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(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — The Department of Health has confirmed the local transmission of the more contagious COVID-19 Delta variant.

“Following the phylogenetic analysis conducted by the University of the Philippines – Philippine Genome Center, and case investigation by the DOH Epidemiology Bureau and the regional and local epidemiology and surveillance units, clusters of Delta variant cases were seen to be linked to other local cases, therefore, exhibiting local transmission,” the DOH said in a statement.

Early Thursday, the department reported 12 new local cases linked to the Delta variant, bringing the total to 47.

The Alliance of Health Workers earlier warned the Philippines will not be able to handle a severe impact of the feared coronavirus variant, similar to what’s being experienced in Indonesia.

Prior to the confirmation, the country has been imposing travel bans on nations with Delta variant cases.

Upon the detection of local cases, the government enhanced response in areas where these were located through the implementation of the “four-door strategy,” the DOH said. All levels of government have also been intensifying prevent, detect, isolate, treat, and re-integrate response strategies, and increasing health care capacity, it added.

Meanwhile, authorities are ensuring there are still enough COVID-19 dedicated wards, ICU, and isolation beds across the country, especially in areas experiencing a surge in infections. Preparations are also being undertaken to ensure enough supply of medicines, oxygen tanks, and critical care equipment in hospitals, as well as augmentation of human resources.

With this development, the DOH reiterated the importance of following minimum health protocols and getting vaccinated against COVID-19. The public is also advised to avoid unnecessary travels and gatherings.

Local governments are also urged to shorten duration of case detection to isolation and immediately isolate symptomatic patients. Vaccination of senior citizens and those with comorbidities should be also hastened… Read More

(GMA News) Leyte Representative Lucy Torres-Gomez will be part of the senatorial lineup of the Lacson-Sotto tandem in Eleksyon 2022, Senate President Tito Sotto announced on Wednesday night.

Sotto said Torres would run for senator in the 2022 polls under the Nationalist People’s Coalition.

“I just got the go signal. Cong. Lucy Torres-Gomez will be in our lineup!” Sotto told reporters.

Sotto said Torres, a former showbiz personality and wife of actor Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, would be endorsed by the NPC.

He said Torres’ joining the NPC or running as an adopted candidate had yet to be discussed.

“It’s in the Lacson Sotto lineup. NPC will be discussing on [July 28],” Sotto said.

The senatorial lineup of the Lacson and Sotto team are as follows:

JV Ejercito
Chiz Escudero
Win Gatchalian
Dick Gordon
Gringo Honasan
Goyo Larrazabal
Loren Legarda
Lucy Torres-Gomez
Joel Villanueva
Migz Zubiri
“I’ll be consulting with my party mates re my candidacy with Ping and lineup on the 28th,” Sotto said.

Senator Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday confirmed that he and Sotto would run for president and vice president respectively.

According to the latest Pulse Asia survey, 4% of Filipino said they would vote Lacson for president while 10% of Filipinos said they would vote for Sotto.

Sotto ranked third among the preferred vice-presidential candidates in the upcoming elections, following Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte… Read More

(The Manila Times) TUNIS: Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi sacked Tunisia’s health minister on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila), the premier’s office said, as spiraling coronavirus cases weigh on the North African country’s swamped health system.

Faouzi Mehdi’s sacking came days after the ministry’s spokesman said the health situation was overwhelming with the pandemic causing more than 17,000 deaths in a population of around 12 million.

Mechichi’s office, which has overseen a fractious Cabinet rocked by ministerial resignations and tensions with President Kais Saied, announced Mehdi’s sacking in a brief statement without giving a reason for the move.

It said Social Affairs Minister Mohamed Trabelsi would take over in a caretaker capacity. Mehdi had initiated a temporary opening of vaccination stations to all Tunisians over 18 for Tuesday and Wednesday to mark the Eid al-Adha Muslim festival.

But that led to stampedes at some 29 vaccination centers where jab stocks quickly ran dry.

The ministry announced it would continue the campaign over the coming days but then backtracked and restricted jabs to those aged over 40 on Wednesday to avoid a new rush… Read More

(GMA News) As consumers continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has allowed some brands of basic goods to increase their prices by P0.25 to P0.75.

In Bernadette Reyes’ “24 Oras” report, DTI said the price hike stemmed from the increasing cost of raw materials. It approved a price hike for basic goods, including sardines, canned meat, noodles, milk and coffee.

“Lahat nagtaasan worldwide, yung isda para sa sardinas…. Kung mayroong nag-iincrease dapat hindi lumagpas sa 3.5 percent lang,” said DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez, in an interview.

(Prices have increased worldwide, including fish for sardines. If prices will increase, it should be not more than 3.5% only.)

However, Lopez said it will take a month before the new suggested retail prices (SRPs) guide will be implemented. Price hike for goods will not be experienced for now, the DTI Secretary added.

But according to Steven Cua, chief of Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association, some manufacturers have already increased the prices of their goods.

