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(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Thursday raised the status of Taal Volcano to Alert Level 3 following a phreatomagmatic eruption.

The eruption was recorded at 3:16 p.m. and lasted until 3:21 p.m., Phivolcs said in an advisory. The crater at the time generated a “short-lived dark phreatomagmatic plume” that was one kilometer high.

A phreatomagmatic eruption is one that involves both magma and water, Phivolcs explained.

“Ang magma po at ang tubig na siya pong nasa lawa ng main crater ay nagdampi, nagkaroon na po ng contact. Kaya po ang tubig, bigla po siyang naco-convert sa gas in the form of water vapor,” Phivolcs volcano monitoring chief Mariton Bornas said in a briefing.

[Translation: The magma and water in the lake of the main crater came into contact. That’s why the water was converted to gas in the form of water vapor.]

“Ito po ang pagkakaiba ng phreatomagmatic sa phreatic. ‘Yung phreatic po ay steam-driven, pero ang phreatomagmatic ay meron na pong kasamang magma,” she added.

[Translation: This is the difference between phreatomagmatic and phreatic. Phreatic is steam-driven, but phreatomagmatic involves magma.]

Evacuation underway
Phivolcs also recommended evacuation in Taal Volcano Island as well as the high-risk barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel in Batangas due to possible hazards.

The institute also reminded the public that the volcano island is a Permanent Danger Zone, and that entry into the vicinity is prohibited.

Authorities in Agoncillo and Laurel have started their evacuation activities as of Thursday afternoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported.

‘Not the same scenario’
Meanwhile, Phivolcs said it is not expecting the same scenario as last year’s Taal eruption, which forced thousands of Batangas residents to flee their homes.

“’Yung January 2020, sa maliit na explosion lumaki nang lumaki kasi nga may pressure… Ngayon ay nagde-degas nga po,” Phivolcs Officer-in-Charge Renato Solidum explained, adding that the latest eruption was not as explosive as last year’s activity.

[Translation: In January 2020, the small explosion became bigger because there is pressure… Now, it’s degassing.]

The agency noted it will continuously monitor the situation and parameters along Taal, with the alert level subject to change at this point.

Phivolcs has a 5-step alert level for Taal, with Alert Level 5 being the highest and indicating that a hazardous eruption is in progress… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila – Senator Manny Pacquiao on Tuesday took on President Rodrigo Duterte’s challenge for him to expose corruption in government, as he stood by the credibility of his allegations.

“Tinatanggap ko ang hamon ng Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte [I accept President Rodrigo Duterte’s challenge],” Pacquiao said in a statement.

In a televised address Monday night, the President chided Pacquiao – a long-time ally – after he claimed the current administration is more corrupt than its predecessor.

The two are top officials of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party. Duterte is the party chairman while Pacquiao is acting president.

If the boxer-turned-senator fails to prove his claims, Duterte said this would only show he is a “liar” and is simply politicking. Pacquiao, however, maintained he is telling the truth.

“Mawalang galang po mahal na Pangulo, ngunit hindi ako sinungaling [With all due respect Mr. President, I am not a liar], ” he said.

“Dalawang bagay ang kaya kong panghawakan. Hindi ako tiwali at hindi ako sinungaling [I can assure you of two things. I am not corrupt and I am not a liar],” he continued… Read More

(SunStar) SENATOR Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, accepted the challenge issued by President Rodrigo Duterte and suggested that authorities look into how the Department of Health (DOH) spent the funds allotted for pandemic response.

“Magsimula tayo sa DOH. Silipin at busisiin natin lahat ng mga binili mula sa rapid test kits, PPE, masks at iba pa. Handa ka ba Sec. Francisco Duque na ipakita ang kabuuan ng iyong ginagastos? Saan napunta ang pera na inutang natin para sa pandemya?

(Let’s start with DOH. Let’s scrutinize its procurement of rapid test kits, PPE, masks and others. Are you ready to show the breakdown, Secretary Francisco Duque? Where did the funds that we borrowed for pandemic response go?)

