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(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila – The country received a total of 1,124,100 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from Japan on Thursday.

“Let me assure everybody that throughout the rollout we will prioritize the safety and quality of the vaccines we will be distributing,” President Rodrigo Duterte said as he welcomed the arrival of the donated doses at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.

Japan’s donation is on top of over two million AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX Facility that will arrive on July 9. Co-led by the World Health Organization, Gavi, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, COVAX aims to ensure all participating countries have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Japan also pledged donations to other Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

The Philippines has so far received over 17 million vaccine doses – both donated and procured.

The national vaccination program is currently prioritizing medical frontliners, senior citizens, people with comorbidities, essential workers, and indigent individuals.

The government aims to vaccinate up to 70 million Filipinos by the end of the year in hopes of achieving herd immunity… Read More

(BusinessWorld) THE PHILIPPINES should keep its strong ties with China because the economic giant would play a key role in global affairs for decades to come, President Rodrigo R. Duterte said on Monday night.

The Southeast Asian nation could “count on China as a friend and partner for peace and development,” he said in a virtual speech during the Communist Party of China (CPC) and World Political Parties Summit.

Mr. Duterte heads the ruling PDP-Laban, which signed a cooperation deal with Chinese communist party in 2017.

“To further build mutual trust and confidence, we must sustain our constructive dialogue and peaceful engagement,” he said. “This is crucial as the bilateral relations between our two countries expand and deepen.”

The President, who led a foreign policy pivot to China away from western super powers such as the US, said the CPC had overseen China’s “extraordinary rise to prosperity, lifting over 800 million Chinese out of extreme poverty and driving global growth in the process.”

The Philippines got P1.2 trillion in investment and loan pledges from China to boost big-ticket infrastructure projects. Critics have said few of these promises materialized.

As China’s sole political party celebrated its 100th anniversary, Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to keep China’s influence on the global stage, saying it would continue to champion cooperation over confrontation and will “open up rather than closing our doors.”.. Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila – Reigning Australian Open and French Open girls doubles champion Alex Eala emerged victorious in her Wimbledon girls doubles debut on Wednesday.

Eala teamed up with her 2020 Australian Open co-champion Priska Nugroho of Indonesia as they opened their Wimbledon campaign with a resounding sweep of the duo of Japan’s Erika Matsuda and United States’ Valencia Xu, 6-0, 6-0.

The match held at the Court 4 of the All England Club lasted only 32 minutes.

The Eala-Nugroho tandem showed their experience by winning 19 out of their 20 first serve points. They also notched six out of their eight break points.

Eala and Nugroho recorded 77% in their receiving points as well to complete their domination over Matsuda and Xu.

In the second round, the Eala-Nugroho duo will wait for the winner of the first round match between the tandem of Switzerland’s Chelsea Fontenel and United States’ Ashlyn Krueger, and the pair of France’s Oceane Babel and Belarus’ Evialina Laskevich.

Eala is also scheduled to play in the second round of the girls singles meet against Spain’s Ane Mintegi Del Olmo… Read More

(PhilStar) MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) released yesterday the names of 19 military personnel among the 49 who died in the C-130 plane crash in Patikul, Sulu last Sunday.

On the list of fatalities were Majors Emmanuel Makalintal and Michael Vincent Benolerao, First Lieutenant Joseph Hintay, Technical Sergeants Mark Anthony Agana and Donald Badoy, Staff Sergeants Jan Neil Macapaz and Michael Bulalaque and Sergeant Jack Navarro, all from the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Also confirmed dead were Capt. Higello Emeterio from the AFP Medical Corps and First Lieutenant Sheena Alexandria Tato from the AFP Nurse Corps.

From the Philippine Army, those identified were Sergeant Butch Maestro, Privates First Class Christopher Rollon and Felixzalday Provido, Privates Raymar Carmona, Vic Monera, Mark Nash Lumanta, Jomar Gabas, Marcelino Alquisar and Mel Mark Angana.

The AFP has transported 11 of them – Captain Emeterio, Sgt. Maestro, T/Sg. Agana, PFC Rollon, PFC Provido and Privates Gabas, Alquisar, Lumanta, Angana, Carmona and Monera – to their respective hometowns.

Yesterday, the remains of 1st Lt. Tato were being transported via C295 aircraft while the others already identified were being prepared for air and land transport to their respective hometowns.

Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, AFP chief of staff, said efforts are still focused on identifying the 30 other bodies pulled out of the wreckage of Sunday’s crash, which has been a challenge since some of them were burned beyond recognition.

“Since the other day, burn experts sent by Mayor Sara Duterte and our partners in the Philippine National Police – the SOCO (Scene of the Crime Operatives) – have been helping examine and recognize the bodies,” Sobejana said in an interview with GMA News.

Sobejana also clarified only 49 military personnel and not 50 – as earlier reported – are confirmed dead from the accident. Three civilians on the ground were also killed as a result of the accident.

Not overloaded
Amid speculations over the cause of the crash, the PAF gave assurance yesterday that the C-130 cargo plane was not overloaded when it ploughed into the ground and burst into flames in Patikul, just off a cliff from the runway of the Jolo Airport.

