More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
 |
| https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/27/no-changes-yet-in-sona-health-protocols-despite-spike-in-covid-cases-abroad-house-secgen-1208 |
The House of Representatives will not implement changes in the health protocols for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 4th State of the Nation Address on July 28, despite a fresh wave of COVID-19 infections in some Asian countries.House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said on Tuesday that COVID cases in the Philippines “have generally declined” the past five months compared to the same period last year. He noted that the House Medical Team continues to closely monitor the health conditions in and outside the country and will issue adjustments if necessary.“As of now, there are no changes in the protocols for SONA in terms of medical measures. While COVID-19 cases have generally declined from January to May 2025 compared to last year, and also in the past 3–4 weeks, we continue to monitor the situation closely,” Velasco said in a statement.“As the Secretary of Health has always reminded the public, it’s still important to practice basic health measures such as wearing masks when necessary, frequent handwashing and building up your immunity, especially with the unpredictable weather conditions that may affect our health. We will issue updates if any adjustments are needed,” he added.
He admits cases in the Philippines have declined so why would they change anything because of what is happening overseas?
The state of Nebraska is so desperate for teachers they are looking to the Philippines to fill spots.
 |
| https://ruralradio.com/krvn/news/desperate-for-teachers-nebraska-schools-turn-abroad-to-the-philippines/ |
In a classroom 7,903 miles from home, Dorina Ramos counts down from five.
“Five,” Ramos says in her clear and practiced English, as a teenager passing around handfuls of chips sits back at his desk.
“Four.” A lingering high schooler stores his school-issued iPad away in a classroom cabinet.
“Three.” Another teenager wanders from the pencil sharpener back to her seat.
“Two.” The Spanish chatter of Ramos’ class of immigrant high schoolers falls to a hush.
“One.”
They pull the day’s worksheet on the mirror equation and magnification formulas out of their folders.
Counting down is a new strategy for Ramos, a classroom management tactic she picked up after arriving in Schuyler.
“They know that after that time, if they are still misbehaving, they will be reported to the office,” the 37-year-old teacher said.
Nine months ago, Ramos and 12 other teachers left their lives in the Philippines — homes, families, friends — to teach at Schuyler Community Schools, joining the growing number of Filipino teachers across the state who accept the jobs school districts are desperate to fill.
In Nebraska, vacant teacher jobs are still three times as high as they were the year before the COVID-19 pandemic. More teachers than ever are leaving the profession, administrators said, and not enough new teachers are entering it.
Colleges and the state have pursued long-term attempts to fix the teacher pipeline. But in the short term, schools have started to look internationally. At least eight Nebraska school districts — many of them rural — have hired from the Philippines. More still are considering it.
“We knew that (the) teacher shortage was coming, because candidates were becoming very thin. So we wanted to give it a shot. Which, thank God we did, because without those staff, all those positions would have been vacant,” said Kevin Mills, director of human resources for North Platte Public Schools, which hired six Filipino teachers two years ago.
But challenges arise when hiring internationally, said Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association, the union representing teachers. And, he said, if fails to address the systemic problems facing the profession.
“If you’re turning to a solution because you can’t find anybody else — whether that’s an international teacher, whether that’s an alternative certification pathway — if you’re turning to that solution in desperation, you’re making the wrong move period,” Royers said.
No one tracks how many Nebraska districts have hired abroad. But the Flatwater Free Press found such districts in suburban Omaha, and northeast Nebraska cities like Columbus and Schuyler. Tiny Loup County in the Sandhills hired an English teacher. North Platte to the west brought in six new teachers. Walthill on the Omaha reservation hired a music teacher. In total, at least eight districts have hired teachers from the Philippines.
The two countries have similar curriculums and grading systems, and similar school calendars, making teachers from the Philippines a good fit for schools in the U.S.
In Schuyler, administrators turned to the recruiting company Praxical Strategies, which arranges interviews and handles immigration paperwork and background checks. Schuyler’s international teachers are hired on H-1B visas, which offer a path to a green card and let teachers bring their families to Nebraska. The teachers are paid the same salary as their American counterparts, and are represented by the teachers union.
“Our hope was not to bring them here on a business transaction,” Comley said. “Our job is to actually hope they want to stay and be a part of the community.”
School districts used to get dozens — sometimes hundreds — of applicants for teaching jobs, said Bret Schroder, the superintendent in Schuyler. Now, it’s common to get one or two applicants. Sometimes, they get none at all.
In 2023, unfilled teaching jobs in the state peaked at 908, according to the Nebraska Department of Education’s annual vacancy survey. An unfilled position includes both positions left vacant and positions filled by someone other than a fully qualified teacher. Of those 908 unfilled jobs, 361 were left empty.
That number has gone down a bit. This past school year, Nebraska had 669 unfilled positions and 200 vacant positions. But that’s still higher than the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. While the annual vacancy survey shows improvement, the numbers can be misleading. If a district gives up on hiring and cuts a position entirely, that’s no longer counted as an unfilled job, Royers said.
