Walgreens to provide Pfizer vaccines

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alifornia Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that California has opted in to the federal COVID-19 Pharmacy Partnership. At no cost to the state or local government, CVS and Walgreens will administer the Pfizer vaccine to residents and staff in longterm care facilities.

Starting today, CVS and Walgreens will start with nursing homes, which will take an estimated 3-4 weeks, and then vaccinate staff and residents in assisted living, residential care and other long-term care facilities.

“Vaccinating those most CA

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

“BAgYo” PASSES AWAY: LEAVES TrAIL of TEArS

By ABnER GALino

Photos by Tony Garcia and Katie Ortiz

Bagyo means typhoon or storm.

In street slang though, bagyo can be anyone who is a bigshot (if said positively), or someone who is just boastful (if uttered negatively).

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TOP STORIES

Global News Nothing malicious about naming solons in DPWH corruption 8  Students’ participation in online classes dwindling, teachers say; DepEd validating 8  UN aid to typhoon-hit Pinoys pour even during holiday season 9  Robredo rallies Filipinos to hope, help each other after a pandemic -marred year 10  Mitigating effects of climate change to PH fisheries 11 

Sections BUSINESS. Duterte signs P4.5-T nat’l budget for 2021 13  ENTERTAINMENT. Janella Salvador says ‘Filipinos are the worst body shamers’ 15  HEALTH & FAMILY. Health workers still a priority in official rollout of COVID-19 vaccine — Lorenzana 19  FEATURE. Tough year for tourism: Exploring ways to restart, recover 16 

BAGYO signs his name into a manifesto of support during a Census campaign in Los Angeles last year.

Palace hopes for 2021 as 'year of healing' MAniL A (Mabuhay) — Malacañang is optimistic that a vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) will become available in the Philippines by the first quarter of 2021, hoping that it will be a “year of healing”.

In his New Year’s Day message released on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the government has identified geograph-

ical and sectoral priorities for vaccination.

“Negotiations and discussions with vaccine manufacturers are ongoing and tripartite agreements with the government, the private sector, and allied governments are now rolling,” he said.

Citing the Philippine National Vaccine Roadmap, he said the earliest rollout of a vaccine is expected in the first

quarter of next year.

“We are indeed on track and this gives us a sense of optimism. We hope to see an end to the pandemic and continue the pursuit for a stronger and healthier Philippines,” he said.

He added that these goals would be realized if the government and citizens would work together to achieve this goal.

“Let us, therefore, make the PALACE

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But here in Los Angeles, Bagyo was the former US Marine Sgt. Mark Villamac Ho — our neighborhood hip-hop star — our rapper — our apl.de.ap.

I first saw him perform during a benefit show for the orphaned children of newsmen who were massacred in Maguindanao several years ago.

From then on, I would become familiar with him and as well as with some members of his family, particularly his brother Melvin (who from time to time performed with him on stage) and his equally popular mother: Ludy Gilkison — better known as Tita Ludy.

Bagyo was everywhere in the Filipino American community. Not always as a performer, or an escort or a marshall — sometimes donning a US Marine Cadet Uniform --- but as a committed participant in many meaningful endeavors.

In October last year, Bagyo was among those who inspired the community during the launch of the Filipino Complete Count Committee for the National Census at the Unidad Park in the Historic Filipinotown in downtown Los Angeles.

Bagyo looked like he was OK, des“BAGYO”

Cebu

Lechon • BBQ & Deli

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ABNER GALINO, Fil-Am News Editor

Community Visit www.Balita.com

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“BAgYo”... from PAgE 1

DONNING his US Marine Uniform, Bagyo poses with his mother Ludy and WW II veteran Franco Arcebal during a gold medal awarding ceremony. pite us knowing that he was still sick.

On September 2017, I wrote about how Bagyo was in the thick of his fight against multiple myeloma and, later on, nasopharyngeal cancer.

During the interview, Bagyo recalled his exploits under the scorching “daytime heat and the cold nights” of the desert around the Al Numaniyah district in Iraq during two large-scale military operations codenamed “Operation Iraqi Freedom” and “Operation New Dawn” from 2003 to 2011.

Bagyo, then with the MWSS271 Crash Fire Rescue of the United States Marine Corps (USMC), drove a Humvee or whatever military vehicle available to him throughout these episodes of blood and gore — pulling out comrades, civilians

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and even enemies from wrecks and fires.

"It was an honor to have served in a time when my country called upon me,” Bagyo said.

“I was nothing and it was a chance to become something bigger than I was. Not only for myself, but for my country, my family and my friends.”

Bagyo said his family, his friends and his hip-hop music helped him beat the anxieties and nightmares that he brought home from that war.

In a mail that he sent me, Bagyo said: “Well, don’t get too caught up in the stages (cancer) as they aren’t too much indicator of my health. It’s more of the damage my body has acquired.

So don’t be alarmed.”

“According to my oncologist, I am stage 3 concerning multiple myeloma. But as I have stated,

I am extremely strong and able to work, function and exercise. I am a rare case indeed as it is estimated that only 1% get it (multiple myeloma) around my age.”

“The 2nd cancer is also stage 3. But there are 4 stages.”

On New Year’s Eve 2019-2020, during a concert organized by Wish Bus USA in Chinatown, Los Angeles, we bumped into Bagyo off the stage.

In a banquet for the performers and guests, we chanced upon Bagyo and he instantly started a conversation with us.

I can’t remember what I said to him that prompted him to reply: Actually, I’m just trying to fill up my tummy. I can’t taste anything right now.”

There was no pandemic yet in the US at the time. And I knew right away what was making him feel sick on that night. I was cer-

BAGYO strikes a pose with New York-based Filipino American fashion designer John Ablaza. tain that it was a side effect of whatever anti-cancer treatment that they were giving him.

Yes, Bagyo was that brave.

That was my last interaction with Bagyo as the pandemic forced me into hibernation.

Recently, through Facebook, I learned that Bagyo figured in motorcycle accident. But I guess, I had become so used to seeing Bagyo surmounting one hurdle after another that I just read through his post almost nonchalantly.

And then I didn’t know anything about Bagyo for some time until a couple of days ago when I started reading about the sad messages of fans, friends and family members.

Bagyo, the local hero who packed powerful winds of positivity was gone. He left behind many songs for us to remember him. He left us friendship. He left us reasons to be proud of our community.

And most of all, Bagyo taught us how to persist tenaciously.

L.A. County, City and CURATIVE partner in vaccination of nursing home staff, residents

he Los Angeles County recently announced the launch of a partnership with the City of Los Angeles and public health service startup Curative to deliver and administer the COVID-19 Moderna vaccines to staff and residents of Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) in Los Angeles County.

This partnership is the first of additional partnerships that the County is establishing to facilitate the vaccine rollout to SNFs. Although the majority of SNFs in Los Angeles County indicated that they were capable of receiving and administering vaccines to their staff and residents, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in partnership with the City and Curative have activated mobile teams to support SNFs with vaccination assistance.

The first Moderna vaccines were delivered to 59 nursing home facilities across Los Angeles already.

Additional SNFs indicating that they need assistance with vaccination have been assigned to Curative, the County, or City staff for assistance. This public-private partnership will ensure that approximately 69,000 vaccines will be deployed to staff and residents in 339 SNFs by the end of the calendar year.

This vaccine program is critical, as nursing facilities account for only 5% of the state’s COVID-19 cases, but 35% of the deaths.

The public-private partnership is just one part of the County’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy, and builds on relationships and service provision models that have delivered millions of Los Angeles County residents free COVID-19 testing at numerous locations across the County.

Working closely with the City of L.A. and Curative, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will lead a coordinated vaccine deployment effort to all skilled nursing facilities.

Given the complex vaccination process, many SNFs will now be able to more efficiently vaccinate staff and residents as a result of this partnership, which will include additional staff who support vaccine education, registration, and delivery.

This collaboration brings public health expertise, local leadership, and the private sector together to build capacity in the SNFs to continue to do this, and to safely speed up the vaccination process for some of the County’s most vulnerable residents and care professionals.

“Skilled Nursing Facilities have been hit hard by COVID-19, accounting for close to 3,000 deaths,” said Barbara Ferrer, PhD,

MPH, MEd, Director of Public Health.

“The partnership with Curative and the City of Los Angeles will allow us to vaccinate SNF residents and staff quicker and with the flexibility needed to reach the 339 skilled nursing facilities in Los Angeles County.”

“Our City’s number one responsibility is to preserve the health and safety of our residents — especially the most vulnerable — and with the arrival of these vaccines, our first priority must be protecting the folks hardest hit by this pandemic, from healthcare workers to the staff and residents of skilled nursing facilities,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

“True progress is made through partnerships, and the City is proud to work alongside the County, Curative, CORE and LAFD to first bring free testing to our communities and now to support the effort to vaccinate Angelenos.”

“Los Angeles has been one of the hardest hit areas during the pandemic, and as the place where Curative was originally founded, it’s an honor to lead vaccination delivery in the community. This is a significant moment in history, and we are ready to bring these life-saving vaccines to the people who need them most,” said Isaac Turner, CIO and co-founder of Curative.

“Curative has disrupted the traditional healthcare delivery system by rapidly scaling COVID-19 testing at thousands of sites across the country in a matter of months and administering the flu vaccine – now, we are eager to put our proven model to work for the COVID-19 vaccine.

As we enter this new phase of the pandemic, we’re building on everything we learned over the last year at Curative and we look forward to making healthcare more accessible to all: both now and in the future as we evolve as a company.”

By working with Curative and the City, Los Angeles County will create the operational flexibility to better address SNFs’ needs.

The County will also speed up the process of scaling vaccinations so that Los Angeles can build immunity in residents more quickly. Curative will deploy a full suite of vaccine services to Skilled Nursing Facilities in L.A. County needing a high level of support, including registration, logistics, and administration.

Similarly, the City of Los Angeles, led by the Mayor’s Office and the Los Angeles Fire Department, will provide world-renowned logistics support, registration, and vaccine administration support to Skilled Nursing Facilities within the City of Los Angeles.

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Undocumented? Impoverished?

How to get the care you need

By MARK HEDin Ethnic Media Services

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ith the COVID pandemic setting new records almost daily for the number of people dying or hospitalized, Los Angeles County officials met with ethnic media members to spread the word about programs to expand health care to everyone, at little or no cost and without consideration of immigration status, or sometimes even identities.

“We are in the middle of the worst surge,” said Anna Gorman, community partnerships and programs director for the county Department of Health Services.

Hospital admissions in the county doubled in the past few weeks to the point that, “Today (Dec. 17), across all hospitals in the county, there are fewer than 100 (66) ICU (intensive care unit) beds open, and 346 total.”

At DHS’s four hospitals, she said, there were only 18 ICU beds open.

“This is really an untenable situation,” she said, and cited long waits in emergency rooms, or to be taken from ambulances, challenges in having space and staff enough to do the medical work, record numbers of deaths, and more.

Gorman is director of My Health LA (https://dhs.lacounty.gov/my-healthla/), a DHS program aiming to fill the biggest gap in keeping the community healthy.

“After ACA (Obamacare), one population group that didn’t get covered is the undocumented,” she said.

MediCal is California’s system within the ACA, and it covers kids. But for those who don’t have health insurance or don’t qualify for ACA but live in Los Angeles County, there’s My Health LA. Neighboring Orange County is not as fortunate.

“We do not ask for documentation status or immigration status,” Gorman said.

There are more than 200 clinic sites (https://dhs.lacounty.gov/our-locations), large and small, where patients can enroll. Upon deciding which one is best for them, clients will have access to the facility for a year and can return for a range of services, from medications, follow-up and preventive care, lab tests, equipment, dental and mental health care and substance abuse treatment.

COVID-19 tests, too, although there are still 180 testing sites around the county, she said. DHS has also started an at-home testing collection service and mobile testing.

If you’re not sure if you are eligible for My Health LA, call (877) 333-4952 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Fridays.

“As a society, we need to make sure that people have somewhere to go,” Gorman said. In response to the pandemic and a frustrating drop in enrollment, the program now allows people to enroll or re-enroll by phone.

Also, in July, MyHealthLA added an

array of mental health services (http:// dhs.lacounty.gov/mhla), at the clinics themselves, as a preferable option to making referrals to other providers.

Miriam Brown, deputy director of the Department of Mental Health, DPH’s partner in the new My Health LA program, touted her department’s ability to go out into the community to meet its clients’ needs.

In part, that’s been by ramping up its by-phone accessibility.

The department’s access line, (800) 854-7771, is open all day, every day and can field calls in all principal languages found in the county, she said. Callers don’t even have to give their names, and no data about them is collected.

And “We don’t ask for insurance or immigration status,” Brown emphasized.

Brown said there’s been an increase in callers experiencing depression to the point of contemplating suicide, increased substance abuse and growing stress levels from schools being closed and the demands that puts on children and their families who lose campus-based connections with people trained to spot and address their needs.

Isolation, too, has taken a toll.

“If you’re struggling,” Brown urged, “Ask to speak with somebody!”

“People who had been struggling prior to the pandemic, have been hit really hard,” Sherri Cheatham, who is chief of Medi-Cal and In-Home Supportive Services for the Department of Public

Pilipino po tayo!

VACCINE PODS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS OPENS IN LA

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ayor Eric Garcetti has opened Los Angeles’ first three Vaccine Points-of-Dispensing (PODs) for healthcare workers, located at existing public testing sites.

In the days ahead, the City will launch a fourth POD, while partnering with L.A. County’s Department of Public Health (DPH) to open four additional locations — all targeted in some of the region’s most vulnerable areas.

“Our City is determined to protect our remarkable medical professionals on the front lines, and that means delivering life-saving vaccines to the health care workers who spend every day saving our lives,” said Mayor Garcetti.

“These Vaccine PODs are only the beginning of our campaign to distribute COVID-19 vaccines safely and equitably to all Angelenos — part of our ongoing, comprehensive effort to stop the spread of this virus and eradicate this pandemic.”

The initial Vaccine PODs are being housed at existing, City-run testing and flu vaccination sites in some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in L.A., where Black and Latino families have borne the brunt of the pandemic, and where test positivity rates have ranged from 23% to 31%.

Locations include: Lincoln Park in East L.A., San Fernando Park in the Northeast Valley, and the Crenshaw Christian Center in South L.A. The next one is set to open on January 4 at Hansen Dam in Pacoima.

This approach is in line with the City’s commitment to equity in its COVID-19 response, modeled after its data-driven approach to testing deployments.

To build on that work, the City of L.A. is providing four recreation centers and staff for County-led Vaccine PODS located in El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, Van Nuys, and Pacoima.

“We are very pleased that a Vaccine Points-of-Dispensing (PODs) for healthcare workers is being placed at Lincoln Park in my district,” said Councilmember Gil Cedillo.

“Healthcare workers have been at the frontline since the beginning of this pandemic and we are grateful the vaccine will be dispensed in one of hardest hit communities of color by COVID-19.”

Vaccine delivery is being led by the County, in partnership with the City, the L.A. Fire Department, the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy, Curative, and Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE).

Vaccination sites are currently available to healthcare workers deemed by County public health leaders to be high and medium risk healthcare workers in tiers 1 & 2, as outlined in State and County guidance.

Healthcare workers will be notified of their opportunity to be vaccinated at these sites by DPH, and they will be able to register at the County website.

“Our faculty, staff, and students from the USC School of Pharmacy are here today providing the COVID-19 vaccine to frontline healthcare workers,” said Vassilios Papadopoulos, dean of the USC School of Pharmacy.

“I urge everyone, when it is your turn, get vaccinated. It’s about protecting your life, the life of your loved ones, and the health of your community.”

