Critics hit for ignoring

‘rest of Covid-19 data’

Malacañang on Sunday hit critics for only paying attention to the increase in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the country while ignoring the rise in recoveries and decline in deaths.

In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said he found it “unfortunate” how people failed to see how the spike in cases is due to “aggressive testing.”

“We find it unfortunate that some quarters cannot seem to see the forest for the trees when they cite the cumulative number of cases and blatantly ignore the rest of the Covid-19 data,” he said.

Currently, there are a total of 65,304 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the country, of which 22,067 are recoveries and 1,773 are deaths.

He explained that the “sad reality” is that the virus is not going away easily until we develop a vaccine or find a cure.

Despite the jump in recoveries and decrease in deaths, Roque said the national government sympathizes with those who lost their family members due to Covid-19.

“We believe that one life lost is one too many and that these numbers will not lull us to a false sense of security but instead make us work double time in improving our response against Covid-19,” he said.

Citing the study of the University of the Philippines anew, he said if it were not for the community quarantines imposed nationwide, the country would have reached three million Covid-19 cases.

“The community quarantine that the Administration imposed has helped us improve our health system capacity, and in turn, save thousands of lives at a huge cost to our economy,” he said, describing the decision to choose health above economic activities as “the bitter pill.”

However, Roque said the national government has been “serious” in looking at science in making decisions, such as the country’s case doubling rate, the utilization of critical care facilities and the case fatality rate which now stands at 2.7 percent which is far lower than the global average of 5.5 percent, as of July 19.

Amid criticism, he said the government will continue to “work round the clock” with the local government units and the private sector, in enforcing health protocols and improving our testing, tracing, isolation and treatment while gradually opening the economy.

Earlier, Roque emphasized the importance of intervention being done by local government units (LGUs), private companies, and individual citizens to effectively flatten the curve or slow down the Covid-19 infection rate.

One of the strategies being implemented by LGUs to prevent community transmission is to ensure that asymptomatic and mild patients are transferred to isolation centers.

“Those who don’t have facilities for home isolation when they are asymptomatic or mild, that they will really be transferred to isolation centers,” he said in a TV interview.

He also reiterated that the government could “compel” infected individuals who are not qualified to undergo home quarantine to transfer to isolation centers.

“I think we can still compel them but I don’t think it will be in the nature as if they are being treated as criminal. We’d like to think that these are matters that can be settled in the barangay,” he said. “I think the barangay has the necessarily means and experience to persuade these individuals to go.”

He expressed confidence that there would not be a need to use force since all patients are made to feel comfortable while under isolation.

“We’re offering air-conditioned facilities with wifi and free board and lodging. It's actually a hotel experience, so why would you say no to a hotel experience,” he added. 

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Subanen youths, tribal leaders

und 2-day leadership training

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur – The Philippine Army's 1st Cavalry Battalion held a two-day leadership training to dissuade Subanen youths from joining the ranks of the communist terrorist New People’s Army (NPA).

“Good leadership is a strong foundation needed for the youth not to be deceived by the wrong ideologies,” Lt. Col. Rommel Pereña, 1st Cavalry Battalion commander, said Saturday.

The two-day leadership training for Indigenous Peoples’ (Subanen) youths as well as the tribal leaders started Friday in Barangay Deporehan, Bayog town.

“Strengthened youth would solve the problem in the continuing fight against the rebels, while cooperation with the government would bring in peace and development in the barrio,” Pereña added.

Barangay Deporehan is at the borders of Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, and Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte. The village is 21 kilometers away from the town center of Bayog and 100 kilometers from this city.

The far-flung village, home to the Subanens, serves a passageway of the communist terrorist NPA from this province to Zamboanga del Norte, according to the military.

The NPA has long been using residents to procure food supply and other basic needs at the town center, Deporehan Barangay chairperson Edward Promon.

Promon said he is pushing to educate the Subanen youths to prevent them to easily believe in “the wrong ideology injected to them” by the NPA in recruiting new members.

Pereña warned Subanen youths not to join the NPA.

