GDP GROWTH AT 11.8% HIGHEST IN 30 YEARS BUT THREATS PERSIST By Julito G. Rada, Maricel V. Cruz, and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE economy grew in the second quarter at its fastest pace in more than three decades, but an official warned Tuesday of “speed bumps” as coro-
navirus restrictions were tightened to combat surging infections. Gross domestic product (GDP), or the total value of goods and services produced by the economy, expanded 11.8 percent on-year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said, after five straight quarters of contraction.
The increase -- the best since the last three months of 1988 – was driven by a rebound in construction activity and consumer spending. But it came off a 17-percent slump in the same period last year when the country endured its first crippling lockdown that wiped out millions of jobs. Next page
AMPLE SUPPLY. Several rice varieties on display at a Caloocan City retail store show their prices remaining relatively stable and supply abundant, owing largely to massive imports in the past months. Agricultural production helped boost the economy in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) that rose by a surprise rate of 11.8% in the second quarter of the year. BEN BRIONES
Ayuda issues cleared; LGUs to distribute
VOL. XXXV • NO. 177 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
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By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Joel E. Zurbano
etro Manila mayors will start distributing the P10.894 billion cash assistance (ayuda) to qualified residents in 16 cities and one municipality that have been placed under hard lockdown until Aug. 20. Even the city of Manila received a portion of its allocation – some P200 million in initial tranche out of P1.48 billion, according to a well-placed Residents line up to get food packs from the local government of Paranaque City on Tuesday (August 10, 2021). Qualified residents of Paranaque are also entitled to cash assistance (ayuda) since the city is within the National Capital Region that is under enhanced community quarantine until August 20. AVITO C. DALAN
By Macon Ramos-Araneta
MALACANANG has denied that President Rodrigo Duterte attacked Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso, who is touted as a candidate for the presidential elections next year, when the former questioned the moral ascendancy of someone who has “sexy photos” to lead the country. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the denial when asked why the President made the statement when he had appointed Moreno as undersecretary for the Department of Social Welfare and Development back in 2018. Next page
Tax relief eyed for oxygen makers PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will ask Congress to give tax relief to oxygen manufacturers in the country, saying oxygen is a vital component in the fight against coronavirus disease 2019. In his weekly public address on Monday, Duterte said there was the need to secure
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Palace denies Duterte attack on Isko Moreno
FOOD PACKS.
By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas
source – after Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso reportedly met with Cabinet officials at the headquarters
ample supply of medical oxygen at this time. “If it really goes out of control, we would need all the oxygen that they can produce for the people. We need it,” the President said, recalling that during the first wave of COVID-19, oxygen supply was scarce, and producers hardly kept up with the excessive demand of hospitals nationwide.
Manilenos display #DefendYorme placards to dramatize their support for Manila Mayor Isko Moreno against charges of politicking in the grant of cash aid to city residents. NORMAN CRUZ
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Anxiety issues beset ¼ of population A FOURTH of Filipinos surveyed last year said they are having “moderate to severe” anxiety issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic and working from home, the Department of Health (DOH) revealed Tuesday. One-sixth of respondents in a 2020 study from the University of the Philippines involving 1,879 respondents also reported to have moderate to severe depression, said Dr. Agnes Joy Casiño, psychiatrist and technical consultant of the DOH Mental Health Division. “Some are having a hard time if they are wearing different hats... They are having a hard time when they cannot maintain worklife balance,” Casino said. For some Filipinos, being at home for 24 hours has blurred the line between personal and professional functions, she said. “The commute to work, it sets the tone that I am going to work)... Psychologically, you are prepared that you are going to work,” Casiño said. Next page
1,676,156 8,560
79,016
29,220
92
1,567,920
7,964
(As of 4 PM, August 10)
In big bold letters, the sign spells out the situation at the Adventist Medical Center in Pasay City, one of several hospitals in Metro Manila that is forced to turn down virus-hit patients. A total of 47 Delta variant cases have been recorded in nine cities in the National Capital Region. DANNY PATA
Concepcion pushes vax for kids using Pfizer doses By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas PRIVATE companies want to import Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for the children of their employees, a Palace adviser said Tuesday.
“Government has ordered a lot for its own use and LGUs (local government units) but the private sector would like to see how we can bring in Pfizer so that eventually we can use this for our children,” said Joey Concepcion, presidential ad-
viser on entrepreneurship, in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo. “Although (vaccine czar) Secretary (Carlito) Galvez said they’re planning to inoculate children starting September, October, we’d like to participate if they will
allow a tripartite agreement so we can also help the children of our employees,” he said. As the number of pediatric COVID-19 cases rises, children must be included in the vaccination effort, Concepcion said. Next page
CONCEPCION