Navotas lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19 in antigen test

RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Navotas Rep. John Rey Tiangco on Tuesday disclosed he tested positive for COVID-19 in an antigen test, adding he was scheduled for the more accurate RT-PCR test Wednesday. 

"Para po sa inyong kaalaman, base sa antigen test ko ngayong gabi, ako ay nag-positibo sa COVID-19. Bukas po ay magpapa-RT-PCR test po ako," Tiangco posted on his Facebook page.

Tiangco said "he is doing fine" as he urged those he was in close contact with to get themselves tested.

"Mabuti naman po ang aking pakiramdam at kasalukuyan po akong naka-quarantine," the solon added.

Tiangco has yet to respond to ABS-CBN’s question on the result of his RT-PCR test, regarded as the most accurate COVID-19 test, to confirm his diagnosis.

Antigen tests are said to be less accurate but are more useful at checking for current infection than rapid antibody tests. They are also cheaper and quicker to use than PCR tests.

The Philippines' pandemic response task force earlier has started rolling out 30,000 rapid antigen tests daily to quickly identify and isolate infected persons. 

Antigen tests in NCR Plus (Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Bulacan) will be limited to patients and health care workers in hospitals, and in barangays with a high prevalence of infections.

Aside from Tiangco, Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Anak Kalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor, and Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong have all tested positive for COVID-19 this year.

Last year, Representatives Bernardita Ramos of Sorsogon and Francisco Datol of Senior Citizens Party-List died of complications due to COVID-19.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/navotas-lawmaker-tests-positive-for-covid-19-in-antigen-test

San Juan public schools get thousands of laptops, tablets

Public schools in San Juan City received Wednesday thousands of laptops, tablets and pocket WiFi devices that students can use for distance education as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora led the turnover of 12,500 tablets, 1,000 laptops and 1,000 pocket WiFi devices from the city government and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to principals and representatives of 13 public schools.

LOOK: DICT, San Juan City government complete turnover of tablets, laptops, pocket WiFi to public school students in the city (📷 Rolly Roque, ABS-CBN News) @ABSCBNNews pic.twitter.com/JG1ts7w6Re

— Bianca Dava 🐈‍⬛😺🐈 (@biancadava) April 28, 2021

Zamora said the laptops and WiFi devices would go to students in Grades 3 to 6 at the Pinaglabanan Elementary School as part of the DICT's Digital Education program.

Last year, public school teachers in San Juan received laptops from the city government.

The country's education system shifted to distance learning — where students learn from their homes via modules, online classes, and education programs aired over TV and radio — after government prohibited in-person classes due to the threat of the new coronavirus.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones has said she was pushing for the country's education system to move towards online or technology-mediated learning because Filipino students may be left behind in global competitiveness.

The Department of Education and DICT earlier allowed the construction of common towers in public schools, which are seen to expand connectivity in underserved areas and help telcos save on expenses.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/san-juan-public-schools-get-thousands-of-laptops-tablets

Research group suggests longer MECQ for NCR Plus

The OCTA Research Group on Wednesday urged government to extend the second toughest quarantine level in Metro Manila and surrounding Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal to maintain a downward trend in COVID-19 infections. 

President Rodrigo Duterte later Wednesday is expected to announce new quarantine classifications for May. NCR Plus has been under modified enhanced community quarantine since April 12, following a 2-week return to the strictest lockdown level. 

The reproduction rate of COVID-19 or the number of people infected by a patient, has gone down do 0.85, OCTA's Dr. Guido David said in a public briefing. 

“The numbers are trending in the right direction,” said David, a mathematics professor. 

An extension of MECQ will allow government to hire more contact-tracers and health workers, while opening up more health facilities, said OCTA Research fellow Ranjit Rye. 

“Once we have 1 or 2 weeks of this, makikita natin na we will have a foundation to open up to GCQ (general community quarantine) na mas solid, solid enough for us to sustain for the next 3, 4 months. Tamang-tama, dadating na iyong mga bakuna natin,” Ryq said in the same briefing.

“Iyon po ang aming posisyon sa OCTA, na talagang hindi puwede po mag-transition sa GCQ as we speak kasi iyong trend po natin puwede mag-reverse,” he added. 

(Once we have 1 or 2 weeks of this, we will have a more solid foundation to open up to GCQ, solid enough for us to sustain for the next 3, 4 months. It will coincide with the arrival of our vaccines. The position of OCTA is we really cannot transition to GCQ as we speak because our trend could reverse.) 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/04/28/21/may-octa-quarantine-ncr-plus-mecq

Higit 100 pamilya sa Muntinlupa nasunugan

Tinatayang nasa P1.3 milyon ang halaga ng pinsala sa sunog na sumiklab sa residential area sa Barangay Cupang, Muntinlupa City Martes ng gabi.

Sabi ng barangay, nawalan ng bahay ang nasa 119 pamilya na nakatira sa Aquino Damaso Compound/RRSNA Purok 2 na malapit sa riles ng Philippine National Railways.

Ayon sa Bureau of Fire Protection, itinawag sa kanila ang sunog pasado alas-11:30 ng gabi at itinaas ang ika-2 alarma ng hatinggabi.

Iniimbestigahan pa ang sanhi ng sunog pero ayon kay Fire Sr. Insp. Garynel Julian, deputy fire director ng lungsod, isa sa mga tinitingnang pinagmulan ay ang sumiklab na kawad ng kuryente na nagpaliyab sa bubong ng isang bahay.

“Pahirapan ang pagpasok ng ating mga firefighters. Gutted ang ating buildings, kailangan nating magbutas sa pader para makapasok sa fire scene,” ani Julian.

Sabi ng punong barangay na si Rainier Bulos, kinailangan pang tumalon ng ibang residente sa bakod o sa ilog para makaligtas sa pagkalat ng apoy kaya may ilang nagka-minor injuries.

Nadamay ang tinatayang 50 bahay pati ang katabing bodega ng refrigerants at air-conditioning coolants.

Dineklarang kontrolado na ang sunog pasado ala-1 ng madaling-araw.

Ayon sa BFP, alas-4:02 ng madaling-araw tuluyang naaapula ang apoy.

Binuksan ng barangay ang Cupang Plaza covered court at JRF multi-purpose hall bilang pansamantalang tutuluyan ng mga nasunugan.

Sabi ng mga bombero, posible pang tumaas ang kabuuang halaga ng natupok lalo na dahil sa mga nasunog na mga kemikal sa bodega. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/28/21/higit-100-pamilya-sa-muntinlupa-nasunugan