Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Sunday, May 9, 2021
Cash aid distribution in NCR Plus at 81 percent, says DILG
Nearly 81 percent of local governments in the NCR Plus bubble have finished the distribution of government's cash aid ahead of its deadline, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Sunday.
Eighteen local governments or 80.95 percent have distributed some P18.6 billion to beneficiaries, according to the agency. Indigent families are qualified to receive up to P4,000 as aid following the strict lockdown imposed in late March.
Among these were 13 cities and towns in Laguna, Guiguinto and Pandi towns in Bulacan; Tagaytay City, and Amadeo and Naic towns in Cavite.
Laguna has a 93.84 percent completion rate, followed by Metro Manila with 81.92 percent, Bulacan with 80.52 percent, Rizal with 74.41 percent, and Cavite with 72.99 percent, according to the DILG.
"Some of the reasons that LGUs have not yet completed their ayuda distribution are the huge number of beneficiaries, the big number of appeals that are undergoing deliberation, the tedious and lengthy process of partnering with banks and remittance centers for ayuda payout for those doing electronic distribution, and the difficulty of mobilizing personnel in this time of pandemic," DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said.
"Despite these challenges, however, we are confident na matatapos rin nila ang pagbibigay ayuda sa takdang oras (that we will finish the distribution of aid in time)."
Several lawmakers earlier called for a third stimulus measure to give 108 million Filipinos P2,000 each, regardless of social class or age, to help them deal with the COVID-19 crisis.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/09/21/cash-aid-distribution-in-ncr-plus-at-81-percent-says-dilg
Saturday, May 8, 2021
New PNP chief Eleazar warns cops vs enforcing physical exercise to punish quarantine violators
The country’s top cop on Saturday said policemen may not enforce physical exercise to quarantine violators as only courts or local government units may impose penalties or fines.
Newly installed Philippine National Police chief Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the police force continues to remind unit commanders that quarantine violators must go through the right process.
“Hindi tayo pwedeng magbigay ng penalty. Only the court can give the penalty or in the case of the LGUs, itong mga fines, mga multa nila. So hindi pwedeng pag-exercisin 'yan. Hindi pwedeng bigyan ng anumang punishment 'yan,” said Eleazar, former Joint Task Force Covid Shield commander.
(We cannot impose a penalty. Only the court can give penalty, or in the case of the LGUs, fines. So we don’t allow physical exercise, we can’t give other punishments.)
Eleazar has just been named as the 6th PNP chief under President Rodrigo Duterte’s term. He will be serving as head of the 220,000 strong police force for about 6 months until Nov. 13, when he reaches the PNP’s mandatory retirement age of 56.
“Sisiguraduhin po natin 'yan at mananagot ang ating unit commanders 'pag nilabag nila 'yan kaya magpapatawag ako ng command conference mamaya para ulitin itong mga dati pa na patakaran na,” he said in an interview on TeleRadyo on Saturday morning.
We will make sure of that and unit commanders would be answerable if they violate this that’s why I am calling for a command conference later today to reiterate these old guidelines.)
The death of Darren Peñaredondo of General Trias, Cavite went viral on social media as he was allegedly made to do 300 rounds of pumping exercise after being found outside during curfew hours along with 7 other people.
Eleazer said quarantine violators will be penalized with the right sanctions, based on local ordinances and guidelines from the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19 response.
“Sa unang offense, fine o multa, pangalawa maaring doon na po file-an ng kaso. Maari sa ibang ordinansa, sa unang offense ay community service, 'yun po ang susundin,” he said.
(They can be fined for the first offense, and a case may be filed against them on the second offense. In other ordinances, first time violators may be made to do community service.)
Duterte recently ordered police to arrest people who do not wear their face masks as part of prevention protocol against COVID-19.
Eleazar said that from May 6 to 7, police accosted 14,800 violators, but only 1,001 were arrested.
One of Eleazar’s first orders as the new police chief is ensure that health protocols are observed.