“Our California team is proud to be deploying these life-saving COVID-19 vaccines to Los Angeles and provide communities who need it most with relief during one of the worst stages in the pandemic,” said Agatha Bacelar Stephens, General Manager of California for Curative.

"Curative has been the leader in delivCONTNUED ON PAGE 5

Social Services.

As of last month, she said, DPSS had helped more than 3.2 million Angelenos with Medi-Cal benefits including “outpatient services, emergency services, hospitalization, maternity and newborn care, preventative and wellness care, chronic disease management, mental health and substance abuse disorder services, prescription services and dental services.”

Recent legislation has expanded the availability of the full range of Medi-Cal services to undocumented immigrant children younger than 19 and young adults up to 25, Cheatham said.

Callers can apply for benefits at any time at: https://dpss.lacounty.gov/en/ customer-service.html or by phoning (866) 613-3777 during the call center’s newly expanded hours: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

Call agents speak up to 10 languages and have access to speakers in other languages.

DPSS is “looking for all ways of letting the community know that we’re here for them,” Cheatham said.

“Because of the pandemic, we realized that there are a record number of people who have become unemployed or had their hours reduced,” she explained.

“We’re here for them and we’re committed to helping them,” Cheatham said. “I encourage all of you to stay connected with us. Don’t assume that you may not qualify. Apply!”

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

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Goodbye, 2020 - a turbulent year of pandemic proportions but hopeful for 2021's new drug treatments now available

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s we close the door to the turbulent year of the 2020 pandemic though thankfully, we all survived the sad year, let us all welcome the NEW YEAR hopeful for brighter tomorrows in 2021.

But as we trace back on 2020, it started off with sadness, at the sudden death of basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, whose tragic helicopter accident on January 26, 2020, stunned all of us worldwide The whole world mourned Kobe's passing along with his daughter Gigi and seven others, while they were on their way to a

Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services

Saturday-Friday | January 2 - 8, 2021

ple who died from it which had escalated to 300 people, and Wuhan was eventually placed on lockdown. And on January 31, 2020, the WHO issued a Global Health Emergency alert and

by February 2, 2020 a travel ban was issued by countries such as: Australia, Germany, Italy and New Zealand." By

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director for Disease Control and Prevention

youth basketball tournament in Ventura County.

While we Angelenos were trying to cope with our overwhelming sadness on Kobe's death, we learned of the first confirmed COVID-19 deaths, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) from the state of Washington had news that loomed since December, 2019 and that by January 9, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) had announced a mysterious Coronavirus Related Pneumonia from Wuhan, China.

And by January 21, 2020, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed the first Coronavirus case in the state of Washington from a person who came back from Wuhan, China As a result, the CDC "deployed a medical team to assist on the investigation and contact-tracing.

At the same time, a Chinese scientist, Dr. Zhong Nanshan, MD confirmed that the Coronavirus has killed four people and infected more than 200 in China and that it can be transmitted from person to person."

January 23, 2020 there were "13 peo-

Six days after President Trump's COVID-19 declaration, California was the first state per Governor Newsom, that issued "stay-at-home order, on March 19, 2020,except for essential workers or shop for essential needs. At around the same time, the "Senate passed a Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic (CARES) Law, which provided $2 trillion in aid to hospitals, small businesses and local governments, which Trump signed into law by March 27, 2020. This CARES Law also included a bipartisan legislation on payments to Americans and expansions on unemployment insurance."

Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Adviser to President-elect Biden on COVID -19

February 25, 2020, the CDC informed us that COVID-19 was headed toward "Pandemic Status."

By March 6 through March 21, 2020, 21 televised news reported that "passengers (including a crew of 19) aboard a California Cruise Ship all tested positive aboard the cruise ship which had 3.500 passengers. The ship was held at sea and wasn't allowed to dock in San Francisco, while they were testing every passenger.

On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID -19 a pandemic and by March 13, 2020, President Trump finally declared COVID-19 as a National Emergency and a travel ban was imposed on non-US citizens traveling from Europe went into effect. Meanwhile, on March 17, 2020 the University of Minnesota also launched a clinical trial to investigate "hydroxychloroquine," a drug that can prevent a person exposed to COVID - 19 from becoming ill, or reduce the severity of their infection. The trial was limited to those people at high risk of exposure and they aimed at enrolling around 1,500 individuals."

Trump's White House staff which had a cluster of around 34 people infected as it was all over the televised news.

By October 19, 2020 "Johns Hopkins University released a data that indicated COVID -10 cases worldwide including the US and other countries to more than 1.1.million people who have died and around 220,000 of those deaths were from the United States, which was considered the hardest hit country in the world."

On November 9, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden announced the names of his transition team nominees for his health,

Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, COVID-19 Advisory Board Co-Chair

At the end of the month, on March 30, 2020, the "FDA authorized the emergency use of "Hydroxychloraquine sulfate" medical products donated to the Strategic National Stockpile which then donated to hospitals that treated COVID -19 patients."

And on May 12, 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease testified on television, before the US Senate that the "death toll of 80,000 COVID -19 people in the US will likely increase until a vaccine is found to be effective and achieved within one or two years" .And true to his prediction, COVID -19 cases in the US reached 3 million by June 10, 2020."

But, despite the ongoing search for a vaccine, the George Floyd death on May 25, 2020 sparked massive demonstrations on racism and racial equality worldwide. There were additional names of African Americans who were likewise allegedly killed by their city's young police officers such as: Breanna Taylor and Amar Arbury.

By July 13, 2020, there were news reports that Moderna Inc's COVID -19 Vaccine showed that it produced "immune responses" in all of their 3 groups of volunteers. So, the company was advised to "enter into a large scale clinical human trials and by July 27, 2020 Moderna received $472 million from the Trump Administration to start their Phase 3 clinical trial, despite waiting on final data, the Trump Administration agreed to a deal of $1.5 billion to Moderna for 100 million doses of the vaccine."

On the other hand, we also learned that "Pfizer and BioNTech expanded their COVID -19 clinical trial recruiting 30,000 participants on September 14, 2020." However, by October 2, 2020, both President Trump and the First Lady tested positive for COVID -19 and after three days, on October 5, 2020, Trump was discharged from the hospital, on the premise that he will continue to receive treatment in the White House per the order of his physician, Sean Conley. The sad part was, after another three days, there was a COVID - 19 outbreak among

Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General

scientific and medical team which included: Xavier Becerra, as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Surgeon General, Dr, Rochelle Wallensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, COVID - 19 Equity Task Force Chair and Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Adviser to the President on COVID -19. , A week before the end of the month, on November 20, 2020 'Pfizer, BioNTech were the first companies that submitted their first COVID -19 Vaccine, seeking approval in the United States, which included safety data on about 100 children between the ages of 12 and 15 years old."

On November 23, 2020,the "FDA also granted Emergency use for "Regeneron" as a second antibody treatment,(aside from Astra Zeneca's first antibody treatment), which was among the cocktail of treatments administered to President Trump at the beginning of October during their clinical trial of 800 people."

Finally, by December 11, 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) issued the "first Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a Vaccine for the prevention of Coronavirus disease, COVID -19 caused by severe, acute, respiratory syndrome coronavirus - 2 (SARS CoV-2 for older individuals. The emergency use authorization allowed Pfizer, BioNTech COVID -19 Vaccine to be distributed in the United States..

Similarly, that same authorization was subsequently followed by December 18, 2020 when the "USFDA also issued an EUA for the second vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease (COVID -19) caused by severe, acute, respiratory syndrome coronavirus -2 (SARS - CoV2) The emergency use authorization allowed Moderna COVID -19 Vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. for individuals 18 years of age and older."

Now that the Vaccines are available and are being administered in various Phases worldwide, we are hopeful that 2021 will bring us a better understanding of how we can collectively live better lives. Wishing all of you a HAPPY and HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

5 BALITA Community Stimulus bill provides scant COVID-19 vaccinations for relief for most Americans firefighters and paramedics Saturday-Friday | January 2 - 8, 2021

By SUnitA SoHRABJi EMS contributing Editor

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$908 billion stimulus package passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump late Dec. 27 evening will afford scant relief to millions of Americans facing evictions and the end of their unemployment benefits.

“The COVID relief package is much smaller than I would have preferred.

But at the same time, it’s better than nothing and that is why I voted for it,” said Rep. Ted Lieu, speaking Dec. 22 morning at an Ethnic Media Services briefing. An earlier round of stimulus funding last April allocated more than $2 trillion towards economic recovery.

Lieu is a member of the House Progressive Caucus, which had heavily pushed for a second direct-payment stimulus check of $2,000 to be included in the second round of funding. The bill was approved with a $600 check for each U.S. resident earning under $75,000: many households were expected to receive their second stimulus checks before the end of the year, according to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

Significantly, mixed status families, with undocumented immigrants living alongside U.S. residents, will get relief checks in this round and can also apply for back-benefits from the previous round of $1,200 checks, said Chad Stone, chief economist at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, speaking at the EMS briefing. Undocumented immigrants, however, are still ineligible for the relief checks.

Trump signed the bill after several days of delay while he pushed for a $2,000 stimulus check, ironically as the House Progressive Caucus had asked for.

In a press statement released by the White House on Dec. 27 evening, the President said he had signed the bill with the understanding that the House and Senate would approve a $2,000 stimulus check on Dec. 28.

“Much more money is coming. I will never give up my fight for the American people,” said Trump in the statement.

“This is not an insignificant bill. I just don't think is a big enough to address a scale of this pandemic,” said Lieu at the EMS briefing.

The congressman from Southern California noted that the measure provides $25 billion in relief to renters facing eviction, and extends the federal eviction moratorium, currently due to expire Dec. 31, by one additional month.

Peter Hepburn, associate professor of sociology at Rutgers University, and a research fellow at the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, where he led the organization’s research on evictions during the pandemic, said $25 billion would go a long way towards helping renters survive evictions this winter, though he would have preferred to see $30 billion. He advocated for direct funding to tenants to sidestep the issue of landlords who don’t want to participate in the program because it limits their ability to evict tenants.

Black renters make up 35 percent of those facing eviction, said Hepburn.

“The history of housing in this country is a long story of dispossession and systemic racialized exclusion,” he said.

Even before the pandemic, 3.7 million renters around the country were facing evictions. Eviction moratoriums

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averted at least 1.5 million evictions, but Hepburn predicted a tsunami of eviction orders once moratoriums are lifted.

Hepburn said he was also glad that the eviction moratorium had been extended for a month, giving incoming President Joe Biden an opportunity to address the issue more comprehensively during the first 10 days of his administration.

More than $284 billion has been included for a second round of Paycheck Protection Program loan funding, intended to help small businesses retain their employees and stay afloat amid the pandemic.

Rep Lieu acknowledged tremendous fraud in the first round of PPP funding as venture-backed entities and large corporations with franchise locations gobbled up most of the loans. He said an oversight committee has been established to ensure that the money gets out to mom and pop small businesses; much of the funding will be distributed through community development banks and other minority institutions.

The bill also dedicates almost $82 billion to education, with an additional $7 billion to develop broadband with the aim of equipping low-income children to participate in remote learning.

Funds have also been allocated for vaccine distribution.

“I look forward to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris coming in on Jan. 20th, and then we will try again with another round of stimulus next year,” said Lieu.

Stone of CBPP said the outlook for economic recovery remains grim: almost 10 million workers rendered jobless by the pandemic will continue to face a tough time in gaining sustainable work. Black and Latinx people have been hit hardest, with unemployment rates of 10.3 percent and 8.4 percent respectively, said Stone referring to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the month of November.

Meanwhile, almost 4 million people have been out of work for more than 26 weeks, and currently stand to lose their unemployment benefits.

A provision in the relief bill extends unemployment insurance until March 15, but Stone stated that more weeks need to be added. During the 2008 recession, he noted, unemployed workers were able to avail of benefits for up to 18 months.

An earlier stimulus package passed in April added a $600 per week additional unemployment benefit — on top of state benefits. Stone said the additional relief, which expired at the end of July, ended just as the economy was showing signs of recovery.

“The cruel irony is that as the economy was starting to come out of the deep hole the $600 dollars disappeared.

And there was no further stimulus to keep the recovery going,” he said.

The new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program offers assistance to gig workers who were among the hardest hit by the pandemic, but did not qualify for regular unemployment benefits. Stone noted however that both of these programs expire March 15 while the economy remains in a slump.

“The economy is not going to be back anywhere near where it needs to be.

From the first day of walking into office, the new Congress, President Biden and Vice President Harris should should be working to make sure that we have the stimulus that we need to relieve the hardship,” said Stone.

L

os Angeles firefighters and paramedics became the City of Los Angeles’ first frontline workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine — part of the supply of 3,200 Moderna doses to be administered in this initial phase of vaccinations.

The vaccinations were administered at Fire Station 4 in downtown Los Angeles, with Mayor Eric Garcetti and Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas in attendance.

“We can never do enough to express our gratitude for the courage, sacrifice, service, and selflessness of our firefighters, paramedics, and first responders — the extraordinary Angelenos who put it all on the line to administer COVID-19 tests, protect public health, and save lives,” said Mayor Garcetti.

“The brave members of our LAFD have earned their place at the front of the line for this vaccine, and even as we stay vigilant in the face of surging cases, today gives us hope for an end in sight to this deadly pandemic.”

“Today marks an important step in our battle against COVID-19 as we roll out the vaccination program to our firefighters,” said

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LAFD Chief Terrazas.

“Our fi rst responders have been on the front line of the pandemic since the beginning and the vaccine is a crucial tool we can use to protect ourselves and others as the virus continues to surge here in California.”

This week, two more sites will be set up at a fire station in Watts and another in the San Fernando Valley.

The Mayor’s Office is working closely with the L.A. County Department of Public Health (DPH) to leverage existing infrastructure — for testing and flu shot distribution — to strengthen countywide vaccine efforts. As part of this collaboration, the LAFD will deploy mobile vaccination units to skilled nursing facilities within the City, and offer COVID-19 vaccinations for emergency health care practitioners.

To prepare for this effort, LAFD has obtained medical grade freezers and refrigerators for storage and started training paramedics to administer the COVID-19 vaccine, in partnership with the University of Southern California School of Pharmacology.

VACCINE... from PAgE 3 ering COVID-19 testing to the greater Los Angeles area and our testing sites have been fully equipped to administer the vaccine via our dedicated on-site healthcare workers."

“As our response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the men and women of the LAFD are once again answering the call to protect Angelenos,” said LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas.

“Working alongside our partners, we’ve built an unprecedented COVID testing system and today we’re expanding into the important work of vaccinating health care workers, which is another important step towards ending this pandemic.”

"We're extremely proud to be a member of this unique alliance of public and private partners that has been working together since the spring to protect Angelenos dur-

ing the pandemic," said Ann Lee, CORE's Co-founder and CEO. "Administering COVID-19 vaccinations to the heroic frontline workers who have been working tirelessly for their communities is the first step towards ending the pandemic, and CORE will continue working with our incredible partners in L.A. and nationwide to support equitable distribution of the vaccine in forthcoming wider rollout efforts."

These vaccination efforts are part of a countywide strategy to bring vaccines as quickly and efficiently as possible to Angelenos. As part of this effort, earlier this week, the City announced a collaboration with the County to deploy mobile vaccination teams to nursing homes and an initiative to vaccinate LAFD paramedics and firefighters.

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`WHAT IS A POSTNUPTIAL AGREEMENT?

A POSTNUPTIAL agreement is a contract between you and your spouse entered into after you get married resolving issues in your marriage. It is similar to a prenuptial agreement except it occurs after your marriage.

For couples that get married without a prenuptial agreement, it is not too late to have an agreement dealing with issues of property division, management of finances, spousal support, division of a business that takes effect in case of a divorce. You can enter into a postnuptial agreement even if the marriage is going well. People grow and change over time. You can never predict if your relationship with your spouse will stay the same in the future. In a way, it is a form of planning to cover the contingency in case the marriage does not work out in the future.

