'Proof of leadership, not proof of life': Several senators chide Duterte over 'photo ops'

At least 3 senators on Tuesday chided President Rodrigo Duterte for his weeks-long absence in the public eye, saying Filipinos are not demanding for "proof of life" but "proof of good and authentic leadership."

Prior to his taped address on Monday, Duterte's former aide - Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go - has been providing pictures of the President playing golf, riding a motorcycle and jogging inside Malacañang to assure the public that the 76-year-old chief executive is still alive, contrary to rumors about his failing health.

"The President's presence and availability for photo ops can never substitute for clear, coherent, empathetic and compassionate leadership," opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros said in a tweet.

"Hindi naman proof of life ang hinihingi ng tao, kundi proof of good & authentic leadership, especially now. Filipinos want to feel that government cares," she said.

Opposition Sen. Leila de Lima called out Duterte for his alleged incompetence in handling the COVID-19 crisis in the Philippines.

"Habang nasa kung saang lupalop siya at nagpapa-photoshoot habang nagmemeryenda, nagja-jogging, naggo-golf at kung anu-ano pang pampalipas oras, araw-araw, daan-daan ang binabawian ng buhay at nauulila," she said in a tweet.

(While he was somewhere doing photoshoots while eating snacks, jogging, playing golf and other pastimes, hundreds are dying everyday.)

"If Duterte and his sycophants will continue to sleep on their job and their non-sense photo-ops just to prove that Duterte can still breathe or jog after two weeks of absence, we cannot and we will never recover. This has to end," she said.

In a taped address aired on Monday, Duterte said he made a point to hide from the public after receiving criticisms for his performance as president.

"Noong nawala ako ng ilang araw, talagang sinadya ko 'yun. Ganoon ako eh, kapag kinakalkal mo ako, lalo akong, parang bata? Kapag lalo mo akong kinakantyawan, eh mas lalo akong gumagana," he said.

(When I was gone for a few days, I did that on purpose. I am like that, when you look for me, I tend to act like a child. When you tease me, that's when I act up.)

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he hopes Duterte is now done "playing hide-and-seek."

"Sinadya daw niya. Sana, huling larong ‘hide-and-seek’ na ito ng Pangulo kasi maraming nag-aalala," Lacson tweeted.

"The health condition of any sitting president should be the concern of every Filipino. Even Vice President Leni Robredo had the moral decency to say that she was praying for him," he said.

Under the Constitution, the vice president would take over the highest seat of the land should the incumbent chief executive either die or be deemed incapable of fulfilling his role as the Philippines' top official.

At least 65 percent of Filipinos agreed that Duterte's health should be considered a public matter, according to an SWS survey released on April 12.

Despite Duterte's frequent absence from public events and briefings, Malacañang maintained that the President is "not sick."

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/rodrigo-duterte-proof-of-life-pr-hit-by-senators-critics

LRT-1, isasara muna sa 2 susunod na weekend

Ititigil muna sa dalawang susunod na weekend ang operasyon ng LRT-1, abiso ng Light Rail Manila Corporation ngayong Martes. 

Ayon sa Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), isasara ang riles nang Abril 17 hanggang 18, at Abril 24 hanggang Abril 25. 

Paliwanag nila, ito ay para ipagpatuloy ang kanilang maintenance works para sa mas maayos na serbisyo at biyahe ng mga bagon ng kanilang tren.

Ipinagpapatuloy nito ang nasimulang rehabilitation works noong Semana Santa, ayon sa LRMC. 

"The works to be carried out during this period would cover the maintenance of trains, stations, and various systems including the scheduled replacement of overhead catenary wires," ayon sa LRMC. 

Gagamitin din ang maintenance bilang paghahanda sa paggamit ng bagong Generation-4 train sets sa ikaapat na quarter ng taong ito.

Magde-deploy ang Department of Transportation ng mga bus na maaaring gamitin ng mga apektado ng pagsasara ng LRT-1. 

Tiniyak din ng LMRC ang mahigpit na implemantasyon ng health and safety protocols at guidelines ng Inter-Agency Task Force sa panahon ng kanilang maintenance works.

"LRMC assures that it will continue to enforce its health and safety protocols, as well as comply with IATF guidelines while performing the maintenance works during this period," ayon sa LRMC. 

