Coronavirus Lockdown: Surfing Tourney, Equity, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government. 

DOH Secretary Herbosa appeared before the UN to talk about what the Philippines is doing to prevent another pandemic from happening. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/22/herbosa-reaffirms-ph-pandemic-prevention-efforts

Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Teodoro J. Herbosa reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to enhancing pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response efforts during a United Nations-led high-level meeting in New York City.

Herbosa on Sept. 20 conveyed the department's commitment to lead the organization of developing member-states in a Group for Equity within the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body for Pandemic Threats.

He also expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the member-states on behalf of the Filipino people for their assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly through donations of countermeasures.

Herbosa emphasized the value of open communication between the public and private sectors and emphasized the necessity of a multisectoral strategy for addressing the multifaceted vulnerabilities that nations face.

He also took great pride in recognizing the crucial contributions made by Filipino healthcare professionals around the world during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The DOH chief also brought up the need for balance during the meeting to prevent a large-scale exodus of healthcare professionals, which might result in a brain drain for developing nations, such as the Philippines.

He also said equity must be a central tenet during any future global pandemics. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/9/22/ph-advocates-equity-in-global-pandemic-response

The Department of Health (DOH) expressed the country’s position that equity should remain a central tenet of multilateral efforts concerning pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response at the United Nations General Assembly's (UNGA) Multi-Stakeholder Panel meeting on Sept. 20.

DOH Undersecretary Kenneth Ronquillo underscored the importance of integrating gender equality and migrant protection into the discussion.

This is especially important because the Philippines contributes significantly to the global healthcare workforce, he said.

Furthermore, Ronquillo expressed the country's strong support for the establishment of a global health governance structure dedicated to pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

He pointed out that this move is in line with the Philippines' commitment to fostering international cooperation and accountability in addressing global health crises.

Ronquillo said the DOH's active participation in the UNGA panel demonstrates the Philippines' commitment to promoting a fair and inclusive approach to tackling pandemics on a global scale.

Apparently this will offer protection to the many Filipino OFW health workers. 

Tourism continues to rebound this time with the second year of the return of the international surfing tournament in Siragao. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1210397

The hosting of the upcoming 27th Siargao International Surfing Cup will bring full recovery of the tourism industry on Siargao Island, the Department of Tourism in the Caraga Region (DOT-13) said Friday.

“Looking back to its modest beginnings in 1992, the annual Siargao International Surfing Cup has proven to be a game changer in the tourism industry, not only in the province of Surigao del Norte but in the entire country as well,” DOT-13 Director Ivonnie Dumadag said in a statement.

Also on Friday, the DOT-13 announced the start of registration for the upcoming sports event that will be held at the Cloud 9 Surfing Spot in General Luna town, Surigao del Norte, from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1.

The event, categorized as Qualifying Series 3000, is sanctioned by the World Surf League.

Siargao's annual surfing cup is considered the longest-running international sports tourism event in the country that has brought the island to the global tourism map.

The event, however, was stalled in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the onslaught of typhoon Odette.

Last year, the 26th international surfing tourney staged from Oct. 15 to 21 was preceded by the national surfing cup sponsored by the local government of General Luna town.

The international event this year is organized by the Office of Surigao del Norte 1st District Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas II and the General Luna town government, with the support of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Presidential son Vincent Marcos and the Tingog Party-list.

Most of the hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourism-related establishments (TREs) in General Luna town are fully operational over a year after the “Odette” typhoon, just in time for the upcoming international surfing event.

Many tourism establishments are full after Odette but there are places still recovering from that typhoon two years later. 

In particular the local dive industry in Cebu is still recovering from the pandemic and Odette. 

https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-business/2023/09/23/2298444/local-dive-operators-seek-help-fight-vs-colorum-instructors

While it is apparent that the dive tourism sector in Cebu has recovered, local operators are also facing a challenge with the rising number of colorum dive instructors.

Gary Cases, vice president of Malapascua Business Association, said the island, which is consistently voted as one of the top five best diving destinations in the world, is not only attracting professional scuba and pre diving hobbyists but also foreigners who are also illegally practicing as diving operators and instructors.  

In an interview with Cases, he revealed that local dive instructors need the help of the government to help police or apprehend the presence of unlicensed foreign diving instructors who are now affecting the jobs of the people in the local diving industry.

These foreign diving operators, Cases said are conducting businesses without permits not only in Malapascua, but also in other diving destinations in the Philippines.

Cases, who operates DiveLink Cebu, noted that these colorum dive instructors do not only steal jobs from the local dive tourism business, but also threatens the safety of tourists with their outright disregard of the laws.