If you are the spouse who is the primary breadwinner such as a Registered Nurse, a Physician, or other Professional, California community property law provides for a 50% interest to your spouse for any income

earned by you during the marriage and any property acquired by you and your spouse during the marriage.

Basically, your spouse has a one-half interest in your salary, earnings, and any assets you acquired during the marriage even if it was you who sweated to earn that money and even if a particular asset or bank account is under your name alone. This 50/50 division can be changed even after the marriage by ways of a postnuptial agreement.

What issues can be resolved in advance through a postnuptial agreement? You can agree on how a business or a professional practice is to be divided in case of a divorce. Through the postnuptial agreement, the division does not have to be 50/50. The agreement can provide that the business will be awarded to one spouse alone or it can provide a certain amount of buyout to the other spouse.

There is a lot of flexibility as to how you want to structure this.

You can also provide for how real

property is to be divided such as a house or rental property. Typically, a house purchased during the marriage is community property to be divided equally. A house purchased before the marriage is separate property but if there was a mortgage or refinancing during the marriage and the monthly mortgage payment is paid from earnings during the marriage, there could be a community interest in that separate property house which entitles your spouse to a portion of the house. This confusion can be squared away and clarified in a postnuptial agreement. You can provide for who gets the house and what buy out , if any, your spouse will get in case of a divorce.

Spousal support can also be addressed in the postnuptial agreement. A common provisions is to agree to a certain amount of spousal support which varies depending on how long the marriage was at the time the parties divorce. It is also possible to waive spousal support altogether.

However, such waiver of support will be scrutinized as to unconscionability at the time of the divorce.

Other issues that can be resolved in a postnuptial agreement are division of debts and credit cards, ownership of a life insurance policy, beneficiaries to a life insurance policy, and who gets the family pet.

Since the postnuptial agreement is the first issue that can be attacked in a divorce case, it is best that each party be represented by their own attorney in negotiating the agreement. In that

case, there is less likelihood that the postnuptial agreement will be found invalid since you can argue that there was no undue influence since both parties were represented by counsel.

Having a postnuptial is definitely beneficial in minimizing the uncertainty in the future pertaining to your marriage and finances.

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, APLC This article is not a solicitation.

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, APLC. 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

Too Much Debt And Don’t Know What To Do?

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ARE your debts keeping you up at night? Are you always worried about money?

Are you barely surviving and can’t even keep up with minimum payments on your credit cards? Do you wish to reduce or eliminate your debts but don’t even know where to start?

If you are searching for debt reduction solutions, you may be inundated with advertisements for various debt management programs, companies, and solutions. The choices seem confusing to the average consumer. The truth is that every situation is different and what may work perfectly for others is not necessarily going to work the same way for you. So, what do you do before your debt problems get worse?

If you know your finances are a mess and you’re struggling with a mountain of debt, then you need to create a plan of attack to help you get rid of your debt properly. If you’ve ignored your debt problems for a while and you are now at a point where creditors have taken legal action to collect what you owe, self-help debt reduction may be out of the question and you may need to immediately take the legal steps necessary to protect what you have.

Many times, people come to our office with wage garnishments, bank levies or a lien filed by a creditor against their home and they don’t know what to do to stop it. These are the situations where filing bankruptcy may be the only way to get out of debt as quickly as possible and to protect yourself from further creditor actions.

It is important for you to have an accurate picture of your current financial situation before you embark on implementing a solution. This means understanding exactly how much income is coming in and how much you pay out in expenses. As a starting point, you should also write down your outstanding balances on all your current debts and add up the totals. The total figure might shock you at first but it’s important for you to know where you’re starting in order to create a plan of attack.

Alongside each debt balance, write down the amount of interest you’re being charged and how much you’re paying each month on that debt. Sadly, most people who are buried in a mountain of debt have lost track of what they owe.

And because they have stopped paying their creditors, the bill collectors are now demanding the full amount which, of course, makes it even harder for the person to catch up on their delinquent debts. continued on page 7 CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

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MINDING YOUR FINANCES … FROM PAGE 6

I would like to wish everyone a Safe and Happy New Year. I would also like to acknowledge all the essential healthcare workers who go to work all day and night helping our COVID family and trying keep themselves safe from this virus.

May God bless us all, year 2021 will be the year of the Golden Cow and hopefully it will be a much safer and better year for all.

Thank you for all your support.

(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 1-866-477-7772).

Ken Go

2020: The year that was

By Jay Ledesma | PNA

EVERYONE is excited to end 2020!

Just a few more days and finally we bid goodbye to the year that changed our lives and our perspectives of life.

There is no argument that 2020 is a year that will forever be etched in our memories for both the good and the bad it brought us.

Before we officially draw the curtain of 2020, let’s look back at the events, personalities, and trends that made 2020 the year that was.

Events of the year Top on the list is the Covid-19 pandemic which impacted people worldwide. Rich and poor, young and old, male and female, Covid-19 indiscriminately claimed lives and caused millions of people to get sick. As of this writing, the world is still fighting this virus, which is even said to have mutated to a more dangerous variant.

The Taal Volcano eruption literally ushered 2020 with a bang, when after 43 years of slumber, it woke up and showed its might last Jan 12. The eruption wreaked major damage to the lives of our countrymen in Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and some parts of Central Luzon.

Typhoons Rolly and Ulysses were forces to reckon with. While the Philippines has its yearly date with typhoons, we did not expect that typhoons Rolly and Ulysses will bring so many rains and flooding and major destructions to our “kababayans” in Bicol, Cagayan/ Isabela, and Marikina.

The shutdown of ABS-CBN, the country’s biggest television network made national headlines and elicited varied reactions from the Filipinos.

Some were saying that this was political in nature while others were citing the legal grounds behind the shutdown. Whatever the reason was, Filipinos realized that aside from having Kapamilya, we also have our Kapuso and Kapatid to count on!

New normal Surviving and thriving amidst the pandemic introduced and required us to adopt and adapt to these new normal ways of going about our day to day living.

Wearing face masks and face shields and practicing social distancing when going out or when in the presence of

If you’re on a very tight budget or if your income is not even enough to cover your living expenses, it may be impossible for you to get out of debt without having to file bankruptcy in order to wipe out what you can no longer afford to pay. For many people, this may be the only realistic way to get rid of debts hanging over their head instead of trying to pay their creditors slowly or even worse- not paying them and having to face the legal consequences later on.

Working out the right debt elimination or debt reduction plan to help you get out of debt can be tricky. Everyone seems to have all kinds of advice and they’re all convinced that their solution is the best. How can you know which one is the right one to help you?

If your debts are mounting up and becoming uncontrollable, maybe you also need to take a current look at your current lifestyle and how much it costs to maintain your standard of living today. Can you maintain this standard of living based on your current income or is it forcing you to borrow even more which just makes your situation worse?

To become debt-free, you first need to fix your spending leaks to make sure that you are living within your means. This might mean finding the discipline to stop charging anything else on your credit cards and only buying those things you have the cash to afford. NOTE: Due to COVID-19 pandemic, I am offering free consultations BY PHONE to anyone who needs help in dealing with their debt problems.

others are now the basic protocols. It’s almost considered a crime not to observe these health standards.

With physical movements being highly restricted, the use of the Online platform is the new norm when doing almost all business and social transactions. Most products and services are sold and purchased online.

Banks, insurance companies, and most government offices are now utilizing the digital space for their business operations. Students are now attending online classes and the faithful are attending online masses.

Work from home which is, likewise, enabled by digitalization, is the new setup for almost all employees. Reunions, meetups, and get-togethers are done virtually.

In the case of physical gatherings or celebrations, attendance is now limited to 10-20 people the most. It’s toned down and more intimate.

2020 trends Among the social media apps, Tiktok is the most popular worldwide. Though this video sharing platform, known for its act-out memes backed by music and other sound clips, was introduced in China in 2016, Titok reached its popularity during the pandemic. Famous celebrities and even political personalities were not able to escape the Tiktok phenomenon.

Whether you have the green thumb or not, it’s almost certain that you got bitten by the gardening mania. Pandemic gave birth to the plantitas and plantitos. Every inch of the ground is transformed into a garden. Those with none used ready-made pots of various sizes, colors, and designs to grow all kinds of plants from succulents, to vegetables to florals.

Kitchens are the busiest part of the house this year, with many discovering the chefs/cooks in them. From cookies, cakes, pasta, to baked sushi, name it, someone is cooking it. Most used their culinary skills and passion as a source of income while for some it’s their way to help the needy.

Netflix and Korean telenovelas are heaven-sent to the binge-watchers during this pandemic. K-Novelas such as CLOY, Descendants of the Sun, World of Marriage, and Start Up were the trending subjects of social media chat-box.

2020 buzz words The Covid-19 has added words to our daily vocabulary, words that we were not commonly used before.

The medical terms like virus, quarantine, pandemic, asymptomatic, isolation facility, incubation period, swab test, and PPEs are usually heard of in apocalypse-themed movies. But now, we speak them as part of our daily lives.

We now make use of phrases like “social distancing”, “total or partial lockdown”, “contact tracing”, “flatten the curve”, “essential and non-essential businesses”, Food and Medicine Pass”. These phrases further enriched our vocabulary as we now reference them in our daily conversations.

Other most popular words include Ayuda (dole out from the government), Plantita (plant parent), Zooming (use of videoconferencing), Bayanihan Acts (economic stimulus package from the government), and WFH (work from home).

Personalities of 2020 Ta k i n g t h e t op s p ot i s ou r FRONT-LINERS who since the onset of the pandemic were already out there bravely doing their jobs so we may continue to be safe and secure at the comforts of our homes. They are our medical and health workers, they are our military/armed personnel, they are the hospital janitors, grocery cashiers, and baggers and garbage collectors. These men and women risked contracting the virus (a number of them did) in the line of duty. Our big thanks to all our front-liners!

I cannot imagine how we would have managed the quarantines and lockdowns without our RIDERS. Rain or shine, near or far, day or night, these riders are on call to serve our delivery requirements. These men in pink, green, black, or red are our modern-day “knights in shining motorcycles”!

With online class as the new norm in our education system, our teachers (specifically, the public school teachers) found themselves in an unfamiliar and unfriendly environment. Most of them did not only have to learn the digital platform, but they even have to pay for their own internet connections or climb to higher grounds (and trees) just so they can get connected. While for those offline, some of them have to shoulder the printing of the learning modules and travel to far-flung areas to personally deliver the modules to their students. These sacrifices show their great love for their work and for their students. Our salute to our beloved teachers!

Indeed, so many things happened, and learned in 2020! While the big part of it was unpleasant, let’s be mindful that we should still be thankful for the many blessings that we received! We’re still blessed with life, good health, jobs, and protection from the virus.

We still have our friends and our families to welcome and celebrate the New Year with!

Goodbye, 2020!

Cheers to a better and safer 2021!

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Nothing malicious about naming solons in DPWH corruption

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Malacañang on Tuesday said there is nothing malicious about President Rodrigo Duterte naming lawmakers allegedly involved in corruption at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

In a taped speech on Monday night, Duterte named at least nine lawmakers who allegedly received kickbacks from project contractors. These legislators have since denied the allegations.

Despite having named them, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte himself clarified that they are still under investigation and have not yet been proven guilty.

“There was nothing unfair, there was nothing malicious kasi inulit-ulit po ni Presidente, hindi pa naman sila proven guilty (because the President repeatedly said that they’re not yet proven guilty),” he said in a virtual presser.

He denied claims that Duterte was subjecting the said lawmakers to trial by publicity.

“It's not a trial by publicity dahil nilinaw po ni Presidente (because the President clarified) they have the presumption of innocence and these are people who are being investigated. So di naman sinasabi nagkasala na pero merong imbestigasyon ongoing sa mga ito (he didn’t say they’re already guilty but they are being investigated),” he added.

Roque also rejected the remark made by former Ifugao Rep. Teodoro "Teddy" Baguilat, one of the lawmakers on the list, that Duterte’s decision to bare their names was a “diversionary tactic” to draw attention from some of his close-in security members receiving a Covid-19 vaccine from China.

“Siya po ang nagda-diversionary tactic. Sagutin na lang po former Congressman Baguilat…sagutin ninyo lang po kung hindi totoo na nanghihingi kayo ng tongpats, sabihin ninyo po ‘no. Pero huwag na po natin palitan pa ang issue (He’s the one making diversionary tactics. Congressman Baguilat should just answer the question if it’s true he received kickbacks, just say it. But don’t change the issue),” he said.

Freedom of information Roque said the President finally decided to reveal the names of alleged dishonest lawmakers as reported to him by the PACC as part of “freedom of information.”

“Sinabi naman po niya ‘no, freedom of information ‘no. Ito po ay report na galing sa PACC, opisyal na na-receive ng Palasyo.

Ito po’y naging public document at bagama’t sinabi nga po niya na mayroong presumption of innocence at hindi pa po napapatunayan ang kanilang pagkakasala ay minabuti rin po niya na basahin iyan kasi nga po ang pula ng media dati bakit hindi binasa iyong mga pangalan ng congressmen (He said it himself ‘freedom of information’. This report came from the PACC which the Palace officially received. It becomes a public document and even if he said that there is presumption of innocence and they have not yet been proven guilty, he opted to read them out loud because media previously criticized him for not doing so),” he said.

Last November, Duterte previously refused to reveal their names because he had no jurisdiction over members of a coequal branch of government.

Instead, the President said he would refer information provided to him to the Office of the Ombudsman for investigation.

Roque, meanwhile, lamented that it seemed like there was no way to please reporters who criticized Duterte for either revealing names or withholding them.

“Kayo namang mga kasama sa (You in the) media ‘no “damn if you do, damn if you don’t” – noong hindi brinodkast, pinulaan na ang mga maliliit lang daw ang tinitira natin ‘no. Ngayong

brinodkast, bakit pa raw brinodkast (when it wasn’t broadcasted, you criticized him for only targeting small time persons.

Now that he broadcasted their names, you question why he did),” he said.

Shape up Roque said Duterte’s intention in naming the lawmakers who allegedly received kickbacks was to push them into changing their corrupt ways.

“Binanggit nga niya yung mga pangalan ng kongresista, hindi pa sila nagkakasala, iniimbestigahan pa, pero ang mensahe sa mga kongresista at sa mga DPWH, shape up dahil (He mentioned the congressmen’s names even if they have yet to be proven guilty and are still being investigation, but his message to the solons and the DPWH is to shape up because) the good days are over,” he said.

He noted that Duterte’s effort to publicize names of supposed dishonest politicians is the “first time in Philippine history that a President dared to touch this institutional source of corruption.”

“Alam niyo po ang kaniyang sinabi na irerevamp niya lahat ng [district engineers] napakalaki ng magagawa niyang ng pagbawas ng koruspyon sa DPWH (You know what he said that he will revamp district engineers, that would make a huge difference in efforts to curb corruption at the DPWH),” he said.

Follow procedure Asked if Duterte’s support for freedom of information would also mean willingness to release his Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN), Roque said persons and parties requesting for the President’s SALN must follow procedures prescribed by the Office of the Ombudsman.

“Meron na pong procedure na sinabi ang Ombudsman. Sumunod lang po tayo dun sa procedure (The Ombudsman has already prescribed procedures. Let’s just follow those procedures),” he said.

Roque has repeatedly insisted that Duterte is “not hiding anything” even if his SALN has not been released to the public.

Under the Ombudsman's Memorandum Circular No. 1, SALNs would now be released only in three situations—if the government official who filed it and his or her official representative made a request; if it is legally ordered by the court in relation to a pending case; and if the request is made through the Office of the Ombudsman’s field investigation office for the purpose of a fact-finding probe.