Fewer people are entering the profession. In 2012, 1,804 people completed teacher prep programs at Nebraska colleges. That dropped to 1,366 people in 2022.
Schools and colleges have tried to reverse that trend, said Paul Turman, chancellor of the Nebraska State College System. More high schools are offering dual credit programs, where students can start earning credits for their teaching degree in high school. A scholarship program helps students pay for their teaching degree, so long as they stay to teach in Nebraska after graduating. It’s becoming easier for paraprofessionals to get their teaching certification.
Still, the number of graduates entering the profession “most certainly needs to be higher,” Turman said.
Teaching vacancies are three times higher than they were before the pandemic. It's not clear if the two are related.
Monkeypox cases are on the rise and Maasin City has mandated face masks and social distancing.
 |
| https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/5/30/tv-patrol-turistang-kinapos-sa-pamasahe-lumangoy-patungong-isla-sa-biliran-2211 |
Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado has confirmed on his social medias post that they have a suspected case of mpox.The patient is a 55-year-old female who is now in isolation who is currently undergoing confirmatory testing.The local chief executive said local health authorities have started contact tracing to identify and monitor anyone who may have had close contact with her.As a precautionary measure, the city government has reimposed the mandatory use of face masks in all public spaces.Physical distancing and other basic health protocols are also back in effect.These steps aim to protect the public and prevent the possible spread of the virus.The Department of Education Eastern Visayas clarified that there are no confirmed cases of mpox in the entire Eastern Visayas region yet, based on the latest report from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU).However, the Department of Health - Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-EVCHD) strongly reminds the public to stay informed with accurate information about the disease.While no confirmed cases are recorded in the region, everyone is urged to practice preventive measures to avoid infection.
 |
| https://mb.com.ph/2025/05/30/cotabato-health-office-orders-mandatory-face-masks-vs-monkeypox |
The Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) in Cotabato has ordered the mandatory wearing of face masks in all health facilities in the province to help prevent the spread of contagious diseases, including monkeypox.
In a two-page health advisory issued on May 29, IPHO chief Dr. Eva Rabaya urged patients and the public to wear face masks while inside health facilities amid the threat of the monkeypox in the province.
The mandatory wearing of face masks covers all health facilities, including hospitals, clinics, barangay health stations, rural and city health units, lying-ins, and other free-standing health facilities.
“This measure aims to reduce the risk of respiratory and close-contact transmission, protect vulnerable populations, and maintain safe and accessible public health services,” the IPHO stated.
Rabaya added that wearing face masks significantly reduces the risk of respiratory transmission and provides essential protection for high-risk individuals, including healthcare workers, immunocompromised persons, and patients in clinical settings.
The IPHO issued the measure amid the threat of monkey pox in the Soccsksargen region or Region 12 with 14 cases.
The region is composed of Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City.
Ten cases are from South Cotabato, three in Sultan Kudarat, and one in Cotabato.
Meanwhile, Department of Health-Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD) Soccsksargen region has denied reports that a lockdown has been imposed due to monkeypox cases.
“The DOH-CHD Soccsksargen clarifies that there is no declared lockdown in any regional provinces, cities, or municipalities. It also warns that such fraudulent acts may lead to criminal charges for the dissemination of false information,” it said.
The agency assured the public that health facilities are fully prepared to handle cases effectively by ensuring implementation of the Health Facility Preparedness and Response Plan for monkeypox.
Bohol has not mandated face masks yet but has formed a monkeypox task force despite the absence of any cases.
 |
| https://mb.com.ph/2025/05/30/bohol-creates-monkeypox-task-force |
While there is no confirmed case of monkeypox in Bohol yet, Gov. Aris Aumentado is not taking any chances as he ordered the creation of a task force to help prevent the spread of the virus in the province.
Aumentado issued Executive Order No. 28 that created the Bohol Provincial Monkeypox Task Force.
Aumentado on Thursday, May 29, presided over a meeting with key officials and agencies to map out immediate measures in anticipation of potential monkeypox cases.
“We have not recorded any monkeypox case yet in the province but we are closely monitoring the situation through our Provincial Health Office (PHO),” Aumentado said.
The task force was formed after a confirmed case of monkeypox was recorded in Talisay City, Cebu.
It is composed of provincial officials Provincial Administrator Asteria Caberte, Chief of Staff Atty. Filipina Piollo, Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Handel Lagunay, PHO OIC Dr. Fruserma Mary Uy, PDRRMO head Anthony Damalerio, and PGSO head Engr. Eustaquio Caliao.
During the meeting, the PHO instructed the province’s rural health units, hospitals, and local facilities to intensify community-based information campaigns focusing on early detection, isolation, and prompt reporting of symptoms that may be linked to monkeypox.
Aumentado called for vigilance and asked the people to avoid unnecessary gatherings to limit exposure.
“Let us continue to maintain the cleanliness of our environment and our health,” he said. “If you have a family member experiencing abnormal health conditions and itchy skin or rashes, consult our health experts for early detection.”
The province will coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to prevent possible price manipulation or profiteering, especially for medical supplies like masks and sanitizers.
