More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
With a new lockdown comes new abuses. First there was the delivery man who was prevented from delivering lug because the barangay executives declared it non-essential. This caused an outcry and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts declared that lugaw to be essential. Then there was the Quezon City man who was arrested for picking up his food delivery outside of his house. It would appear that the authorities are back to being authoritarian.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/03/30/2088095/back-disiplina-second-day-ecq-stories-power-tripping-enforcers |
Familiar warning signs of abuse by quarantine enforcement marked the first two days of the second Enhanced Community Quarantine in the Philippines.
Memories of past abuse are still fresh.
During President Rodrigo Duterte's first enhanced community quarantine over a year ago, military personnel and elite police troopers manning quarantine points were commonplace all over Metro Manila.
Cases of aggressive and overzealous enforcement piled up over the ECQ in the name of "punishing" the public for its "stubbornness" and "complacency" with quarantine regulations—the same rules that a number of government officials have, themselves, failed to follow and walked scot-free regardless.
Over a year later, it's the same scenario. More than 9,000 police personnel have been deployed to man the 1,106 quarantine control points within the so-called NCR+ bubble to strictly implement protocols amid the ECQ and uniform curfew.
On the first day of ECQ alone, the PNP disclosed that nearly 2,600 were arrested for various quarantine violations across Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.
This comes on top of the over 17,000 who have already been apprehended for supposed quarantine violations since the PNP started deploying cops to enforce uniform curfew hours in the capital region.
Tis article goes into detail about two people who faced harassment from authorities over alleged violations. For their part the PNP has urged the people to report those who abuse their authority.
A Filipino priest, who holds a Phd from MIT and is a molecular biologist, is attempting to develop his own COVID-19 vaccine.
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| https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/health-and-family/2021/03/31/2088340/filipino-priest-develops-oral-yeast-based-covid-19-vaccine |
A Filipino priest and scientist is developing an oral, yeast-based vaccine against COVID-19 and its many variants.
Fr. Nicanor Austriaco has been working on the vaccine since last year. A molecular biologist and visiting professor at the University of Santo Tomas, the Dominican priest shared his proposed yeast vaccine delivery system during a virtual lecture last December.
Speaking to UST's university-wide paper, The Varsitarian, Fr. Austriaco said that once developed, the oral vaccine will be something "like Yakult" that anyone can drink everyday.
With the use of the probiotic yeast, his team will genetically modify it to induce immune system response against the virus, he told News5 in December.
The priest-scientist, who holds a PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has said in several interviews that he aims to develop the vaccine in oral form so that it could reach as many people, even as far away as boondocks. He also sees it as a means to lessen the risk of exposure or contact. He even said that since yeast can be stored at room temperature, refrigeration is not necessary for his proposed vaccine.
"You don't need a doctor, you don't need a nurse, you don't need an injector, you don't need a refrigerator. For our country, with more than 7,000 islands, millions of Filipinos in the bundok, how will you deliver the vaccine to them?" Fr. Austriaco said in an interview with GMA News Online.
"This yeast delivery system is very stable. You can put it in a box and you can carry it with you, take it on the boat, take it on the Babuyan islands without refrigerators," he added.
He said that he does not expect for this vaccine to be as 100% effective as the vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna but hopes it will "provide enough protection" so that Filipinos will not have to go to the hospital.
At least this guy admits that his "vaccine" won't be 100% effective. From the description it does not sound like a vaccine at all. Are there any other vaccines that one has to take everyday?
Ivermectin has been touted as a possibly cure for COVID-19. One doctor gave away a batch he made.
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| https://www.rappler.com/nation/doctor-sells-self-made-ivermectin-without-permit |
Doctor Allan Landrito has stopped distributing the pills, but tells legislators he dispensed them when patients were ‘begging me to treat them’
A doctor advocating for the use of anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin as preventive treatment of COVID-19 claimed to have sold to at least 8,000 patients the drug that he made on his own, even without a permit.
Speaking before the House health panel on Tuesday, March 30, doctor Allan Landrito – the most popular proponent for Ivermectin as COVID-19 treatment in the Philippines – said he made Ivermectin pills on his own before selling thousands of bottles across the country.
Ivermectin is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the Philippines.
"I was able to give more than 25,000 bottles, so divided by maybe 2 or 3, maybe 3, for a patient, 8,000 patients is [a] very conservative number," Landrito said.