In all other instances, the circular said that “no SALN will be furnished to the requester unless he/she presents a notarized letter of authority from the declarant allowing the release of the requested SALN”.

Before Ombudsman Samuel Martires was appointed by Duterte in 2018, a reporter can request for certain government officials’ SALNs by writing formal letters of request before the Office of the Ombudsman. (MNS)

PRESIDENTIAL SPOX HARRY ROQUE

Students’ participation in online classes dwindling, teachers say; DepEd validating MANILA (Mabuhay) — The participation of students in online and modular classes has been dwindling, the Teacher's Dignity Coalition (TDC) said on Tuesday.

TDC national chairperson Benjo Basas made the statement based on reports of their members from different areas of the country.

“The way we see things, talagang dwindling po. Continuous ‘yung decrease ng participation ng ating mga learners doon sa online learning,” Basas said.

“Nakikita po natin 'yan na mukhang hindi siya nangangalahati, ‘yung participation dito sa online," he said.

"Doon naman sa modular ay nakikita po natin na nagpapasa ang bata na kulang ang sagot or minsan totally walang sagot,” he added.

However, Basas said students and parents have not formally expressed any intention to drop out this academic year.

'Should not alarm us' Department of Education (DepEd) Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said they are still validating this information.

“The issue of the online learning not

being sustained should not alarm all of us, because we always provide options for other distance learning delivery modality,” San Antonio said in a separate interview.

“For me, it should not be a big concern because we are able to immediately revert to another distance delivery modality,” he said.

Asked about the supposed fatigue of students amid the setup of distance learning, San Antonio pointed out the learning experience of students will depend on the effectiveness of parents and teachers in motivating them.

“I've been saying this even prior to the opening of the school year, that the kind of learning the children would have will depend largely on how effective we, the teachers and the parents, will be able to engage, motivate the children,” he said.

“If the motivation is there, I feel that the so-called fatigue would not be a reality in the lives of the learners,” the DepEd official added.

Basas, however, pointed out that the issue of ‘fatigue’ among students is not only a matter of motivation. He underscored that this issue in education is ‘multifactoral.’

According to San Antonio, the DepEd will have a report on the assessment

of the first academic term by January in 2021.

School year 2020-2021 officially opened on October 5.

Due to the COVID-19 threat, the DepEd decided to conduct classes through blended learning, where students do not have to go to school to participate in classes to avoid possible transmission of the virus. (MNS)

PhilHealth sticking to hike premiums

by Jan. 2021 as 'mandated by law' MANILA (Mabuhay) — Philippine Health Insurance Corp (PhilHealth) will go ahead with the monthly premium hike of 3.5 percent beginning Jan. 1 next year as it is mandated by law, a PhilHealth official said Wednesday.

Under Section 10 of the Universal Health Care Act, monthly rates will rise to 3.5 percent in 2021 from 3 percent this year, thus raising minimum contributions to P350 from the current P300.

"Atas iyan ng batas. Wala pong kapangyarihan ang PhilHealth na hindi ipatupad at amyendahan ang batas," Rey Baleña, senior manager of PhilHealth Corporate Communications Department, said.

"Naniniwala ang ahensya na ito ang kailangan ng bayan lalo na at kinakalaban natin ang COVID-19.

Tuloy po ang implementasyon ng mga programa at pagpapatupad ng Universal Healthcare," he added.

Under the law, the income ceiling will also be adjusted to P70,000 from P60,000, making monthly contributions rise to P2,450 from P1,800, Baleña said.

The rate adjustment is expected to yield "close to P90 billion" revenues from collections in 2021, said Balena. Direct contributions this year generated P77 billion in the agency's revenues.

"Malaking karagdagan po ito sa kasalukuyang pondo ng PhilHealth para maipagpatuloy natin ang mga reporma na nasimulan natin since 2019," he added.

The PhilHealth official is referring to the "immediate eligibility" of members for healthcare services, especially those confined in hospitals and needing medical aid.

Baleña said they will also rollout Konsulta Package or Konsultasyong Sulit at Tama, which seeks to assign a designated healthcare provider -- whether a doctor or any healthcare professional -- to do regular checkups on Filipinos.

This can address the long-standing problem of not being able to detect illnesses of Filipinos even until death, Baleña said.

Like PhilHealth, SSS is also hiking its monthly contribution rates to 13 percent starting Jan. 1, from 12 percent at present. (MNS)

Sulu to be placed on lockdown from January 4 to 17 - WesMinCom chief MANILA (Mabuhay) — The province of Sulu will be placed under lockdown as part of the local government's efforts to prevent the entry of the new coronavirus variant in the area, the Western Mindanao Command said Tuesday.

WesMinCom chief Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan said the lockdown would be imposed from January 4 to 17, 2021.

The new coronavirus variant was detected in Sabah, Malaysia, which is just near the province of Sulu.

Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan has said the province will temporarily prevent entries from Sabah due to the discovery of the new coronavirus variant.

He has asked the national government for assistance regarding this matter.

So far, Sulu province needs choppers to monitor the movement of residents as well as medical equipment to enhance the COVID-19 testing measures on residents, the governor said. (MNS)

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UN aid to typhoon-hit Pinoys pour even during holiday season MANILA (Mabuhay) — In four municipalities of Albay province, where tens of thousands have lost their homes during the onslaught of Super Typhoon Rolly, 1,030 families who celebrated Christmas in evacuation centers received building materials, tools, and cash to help put a roof over their heads in time for the New Year.

The United Nations (UN) Migration Agency, International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the non-government organization Catholic Relief Services have been distributing shelter repair kits to households in 17 barangays in the towns of Tiwi, Malinao, Malilipot, and Tabaco throughout December.

The kit, intended for the emergency repair of damaged houses to make them livable, consists of corrugated galvanized iron for roofing, coco lumber for posts and framing, nails, hammer, saw, and shelter-grade tarpaulin.

The IOM also distributed cash assistance in the 17 barangays.

Five-month pregnant Rosewinda Callejo, a resident of Tagoytoy, Malinao, received the cash assistance and a shelter repair kit on December 15.

"Happiness is all I am feeling right now because I have received assistance from you. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” Callejo said.

“End-of-the-year holidays are very important for the Filipino people. It is the time when families come together.

This is why the United Nations and its humanitarian partners proudly continue to deliver humanitarian assistance to the very last day of this difficult year.

We are not merely rebuilding homes of people most affected by the two typhoons but also bringing them hope and dignity,” UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Philippines, Gustavo Gonzalez, said in a news release issued on Thursday.

The IOM’s emergency shelter assistance is part of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) support of USD3.1 million (PHP150 million) awarded to the Philippines by UN Undersecretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock.

The CERF funding will allow the Unicef, IOM, and UN World Food Program to provide life-saving assistance in water supplies, sanitation services, hygiene, emergency shelter, and food to address time-critical needs, particularly of the poorest single-headed households, the elderly, and people with disabilities in the hardest-hit ar-

eas of Albay and Catanduanes.

The CERF funding is one of the projects of the Humanitarian Needs and Priorities Plan (HNP) that was launched by the UN and humanitarian partners in the Philippines in November to come to the aid of nearly 280,000 people affected by “Rolly” and Typhoon Ulysses.

The HNP calls for USD52.6 million from resource partners to provide assistance in terms of food, access to clean water-sanitation-hygiene (WASH) facilities, emergency shelter and livelihood, health, and early recovery.

Some 80 humanitarian partners in the country, including the UN, NGOs, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and the private sector, which comprise the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) in the Philippines, have been working throughout November and December to implement the HNP. The HCT has so far received USD12.9 million, or just 25 percent of the support called for in the HNP. Yet, in just two months since “Rolly”, the HCT has deployed wide-ranging assistance in the National Capital Region (NCR), as well as the Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Bicol regions.

Cash assistance has been distributed to some 3,125 families.

Emergency shelter support, including 13,599 shelter-grade tarps, 2,600 roofing materials, and 7,700 tool kits, has benefitted families beyond the four municipalities in Albay.

Some 57,210 individuals have received hygiene kits and more than 52,000 people have been given water kits.

BI spox: 3 passengers with travel history to countries covered by travel ban intercepted MANILA (Mabuhay) — Immigration officers were able to bar the entry of at least three passengers with travel history to some countries included in the travel ban that was imposed to prevent the spread of the UK coronavirus variant in the Philippines, Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval said Thursday.

"Yesterday may na-intercept po tayo.

Kung 'di ako nagkakamali, nasa tatlo po 'yung na-intercept natin that came from these countries," Sandoval said.

"They were turned back po, hindi po sila pinayagang pumasok ng Pilipinas.

Excluded po natin sila," she added.

The Philippine government has imposed a travel ban for passengers coming from 20 countries where a new variant of the COVID-19 virus was detected. The ban, effective from December 30, 2020 to January 15, 2021 covers the following:

UK Denmark Ireland Japan Australia Israel The Netherlands Hong Kong Switzerland France

Germany Iceland Italy Lebanon Singapore Sweden South Korea South Africa Canada and Spain

"Kung mayroon po silang travel history within the last 14 days dito po sa countries na ito. Kahit hindi po sila doon directly nanggaling, hindi pa rin po natin papapasukin," Sandoval said.

The BI officers in the airports were instructed to do a 100% passport inspection to make sure that the travel histories of arriving passengers are cleared, she added.

Meanwhile, Filipino nationals who will be arriving from the 20 countries covered by the travel ban would not be turned away.

"Kahit galing po sila doon sa 20 countries papayagan naman pong pumasok but they would be referred to the one-stop shop para strictly ma-implement 'yung 14-day quarantine," Sandoval said.

The BI is still awaiting official order from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for the inclusion of the US in the travel ban.

"We are on standby kung sakali po na makita ng IATF na kailangan pong i-expand itong travel restrictions po natin but we're ready to implement kung sakali pong makita nila na kailangan na po talagang i-expand ito,"she said.

Non-essential departures from the Philippines are still allowed, subject to the submission of additional documentary requirements, she added. (MNS)

Back-to-school kits and food for children suffering from acute malnutrition have also been distributed.

At the same time, the HCT continues to support the management of evacuation centers, benefitting 32,421 persons, half of whom are children.

It has called for more support from resource partners to ensure that more typhoon-affected Filipinos are reached and that no one is left behind.

To date, at least 30,000 people remain displaced from “Rolly” and “Ulysses”, staying in 181 evacuation centers across the five regions.

Four evacuation centers remain open in Albay.

More than 8,600 schools, which were either damaged or destroyed, will require support in cleanup and repairs.

Damaged self-learning modules will need to be reprinted and redistributed, while educational supplies will have to be distributed to support the education continuity of 101,800 teachers and 2.8 million K-12 learners from affected schools across the country.

Some 19,047 vulnerable and underserved households need food assistance while 15,525 farming and fishing

households have yet to receive support.

Initial assessment put agricultural damage at more than USD22million, mostly to crops, such as rice and corn, severely affecting about 20,000 farmers.

About 96 percent of rice farms in Camarines Sur are already non-recoverable and will need support for replanting.

Meeting the daily food needs of people still displaced is a challenge, especially in hard-to-reach villages that have been isolated from any support.

“As the Philippines is one of the countries most affected by natural disasters and climate change on the planet, we have both a moral imperative on the humanitarian side and a clear economic case to support the government of the Philippines in adapting and strengthening its capacity to respond to weather-related shocks. If we do not address this issue more holistically, we are merely building sandcastles after each typhoon,” Gonzalez said.

The HNP was launched on November 9 by the HCT to address the needs of 260,000 of the most vulnerable people in provinces most affected by “Rolly”.

On November 27, the HCT released a revised HNP, further extending support to areas severely affected by “Ulysses” in northern Luzon.

The revised HNP brings together collective humanitarian activities from November 2020 to April 2021 with a new total funding request of USD52.6 million (PHP2.5 billion).

The call for resources will directly assist 278,100 affected people in terms of food, access to WASH facilities, emergency shelter and livelihood, health, and early recovery.

Following a review of overall needs, 18,100 most-vulnerable people who were severely affected by “Ulysses” in Cagayan were added to the original target of 260,000 people in Albay and Catanduanes. (MNS)

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Saturday-Friday || January January 22 -- 8, 8, 2020 2021 Saturday-Friday

CAREGIVER LAW OVERVIEW FOR 2021 WORKING as a caregiver in a private home, an assisted living facility or nursing home is hard work. If this is your job, you probably work long hours and return home physically and emotionally drained. You may provide 24-hour, live-in help to the elderly or incapacitated.

Many residential private households, residential care facilities and nursing homes ignore overtime laws. These violations can deprive caregivers of significant wages totaling thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. If you are a caregiver employed by someone who refuses to follow wage and hour laws, you may be entitled to significant compensation.

Reading up on your rights is the first step toward claiming what you are due. Discussing the matter with an experienced attorney at Chaleff Rehwald Peterson is the next and most important step.

When employers refuse to pay caregivers the legally required minimum or overtime wages, it is a form of wage theft. The employers are essentially stealing wages from workers who care for the elderly.

Thank fully, California law sets minimum requirements for a caregiver’s wages and working conditions. These laws include a minimum wage and overtime in most circumstances. An employer has no right to pay an employee less than the legally required minimum or overtime wages and anyone who does engages in wage theft.

Wage theft takes many forms and may include failing to pay for sleep or “on call” time, paying a weekly or daily salary that is too low or classifying an in-home caregiver as an “independent contractor” to circumvent California’s wage and hour laws.

California provides greater protection to caregivers than exists in most other states. For instance, on

January 1, 2021 the minimum wage in California increases to $13.00/hour for employers with 25 employees or less and will incrementally increase to $15 by January 1, 2022. Cities can enact higher minimum wages. Caregivers who are victims of wage theft can claim the compensation that is legally due.

Until 2013, most caregivers working in private households were exempt from overtime payments under the so-called “personal attendant” overtime exemption of Wage Order 15. What this means is that prior to 2014, private households could force a caregiver to work 24 hours per day and only pay that caregiver the minimum wage for every hour worked.

In reality, very few private households paid even this modest sum.

On January 1, 2014, California enacted the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights (DWBR). The DWBR mandates overtime payments for personal attendants. This law provides that an employer cannot hire personal attendants to work more than nine hours in a day or 45 hours in a workweek without paying overtime.

Overtime under the DWBR is set at one and onehalf times the employee’s regular rate of pay. That means that if you are an in-home caregiver, you are entitled to 150% of your hourly wage for every hour

you work over nine hours in any given day, and all hours you work beyond 45 hours in a week.

Now that the California legislature has created the right to overtime for personal attendants, an in-home caregiver who is not paid the required overtime wages can claim their unpaid wages. You can recover not just the overtime you are due, but also attorney’s fees and costs incurred in the lawsuit. It is also possible to recover interest and penalties if you are not properly paid overtime compensation.

Caregiver overtime law is highly complex. In fact, an entirely different set of laws apply to a caregivers who work in residential care facilities and nursing homes for the elderly. These caregivers have always been entitled to overtime under California law. These caregivers must be paid overtime for all hours they work in excess of 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. In addition, they are generally entitled to double time payments for all hours worked in excess of 12 in any single day and may be entitled to meal and rest breaks. The rules for sleep time, on-call time and live-ins are also different.

Many care facilities fail to pay overtime to caregivers and engage in other forms of wage theft. If you think that you have been the victim of wage theft, it is very important to contact the attorneys at Chaleff Rehwald Peterson who are familiar the laws in this area.

If you are a caregiver and you believe that your employer has not paid you fairly under the law, you may have a strong case for compensation. Since the laws in this area are complex, you should contact an experienced attorney who has a documented and demonstrated expertise in representing caregivers.

