More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
It's actually kind of odd that the Philippines is the only Christian nation in Southeast Asia seeing as the Dutch colonized Indonesia. While the Indonesians continue to supplicate Allah the Philippines prays to the true God.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1158045 |
Leaders of various religious faiths jointly offered a prayer for healing from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) for Bacolodnons in a virtual gathering streamed live by the city government on Wednesday night.
Dubbed “A Solidarity Prayer for Healing from Covid-19”, petitions were said asking for healing for those who are sick and for continued protection and safety of the citizens and officials as well as the frontline healthcare workers.
In his message, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said it is time for the people of Bacolod to reflect on what is happening, which is already beyond human comprehension and to offer prayers to overcome the challenges brought by the global health crisis.
“This is now beyond the power of man to handle this pandemic. The only resort that we can run to is, to pray. We need to ask for guidance and blessings of the Almighty,” he said.
“You can be a prayer group, a brigade, an army so we can fight this together. We just have to pray together. That seems to be not just the best solution now, but maybe the only solution. Keep on praying, please,” the mayor appealed.
Those who offered prayers were Bishop Patricio Buzon of the Diocese of Bacolod, Pastor Keven Giovanni Cañal of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Pastor Greg Magracia of His Life Ministries, Bishop Virgilio Amihan Jr. of Iglesia Filipina Independiente, Pastor Joe Ascalon of Ikthus Bacolod, Imam Monib Cali of Islamic Center Bacolod, Pastor Fernando Jacolbe Jr. of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide, and Pastor Dave King of Trinity Christian Fellowship.
Dr. Edwin Miraflor, officer-in-charge of the City Health Office, reminded Bacolodnons to continue following the Covid-19 health protocols, including vaccination, to be protected from the virus.
“It is a solidarity because the virus does not distinguish whether you are a patient or a doctor, whether you are rich or poor. We reflect on the lives of family and friends who succumbed to Covid-19. We honor them in our prayers and we pray for healing for our country and for our city especially,” he added.
This is ecumenism at its finest. But why offer prayers and then tell people to follow health protocols? Who is in charge here? God or the government? Well, both really. But the people do have a say and they have been so indoctrinated by the government that when the government drops a requirement the people still keep on doing it.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1158024 |
Commuters have welcomed the decision of the city government to allow residents to forego using face shields in public utility jeepneys (PUJ) but said they would remain vigilant.
Joy Carson, a convenience store owner who commutes daily, said despite the new development, she will continue to use the face shield in PUJs amid threats of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“I still worry about catching the virus. I will continue to use it as I value my safety and that of my family,” she told Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview Thursday.
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, Davao City Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson, said the new guidelines on PUJs were approved since there is a low risk of spreading the infection inside as long there is proper ventilation.
“It was clearly emphasized by the mayor when it is closed and confined, the face shield is necessary. So she defined there that jeepney - it is not closed and confined, it is open with free ventilation,” she said.In a radio interview Monday, Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said based on Executive Order 51 Series of 2021, face shields are to be used only in three C’s - crowded places with many people nearby, close-contact settings, especially where people have close-range conversations, and confined and enclosed spaces with poor ventilation.
“Jeepneys do not belong to the 3Cs because the majority of them are not enclosed. The L3 (type of PUJ) is air-conditioned and that is a confined and enclosed space, the taxi is air-conditioned - with a closed window that is an enclosed space,” she said.
She added: “If the windows will be opened, it is no longer a confined and enclosed space because the air from the outside circulates to the inside.”
Sarar Duterte declared that face shields do not have to be worn in jeepnies anymore but the people say they will keep on wearing them. They are obedient sheep.
The vaccine is not mandatory yet in the Philippines but there is every indication that it will be.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157971 |
The city government of Surigao on Wednesday ordered businesses in the area to require clients and customers to present their vaccination cards before allowing them to enter establishments.
Surigao City Mayor Ernesto Matugas Jr. issued the new policy through Executive Order (EO) 48.
“The current coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic is not only the concern of the government but also that of the private sector and the two must join hands in providing better solutions most especially in the implementation of proactive measures to stop the further spread of the virus and its variants,” Matugas said in the EO.
He added that business establishments have the right to regulate access to their properties to protect the health and safety of personnel, employees, and customers.
The business establishments ordered to require their customers to present vaccination cards include banks, malls, department stores, and supermarkets.
“The continued implementation of proactive measures, such as vaccination, must be put in place to slow down the surge of Covid-19 cases, stop the further spread of variants, buy time for the health systems to cope, and to protect more lives,” Matugas said.
There are a lot of problems here. First is getting the vaccine. Second is vaccine hesitancy.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1507622/vaccine-hesitancy-biggest-challenge-in-covid-19-immunization-program-solante |
Vaccine hesitancy poses the greatest obstacle in the country’s COVID-19 immunization program, infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante said on Thursday.
“The biggest challenge is vaccine hesitancy. And if you look at the data, and there was this report from Octa Research… The vaccine hesitancy is still very high outside of the National Capital Region (NCR) ranging from 21 to 29 percent while in the NCR is only like less than 10 percent,” Solante said during a media table discussion entitled “What’s in Store in 2021 and Beyond.”
Based on Octa’s findings, 61 percent of Filipinos across the country are willing to get inoculated against COVID-19.
Vaccine hesitancy was recorded at five percent in NCR, 19 percent in Mindanao, 24 percent in Balance Luzon, and 32 percent in the Visayas, Octa said.