The DOH has set these municipalities straight by advising that face masks are ineffective against monkeypox.
 |
| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2066153/amid-hike-in-demand-doh-says-face-masks-ineffective-vs-mpox |
Wearing face masks may help prevent the spread of many diseases but not mpox, Health Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said on Monday as he urged face mask retailers not to use the reported cases of the infectious disease as an excuse for raising their prices.
“They should not increase the prices of face masks because of the higher demand for these at the moment. The Department of Health (DOH) is stressing that face masks cannot protect you from mpox,” Domingo said over radio station dzMM on Monday.
The current retail price for face masks or surgical masks ranges from P1 to P8 apiece, while N95 masks sell for P45 to P105 each.
“Some local government units (LGUs) made face mask-wearing mandatory. There’s nothing wrong with that. But mpox is transmitted through close, skin-to-skin contact. Precautions should be based on the mode of transmission,” Domingo said.
He encouraged LGUs to coordinate with the DOH for health protocols that suit the transmission method for the disease.
Experts from the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases noted that unlike COVID-19, mpox is not airborne or transmitted through the air inside rooms, marketplaces, or even in planes.
“Hence, compulsory masking in these areas or within the broader community is not necessary. Enforcing masks is not a cost-effective measure and will not prevent the spread of mpox,” it said in a statement on Monday.
So what are those LGU's doing by mandating face masks? It it about health or is it about the appearance of "doing something?"
Here's another story about a pandemic pursuit being turned for a profit.
 |
| https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2025/06/02/2447471/donnie-tantoco-turns-pandemic-idea-tribute-parents |
A few Saturdays ago, PR maven Susan Joven invited me and Leo Espinosa for a leisurely lunch at Rico’s Café, nestled within the serene grounds of the Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club (SEGACC) in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. We rode in Susan’s van, and the drive of less than an hour from the Ortigas area was a perfect prelude to a memorable afternoon.
Because of the amusing stories and uncontainable laughter that marked the brief drive, we were famished when we got to Sta. Rosa. Upon our arrival at Rico’s Café, we were warmly greeted by Tricia Vistan, the ever-gracious customer relations director, who led us to our reserved table. Thankfully, Susan had the foresight to book in advance. The café was busy and buzzing with lots of weekend diners. As we settled in, we were soon joined by a familiar face: Donnie Tantoco. It had been years since I last saw him, yet he hadn’t aged a day — save for slightly longer hair and, quite surprisingly, the proud glow of a doting grandfather to three.
Naturally, I was curious. Donnie is best known as a visionary retail entrepreneur from the illustrious Tantoco clan — the family behind Rustan’s and Stores Specialists Inc. (SSI). What brought him here to the heart of Sta. Elena?
As it turns out, Donnie’s journey with SEGACC began during the height of the COVID pandemic in May 2020. Three months into the lockdown, when it had been many weeks since he saw his parents, Rico and Nena Tantoco, Donnie received a call from his father, who asked him for ideas about developing SEGACC. Inspired by the serendipitous timing of the call, Donnie decided it was the perfect opportunity and time to create a tribute to his parents — a living legacy while they are still around to see it.
He asked his dad for a three-hectare plot by the man-made lake within the property and began transforming it into what is now Nena’s Sanctuary — a lush, tranquil space that embodies the Tantoco family values of compassion, resilience and a deep commitment to people. “In tough times, no one gets laid off,” Donnie shared, recalling one of his dad’s many philosophies “to take care of employees like family.”
Here’s another unique Rico Tantoco philosophy: rather than design landscapes, create habitats. With this principle guiding him, Donnie developed the sanctuary. With its thriving flora and fauna, it has since become a haven not just for humans but for wildlife too, including migratory birds (around 3,000 species) and aquatic life. The space now includes Rico’s Café and an adjoining Events Place.
The Events Place, which opened in May 2023, was not part of the original plan. “I was hesitant to keep inventory,” Donnie admitted, “so we built something that could be rented for celebrations instead.” With a 350-seat capacity, the venue is a sought-after location for intimate yet grand occasions.
By November 2024, Rico’s Café officially opened its doors. The interiors evoke nostalgia — a vivid homage to Donnie’s father in his 30s. From vintage hanging lamps salvaged from Rico’s old den to modern touches like a yellow brick wall and winding staircase envisioned by Donnie’s wife, Crickett, the café artfully balances legacy and lifestyle. Designed with families in mind, it offers a unique blend of contemporary comforts in a nature-immersed setting.
And the vision doesn’t stop there. Donnie and his sister Katrina are now working on building a mid-rise boutique hotel complete with a wellness and spa center. With 40 rooms and select villas, they hope to open the doors to a full eco-luxury retreat within the next three years.
In all, our lunch at Rico’s Café was more than a culinary journey — it was a window into a family’s heartfelt legacy, their vision for mindful living and a reaffirmation that the best stories are often shared over good food and even better company.
If they did a survey on businesses born during the pandemic surely restaurants would take the lead.
No comments:
Post a Comment