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, in a statement Tuesday evening, said it has always been transparent and cooperative to auditing efforts within the government.

Duque described Pacquiao’s accusations as baseless and said the DOH is ready to show where the loans for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines went… Read More

(GMA News) Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday exhorted the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to investigate controversies hounding the COVID-19 vaccination in some local government units.

“There are similar complaints from others in other LGUs. The IATF should investigate and exercise sanctions,” he told Senate media in a Viber message, reacting to the viral video on a vaccinator who breached COVID-19 inoculation protocols in Makati City.

Sotto also earlier reacted to the videos in a tweet: “Vaccination boo-boo! It’s all over. Check the videos. Quo Vadis Philippines?”

A video shared on social media showed a health worker in Makati City injecting a needle into the arm of a vaccine recipient without pushing the plunger, causing the contents to remain inside the syringe… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila

— The Inter-Agency Task Force has recommended retaining Metro Manila, Rizal and Bulacan under general community quarantine “with some restrictions” until July 15.

During a televised Cabinet meeting, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III presented the recommendation of the policy-making body in the government’s COVID-19 response.

Also under GCQ but with “heightened restrictions” until mid-July are Laguna and Cavite.

Here are the other areas recommended to be placed under GCQ until July 31:

– Cordillera Administrative Region: Baguio City, Ifugao

– Region 2: City of Santiago, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino

-Region 4-A: Batangas, Quezon

-Region 6: Guimaras, Aklan, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Antique, Capiz

-Region 9: Zamboanga Sibugay, City of Zamboanga

-Region 10: Iligan City

-Region 11: General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Cotabato, South Cotabato

-CARAGA: Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur, Surigao Del Norte

-BARMM: Cotabato City

Meanwhile, the following areas are recommended to be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine until July 15:
-Region 2: Cagayan

-Cordillera Administrative Region: Apayao

-Region 3: Bataan

-Region 4-A: Lucena city

-Region 4-B: Puerto Princesa City

-Region 5: Naga City

-Region 6: Iloilo City, Iloilo province

-Region 7: Negros Oriental

-Region 9: Zamboanga Del Norte, Zamboanga Del Sur

-Region 10: Cagayan De Oro City

-Region 11: Davao City, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Davao De Oro, Davao Del Sur, Davao Del Norte

-CARAGA: Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, Surigao Del Sur

All other areas in the country are recommended to be placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) status until end-July… Read More

(GMA News) The Philippine peso retreated against its US counterpart on Monday, dragged by the inclusion of the Philippines in the dirty money list.

The local currency lost 16.4 centavos to close at P48.645:$1 versus last Friday’s finish of P48.481:$1.

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) Chief Economist Michael Ricafort attributed Monday’s depreciation on the inclusion of the Philippines in the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) last Friday.

The grey list covers countries subjected to higher surveillance to prove its progress against money laundering and terrorist financing.

The country was removed from the list in 2005, and was again included in this year’s list along with Haiti, Malta, and South Sudan.

“Peso also weaker after Malacañang signaled it would be difficult to change or ease the quarantine classification of NCR, thereby could signal continuation of some restrictions,” said Ricafort… Read More

(GMA News) President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night lashed out at Senator Manny Pacquiao over the lawmaker’s supposed comments that corruption has worsened under the Duterte administration.

In his weekly address to the nation, Duterte dared Pacquiao to identify the corrupt officials and he would do something about the matter.

“If you fail to do that, I will campaign against you because you’re not doing your duty. Do it. If not, I will just tell the people, ‘Do not vote for Pacquiao because he is a liar,'” Duterte said.

“I put you on notice. Isasabi ko lahat at kakalabanin kita (sa) panahon ng election. ‘Pag hindi, you’ll just be another son of a bitch playing politics,” he added.

[I put you on notice. I will tell everyone and I will fight you during election time.]

Pacquiao has been reported as saying that he would prioritize ending corruption if he decided he to run for president.