-- Ulat ni Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/lrt-1-weekend-closure-april-17-18-24-25

DICT pilot-tests vaccine registry system in San Juan

The Department of Information and Communications Technology on Tuesday launched a system that would fast-track the vaccination process in the country to as quick as 10 minutes.

The agency held a pilot launch of the Vaccine Information Management System Immunization Registry or VIMS-IR in San Juan City, which will be later implemented in other localities, ICT Secretary Gringo Honasan said.

Per procedure, individuals up for shots must first be checked for vital signs. Their data will be encoded into the master list for COVID-19 vaccination.

"'Pag upo po ni manong diyan sa vaccination center, hahanapin lang iyong pangalan niya, wala ng ini-input... tapos pinapa-check lang iyong consent. So that takes less than a minute," DICT Undersecretary Manny Caintic said.

(When he's at the vaccination center, they will just search for his name, no more input... then ask for his consent. So, that takes less than a minute.)

During the screening, doctors will interview vaccine recipients regarding their health condition. If there are no issues, they may proceed to vaccination. 

The whole process takes about 5 to 10 minutes, Caintic said.

With the system in place, health authorities can focus on other tasks related to the COVID-19 response such as testing and contact tracing.

"Iyong added work load in terms of documentation, natanggal na. Kasi ang nangyari dati, noong mga unang araw ng pagbabakuna, kahit nagsara na iyong actual vaccination ng 5 p.m., they have to stay until about 10 p.m. just to collate all the data for the day," said San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora.

(It removes the added work load in terms of documentation. What happened before was, during the first day of vaccination, even if the vaccination closed at 5 p.m., they have to stay until about 10 p.m. just to collate all the data for the day.)

Zamora added that local government units could also immediately submit their quick count for the number of people vaccinated in a given day. 

ABS-CBN News spoke with Domingo Francisco, a 72-year-old man who has been vaccinated. He recalled the vaccination process was swift and orderly, even when he had to rest for 15 minutes at the vital signs station because of high blood pressure. 

"Ngayon lang ako lumabas eh after more than one year (It's my first time to go outside after more than a year)," he said. 

As internet access and speed are crucial to the system, Caintic said the DICT would provide internet connection to San Juan and other LGUs that would use the system. 

Honasan also made the assurance that the data privacy of residents would be protected through measures provided by the National Privacy Commission. 

Meanwhile, testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon said the government continues to ramp up COVID testing, especially in the so-called NCR Plus bubble.

Dizon said the deployment of antigen test kits in Metro Manila, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna and Batangas started Monday. 

"Ang tina-target natin sa NCR Plus (bubble), additional 20,000 a day na antigen (test). For RT-PCR, sa ngayon nasa almost 30,000 na tayo. Hopefully mapataas pa natin iyon. Kung isasama natin ang antigen test, ang target natin for NCR Plus would be about 50,000 a day," he said. 

(Our target for the NCR plus, additional 20,000 a day na antigen. For RT-PCR, for now we're at almost 30,000. Hopefully we could still increase that. If we include the antigen test, our target for NCR Plus would be about 50,000 a day.)

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/dict-pilot-tests-vaccine-registry-system-in-san-juan

Hinihinalang lider ng grupo ng mga kriminal, patay sa engkuwentro sa Maynila

 MAYNILA — Patay ang isang lalaking sinasabing lider ng isang grupo ng mga kriminal matapos makipagbarilan sa mga umaarestong pulis sa lungsod na ito, sabi ngayong Martes ng mga awtoridad.

Ayon sa Manila Police District (MPD), magsisilbi sana sila ng arrest warrant para sa kasong murder laban kay Rommel Tiatco, 20, sa bahay nito sa Tondo district.

Pero nagpaputok umano ng baril ang suspek na nauwi sa engkuwentro.

Itinakbo pa sa ospital si Tiatco pero idineklara ring dead on arrival.

Si Tiatco ay lider umano ng crime group na dawit sa mga basag-kotse at holdapan sa Metro Manila at mga karatig-probinsiya, sabi ni MPD Director Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco.

Siya rin umano ang suspek sa pagpatay sa pulis-Maynila na si Danreb Cipriano noong Oktubre 15, 2020 sa Tondo.

Narekober ang baril na ginamit ng suspek.

