Thursday, December 31, 2020
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Cellphone technician patay sa pamamaril sa Maynila
(UPDATE) - Patay ang isang 29 anyos na lalaki matapos siyang pagbabarilin sa Sta. Cruz, Maynila nitong Martes.
Kinilala ang biktima na si Jude Portez, residente sa Felix Huertas Road at isang cellphone technician.
Ayon kay Kagawad Sonia Anzures ng Barangay 331, nakarinig sila ng isang malakas na putok bandang alas-9 ng gabi.
Isang lalaki na nakahandusay sa kanto ng Tayuman at Dapdap St. ang tumambad sa kanila.
Tama ng bala sa ulo ang agad ikinamatay ng biktima.
Wala naman umano siyang naikuwentong kaalitan, ayon sa amang si Edwin Portez kaya ikinagulat na lang nila ang nangyari.
Nangangalap naman ng testigo ang pulisya para sa imbestigasyon ng suspek at motibo sa pagpatay.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/30/20/lalaki-patay-sa-pamamaril-sa-maynila
Nasa 50 bahay, sumiklab sa Quezon City; 100 pamilya apektado
Hindi bababa sa 50 bahay ang nasunog sa Purok 2 sa Barangay Culiat sa Quezon City nitong Martes.
Ayon kay SFO Fidel Natiggi, naunang nai-report sa Bureau of Fire Protection ang sunog bandang alas 8:27 ng gabi.
Residential area sa Barangay Culiat, Quezon City, nasusunog ngayon. Ikalimang alarma nakataas pa rin @DZMMTeleRadyo @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/u5158ir6Nf
— Joyce Balancio (@joycebalancio) December 29, 2020
Nagsimula ang sunog sa dalawang palapag na bahay. Dahil gawa ito sa light materials, agad kumalat ang apoy sa katabing mga bahay.
Ilang minuto lang din ay naiakyat sa ikalimang alarma ang sunog bandang alas 9 ng gabi.
Ang mga residente, nahirapan na pagsalba ng mga gamit dahil sa biglaang paglaki ng sunog.
Marami nang tauhan ng Bureau of Fire Protection ang rumesponde at tinulungan din ng fire volunteers mula sa iba’t ibang mga barangay.
Tinatayang nasa 100 pamilya ang naapektuhan.
Wala naman naitalang namatay o nasugatan sa sunog na nedeklarang fire out bandang 10:05 ng gabi.
Hanggang ngayon ay inaalam pa ng BFP ang pinagmulan nito.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/30/20/nasa-50-bahay-sumiklab-sa-quezon-city-100-pamilya-apektado
Commuter rail
A JICA senior consultant on transport once observed that we were better off during the tranvia days in the 1930s. We had 85 kilometers of rails then compared to just 50 kilometers now. Normal countries can expect progress. In our case, the retrogression in our transport infrastructure is scandalous.
Administrations from Marcos to all the post-EDSA presidents neglected the development of our rail transport sector. The Philippine National Railways had long been a sad excuse of a railway company for many decades. Its locomotives and rail cars are dilapidated to the point that no respectable museum will accept these specimens of neglect.
When PNR was applying for a renewal of its franchise in 2014, Sen. Ralph Recto commented: “50 years na ang franchise ng PNR… We started with a rail line of 1,100 plus kilometers. Today you are operating 50 kilometers only and we have not heard anything from the DOTC on what plans as far as PNR is concerned.”
Transport experts have estimated the need for at least 300 kilometers of rail lines in Metro Manila alone in the next 15 years. “It is hopeless,” one expert told me, “because DOTC can’t even build a f*cking four kilometer rail line to extend LRT 2 to Antipolo before P-Noy bows out of office.”
That’s the mess inherited by DOTr Sec. Art Tugade. But even Tugade found it difficult to pick up from where Jun Abaya left off. It will still take five years under Tugade before the LRT-2 extension of four kilometers is hopefully completed.
Then fire destroyed the electrical system of one of LRT2’s stations. LRTA is taking forever to repair it. Even Tugade, when I asked him during my Zoom interview with him, couldn’t give a good explanation of the delay. I assume they had procurement problems, as always.
But Sec. Art proudly pointed me to a project he started: the Metro Manila Subway, the most expensive local rail-based commuter service. Transport economists are shaking their heads in disbelief that so expensive a system will serve so few.
The subway line will be from Valenzuela to NAIA Terminal 3/FTI. It will serve 370,000 passengers per day in the first year of full operations. It will cut travel time from Quezon City to NAIA from one hour and 10 minutes to just 35 minutes.
They are still doing pre-construction works, manufacturing the tunnel boring machine (TBM), acquiring Right-of-Way (ROW), and procuring electromechanical, rolling stock, etc.
They hope to be able to do partial operation in the first quarter of 2022 to give Duterte the honor of inaugurating one segment of it. Full operation is hoped for by fourth quarter of 2025.
The other big project Tugade inherited from Abaya is the Common Station. To Tugade’s credit, it untangled the messy details of the project. Construction is ongoing for a total concourse area of 13,700 square meters connecting LRT-1, MRT-3, MRT-7, and the Metro Manila Subway at the corner of North Avenue and EDSA in Quezon City.
Overall project completion rate as of Nov. 15: 44.98 percent. They are aiming for partial operation by third quarter of 2021 (without signalling) and full operation by fourth quarter of 2021 (with signalling).
Tugade also gets credit for untangling the NorthRail mess of the Arroyo and Aquino regimes. The China-financed project was finally dumped and the Japanese have taken over. Even the concrete posts completed by the Chinese were demolished. The Japanese do not want to assume responsibility for the little that the Chinese have built.
The Japanese financed PNR Clark Phase 1 from Tutuban to Malolos has started construction and they are also manufacturing 104 trains. Overall project completion rate as of Nov. 15: 41.18 percent. Partial operation is set for fourth quarter of 2021 with the arrival of the first train set. Full operation is hoped for by second quarter of 2024.
The PNR Clark Phase 2 from Malolos to Clark International Airport is still in early stages. But all five civil works packages are already awarded and procurement of rolling stock contractor is ongoing.
Overall project completion rate as of Nov. 15: 27.49 percent. They are looking at partial operation by second quarter of 2023 and full operation by third quarter 2024.
They are also rehabilitating the PNR commuter line to the South. The PNR Calamba commuter line from Solis (Manila) to Los Banos (Laguna) will benefit 350,000 passengers per day and cut travel time from three hours to just one hour. This is Japanese funded.
They are now working on the resettlement action plan (RAP) activities, ongoing procurement for four out of eight civil works contract packages. They are looking at partial operations by second quarter of 2025 and full operation by fourth quarter of 2026.
They are also rehabilitating the PNR Bicol line from Manila to Sorsogon / Port of Batangas as a China financed project. They are in very early stages and I do not believe their promise of partial operation by second quarter of 2022 and full operation by 2025.
Same thing with the Davao Railway, also a China funded project. China seems to be taking its time and is not as adept as the Japanese have been with the Manila to Clark railway. They are now waiting for the shortlist of design-build contractors from the Chinese Embassy.
There is one other project in the list, the Clark to Subic cargo railway. It is supposed to support economic growth and form an integrated logistics corridor in Central Luzon. Experts say it is not an urgent need since there are two major highways with the same alignment. This is China funded.
No rush for the project that may end up a white elephant.
We are lucky it is the Japanese who are funding the important commuter lines. Not only are Japanese loans a lot cheaper than Chinese, they move faster.
We need those commuter lines like yesterday. Once available, people can live further away from Manila and still get to work within an hour. Developing resettlement areas for informal settlers will be more viable.
We can only hope that Tugade can complete those projects on time. He is certainly a big improvement from Abaya, who did pretty much nothing.
Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco
https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/12/30/2066986/commuter-rail
Skyway Stage 3 to open on January 14
The Skyway Stage 3 project will formally open on Jan. 14, Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced yesterday.
San Miguel Corp. (SMC) earlier announced that motorists can use the Skyway Stage 3 for free for one month, beginning yesterday.
“Skyway Stage 3 is a critical component of the EDSA Decongestion Project – a master plan composed of 25 projects. When the project is fully opened on Jan. 14, at least 55,000 vehicles are expected to be diverted from EDSA, C5 and other major thoroughfares,” Villar said.
The Skyway Stage 3 project is an 18-kilometer elevated expressway starting from Buendia in Makati to North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) in Balintawak, Quezon City.
“Soon, travel time from NLEX to SLEX (South Luzon Expressway) will be reduced from two hours to only 30 minutes. Makati to Quezon City will only be 20 minutes away,” Villar said.
There will be seven available ramps along the expressway: the Buendia northbound on ramp and southbound off ramp, Plaza Dilao southbound on ramp, Quezon Avenue northbound and southbound on and off ramps and Balintawak northbound off ramp and southbound on ramp, according to Villar.
“The Skyway Stage 3 project will eventually connect to the NLEX Harbor Link, which opened this year, via the NLEX-SLEX Connector in 2021,” he said. “We are confident that by 2022, every city in Metro Manila will be accessible in a 20 to 30-minute timeframe.”
The NLEX-SLEX Connector is an eight-kilometer elevated four-lane toll expressway that traverses the NLEX southbound route from the end of Segment 10 along C3 Road in Caloocan to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila. It is expected to divert at least 35,000 motorists every day from EDSA and C5.