"Where did you get these Ivermectin?" asked House health panel chair Quezon 4th District Representative Angelina Tan.
Landrito responded: "I compounded it myself. I had bought pure Ivermectin from an importer and compounded it myself and gave it to my patients."
Landrito said he compounded the pills with "an inert ingredient," one of which included dextrose, which is a type of sugar that comes from corn.
It was unclear how Landrito was able to import thousands of grams of Ivermectin into the country. He said none of the people he sold them to had experienced severe side effects.
Tan then asked if Landrito had the permit to compound drugs. He said he did not. Landrito also did not have the permit to distribute the drugs he made on his own.
"We are in the middle of the pandemic. I cannot have the scope of time to apply [for] any of those permits. My patients are begging me to treat them. I am just giving prophylaxis to patients, early treatment," he said.
Tan pointed out that he had to follow the laws. Landrito replied by saying that he only helped his patients.
"If they want to put me behind bars for this, it doesn't matter," Landrito said.
The pandemic has forced us all to forgo certain things in our lives. For one man the pandemic has forced him to not crucify himself again on Good Friday as he has done for the past 33 years.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1413518/in-pampanga-pandemic-forces-kristo-to-skip-crucifixion-anew |
Like last year, Ruben Enaje has canceled his “panata” (vow) to be nailed to the cross for the 35th time as part of the local version of Calvary in this Pampanga capital on Good Friday.
Enaje, a carpenter, has been spending his time painting billboards at Barangay San Nicolas in Arayat town to earn.
“Alang papaku ngeni Cutud uli na ning virus (No one would be nailed to the cross in Barangay San Pedro Cutud because gathering a big crowd may spread COVID-19),” Enaje told the Inquirer in a phone interview on Tuesday.
His two pairs of steel nails will remain unused, soaked in alcohol inside a glass bottle.
The 33 times Enaje had himself crucified made him, so far, the longest Filipino practitioner of a painful Lenten tradition, which is not condoned by the Catholic Church.
To “fill up for the sadness” from his failure to perform his annual real-life crucifixion, Enaje, a 60-year-old house painter, is visiting a hill, made from Mt. Pinatubo’s lahar, in Purok Cuatro at 6 a.m. on Good Friday to pray.
The village’s chieftain, Remegio de la Cruz, had the hill cleared and raised there the three wooden crosses used in the play to give residents a wider place to pray while observing physical distancing.
De la Cruz also prohibited “mandarame” (flagellants), who whipped their backs until these were oozing with blood, from doing the rite.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1414219/filipino-devotees-self-flagellate-for-easter-defying-ban-on-gatherings |
Barefoot and with their backs bloodied by repeated flogging, Catholic devotees in the Philippines defied a ban on gatherings on Good Friday to perform a ritual of self-flagellation as a means of atonement during Holy Week.
Participants were few compared to recent years, after authorities reimposed tight restrictions in response to a jump in coronavirus infections, worsened by the spread of more transmissible variants.
But near one church in Manila’s Tondo area, about 10 devotees, wearing facemasks and with the cloth cut away from the backs, struck their backs with bamboo whips swung rhythmically from left to right as they walked.
“I prayed for my parents. I’m thankful they haven’t gotten sick,” said 25-year-old devotee Melvin Devibar.
“Even during this pandemic, I don’t believe we will be affected by COVID as long as we pray.”
Other, larger groups from other areas had sought to join the flagellation ritual at the Tondo church but were stopped at police checkpoints and made to turn back.
Many Filipinos perform religious penance in the week leading to Easter in the hope they will be cleansed of sins and illnesses and their wishes might be granted.
But the Catholic Church, the dominant faith in the Philippines, has expressed disapproval of self-flagellation and considers it an extreme misinterpretation of faith.
What the Philippine Red Cross convalescent plasma center gained in five months, it lost in five days as Covid-19 cases continue to rise.
Senator Richard Gordon, PRC chair and CEO, thus encouraged individuals who have recovered from the disease to donate their much-needed plasma to help those who are still infected.
“We need to have sufficient supply of convalescent plasma to help those who are confined in hospitals due to the disease,” he said.
Convalescent plasma therapy may be given to Covid-19 patients to help them recover since it could lessen the severity or shorten the length of the disease.
