More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
The bets police state is a panopticon where everyone is always being watched. This in turns makes the people submissive to the whims of the government. It is in this sprit that Ilocos Norte is asking the people to snitch on each other.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149357 |
Law enforcers in the province of Ilocos Norte have sought the help of netizens to report quarantine protocol violators if they happen to see one.
Through the localized program dubbed as “Kabsat, E-Pulongmo!”, netizens are asked to help monitor by taking and sending real-time photos or videos of violators to the official Facebook page of the municipal, city, or provincial police station or call local hotline number 09457187074.
When reporting, the format should indicate the name and address of the netizen, those who are involved in the photo or video and then send it to the Laoag City police station Facebook page which is open round the clock.
“But if such act needs an immediate police response, the public may feel free to call the police station near them,” said Laoag City police chief Rafael Lero on Wednesday.
Among the most common quarantine violations that even people themselves flaunt on social media are mass gathering and celebrations, drinking sessions, non-observance of physical distancing, and non-wearing of face masks.
One could say that the Philippines is slowly slipping into a police state but that would not be true. There has always been a touch of authoritarianism in this country. There has also always been a lack of clarity from the government about what is happening. This lack of communication caused a massive panic and overcrowding at a single vaccination site in Manila.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1469893/somebodys-threats-vs-unvaccinated-people-triggered-public-fear-manila-mayor |
The statements and threats made by “somebody” against unvaccinated individuals generated public fear, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said, following the chaos that ensued in vaccination sites in the city.
(First of all, it’s us in the government who are at fault. Why? Because the vaccines should have arrived a long time ago, now, people got scared because of remarks that they will be jailed, they will not be given aid, they will not be allowed to go outside.)
“I did not make that statement, somebody did. That generate[d] fear,” he added.
“I’m not the type of person who will go out in the evening and keep pointing fingers to others. I always look at the mirror. As I have said, it’s (vaccination drive) not perfect but it delivers the objective we are achieving,” he also said.
While Moreno did not name names, President Rodrigo Duterte, in a speech last week, said he would ask the police to escort unvaccinated people back to their homes.
Before this, Duterte also threatened arrest to those who refuse to get vaccinated.
When asked point-blank if Duterte should be blamed for the chaos that broke out in inoculation sites on Thursday, Moreno replied: “No, that’s unfair.”
“We will be strict in this, we need to. If you won’t comply and insist on going outside, of course we will arrest you. Those who won’t follow may continue the transmission and be a carrier of COVID-19,” Año said.
He added that while government only plans for a two-week ECQ, an extension is not ruled out, depending on advice from experts and data analysts.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/06/21/arresting-health-protocol-violators-last-resort-pnp |
The country’s top cop said Friday police officers would exercise maximum tolerance as they start implementing protocols under the enhanced community quarantine in Metro Manila.
In an interview on ANC’s Rundown, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said arresting health protocol violators would be the last resort.
“Kung talagang insisting ang mga 'yan lalo na kung meron talagang disobedience, obstruction and related criminal offenses then we will arrest them,” said Eleazar.
Will they arrest violators immediately or not? Not only is there contradictory advice on how the PNP is to treat quarantine violators but an extension of ECQ is likely in the mix. But no matter how long an extension the DOH says a spike in cases is inevitable.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149707 |
The imposition of the one-week general community quarantine with heightened restrictions (GCQ-HR), followed by a five-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) would not stop the increase of active cases in Metro Manila but it could decrease the original projection for September.
Citing initial forecasts from experts, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Saturday even if Metro Manila implements "higher community quarantine classifications," cases would still reach about 18,000 next month, and higher if it stayed under GCQ-HR for four weeks.
"Naipa-update natin itong projections. If we do GCQ-HR for one week and five weeks ECQ, puwede tayong magkaroon ng15,000 active cases by the end of September (We were able to update the projections. If we do GCQ-HR for one week and five weeks ECQ, we could get 15,000 active cases by the end of September)," she said in a Laging Handa briefing.
