pinay<3pinoy

(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

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 16) — The feared Delta coronavirus variant has entered the Philippines, with the Department of Health reporting 16 new cases on Friday, including 11 patients who caught the virus locally.

DOH said one patient from Metro Manila died, while 15 of the new cases were tagged as recovered.

The agency listed the breakdown of the 11 local cases:

– Two in Manila City
– Five in Cagayan de Oro
– One in Misamis Oriental
– Two in Antique
– One in Pampanga

DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Dr. Thea de Guzman said “clustering” have been recorded in Northern Mindanao and Western Visayas, but it cannot be concluded yet if there is local transmission since the cases are “sporadic.”

“Meron na tayong local cases but it is sporadic in some areas. Meron tayong clustering sa ibang rehiyon pero ini-investigate pa kung may linkage ba sila sa isa’t-isa at saan nila potentially nakuha ang Delta variant,” she said in a media briefing.

[Translation: We have local cases, but it is sporadic in some areas. We have clustering in other regions but we are investigating if they are link and where they acquired the variant.].. Read More

(GMA News) Kylie Padilla teased working on a new project with Rein Entertainment.

On Instagram, Kylie posted a photo of herself atop a big 4×4 vehicle.

“Bye muna real world,” Kylie wrote in the caption and used the hashtag #BETCIN.

More than a month ago, Kylie posted a teaser of her new project with a photo of her script booklet showing illustrations of two women holding hands.

In the caption, she wrote, “A whole lot of [cat emoji],” she wrote, also using the hashtag #BETCIN.

Earlier this month, Kylie’s father Robin Padilla confirmed that she and husband Aljur Abrenica have split up.

The actress has issued a statement on the matter, saying she and Aljur were working on a co-parenting set-up for their two sons Alas and Axl… Read More