Invitation
In a Facebook post yesterday, SMC president and CEO Ramon Ang said while the firm is still completing some finishing works until the Skyway Stage 3 officially opens on Jan. 14, “I invite motorists to try it out. It’s free for a month, so that more can experience seamless travel between north and south, and to and from major cities like Makati, Manila and Quezon City.”
Motorists will only be able to use four of the Skyway Stage 3’s seven lanes until its official opening, when all seven lanes will be opened. – Jose Rodel Clapano
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2020/12/30/2067033/skyway-stage-3-open-january-14
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Monday, December 28, 2020
'Hindi pa kailangan ng lockdown': Año backs GCQ in Metro Manila for January
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Monday he supported maintaining the less strict general community quarantine (GCQ) status in Metro Manila in January despite the threat of a new, potentially more transmissible variant of COVID-19.
Reimposing stringent lockdown measures may not be needed for now in the Philippine capital, which has yet to record a case of a coronavirus variant that recently emerged in the UK, he told Teleradyo.
"Para sa akin, hindi pa naman kinakailangan na magkaroon tayo ng lockdown kasi nga wala pa tayong pruweba na nakapasok dito," Año said.
(For me, there's no need to impose a lockdown because there's no proof [that the coronavirus variant] has entered the country.)
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce on Monday new quarantine classifications for next year.
The chief executive said Saturday a lockdown may be "a possibility" if the coronavirus variant is detected in the country.
Año said the country already imposed travel restriction on the United Kingdom, while those coming from countries with cases of the COVID-19 variant would have to undergo mandatory quarantine.
"Ang aming focus talaga ngayon ay paano mapipigilan ang pagpasok ng bagong variant dito sa loob ng bansa," he said.
(Our focus now is to prevent the entry of the new variant in our country.)
The variant of the virus was first reported earlier this month in the UK and has since been detected in other countries, including Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
Experts have said the mutated coronavirus could be up to 70 percent more transmissible but there was no evidence of it being virulent.
Since the pandemic began, the Philippines has so far tallied 469,886 coronavirus infections, of which 9,109 resulted in deaths. Some 438,678 people have recovered from the disease while 22,099 are still sick with the virus.
The Philippines employs a 4-level community quarantine scheme ranging from the strictest enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) to the most relaxed MGCQ.
The quarantine level dictates the type of business activities allowed in a certain area, as well as travel restrictions.
They should commute!
Edison Bong Nebrija of MMDA posted this on Twitter last week: “As I was passing the busway last night at around 10 p.m., I passed a bus overloaded with passengers. I radioed the base to apprehend the said bus. When are we going to learn? COVID pa more!”
A commuter responded: “Sir 10 p.m. to midnight po to be honest sobrang hirap po sumakay. Kung tatanungin nyo po yan mga yan di din po nila gusto yan pero dahil kulang po ang transpo at wala ng masakyan we take risk po makauwi lang… minsan nilalakad ko mula Cubao to Marikina dahil wala na transpo. Ang hirap pag wala na LRT. Instead na sitahin mo sana intindihin nyo po muna. And try nyo lumagay sa kalagayan ng commuter.”
Oo nga naman. Of course, the MMDA official can say the lack of transpo is not his responsibility, but DOTr’s. I realized that so I sent a screenshot of this exchange to DOTr Sec Art Tugade via Viber. I asked him if it is possible to increase the number of buses to meet needs at all hours.
Tugade’s response: “We can. We have been consistently increasing routes kaya lang po may capacity limitation ang mga units dahil sa social distancing…”
Not sure Sec. Art captured the urgency and desperation of commuters who have to crowd buses or walk because there are not enough units on the road towards midnight. Many of our workers work at night.
All along I thought with the new system of service contracting or buses being paid by the government to provide the service, they are able to field enough units to cover the needs of commuters, specially towards midnight. Apparently, there is still a problem that Tugade must fix.
Following COVID safety rules like social distancing is one thing. Providing enough units so social distancing is possible is another. Sec Art should have someone out in the streets monitoring commuter needs all the time. Providing public transportation, even towards midnight, is his responsibility.
Actually, on the Cubao to Marikina corridor, things would not be so bad if LRT-2 is running. The damage caused by a fire that destroyed one of its stations over a year ago has not yet been repaired.
Indeed, one of the questions I asked Sec. Art in my Zoom interview with him last week was the status of the commuter rail projects. There is good news, bad news, and par for the course news. Here is what’s happening with the more important projects:
On the LRT-1 Cavite Extension from Baclaran (Paranaque) – Niog, Bacoor (Cavite), capacity will cut travel time from Baclaran to Bacoor from one hour 10 minutes down to 25 minutes.
They are now manufacturing 120 light rail vehicles or LRVs in Spain and Mexico and the overall project completion rate as of Nov. 15 is 50.54 percent. They hope to partially operate by the fourth quarter of 2021 and full operations by first quarter of 2024.
On my favorite four-kilometer LRT-2 East extension from Santolan (Pasig) to Masinag (Antipolo), overall project completion rate as of Nov. 15: 93.78 percent. Full operation set for April 2021.
On the LRT-2 West extension from Recto (Manila) to Pier 4 (Manila), they are still preparing for procurement of the design-build contractor for civil works, rolling stock, and electromechanical systems (EMS). Overall project completion rate as of Nov. 15: 8.57 percent. Full operation is promised by fourth quarter of 2023.
I still think they should further extend LRT2 from Masinag to Cogeo, where a lot of low salaried government employees were given housing. They and their children who study in Manila can benefit. Mukhang mahina yung congressman ng Antipolo.
On the MRT-3 Rehabilitation, Tugade has done what Mar Roxas and Jun Abaya couldn’t do, and the job is almost done too. The rehabilitation of MRT3 involves the restoration of LRVs, rail and tracks, signaling system, overhead catenary system (OCS), communications system, and depot and station equipment.
They have, in fact, managed to increase train speed from 30 kph to 60 kph, decrease headway from nine minutes to 3.5 minutes.
There is still ongoing restoration and general overhauling of LRVs and other systems and equipment. The overall project completion rate as of Nov. 15, is still just at 56.22 percent.
But they completed rail replacement works last September. They hope to complete total rehab by July 2021.
There is a proposed MRT-4 from V. Mapa (Manila) – Taytay (Rizal). It will provide an efficient connection between the densely populated cities in Metro Manila (Manila, Mandaluyong and Pasig) and the neighboring municipalities of Rizal (Cainta and Taytay).
But it is in its early stages. They are in the process of procuring a detailed engineering design consultant. They say it will have full operation by 2025. I have my doubts given that LRT2’s four-kilometer extension, with no right of way problem, is now 10 years in the making.
MRT-7 from North Ave. (Quezon City) to San Jose del Monte (Bulacan) is now under construction. It is a San Miguel project and is now delayed by a series of ROW problems. ROW is the government’s responsibility.
Its overall project completion rate as of Nov. 15: 59.47 percent. They are looking at partial operations by fourth quarter of 2021 and full operations by 2022.
My column this Wednesday will cover the other rail projects on DOTr’s projects list.
It is good to know that at least, Tugade seems more determined to deliver on the rail projects than his predecessor, Jun Abaya.
The job of catching up is daunting, but at least Tugade is moving as fast as the government system allows him to. But he needs to have the heart of a commuter for him to understand the urgency of providing relief.
Having come from humble means, that shouldn’t be difficult for Tugade to do.
Finally, some good news about Skyway Stage 3 from Makati to Balintawak. Ramon Ang texted me that “Dec. 29 9 a.m. opening with street lights, lane marking and non-slip surface na.” Did I get it right that one month toll free?
Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is bchanco@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco
Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Tuesday, December 22, 2020
Key viaduct contract awarded on Philippines commuter rail line
Bouygues Construction subsidiary VSL International has secured a €100M (£89M) deal to build a 16km long viaduct for the North-South Commuter Railway in the Philippines.
The new 148km rail route, being built by Taisei Corporation and the DM Consunji Inc, will link New Clark City, in Tarlac province, to the city of Calamba City, in Laguna province.
VSL will precast the 4,810 concrete elements for the viaduct at a dedicated 8ha precast yard and the viaduct itself will be built span by span by using four launching girders at the same time to minimise the overall construction time.
The structure is expected to take 30 months to complete.
Saturday, December 19, 2020
Tuesday, December 15, 2020
Sunday, December 13, 2020
Slain Los Baños mayor Caesar Perez laid to rest, as family calls for justice
Slain Los Baños town, Laguna Mayor Caesar Perez was laid to rest on Saturday, more than a week after he was gunned down in front of municipal hall on December 3.
His youngest son, Aldous Perez, said the family was still waiting for updates from the PNP and the NBI regarding his father's case.
Perez said he wanted to clarify with authorities whether his father was on the government's so-called narcolist at the time he was killed.
He said his family was offering more than P1 million for information that could help solve the case.
He called on government to help his family find the mayor's killers and clear the elder Perez's name.
"Sa atin pong mahal na Pangulo, ako ay taos pusong humihingi ng tulong sa inyo upang masolusyonan ito. Malaki ang tiwala ko sa ating Pangulo, sana po ay personal niyang pakialaman ito," he said.
Caesar Perez's remains were displayed at the municipal hall, where people paid their respectsm
At municipal hall, Perez's family and close associates spoke about him, emphasizing his kind nature and his good work as the town's mayor.
A theme throughout the day was repeated calls for justice, and demands from Perez's loved ones that the case be solved immediately.
As the day drew to a close, the remains were escorted to the cemetery where Perez was laid to rest.
