More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.
UNICEF has called out the Philippines for its education crisis. The strike lockdowns during the pandemic only served to exacerbate the problem.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/06/18/2451334/unicef-official-flags-philippines-major-learning-crisis |
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned of a “real and widespread learning crisis” in the Philippines, as recent findings revealed that a vast majority of students are falling significantly behind in reading and mathematics.
Citing data from a 2019 study, UNICEF Education chief Akihiro Fushimi said that 90 percent of Filipino children in Grade 5 cannot read at their expected level, while 83 percent continue to struggle with basic mathematics.
“This is a real and widespread learning crisis,” Fushimi stressed during a press conference in Makati City.
He noted that learning gaps have widened further in areas such as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), where education outcomes are even lower.
The study’s findings predate the COVID-19 pandemic, which Fushimi said worsened the problem due to prolonged school closures and limited access to alternative learning, particularly among disadvantaged communities.
“With COVID-19, we know the Philippines has faced a two-year-long school closure. During this time, many children, particularly those in disadvantaged communities and families, could not access the alternate modes of learning,” Fushimi said.
UNICEF estimates show that by Grade 4, Filipino children typically demonstrate literacy and numeracy skills equivalent to only Grade 1 or 2, indicating a two-year learning delay. In BARMM, this gap is reportedly worse.
Aside from pandemic-related disruptions, Fushimi said recurring natural disasters, aggravated by climate change, have further derailed students’ learning progress.
“100 percent of schools in the country are at risk of being affected positively and negatively by the natural disasters, including hurricanes, floods, local eruptions, earthquakes and so on. And that also adds up to this learning poverty, learning crisis,” he noted.
To address the crisis, UNICEF is urging the government to invest in foundational learning, starting with early childhood education.
“From as early as three to four years old, before they enter kindergarten, we have to invest in their health, nutrition and education and learning, and so on, to smoothly function into private education and basic education,” said Fushimi.
With the threat of natural disasters and man-made government disasters no child is safe.
Monkeypox continues to pose a threat. Agusan Sur has logged its first case.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252428 |
The Provincial Health Office of Agusan del Sur (PHO-ADS) has reported the first confirmed case of mpox (formerly monkeypox) in the area.
In an advisory on Wednesday afternoon, the PHO-ADS said the patient had a travel history to Davao City and subsequently developed a pimple-like rash on his face, prompting a consultation with a physician.
The patient was isolated in a hospital while awaiting the results of a specimen sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine.
Following confirmation of the mpox infection, the patient's immediate close contacts were placed under quarantine and are being closely monitored.
“As of this advisory, the close contacts have not developed any signs and symptoms,” the PHO-ADS assured.
The case is also considered the first in the Caraga region, which was confirmed by the Department of Health regional office (DOH-13) on Wednesday.
“We are currently in close coordination with Agusan del Sur province on the matter,” the DOH-13 said in a text message to the media here on Wednesday afternoon.
DOH-13 reminded residents to remain vigilant by avoiding close contact with symptomatic individuals, following respiratory etiquette, washing hands frequently, and disinfecting commonly used surfaces to prevent transmission.
"Respiratory etiquette" and "washing hands frequently" does not prevent transmission. The DOH has already said as much. Why is the local DOH giving out bad advice which contradicts the national office?
Northern Mindanao has also recorded its first monkeypox case.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1252642 |
Health officials confirmed Northern Mindanao's first mpox (monkeypox) case Friday, involving an adult male patient from Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.
In a health bulletin, the DOH-Region 10 Epidemiology Unit reported the patient is receiving care at Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center.
Tests at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine identified the infection as Clade II mpox - a less severe variant than the Clade Ib strain.
Ozamiz Mayor Henry Oaminal Jr. ordered immediate contact tracing and urged residents with symptoms to seek medical attention.
"Follow DOH protocols on hygiene and disinfection," he advised, emphasizing vigilance against transmission.
What DOH protocols on hygiene and disinfection? There are none! Monkeypox is contracted through close contact with the infected.
A new COVID-19 variant is on the loose but has not yet been detected in the Philippines.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2072360/new-covid-19-nimbus-variant-not-yet-detected-in-ph-says-doh-chief |
There is no reported case of the new COVID-19 variant, NB.1.8.1, or “Nimbus,” in the Philippines, according to Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.
At a Palace briefing, Herbosa also said the Epidemiology Bureau is monitoring the COVID-19 cases, particularly on the onset of the rainy season, and whether the new variant is already present in the country.
He also said that those who already received their vaccination for COVID-19 are likely protected already from the “Nimbus” variant.
This new variant is known for causing painful or “razor blade throat” among its carriers, as reported by the Associated Press on June 19.
The rise in cases of the COVID-19 “Nimbus” variant was primarily in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, and western Pacific regions, the report also said.
"Razor blade throat??" Sounds awful. Note that the DOH says those with the vaccine are "likely protected" from this variant. Don't vaccination was never a protection from COVID infection as many vaccinated did get sick.
The tourism sector continues to bounce back with massive gains posted for 2024.
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| https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/06/21/2452053/tourism-sector-generates-p235-trillion-philippine-2024 |
The economic value of the country’s tourism sector rose by 11 percent last year, supported by strong travel demand and the government’s promotion efforts.
The Tourism Satellite Account released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the tourism sector’s direct gross value added (TDGVA) increased to P2.35 trillion in 2024 from P2.12 trillion in 2023.
In terms of the tourism sector’s contribution to the Philippine economy, PSA data showed that the sector’s share to gross domestic product also went up to 8.9 percent last year from the previous year’s 8.7 percent.
The PSA data is based on tourist expenditures in the country. These cover accommodation services; food and beverage services; travel agencies and other reservation services; entertainment and recreation; shopping and miscellaneous services.
“The increase in TDGVA reflects the sector’s continued recovery and resilience post-pandemic. This growth was likely driven by stronger domestic travel demand, recovering international arrivals and sustained government investments in tourism infrastructure and marketing,” Philippine Institute for Development Studies senior research fellow John Paolo Rivera said in an email.
He said meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE), revenge travel behavior and the rollout of regional tourism circuits also contributed to higher tourism economic gains.
Of the different forms of tourism expenditures, PSA data showed that outbound tourism expenditure posted the highest growth of 37.5 percent to P345.68 billion in 2024 from P251.35 billion in 2023.
This was followed by domestic tourism expenditure, which grew by 16.4 percent to P3.16 trillion from P2.71 trillion.
Meanwhile, inbound tourism expenditure increased slightly to P699.98 billion from P697.49 billion.
Internal tourism expenditure, which covers inbound and domestic tourism expenditure, grew by 13.1 percent to P3.86 trillion from P3.41 trillion.
The country’s tourism sector employed 6.75 million last year, up by 6.1 percent from 6.37 million in 2023.
Rivera said the outlook for the tourism sector remains positive for this year, citing aggressive promotional efforts and digital transformation initiatives.
“However, external risks such as geopolitical tensions and rising travel costs may temper growth, so sustaining momentum will require policy consistency and further improving ease of travel,” he said.
He also said infrastructure would be needed to allow the sector to expand capacity to welcome or accommodate more tourists.
And certain government officials are worried about travel warnings from the USA concerting crime keeping people from visiting.
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