“It was well within the operational limits and capacity when it left Laguindingan Airport with 96 passengers compared to its maximum capacity of 120 passengers,” said Lt. Col. Maynard Marino, PAF spokesman.

“This is contrary to the circulating rumor that the aircraft was overloaded,” he added.

Marino said there were 12 PAF personnel together with 84 Army troopers on board the aircraft. The 12 PAF personnel were three pilots, five crew members, three S-7 team members and one other passenger.

At present, members of the PAF’s 220th Airlift Wing Aircraft Accident Investigation Board are on site investigating the crash.

The team, Marino said, is composed of personnel of various specializations like pilots, maintenance, medical and other technical fields who are gathering evidence and conducting interviews, among others, to determine the cause of the accident.

For his part, Sobejana said: “Our people can be assured of the AFP’s transparency. However, the investigation process takes time. All factors are being considered in our deliberate efforts to ensure the accuracy of the findings.”

Condolences
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes, PAF commanding general, recognized the sacrifices and dedication of all soldiers and airmen who perished last Sunday.

He also assured the families of the PAF casualties of assistance and expressed his condolences to them.

United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III also offered condolences to the victims’ families and help in the investigation of the crash involving an aircraft acquired by the AFP from the US six months ago.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Austin extended his condolences through a phone call to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday.

Kirby said both leaders closed the call by reaffirming their commitment to further strengthen the US-Philippines alliance.

Soldier-athletes Eumir Felix Marcial and Hidilyn Diaz said they are dedicating their stints in the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics in honor of their comrades who died and were injured in the crash.

At the House of Representatives, two congressmen are donating P5 million to victims of the tragedy.

House accounts committee chair Paolo Duterte and appropriations committee chair Eric Yap raised the fund from their own pockets and donations from friends in the business sector… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 6)— The death toll in the aftermath of the military plane crash in Sulu climbed to 53, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Tuesday. The crash was one of the country’s deadliest air force disasters in at least four decades.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana confirmed another soldier died from his injuries, raising the number of fatalities among the military to 50. Three civilians on the ground were also killed in the crash, which also left 46 soldiers and four civilians injured.

Fatalities identified
In an interview with CNN Philippines, Sobejana said the remains of at least 16 fatalities have already been identified.

“As we speak, 16 na po ‘yung mga na-identify na (we have already identified 16) cadavers,” Sobejana told News Night, adding that the bodies will thereafter be brought to their respective families.

Sobejana earlier said identification of the bodies proved to be a “hard task” as the victims were burned “beyond recognition.”

“Sunog na sunog po sila dahil hindi sila nakalabas nung sumabog ‘yung C-130,” he said in a separate interview with The Source.

[Translation: They were really burned as they were not able to get out of the plane when the C-130 exploded.]

Most of the victims were fresh graduates from military training.

Sobejana said they are using DNA tests and dental records to identify the charred remains.

Critical condition
Some of the wounded survivors are still in critical state, Sobejana said, as he expressed hope the death toll would not rise any further.

A team of burn specialists from Davao arrived in Zamboanga to help treat the injured, he added. Sobejana said they continue to coordinate with medical facilities — including those in Metro Manila, Davao, and Cebu City — regarding the possible transfer of wounded survivors.

Aid for victims
Families of the victims are set to receive assistance from the Philippine Army, which vowed financial assistance and psycho-social support for the bereaved kin.

Senator Pacquiao said he will also donate ₱50,000 to the families of those who died, and ₱20,000 for those injured… Read More

(GMA News) A father cannot help but lament the loss of his daughter who was a substitute passenger in the C-130 flight that crashed in Sulu.

According to a report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, retired Colonel Wilfredo Tato said his daughter Lieutenant Alexandria Tato boarded the C-130 flight on Sunday as a substitute passenger, taking the place of a nurse who decided at the last minute not to go.

“Anak, sa pagpanaw mo, ‘wag mong kalimutan na mahal na mahal ka namin. Ang hindi ko lang maintindihan, bakit sa ganitong paraan ka kinuha ng Panginoon? ‘Yan ang hindi ko maintindihan, bakit sa ganitong paraan?” Wilfredo said.

(Child, with your passing, don’t forget that we love you very, very much. What I can’t understand is why God would take you this way? That’s what I don’t understand, why in this way?)

“Sinabi naman niya sa akin na, ‘Pa, may kasama ako dito na ilalagay sa Jolo may sakit ‘yong anak kaya ako na lang ang ipinalit.’ Tapos, ‘Pa, okay lang at least gusto ko rin dahil doon Pa, makakapag-aral ako through online gamit ang bagong laptop,'” he added.

(She had told me that someone else was supposed to be sent to Jolo, but that someone’s kid got sick. So my daughter was sent instead. She told me that she liked being sent there as she could keep studying online using her new laptop.)

On July 3, Wilfredo said his daughter told him the flight had a slight problem. He told his daughter not to take the flight. A day after, Alexandria boarded the C-130 aircraft.