Friday, December 11, 2020
LRT-1 Cavite extension now 50% complete: DOTr
By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
The Cavite extension project of the Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) is about halfway complete according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“As of November 30, this long-awaited and highly-anticipated rail extension of LRT-1 is now halfway, with 50.54% overall progress rate,” the DOTr said in a Facebook post on Friday.
The project was 38.70 percent complete as of April 30.
In a message, DOTr Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan said that by December 2021, the first station of the Cavite Extension, Redemptorist Station in Baclaran, will be partially operational.
“And we’ve instructed the concessionaire, the Light Rail Manila Corporation, to target operationalizing additional stations up to MIA Station or PITX Station soonest,” Batan said.
In total, the LRT-1's Cavite extension will span 11.7 kilometers from Baclaran Station southward and will traverse eight more stations — Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station, Las Piñas Station, Zapote Station, and Niog Station.
Once complete, it will extend the existing 20-kilometer LRT-1 to 32 kilometers and boost its passenger capacity from 500,000 passengers to 800,000 passengers per day.
The extension project is expected to cut the travel time from Baclaran to Bacoor City, Cavite from the current one to two hours to only 25 minutes.
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Wednesday, December 9, 2020
LGUs hinimok na magmatyag sa mass gathering sa Pasko
Taon-taon masayang sinasalubong ng pamilya ni Josefina Argoso ang Pasko at Bagong Taon.
Pero malaking pagbabago ang mangyayaring pagdiriwang ngayong 2020 hindi lang sa kanilang tahanan kundi sa marami pang mga pamilya.
Ipinagbawal kasi ng gobyerno ang mass gathering at reunion sa pangambang kumalat ang COVID-19.
"Kung 'yon ang talagang nararapat na gawin ngayong pandemic, respetuhin natin kung ano ang kautusan... para maging ligtas tayong lahat at bumalik na tayo sa normal," ani Argoso.
Naniniwala naman si Cloud Espino na posible pa ring maging masaya ang kapaskuhan.
"Isang bote kahit sa loob ng bahay muna," ani Espino.
Ayon sa Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), pinakiusapan nila ang mga lokal na pamahalaan na mag-issue ng executive order kaugnay sa pagmamatyag sa mga lalabag sa mass gathering.
"Kung may magre-report na nagkakaroon ng mass gathering sa mga bahay-bahay, baka puntahan kayo ng mga tanod or kapulisan para i-disassemble, or worse case, maari po kayong (ma-)penalize," ani DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing.
Pagdating aniya sa pagsunod sa health standards, malaking porsiyento naman ng mga Pilipino ang sumusunod, pero balewala ito kung itutuloy ang mga pagtitipon.
Ayon kay Densing, maraming hakbang para malaman kung may mga pumupuslit para makipagtipon.
"Bibigay ng directive sa mga LGU at PNP (Philippine National Police) na mag-set aside ng hotline where [the] public can report 'yung mga nagma-mass gathering, mga nagvi-videoke para mapuntahan ng mga tanod," ani Densing.
Base sa report ng OCTA Research Group, nasa tamang numero ang COVID-19 reproduction number ng bansa at positivity rate sa National Capital Region (NCR).
Pero ang ilang lalawigan gaya ng Benguet, Isabela, Bataan, Leyte, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, at Cagayan ang nakitaan ng mataas na bilang ng kaso kada araw.
Mataas din umano ang positivity rate sa Quezon province, Benguet, Isabela, at Cagayan.
Inaasahan ng OCTA ang muling pagtaas ng bilang ng mga kaso sa mga susunod na linggo, lalo na sa mga matataong lugar tulad ng NCR.
Ganoon din kasi umano ang nangyari sa ibang bansa, partikular sa Amerika at Canada, na tumaas ang kaso matapos ang Thanksgiving.
Panawagan ng grupo maging ng ibang eksperto na sana'y matuto ang mga Pilipino sa nangyari sa ibang bansa.
Sa tala ngayong Miyerkoles, umakyat sa 444,164 ang kabuuang bilang ng kumpirmadong kaso ng COVID-19 sa Pilipinas. Pero sa bilang na iyon, 26,545 ang active cases o hindi pa gumagaling.
Inirekomenda na rin ng OCTA sa gobyerno na maaairing huwag na munang payagan ang mga conference at seminar sa mga general community quarantine area. -- Ulat ni Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/09/20/lgus-hinimok-na-magmatyag-sa-mass-gathering-sa-pasko
Ratification next step after Duterte proclaims San Jose del Monte in Bulacan a highly-urbanized city
PRESIDENT Duterte has recently proclaimed the city of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan as a highly-urbanized city.
San Jose Del Monte City Rep. Florida Robes said that the President, through Proclamation No. 1057, declared San Jose Del Monte as highly-urbanized city subject to ratification in a plebiscite by qualified voters in the city.
President Duterte, under Proclamation 1057 stated that under Section 453 of Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, the President shall declare a city a highly-urbanized city within 30 days after it has achieved a minimum population of 200,000 as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority and an income of at least P50 million as certified by the City Treasurer.
“Whereas, the population and income of the City of San Jose Del Monte have been verified and attested to by the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of Finance – Bureau of Local Government Finance, respectively,” Duterte said.
“Now therefore I, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and existing laws, do hereby proclaim the City of San Jose Del Monte as a highly-urbanized city, provided that this proclamation shall take effect only upon ratification in a plebiscite by the qualified voters therein, as provided for in Section 453 of RA 7160,” the President stated in the proclamation.
President Duterte’s proclamation came after the Sangguniang Panglungsod of San Jose Del Monte, through Resolution No. 2019-059-09, requested the President to declare the city as a highly-urbanized city.
“Whereas, it is a declared policy of the government to support the initiatives of local governments to attain their fullest development as self-reliant communities, and make them effective partners in the attainment of national goals,” the President stated in the proclamation.
BBB program
Meanwhile, Robes with San Jose Del Monte Mayor Arthur Robes, also led the inauguration of the CSJDM Convention Center, the first convention center in the city, which is part of President Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” program.
“It is expected to encourage entrepreneurship and give full play to the development of more micro, small and medium enterprises in the city and, at the same time, attract more investments in commerce and industry to create more jobs,” said Robes during the inauguration of the City of San Jose Del Monte Convention Center (CSJDM) in Barangay Sapang Palay last Saturday
Robes said that CSJDM Convention Center is expected to spur investments by providing the required infrastructure to encourage business, create jobs and hasten economic growth.
Located at the Activity Center in Barangay Sapang Palay, the convention center has a 1,300-capacity main ballroom, two big function rooms and four conference rooms.
Robes added the convention center “is a dream come true” as it will encourage tourism, culture and education not just for the people of San Jose Del Monte but the whole of Bulacan.
“We are very proud of this convention center because it will showcase who we are and what have achieved so far. We expect it to further boost economic activity in our city and bring our city to new heights of development,” Robes said.
Sunday, December 6, 2020
Metro Manila Council says no public gatherings for New Year; fireworks displays to be regulated
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Filipinos in the National Capital Region will not be allowed to hold street parties or other public gatherings that are a staple of New Year’s celebrations, Parañaque Mayor and Metro Manila Council (MMC) chairman Edwin Olivarez has said.
According to a “24 Oras Weekend” report by Chino Gaston on Sunday, the MMC stressed the need for social distancing in New Year’s celebrations, and said that fireworks displays will be regulated.
“Meron po kaming bawa't isang LGU na kanya-kanyang firecracker ordinance, ‘yung firework display, ‘yun po ang ire-regulate po natin at titingnan po na tama ang paglalagyan at wala pong gathering,” Olivarez said.
The Philippine National Police also vowed to ensure that the public would not forget to observe health protocols against COVID-19.
Since 2017, powerful fireworks like pla-pla and piccolo have been banned.
The Department of Health said this led to a decrease in fireworks-related injuries.
The number of such injuries dropped to 164 in 2020 from a yearly average of 403 from 2014 to 2018, and 251 in 2019.
Metro Manila mayors earlier rejected the holding of Christmas parties. — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News
San Jose del Monte now a highly urbanized city
President Rodrigo Duterte has declared San Jose del Monte in Bulacan as a highly urbanized city, subject to ratification in a plebiscite.
San Jose del Monte City Rep. Florida Robes announced the presidential declaration during the inauguration of the City of San Jose Del Monte Convention Center on Saturday.
“We have long waited for this and we will work more to make us truly deserving of this proclamation for the people of San Jose del Monte,” Robes said.
The President’s Proclamation 1057 provides that cities with a minimum population of 200,000 inhabitants as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority, and with the latest annual income of at least P50 million shall be classified as highly urbanized cities.