The attorneys at Chaleff Rehwald Peterson have the experience you need. We are here to help!

This article is an attorney advertisement written by Daniel Chaleff, employment law attorney at Chaleff Rehwald Peterson. Our office is located at 5855 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite 400, Woodland Hills, California. We accept cases throughout all of Northern and Southern California. Our examples are of a general nature and are not a guarantee regarding the outcome of your individual matter. The law firm focuses on caregiver rights. Please call us at (818) 807-4168 for a free and confidential consultation. Please visit us at www.caregiverovertime.com/ to learn more about caregiver overtime law. We offer a 24-hour chat line on our website.

DOJ sees full blast drive vs. corruption, terrorism in 2021 MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday said the government's all-out war on corruption and terrorism will hit full stride next year while gradually mitigating the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

"For 2021, we shall base our plans upon the assumption that the department could go full speed by the middle of the year when restrictions on physical movements and interactions might gradually be lifted upon the arrival of the much-awaited vaccines," Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters.

He added that in particular, the DOJ will "intensify its role in the campaign against terrorism, corruption in government, and illegal drugs, as well as in the protection of human rights."

The DOJ has been tasked by President Rodrigo Duterte to spearhead the government's anti-corruption campaign and has since identified threshold transactions in a number of government agencies on top of its investigation.

It is also a key implementing agency of the Anti Terrorism Act passed by Congress as a response to the threat of transnational terrorist groups.

This month, bank deposits and other assets of the terrorist Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, New People's Army (NPA), have been put on freeze by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) after the organization was formally designated a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).

The freeze order covers the related accounts (RA) of said organization referring to accounts opened and maintained for the benefit of said organization and was issued pursuant

to Section 25 of Republic Act 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 in relation to Republic Act 10168 or

the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act. In a resolution dated Dec. 9, the

Robredo rallies Filipinos to hope, help each other after a pandemic -marred year MANILA (Mabuhay) — Vice President Leni Robredo has called on Filipinos to stay hopeful and look out for each other after the unprecedented year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her New Year’s Eve message, Robredo said the upcoming 2021 is another chance to see the bright side of things even after the darkness, including deaths, of the past year.

“Marami sa atin ang unang beses na sasalubong sa bagong taon na hindi kapiling ang mga pumanaw na mahal sa buhay, naapektuhan o nawalan ng kabuhayan, at mas kaunti ang handa sa medya noche.

Maraming aspeto ng buhay natin ang nagbago—sa bahay, sa paaralan, sa opisina, sa mga ugnayan sa pamilya at kaibigan—at dala nito ang halo-halong emosyon: Takot, pangamba, lungkot,” Robredo said.

“Pero paalala sa atin ng petsang ito—ang unang araw ng unang buwan ng isang bagong taon— na lag ing may bagong simu la; lag i ng may pagkakataong bumangon; na kaya natin itong gawing m a s

maginhawa, mas masagana, mas makatao kaysa sa kahapon. Hiling ko ang pag-asang ito para sa bawat pamilyang Pilipino,” Robredo added.

Robredo said hope and empathy should be extended to the most needy as the nation continues to battle the raging pandemic.

“Karugtong ng anumang pag-asa ang sikap at gawa. Hindi biglang mawawala ang virus dahil magpapalit tayo ng kalendaryo. Kaya patuloy tayong mag-ingat at sumunod sa mga health protocols. Patuloy tayong mag-ambagan upang matulungan ang mga kapwa nating mas mabigat ang dalahin. Patuloy nating buksan ang mga puso at alalahanin na sa panahong ito, bitbit natin ang isa’t isa,” she said.

“Sa darating na taon, pag-asa ang pairalin natin sa ating araw-araw na pamumuhay, at pag-asa ang ibahagi natin sa kapwa, lalo na para sa mga nasa laylayan ng lipunan. Isang Ma nigong Bagong Taon po mula sa aming pamilya at sa aming lahat sa O f f ic e of t he V ic e Presid e n t ,” s h e added.

(MNS)

VICE PRESIDENT LENI ROBREDO

ATC ruled that it "finds probable cause that the CPP-NPA committed or conspired to commit the acts defined and penalized under Section 4 of the Anti-Terror Act and hereby designates the CPP-NPA as terrorist organizations, associations or groups of persons.”

Sections 35 and 36 of RA 11479 authorize the AMLC to scrutinize the finances of organizations or groups of individuals that the ATC had labeled as terrorists.

The same provisions of the law also authorize the AMLC to issue a 20-day freeze order on the assets of these groups extendible by six months upon the approval of the Court of Appeals.

The ATC resolution was based on the DOJ’s enumeration of 12 incidents which it said constitutes terrorist acts of murder, kidnapping, and arson and which proves "that the CPP/NPA continues to commit acts of terror to sow and create a condition of widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace in order to coerce the Philippines government to give in to its unlawful demand".

On Aug. 9, 2002, the United States government designated the CPP-NPA as a foreign terrorist organization and to date continues to include the group in its list.

A similar designation was made by the European Union on Oct. 28, 2002, and reaffirmed on Jan. 13, 2020. Australia also placed the CPP-NPA in its list of terror groups on Oct. 28, 2002 and was relisted in November 2013.

The United Kingdom similarly placed the group on its list on Aug. 14, 2002, and reaffirmed it on July 7, 2020, along with New Zealand which placed it on a similar list in October 2010 and renewed its listing in September 2019. (MNS)

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Mitigating effects of climate change to PH fisheries MANILA (Mabuhay) — The impact of climate change to fisheries is a key contributor to the country's economy particularly in the Philippines being an archipelago.

According to a study, climate change impacts on fisheries capture in the Philippines is projected to cause a decrease by about 9 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) with the mitigation scenario and about 18 percent of GDP with the extreme scenario up to 2060, as compared to the baseline scenario.

This impact results in income reduction by as much as 0.36 percent for urban households and 0.38 percent for rural households in the country's economy.

Limuel Aragones, director of the University of the Philippines (UP) Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, in an earlier Tugon Kabuhayan virtual presser, said there is a need to take into account scientific considerations to mitigate the effects of climate change in the country’s fisheries and aquatic resources.

Intensified management of the seas surrounding the Philippines, including the West Philippine Sea, Visayas Sea, Celebes Sea, and Sulu Sea, will require a lot of resources and focus, he noted.

“We are an archipelago, surrounded by seas. This is our great asset,” he added.

Aragones said there is a need to give more attention to the biodiversity in our ocean, especially on the management of marine mammals, identification of native species, and difference of habitats.

“We have a lot of resources in the ocean that we can’t take care of because we are too focused on agriculture.

It’s a different context because, in agriculture, we grow food. In fisheries, there’s still a concept of captive fisheries, which is inherent as opposed to the context of culture,” he said.

To prepare for climate change, the Philippines needs to conduct an assessment of vulnerability to climate change for fisheries at the national level in order to respond to changing economic conditions expected to worsen over time and that the assessment is continuously and periodically carried out.

It also needs to carry out a gap analysis on the capability to cope with the impact of climate change on fisheries for the national economy which would enable organizations to take selective and premeditated actions providing the information about whether a sector or area can potentially be associated with the issue or which community is more vulnerable to climate change.

There is also a need to incorporate climate change impacts into national economic development plans and fisheries development plans, and also incorporate climate adaptation into the fisheries management plan.

Climate change will affect the fisheries over a long period of time so the country must be ready for the impact and endeavor to mitigate its effect. (MNS)

Over 1K Pinoys benefit from Bahrain's flexi visa, gov't aid MANILA (Mabuhay) — Philippine Ambassador to Bahrain Alfonso Ver reported on Wednesday that a total of 1,075 Filipinos have so far benefited from government assistance and Bahrain's flexi visa system.

The flexi visa is a residence and work permit made available for migrants who have no legal immigration status in Bahrain.

Through the Philippine Embassy in Manama, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) covered the cost of the payment of the visa fee for Filipinos who availed of the program.

"The original (Philippine gover n ment) f u nd i ng for that would only cover lesser, but with the additional relief package during this pandemic, we're able to stretch our budget and add more people that's why we have this very big number," he said in a virtual conference.

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said the

flexi visa system is a "cutting edge" program as it addresses the controversial Kafala system by allowing illegal workers to acquire regular immigration status without an employer sponsor.

"And the Philippine government, I think, is the only government that has decided to spend government funds to regularize its citizens," she said.

A r r iola sa id aside f rom v isa fees, the government also shouldered the first two monthly administrative fees of Filipinos who availed of the work permit.

The official expressed her appreciation to the Bahraini government for initiating the program, which she said has since empowered Filipino beneficiaries.

"It has really changed the pathway for migration and we are very thankful because (when we) talked to our people who became flexi visa holders,

they said they felt free, they felt that they were empowered and that there is a second chance for migration," she said.

Aside from labor policies, the Philippine government is also working with Bahrain to protect Filipinos from human trafficking, said Presidential Special Envoy to Bahrain Robert Eric Borje.

"As they say, the traffickers will always be very inventive, they will always be innovative, but it falls on the governments of the Philippines and Bahrain to do as much as we can, and we have been achieving success in this area," Borje said.

"Again, prevention, interdiction, and prosecution is the key and it's a continuing thing, it's a commitment through the Global Compact on Migration," he added.

Borje, Arriola, together with other Philippine representatives are in Bahrain for a fourday official visit that will end on Dec. 31. (MNS)

PNP inks security equipment deal with Israel

PH POPULATION TO REACH 110.8 MILLION BY 2021 — POPCOM MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Philippine population is estimated to reach 110.8 million at the onset of 2021, the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) said Wednesday.

This is an increase from 109.4 million from the onset of 2020.

POPCOM also projected a 1.31 percent growth rate for 2021, slower than the

1.68 percent growth rate tallied for 2016.

While noting a slower growth rate, POPCOM said the population may swell at 111.1 million, reiterating the possibility of increase in unplanned pregnancies brought about by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions such as lockdowns.

POPCOM also said senior citizens in the country "will exceed 10 million for

the first time."

By 2021, the working age group will reach 71.2 million people - comprising of 64.15 percent of the entire Philippine population.

Popcom Director Usec.

Juan Perez said there is a need for more health workers, to vaccinate "at least 80 percent of the population" amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. (MNS)

MANILA (Mabuhay) — Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, said Wednesday the police force has signed several contracts with the Israeli government on the procurement of security and defense equipment.

"The PNP has recently made history as several contracts for the procurement of security and defense equipment through government-to-government (G2G) transaction were inked in partnership with the State of Israel headed by (retired) Brig.

Gen. Yair Kulas, director of IMOD-SIBAT, Ministry of Defense of the State of Israel," Sinas said in a statement.

These signed procurement contracts are for the supply and delivery of 13,457 units of 5.56mm basic assault rifle from Israeli weapons manufacturer Emtan Karmiel; 20 units of 7.62mm light machine gun from the Israeli Weapons Industries; and intelligence component for the PNP Secure, Mobile, Artificial Intelligence-Driven, Real-Time (SMART) policing program.

Sinas said the G2G mode of acquisition was based on Section 4.2 of the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act (RA) 9184, which the PNP took advantage of as it has saved up to PHP107.7 million worth of government funds.

Under the contract, the PNP has closed the procurement deal for 5.56mm basic assault rifles of the same superior quality of rifles from previous procurements for only PHP35,280 per unit, much lower than the price obtained through public bidding from 2017 to 2019 ranging from PHP42,000 to PHP87,000 per unit.

“We have pledged to the President that the PNP will not allow corruption under my leadership. We will be transparent with our transactions and will use our taxpayers' money wisely," Sinas said.

He added that the signing of the contract manifests the PNP's commitment to further boost the capability of its personnel while working with Israel, which is a "world-renowned country producer of high-quality firearms and other defense equipment."

The huge amount saved for the government is the PNP's share for best practices under RA 9184 on the procurement of specified qualities of firepower equipment acquired under the mission-essential tools, assets, and resources. (MNS)

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91% of Pinoys entering New Year with hope — SWS MANILA (Mabuhay) — Ninety-one percent of adult Filipinos are entering 2021 with hope instead of fear, a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

This is five percentage points down from 96% in 2018 and is the lowest after 89% in 2009, the SWS said.

In a non-commissioned survey conducted from November 21 to 25, the SWS found that 7% will enter the New Year with fear, three percentage points up from 4% in 2019.

The survey was the first face-toface interviews the SWS conducted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One in two Filipinos expected Christmas to be happy, 15% expected it to be sad, and 33% expected it to be neither happy nor sad, according to the SWS' November survey.

Of those who expected a sad Christmas, 83% are entering the New Year with hope, the pollster said. Even

more from those who expected a happy Christmas have hope for 2021.

The SWS also said that 89% of families who rated themselves as poor are entering the New Year with hope. New Year hope among families who iden-

Yap hits Belgica over corruption allegations against him MANILA (Mabuhay) — ACT-CIS party-list Representative Eric Yap on Tuesday hit Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Greco Belgica as he questioned the corruption allegations against him related to infrastructure projects in Benguet.

This was after President Rodrigo Duterte named Yap as among the lawmakers supposedly involved in corruption activities within the Department of Public Works and Highways which cropped up in the investigation of the PACC. According to the President, Yap supposedly rigged the bidding process for infrastructure projects in Benguet through his agent, "exerting influence in choosing h is d ist r ict engineer to be able to cont rol t he awarding of projects."

Yap also allegedly intervened in the investigation against former district engineer YAP Lorna Ricardo by calling up Belgica "to drop the case" against the district engineer.

The President nevertheless made clear that the graft allegations against the lawmakers had yet to be proven and should not be taken as "gospel truth."

In a virtual interview with reporters, Yap denied taking part in the bidding for the infrastructure projects in Benguet, where he serves as legislative caretaker.

"Pagdating ko dito bilang caretaker ng Benguet nung January 27, e halos tapos na ata lahat ng mag bidding ng project for 2020," he said.

"I'm not aware kung paano nangyayari ang bidding and ni minsan sa buong buhay ko, hindi pa ako nakapasok ng bidding ng DPWH," he added.

Yap assured that if ever he has ties with any construction firm, they have no construction projects in Benguet.

"Wala ako kasing pinapakialaman na construction firm e. Sa akin, naka-focus ako more on public service dito sa Benguet," he said.

Yap also asked Belgica if the PACC even bothered to confirm with the Office of the Ombudsman that he was indeed moving to drop the case against Ricardo.

"Tumawag ka ba sa DPWH upang

alamin kung inendorso ko ba si Lorna Ricardo upang maging district engineer ng Benguet o ng ibang probinsya?" the lawmaker asked Belgica.

"Bilang PACC, you should be responsible. 'Yung ganyan kasi na papangalanan mo lang, para sa akin hindi investigation 'yan. Ang ginagawa ko ninyo ay nagwi-witch hunt kayo," he added.

Yap believes Belgica developed an ire against him after he earlier questioned the latter's move to link congressmen to corruption, considering that Belgica was sued by a group of Duty Free Philippines Corp. (DFPC) employees of graft for allegedly sparing bigwigs in PACC probe on smuggling involving DFPC. " K u n g matatandaan nung October 29 sa isa ng radio i n t e r v i e w, nasabi ko dito na nagsimula lang naman lumaba s 'y u ng sinasabi niyang corrupt na conBELGICA gressman na involved sa DPWH nung lumabas 'yung issue niya tungkol sa Duty Free Philippines," he said.

"Pagkatapos nito, nagsabi siya ng statement na merong mga congressman involved sa DPWH. Ang sabi ko lang sa kanya, pangalanan niya," he added.

Because of this, Yap said he would file a House resolution in January to investigate the issue in DFPC in which Belgica was involved.

This, he said, is to show him how an investigation is properly conducted — by getting all sides of the persons involved.