“They can work here. We are not telling them not to work here, but they need to get permits,” he said.

Existence of colorum dive instructors have been there for a while, but Cases said it has worsened these days as foreign divers are coming back after the pandemic.

Cases hopes that the government like the Department of Tourism (DOT) and even the Local Government Units (LGUs) will help the local stakeholders in the diving industry to protect their livelihood.

“When we go to other countries and seek for work, we get work permits. They should do the same here,” he explained. 

One of the main reasons why some foreign diving expeditions or groups prefer to bring their own dive instructors is due to language barrier, Cases said.

Mactan Island based scuba diving instructor and dive shop operator Jaime J. Sarte said professional divers as well as hobbyists from all over the world are starting to come, saying recovery from the pandemic is happening although some infrastructure like boats, logistics among others are still not fully fixed after the super typhoon Odette.

Sarte, who owns and operates the Feel Deep dive shop affirmed that the industry is now at least 60 percent recovered compared to pre-pandemic.

The pandemic recovery has brought out illegal dive instructors while infrastructure is still in need of repair two years after Odette.

Gambling income is almost back to pre-pandemic levels. 

https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2023/09/22/pagcor-remittance-to-government-approaching-pre-pandemic-levels/

Philippines gaming regulator PAGCOR remitted 43% more revenue to the government’s coffers in the first seven months of the year than during the same period in 2022, according to a Bureau of the Treasury report, although this is still 6% lower than pre-pandemic levels.

As per the Manila Bulletin, total remittance between 1 January and 31 July 2023 reached Php18.84 billion (US$331 million), compared with Php13.12 billion (US$231 million) in the 2022 period and Php20.13 billion (US$354 million) from January to July 2019. The Php2.83 billion (US$49.8 million) remitted in July alone was 26% higher year-on-year.

The figures correspond to the gaming regulator’s revenue recovery, with Philippine law mandating it remit 50% of its revenues to the government each year to aid nation building.

As noted by the Manila Bulletin, PAGCOR revenue from January to June 2023 increased by 35.6% year-on-year to Php36.21 billion (US$637 million), with Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco expecting industry-wide GGR to exceed 2019 levels by the end of the year.

“Pagcor will certainly ride on the tide of our country’s economic growth,” Tengco said previously.

“As economic activities reach pre-pandemic levels, we are optimistic that we can sustain the gaming industry’s growth momentum as we fortify our regulatory policies to attract more investors in the Philippines.”

With people out of work and rising inflation do people have as much leisure to spend on gambling?

COVID-19 quarantine centers are being repurposed into shelters for displaced people. 

https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2023/09/26/2299120/covid-19-container-vans-be-used-shelter

The container vans used as quarantine and halfway houses during the Covid-19 pandemic will be converted into temporary shelter for those who will be displaced in line with the city’s Gubat sa Baha.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, in an interview with reporters yesterday, said he already told Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH) Secretary Manuel Bonoan his wish regarding the use of those donated container vans from their department back in 2020 for another purpose.

DPWH, who was then headed by now senator Mark Villar, turned over P294-million worth of healthcare facilities for treatment and isolation of medical workers in Cebu which included some container vans-turned-dormitories for medical workers and other frontliners in Cebu City.

Rama also said he is connecting with the private sector to request for heavy equipment to put all of these container vans together at the SRP and make it a temporary shelter for those that will be displaced in the recovery of the city rivers.

Although the city government is also planning to build its own temporary and permanent shelters to those that will be displaced, Rama wants to utilize whatever is available at the moment.

Flooding is a major problem that needs to be addressed now, Rama said.

At least they won't go to waste.

COVID-19 cases are up slightly by 13%.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/9/25/doh-covid-tally-092523.html

A total of 1,164 new COVID-19 cases nationwide were recorded from Sept. 18 to 24, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Monday.

In its weekly bulletin, the DOH said the average number of infections recorded daily was 166 — 13% higher than the cases logged the previous week.

Of the new cases, 10 were under severe and critical condition. Meanwhile, 260 patients with the same condition are currently in hospitals, reflecting 8.7% of the total COVID-19 admissions in the country.

Health officials also verified 11 deaths due to COVID-19, nine of which occurred this month while the other two were in August.

As of Sept. 25, the country confirmed at least 4.11 million COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, including over 4.04 million recoveries and more than 66,600 deaths. The number of active cases is 2,905.

Only 9 deaths this month so far and less than 3,000 active cases. It's quite literally nothing to worry about.