More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/4/19/marcos-ensures-gov-t-help-until-complete-pandemic-recovery |
Marcos voiced concern for small business owners who closed their businesses and Filipinos who lost their jobs because of the health crisis.
As the country continues to bounce back from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assured Filipinos that the government will do everything it could to assist those who need assistance, especially those who have yet to recover from the health crisis.
Marcos made this remark as he led the distribution of various government assistance to the people of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, on Wednesday, April 19.
In his speech, the President said he hoped that government assistance would be able to unburden the load that Filipinos carry, while giving the assurance that his administration will be there when the people need it.
"Rest assured that for as long as you need assistance, your government is here, ready to help," he said.
"We won't forget you or leave you until you can stand on your own fee)," he added.
President Marcos admitted that there were still Filipinos who have yet to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. He said that the government must ensure to help them.
"We have fellowmen who were left behind in the recovery. They haven't recovered yet," he recognized.
"We must ensure that the government is doing everything to help our people, the small business owners, and everyone who needs help," he added.
The Chief Executive, in particular, voiced concern for small business owners who were forced to shut down operations due to the loss they suffered from the pandemic and those who lost their jobs.
"That's what happened to us. The pandemic took a toll on not just the Philippines, but the entire world," Marcos said.
It's good he has admitted this. The Duterte lockdowns destroyed the economy. But who are these people and how will they target them? How will they help them exactly?
The Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. admits COVID-19 cases are rising but hospitalizations are manageable.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/867559/phapi-covid-19-admissions-in-private-hospitals-still-manageable-amid-rising-cases/story/ |
The utilization of private hospitals remains to be manageable despite the increasing number of new COVID-19 infections, an official of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines Inc. (PHAPI) said Thursday.
PHAPI president Dr. Jose Rene de Grano said in a public briefing that only a few COVID-19 patients are currently getting admitted in hospitals, and most of them are those with comorbid conditions.
(The hospital utilization is not increasing that much, especially in private hospitals. It's still very manageable.)
Elsewhere face masking is coming back in fashion.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199738 |
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday encouraged the public to use face masks in crowded places as the province’s coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) positivity rate has surpassed the 5 percent threshold.
“Although it’s optional, we still encourage wearing face masks especially if you are in a crowded area,” he told reporters.
Lacson also welcomed the move of Cadiz City to enforce anew the wearing of face masks in government offices to ensure people’s health and safety.
“I am in favor of that. As you can see, your Governor never stopped wearing face mask,” he said.
The governor, however, said he hopes Covid-19 cases would not increase once again to make him consider reintroducing the wearing of masks at the capitol offices.
But not inside Churches. Yet.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199834 |
The Archdiocese of Manila will not immediately impose a mandatory wearing of face masks while attending Mass inside the church amid the rising number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.
Father Reginald Malicdem, vicar general of the Manila Archdiocese, said there is no immediate plan to require churchgoers to wear face masks, but the Church will encourage them not to be complacent.
"There is no such plan yet. We will just continue to encourage mass goers to wear their face masks," he said in a telephone interview Thursday.
He also expressed optimism that despite the recorded spike in the number of new Covid-19 cases, people would still visit churches.
"As of now, we are not yet worried that the people will be discouraged from going to churches again," Malicdem added.
But face masks remain the rule on trains.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1760074/face-masks-to-remain-mandatory-in-lrt-mrt-pnr-dotr |
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Sunday said that face masks will remain mandatory in all railway systems amid the rising number of COVID-19.
DOTr Assistant Secretary for Railways Jorjette Aquino, in a statement, said face masks inside LRT-1, LRT-2 and MRT-3 trains will still be required as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.
Face masks will also be required inside Philippine National Railways trains but optional in open-air stations.
“Our medical professionals in the railways sector stressed that the risk of COVID-19 transmission remains present in our trains as they are enclosed spaces,” Aquino said.
“Security personnel deployed in all of our stations and trains will help ensure that the policy is strictly enforced,” she added.
She urged the public to remain vigilant against COVID-19, and to get vaccinated and boosted against the viral infection.
“As explained by medical professionals, these booster shots are designed to help maintain the level of protection against the virus, especially as new variants emerge,” Aquino said.
Twenty-six areas have been raised to alert level 2 due to the rising number of active COVID cases.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/4/23/26-areas-under-covid-19-alert-level-2-status-iatf |
Twenty-six areas in the country were placed under Covid-19 Alert Level 2 status until the end of this month, based on the recent resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
Areas under Alert Level 2 until April 30 are: Benguet, Ifugao, Quezon Province, Palawan, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Antique, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Cebu Province, Negros Oriental, Leyte, Western Samar, Lanao Del Norte, Davao De Oro, Davao Del Norte, Davao Del Sur, and Davao Occidental.
Also included are: North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Dinagat Islands, Basilan, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.
"The following provinces, HUCs, and ICCs shall be placed under Alert Level 2, without prejudice to their respective component cities and municipalities which may be under a different alert level classification," the IATF said.