Patuloy naman umano ang pagtugis ng mga awtoridad sa ibang miyembro ng grupo ni Tiatco. -- Ulat ni Jerome Lantin, ABS-CBN News

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/hinihinalang-lider-ng-grupo-ng-mga-kriminal-patay-sa-engkuwentro-sa-maynila

A look at SMC's Skyway Extension Project

More than 8,200 vaccinated so far vs COVID-19 in San Juan, says Mayor Zamora

San Juan City has so far vaccinated more than 8,200 people against COVID-19 since it began its inoculation program on March 6, its mayor said Tuesday.

The city government has administered the anti-coronavirus jabs to 4,170 medical frontliners, 2,443 persons with comorbidities and 1,609 senior citizens, Mayor Francis Zamora told ANC.

"Every single day, we vaccinate around 600 to 800 San Juaneños. Definitely, we can increase these numbers as supply increase as well," Zamora said.

San Juan on Monday began inoculating older people with the CoronaVac vaccine developed by China's Sinovac Biotech.

The city aims to vaccinate more than 85,000 of its residents or two-thirds of its population to achieve herd immunity.

In the interview, Zamora said San Juan had 1,125 coronavirus active cases.

"If we hadn’t gone to ECQ (enhanced community quarantine), I would assume that by now, we would be around the 2,000-level given the daily growth we are experiencing before," he said.

To decongest its hospitals from COVID-19 admissions, the city is set to open container vans as quarantine facilities, Zamora said. It will have 26 rooms with air conditioning and toilet.

The city mayor said they were also collaborating with the Philippine Red Cross to open 2 community-based isolation facilities, which could cater around 200 patients.

"I'm optimistic that by end of April, all of these will be fully functional," Zamora said.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/san-juan-8200-vaccinated-covid-19

Pagkumpuni sa nasirang tubo ng Manila Water sa EDSA tapos na

Mahigit 30 oras mula nang matamaan at tumagas dahil sa installation work, nakompleto na ang pagkukumpuni sa nasirang tubo ng Manila Water sa EDSA Mandaluyong ngayong Martes.

Ayon sa kompanya, bandang alas-2:45 ng madaling-araw natapos palitan ang nag-leak na tubo at naayos ang main line ng tubig sa bahagi ng EDSA-Boni Avenue northbound.

Sinimulan agad ang pagpapadaloy ng tubig sa tubo para makabalik ang supply ng tubig sa mga naapektuhang customer sa Mandaluyong, Pasig, San Juan, at Quezon City.

Sinabi ng Manila Water na inaasahan nilang babalik ang supply sa mga lugar hanggang alas-6 ng umaga.

Nagtuloy-tuloy hanggang madaling-araw ang pagkumpuni sa linya ng tubig na unang inasahang matatapos pa Lunes ng hapon.

Pero ayon sa Manila Water, naging mahirap ang mga kondisyon sa lugar bukod sa matinding pagkasira sa water pipe.

Halos isang araw bumulwak ang tubig sa tubo matapos matamaan Linggo ng gabi ng backhoe ng contractor ng Metro Manila Development Authority na naglalatag ng optical fiber para sa mga ikakabit na CCTV.

Sinabi ng MMDA na hindi alam ng contractor na lumihis ang linya ng tubig sa hinuhukayan nila, pero giit ng Manila Water nag-abiso sila kung saan dapat humukay.

Ayon kay Manila Water spokesperson Jeric Sevilla, pagbabayarin nila ng danyos ang contractor na Awin Technology para sa nasirang linya.

Nagdulot din ng matinding traffic noong rush hour ang aberya.

Umabot sa 100,000 bahay sa 35 barangay ang nawalan ng suplay ng tubig dahil sa nasirang tubo.

Bukod sa mga apektadong lugar, pinadalhan ng tanker ng Manila Water ang mga ospital sa lugar tulad ng VRP Medical Center sa Mandaluyong habang inaayos ang linya.

Paalala ng kompanya, pagbalik ng supply ng tubig ay maghintay ng ilang minuto bago gamitin ang tubig na lalabas sa gripo.

Tiniyak din nila sa mga apektadong konsyumer na hindi ipapasa sa kanila ang halaga ng natapong tubig na tinagurian nang “non-revenue water” o systems loss. #

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/pagkumpuni-sa-nasirang-tubo-ng-manila-water-sa-edsa-tapos-na

Marikina eyes house-to-house vaccination for seniors, PWDs as registration starts

Mobile vaccination may soon be available for residents of Marikina City, especially senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro said Monday he has been in talks with the Philippine Red Cross to borrow mobile vaccination vans for bedridden seniors and PWDs who want to be registered and vaccinated against COVID-19. 