Regional Updates (12/06/20)
San Jose Del Monte now a ‘highly urbanized city’
THE city of San Jose Del Monte in Bulacan has been proclaimed as a highly urbanized city, its congressional representative said over the weekend. Rep. Florida P. Robes said the upgrade will “give full play to the development of more micro, small and medium enterprises in the city and at the same time attract more investments in commerce and industry to create more jobs.” The city’s new level, made through Proclamation No. 1057, will be subject to ratification through a yet to be scheduled plebiscite. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
Over 300 illegal aliens arrested in Tarlac
MORE than 300 aliens working in the country without appropriate visas were arrested last week, Immigration Commissioner Jaime H. Morente said on Sunday. Mr. Morente said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) received information about a worksite in Bamban, Tarlac allegedly employing at least 200 undocumented aliens. “Upon investigation and verification with our agents, we immediately issued a mission order to effect their arrest,” Mr. Morente said. The operation rounded up 323 Chinese, eight Malaysians, and one Indonesian who were reportedly involved in online gamlbing, internet fraud, and cybercrime operations. All 332 are now under NBI custody pending the filing of appropriate charges and deportation. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
All Antique towns lift ban on homecomers as regular PAL flights resume, Starlite ferry service eyed
ANTIQUE province, which has one of the lowest coronavirus cases in the country at 79 with just two active and 76 recoveries as of Dec. 5, is celebrating its annual Binirayan Festival this month and all towns have lifted the moratorium on returning residents. Gov. Rhodora J. Cadiao, during Friday’s opening ceremony of the month-long celebration, said Christmas “remains to be a time for family and love despite the challenges faced by the province” as she thanked the municipal governments for agreeing to open their borders for homecomers. One of the festival highlights is a bazaar and various markets at the capitol grounds in San Jose de Buenavista town featuring local entrepreneurs. “All I ask is for us to follow the health protocols as we will still be together to celebrate the entirety of this festival,” Ms. Cadiao said.
TRANSPORT
Also on Friday, the governor met with officials of Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. and its subsidiary Starlite Ferries, Inc. for the possible opening of trips to the Lipata Port in Culasi town. Starlite General Manager Shane Arante said most of their customers on existing routes from Batangas to the Western Visayas Region are from Antique, who then take additional transport to their hometowns. “Majority of passengers of Starlite are from Antique, so it’s really part of our agenda to serve Antique. After this meeting with Governor Cadiao, we are proceeding to the port in Culasi to evaluate the technical aspects of the port if the vessel we intend to deploy is safe to birth the Culasi port,” Ms. Arante is quoted in a statement from the provincial government. Chelsea Logistics President and Chief Executive Officer Chryss V. Damuy, for his part, said the planned route will also be able to serve cargo demand. “There are other businesses that also intend to expand in Antique which also need support of logistics,” Mr. Damuy said. The routes being considered are Batangas-Caticlan-Culasi or Batangas-Iloilo-Bacolod. For air services, Philippine Airlines resumed on Dec. 2 twice-a-week commercial flights between Manila and Antique. — MSJ
Lady San Jose del Monte City solon cites HUC tag
San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan Rep. Florida Robes is savoring her district’s new highly urbanized city (HUC) tag which practically brings the city shoulder-to-shoulder with the heavyweights in the National Capital Region (NCR).
“I am very honored to announce that President Rodrigo Duterte has declared our beloved city a highly-urbanized city. We have long waited for this and we will work more to make us truly deserving of this proclamation for the people of San Jose del Monte,” Robes said during the inauguration of the City of San Jose Del Monte Convention Center (CSJDM) in Barangay Sapang Palay Saturday.
“Our end-goal, of course, is to improve the quality of life of the people of San Jose del Monte. We have laid the groundwork for that and we are seeing the fruits of our hard work,” added the solon, chairwoman of the Committee on People’s Participation in the House of Representatives.
Duterte declared SJDM a highly-urbanized city thru Proclamation No. 1057. Under Section 453 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, the President shall declare a city an HUC within 30 days after it has achieved a minimum population of 200,000 as certified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and an income of at least P50 million as certified by the City Treasurer.
The Palace declaration is subject to ratification in a plebiscite by qualified voters of the city. Of the more than 30 HUCs in the country, 16 are located in NCR or Metro Manila.
“We are now a city on the rise and I believe that we can push our city further forward through the help and support of our beloved San Joseno,” Robes said.
The CSJDM Convention Center – the first such facility in the city – is part of Duterte’s flagship “Build, Build, Build” program. It is expected to further encourage entrepreneurship and spur the development of more micro, small, and medium enterprises in the city.
The new convention center – which boasts a 1,300-capacity main ballroom, as well as two big function rooms, and four conference rooms – is seen to attract more investments, which would then translate to more jobs for local folk.
“We are very proud of this convention center because it will showcase who we are and what have achieved so far. We expect it to further boost economic activity in our city and bring our city to new heights of development,” Robes said, calling the structure a “dream come true.”
SJDM Mayor Arthur Robes, the lady solon’s husband, was also present during the inauguration.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/12/06/lady-san-jose-del-monte-city-solon-cites-huc-tag/
Saturday, December 5, 2020
QC to shorten curfew period from midnight to 3 a.m., citing Simbang Gabi
Caroling strictly prohibited
The Quezon City government on Saturday announced it would shorten the curfew between midnight to 3 a.m., starting December 16 to give way to Simbang Gabi.
This was in accordance with the latest pronouncements of the Inter-Agency Task Force and the Metro Manila Council (MMC).
“Bahagi na ng pagdiriwang ng kapaskuhan at ng ating kultura ang Simbang Gabi kaya kahit may pandemya, nais nating panatihiling buhay ang diwa nito,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
(Simbang Gabi has been a part of our culture and Christmas celebrations. This is why we want to continue the tradition despite the pandemic.)
But Belmonte said devotees should not exceed 30 percent of the venue’s capacity and basic health protocols must be followed, such as social distancing and wearing face masks and face shields.
“Hindi natin dapat kalimutan na mayroon pa ring pandemya at kailangan tayong mag-ingat upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng virus,” she said.
(We should not forget there is still a pandemic, so we need to be careful spreading the virus.)
Quezon City adjusted its curfew hours, a few days after San Juan City passed a similar ordinance.
But Belmonte prohibited caroling and encouraged families to limit Christmas and New Year celebrations to the immediate household.
“We also strongly discourage commingling of multiple households in activities, such as large family reunions,” said Belmonte, adding that non-essential gatherings of more than 10 persons remain strictly prohibited.
People between 15 to 65 years old are allowed to leave home, provided that they have a company ID, school ID or any government-issued ID. Those younger or older than the permitted ages may leave home only to buy essentials.
Public gatherings shall be allowed subject to health protocols.
For trade shows, bazaars and the like, or when otherwise applicable, organizers are required to obtain a special permit from the city's Business Permits and Licensing Department.
"Whenever feasible, gatherings should use open-air venues or naturally ventilated indoor venues," Belmonte said.
Organizers of work-related or commercial gatherings must keep a log of all attendees for contact tracing purposes. The city government also encourages the use of a digital contact tracing method, such as SafePass for easier contact tracing.
Metro Manila malls deploy more guards to monitor minors at premises
Some shopping malls in Metro Manila have started to deploy additional security personnel and health officers to make sure minors do not enter shopping malls, following the decision of mayors to ban children there.
Guards could be seen roaming Robinsons malls to ensure that minors are there only for “essential” activities with their parents, such as going to dental clinics, said Myron Yao, the mall’s regional operations manager.
The management of Ayala Malls and SM Malls, meanwhile, implemented the order of local government units (LGU) prohibiting children from entering malls.
“Ang direksyon namin sa lahat ng SM sumunod sa itinakda ng LGU na talagang pagsabihan at pagbawalan ang mga menor de edad na pumunta sa mga mall so mayroon nakalagay sa batas na except that getting essentials,” SM Supermalls senior vice president Bien Mateo said.
(We directed all branches of SM to follow the guidelines of the LGU and to remind, ban minors from entering malls, except when doing essential errands.)
Mall management also assured the public nobody would be apprehended, but there would be constant reminders regarding the restriction meant to prevent children from catching the virus or spreading it.
An infectious diseases expert earlier urged LGUs to consider reopening parks during the holiday season because of the order.
Dr. Benjamin Co said even with safety measures against the novel coronavirus, there is no guarantee that going to malls is safe for those allowed. -- TeleRadyo Dec. 5, 2020
Pamamaril sa Los Baños mayor posibleng 2 ang suspek: pulisya
Dalawa ang posibleng suspek sa pamamaslang sa alkalde ng Los Baños na si Caesar Perez, ayon sa pulisya.
Pinag-aaralan ng Philippine National Police ang mga kuha sa CCTV sa lugar at mga kalapit na establisimyento, kung saan dalawang lalaking naka-face mask ang nakita umano sa lugar nang pagbabarilin ang alkalde.
Pero tumanggi muna silang ibahagi nito sa media habang gumugulong pa ang imbestigasyon.
"At that time, maaring alam din ng mga suspek kung saan sila mag-escape. ‘Yung nagamit na baril, hindi pa rin po ma identify ng SOCO kasi nawasak po yung slab," ani Philippine National Police Spokesperson Brandi Usana.
Los Baños, Laguna mayor dies after being shot in town hall
Namatay sa pamamaril si Perez Huwebes ng gabi sa compound ng munisipyo.
Samantala, dinagsa naman ng mga mahal sa buhay ang burol ni Perez sa kanilang bahay sa Barangay Batong Malake.
Naluluha si Leila Herbaño, kababata ni Perez nang dumalaw sa burol ng pinaslang na alkalde.
Hindi niya matanggap ang sinapit ng alkalde.
"He is not perfect. He might not be the best, pero he doesn’t deserve such kind of death,” ani Herbaño.
Dagsa ang mga nakikiramay sa bahay ng pamilya sa Barangay Batong Malake kung saan nakaburol ang bangkay ni Perez.
“Si governor, from time to time, kinakausap ang ating provincial director ng PNP para malaman niya ang mga developments sa imbestigasyon sa kaso because gusto namin na ma-serve po ‘yung hustisya,” ani Los Baños 2nd District Rep. Ruth Hernandez.