“Mahigit isang taon na nating sinasabi ito, puro pakiusap tayo sa punto na ayaw na nating mag-arestuhan. Subalit kung kinakailangan talaga after nating makausap, after nating mag-warning at talagang insisting pa rin sila, wala tayong magagawa kundi sila ay dalhin natin sa police station, bigyan ng lecture doon while observing the protocol at saka po sila pauwiin,” he said.
(We have been saying this for more than a year, we continue to remind them and we don’t want to arrest them. But after we talk to them and they continue to insist, we will be forced to bring them to the police.)
As of Friday, the Philippines has logged 1,087,885 total confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 66,626 active infections.
Meanwhile, Eleazar said he would still continue to go after rogue cops even during the pandemic.
“Hindi tayo magdadalawang-isip na tanggalin ang mga bugok na pulis natin dahil hindi natin sila kailangan dito at napakaraming gustong pumunta,” he said.
(We will not have second thoughts about removing rogue cops because we don’t need them here and many are willing to join the police.)
He said he relies on his chain of command— the 17 regional directors, the 81 provincial directors, 20 city directors and around 1,500 chiefs of police to do what is right.
“'Wag nilang hintayin na ako pa ang pumunta doon para mag-inspect doon. Pero gagawin ko pa rin 'yun, sisilip pa rin tayo doon pero gusto ko sila na manguna sa bawat area nila. Ayokong magaabuso, gusto kong gawin ang tama dahil 'yan ang ini-expect sa atin,” he said.
(Don’t wait for me to go there. But I will still check on them but I want them to lead in their area. I want them to do the right thing because that is what is being expected of us.)
On the issue of red tagging, Eleazar assured that the PNP would not make baseless accusations.
“Hindi ilegal na alamin namin ang background ng ibang tao, kasama po sa amin 'yun kaya kami po ang nata-task na magsagawa ng complete background investigation,” he said.
(It’s not illegal to find out the background of other people because that is part of our job and that’s why we are always tasked to make a complete background investigation.)
He assured that the PNP will only stick to its job.
“Ang bottomline dito hindi natin bigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga tao na mag-isip na sila po ba ay napupunta sa panganib,” he said.
The bottomline here is that we don’t give the people the impression that they are in danger.)
He said that anti-drug operations would likewise continue and stepped up even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Hindi po titigil 'yun, kung pwede palalakasin pa natin itong ginagawa natin on running after high-value targets pero back to basic tayo.
At the end of the day, our campaign against illegal drugs will be measured on the barangays and communities that will be declared drug-cleared,” he said.
(We will not stop and if possible, strengthen our efforts in going after high-value targets but we go back to basics.)
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/08/21/eleazar-pnp-chief-quarantine-violators
Friday, May 7, 2021
Thursday, May 6, 2021
100 new cities by 2050: Architecture, planning, urban design, infrastructure and real estate
FURTHER to last week’s article, I want to continue sharing with you global best practices and model cities that we can follow for our future cities.
As I mentioned in the previous article, the Philippines will need 100 new cities by 2050 as our population is projected to increase to 148.3 million by that time.
Polycentric cities
According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s (CTBUH) definition, tall polycentric cities have three or more clusters of tall buildings that are clearly separated, visually and geographically. These clusters are a group of buildings that are significantly taller than the surrounding urban fabric and are visually and geographically distinct, with at least five buildings (completed or topped out) of at least 100 or 150 meters, depending on local height context. I am a fellow, regional leader, and country representative of the Chicago-based CTBUH.
In polycentric cities, multiple economic centers distribute resources and inclusive growth among towns and cities, allowing other areas and regions to be developed properly. This is the opposite of urban sprawl, which is the rapid expansion of the geographic extent of cities and towns, often characterized by low-density residential housing, single-use zoning and increased reliance on private automobiles for transportation. This definition certainly suits Metro Manila: low-density and gated communities within the business districts and inefficient mass transportation system forcing many to opt for private vehicles. Monocentric city development causes sprawl development toward the outskirts of the core. Just like in Metro Manila, the distance from the CBDs affects the housing type and affordability, hence employees cannot afford the housing stock close to their places of work.