“Nobody wants to defy government directives. But of course, if you don’t have income anymore, you have no choice but to adjust. The price increase is not that high,” said Cua in mixed Filipino and English.

Cua, meanwhile, advised consumers to choose only goods that they need or pick items that are on sale.

For consumer Jane Estose, her family will have to reduce their grocery items due to expected price hike. Another grocery customer, who had just lost her job, said she has no choice but to limit expenses when shopping for basic necessities.

On July 9, DTI lifted price freeze on basic goods which means basic necessities “will now be sold at their suggested retail prices (SRPs) based on the September 30, 2019 list.”

Based on the latest Social Weather Stations survey, at least 4.2 million families were still experiencing hunger amid the pandemic… Read More

(SunStar) THE coronavirus-stricken towing vessel MT Clyde and barge Claudia have arrived in Albay, and the crewmembers onboard have been placed in isolation, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Tuesday, July 20, 2021.

One crewmember who got off the vessel in Butuan City and was later found positive for the virus has also been located and isolated.

The driver of the public transport vehicle that the crewmember took, a helper and all family members have been placed under quarantine by the local government unit (LGU), Vergeire said.

Other possible contacts were being traced, she added.

The other crewmembers are still onboard the barge… Read More

(BusinessWorld) EIGHT Filipinos who supposedly recovered from the more contagious Delta coronavirus variant from India have tested positive again, Philippine health authorities said on Tuesday.

The cases now remain active, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario S. Vergeire told a virtual news briefing.

The patients, who completed a 14-day quarantine, were required to undergo another test, she said. They were among the 16 Delta patients that the Health department reported recently.

Four of the patients were in Cagayan de Oro, one was in Manila, another was in Misamis Oriental and two others were returning migrant workers, she said.

The Department of Health (DoH) was studying why the patients again tested positive for the variant.

“Almost all of them have high-cycle threshold value, indicating a low viral load and therefore most likely they are no longer infectious,” Ms. Vergeire said. “But their RT-PCR was positive so we needed to quarantine them again or isolate them again and we will closely monitor them.”

She said 91 close contacts of the 16 Delta patients had been traced as of Monday. Of the 35 Delta variant patients in the country, three have died.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte said he might reimpose a stricter lockdown to curb the Indian coronavirus variant… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 20)— It’s a go for the tandem of Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III for the 2022 polls.

“You can already read between the lines that the answer is yes,” Sotto said in an exclusive interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source when asked about their election plans.

Sotto added he and Lacson would be making an official announcement on the matter by August 4.

As early as May, Sotto already revealed he was discussing with Lacson and “some groups” about possibly running for vice president next year.

Sotto said he would “surely support” Lacson if he guns for the highest post in the land. But at the time, Lacson refuted rumors about his potential presidential bid.

Asked about pre-election surveys — currently being topped by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte — Sotto maintained there’s still a long way to go before Filipinos decide on their next leaders.

“Malayo pa eh (It’s still far away),” Sotto stressed. “The surveys that they are getting right now are not really reflective of what might happen on the 2nd Monday of May. So it really depends sa ating mga kababayan (on our people).”.. Read More

(reportr) Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto said Monday he was ignoring calls for him to run for higher position, including the presidency when he is eligible, to focus on his work in the city.

The 32-year-old will not be eligible to run for president until 2034, when he would be at least 40. Should Sotto serve the maximum three consecutive terms as mayor, he will be in office until 2028.

“I try not to listen kasi baka pumasok sa ulo ko. I don’t entertain those thoughts whether now or for the future. Dapat mag-focus ako sa trabaho ko ngayon,” Sotto told ANC in an interview when asked about his thoughts on calls for him to run for president when he becomes eligible.

Sotto said he would want to serve as Pasig City mayor again after his term ends in 2022 to ensure the implementation of the projects that were delayed due to the pandemic.

“Nung nag-State of the City Address nga ako, na-realize ko na sa dalawang taon na mayor ako, nine months lang yung walang pandemic. So kumbaga we had nine months to clean things up,” he said.

“We’ve had gains, we’re building momentum steadily. Yun nga lang talagang limited yung pwedeng gawin e,” he added.

Sotto ended the nearly three-decade rule of the Eusebio family in Pasig City when he ran for mayor in 2019. Since then, he has earned praise for his transformative leadership in the city and for veering away from traditional politics.

Earlier this year, Sotto was named one of the U.S. State Department’s 12 anti-corruption champions.

Sotto hoped that the recognitions he received would spark discussion and encourage people to take part in addressing societal issues.

“Kung recognition lang sa akin, hindi ko naman kailangan yun e. But if it sparks a discussion that we talk about these issues and more people will be inspired to participate, then mission accomplished ako doon,” he said.

“Kasi yun naman talaga yung kaya tayo pumasok dito, it’s for a purpose hindi lang para sa position,” he added… Read More