Pagkatapos ang pagkamatay ni Perez, mahigit 20 na ang alkalde at bise-alkalde na napapatay mula 2016, batay sa tala ng PNP.
Itinuring ni Akbayan Chair Emeritus at dating CHR Spokesperson Etta Rosales na extrajudicial killing (EJK) na dapat aniyang panagutan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte ang pagpaslang kay Perez.
“Once again, Mr. Duterte, you have blood on your hands. Kahit pandemya di nakapagpigil sa EJKs ng administrasyong ito,” ani Rosales sa pahayag.
Nadawit noon sa isyu ng bentahan ng ilegal na droga si Perez kaya napasama sa narcolist ni Duterte.
Noon nang itinanggi ito ni Perez.
Tumanggi munang magpaunlak ng panayam ang pamilya ng alkalde.
Hiling nila, mabigyan siya ng magandang alaala malayo sa kontrobersiya.
Ililipat ang labi ni Perez sa munisipyo sa susunod na linggo.
Pag-aaralan din ng pamilya ang hiling ng mga tagasuporta na magkaroon ng funeral procession na hindi lalabag sa health protocols. — Ulat ni Michael Delizo, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/05/20/pamamaril-sa-los-baos-mayor-posibleng-2-ang-suspek-pulisya
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Los Baños, Laguna mayor shot in town hall compound
The mayor of Los Baños, Laguna was wounded after he was shot inside the municipal hall compound Thursday night, police said.
Unidentified gunmen shot Los Baños Mayor Caesar Perez at the back of the the town hall building around 8:40 p.m., police said.
Perez was earlier included in the government's list of politicians with alleged links to illegal drugs.
He has been brought to a hospital.
Perez has denied any involvement in the illegal drug trade and blasted the release of the list as "unfair" and politically motivated.
"Yan ay politically motivated kasi 2017 pa nag-start yang rumor na yan na ako ay kasama sa drugs so inignore ko lang yan kasi alam ko na hindi totoo yan," he told ANC in 2019.
More details to follow.--With a report from Zhander Cayabyab, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/03/20/los-baos-laguna-mayor-shot-in-town-hall-compound
Tuesday, December 1, 2020
Monday, November 30, 2020
Caroling, Christmas office parties not allowed in Metro Manila
The traditional caroling ahead of Christmas as well as holiday parties in offices will not be allowed in Metro Manila, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said Monday.
“Yung pong atin pong pagsu-suspend ng atin mga caroling, hindi po papayagan po yung caroling at yun pong ating Christmas party sa lahat po ng ating public offices,” Olivarez, head of the Metro Manila Council (MMC) said in an interview on Teleradyo when asked what were discussed during a meeting Sunday night among mayors.
(We talked about the suspension of caroling; caroling will not be allowed, as well as Christmas parties, in public offices.)
Olivarez also said that the private sector is discouraged from holding Christmas parties, citing the restriction on public gatherings.
“Do’n po sa ating mga private offices, dini-discourage po natin ang Christmas party natin, mananatili pong 10 persons per gathering,” he said.
(With regards to private offices, conducting Christmas parties is discouraged because our limit for gatherings remains at 10 persons per gathering only.)
Olivarez said the MMC has already recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases the retention of the general community quarantine (GCQ) in their areas until the end of the year.
Most parts of the country have been under the less restrictive GCQ or modified GCQ the past few weeks.
Metro Manila, Batangas, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Tacloban City, Iligan City, and Lanao del Sur were placed under GCQ for the entire month of November while the rest of the country remained under MGCQ.
President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to announce the country’s quarantine classifications for December.
As of Sunday, the Philippines reported over 425,000 COVID-19 cases. Of the number, 387,616 recoveries and 8,255 deaths.
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1366320/caroling-christmas-office-parties-not-allowed-in-metro-manila
Friday, November 27, 2020
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Evacuees sa Rodriguez, Rizal sumailalim sa COVID-19 testing
Nagsagawa ng COVID-19 testing sa bayan ng Rodriguez, Rizal nitong Miyerkoles, kung saan kasama sa mga na-test ang mga evacuee na nasalanta ng Bagyong Ulysses.
Nasa 1,000 residente ng bayan, kasama ang evacuees, ang sumailalim sa swab test.
Mula nang manalasa ang bagyo, hindi na nasusunod ang physical distancing sa masikip na evacuation centers, tulad ng Kasiglahan Village Senior High School.
Wala na ring face mask ang mga residenteng tumutuloy sa evacuation center, na maaari sanang magsilbing pag-iingat laban sa nakahahawang sakit.
"Expanded testing ito," paliwanag ni Dr. Carmela Javier, municipal health officer.
"Dito, ang target ay vulnerable groups and ang evacuees natin sa different evacuation areas ay papupuntahin namin dito," aniya.
Panawagan para sa batang may sakit
Sa isang evacuation center tumutuloy ang pamilya ng 4 na taong gulang na si Mary Gelle Peregrino, na nagka-tuberculous, meningitis at ngayo'y may cerebral palsy at hydrocephalus.
LOOK: Among those still needing help in Kasiglahan Village in Rodriguez are 4-year old Mary Gelle Peregrino who had TB meningitis & is suffering from cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus according to her brother. Also needing assistance is a group of women who make pot holders. pic.twitter.com/HZ5U9eJSDa
— Adrian Ayalin (@adrianayalin) November 25, 2020
Nasa 27 pamilya ang kasama nina Peregrino sa center, na pawang mga nakatira sa Bukid Extension ng Kasigalahan Village na na-wash out ng umapaw na ilog noong kasagsagan ng bagyo.
"Nanawagan po kami upang magkaroon sana si Mary Gelle ng ano makakuha po kami ng tulong sa kaniya," ayon sa kapatid niyang si Ian Clyde.
Kasama umano sa mga kailangan ni Mary Gelle ang gamot at gatas.
Patuloy naman ang pagdating ng private donors, tulad ng isang namigay ng lugaw sa Kasiglahan Village Senior High School.
Tuwing may darating na ayuda, takbuhan pa rin ang mga taga-Kasiglahan Village para makakuha ng tulong.
Sa tala ng lokal na pamahalaan, may 2,000 pang evacuee na hindi makauwi sa kani-kanilang mga bahay.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/25/20/evacuees-sa-rodriguez-rizal-sumailalim-sa-covid-19-testing
Caroling not allowed in Davao City
CAROLING activities would have to be skipped this year after Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio prohibited the said activity this Christmas season while the city is still under a state of pandemic.
"Dili nato i-allow ang caroling kay ang singing is one activity na worse pa sa talking kay malagpot ang laway (We will not allow caroling because singing is one of the human activities that are worse than talking)," Duterte-Carpio said on Monday, November 23, via 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
This was also the main reason why churches are mandated to have only one singer during masses and have been prohibited to conduct community singing.
The mayor said singing may transmit droplets from one person to another.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), viruses can spread from an infected person's mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they sing, cough, sneeze, speak, or breathe heavily.
An article from sciencedaily.com said a study from the Aerosol Technology at Lund University shows that singing -- particularly loud and consonant-rich singing -- spreads a lot of aerosol particles and droplets into the surrounding air.
"Some droplets are so large that they only move a few decimeters from the mouth before they fall, whereas others are smaller and may continue to hover for minutes. In particular, the enunciation of consonants releases very large droplets and the letters B and P stand out as the biggest aerosol spreaders," Aerosol Technology doctoral student Malin Alsved said.
Meanwhile, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) head Marlissa Gallo said they are constantly monitoring areas that are frequented by street dwellers, including mendicants.
Gallo encouraged Dabawenyos to refrain from giving them alms.
"Bawal gyud na. Every day naa tay operations sa street dwellers, apil na diha ang caroling and begging (It is not allowed. Every day we have operations to check on street-dwellers, including those who are caroling and begging)," she said.
At present, CSWDO is in coordination with the Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC), the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), and the City Transport and Traffic Management System (CTTMO) to further intensify the operations, especially with the Christmas season.
Gallo also told Dabawenyos to report to the CSWDO, the police, and the barangay about the presence of carolers in their area.
"Dili man na siya essential nga movement, covered na sa Covid protocol nato. Pwede [mag report] sa police, CSWDO, and sa barangay (It is not considered essential movement, it is covered by our Covid protocol. They may report to the police, CSWDO, or the barangay," she said.
Based on the recent executive orders in the city, non-essential movements and gatherings are strictly prohibited as these might be "super spreaders" of the Covid-19 virus.
Young children, who are mostly doing carolings, are also prohibited from going outside as they are considered vulnerable to the virus.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año recently encouraged the public to do all their Christmas activities online.
"Kung magkakaroon ng caroling, siguro online na lang, online caroling pero yung personal at saka face-to-face ay sa ngayon hindi pa muna nararapat dahil hindi pa natin nafa-flatten ang (If there would be carolings, these can be done online. Online caroling is okay but personal and face-to-face is not because we have yet to flatten the) curve (of coronavirus disease 2019)," Año said in an interview. (With reports from CIO and PNA)
Bids sought for parts of South Commuter Railway project
THE Transportation department has started seeking bidders for the construction of viaducts, bridges, nine stations, and a depot for use by the South Commuter Railway project.
“The Department of Transportation (DoTr)… through its procuring agent, Procurement Service (PS) of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), now invites sealed bids, including technical and financial bids, from eligible bidders for the four contract packages,” the department said Tuesday.