The PRC has served 686 patients from 88 hospitals from July 13, 2020 to March 25, 2021, dispensing 784 units of plasma.
Last year there were plenty of men dressing up as Spiderman handing out food. There hasn't been any of that this year so far. However artists hard at work making art about the pandemic.
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| https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2021/04/05/189018/local-artists-make-food-protest-art-reflecting-covid-19-response/ |
Local artists used “food” to create art where they air their sentiments against the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic more than a year since quarantine measures were imposed over the country.
Facebook user and clinical psychology intern Rens Doc shared a picture of a “cake” that took a jab against the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), a task force under the executive office.
It was created through an executive order signed in 2014 which aims to assess, monitor and contain the spread of potential epidemics in the Philippines.
The IATF was convened by the government in January 2020 to address the COVID-19 health crisis.
Rens shared a photo of his “cake” after the lugaw or rice porridge sparked debate on essential and non-essential goods.
He said the “cake” only consists of spare icing that was done on round styro.
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly,” Rens wrote on his Facebook post.
“What is essential is invisible to the IATF,” the cake dedication read.
A 24-year-old visual artist Jacob Cezar of Jakestudyos last March 21 also shared a digital art collection, which is a parody to some famous food items to protest the government’s COVID-19 response and other incidents during the pandemic.
For instance, his Hansel biscuit parody featured the phrase “Cancel mass gatherings. Unless.” A sketch of the Philippine National Police chief could be seen beside the wrapper.
In May 2020, then-NCRPO chief Debold Sinas and his subordinates gathered for a birthday salubong or mañanita at a time when enhanced community quarantine was imposed over the metro.
One of Cezar’s art featured a Snickers bar advocating for mass testing instead of an extension of the enhanced community quarantine or ECQ, the strictest lockdown phase in the country.
It's all rather clever.
The ivermectin situation is getting out of hand. People are desperate to find a cure for COVID-19 and some insist the virus can be killed by the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin. One member of the House of Representatives says he will be giving the stuff away for free to anyone who has a prescription.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/782574/defensor-insists-nothing-illegal-with-his-initiative-of-distributing-ivermectin/story/ |
For Anakalusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor, he is not doing anything illegal with pushing for the use of anti-parasitic drug ivermectin against COVID-19 as he even offered to distribute the drug for free for patients in Quezon City.
In an interview on Dobol B TV on Tuesday, Defensor said he has been obtaining ivermectin from legal compounding laboratories. He also emphasized that a doctor's prescription is still needed to use this drug.
(The DOH and FDA said there's no clinical trials yet on ivermectin. However, the agencies are also saying that we can ask for a doctor's prescription for its use. I have been following the regulations of the FDA.)
(What I mean is if you go to a doctor, you get a prescription allowing you to use ivermectin, that's allowed. It's not illegal. I'm still following the FDA and DOH.)
The lawmaker claimed that his colleagues in the chamber, some generals, justices and even members of the media have been asking him for ivermectin.
This is obviously a lie as ivermectin is not approved for human use in the Philippines but only animal use.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/06/21/fda-to-lawmaker-distribution-of-unregistered-drugs-against-the-law |
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday the distribution of unregistered products is against the law.
FDA director general Eric Domingo made the remark following Anakalusugan Party-list Rep. Mike Defensor's plan to distribute anti-parasitic drug Ivermectin to COVID-19 patients and the elderly in Quezon City.
The drug is currently registered for use against worm infestations and parasites in animals.
(If it's unregistered its distribution is prohibited or unauthorized. I don't know if they have a compounding pharmacy that will give prescription and make this drug.)
(They know the law. Let's wait for details. There's a way it can be distributed but if it's unauthorized it's really prohibited.)
Since the drug is only registered for use in animals and not humans then any distribution of it to humans for usage would be illegal. It would also be highly dangerous. Oddly enough the FDA Director says human grade ivermectin is legal if prescribed by a doctor despite it not being approved by the FDA.
The FDA and the Palace has noted that an application for compassionate use of ivermectin on humans has been filed. But why would they grant such a permit when the DOH and FDA acknowledge ivermectin cannot treat COVID-19?
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1415175/doh-fda-says-current-evidence-doesnt-support-use-of-ivermectin-as-covid-19-treatment |
“Based on the current evidence from randomized controlled trials, the DOH agrees with the COVID-19 Living CPG Reviewers and does not recommend the use of Ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19,” the agencies said in a joint statement.
