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WHO WARNS OF FOURTH WAVE; WORLD RACES TO CONTAIN DELTA (Story on B2)
NCR back to ECQ lockdown
Palace: Enhanced restrictions start Aug. 6; public transport suspended By Vito Barcelo, Willie Casas, Joel E. Zurbano and Othel V. Campos
T
HIRTEEN million people in the National Capital Region will go back into lockdown next week, the government said Friday, as it tries to head off a surge in cases of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.
VOL. XXXV • NO. 166 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Experts have warned of an explosion in infections fueled by the Delta variant that could overwhelm hospitals in the coming weeks if restrictions are not drastically tightened in the crowded capital. "We had to make this difficult decision in order to save more lives," President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman Harry Roque said on government television. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), meanwhile, said every week under the ECQ would cost the economy P105 billion. It would also increase the number of poor
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (L) and Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana shake hands after a bilateral meeting at Camp Aguinaldo military in Manila on July 30, 2021. AFP
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MECQ
ECQ
(Until Aug. 15)
NCR (Aug. 6-20)
VFA ‘in full Transmission of cases rising force’ again steadily, OCTA Group warns —DND chief By Willie Casas
By Vito Barcelo, Rey E. Requejo, Maricel V. Cuz and Macon Ramos-Araneta PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has walked back on a decision to end the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, Defense Secretary Delfin Lornezana said Friday during a visit by Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin. Duterte told the United States in February last year he planned to axe the VFA after Washington cancelled the visa of a close ally who led his internationally condemned war on drugs. The deal has been extended three times since then, most recently in June after months of negotiations between the two sides. Lorenzana said Friday the VFA was "in full force again," during a news conference with Austin, who was in Manila on the last stop of a Southeast Asia tour. Next page
METRO Manila could possibly have as much as 2,000 new COVID-19 cases per day by next week, independent researchers tracking the pandemic said Friday. “What we’re seeing right now is possibly 2,000 cases per day in the NCR by next week and this would be worrisome,”said Guido David of the OCTA Research Group. OCTA has led calls for a two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown to arrest the
spread of the highly contagious Delta coronavirus variant. Currently, the National Capital Region (NCR) is averaging almost 1,100 new cases per day. OCTA said the reproduction rate of the virus in Metro Manila has climbed to 1.35, indicating sustained COVID-19 transmission. “If we get to the 2,000, it would be close to our surge capacities, meaning our contact tracing would start to break down Next page
(Until Aug. 7) Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro City, Gingoog City
Ilocos Norte, Bataan, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cebu City, Cebu province (subject to further appeals from LGU)
Baguio City, Apayao, Santiago City, Quirino, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Batangas, Quezon, Puerto Princesa, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Davao Oriental, Daval del Sur, General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Cotabato City
• Indoor dine-in and al-fresco shall not be allowed. Operations limited to take out and delivery. • 30 percent seating capacity for salons, parlors, barbershops and nail spas. • Indoor sports are not allowed. • Outdoor tourist attractions at 30 percent capacity • Only APORs (Authorized Persons Outside Residence) are allowed to travel into and out of the NCR Plus Area. • Only virtual religious gatherings are allowed. Wakes, funerals and inurnment for those who died of causes other than COVID shall be limited to immediate family members.
DRIVE-THRU.
By Vito Barcelo and Ben Cal PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Lt. Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., the current commander of the joint task force in Mindanao, as the next chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, vice Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Malacañang said Friday. “We confirm that President Duterte approved and signed the designation of Lt. Gen. Jose C. Faustino, Jr. as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the
Budget chief told: Produce ayuda funds By Maricel V. Cruz PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, who approved the return of the national capital region to Enhanced Community Quarantine starting August 6, has ordered the budget department to look for funds to aid the area's residents, Malacañang said Friday. The return to the strictest form of lockdown will be until August 20 to check the spread of the Delta coronavirus variant and to shield the country's medical system, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a text message to reporters.. Meanwhile, Metropolitan Development Authority Chairman Bengur Next page
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Morato, former MTRCB head, passes away; 87
Manuel “Manoling” Morato
Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, Lucena City, Naga City, Antique, Aklan, Bacolod City, Capiz, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao Occidental, Davao de Oro, Butuan City
GCQ
GCQ with heightened restrictions:
Maintenance personnel from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office prepare to install a signage for the drive-through vaccination at the Quirino Grandstand in the City of Manila, July 30, 2021. The drive-through vaccination begins today July 31, 2021. Norman Cruz
Sobjena retires, Rody names new AFP chief
GCQ
(With heightened restrcitions until Aug. 15)
THE former head of the Movie and TV Review and Classification Board, Manuel “Manoling” Morato, passed away yesterday. He was 87. According to his grandnephew, actor Jake Cuenca, Morato was hospitalized less than a week before he passed away. Next page
PH golfer stumbles, teammates see action Aug. 4 By Riera Mallari TOKYO—Juvic Pagunsan stumbled with a two-over 73 after two rounds of men’s individual golf action in the Summer Olympic Games on Friday at Kasumigaseki Country Club. After a solid start on opening day, Pagunsan was hounded by bogeys on holes No. 5 and 8, plus two more at the back nine to slip into a tie for 25th spot with Romain Langasque of France, Kim Si Woo of Korea, Colin Morikawa
and Patrick Reed of the USA, Tommy Fleetwood of Great Britain, Rikuya Hoshino of Japan, Joachim Hansen of Denmark and Joaquin Niemann of Chile. That seven-shot turnaround dropped the Filipino to a three-under-par overall as he fell 20 places down the standings. Pagunsan, the 43-year-old Japan Tour regular, is eight shots behind American leader Xander Schauffele, who crawled out of 12th place and ended the second round on top after shooting a 63 and assembling an 11-under total. Next page
1,580,824 8,562
61,920
27,722
145
1,491,182
2,854
(As of 4 PM, JULY 30)