In Marikina, online registration is needed for residents looking to get inoculated.

"Kinausap ko ang ating mga barangay . . . Sabi ko, mga seniors natin gusto magpa-register sa vaccination natin. Ngayon, marami sa seniors hindi marunong mag-online registration," Teodoro said in an interview with veteran broadcaster Jing Castañeda.

"[Para] sa mga di marunong mag-online, sinabihan ko 'yung mga barangay, pwede sila mag house-to-house para kunin nila 'yung rehistro ng mga seniors na gusto magpabakuna."

According to Teodoro, elderly residents can also go to their respective barangay centers for registration.

"Sa bawat barangay pwede na magparehistro simula [Martes]," he said.

According to the mayor, the city has vaccinated at least 2,500 seniors after the city health office had extra COVID-19 vaccine doses in the wake of the inoculation of medical frontliners in Marikina, where vaccination of all health workers has been completed.

"Humihingi po ng pang-unawa ang pamahalaang lungsod ng Marikina na hindi pa mababakunahan ang lahat ng mga registered senior citizens sapagkat limitado na rin po ang suplay ng ating mga natitirang bakuna (Sinovac). Patuloy po ang ating pag-follow up sa DOH para sa ating request na bagong stocks ng bakuna," the Marikina public information office said earlier.

Teodoro said 2,500 senior citizens were prioritized out of 73,000 because they had serious comorbidities.

At least 73,000 seniors still need to be inoculated against COVID-19, and at least 275,000 Marikina residents to achieve herd immunity in the city, he added.

Based on Marikina's official tally, the city has confirmed 8,666 COVID-19 as of Monday, with 7,315 recoveries and 204 fatalities. Active cases stand at 1,147.

Marikina was one of Metro Manila cities that experienced a strong surge of daily COVID-19 cases late March, which prompted national government to place the capital region under the strictest quarantine level again, a year after its first implementation.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/marikina-eyes-house-to-house-vaccination-for-seniors-pwds-as-registration-starts

Duterte pinatutukan sa DILG ang mga reklamo sa pamamahagi ng ayuda sa NCR Plus

Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News

Ipinag-utos ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) na tugunan ang mga napapanood niyang reklamo ng mga Pilipino sa pamamahagi ng ayuda para sa mga apektado ng ipinairal na enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) sa NCR Plus.

“Marami nagreklamo na ano . . . So ask your field offices to try to make the rounds and investigate if these allegations are true," ani Duterte. 

"I don’t have any reason to doubt the mayors, lalo na iyong malalaki. Just the same para hindi tayo mapasama dito sa telebisyon, may hindi pinagbibigyan, piso lang, kung piso lang grabe na iyan."

Iginiit ng office-in-charge ng DILG na si Usec. Bernardo Florece na tanging ang bayan ng Calauan, Laguna, lang ang nagbigay ng ayuda in kind, at sa pag-monitor aniya ng kagawaran, wala naman umanong reklamo ang mga tao sa pamimigay ng ayuda. 

Tila taliwas naman ito sa napapabalitang sitwasyon sa pamimigay ng ayuda sa ilang mga lugar. 

Sinabi naman ni Social Welfare Sec. Rolando Bautista na may mekanismo ring itinayo para tumanggap at tumugon sa mga reklamo ng mga benepisaryo ng ayuda. 

Sa ulat niya, magmula nang mamigay ng ayuda noong April 6, nasa 8% pa lang ng target beneficiaries ang nahahatiran ng tulong hanggang April 12. 

Katumbas ito ng 1,757,281 na mga indibidwal mula sa target na 22.9 million na benepisaryo. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/duterte-pinatutukan-sa-dilg-ang-mga-reklamo-sa-pamamahagi-ng-ayuda-sa-ncr-plus

Pamimigay ng ayuda sa barangay sa Taguig, itinigil muna dahil sa magulong proseso

Joyce Balancio, ABS-CBN News

Ipinatigil muna ang pamamahagi ng ayuda sa Silangan Elementary School para sana sa mga residente ng Barangay Upper Bicutan sa Taguig nitong Lunes.