Why all the contradictory statement from the FDA then? Just prohibit the use of ivermectin and arrest the Congressman if he doles any out. The DOJ trusts he will follow the law but who knows!?
Recently a man who allegedly violated curfew was made to do 300 exercises by the PNP. A few days later he died.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/782585/police-obtain-death-certificate-of-cavite-curfew-violator/story/ |
General Trias City Police has obtained the death certificate of the curfew violator who died on Saturday after allegedly being punished with 300 rounds of a pumping exercise, its commander said Tuesday.
The victim, Darren Peñaredondo, reportedly died on Saturday after allegedly being forced to do around 300 rounds of a pumping exercise as punishment for violating curfew.
His live-in partner, Reichelyn Balce, said he was arrested by village watchmen on April 1. She said Peñaredondo only went out to buy mineral water but was arrested and brought to the General Trias Police Station.
Arrested persons were ordered to do pumping exercises 100 times, according to her. However, the violators had to repeat the exercise because they were not in sync. Balce said Peñaredondo told her he has a heart disease.
Three days after he was arrested, Peñaredondo reportedly started having seizures and was rushed to a hospital where he eventually died.
Solero denied the allegation, saying they never imposed physical exercise as punishment for violators.
Despite his protestations to the contrary the PNP determined that Solero did indeed impose physical exercise as a punishment and has since transferred him to a new post.
What can one say about the pandemic situation in the Philippines except that it is a mess. One doctor was forced to treat a patient in her car. Vaccines are slow in coming which has prompted Senator Go to suggest establishing an institute of virology to develop vaccines so that the Philippines will not have to rely on the international market for vaccines. China has sent the Philippines hundreds of thousands of doses for free which had Harry Roque gloating about Duterte's friendship with China.
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| https://www.facebook.com/News5Everywhere/posts/2488416801315059 |
If the President did not come to power our only BFF will be the Americans. Have we gotten a single vial of vaccine from the Americans? The answer is no.
The USA may not have donated any vaccine but they have given the Philippines more than P1 billion to fight the pandemic.
While Harry is politicking the country languishes back to square one in just about every respect. Remember last year when the government was talking about doing mass testing? It never happened and it is still not happening.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/04/06/2089302/testing-czar-dizon-slammed-rejection-mass-testing-one-year-pandemic |
Much like the enforcement of enhanced community quarantine, it seems like even the government narratives surrounding the coronavirus are back to square one in the Philippines.
Despite calls for mass testing being over a year old, government officials still insist on tripping over semantics behind the word.
Speaking at a Palace press briefing Tuesday afternoon, National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon insisted that the government cannot test all Filipinos in the country.
"All the experts in the Philippines and around the world say that mass testing the entire population of a country is not recommended,” Dizon, who also serves as the government's testing czar, said in mixed Filipino and English.
"Testing is not the only solution to the pandemic. We cannot test our way out of this pandemic. What we need is risk-based and targeted testing,” he added.
As far back as the onset of the pandemic over a year ago, administration officials also opposed the idea, saying the government did not have the resources to test every Filipino living in the country.
For the nth time, mass testing does not mean testing each of the country's 110 million inhabitants, and nobody has called for the national government to even do so.
Even the government's own Department of Health has defined “mass testing” as conducting tests on all those who have been exposed to a confirmed positive case of the virus. Mass testing is, instead, conditioned on widespead, timely and accessible free tests for all those who need it, including those exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms, both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals who have been exposed to someone infected with the virus, health workers and other frontliners.
In a statement, Akbayan Party-list slammed Dizon's comments as "absurd," pointing out that "it is only in the Philippines that we have a testing czar who rejects mass testing."
The group added that the essence of mass testing is to increase the chances of detecting infected people, symptomatic and not, and making sure they are quarantined as soon as possible.
"A testing czar who rejects mass testing is no different from a doctor who abandons his patients: this is neglect of his sole duty! He would rather test the patience of the Filipino people, which is wearing thin by the day, due to their gross incompetence and zero empathy," Akbayan Spokesperson RJ Naguit said.
It's a comedy of errors and there is no end in sight. Let me say here that what I include each week in this column is not even half of what's happening regarding the pandemic. It is only what I think is the most important or noteworthy. We have a long way to go until this is all over.
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