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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — President Rodrigo Duterte wants policemen stationed in hotels serving as quarantine facilities after several returning Filipinos allegedly breached health protocols.

During his weekly briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, the President proposed to have at least two police officers deployed to ensure quarantine rules are being followed.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said he has already spoken with Philippine National Police chief PGEN Dionardo Carlos about the matter and they are currently preparing for its implementation.

Duterte said the police must have “complete authority to inquire” to ensure compliance to protocols.

Earlier, the government revealed several returning Filipinos have been discovered to be skipping quarantine protocols upon returning home despite rising COVID-19 cases and the threat of the Omicron variant.

The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group recently filed a complaint against the so-called “Poblacion girl” and eight others for allegedly violating the government’s quarantine rules.

The person identified as Gwyneth Anne Chua was supposed to undergo isolation at Berjaya Makati Hotel, but managed to visit the city’s Poblacion area where she attended gatherings.

The Makati hotel already apologized, and said this was the “only incident of its kind” under its watch… Read More

(BusinessWorld) THE PHILIPPINE government on Tuesday raised the coronavirus alert in three provinces adjacent to the capital region as the country confronts threats from the more transmissible Omicron variant.

Bulacan, Rizal, and Cavite, which are part of the so-called greater Manila area, would be placed under Alert Level 3 from Jan. 5 to 15 “due to a sharp increase of COVID-19 cases in the particular localities,” the presidential palace said, citing a resolution passed by an inter-agency task force.

The level 3 alert, up from level 2, means more mobility restrictions and lower operating capacity for some commercial establishments, among other limitations.

The recommendation was made by the pandemic task force’s data analytics group, it said.

Rizal and Cavite are part of the Calabarzon region in the southern and eastern sides of the National Capital Region, while Bulacan is on the northern border… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday signed the ₱5.024-trillion national budget for 2022.

This is the biggest budget in the country’s history. It aims to fund programs that will mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among the allocations are for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines that will be used as booster shots, purchase of additional vaccines, and special risk allowance of health workers.

The top 10 agencies that will receive the biggest allocations for next year are: Department of Education, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health , Department of National Defense, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Transportation, Department of Agriculture, the Judiciary, and Department of Labor and Employment… Read More

(GMA News) A number of passengers stayed overnight and waited in long queues for trip tickets to their home provinces at the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX).

Some commuters were unable to rest for the night as they waited for their turn to purchase their passes, according to an “Unang Balita” report by Nico Waje on Thursday.

Most the travelers at the PITX are bound for the Bicol region.

Commuter Larry Contreras, who is headed to Camarines Norte, queued up at the terminal at 3 a.m. for an 8 a.m. bus to Bicol.

Contreras said he has not gone home to Camarines Norte for two years.

Those travelling to Batangas also endured long lines for trip tickets.

Domer Ramirez, who came all the way from Pampanga, was aggrieved as he had been waiting since 7 p.m. on Wednesday for a trip to Batangas.

Ramirez said he refused a van or a taxi ride worth P800-P1,000.

Passengers appealed for online booking for Batangas to avoid long queues at PITX… Read More

(BusinessWorld) KUALA LUMPUR — From deadly Hurricane Ida in the United States to devastating floods in China and Europe, climate change-fueled disasters have cost the world tens of billions of dollars in 2021, with both the poor and the rich hit hard, researchers said on Monday.

Floods, storms, and drought also killed and displaced millions of people across some of the world’s poorest regions, highlighting the rising injustice of impacts as the planet warms, humanitarian charity Christian Aid said in a report.

“The costs of climate change have been grave this year,” said Kat Kramer, climate policy lead at Christian Aid and author of Counting the cost 2021: a year of climate breakdown.

“While it was good to see some progress made at the [UN] COP26 summit, it is clear [we are] not on track to ensure a safe and prosperous world,” she added.

The report identified 15 of the most destructive climate disasters of the year, including 10 that each caused $1.5 billion or more in losses, with damage wrought by wild weather felt everywhere from Australia to India, South Sudan, and Canada.

The financial and human costs of climate change are expected to keep soaring unless governments step up efforts to cut emissions and rein in global warming, the report said. .. Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — Experts detected the country’s fourth case of the Omicron variant in a traveler from the United States, the Department of Health said on Monday

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the case involved a 38-year-old woman who arrived on December 10 via Philippine Airlines.

The patient exhibited throat itchiness and colds on Dec. 13 so she had to extend her facility quarantine for 10 days. She was sent home to complete her isolation before the Philippine Genome Center found out she was positive for the Omicron variant. She remains under home quarantine, and will undergo another swab test.

“Ang detection for this fourth case ng Omicron came after when the individual was discharged already. Alam naman natin na if walang detection ng VOC (variant of concern), you follow the existing protocol,” Vergeire said.

[Translation: We follow the existing protocol if there is no VOC.]

The World Health Organization has said it is not yet clear whether Omicron is more contagious or if it causes more severe effects than other variants of concern. But preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron.

The Philippines is imposing travel restrictions on eight nations to delay the entry of more Omicron cases… Read More

(PhilStar Global) MANILA, Philippines — Beginning Jan. 3 next year, the Medical Assistance Program of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will be available only in 44 hospitals with Malasakit Centers in Metro Manila, Batangas, Cebu, Iloilo, Laguna and Palawan.

These are public hospitals operated either by the Department of Health or local government units, according to the PCSO.

Of the 44 hospitals, 30 are located in the National Capital Region.

The charity agency said requests for medical aid would be given to indigent patients at the Batangas Medical Center and Batangas Provincial Hospital; Laguna Medical Center; Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital, and Ospital ng Palawan.

In Cebu province, medical assistance will be available in six government hospitals: Cebu City Medical Center, Eversley Child Sanitarium Lapu Lapu City Hospital, St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, Talisay District Hospital/Cebu South Medical Center and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday apologized for the delay in the government’s response in areas devastated by Typhoon Odette and vowed that financial aid for victims will arrive within the next few days.

“Maghingi ako ng tawad na napatagal ang response sa gobyerno,” Duterte said, addressing typhoon survivors during his visit to Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

“Sa totoo lang, hirap rin kami dito sa itaas because of the so many places scattered around at malalayo, island for island. Pati ‘yung pera,” he added.

[Translation: I apologize that the government’s response took long. The reality is we’re having a hard time here in the [national level] because of the so many places scattered around and are far away from each other, island for island. The money as well.]

As promised, Duterte said his office will release ₱10 billion to help in the relief efforts. The budget is separate from the aid that will be provided by other government agencies, he added.

“One or two days ang sabi ko sana na kung umabot lang ng pasko. Dina-download na ‘yung pera ngayon,” he said. “Pero pag hindi, bigyan ninyo akong konting elbow room… pero magdating ‘yan, within three days nandito na ‘yan.”

[Translation: I said one or two days hopefully in time for Christmas. The money is being downloaded. But if not, give me a little elbow room… but that will come, within three days it will be here.]… Read More