The packages on offer are: building and civil engineering works for an 8.5-kilometer railway viaduct, including elevated stations in Alabang and Muntinlupa; building and civil engineering works for a 12.8-km railway viaduct, including elevated stations in San Pedro, Pacita, Biñan and Santa Rosa; building and civil engineering works for a 10.28-km railway viaduct, including elevated stations in Cabuyao and Calamba; and building and civil engineering works on a 22-hectare depot with buildings and facilities in Banlic, a barangay of Calamba.
The South Commuter Railway project is financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“Works will be procured through an open competitive bidding in accordance with ADB’s procurement policy,” the department said.
“The open competitive bidding will be conducted in accordance with the procedures in the bid documents following the ‘Single-Stage: One Envelope (including technical and financial bids),’ process, without pre-qualification,” it added.
The department added that bids must be submitted to the PS-DBM office in Manila on or before 10 a.m. on March 23, together with a bid security as specified in the bidding documents. — Arjay L. Balinbin
https://www.bworldonline.com/bids-sought-for-parts-of-south-commuter-railway-project/
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Sunday, November 22, 2020
1 dead, 4 others hurt as a Skyway steel bar collapses
By Ferdinand Patinio
One person died while at least four others were injured after a steel bar from the Skyway Extension Project fell on six vehicles on Saturday in Muntinlupa City.
According to the EEI Corp., the project’s contractor for Skyway Project, a girder fell on vehicles below around 8:50 a.m. killing one and injuring several others.
“At 8:50 this morning, a crane that was being positioned for its next task tilted and fell on the girder spanning the two posts of the north-bound Skyway extension project,” it said in a statement.
“The girder fell on vehicles below, killing at least one and injuring at least persons who were rushed by ambulances from the Skyway O&M Corp. and EEI to various hospitals,” it added.
The incident happened along the East Service Road of the city.
The private contractor added that they are monitoring the situation of those injured.
“We are monitoring the progress of the injured and are trying to get in touch with their next of kin for proper coordination and to extend any assistance they may need,” it added.
“Our hearts and prayers go with the affected families. This is an unfortunate and heartbreaking accident that must not happen again,” it said.
The company also vowed to review immediately its safety and operating protocols as it builds a strategic infrastructure for the public’s convenience.
“Updates will be released as new and material information becomes available,” it added.
Friday, November 20, 2020
Metro Pacific Tollways building 'urban ring road' linking north, south, east, west of Metro Manila
The Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Tollways Corp (MPTC) will build a network of expressways around Metro Manila that will connect all major roads in the metro, the firm announced on Friday.
The P150.6-billion "Urban Ring Road" will link the west, east, north, and south sides of Metro Manila via interconnected tollways which will comprise a “ring around the metropolis” for seamless urban travel, it said.
"That’s why we call it the ‘MPTC Urban Ring Road,’ which is designed to improve circulation and assure unimpeded traffic flow...The economic losses of city traffic are enormous. We’d like to help manage it, and the MPTC Urban Ring Road is our contribution,” Rodrigo Franco, MPTC President and CEO said in a statement.
It is also meant to decongest local roads and strengthen the road network configuration by separating local in-city trips from inter-city to inter-regional travel, it said.
The four expressways of the Urban Ring Road include:
- The 19.4-kilometer Elevated C-5 Expressway will connect Quezon City to Taguig, and also reduce the two-hour travel time to only 15 minutes.
- The C-5 South Link will connect C-5 Road to CAVITEX and will reduce the one-hour journey to 10 minutes.
- NLEX-CAVITEX Port Link Expressway will then connect CAVITEX to other expressways such as CALAX, NAIA Expressway, and SLEX.
- And the 5-km elevated NLEX Harbor Link-Port Area Section which will link Manila's Port Section to NLEX
MPTC said the road link system will allow for faster and "round-the-clock" transportation of goods within and through Metro Manila.
MPTC said the "Ring Road" concept was inspired by the body's circulatory system.
Thursday, November 19, 2020
Marikina records COVID-19 case after Ulysses onslaught
Marikina recorded one COVID-19 case after Typhoon Ulysses submerged houses and prompted residents to call for rescue atop their roofs, its mayor said Thursday, exactly a week after the storm's onslaught.
The patient, a 68 year-old male evacuee, was detected at the Barangka Elementary School and has since been isolated, according to Mayor Marcelino Teodoro.
All of the patient's relatives and close contacts tested negative for the coronavirus, he said.
"Ang priority pa rin natin talaga makabangon dito sa pinsalang dulot ng bagyo. Pangkabuhayan, 'yan po ang kailangan po; pero ayaw namin magdagdag problema pa ang COVID," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.
(Our priority is still to recover from the typhoon's destruction. We need livelihood and we also don't want COVID to add to our problems.)
The Philippines as of Wednesday reported 412,097 cases of COVID-19, of which 7,957 were deaths, 374,666 were recoveries, and 29,474 were considered active.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/19/20/marikina-records-covid-19-case-after-ulysses-onslaught
P3.4-M halaga ng shabu nasamsam sa 3 suspek sa Pasay drug bust
Aabot sa P3.4 milyong halaga ng shabu ang nakumpiska sa 3 suspek na naaresto sa buy-bust operation sa Pasay City hapon ng Miyerkoles.
Ayon kay Jigger Montallana, direktor ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency sa Calabarzon region, target ng operasyon na ikinasa ng kanilang ahensiya ang 3 suspek na pawang mga residente ng Parañaque City.
Binentahan umano ng mga suspek ng ilegal na droga ang isang tauhan ng PDEA na nagpanggap na buyer.
Aabot sa 500 gramo ng shabu ang nakumpiska sa mga suspek, na mahaharap sa kasong paglabag sa Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. -- Ulat ni Zhander Cayabyab, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/19/20/p34-m-halaga-ng-shabu-nasamsam-sa-3-suspek-sa-pasay-drug-bust
10 anyos na lalaki nalunod sa Dasmariñas
Wala nang buhay nang matagpuan nitong Miyerkoles ang isang 10 taong gulang na lalaki sa isang ilog sa Dasmariñas City, Cavite.
Ayon sa Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Cavite, nakatanggap sila pasado ala-1 ng hapon ng tawag tungkol sa taong nalunod sa ilog sa may Ilano Compound, Barangay San Manuel II.
Agad nagsagawa ng search and rescue operation ang PCG kasama ang Dasmariñas City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office para mahanap ang biktima.
Makalipas ang 20 minuto, nahanap ng mga diver ang bangkay ng bata, na base sa imbestigasyon ay naligo sa ilog nang mangyari ang insidente.
Nai-turnover na ang labi ng bata sa kaniyang ama matapos ang operasyon.
Muli namang nagpaalala ang mga awtoridad sa publiko na iwasang maligo sa mga ilog, lalo na tuwing panahon na maulan at may bagyo.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/19/20/10-anyos-na-lalaki-nalunod-sa-dasmarias
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
ABS-CBN rescue boats, fire truck tumugon sa mga nasalanta ng bagyo sa Marikina, Rizal
Isa ang emergency unit ng ABS-CBN sa mga rumesponde sa mga kapamilyang nasalanta ng matinding pagbaha nitong nakaraang bagyong Ulysses sa Marikina City at bayan ng Rodriguez sa Rizal.
Ayon kay Leo Bungubung, head ng ABS-CBN Corporate Security and Safety Division, nag-deploy sila noong Nobyembre 12, kasagsagan ng bagyo, ng tig-isang rescue boat sa Barangay Malanday sa Marikina at sa bayan ng Rodriguez.
“In total, nakapagligtas po tayo ng 17 kapamilya natin at limang households po ang ating napuntahan, parehas po sa Marikina at Rizal,” sabi ni Bungubung sa panayam sa TeleRadyo ngayong Miyerkoles.
Pinasok ng rescue boats ang mga kalsada na mataas na ang tubig-baha, at karamihan sa kanilang na-rescue ay mga kabataan.
“Sa isang pamilyang ni-rescue natin, may 8 tao. Lima doon, kabataan, edad 12 pababa. Tatlo lang adults. Nasa bubong na po yung ibang kapamilya natin. Yung iba, nasa second floor na po,” sabi niya.
Nabuo ang emergency management unit ng kumpanya taong 2014 at pinalawig ang kapasidad para rumesponde sa medical at ambulance transportation.
“Meron tayong fire rescue rin po, at ang recent na dinevelop namin ay yung urban response rescue natin para maka-responde sa mga kalamidad, natural disasters, earthquake at ito pong mga water search and rescue,” sabi niya.
From Quinta, Rolly, Siony, Tonyo, to Ulysses - the same areas continue to be battered by typhoons, one after another....
Posted by ABS - CBN Foundation on Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Nitong nakaraang linggo, ipinadala rin ang fire truck ng ABS-CBN sa Provident Village sa Marikina, sa pakikipag-ugnayan na rin sa Marikina Rescue at Bureau of Fire Protection.
“Sa dalawang araw po na yun—Sabado, Linggo, nakapaglinis po tayo ng 5 kabahayan at yun pong mangilan-ngilang kalsada sa Provident Village,” sabi niya.
Ang mga rumeresponde ay dumaan sa training mula basic first aid, high-angle rescue, fire fighting, survival training, hanggang sa water search and rescue.
Payo niya sa publiko na magkaroon ng kaalaman tungkol sa mga risk at hazard sa kanilang mga lugar.
“Alamin kung anong pwedeng gawing natural barriers and preparedness. Paghandaan natin. Mag-drill tayo. Isipin safety ng bawat isa,” sabi niya.