"Doon ipapakita ko kay Commissioner Belgica kung gaano kapatas ang pag-iimbestiga. Hindi lang yung nag-aakusa ang kailangan mong kuhanan ng panig, kundi pati yung inaakusahan," Yap said.

"Hindi ko masasabing guilty or hindi guilty si Mr. Greco Belgica sa Duty Free Philippines na may nagsampa sa kanya ng kaso kasi hindi pa ito proven. Kami ay magkakaroon ng inquiry in aid of legislation upang magkaroon tayo tamang batas para 'yung PACC, 'yung mga nag-iimbestiga, ay hindi nasasangkot sa mga anomalya," he added. (MNS)

tified as "not poor" and "borderline poor" was 94% and 93%, respectively.

It added that New Year hope rose by three percentage points in Mindanao from 90% to 93%, but fell in Balance Luzon (from 99% to 92%), Metro Manila (from 96% to 90%), and in the Visayas (from 97% to 88%).

The SWS said it started surveying New Year Hope at the end of 2000 (87%). The percentage was in the 90s at the end of 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2010 to 2020, and in the 80s at the end of 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2009.

The pollster surveyed 1,500 adults nationwide -- 600 in Balance Luzon and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao. The sampling error margins are ±2.5% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao. (MNS)

Revival of centralized peace talks with Reds unlikely — Lacson MANILA (Mabuhay) — The resumption of centralized peace talks with communist rebels may no longer be recommended by the government's security sector especially now that the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army (CPP-NPA), had been designated by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC) as a terrorist group.

"Having the momentum with the series of successful operations against the CPPNPA who are now officially a 'designated terrorist group' by virtue of the authority vested by the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 upon the Anti-Terrorism Council, I doubt if the security sector will recommend the resumption of centralized peace talks to the President," Senator Panfilo Lacson said in a statement.

"While we should not give up on peace, we should learn from the experiences of the past. It is better to have localized peace efforts, with guidance and support from the national government," he added.

The senator made this remark after leftist leaders reportedly called for the resumption of peace talks amid the threat of freezing the assets of the CPP-NPA. The Anti-Money Laundering Council approved the freeze order of accounts related to the CPP-NPA, following its designation as a terrorist organization, according to the Department of Justice.

Lacson, the principal sponsor of the Anti-Terror Law, said the designation was a "resource denial operation" meant to "tighten the noose on the financial and logistical needs of the CPP-NPA." Nevertheless, he added that ensuring the safety and just treatment for those who would surrender must still be upheld.

Aside from the CPP-NPA, the Islamic State East Asia and its local affiliates in the Philippines had been designated as

Saturday-Friday Saturday-Friday || January January 22 -- 8, 8, 2020 2021

Duterte hits ICC anew for ‘interfering’ in Philippine affairs MANILA (Mabuhay) — After an International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor found a “reasonable basis” for claims that crimes against humanity were committed in his war on drugs, President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday once again lashed out at the Haguebased tribunal. “‘Maya ko na sagutin ‘yang ICC ICC na ‘yan, puro kabalastugan,” he said in his weekly national address.

“In the first place, why are you interfering in the affairs of my country and other countries? And who gave you the authority, what divine law gave you the authority to prosecute me in a foreign land tapos ang nakaupo, puro kayo mga puti,” he added.

ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda earlier said “information available provides a reasonable basis to believe that the crimes against humanity… were committed” in connection with the Duterte Administration’s war on drugs.

Duterte claimed that there was no need for the ICC to step in because the Philippines had “functioning” courts.

“If the courts here [say] I will go to jail, I will go to jail. Walang problema ‘yan. I did what I embarked to do. It was an election promise. ‘Pag ‘yan ang suwerteng inabutan ko, so be it,” he said.

In a previous address, Duterte also expressed a readiness to go to jail if it was his “destiny.”

In 2018, Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC after the international tribunal began studying whether it had the jurisdiction to probe the war on drugs.

He later vowed never to answer to the ICC. The Commission on Human Rights, meanwhile, urged the government to address the findings of the ICC prosecutor. (MNS) terrorist groups by the ATC in another resolution which was also approved on December 9, 2020.

The CPP rejected the decision, describing it as a "precursor for heightened fascist suppression against the broad democratic forces which are being red-baited and persecuted for fighting Duterte's tyrannical rule."

President Rodrigo Duterte terminated peace negotiations with the communist group in November 2017, with the Palace citing the alleged lack of sincerity and commitment on the part of the communists.

The following month, Duterte declared through a proclamation that the CPP-NPA is a terrorist organization. The National Democratic Front, however, was not mentioned in the proclamation.

In 2018, the Department of Justice asked a Manila court to legally declare the CPPNPA as a terrorist organization.

The said petition has been junked and then revived again by the court in February 2020. To date, a ruling regarding this is still pending. (MNS)

SEN. PANFILO "PING" LACSON

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Duterte signs P4.5-T nat’l budget for 2021

MANILA (Mabuhay) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday signed the PHP4.5-trillion national budget for 2021 which is expected to boost the government’s efforts to effectively respond to the challenges of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and provide critical measures to aid the economic and social sectors.

Duterte signed Republic Act (R.A) No. 11518 in a ceremony in Malacañan Palace just three days after Christmas.

R.A. 11518 aims to help address the Covid-19 pandemic, boost infrastructure development, generate job opportunities, and rebuild by assisting communities adapt to the post-pandemic life.

In his speech, Duterte emphasized that the budget bill attests to a fruitful collaboration between the executive and legislative branches of government especially at a time where the health and welfare of people are at stake.

“The prompt ratification of the ’21 national budget is a testament of our commitment to set aside divisive partisan politics. Indeed, at this crucial juncture in our history, we can no longer afford to engage in politics of division, hate, and finger pointing,” he said.

Duterte recognized the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) under the able leadership of Secretary Wendel Avisado.

He also thanked civil society partners for offering their knowledge and expertise in crafting a budget that will enable the country to rebuild the economy’s upward trajectory.

“I am pleased that through the budget we may continue to pursue our flagship Build, Build, Build program, revitalize our industry, and service sectors, and support our much-needed social services project,” he said.

Duterte said one of the most important allocations in the budget is the PHP72.5 billion for the purchase of storage, transportation, and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte leads the ceremonial signing of the 2021 General Appropriations Act (GAA) at the Malacañan Palace on December 28, 2020. The ceremonial signing was witnessed by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senators Christopher Go, Juan Edgardo Angara and Francis Tolentino, House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Majority Floor Leader Martin Romualdez, Representatives Eric Yap and Joseph Stephen Paduano, and Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado.

He, meanwhile, assured the public that the administration would ensure the efficient use of resources to help overcome the debilitating effects of the pandemic on public health and the economy.

“I cannot stress this enough: Every centavo of this budget must be spent to ensure our nation’s recovery, resilience, and sustainability. Let me therefore serve as an assurance to the Filipino people, this coming year we intend to recover as one nation,” he said.

R.A. 11518 was based on House Bill No. 7727 entitled An Act Appropriating Funds for the Operations of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines from January 1 to December 31, 2021 and for Other Purposes.

HB 7727 was principally authored and sponsored by House Appropriations Committee Chairperson Eric Go Yap along with House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, and other members of the committee.

The Senate version of the measure was principally sponsored by Senate Committee on Finance Chairperson Senator Juan Edgardo Angara along with Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and other members of the committee.

Education sector gets bulk of budget The DBM said the PHP4.5 trillion national budget for 2021, equivalent to 21.8 percent of gross domestic product, is the

country’s largest to date, larger by 10 percent than the 2020 national budget.

In a statement, the DBM said the Education sector received the largest portion with PHP751.7 billion, or 16.7 percent of the 2021 nation budget.

“The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will follow suit with PHP695.7 billion (15.4 percent) and PHP249.3 billion (5.5 percent), respectively,” the DBM said.

Meanwhile, the DBM said the Department of Health (DOH), which leads the government’s Covid-19 response, received PHP210.2 billion which is 19.6 percent higher than its 2020 national budget.

This is followed by the Department of National Defense (DND) with PHP205.8 billion, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with PHP176.9 billion, Department of Transportation (DOTr) with PHP87.9 billion, Department of Agriculture (DA) with PHP71.0 billion, the Judiciary with PHP45.3 billion, and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with PHP37.1 billion.

As for the government’s Covid-19 response, the 2021 national budget provides PHP71.4 billion for the National Health Insurance Program to subsidize the health insurance premiums of 13 million indigent families and seven million senior citizens.

The Human Resources for Health Program was allotted PHP16.6 billion for the deployment of doctors, nurses, and other health workers to disadvantaged communities and national hospitals.

Funds were also allocated for the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for hospital, laboratories, and regional swab centers, GeneExpert cartridges to supplement the fast and accurate testing of Covid-19 cases, the upgrade of hospital equipment, laboratories and quarantine facilities in different regions among other health-related expenses. (MNS)

Senator Francis Pangilinan

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In his 10-year career, Alden Richards proudest of ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’

A

lden Richards had a ready answer when asked which project of his he is most proud, after 10 years in showbiz.

“Hello, Love, Goodbye,” the actor responded when asked about his milestone of reaching a decade in the industry.

Richards, 28, also identified the OFW drama co-starring Kathryn Bernardo as the project he was “most excited” to do.

“That was my first with Star Cinema. Isa iyon sa best decisions that I made last year,” he said.

Quizzed on the role he considers the “toughest but best” one he has portrayed, Richards named Ethan, his character in “Hello, Love, Goodbye.”

“It was my first time to work with Direk Cathy [Garcia-Molina], and she’s a very talented,

ALDEN RICHARDS

Iwa Moto describes growing family as ‘perfectly imperfect’ MAniLA (Mabuhay) — “Perfectly imperfect.”

That was how Iwa Moto described her growing family with Pampi Lacson.

On Instag ra m, the former actress shared photos from a shoot they did just before Christmas.

Aside from her, IWA MOTO Lacson and their daughter Eve, also part of their family pictorial was Thirdy, Lacson’s son with his former wife Jodi Sta. Maria.

After having forged a close friendship with Sta. Maria, Moto has repeatedly expressed in the past that she considers Thirdy also as her own.

Aside from their huge smiles, Moto also showed off in the pictures her growing baby bump as she and Lacson are expecting their second child.

It was in July when Moto announced her second pregnancy.

“Hello there little one,” she wrote in the caption.

“We are all excited to meet you. But for now chill ka muna diyan. Magpalaki ka at magpalakas. 'Wag mo na pahirapan si mommy, ha. Love you.”

Among those who expressed excitement for the baby was Sta. Maria. (MNS)

very hands-on director. I’m so happy that I was able to work with her. Sobrang dami kong natutunan,” he said.

He also identified “Hello, Love, Goodbye” as the project which he believes “resonated with fans the most,” alongside his time as a tandem with Maine Mendoza.

Released in 2019, the OFW drama was seen as a landmark project in local showbiz, as it brought together two big stars from competing networks, who are each identified with an established love team.

Aside from fetching acting nods for Richards and Bernardo, “Hello, Love, Goodbye” also remains the highest grossing Philippine film of all time, with global ticket sales of over P880 million.

“Hello, Love, Goodbye” will be available to more viewers online starting December 24, as it joins the content library of streaming giant Netflix. (MNS)

Iza Calzado, Ian Veneracion start work on new rom-com series

MAniLA (Mabuhay) — Ian Veneracion Georgette Tengco. and Iza Calzado are reuniting for anDuring the table read, Veneracion other project that their fans should and Calzado explored the nuances of look forward to. their characters as rival B&B owners As early as January 2021, Venera- and the funny and unexpected situacion and Calzado will start shooting tions they find themselves in. the WeTV original series “B&B: The Battle Between Brody and Brandy.”

Calzado and Veneracion will pl ay t he le ad characters Brody and Brandy, respectively, while their series will be helmed by veteran director IAN VENERACION AND IZA CALZADO Mark Reyes.

But just before they start shooting, the two stars reThis project will be Calzado’s first cently graced the show’s first script foray into the romantic comedy genre. reading done virtually along with the Produced by Sangre Productions, other cast members. the series will be coming exclusively Also to be featured in the series to WeTV Philippines in February 2021. are Lovely Abella, Emmanuele Vera, Calzado and Veneracion's last series Ketchup Eusebio and Ian Ignacio, plus together was ABS-CBN's "A Love To WeTV Philippines country manager Last." (MNS)

Lani Misalucha reveals loss of hearing after bout with bacterial meningitis

LANI MISALUCHA MAniL A (Mabuhay) — Asia's Nightingale Lani Misalucha revealed that she is now deaf in one ear after battling a life-threatening illness.

"Medyo bingi, hindi pala medyo. Bingi po talaga ang nangyari sa akin, dito sa right side ko, kaming mag-asawa," she said during the Christmas Special of singing competition "The Clash," which she previously judged.

"Meron po kaming vestibular dysfunction kaya po kailangan namin ng alalay lagi," she added.

The iconic Filipino singer shared that she and her husband Noli were rushed to the ICU early October. She suffered from body pains and a "pounding headache."

"Meron lang talaga kaming patuloy na nararamdaman which is 'yung dizziness, and pagkahina ng pandinig," she added.

"Para kang nasa ilalim ng tubig, so muffled talaga saka highpitched," she added.

She said that until now, she has not properly "absorbed" what happened.

"Alam mo 'yun, na parang, paano ito? Singer ako, kailangan ko ng pandinig ko," she said.

"Sinabi ko sa sarili ko, 'Okay, singing may not be for me anymore,'" she added.

She said she felt helpless and hopeless, and that she still has not found the answer. However, she has learned to accept it.

"Sabi ko okay lang, kung ito yung binigay na challenge then I'll take the challenge," she said.

Lani turned emotional to be reunited with her "The Clash" hosts AiAi delas Alas and Christian Bautista.

"Nagpapasalamat ako sa Panginoong Diyos dahil buhay ako, buhay kaming mag-asawa," she said. (MNS)

‘Soulmate Project’ starring Nancy McDonie, James Reid to push through in 2021 MAniLA (Mabuhay) — “The Soulmate Project,” the international series co-produced by ABS-CBN and starring Filipino actor James Reid and South Korea’s Nancy McDonie, will push through in 2021, after the coronavirus pandemic halted its production this year.

The project was included in an omnibus trailer from local producer Dreamscape Entertainment, the same ABS-CBN unit behind “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” and the 2015 Reid starrer “On the Wings of Love,” enumerating its upcoming offerings.

The trailer, which was streamed during the digital pre-show of ABS-CBN’s 2020 Christmas special, included portraits of Reid and McDonie, indicating they are still attached to the series.

“The Soulmate Project” was first an-

nounced in late 2019, with Antoinette Jadaone (“Fan Girl,” “Never Not Love You”) as both writer and director. At the time, Jadaone said the series would follow the K-drama format of having 13 episodes canned, or finished, prior to its premiere.

Why James and Nancy’s ‘Soulmate Project’ won’t be your typical teleserye The series is set in a version of the Philippines where its government enacts a law that matches citizens with their soulmates, under the fictional Republic Act 143, or The Soulmate Project, according to a sneak peek of its script released early this year.

Reid portrays Jayson, from Tondo, Manila, who gets picked by the government for a third-batch implementation

of the law. McDonie, meanwhile, is Binna, a Korean-American who lives in the Philippines.

The cast and crew of “The Soulmate Project” had started work on the series in February 2020, with Reid and McDonie undergoing look tests, workshops, and site immersion — until the pandemic prevented further progress.

A new filming date ha s yet to b e a nnounced.

Aside from “The Soulmate Project,” McDonie is expected to star in more lo-

JAMES REID AND NANCY McDONIE cal content, after her K-pop girl group MOMOLAND signed in 2019 a contract with ABS-CBN, making them Kapamilya stars. (MNS)

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Janella Salvador says 'Filipinos are the worst body shamers'

J

anella Salvador took to social media to express her disappointment in people who subject others to body-shaming.

