DOH clarifies COVID Alert Lv. 2 in 26 areas

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Department of Health on Sunday clarified the 26 provinces and cities under COVID-19 Alert Level 2 were not escalated from Alert Level 1. Instead, the DOH noted these areas have maintained their Alert Level 2 status since June 2022.

Furthermore, the Health department stressed that no province or city has been escalated to Alert Level 2 from

Alert Level 1 since January 2023.

While the Alert Level 2 areas have reached low risk classifications for cases and utilization rates, the DOH said these have vaccination rates lower than 70 percent of the target total and population and/or 70% of the total A2 population (senior citizens).

"Meeting these targets will allow these areas to be de-escalated to Alert Level 1," the DOH said.

It pointed out that the Alert Level

System (ALS) continues to provide guidance for every Filipino, so that each may equip themselves with better layers of protection against COVID-19.

The DOH continues to encourage those that are still unvaccinated, unboosted, or under-boosted to get the vaccines as soon as possible while it is still free of charge, especially for senior citizens.

The Health department assured it is

G. Amojelar

MORE than 150 people, including foreign diplomats and officials, rescued from battle-scarred Sudan arrived Saturday in Jeddah, the Saudi foreign ministry said, in the first announced evacuation of civilians since fighting began. At home, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government was working out plans to safely bring out trapped Filipinos from strife-torn Sudan. In a statement, Mr. Marcos said the

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rio N. Araja

SENATOR Raffy Tulfo said Sunday he would seek an audience with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discuss ways that the Senate can help ease the energy crisis in Occidental Mindoro, which has been suffering 20-hour outages for more than a month now.

THE National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) has submitted to Malacañang a shortlist of candidates to succeed Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. as the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the outgoing chief said Sunday.

Azurin, who is set to retire on Monday, said he was not aware who his possible successors were, adding he was only seeing some names from news reports.

“I think the NAPOLCOM has submitted the shortlist but I’m not aware who are the candidates,” he said.

"While I am excited for what the future holds, I cannot help but feel a sense of nostalgia and gratitude for the past 34 years I have dedicated to this noble profession,” Azurin told reporters after the Philippine Military Academy honored