Ayon kay Nikki Rose Operario, ang pinuno ng city social welfare and development office, target sana nilang makapamahagi ng ayuda sa 2,000 na mga household, pero umabot lang sa higit 600 ang nabigyan nito.

Nagsimula sila ng alas-8 ng umaga, pero itinigil muna ang pamamahagi matapos magkagulo sa proseso ng pagbibigay ng ayuda.

“Mayroon po tayong beneficiaries na hindi kasama doon sa pinost namin na listahan natin, wherein nagkaroon ng gulo at may tulakan sa mga beneficiary and even po authority natin ay hindi na nila sinusunod," ani Operario.

"Magkakaron po ng reschedule upang maayos po natin ang sistema upang masunod ang proseso at lahat ng empleyado dito sa amin, kung baga pagod na rin sila kailangan maayos ang proseso," aniya.

Kabilang sa mga hindi nakakuha ng ayuda ay sina Jenny Rikafrente at Shaira Jayne Gabriel. Parehas silang matagal na pumila mula pa umaga.

“Wala man lang sila konsiderasyon tapos nagkagulo lang pauuwiin na nila. Ganoon-ganoon lang iyon? Ire-reschedule lang uli?” ani Rikafrente.

Dagdag ni Gabriel: “Nahirapan po kami kumuha ng ayuda kasi ang tagal po ng proseso. Wala pong progress, walang usad sa pila."

Humihingi naman ng pang-unawa at kooperasyon ang mga awtoridad sa mga residente ng Taguig. Aayusin muna anila ang proseso bago mag-reschedule ng pamamahagi muli ng ayuda. 

“May grievance committee kung saan sinasagot ang lahat ng katanungan nila. At kung kaya namin tulungan sa mga tinutugunan namin. Venue po kailangan i-consider din po and iyong proseso nandoon dapat ang kooperasyon ng bawat beneficiaries,” ani Operario.

Ito na ang ika-4 na araw na pamamahagi ng nasa P1,000 hanggang P4,000 ayuda para sa mga residente ng naturang barangay. 

Ayon naman kay Operario, initial roll-out pa lang ito at posibleng dagdagan din ito ng lokal na pamahalaan. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/13/21/pamimigay-ng-ayuda-sa-barangay-sa-taguig-itinigil-muna-dahil-sa-magulong-proseso

MMDA reiterates implementation of new curfew hours even as PNP says otherwise

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday reiterated that new curfew hours amid the COVID-19 surge will be implemented starting Monday.

This, after a Philippine National Police official said it will be following the old 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew despite the lower quarantine level implemented in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces.

In a statement, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos said the Metro Manila Council has already passed a resolution approving the new curfew hours from 8 p.m to 5 a. m.

This was also what Abalos announced Sunday night after the whole NCR Plus area was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

PNP spokesperson PBGen. Ildebrandi Usana earlier said they will still implement the old curfew hours because they have not yet received a copy of the resolution from the Metro Manila Council.

Mananatili pa rin sa 6pm to 5am ang curfew sa NCR dahil hindi pa natatanggap ng PNP ang MMDA resolution na nagbabago sa curfew na 8pm-5am, ayon kay PNP-PIO Chief BGen. Ildebrandi Usana. | via @dolandcastro pic.twitter.com/3Q4gCl1OGI

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) April 12, 2021

Abalos, however, said he has already talked to the Department of Interior and Local Government about the new curfew hours.

"Although the PNP has not yet been given a hard copy of the resolution, we already clarified the matter with Usec. Jonathan Malaya of DILG. I stand by my statement that there was a resolution passed by MMC adjusting curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.," Abalos said.

Aside from Metro Manila and Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces–which government calls NCR Plus- Quirino and Abra provinces, and Santiago City in Isabela shift to the looser MECQ from April 12 until the end of the month.

Under ECQ and MECQ, those allowed to go out are only those aged 18 to 65 who need to get essential goods and services, and those working in allowed industries, as well as "Authorized Persons Outside Residence", Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.     

The Philippines has recorded 876,225 COVID-19 cases, among the highest in Asia, as of Monday. Of these, 157,451 or 18 percent are active.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/12/21/mmda-reiterates-implementation-of-new-curfew-hours-even-as-pnp-says-otherwise