“So, the acceptance here in NCR is quite high. Probably it’s also driven by some economic priorities that if you’re vaccinated, you can work, you can go to the mall, you can go to the public places, you can eat and dine in. But, what about the provinces outside of the National Capital Region?,” Solante, also a member of the country’s Vaccine Expert Panel, pointed out.
Solante noted that vaccine hesitancy is driven by the brand preferences of the people.
(We reverted to the time when people wanted to wait for Pfizer or Moderna or AstraZeneca. They do not want to line up for Sinovac.)
“In fact, may mga (there are) regional local [governments which] are now incentivizing the local people to be vaccinated by giving incentives. So, I think that’s the most important challenge,” he stressed.
Aside from vaccine hesitancy, Solante said that the government is also facing difficulty in deploying the vaccines in far-flung areas.
“The other challenge there is the logistics of delivering these vaccines to far-flung areas. If you’re delivering a Pfizer which needs minus 60 to 80 degrees, then that can also be a hurdle to topple for the local government,” he said.
Maybe Filipinos are smart and know that the vaccines do not offer any protection from the vaccine. Watch this video before it's gone!
Apparently there suicide rate is up and it has to do with COVID health protocols.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1157943 |
Advocates of mental health continue to drum up the campaign for "zero suicide" as more cases are logged here.
Ricky Ducas, mental health nurse and responder at the City Health Services Office (CHSO), who founded the psycho-social support group Baguio and the Anxiety and Depression Support Group-Baguio City, said on Wednesday they have already recorded 26 cases of suicide here from January to end August this year.
"The most recent was logged on October 25," he said. "We hope we won't have others more on the list."
In 2020, the mental health clinic of the CHSO recorded 30 suicide cases. He said most of those who committed suicide were from ages 15 to 35 years old.
He said the most common trigger known to cause a person to end his/her life is the big change in the pandemic lifestyle, environment, and exhaustion with the kind of situation the world is into right now.
"Wearing a (face) mask can (also) cause an impact emotionally and mentally," he said.
"The most common trigger known to cause a person to end his/her life is the big change in the pandemic lifestyle." Has the DOH or the IATF taken this fact into consideration. It's certainly not something one hear's about in the news.
The government has finally admitted that all the plastic barriers that have been put in place are actually harmful and do not prevent the spread of COVID-19. At least the ones inside jeepnies.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/809157/plastic-barriers-no-longer-required-inside-puvs-starting-nov-4-dotr/story/ |
Public utility vehicles will no longer be required to put plastic dividers separating passengers starting Thursday, November 4, an Unang Balita report said Monday.
(There's no medical findings that shows plastic barriers can lessen the possibility of COVID-19 transmission. Instead, they can even carry the virus because of the plastic material.)
Since they were allowed to operate, PUV drivers and operators have been required to use plastic barriers to separate passengers inside their units and to comply with the 50% capacity rule in public transport.
Also starting November 4, the capacity allowed in PUVs has been increased to 70%.
It's great that the useless plastic barriers will no longer be in place but it comes with an increase of passengers. Knowing how some of these drivers operate people will be sitting on each other's lap again and the fares will not decrease.
Surprisingly Davao mandated motorcycle drivers to use a plastic barrier when the rest of the country had done away with that nuisance last year.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1158597 |
The city government has lifted the mandatory use of plastic barriers in public utility vehicles (PUVs) and motorcycles effective Tuesday.
It, however, encouraged its voluntary use among drivers and commuters.
Loraine Vinluan, a private company worker who is usually fetched by her husband using their motorcycle, said the order is a relief for her.
“I am happy. To be honest, it does not help us since its implementation and we did not see it as a tool to prevent Covid-19 because we stayed under one roof,” she said.
For Arjay Delino, a government worker, the lifting of the barrier policy is a big help to riders.
“We thank the local government for heeding our call. It is a hassle on our part to keep on bringing the barrier even if we go to malls because we are afraid it would be stolen when leaving it in our motorcycles in the parking lots,” Delino said.
He also cited that the use of the barrier is risky for the back-rider who holds on to it instead of the driver for safety.
The motorcycle barrier was never safe. All the plastic barriers are evidence of government over reach and busywork thinking they are doing something when they are really not doing anything helpful at all.
A fire in Zamboanga del Sur has destroyed thousands of vaccines.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/11/02/2138462/philippines-probes-fire-damaged-148678-covid-19-vaccine-doses |
Philippine authorities said Tuesday they are looking into a fire incident in Zamboanga del Sur that damaged nearly 150,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
The National Task Force against COVID-19 confirmed 148,678 doses were compromised after fire hit the health office in Pagadian City on the evening of October 31.
In a statement, it said the three-storey building was also serving as the province's cold chain storage facility for jabs intended for 26 municipalities and a component city.
The cause is not yet known, including the cost of damage. But citing initial reports, the task force said those destroyed were: 88,938 Pfizer doses, 36,164 of Sinovac, 14,400 of Moderna, and 9,176 of Astrazeneca.
NTF said responders are retrieving vaccines as well as refrigerators, carriers, and transport boxes that could still be used.
Authorities vowed for an "intensified" monitoring mechanism. It added a show cause order would be served to Zamboanga del Sur officials for their failure to deliver the jabs three days after receiving it.
It seems impossible that any of the vaccines in that facility could still be usable. It also seems that the local government did not properly distribute the vaccines within the allotted timeframe of three days which is why there were all stored in one central location.