Livable cities
According to the Global Liveability Index 2019, the world’s most livable city is Vienna, followed by Melbourne, Sydney, Osaka, Calgary, Vancouver, Tokyo, Toronto, Copenhagen and Adelaide. For the second year in a row, Vienna ranked No.1 for its high scores in stability, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure and health care. Vienna’s exceptional and progressive housing system offers superior yet affordable housing to residents. In fact, 62 percent of its residents live in social housing. For its infrastructure programs, the city allotted €1.3 billion, or $1.4 billion, to ensure that its water and energy supply and wastewater management can serve the projected population of the city.
Resilient cities
In 2014, the top 10 most resilient cities identified were Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Stockholm, Boston, Zurich, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta. Their resiliency scores were based on their “adaptive capacity” to react to categories of vulnerabilities like climate change, resources, environment, and infrastructure, among others. Part of Toronto’s “resilience strategy” are road maps to retrofit and improve the city’s more than 1,000 apartment towers, enhance a sustainable and resilient food system, scale up green and blue infrastructure systems, address housing needs, and increase flood resilience, among others.
Walkable, bikeable cities
Last year, the Institute for Transportation and Development Study released a study showing a list of the most walkable cities in the world, which included London, Paris, Bogota, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The study also presented the numerous benefits of walkability, such as it makes cities more equitable, it is good for people’s health and the environment, it has a safe and reliable mode of transportation, especially when social distancing is required, and it helps people save money if their daily needs can be accessed through walking instead of using private vehicles, among others.
For the world’s most bike-friendly cities, the 2019 Copenhagenize Index included Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Antwerp, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Oslo, Paris, Vienna and Helsinki. As you will observe, the list is dominated by European countries that are famous for setting this global best practice. In Copenhagen, 62 percent of the people use their bikes for trips to work or school, there are more than 104 miles of new cycle highways, and there has been “more than $45 per capita in bicycle infrastructure investments.”
Transport-oriented development
According to the World Bank, transit-oriented development is a “planning and design strategy that consists of promoting urban development that is compact, mixed-use, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly, and closely integrated with mass transit by clustering jobs, housing, services, and amenities around public transport stations.” The World Bank also recognized Stockholm, Copenhagen, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore as having successfully applied this concept.
Mixed-use developments
In contrast to single, stand-alone developments, mixed-use developments are characterized by the Urban Land Institute as: 1) having three or more mutually supporting, revenue-generating uses such as offices, residential condominiums, retail, restaurants, hotels and others; 2) with significant physical and functional integrations, including pedestrianization; and 3) developed in conformity with a coherent plan. This type of development is seen as ideal for urban renewal and revitalization where people of all ages can live their best lives in communities that blend residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, and natural spaces.
Better connectivity
Connectivity goes beyond the physical, beyond the distribution systems — roads, mass transit and communications. Connectivity refers to the integration of activities that define the character of the city, including its social, economic and cultural links. Improving connectivity can be achieved by infusing new activity to areas outside the city core or by creating new development corridors between these outlying areas and the core.
I had the opportunity to write and publish more than 700 articles and three books about global best practices. I have given lectures and attended speaking engagements in 20 countries and applied these best practices and principles in 40 countries through projects that I was part of as architect, urban planner, environmental planner and development consultant.
Based on what I have learned through the years, we should not wait until 2050 to transform our communities, towns and cities to become more sustainable, inclusive, healthy and resilient. It is urgent that we learn from the design and planning mistakes of Metro Manila and apply global best practices that have helped transform cities into exemplars of good architecture, planning and urban design.
Monday, May 3, 2021
Makati to manage mild Covid-19 cases at home
By Lade Jean Kabagani
The Makati city government has prioritized a program aimed at ensuring proper treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) patients with mild symptoms and asymptomatic cases at home, Makati Mayor Abby Binay shared Monday.
The initiative magnifies the urgent need for the city government to put up additional quarantine and isolation facilities that will address increasing Covid-19 patients being treated at the Ospital ng Makati (OsMak).
"Ganito rin ang kalagayan ng iba pang ospital sa ibang panig ng Metro Manila, private man o government hospital (This is also the state of various hospitals in other areas of Metro Manila, whether private or government hospitals)," Binay posted on social media.
