Manila Standard - 2021 July 1 - Thursday

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Low vax supply hounds rollout DOH tags 4 regions ‘high-risk’; supply low

Ex-Health chief slams delays in distribution

By Willie Casas and Vito Barcelo

By Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas

T

HE Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday identified Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, the Davao region and Soccskargen as high-risk areas for COVID-19 due to their high average daily attack rates (ADAR) and hospital bed occupancy.

In an online forum, Dr. Alethea de Guzman, chief DOH epidemiologist, said low vaccine supply, non-compliance with health protocols, mass gatherings and mobility of people were behind the soaring COVID-19 cases outside the National Capital Region. Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces are not being favored, but the decision to deliver the bulk of the vaccine supply in these areas is based on scientific inputs from health experts to stem the spread of COVID-19. Quoting health experts, Roque said creating an “artificial boundary” or wall around Metro Manila and the Plus 10 priority areas for vaccination – Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio, Zamboanga, Dumaguete, Tuguegarao, General Santos, Naga, and Legazpi – would ensure the safety of those not vaccinated. Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM JUNE 30)

1,412,559 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

4,509 48,649 NEW

ACTIVE

24,662

105

1,339,248

5,839

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

NEW

NEW

UNHEALTHY. Health workers stage a ‘sit-down protest’ demanding the release of unpaid benefits funded under Bayanihan Law 2 at the DOH Gate in Manila on Wednesday. Bayanihan 2 has expired, leaving P18 billion in unobligated funds that, to be utilized, will require an enabling law, according to a congressman. Norman Cruz

A FORMER Health secretary and a member of the minority bloc in the House of Representatives on Wednesday slammed what she described as the “unsystematic distribution” of vaccines against COVID-19 across the country. Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin said many areas in the country, particularly those that have not been visited by government officials -- including vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. and deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon -- do not have enough vaccines. Garin said now was not the time to allocate vaccines based on request. “If your place wasn’t visited, you won’t receive vaccines. If you fail to Next page

SCORES DEAD AS HEAT WAVE HITS CANADA, US WORLD / B2

BI TO AIRLINES: TRAVEL BAN STAYS VOL. XXXV • NO. 136 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

NEWS / A4

As Bayanihan 2 expires, ‘free ride’ comes to end; law eyed to tap funds By Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas BAYANIHAN 2 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act expired Wednesday with over P18 billion of unobligated funds. The Palace did not call for a special

session of Congress to extend the validity of the law, but Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez said lawmakers can pass new legislation so that the unused funds earmarked by the law can still be used and not be returned to the national treasury. The law’s expiry also means the end of the government’s free ride program.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said it will halt its service contracting for the Libreng Sakay (and Free Ride) program, which includes the EDSA bus carousel, starting July 1. “The funds used to pay drivers and operators under the program come from

the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act,” LTFRB said in a statement. LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra said the EDSA bus carousel fare will now range from P13 to P61. Health workers from different government hospitals, meanwhile, held a Next page

FREE RIDE STOPS. Commuters on Edsa Bus Carousel take their last free ride, a government program funded by the Bayanihan 2 law which has expired. Other Bayanihan 2-funded programs like service contracting of public utility vehicles will stop starting today July 1. Manny Palmero

Taal Volcano’s emissions reach MM, 8 provinces VOLCANIC HAZE. Satellite photo from NASA shows the volcanic sulfur dioxide

from Taal Volcano has dispersed over NCR and nearby provinces. Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology director Renato Solidum Jr. says this contributed to the hazy condition in the air mass above the ground. Volcanic smog or vog consists of fine droplets containing volcanic gas which is acidic and can cause irritation of the eyes, throat, and respiratory tract.

By Rio N. Araja

VOLCANIC sulfur dioxide from Taal Volcano in Batangas has reached other parts of Batangas Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan,

Zambales and even Metro Manila, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs acknowledged evidence of the extent the volcanic sulfur

Pacquiao ‘clueless’ about govt’s anti-virus moves

By Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas and Macon Ramos-Araneta

ed the government’s pandemic expenses before the Senate, according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. Roque, reacting to Pacquiao’s claim that SENATOR Manny Pacquiao was probably absent or preoccupied with other there was corruption at the Department of things when Cabinet secretaries present- Health, called the senator “clueless.”

“Pacquiao appeared to be clueless about the government’s transparency when it comes to handling finances earmarked for COVID-19 pandemic response,” Roque said. Next page

Duterte cites SONA gains, begins last year of term AS PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s last year of his six-year term in office starts today (July 1) -- and with less than a month left before he delivers his final state of the nation address (SONA) -- his spokesperson on Wednesday

listed some of the administration’s top achievements off the top of his head. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said top on the list of the administration’s achievements was the aggressive anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Duterte, in several speeches, mentioned it was the duty of the state to protect the people from drug lords and coddlers whose illicit trade had caused dysfunctional families. Next page

PETRON UPS LPG PRICE BY P57.20 NEWS / A2

dioxide had reached, adding in a statement there was need for close citizen observation given the limited date the agency had. “We would like to reassure the public Next page


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