1 July 21-27, 2022
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA EDITION
www.pnewstoday.com
THE PREMIER FILIPINO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN THE U.S. SINCE 1961
Vol. 61 No. 50 July 21-27, 2022
NEWS AND VIEWS YOU TRUST
MARCOS UNVEILS NATION’S GOALS AT HIS FIRST SONA
Covid cases continue to rise, vaccination pressed By Claire Morales True
MANILA — Some parts of the Philippines, especially in Luzon, have recorded an increase in new COVID-19 cases, although not at an alarming level, according to experts. At press time, the Department of Health recorded 2,074 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the active tally to 20,678 from 20,511. The new infections bring the country’s caseload to 3,739,160 since 2020, the DOH said. The top regions with cases in the last two weeks were the National Capital Region with 10,393, followed by Calabarzon with 5,937, Central Luzon with 2,634, Western Visayas with 2,188, and Central Visayas with 1,007. A total of 3,657,841 individuals have recovered from the viral disease, while no new deaths were recorded as the death tally remained at 60,641. Meanwhile, the country has detected 816 additional cases of Omicron BA.5 subvariant, DOH officer-in-charge Maria PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. with his family in a file photo. The President is ready to outline Rosario Vergeire said, adding all regions, his plans and programs for the na�on in his first State of the Na�on Address (SONA) on Monday, except the Bangsamoro AuPage 8
Economy, food supply, rising costs of goods top agenda By ALFRED GABOT, Editor-in-Chief
MANILA — In only about a month in office since his inauguration last June 30, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. will face the entire nation again, this time in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) before the joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives on July Page 9
Japanese bank sees worst-case scenario for PHL economy By Be�ng Laygo Dolor, Editor
MANILA – One of Japan’s biggest investment banks, Nomura, predicts that the Philippine currency will depreciate to P58:$1 by the end of this month. This will mark an all-time low for the peso, which has been declining at a disturbingly steady pace for the past few weeks. The peso has been flirting with the all-time low rate of P56.45 to the greenback in recent weeks. This lowest level was reached in Oct. 24, 2004, during the time of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Page 8
July 25, before the joint session of Congress.
Upside
FilAms decry school push to close market
U
By Cherie M. Querol Moreno Executive Editor
NTIL spring of 2020, a neighborhood in San Francisco slept through Sundays like the rest of the city and county, well the country and the world. The pandemic had disrupted life as we all know it for the second year. No one wanted to leave their homes and risk catching the mysterious and lethal virus. Vaccines? Nonexistent. Masks? The new trend. Lockdown? Everywhere. Fatali-
ties increased by the day but not quite hitting the historic million mark by the following year. Yet. So the entry of a small enterprise that March brought hope in desperation, joy in despair. Sunset was an opportunity for the many who had lost their jobs in the forced standstill to draw on their creativity to try to earn whatever they could. Bills, above Page 11 all, survived the calamity.
Lydia de Vega in very critical condition
Hawaii governor cites Iglesia ni Cristo VIEWS & COMMENTS
SHOWBIZ
SPORTS
August 2022 Visa Bulletin
Hidilyn Diaz to marry Guamanian coach in Baguio
PHL bags 12 gold medals in Uzbekistan
By A�y. Lozano
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P24
PESO-DOLLAR RATE
$1.00= P56.33
July 21, 2022 1:30am
P4