“Panay hagulgol ni misis, pati ako. Para akong sira ulo na nakaupo sa tabi tapos bigla akong sisigaw,” he said.

Alexandria was among the over 50 people killed in the crash in Sulu’s Patikul town.

Alexandria’s remains will be brought to the Villamor Airbase for military honors. Afterward, her remains will be brought to her family.

“Me, as a father, deep inside of my heart, ‘pag nailibing na ‘yong anak ko, at tsaka ko ipa-follow up pagpa-DNA dahil mahal na mahal ko ‘yong anak ko na gusto kong matiyak na ‘yong anak ko na nailibing, ‘yon ba si Rhea? So I need confirmation through DNA,” Wilfredo said.

(After I bury my daughter, that’s when I’ll see to the DNA test. I love my daughter very much and I want to be sure that it was my daughter that I buried.)

President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants to give more financial benefits to the Armed Forces of the Philippines as he condoled with the military on Monday… Read More

(BusinessWorld) THE GOVERNMENT will take delivery of a million more doses of coronavirus vaccines this week care of Japan, according to the presidential palace, in a boost to its vaccination drive.

About a million AstraZeneca doses donated by the Japanese government and 170,000 Sputnik V vaccines ordered from Russia would arrive this week, presidential spokesman Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing on Monday.

He said 11.7 million doses of coronavirus vaccines had been given out as of July 2, 8.8 million of which were first doses.

About 1.1 million health workers, 897,719 seniors and 788,630 seriously ill people have received their second doses. Mr. Roque said 26,109 essential workers and 227 indigent Filipinos have also been fully vaccinated.

About 57% of intensive care unit beds (ICU) in the country had been used as of July 4, while 46% of isolation beds and 44% of wards were occupied, he added

In the capital region, 46% of ICU beds were occupied, while 38% of isolation beds and 33% of ward beds were used.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported 5,392 coronavirus infections on Monday, bringing the total to 1,441,746.

The death toll rose to 25,192 after 43 more patients died, while recoveries increased by 6,477 to 1,364,960, it said in a bulletin.

There were 51,594 active cases, 91.1% of which were mild, 3.8% did not show symptoms, 1.5% were critical, 2.1% were severe and 1.57% were moderate.

The agency said 15 duplicates had been removed from the tally, nine of which were tagged as recoveries. Twenty recoveries were reclassified as deaths. Ten laboratories failed to submit data.

The government expects the Metro Manila to attain so-called population protection by November, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told a separate news briefing.

“Aside from having this certain percentage of vaccinated individuals, we need to ensure that enough seniors and people with comorbidities are vaccinated,” she said in mixed English and Filipino… Read More

(PhilStar Global) MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines may lose nearly $21 billion by 2030 if the services provided by nature collapse and if no smart policies will be implemented to protect the country’s biodiversity.

In a report, Washington-based World Bank estimated that the collapse of select ecosystem services provided by nature may result in the decline of the global economy by $2.7 trillion annually by 2030.

The World Bank maintained that low and middle income countries that are reliant on nature — specifically agriculture, livestock, forestry production and fisheries — are likely to lose more over the next few years amid worsening climate crisis.

The Philippines, a lower-middle income economy, is among the countries that rely directly on ecosystem services and may suffer an 18 percent decline in output worth $12.2 billion.

Across the world, significant losses will come from China ($194 billion), India ($46 billion), and the US ($41 billion).

In terms of crop output, global decline is estimated to contract by nine percent or $400 billion in the next nine years. China is still seen to suffer the worst at $142 billion.

For an agricultural country like the Philippines, potential losses may reach $5 billion or a 17 percent drop. Other countries with significant declines in crop output are Brazil at $31 billion, and Argentina and Turkey at $7 billion each.

The country’s fisheries sector could also lose some $3.5 billion over the next few years as global output may contract by 15 percent to $94 billion under a partial ecosystem collapse scenario.

China is expected to be the biggest loser with $42 billion. Significant declines are also seen in Bangladesh ($5.4 billion) and India ($4.9 billion).

The World Bank said the global decline of biodiversity and ecosystem services is a development issue considering that economies, particularly low-income countries, cannot afford the risk of collapse in the services provided by nature.

World Bank president David Malpass said preserving nature and maintaining its services are critical for economic growth especially as the world is just slowly recovering from the pandemic.

“Nature-smart policies and reforms, including agricultural subsidy reform and investments in agricultural innovation enhance biodiversity and economic outcomes. As countries seek to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important that economic development improves outcomes for nature,” Malpass said.

The multilateral development bank argued that a combination of carefully crafted and coordinated policies, particularly those supporting innovation, can simultaneously benefit biodiversity and development.

It added that investments in ecosystem services must be made in a way that exploits synergies with climate change mitigation and adaptation, as this strengthens the case for action.

For one, when forest carbon payment schemes are implemented, either at the domestic or global level, other domestic policies like agriculture subsidy reform become more effective at protecting nature while enhancing economic gains… Read More