On Twitter, Salvador wrote: “Filipinos are the worst body shamers.”

Shrugging off the negative energy, she added: “Let me enjoy my christmas pudding in peace. Happy holidays to you too!”

While there was no indication of what triggered her post, a quick look on her Instagram feed would show how some of her followers commented on her figure in her latest post.

“Hiyang sya sa England malusog sya,” a netizen said.

“Nakakahiyang ang lamig, nakakalakas kumain,” added another.

Salvador’s post shows her and her boyfriend Markus Paterson dancing to the tune of “Holly Jolly Christmas.”

“An extra special Christmas of many firsts. HAPPY Holidays, everybody,” she

said in the caption.

Although some focused on her figure, a lot of the actress’ fans also noted how happy she looks with Paterson in England.

In a vlog of singer-actor Kyle Echarri uploaded last September, Paterson admitted his almost two-year relationship with the Kapamilya actress.

The 22-year-old actor said he could not live without Salvador, whom he described as the love of his life.

“I’ve never been in love the way I am.

I’ve never felt the love that she makes me feel. ...There is no one or thing that could make me look at another woman the way that I look at her right now,” Paterson said when asked about Salvador.

"Like, it’s not even fair to my family how much I’m in love with this woman.

Sanya Lopez admits getting starstruck with Nora Aunor in 'Isa Pang Bahaghari' MAniLA (Mabuhay) — Sanya L opez admitted that she got starstruck with Nora Aunor in their Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) movie "Isa Pang Bahaghari."

Sanya's perforNORA AUNOR SANYA LOPEZ mance in the film received rave reviews from the press.

The Kapuso actress said it was thanks to the help of Director Joel Lamangan and also because she felt challenged to bring her A-game acting alongside Nora.

"Kapag ka-eksena ko siya pansin na pansin ko 'yung ganda ng mata niya kung paano mag-react," Sanya said about the Superstar. "'Yung parang wala pa siyang sinasabi pero parang dumadating sa point na parang maiintimidate ka talaga e kung hindi mo kaya," she added. "Ganun mangusap 'yung mata niya."

In "Isa Pang Bahaghari," Sanya played the role of Dolly, a single mother who works as a dancer at a beerhouse.

She was the daughter of Lumen (Nora) and Domeng (Philip Salvador) and the sister of Andy (Zanjoe Marudo) and Peter (Joseph Marco).

The film is now streaming in Upstream.ph. (MNS)

Here’s how Ashley Ortega prepared for her Muslim role on ‘Legal Wives’ MAniLA (Mabuhay) — It’s not easy preparing for a role. According to Ashley Ortega, she had to study and learn about the Muslim culture and its language as she prepared for the upcoming cultural drama series “Legal Wives.”

Aside from studying the script and adopting a few changes to her lifestyle such as avoiding pork, the actress said she also listened carefully to the show’s Muslim consultant on how to properly speak the language.

“Unang preparation ko is I studied the language. Medyo mahirap ’yung accent nila and maselan ... Sakto dapat pagsabi, diction. ’Yun talaga, tinutukan naming lahat,” the actress said.

“Siguro for one whole day ’yun lang pinapakinggan ko, ’y ung d iction talaga.

Kailangan

maayos ’yung pronunciation since there’s a possibility na ma-offend naming ’yung Muslim community. Kinulong ko lang sarili ko, inaral ko lang, paulit-ulit ko lang sinasabi,” she added.

Ashley also said that she would constantly ask their consultant about Muslims’ culture and way of life to be able to properly portray her role and also to learn more about them.

Although not much can be revealed about her character, Ashley shared that she would be playing a rebellious Muslim woman from Marawi.

“Legal Wives,” also starring Dennis Trillo, Alice Dixson, Bianca Umali, Andrea Torres and Cherie Gil, will revolve around a Muslim Maranao royalty who married not one, but three women.

(MNS)

JANELLA SALVADOR Because I would put her above anything else. To the vague question why I'm still with her, it is because I couldn't live without her. That's as simple as it is," Paterson said. (MNS)

Morissette doesn't think career will end after she gets married MAniLA (Mabuhay) — Morissette Amon was unable to stop herself from responding to a netizen who called her out over her engagement to her boyfriend Dave Lamar.

On Instagram, the netizen told Amon that agreeing to marry her boyfriend was the “wrong decision” and will be “the end of your international career.”

“It’s okay to be in love but think about how much you’re going to lose. You are at the peak of your career right now. I’m just saying,” said the Instagram user.

In response, Amon said: “Hello po, sir. I don’t reply to msgs like this, but I will to you because you’re (obviously) judging me too quickly.”

“I frankly don’t think I’m going to lose ANYTHING with my decision to get married, ESPECIALLY when the man I’m gonna share my life with is the same man who is currently helping me with my music. This being said, you outta check out my latest single and music video ‘Love You Still’ also shot by now fiancé. And this is just the beginning,” she added.

The netizen responded again by saying he is not judging Amon

Roxanne Barcelo says she has tied the knot

MORISSETTE AMON at all, adding that he’s actually a huge fan.

“Nanghihinayang lang ako sa maaaring mangyari. I used to be in the industry and in the US. When an artist lalo na 'pag pasikat pa lang then they decide to married or get pregnant, nasisira na ang career,” he said.

For her part, Amon acknowledged that this was not the first time she was bashed because of a decision she had to make.

“We are all different people, and as for me I will still go on with pursuing my music because

this is what I believe God’s purpose is for me, and that can still happen even when I get married or even when I have my own family in the future,” she said.

Amon also cited the case of Tori Kelly, describing her as “an extremely talented artist who’s still soaring with her music, and is extremely happy with her own family all at the same time.”

“I acknowledge and appreciate your concern as a supporter but there’s also a lot going on behind the scenes that even my die-hard fans don’t know about, but they continue to trust and support me and I am so grateful for them,” she added.

Addressing the part where the netizen said he’s just “old fashioned and an overprotective” father to his daughter, Amon said: “I’m glad you have your daughter’s back, I understand you as a father because my parents were the same and I only wished they trusted me a little more. Anyways, all’s well and good. Hope you and your family are good and safe. Merry Christmas po.”

Amon announced her engagement to Lamar on Monday.

(MNS)

MAniLA (Mabuhay) — Actress Roxanne Barcelo revealed on social media that she got married.

Barcelo did not say when she was engaged and when she tied the knot exactly, even keeping the identity of her husband under wraps.

In a vlog, she talked about the engagement, saying her husband first popped the question after the quarantine was announced, and all they knew was they “were going to get married before the year ends,” “Totoo pala ’yung ‘when you know, you know.’ I knew from the start na siya ‘yung para sa akin,” Barcelo said.

She was once famously in a relationship with fellow PBB housemate Will Devaughn before they broke up in January 2018, ending 4 years of being together. (MNS)

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Tough year for tourism: Exploring ways to restart, recover

MANILA – The year 2020 is unlike any other for the country's travel industry, which by yearend, often produce record-breaking figures on revenues and arrivals.

In January, the year started with Taal's eruption, forcing thousands of people to evacuate. At that time, it was the industry's biggest challenge as it affected hundreds of flights and compelled numerous tourism establishments in Calabarzon to suspend operations.

But the worst came the following weeks as the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) reached the Philippines and locally-transmitted cases surfaced.

On March 16, air travel was brought to a screeching halt where people had no choice but to stay home as the government placed Luzon under lockdown.

Michelle Taylan, president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), said the crisis forced all of its members to temporarily close or scale down operations.

"Our member travel agencies have been forced to pivot to other businesses to tide them over. Airlines have suffered heavy losses. Hotels were used as quarantine facilities.

Tourism was at a standstill," she said in an email to the Philippine News Agency.

Amid the uncertainties this year, Taylan said the PTAA looks forward to 2021 with "a lot of optimism".

"We will still stage our annual Travel Tour Expo and International Travel Trade Expo.

They will be springboards as we assist in the revival of Philippine tourism," she shared.

"We will also hold talks with other stakeholders in the tourism industry and will come out with a united front in our pursuit to further open tourism in the country," she added.

From January to November 2020, the country's tourism receipts fell by 81 percent to PHP81.05 billion, a significant drop from PHP437.9 billion in the same period in 2019.

International arrivals also dropped by 82.4 percent to 1.3 million compared to the 7.4 million recorded from January to November in 2019.

But while the coronavirus pandemic has grounded most tourism activities, the sector continues to explore ways to restart and offset the crisis's impact on tourism.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) continued to engage with relevant agencies to craft health and safety protocols that could be used when travel gradually starts.

Since April, it has successfully organized a handful of online learning courses that aim to help local tourism players become more competitive, with new knowledge, technological advances, and ways to innovate and be able to cater to a new breed of travelers.

To adapt to the travel trends due to the pandemic, the Tourism Promotions Board also developed a strategic marketing program for the medium and long-term.

"The toughest challenge was the fact that we could not promote tourism destinations the way we used to simply because they were closed to tourists. Or that we could not even promote at all. This compelled us to creatively explore ways to keep the connection with our tourists, while at the same time, gradually assist our local government units (LGUs) and our stakeholders prepare for the new normal in travel," TPB chief Anthonette Velasco said.

'Domestic tourism' Uncertain when the foreign market will come back, the DOT banked on domestic tourism to slowly revive the sector and capitalized on the low-hanging fruit within its borders -- the local travelers.

The DOT believed that by tapping into these short-haul markets through targeted marketing, the country can "bypass some of the considerable challenges" it faced following the pandemic.

It looked at introducing travel corridors or the so-called "travel bubble" to allow the reopening of Philippine destinations with zero coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases to foreign tourists from infection-free nations.

By the second half of 2020, the DOT initiated talks with Australia, which at that time has touted a low to zero case count.

While this vision did not push through, a similar concept was applied domestically and piloted in El Nido, Palawan connecting

where safety protocols are more effectively implemented.

"Towards the end of the year, some events have been approved on a national level but are still subject to the approval of the LGUs but there are still some confusions on implementation of such guidelines," he said.

Pascual said no events equates to zero revenue, which meant that MICE companies were merely trying to survive, trying to keep staff employed through the pandemic.

As the new year begins, Pascual hopes for more consultation between the government and the private sector while the pandemic is still a pervading issue.

"Our biggest hope is that we can build the confidence of government that the professional MICE sector is more than capable of adhering to safety protocols," he said.

'Chinese retirees' Aside from the pandemic, the DOT this year also focused on introducing reforms at

Philippines’ world-famous Boracay beach resorts in the island to tourists from Metro Manila.

In June, the Philippines gradually reopened the world-class Boracay Island, initially to visitors within Aklan province, and eventually to other regions provided the traveler has been tested negative for Covid-19.

By the latter part of the year, several domestic destinations followed suit and started accepting visitors but with strict health and border control protocols, some with a test-before-travel requirement. Among these are Bohol, Batangas, Ilocos Region, Baguio, Siargao, and Palawan.

Last October, Bohol also hosted the hybrid Philippine Travel Exchange 2020, the first physical MICE event since the pandemic started. MICE stands for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions, an emerging niche market in the tourism industry before the health crisis.

Joel Pascual, president of the Philippine Association of Conventions, Exhibition Organizers & Suppliers Inc. (PACEOS), said 2020 was a "really terrible year" for all MICE stakeholders as all its planned events had to be postponed or canceled.

For most of the year, PACEOS lobbied for MICE to be separated from “mass gatherings” as the industry works in a controlled environment where there is clear accountability and

the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) following a public backlash on its current policy that allows foreigners as young as 35 years old to retire in the Philippines.

Senators questioned if the PRA, an attached agency of the DOT, can ensure that young Chinese retirees are not working nor engaged in the operations of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO).

Based on PRA data, some 26,969 Chinese nationals have been allowed to retire in the Philippines, topping the list as of December 2019, followed by 13,912 Koreans; 5,951 Indians; 4,801 Taiwanese; and 3,950 Japanese.

There are a total of 14,987 active retirees or those who continue to keep the retirement visa as their status of stay in the Philippines with ages ranging from 34 to 49 years old.

Of this number, more than 50 percent, or 8,130 of whom are Chinese nationals from mainland China, followed by the Koreans at 2,257 and Indians at 1,891.

Despite this calamitous year for the tourism industry, the Philippines carried on and has even bagged accolades that recognized the timeless beauty of its destinations.

The Philippines’ dive spots and the old walled city of Intramuros were hailed as this year's World's Leading Dive Destination and World's Leading Tourist Attraction, respectively, by the 2020 World Travel Awards

CA... from Page 1 vulnerable among us is critical to fighting this virus,” said Governor Newsom.

“By leveraging CVS and Walgreens resources, we can effectively deploy vaccines to residents and staff at our long-term care facilities, which are at higher risk of Covid transmission – and do it at no cost to the state or local government.”

The program will enable counties to leverage CVS and Walgreens pharmacy staff to administer the vaccine more broadly with pharmacy staff going directly to care facilities. Skilled Nursing Facilities will receive vaccine from staff from CVS and Walgreens.

Approximately 499 nursing homes will be provided vaccine by CVS and 357 by Walgreens. The vaccines will be administered by pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and nurses. Pharmacy technicians are participating under a recent waiver by the Board of Pharmacy that requires appropriate supervision under California law and specialized training.

“This partnership is an opportunity to augment

(WTA).

This is the Philippines’ second time to win the world title for dive, besting eight different popular dive hubs, such as the Azores Islands, Bora Bora, French Polynesia, Cayman Islands, Fiji, Galapagos Islands, Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Maldives, and Mexico.

Meanwhile, it was Intramuros’s first time to win the World's Leading Tourist Attraction, beating 15 different attractions, such as the Acropolis of Greece, Burj Khalifa of Dubai, the Grand Canyon National Park of the US, Mount Kilimanjaro of Tanzania, and Taj Mahal of India. Albeit virtually, the Philippines remained on the world's radar.

'Recovery' Earlier, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said international travel might not happen soon amid the existing travel restrictions of other countries, especially now that a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 is spreading fast in the United Kingdom.

"Our (focus) is still domestic tourism. Domestic tourism is 10.8 percent in the 12.7 percent contribution of the tourism industry to the country's GDP that's why we will strengthen this," she told reporters on Dec. 28.

Physical distancing and health protocols had been the most associated words to the "new normal". And in the years beyond, this is likely to stay as safety becomes the traveler's paramount concern.

Puyat is optimistic that DOT's partnerships with public hospitals, such as the Philippine General Hospital and the Philippine Children's Medical Center, would help transcend the prohibitive barrier of testing requirements for travelers.

"Working hand in hand not only with our tourism stakeholders and LGU, but also with government health facilities ensures that success of safety protocols will strengthen our collective efforts to gradually and safely reopen domestic tourism," she said.

Basing on previous major viral epidemics, experts earlier said the average recovery time for visitor numbers to a destination was 19 months.

The worldwide economic impact of H1N1 was estimated at up to USD55 billion, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

A similar economic crisis affected China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Canada after the 2003 SARS outbreak impacted the global travel and tourism sector by around USD30 billion and USD50 billion.

But for a global health crisis that has lasted for almost a year now, how can the industry today regain its momentum and recover?

For the WTTC, governments must coordinate to provide certainty for travelers with regards to travel restrictions and policies.

In a December 21 statement, Gloria Guevara, WTTC President, and CEO, said: “If a comprehensive and quick turnaround testing regime were in place at airports across the country to test all travelers before they depart, it would ensure only those infected with Covid-19 are isolated and are prevented from traveling. There would be no need for countries to introduce damaging and counterproductive wholesale bans on UK travelers." (PNA)

PALACE... from Page 1 other vaccination efforts at the local level to prioritize our most vulnerable Californians where we are seeing the most outbreaks, hospitalizations, and deaths,” said Dr. Erica Pan, Interim State Public Health Officer.

