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(PhilStar) MANILA, Philippines — The hundreds who flouted strict quarantine rules to visit a popular resort in Caloocan City on Mother’s Day last Sunday should be made to undergo 14-day quarantine as they may have contracted or spread COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

“They have to undergo quarantine for 14 days, all of them, so we can ensure that there will be no transmission among them,” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters.

She called the incident at the Gubat sa Ciudad resort “saddening” as “we are doing all efforts to contain this disease.”

She said the DOH regional office for the National Capital Region had already been advised to closely monitor those who gathered at the resort over the weekend.

“We are still in MECQ (modified enhanced community quarantine). Everyone knows we cannot just go anywhere we want,” she added.

The official said the management of the resort should have known better. “They came because you allowed it. If you did not open the resort, they would not come for swimming,” she added, addressing the resort owner.

At a briefing, presidential spokesman Harry Roque reminded the public that swimming is still prohibited in areas under MECQ.

“We understand that the weather is hot and many are excited to take a bath and to swim but it should not be a reason to disregard guidelines,” Roque said.

“I repeat, gatherings are prohibited. That’s what happened to India. Let us not allow this to happen to our beloved country,” the Palace spokesman said.

“Under MECQ, tourism and gatherings are prohibited. The imposition of sanctions is in the hands of the local government. But our message to the people is this: We have seen the gatherings in India… Look at what happened to India. It’s a disaster. We hope we will avoid the disaster that happened in India,” he added.

Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan agreed with DOH’s recommendation and said they are now tracing the whereabouts of resort visitors. The resort had 300 guests at that time based on its logbook, he told CNN Philippines.

The city government has secured the resort’s guest book for contact tracing purposes. Caloocan residents found to have been among the visitors of the resort would be made to undergo swab testing. Some of the resort visitors were from Valenzuela and Bulacan, Malapitan said.

“They should quarantine for at least 10 days. City hall will call them one by one,” he added… Read More

(GMA News) The Bureau of Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group arrested two claimants of three packages containing 9,243 ecstasy tablets worth over P15.7 million.

In a statement on Tuesday, the BOC said the nabbed claimants were identified as Rowena Canapit and Michael de Guzman. The two presented an authorization letter from the consignee, a certain Glory Joy Buzeta, in claiming the packages in the Quezon City Postal Office.

The BOC said the packages were shipped by a certain Agner Buzeta and Victor Martis from the Netherlands and were declared as “handbags and shoes,” “baby clothes,” and “clothes.

“The seized ecstasy tablets were initially discovered when the X-ray images thereof yielded suspicious items, prompting the assigned Customs Examiner to conduct 100% physical examination of the subject packages,” the BOC said.

During the physical examination, the ecstasy tablets were found concealed in the false space or compartment of each side of the subject packages, the BOC said.

The BOC said the responsible individuals will face charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 in relation to Section 1401 of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act… Read More

(Reuters) The Philippines has detected its first two cases of a coronavirus variant first identified in India, its health ministry said on Tuesday, even as confirmed daily COVID-19 infections fell to a near eight-week low.

The World Health Organization has classified the coronavirus variant, known as B.1.617, as a variant of global concern with some preliminary studies showing that it spreads more easily.

The variant had been confirmed in two Filipino seafarers who returned in April, Alethea De Guzman, director of the ministry’s epidemiology bureau, told a news conference

“We need to continually monitor what other variants we may be able to detect locally, as well as monitor the spread of the variants we have already detected,” De Guzman said, adding that the seafarers were isolated on their return and had both recovered… Read More

(Business World) THE GOVERNMENT would probably ease the lockdown in Manila, the capital and nearby cities and provinces by mid-May as coronavius infections get under control, according to the presidential palace.

The lower critical care use rate could also be a factor in easing the modified enhanced community quarantine, presidential spokesperson Herminio L. Roque, Jr. told a televised news briefing on Monday.

“I will not second-guess the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases but pursuant to the formula, it is possible,” he said.

Mr. Roque said the use rate for intensive care unit (ICU) beds in Metro Manila fell to 68% from 70% in recent weeks, showing that the critical care use rate had moderated.

He said 62% of ICU beds for coronavirus patients in the country have been used. About 44% of isolation beds have been used and 49% of ward beds were occupied. He added that 42% of ventilators in the country have been used.

Mr. Roque said 46% of isolation beds and 50% of ward beds in Metro Manila were occupied, while about 51% of ventilators have been used.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte would announce the new quarantine status for Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite before it expires on May 14.

Meanwhile, an inter-agency task force placed the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao and Benguet in northern Philippines under a modified lockdown for two weeks starting May 10.

The reimposition of an altered lockdown was made due to surging infections in the areas, according to a resolution adopted by the body.

Meanwhile, Mr. Roque said the construction of a vaccination facility in an urban forest managed by the Nayong Pilipino Foundation is consistent with the President’s police power and aimed at protecting Filipinos’ right to health.

The government-owned and controled corporation earlier opposed the plan of a foundation owned by tycoon Enrique K. Razon, Jr. to put up a vaccination site on its property, citing environmental and health risks.

Citing a presidential decree, it said it is illegal to allow a private entity to operate and manage a government property.

Mr. Roque reminded the management of Nayong Pilipino that as a state company, it is under the President’s supervision.

“Hopefully, their decision won’t conflict with the important mission to protect the life of our fellowmen,” he said in Filipino.

Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto, the state company’s executive director, has resigned amid the controversy.

Mr. Duterte last month extended the second strictest lockdown level enforced in Metro Manila and nearby provinces by another two weeks amid a fresh surge in coronavirus infections.

The modified enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila and the provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite was extended until May 14.

The President said he had to extend the modified lockdown to ease pressure on hospitals that were near breaking point.

The altered lockdown was also enforced in the provinces of Quirino and Abra and Santiago City in Isabela in northern Philippines until the end of May.

The provinces of Apayao, Baguio, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya in Cagayan Valley were placed under a general community quarantine.

Batangas, Quezon, Tacloban City, Iligan City and Lanao Del Sur were  also placed under a general lockdown… Read More

(GMA News) Several bus conductors have taken to asking for alms after some buses were forced off the road amid the recent resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.

According to Darlene Cay’s report on “24 Oras” on Monday, the bus conductors have been forced to beg for alms following the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board’s “libreng sakay” program for authorized persons outside of residence.

“Humihingi kami ng tulong, suporta. Labag man sa kalooban namin ‘to pero wala eh, kapit talaga kami sa patalim. Gutom na pamilya namin,” bus conductor Philip Elequin said.

“Saan kami kukuha ng pangkabuhayan ng pamilya namin? Tapos ‘yong kumpanya namin wala namang suporta sa’min tapos wala namang programa ‘yong gobyerno para sa’min,” he added.

Bus operators said bus conductors had been excluded from the LTFRB’s service contracting program, the reason why they have no earnings for over a month already.

“Bahagi rin kami ng transport sector. May mga pamilya rin kami, nagugutom,” Edmel Salisad said.

Meanwhile, LTFRB chairman Atty. Martin Delgra III said while the bus drivers are the primary beneficiaries of the service contracting program, bus conductors are also included.

‘Pag makatanggap na ‘yong operator ng bayad galing sa free ride program ng service contracting, ‘yong 30% ibibigay na doon sa mga driver na nakalista. The rest of the money, as I’ve said, will cover operating costs, which includes the payment of the conductors, kung mayroon,” Delgra said… Read More

(BBC News) In the Philippines, a second surge in Covid-19 cases is putting renewed pressure on the healthcare system.
The country currently has the second highest number of cases in South East Asia behind Indonesia.
And with one of the longest and hardest lockdowns in the world, a crippling recession has forced thousands on to the streets in search of food… Read More

(Lionheartv) The newest Kapuso rom-com Heartful Cafe has a hard time keeping up on its pilot episode ratings.

During its pilot week, the Julie Anne San Jose-David Licauco starrer Kapuso show is on a downward track in terms of ratings.

From as high as 14.1% for its pilot episode on Monday, April 26–the show went down to its lowest 13.5% on Thursday, April 29.

Though the Network may have a strong pre-programmed show via First Yaya, and is currently the country’s most-watched weekday program–still it is not enough to pull Heartful Cafe’s ratings. Also, the series’ online views are dwindling throughout the week.

From the 88 thousand views on its premiere, it went down to 54 thousand on Tuesday, April 27; 52 thousand on Wednesday, April 28; 21 thousand on Thursday, April 29; and 20 thousand to end its first week on Friday, April 30.

However, while its ratings and online views are starting to get lukewarm, Netizens and their supporters continue to share warm reviews of the show–particularly on the “kilig” they are seeing with its lead stars San Jose and Licauco.

According to netizens, the chemistry of the two is undeniable and that makes them smile while watching the series… Read More

(News Agency Here) THE PESO appreciated versus the greenback for the fifth straight day as inflation was steady in April and as the daily tally of coronavirus cases remained low.

The local unit closed at P48.025 per dollar on Wednesday, appreciating by 1.3 centavos from its P48.038 finish on Tuesday, data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines showed.

The peso’s close on Wednesday was its best since Feb. 15’s finish of P47.93 per dollar.

The local unit opened the session at P48.03 versus the dollar. Its weakest showing was at P48.13, while its intraday best was at P47.96 against the greenback.

Dollars traded jumped to $1.2 billion yesterday from $730.7 million on Tuesday.

The slower-than-expected April inflation print boosted market sentiment and supported the peso, a trader said in an e-mail.

Headline inflation stood at 4.5% for the second straight month in April, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday. However, this was faster than April 2020’s 2.2%.

April headline inflation was slower than the median 4.7% in an analyst poll BusinessWorld conducted late last week and settled within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) own 4.2-5% estimate.

Year to date, inflation averaged at 4.5%, still above the BSP’s 2-4% target as well as its inflation forecast of 4.2% for the year.

Inflation eased in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.8% in April from 5.8% in March; and alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 12% from 12.1%.

On the other hand, annual increases were noted in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels (1.5% from 0.9%); furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house (2.1% from 1.9%); health (3.1% from 2.9%); transport (17.9% from 13.8%); communication (0.3% from 0.2%); and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services (3.4% from 3.1%), PSA data showed.

The easing number of new coronavirus infections also boosted the peso versus the dollar, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. Chief Economist Michael L. Ricafort said.

The Health department reported 5,685 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday to bring the total to more than 1.073 million. Meanwhile, active cases stood at 66,060.

For Thursday, Mr. Ricafort gave a forecast range of P47.97 to P48.07 per dollar, while the trader expects the local unit to move within the P48 to P48.10 range… Read More