Under Alert Level 2, Some establishments or activities, “shall be allowed to operate, or be undertaken at a maximum of 50 percent indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and those below 18 years of age, even if unvaccinated, and 70 percent outdoor venue capacity,” the Department of Health (DOH) stated in its website.
Now the nation is moving backwards. The DOH has said the rise in cases is nothing to be concerned about but still they have raised alert levels. In Pampanga cases have tripled in a matter of days.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1760837/active-covid-19-cases-in-pampanga-triple-in-10-days |
The number of active COVID-19 cases in this province has tripled from only 11 on April 13, the provincial government disclosed on Tuesday, April 25.
Pampanga’s active infections stood at 33, the latest data from the provincial epidemiology and surveillance unit showed.
The capital city of San Fernando has the most active cases at 18, followed by Lubao and Mexico towns with three cases each.
Guagua has two active cases, while Magalang, Floridablanca, Porac, Arayat, Candaba, Santa Ana, and San Simon have one case each.
The 33 COVID-19 cases were monitored after the patients were admitted to hospitals or clinics due to respiratory or flu-related symptoms.
A medical worker, who requested anonymity, said the recorded active cases probably represent only a very small percentage of the actual number of people with COVID-19.
“Nobody’s monitoring suspected COVID-19 cases anymore, especially in villages. Many individuals have been manifesting symptoms, but they are not being tested to see if they have COVID,” the medical worker said.
In malls and other establishments in this province, including Angeles City, most of the people no longer wear face masks.
“In malls, security guards no longer check the guests’ body temperatures. They only check bags,” the medical worker said.
“Nobody’s monitoring suspected COVID-19 cases anymore." Is that a good thing or a bad thing? It's not as if this so-called pandemic was even comparable to the Bubonic Plague which decimated Europe.
These poor healthcare workers are severely underpaid. The government owes them billions in backpay.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1759900/govt-still-owes-20000-healthcare-workers-p1-94-billion-in-backpay |
About 20,000 healthcare workers who rendered duty in private hospitals during the pandemic have yet to receive their COVID-19 allowances amounting to P1.94 billion.
Data from the United Private Hospital Unions of the Philippines (UPHUP) showed that these healthcare workers did not get their mandated pandemic benefits and allowances as far back as 19 months, or from October 2021 onwards.
According to UPHUP, the government has incurred a total of P1,840,742,500 in arrears for the special risk allowance (SRA); one COVID-19 allowance (OCA); health emergency allowance (HEA); and meals, accommodation, and transportation (MAT) benefits for 20,304 health-care workers.
The back payments are broken down as follows: P6.7 million for MAT; P16.8 million for SRA; P985.6 million for OCA and P737.5 million for HEA.
It covers medical workers employed in 23 private hospitals in Metro Manila and the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Cebu, and Davao del Sur.
During the UPHUP’s “State of the Health Workers” Forum on April 14, the Department of Health (DOH) bared its plans to amend its Joint Administrative Order 2022-0001 with the Department of Budget and Management to fast-track the release of COVID-19 benefits by tapping authorized government depository banks for the direct payment to eligible health-care workers.
The DOH wants all of its Centers for Health Development in every region to have the option to send funds to the bank accounts of recipients.
Private and public healthcare workers have been pressing the government to release their delayed COVID-19 benefits.
But the DOH had cited insufficient funding for the continued delay in the payment of the pandemic benefits.
Hopefully they will get their money.
In the meantime more events are coming back including sports.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199798 |
Everything is set for the four-day 2023 Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet next week, the first full face-to-face school-based sports competition since the pandemic broke out.“Sports and physical education provide a great opportunity for children to head outside, get active, and focus on developing different skills,” Department of Education (DepEd)-Eastern Visayas Director Evelyn Fetalvero said in a statement Thursday.For the first time in recent years, the EVRAA is co-hosted by two DepEd school divisions – Tacloban City and Leyte province – with the sporting events slated to take place in this city and the nearby towns of Palo and Tanauan.Fetalvero said the sports event will be held on April 24 to 27 with the opening program scheduled on April 25 at the Leyte Sports Development Center, the venue of the 2009 Palarong Pambansa.Joining the opening ceremonies are 419 athlete students, sports officials from the 13 school division offices, congressmen, governors, and mayors from different parts of Leyte and Samar provinces.
In Pangasinan the Karbasa festival has returned.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199864 |
The Karabasa (squash) Festival of this town has returned after a hiatus due to the pandemic.
In an interview on Thursday, Mayor Michael Caleone Cruz said the festival, which runs from April 16 to 24, highlights the town's products made of karabasa, an Ilocano term for squash.
“May karabasa noodles, powder, pandesal, at catsup. Maraming taniman ng karabasa sa mountainous areas (We have karabasa noodles, powder, pandesal, and even catsup. We have a lot of karabasa plantations in the mountainous areas of our town),” he said.
The town is also looking for new products made of squash hence the "101 Ways to Cook Karabasa" for dessert and pastry edition was held on Thursday with 30 participants.
Senator Imee Marcos attended the karabasa cooking activity during her visit to the province as she led the ceremonial distribution of financial assistance to different beneficiaries from the national government through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The return of both of these events shows that the pandemic is definitely over. If it even began!
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