“The partnership also allows us to continue to vaccinate other high priority individuals such as our front-line health care workers who are critical to our ongoing response to a surge of cases.”

Specifically, the program: Schedules and coordinates on-site vaccine clinic dates directly with each facility. Pharmacy staff will visit each facility several times to ensure that all residents and employees who wish to be vaccinated get the vaccine.

Orders vaccines and associated supplies (e.g. syringes, needles, personal protective equipment).

Ensures cold storage for the vaccine.

Provides on-site administration of the vaccine to all residents and staff.

Year 2021 as a year of healing, recovery, and bouncing back. Together and united, we will heal and recover as one,” he said.

Meanwhile, Roque also emphasized the need to welcome the new year with renewed hope, courage, and inspiration as the country bids farewell to 2020 bringing valuable lessons and memories.

“The challenges we faced as a nation in 2020 were daunting but because of the resilient Filipino spirit, we fought and carried on,” he added.

Currently, the government is in Phase 3 of the National

Action Plan (NAP) against Covid-19 which is focused on managing health risks, prevention and containment, strict adherence to minimum public health standards, and the establishment and initial rollout of the Covid-19 Vaccine Roadmap.

Several pharmaceutical companies are being eyed by the government for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines – Pfizer Inc., Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax Inc, Sinovac, and Sputnik V. New Year’s Day is a regular holiday under Proclamation 986. (MNS)

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Dizon: Quarantine facility in Batangas not 5-star but sanitary MANILA (Mabuhay) — National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy implementer Vince Dizon on Thursday maintained that the hotel in Lemery, Batangas which is being used as a quarantine facility is sanitary, contrary to complaints of some returning Filipinos who were admitted there.

"Ito po ay maayos na hotel. Hindi lang po ito five-star hotel pero dahil nga po gusto nating tulungan ang ating mga kababayan, ito pong hotel na ito na ino-offer natin [sa mga] galing sa iba't ibang bansa kahapon.

Ito po ay libre na pino-provide ng ating gobyerno," Dizon said during the Laging Handa press briefing.

The hotel has been designated as a quarantine facility for around three months now, he added.

Dizon also belied claims that arriving Filipinos and foreign nationals are being "hostaged" to stay in the said facility.

"Mayroon po kasing mga napabalita na hino-hostage daw po ang ating mga kababayan at ilang mga dayuhan, hindi naman po ito totoo. Ito po ay kasama sa mga napaka-istriktong mga kailangan nating gawin para mapigilan ang pagpasok ng bagong

strain," he said.

All arriving Filipinos and foreign nationals are free to choose from hotels that are government-accredited but expenses for those with higher rates will not be shouldered by the government, according to Dizon.

"Puwede po silang pumili ng mas magandang hotel sa listahan ng DOH at ng National Task Force pero yung hotel po na yun na mapipili nilang mas maganda, sila na po ang magbabayad noon," he said.

After PSG inoculation, NBI to probe unauthorized COVID-19 vaccinations MANILA (Mabuhay) — Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to look into unauthorized inoculations against COVID-19 using unregistered vaccines.

Guevarra said he instructed NBI officer-in-charge Eric Distor to investigate on Monday, a few days after President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that some Filipino soldiers -- they would later turn out to be members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) -- had been vaccinated.

He said the order was not a response to the PSG issue or any single case.

"This is a general instruction. Not zeroing in on the PSG or on any particular incident of unauthorized vaccination," Guevarra said in a message to reporters on Wednesday.

He said investigators would look into possible violations of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Act, the Consumer Act, and the Medical Practice Act, among others.

The vaccination of the president's close-in security personnel took place even despite the absence of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the FDA for use in the Philippines.

Defending his unit's action, PSG commander Brigadier General Jesus Durante III said it was the PSG's duty to protect Duterte.

Durante said the PSG got the vaccines for free but did not disclose the source.

Even Duterte's spokesman, Harry Roque, said he did not know how the vaccines got into the country.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenza said the PSG's vaccines were "smuggled" in.

Roque said the shots were donated. But even if they were donated, the vaccines should still need to be registered, according to the FDA. (MNS) JUSTICE SECRETARY MENARDO GUEVARRA

"Kagabi, halos kalahati po ng mahigit 100 mga pasahero .... ay inilipat na po natin sa kanilang mga napiling hotel at nag-provide na rin po tayo ng transportation para sa kanila," he added.

Dizon's remarks came after some passengers who arrived earlier this week from the US and South Korea aired their dismay over a quarantine facility in Batangas which they claimed to be unsanitary and lacking water supply. (MNS)

Over 700 Pinoy front-liners contract Covid-19 in UK MANILA (Mabuhay) — Over 700 Filipino front-liners in the United Kingdom have so far been infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported on Wednesday.

Based on the report of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in London to Secretary Silvestre Bello III, there are 776 stricken nurses in the European country after at least 26 new cases were recorded among nurses and health care workers in the last two days.

Labor Attache Amy Reyes said the new infections are included in the spike of Covid-19 cases in the UK, where cases have already reached 53,135 with 414 deaths.

The infected Filipino nurses and health care workers are now in isolation and are being given assistance.

Reyes did not say whether the infection is the new variant of the virus, adding only that UK’s National Health Services (NHS) hospitals are “under extreme pressure due to the surge of the cases.”

She added that nine of those infected were deployed in the UK only this year while the rest had been working there since 2019.

“We are sad to note that the new wave of infection in the UK involves more of our frontline Filipino workers,” Bello said in a statement.

On the other hand, Reyes said two other nurses who were previously infected had recovered.

A total of 614 Filipino front-liners in the UK have recovered from Covid-19 while 36 have died.

Two other Filipinos, one of them a health care worker, are in critical condition. Both have been long-time UK residents.

Meanwhile, Labor Attache Saul de Vries of POLO Singapore said the city state recorded 405 Covid-19 cases among Filipinos, with two new cases involving newly-arrived OFWs. In a separate report to Bello, he added that the host country started its Covid-19 vaccination drive on Wednesday where health care workers were the first to be inoculated.

Singapore so far has a total of 58,542 Covid-19 cases.

The DOLE's foreign post in Canada has also reported a spike in Covid-19 cases in the country.

The POLO in Vancouver reported that the new Covid-19 variant “is now in four parts of Canada, including British Columbia and A l b e r t a .”

(MNS)

LABOR SECRETARY SILVESTRE BELLO III

Saturday-Friday || January January 22 -- 8, 8, 2020 2021 Saturday-Friday

PH Covid-19 recovery tally up by over 500 to 439,509 MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Department of Health on Wednesday reported 518 new recoveries pushing the country's total number of recovered cases from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to 439,509.

In its 4 p.m. case bulletin, the DOH said the figures represent 93 percent of those who tested positive for the virus that has so far beaten the illness.

The agency also logged 1,014 new confirmed cases and 68 new deaths.

These figures brought the overall tally of active cases to 23,793 and the death toll to 9,230.

The DOH said about 79.7 percent of the active cases are mild, 11 percent are asymptomatic, 3.1 percent are severe, 0.49 percent are moderate, and 5.7 percent are in critical condition.

"There were eight duplicates that were removed from the total case count, and of these, four recovered cases have been removed. Moreover, 21 cases previously tagged as recovered were reclassified as deaths," it added.

Quezon City topped the list of places that reported the most number of new cases with 67 infections.

It was followed by Benguet with 57; City of Makati with 48; Bulacan with 44; and Laguna with 40.

DOH data on Dec. 29 showed that 1,233 or 6.8 percent of 18,258 who were tested turned out positive for Covid-19.

Currently, there are 24,800 beds dedicated to patients with Covid-19.

Available are 61 percent of 2,000 intensive care unit beds, 68 percent of 15,500 isolation beds, and 77 percent of 7,300 ward beds.

About 79 percent of 2,100 ventilators are available for Covid-19 patients' use.

The DOH encouraged the public to avoid the use of firecrackers come New Year's Eve to avoid injuries and pollution.

It also reminded the public to observe minimum public health standards at all times.

Meanwhile, the number of Filipinos abroad who have contracted COVID-19 rose by 1 to 12,876 on Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

The DFA also reported 1 new recovery and no new fatality among those infected.

The number of those currently being treated abroad for the disease is 3,578, as 8,387 of those infected have recovered, while 911 have died.

Those undergoing treatment are broken down as follows by region: 788 in the Asia Pacific, 325 in Europe, 2,403 in the Middle East and Africa, and 62 in the Americas.

In the Philippines, the COVID-19 has so far sickened 472,532 people.

The tally includes 9,230 deaths, 439,509 recoveries, and 23,793 active cases.

PH logs 1,014 new COVID-19 cases; total climbs to 472,532 The new coronavirus is believed to have first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.

Based on the latest tally of the USbased Johns Hopkins University, more than 82 million people across the world have been infected by the COVID-19 virus, with 1.79 million deaths.

Treatment for the disease using off-label drugs are still undergoing trial, while COVID-19 vaccines are already being administered in the some countries, including the United Kingdom, United States and Singapore. (MNS)

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PH closely monitoring new coronavirus variant in US FDA approves clinical trial for Janssen COVID-19 vaccine MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Phase 3 clinical trial application of Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, director general Eric Domingo said Tuesday.

Domingo was referring to the COVID-19 vaccine developed

by Johnson and Johnson.

“We have approved one, iyong sa Janssen. ‘Yung sa Sinovac at Clover, pending pa,” Domingo said.

Domingo, however, said such approval will not guarantee the Philippines a Janssen COVID-19 vaccine supply deal.

“Wala po kaming requirement na ganoon [in approving clinical trials],” he added.

Domingo, however, assured that Janssen’s clinical trials in the Philippines will be beneficial to Filipinos in terms of speeding up regulatory approval if the vaccine turns out to be effective.

“If this turns out to be a good vaccine, it will be easier for us to make authorization,” Domingo said.

The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Johnson and Johnson earlier secured approval from the Vaccine Experts panel and the Ethics Review Board.

The VEP under DOST reviews the Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials of the candidate vaccine, while the Ethics Board evaluates the selection for participants for human clinical trials, among other safeguards that the vaccine manufacturer provided for the participants.

The evaluation of VEP and Ethics Board are done simultaneously. A COVID-19 vaccine must be approved by the VEP and Ethics Board before it can be evaluated by the FDA. (MNS)

MANILA (Mabuhay) — The Philippines is closely monitoring the new coronavirus variant that emerged in the United Kingdom (UK) after the United States (US) reported its first case in Colorado, Malacañang said Wednesday.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in the United States (US) regarding the new Covid-19 strain in Colorado.

Concerned local officials are now studying this matter,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced Tuesday that they discovered their first case of the Covid-19 variant B.1.17, the same strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or SARS-CoV-2 discovered in the UK. Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte may or may not include the US in the list of countries temporarily banned from entering the Philippines depending on the recommendation of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“As to whether the President may impose restrictions to travelers coming from the United States in light of this new development, the guidance of the Chief Executive is clear: This shall be upon the joint recommendation of the Department of Health, which sits as Chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), and the Department of Foreign Affairs,” he said.

In a media forum, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the US may be included in the list of countries where a temporary travel ban is imposed to curb the transmission of the disease.

DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire later clarified that the agency will wait for an advisory from the World Health Organization International Health Regulations (WHO-IHR) before updating its list of countries banned.

“We will wait for the US to officially notify the WHO IHR or official announcement by their government regarding this new strain identified in Colorado before we include it in our official list,” she said.

On Tuesday, Duterte approved the extension of the temporary suspension of flights and the prohibition of entry on all travelers coming from or transiting through the UK until Jan. 15, 2021.

Additional 19 countries were included in the temporary travel ban namely Denmark Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, and Spain.

Passengers who are already in transit and arrive before 12:01 a.m. of Dec. 30, 2020 from the said countries or areas listed will not be prohibited from entering the country.

However, they will be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14day quarantine period, despite a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result.

Filipino citizens who are coming from or who have been to the same countries or areas within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines will be allowed to enter the Philippines on the condition that they undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine despite a negative RT-PCR test result.

Currently, there are no reported cases of the new Covid-19 variant in the Philippines. (MNS)

Health workers still a priority in official rollout of COVID-19 vaccine — Lorenzana M ANIL A (Mabuhay) — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday vowed that health personnel would be prioritized in the official rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Philippines.

Speaking to reporters after the Rizal Day ceremo-

ny in Manila, Lorenzana said the arrival of the first vaccine against COVID-19 to the country is expected in May of next year "at the earliest."

He a lso sa id t he unregistered vaccine used on Presidential Security Group (PSG) personnel was

not enough to cover medical frontliners, who complained about the alleged prioritization of soldiers in the vaccine efforts.

"Ito naman kasing dumating, ilang tao lang sa PSG, wala pang 300 'yan eh, so kung sila ay nagtatampo na 'yung PSG [na-prioritize], 'di naman siguro sapat kahit 500 o 1,000, hindi sapat para mabigyan lahat ng frontliners," said Lorenzana, who chairs the National Task Force on COVID-19.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año had earlier said that the vaccine used on PSG personnel was donated and not part of the rollout program.

Lorenzana said medical frontliners remain a priority in the vaccination program.

"Pag dumating 'yan (vaccines), talagang mauuna

'yung nasa priority ng ating listahan, frontliners, mga medical workers para safe naman sila sa trabaho," he said.

The PSG has since defended its move of inoculating the close-in security of President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that they did this to protect the highest official of the country.

Without identifying the source, PSG chief Brigadier General Jesus Durante said the vaccine was given to them for free.

Food and Drug Administration director general Eric Domingo, for his part, said the vaccine should still be registered even if it is donated.

The agency is already looking into the inoculation of unregistered COVID-19 vaccine to some PSG personnel.

(MNS)

EUA for Covid-19 vaccines should be fast-tracked — AFP spox MANILA (Mabuhay) — Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson, Marine Maj. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, expressed hope that the government’s regulatory agencies would fast-track the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for vaccines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“We hope that the other agencies of the government that are in charge of the regulation will also fast-track the so-called emergency use authorization so that this will be available and there will be no more issues with regard to the administration of the vaccine because it is very essential and necessary, especially to the members of the AFP, who will be performing their duties (on) the front lines," Arevalo said during an interview with CNN Philippines' "The Source" on Tuesday morning.

This was after some members of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) were confirmed to have been vaccinated with Sinopharm's Covid-19 vaccine despite having no approval from the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

He earlier said the PSG, an AFP unit tasked to protect and secure the highest official of the land, “will have to ensure that the President is safe from all threats, including Covid-19.”

W hen asked whether the AFP is willing to wait for FDA approval should another Covid-19 vaccine be donated to the military, Arevalo said they are willing to follow the regulations.

"We are willing to follow and we should follow the regulations but owing to the nature of the duties and responsibilities that these military personnel perform, it is also a prioritization among the priorities,” he said.

“In which case, if it becomes necessary that we perform our duties as front-liners when the vaccines are already available, hopefully, the other agencies of government that are in charge with the regulation would be the one to take the lead and make the vaccine available to the military personnel who would be facing the front lines.”

Arevalo cited the need to balance the performance of their duties against regulations to meet the interest of their principals.

"In the performance of our duties, we also have to balance the interest of our principals.

We have to balance the performance of our mission as against the regulations. I was saying this particular case of the PSG is unique because of the nature of their job, the circumstances between the availability of the vaccine and their need to protect the President," he said.

Aside from some troops of the PSG, Arevalo clarified that no other members of the AFP have been vaccinated yet for Covid-19. (MNS)

20

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