Bukod sa emergency rescue operations, patuloy pa ring nagdadala ng relief goods at pagkain ang Sagip Kapamilya ng ABS-CBN Foundation sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng mga nagdaang bagyo.
Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Meralco spends P10.9-B capex in nine months
Power utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has registered P10.9 billion worth of capital expenditures (capex) utilized within January-September period this year, with many of its capital projects on accelerated pace of implementations after the lockdown.
According to Ronnie L. Aperocho, first vice president and head of networks of Meralco, the utility firm already spent 88-percent of its earmarked capex this year, with resumption of many projects post-enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), based on the enforcement of the government in March to May this year.
“With the reversion to GCQ (general community quarantine), Meralco began to fast-track the implementation of catch-up and critical capex projects,” he said.
The Meralco executive emphasized that despite the pandemic, a total of 600 poles have been relocated to underpin the continuing implementation of the government’s Build, Build, Build (BBB) as well as Private-Public Partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects.
These included BBB projects like the North Luzon Expressway-South Luzon Expressway (NLEX-SLEX) connector road; Skyway Stage-3; Light Rail Transit-1 Cavite Extension; Metro Rail Transit Line-7 (MRT-7); C-5 South Link; Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAEx); C3-R10 Road; Philippine National Railways (PNR) North 1; Skyway Stage 2 Extension; and SLEX toll road projects.
The power firm specified that on top of those, 579 poles were also moved or transferred for the road widening projects being advanced by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
And due to the manifest increase in household electricity usage because of the work-from-home (WFH) arrangement and online learning of students during the pandemic, the company said it similarly implemented emergency capex programs that included installations of transformer load monitoring and accelerated distribution transformer, among others.
The company stressed that it monitored a total of 12,950 incidents of distribution and secondary level outages as of end-September this year because of higher heat index and abrupt increase in load, hence, it needed to immediately implement warranted system reinforcements.
The utility firm explained that it was able to achieve improvement in distribution transformer load, through the installation of 330 distribution transformer monitoring equipment into its system.
Meralco indicated that it also put up a new 150 megavolt ampere (MVA) transformer bank last September “to resolve critical overloading of the existing transformer banks” at its Malolos substation.
“This shall provide the needed capacity to meet the load growth in Bulacan and Pampanga within the Meralco franchise area,” the utility firm emphasized.
The company likewise completed the 115-kilovolt San Mateo-Diliman-Marikina line, which is a new eight-kilometer sub-transmission line backbone stretching from Commonwealth Avenue up to Batasan-San Mateo road.
“This shall serve the San Mateo substation which is currently under development and expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2021,” the power utility company said.
https://mb.com.ph/2020/11/17/meralco-spends-p10-9-b-capex-in-nine-months/
Sunday, November 15, 2020
Pagbangon mula sa Ulysses, palaisipan para sa ilang taga-Rodriguez, Rizal
Namatayan ng kapatid si Aprilyn Flor Cajefe nang manalasa ang bagyong Yolanda sa Tacloban City taong 2013.
Ngayon naman, nalunod sa baha ang 14 anyos niyang kapatid dahil sa bagyong Ulysses.
"Hindi ko magawang matulungan kasi anong magagawa ko nu’ng time na ‘yun?” ani Cajefe, na isa sa 15,000 nasa evacuation center sa bayan ng Rodriguez, Rizal na wala pang mauuwian.
Putik na lang imbes na bahay ang nakatayo sa ilang lugar matapos ragasain ng baha ang mga bahay nang bumagyo.
Ngayon, humihiling na lang ng relokasyon ang ilang residente.
Abala ang lahat sa paghahakot ng puwede pang maisalbang gamit at nililinis din ang mga puwede pang pakinabangan.
Pero may ilang tuliro pa rin sa pagsisimula pagkatapos ng unos.
"Ito po sa mama ko, may breast cancer siya, mga document niya po pero sa tingin ko wala nang maisalba," ani Estrella Ravojo.
"Sobrang hirap kasi magsisimula na naman sa simula," dagdag niya.
“Sana matulungan niyo ako dito kay ako sugat, wala akong pambiling gamot.”
Pahirapan din para sa ilang residente ang pagkuha ng tubig at ang kawalan ng kuryente.
"Mahirap na mahirap po ang ano dito, walang wala talaga, sira. Umaasa na lang po kami sa bigay-bigay na lugaw, tubig. Ni tubig nga po wala eh," ayon sa residenteng si Maria Raquel Manabat.
Sinisikap naman ng utility companies na maibalik ang kanilang serbisyo sa lalong madaling panahon. -- Ulat ni Michael Delizo, ABS-CBN News
Saturday, November 14, 2020
Metro Manila Skyway
Project Status:
- N. Domingo Bridge also known as Pinaglabanan Bridge (Old Sta. Mesa Bridge) opened to the public on March 11, 2020
- Sevilla Bridge opened to the public on August 17, 2020
- Quirino South Bound On Ramp (beginning at Concordia straight to Buendia, Skyway Stage 1) was completed and opened to traffic on July 22, 2019
- Quirino North Bound East Off Ramp (along Osmeña Highway and terminate before Quirino Ave.) was completed and opened to traffic on December 23, 2019
- Work stoppage from March 16, 2020 to May 15, 2020 due to ECQ in Luzon
- Concreting works for the entire main viaduct slabs including the reconstruction of fire affected structures in Sec. 2B was completed on October 11, 2020
- Ongoing construction of Section 1 Buendia-Quirino-Nagtahan, 91.08% accomplishment
- Ongoing construction of Section 2A Nagtahan-Tomas Claudio, 93.96% accomplishment
- Construction of Section 2A Tomas Claudio – PUP Sta. Mesa, 0% accomplishment
- Ongoing construction of Section 2B Tomas Claudio-Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, 94.77% accomplishment
- Ongoing construction of Section 3 Ramon Magsaysay to Quezon Ave., 97.35% accomplishment
- Ongoing construction of Section 4 Quezon Avenue – Balintawak, Q.C., 78.28% accomplishment
- Ongoing construction of Section 5 Balintawak, Q.C. – NLEX Footbridge, 92.70% accomplishment
- Overall construction accomplishment 92.17% (excluding Section 2A’)
- Construction of ramps accomplishment 50.35% (4 ramps completed, 19 ramps ongoing construction, 6 ramps under planning – total: 29 ramps)
Ramps completed:
- RN1 – Northbound On-Ramp Buendia (Open to traffic)
- RS1 – Southbound Off-Ramp Buendia (Open to traffic)
- RN2 – Northbound Off-Ramp Osmeña~Quirino (Open to traffic)
- RS3 – Southbound On-Ramp Plaza Dilao (Open to traffic)
Ramps ongoing construction:
- RN2 – Northbound On-Ramp Quirino
- RS3 – Southbound Off-Ramp Plaza Dilao
- RS3’ – Southbound Off-Ramp United Nations
- RN3 – Northbound Off-Ramp Nagtahan
- RN3-1 – Northbound On-Ramp Nagtahan
- RS3-1 – Southbound Off-Ramp Nagtahan
- RN5 – Northbound On-Ramp Araneta
- RS5 – Southbound Off-Ramp Araneta
- RN6 – Northbound Off-Ramp Quezon Ave.
- RS6 – Southbound Off-Ramp Quezon Ave.
- RN7 – Northbound On-Ramp Talayan-Quezon Ave.
- RS7 – Southbound Off-Ramp Talayan-Quezon Ave. (completed except asphalt overlay)
- RN8 – Northbound Off-Ramp to C3
- RS8 – Southbound On-Ramp from C3
- RS8-1 – Southbound Off-Ramp to C3
- RS9 – Southbound On-Ramp Balintawak/Ayala (with utilities obstruction)
- RN9 – Northbound Off-Ramp Balintawak/Ayala (with utilities obstruction)
- RN10 – Northbound Off-Ramp NLEX
- RS10 – Southbound On-Ramp NLEX
Ramps under planning:
- RS2 – Southbound On-Ramp Quirino-Osmeña
- RN2 – Northbound Off-Ramp Osmeña-Roxas Blvd.
- RN4 – Northbound On-Ramp Pandacan
- RS4 – Southbound Off-Ramp Pandacan
- RN4’ – Northbound Off-Ramp Valenzuela Street
- RS4’ – Southbound Off-Ramp Valenzuela Street
Overall Right-of-Way accomplishment (Site Possession) 95%(excluding Section 2A’), 231 out of 350 lots to be acquired with Permit to Enter
Thursday, November 12, 2020
Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Labella bans Christmas caroling: Covid-19 is still very much around
Mayor Edgardo Labella has agreed to ban prohibit Christmas street caroling in Cebu City to avoid the further spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).
“In order to ensure that the city’s programs and measures to mitigate the spread of the Covid-19 are maintained, the City of Cebu sees the need to impose a ban on street caroling within Cebu City within the period of community quarantine,” Labella’s Executive Order (EO) 104 read.
The EO defines caroler as “a person or group of persons who sing or dance to the tune of a song or music of praise or devotion heralding the birth of the Saviour on Christmas Day or any other tune whether for a charitable purpose, for a consideration or gratuitously. It includes persons furnishing music for the carolers.” (https://bit.ly/3eM312Y)
The mayor said caroling creates mass gathering as those who carol are often groups that go from house to house.
“If there is caroling, there will be a mass gathering. They will group together and go around, to go to houses, but this is something we have to avoid. I hope our carol singers will understand that, like our other traditions, we have to suspend this because we are still in the middle of a pandemic. Whether we like it or not, the virus is still very much around,” he furthered.