He was also reported to have said that he would build housing for all Filipinos.

In his Talk to the People, Duterte lashed out at Pacquiao after he again brought up the idea of running for vice president because he still had certain things to finish in the national government.

He said he would rather that others run for vice president but indicated that the matter would depend on the presidential candidate he would support.

“Running for VP… it’s not at all a bad idea and if there is a space for me there, siguro (perhaps),” Duterte said.

“Pero kung wala akong space everybody is wanting to be one, VP, sila na lang muna kasi tapos na ako,” he added.

[But if there’s no space because everybody is wanting to be one, VP, let them have it because I’m already done.]

“But there are things I’d like to continue [and] that will be dependent on the president that I would support,” Duterte said.

Party chair Duterte ran and won under the PDP-Laban banner in 2016. Pacquiao is the party’s president.

“Si Pacquiao salita nang salita na three times daw tayong mas corrupt so I am challenging him, ituro mo ang opisina na corrupt at ako na ang bahala within one week may gawin ako,” Duterte said.

[Pacquiao said we’re three times more corrupt so I am challenging him to identify the corrupt offices and I would handle the situation within a week.]

“‘Di ba ang sabi ko noon if you come to know that there is corruption, let me know? Give me the office. Ganoon ang dapat ginawa mo… Wala ka namang sinabi all these years. Puro ka praises nang praises sa’kin tapos ngayon sabihin mo corrupt,” he added.

[Didn’t I tell you that if you come to know that there is corruption, let me know? Give me the office. That’s what you should have done… You didn’t say anything all these years. You’re all praises for me and then you’re crying corruption.]

Duterte also dismissed Pacquiao’s promise to build homes “for everybody in six years time.”

“Do not ever think that if you will win as president na wala nang corruption dito sa Pilipinas,” Duterte told Pacquiao.

[Do not ever think that if you will win as president, there will no longer be corruption.]

“And for your dream of giving everybody houses in six years time, just like what Senator Enrile said, good luck na lang. You must be dreaming,” he added.

Duterte weeks ago also criticized Pacquiao after the latter said the country’s stance in the West Philippine Sea was lacking.

He said Pacquiao should first study the issue before making any comment… Read More

(CNN Philippines) Metro Manila – Concerned government officials must ensure the strict implementation of the 10-day quarantine rule for returning Filipinos from abroad to prevent the entry of the Delta Plus variant in the country.

The appeal came from Inter-Agency Task Force co-chairman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who expressed concern on the continued spread of the Delta Plus variant, which now has at least 200 recorded cases in 11 countries.

“‘Yung 10-day quarantine rule po natin, very important iyan. Nakita natin na it really worked doon sa 17 na nag-positive ng Delta variant dito sa ating bansa na mula sa abroad,” Nograles told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Weekend on Sunday.

[Translation: The 10-day quarantine is very important. We observed that it really worked with regards to the 17 people who tested positive for the Delta variant here in the country when they arrived from abroad.]

Nograles added that the 10-day quarantine rule played a big role on why most of the 17 persons infected with the Delta variant in the country were discharged without having the risk of infecting other people. He also said one patient is still being monitored in the hospital.

“Mapasukan lang tayo ng isang Delta variant, things will really drastically change on the ground. Importante na lahat ng airports ay higpitan natin ang ating 10-day quarantine rule,” he said.

[Translation: Once a Delta variant case slips, things will really drastically change on the ground. It is important that all airports must strictly enforce the 10-day quarantine rule.]

Nograles also assured that the available COVID-19 vaccine doses in the country can protect a person from severe infections, citing studies made by international medical experts.

The country has yet to record a single case of the Delta Plus variant, according to the University of the Philippines-National Institutes of Health.

The Delta Plus variant, also known as the B.1.617.2.1 or AY.1 variant, is a mutation of the Delta variant which has been blamed for the deadly surge in India in May. Infectious diseases expert Dr. Edsel Salvaña warned the variant is four times more contagious than the original virus detected in Wuhan, China in 2019… Read More