Sharing other scenarios, Vergeire said Metro Manila would hit 42,000 active cases if it implements a mix of one-week GCQ-HR, three-week ECQ, and two-week modified ECQ; and about 58,000 if it loosens the classifications to a one-week GCQ-HR with two weeks of ECQ and three weeks of modified ECQ (MECQ).
"So looking at our projections, makikika natin na kahit tayo ay magsasagawa nitong paghihigpit ng ating mga community quarantine classifications, we will still see the rise in the number of cases pero ang pinaka-importante kung masasabayan natin ng pagpre-prepareng ating sistema at magbabakuna ng mas madami ang hope natin ay walang masyadong magiging severe infections (We could see that even if we impose tougher classifications, we will still see a rise in the number of cases but the most important thing here is to prepare our system and vaccinate more people in the hope of having fewer severe infections)," she said.
Vergeire said the current spike in cases is likely driven by the more transmissible Delta variant in the Philippines.
The DOH is not yet ready to admit community transmission of the Delta variant but they are ready to blame a spike in cases on the public being lax in following health protocls.
Do you live in Manila and want to go for a run? Better think again.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149947 |
The Metro Manila Council (MMC) has prohibited outdoor exercise for the remainder of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The order was released on Monday afternoon through MMDA Resolution No. 21-17, series of 2021, signed by the 17 NCR mayors and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr.
“It is hereby resolved that the MMC prohibits outdoor exercise in NCR during the ECQ until 20 August 2021 through the local government units of Metro Manila,” the resolution read.
The decision was made after the “steady rise” in the number of Covid-19 cases, including confirmed cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus in the region.
While the MMC recognizes the need for exercise -- especially to promote and maintain physical, mental, and emotional health -- staying at home is necessary to stem the current rise in Covid-19 cases.
There is always a way to get around this as there are not PNP on every street. That has been my experience anyway.
Even though you can't go running in Manila during the 2 week (or more) lockdown you can go out to get the vaccine.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/08/08/2118429/manila-starts-247-vaccination-service |
The Manila city government will start its 24-hour, seven days a week vaccination program in three public elementary schools tonight, Manila Public Information Office (PIO) chief Julius Leonen said yesterday.
In a Viber message, Leonen said the three 24/7 vaccinations sites will be at the Isabelo Delos Reyes Elementary School in Tondo, Holy Trinity Academy in Sampaloc and Jacinto Zamora Elementary School in Pandacan.
Leonen said that no walk-ins will be accommodated at the 24/7 vaccination sites, where operations will start at 7 p.m. tonight, a first in the country.
If you are planning to leave the country be aware that the Philippine vcxx card might not be accepted.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1149999 |
The Philippine government is coordinating with the international community on the acceptance of vaccination cards issued to individuals who are already fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Malacañang said on Tuesday.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque issued the statement after Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Hong Kong does not honor the vaccination cards issued by the Philippines’ local government units and the Department of Health’s Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ).
“Well, nakakalungkot na balita po iyan (that is sad news),” Roque said in a virtual presser. “So, all I can say is nakikipag-ugnayan po ang gobyerno sa international community pagdating dito (we are coordinating with the international community on this issue).”
In a Twitter post earlier Tuesday, Locsin said the vaccination cards issued to fully vaccinated Filipinos are “not accepted in Hong Kong because they are not connected to a single source.”
Roque said the problems on the presentation of vaccination cards to host countries are being encountered not just by the Philippines but also by other countries.
He, nevertheless, guaranteed that the government is looking for ways to address the issue.
“We are finding ways and means now para magkaroon po tayo ng basehan na kilalanin yung ating mga vaccination card (so our vaccination cards will be recognized [by other countries],” Roque said.
He also expressed hope that the World Health Organization (WHO) will, take an initiative to have a “uniform” acceptance of vaccination cards.
“Problema po talaga kapag wala tayong standard na basehan para ipakita ang ating mga vaccination natin (It is really a problem if we do not have a standard basis in presenting our vaccination cards),” he said.
A vaccine passport hooked up to an international database is what airlines and governments were talking about last year. The way things are going soon everyone will need one not just to travel but to even leave the house.
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