The city’s Emergency Operations Center and the Department of Health- 7 earlier pushed for the ban on Christmas caroling this year so as not to reverse the city’s progress in its fight against Covid-19.
https://visayas.politics.com.ph/labella-bans-xmas-caroling-covid-19-is-still-very-much-around/
DILG urges public to shift to online caroling
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) yesterday urged the public to shift to online caroling during the Christmas season, given the threat of COVID-19.
With proposals to ban the traditional house-to-house caroling likely to be approved, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said people should consider doing the activity online.
“If there would be caroling, probably go online instead,” he said in Filipino over Teleradyo.
Año said caroling would physically put people, especially children, at risk of contracting the disease.
The department chief said while measures have already been placed to contain COVID-19, the virus remains a threat.
“For now it’s not feasible because we have yet to flatten the curve,” Año said.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has yet to come up with a resolution banning caroling, as recommended by local chief executives in Metro Manila.
The Philippine National Police, which has been implementing quarantine protocols, has backed the proposed ban.
Metro Manila mayors have agreed, as well, to ban caroling in Metro Manila this Christmas season, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority general manager Jojo Garcia said yesterday.
The mayors came to the agreement during a virtual meeting Sunday, Garcia said.
Mayors agreed to ban caroling to avoid mass gatherings amid the pandemic, Malabon Mayor Antolin Oreta III and Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco both said.
The proposal will be forwarded to the IATF for its decision.
Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire had backed the proposed ban after studies have shown that singing increases the risk of virus transmission.
The proposed ban also followed the mayors’ agreement to ban Christmas parties in the metropolis, the epicenter of the virus outbreak, even as quarantine restrictions had been eased.
Likewise, the Archdiocese of Manila (RCAM) discouraged parishes and groups under it from holding Christmas parties to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
RCAM Chancellor Fr. Reginald Malicdem issued instructions to their clergy on the celebration of Advent, Simbang Gabi and Christmas, wherein it was mentioned that they are dissuading parishes, organizations and groups under their archdiocese from holding Christmas parties.
“We discourage parishes, communities and groups, in the RCAM from holding Christmas parties this year. We know that the gathering of people is an occasion usually prone to the spread of the virus,” said Malicdem. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Evelyn Macairan
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/11/11/2056028/dilg-urges-public-shift-online-caroling
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
62 anyos driver patay sa pamamaril sa QC
Patay ang isang 62 na ayos na lalaki na driver ng isang catering service matapos pagbabarilin sa Brgy. Holy Spirit sa Quezon City nitong Martes.
Kinilala ang biktima na si Lito Vidania, driver ng Red Spider Catering Services.
Ayon sa anak ng biktima, papunta dapat sa Divisoria umaga ng Martes si Vidania kasama ang kanyang amo, pero nasira raw ang kanilang sasakyan. Kaya umuwi na lang muna siya para mananghalian.
Umalis aniya si Vidania para ayusin ang kaniyang sasakyan.
Pero, pasado alas-3 ng hapon ay pinagababaril ito sa Sta. Monica Street sa nasabing barangay at agad namatay.
Agad umano tumakas ang gunman sakay ng motorsiklo.
Nakabulagta sa loob ng sasakyan sa driver’s side and biktima.
Base sa inisyal na imbestigasyon, 3 basyo ng bala ang nakita sa crime scene, ayon kay Staff Sgt. Jofrancis Burawes, imbestigador ng QCPD Station 14.
Inaalam pa ng pulisya kung nahagip ng mga CCTV camera ang pamamaril. — Wheng Hidalgo, ABS-CBN News
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/10/20/62-anyos-driver-patay-pamamaril-quezon-city
COVID-19 prompts Metro Manila mayors to urge IATF ban on caroling
Metro Manila mayors have unanimously agreed to recommend the banning of caroling this upcoming Christmas season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Yes po," Metro Manila Council chairman Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez told GMA News Online when asked if they local chiefs would recommend the ban to the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager Jojo Garcia said it was a "unanimous" decision that the Metro Manila mayors reached at a meeting over the weekend.
"Mayors meeting last sunday. Unanimous wala muna caroling this year. Will recommend sa IATF," MMDA General Manager Jojo said.
Manila and Quezon City already banned caroling in the streets over the Christmas holidays amid due to the virus.
The Joint Task Force COVID Shield over the weekend also supported proposals to ban caroling during the 2020 Christmas season due to the danger of COVID-19 infections among children.
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and National Task Force on COVID-19 Vice Chairman Eduardo Año also supported the caroling ban. -NB, GMA News
Monday, November 9, 2020
Manila, QC ban street caroling ahead of Christmas holidays amid COVID-19 pandemic
Manila and Quezon City have banned caroling in the streets over the Christmas holidaysamid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Raffy Tima’s report on “24 Oras”, the two cities prohibited the joy-giving activity to prevent the further spread of the virus.
On Sunday, the Joint Task Force COVID Shield supported proposals to ban caroling during the 2020 Christmas season due to the danger of COVID-19 infections among children.
JTF COVID Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said the groups was waiting for the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) on the proposals.
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and National Task Force on COVID-19 Vice Chairman Eduardo Año also supported the caroling ban.
Earlier, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba urged the national government to ban caroling as he believed this would prevent further transmission of COVID-19, which has so far infected 398,449 people in the country including 7,674 deaths.
The Department of Health called on the public to still follow health protocols during the holidays.
“May lumabas po na pag-aaral, this is just last week that we got it na naipakita po diyan ‘yong pagkanta ng malakas, ‘yan po ‘yong pinakamataas na porsyento or highest yield of the virus if you are infected, mas marami kang nailalabas,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Metro Manila mayors earlier banned the conduct of Christmas parties amid the threat of COVID-19. -NB, GMA News
Police back proposed ban on Christmas caroling
The police Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID-19 Shield is supporting proposals to ban house-to-house caroling during the Christmas season to curb the transmission of the virus, especially among children, an official said yesterday.
JTF commander and Philippine National Police deputy director for administration Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said it would be dangerous for children if local governments would allow street caroling during the pandemic.
Eleazar said he understands that caroling has been part of the Filipino tradition, but the country is facing a different situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are facing a serious threat. We believe that it is in the health interest of everybody if we just stay home and enjoy the Yuletide season with our families,” he said.
The JTF COVID-19 Shield is the quarantine enforcement arm of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The IATF has yet to decide on the proposal.
However, the Department of the Interior and Local Government earlier recommended the ban on caroling nationwide.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, who also sits as vice chairman of the National Task Force on COVID-19, cited studies and statistics as indicators that the virus likely spread in group singing activities as “singers have to remove their masks as they sing and viruses are released through aerosols.”
Eleazar said police commanders nationwide have been ordered to coordinate Christmas caroling policies with local governments.
If the ban is approved, he said parents should explain to their kids why there is a need to skip the traditional caroling this year.
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2020/11/09/2055536/police-back-proposed-ban-christmas-caroling
Sunday, November 8, 2020
JTF COVID Shield backs Christmas caroling ban proposal
The Joint Task Force COVID Shield supported proposals to ban caroling during the 2020 Christmas season due to the danger of COVID-19 infections among children.
In a Sunday statement, JTF COVID Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said they were waiting for the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) on the proposals.
“Caroling has always been part of the Filipino tradition, I believe each and every one of us has his or her funny and meaningful stories of caroling especially when we were children,” said Eleazar.
“But the situation is currently different. We are facing a serious threat [from COVID-19] and we in the JTF COVID Shield believe that it is in the health interest of everybody if we could just stay home and enjoy the Yuletide season with our family.”
Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and National Task Force on COVID-19 Vice Chairman Eduardo Año also supported the caroling ban.
“Based on studies and statistics, the spread of COVID-19 is more likely to occur in mass singing like choir and caroling because singers have to remove their masks as they sing and viruses are released through aerosols,” chimed Año.
Meanwhile, Eleazar, in coordination with Philippine National Police chief General Camilo Cascolan, instructed police commanders to work with their respective local governments over the possible caroling ban. — DVM, GMA News
JTF COVID Shield backs proposed ban on Christmas caroling
By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan
Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Sunday said he supports a proposal to ban caroling this Christmas season to prevent further transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Eleazar said he understands that caroling has always been part of the Filipino tradition, but the country is now facing different situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are facing a serious threat of coronavirus disease and we in the JTF COVID Shield believe that it is in the health interest of everybody if we could just stay home and enjoy the yuletide season with our family,” he said.
Eleazar said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has yet to decide on the proposal.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, who is also vice chairman of the National Task Force on Covid-19, also supports the caroling ban this year.
“Based on studies and statistics, the spread of Covid-19 is more likely to occur in mass singing like choir and caroling because singers have to remove their masks as they sing and viruses are released through aerosols,” Año said.
Año said he would recommend the ban on caroling nationwide.
In coordination with Philippine National Police chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan, Eleazar directed police commanders to coordinate with their respective local government unit (LGUs) with regard to caroling.
If the caroling ban is approved, Eleazar said parents should explain to their children why there is a need to skip the traditional caroling at least for this year.
He said children are considered as the most affected by the community quarantine rules since they could no longer do what they used to enjoy before the pandemic like going to school, playing with fellow kids and even going to the mall.
As of Saturday, the Philippines has 393,961 recorded Covid-19 cases with 350,216 recoveries and 7,485 deaths.