"Bunsod nito, binigyang-prayoridad ng lungsod ang pagbuo ng (Because of this, the city has prioritized the) Makati Covid-19 Home Care Program sa ilalim ng paggabay ng (under the guidance of the) Department of Health," she added.
Under the home care program, Makati will isolate and treat mild cases at their own homes, provided a patient has a separate bedroom, bathroom, and toilet and should not have household members belonging to vulnerable groups, such as senior citizens, persons with comorbidities, individuals with a weak immune system, and those who are pregnant.
"Kailangan din ang mag-aalaga o caregiver sa bahay ay may malakas na resistensya o pangangatawan para hindi delikadong mahawahan (The caregiver at home must also have a strong immune system so that further virus transmission can be avoided)," she added.
Caretakers are required to wear masks and use gloves at all times and observe a one-meter or more physical distance from the infected ones.
"Bibigyan namin ang bawat pasyenteng sasailalim sa programa ng (We will provide each patient undergoing the program a) home care package," Binay said.
The city's program package includes a Covid-19 Home Care Handbook, monitoring sheets, maintenance medicines for other comorbidities, and medical kits (Vitamin C with Zinc, pulse oximeter, thermometer, oral disinfectant spray, mask, and hand sanitizer or alcohol).
The handbook contains all the guidelines and protocols for proper isolation at home and notes on Covid-19 symptoms and various emergency care needed.
Patients will also have two dedicated online consultations with medical doctors.
Binay said the Department of Health policies on isolating mild cases state quarantine until 10 days from the day the symptoms come out; doctors should make sure the patients are clinically recovered within three days; and that those who have been exposed to Covid-19 patients should isolate for 14 days, starting from the day of their exposure.
Patients should request clearance from a doctor or the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit.
There is no need to undergo another reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test for clearance.
Makati residents, workers, and visitors are required to wear masks and other protective gear in public places.
QC hires 1.3K more contact tracers under DOLE program
By Marita Moaje
The Quezon City government will hire 1,347 contact tracers under the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) emergency employment program.
During the orientation given by the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (CESU) at the Quezon Memorial Circle on Monday, Mayor Joy Belmonte recognized the importance of contact tracers in the fight against the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
"Contact tracers ang pinakasusi para mapigilan na natin itong pagkalat pa ng virus sa ating mga komunidad. Balewala ang lockdown kung hindi mabilis at maagap ang pagkilos ng contact tracing army ng lungsod (are the keys to mitigating the spread of the virus in our community. The lockdowns we are doing will be of no value if our contact tracing army is not alert)," she said.
The contact tracers, hired through DOLE's Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers program, increased the city’s assets to 2,600.
The city government will provide their needs, such as protective gear, and other necessities in the performance of their duties.
Belmonte recalled improving their contact tracing capabilities when the Department of the Interior and Local Government also deployed 1,300 contact tracers last year.
“Contact tracers were able to identify up to 30 close contacts per Covid-19 positive,” she said.
Body cameras among major projects of retiring PNP chief Sinas
By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
Police officers equipped with body cameras will be one of the legacies of outgoing Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Debold Sinas.
PNP Directorate for Logistics Director Maj. Gen. Angelito Casimiro confirmed on Monday that Sinas has signed the final acceptance document for the equipment.
The PNP chief is scheduled to step down on May 8 when he reaches the mandatory retirement age of 56.
Casimiro said they are finishing the final protocols in the use of video in the presentation of evidence to the court.
“That is the challenge for now especially as there are privacy rules. We will be finalizing the memorandum circular on protocols of presentation," he said in an interview.
Casimiro said the body cameras have been distributed to major cities.
"We will be appealing for some funds so all police stations will be equipped," he added.
The PNP acquired 2,696 body-worn cameras and their associated systems from San Juan City-based EVI Distribution Inc.
Each major police station will be given 16 body cameras, eight of which will be used by patrolling operatives while the remaining eight will be reserved for other operations.
The cameras will be equipped with SIM (subscriber identity module) cards that will be used to feed videos to the PNP Command Center.
The body cameras are waterproof and can record video for up to eight hours.
The officers wearing them cannot interfere with its configuration and they cannot turn those off while on duty.