“With education, you would know when you are being fooled, learn the strategies on dealing with this approach. But joining them with their wrong ideology would not just harm you but would also hamper the development in the community," he told the participants.

Ronaldo Padua, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency-9 (NICA-9) assistant director, said young Subanens should avail of the Duterte administration's education programs for the IP youths.

Alex Langgiras, Western Mindanao Tribal Leaders Federation president, said most of the NPA fatalities in recent clashes with the military in this province and neighboring provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental were Subanen youths.

“You are strengthened and taught of the right ideology for peace and progress of the tribal communities. You are organized not to be recruited by the NPA. You are organized to convince them back to the government,” Langgiras told the trainees. (PNA)

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CBCP pressuring SC to decide

vs. anti-terror law: Panelo

 

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Sunday accused the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) of using its religious influence to pressure the Supreme Court to decide against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

Panelo made this statement after the CBCP, in a letter, expressed support for petitions questioning the controversial law, especially the manner by which it was “fast-tracked” in Congress while Filipinos were grappling with the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

He, however, said CBCP appeared to have violated the doctrine of the separation of the church and state as mandated by the 1987 Constitution.

“Such advocacy, coupled with its call to its faithful followers to prayer, effectively exerts religious influence or pressure on Supreme Court to decide against a national law designed to combat the global crime of terrorism and to secure the safety of the Filipino people,” he said in a statement.

Even if it did not violate the Constitution, he explained that it echoes the false narrative of critics and detractors who claim that it sends a “chilling effect” on those exercising freedom of speech.

He said all petitions challenging the constitutionality of the law should be dismissed “for utter lack of merit on procedural and substantive grounds.”

“The law has been passed weeks ago and there have been no signs of any ‘chilling effect’ on those who wish to publicly air their grievances against the government. In fact, the voices of dissent are in wild reckless abandon,” he said.

According to Panelo, the law gives a clear definition of the crime of terrorism, which leaves no room for misinterpretation.

Panelo agreed with the CBCP that "it is one thing to be actually involved in a crime and another thing to be merely suspected or accused of committing a crime."

He also said that it contains safeguards protective of the basic liberties of those arrested and detained, as well as deterrents against possible abuses by law enforcement agents.

Meanwhile, he said CBCP should learn to “trust” the country’s judicial system instead of adopting an opposite mindset which undermines the legal institutions.

“For its education, we have been in a far worse situation for years due to the favorable treatment which people in power or of influence have been receiving from past governments. The present dispensation has taken us out of this environment through the President's political will in enforcing the law equally to all, bar none, including those managed in the past to be immune therefrom or untouchable,” he said.

He said the citizenry who have witnessed the destruction of lives and properties wrought by terrorism have welcomed the instrument's passage into law.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the law on July 3 to repeal the Human Security Act of 2007.

Under the law, suspected terrorists can be detained up to 24 days without the filing of any charges.

The law stated that acts intended to cause death or serious injury to any person, extensive damage to a government facility, and extensive interference with destruction to critical infrastructure are likewise considered as terror acts.

It also states that individuals who either use weapons, explosives and chemical weapons or release dangerous substances causing fire, floods, or explosions are considered terrorists.

At least 10 petitions have been filed against the anti-terrorism law before the high court. 

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PopCom-9 introduces Demographic

Tool to assess spread of diseases

By Rene V. Carbayas

ISABELA CITY, (PIA) – The Population Commission-Region IX has introduced and encouraged local government units and government agencies to use the Demographic Vulnerability Tools (DVT) in assessing the geographic spread of diseases.

During the recent orientation on the said tools in Isabela City, POPCOM9 Regional Director Reynaldo Wong pointed out that during pandemics, geographic spread is a vital factor in identifying the most effective health interventions to mitigate disease outcomes.

“Spatial characteristics such as population distribution, density and living arrangement of the population are important in assessing geographic spread of the disease. Demographic characteristics such as sex and age composition of the population at risk play an important role in determining the pattern of epidemic spread,” he said.

He stressed that this new tool provides the demographic characteristics of  population that may cause or enhance the exposure or possibility of individuals and segment of population to be infected with communicable disease.

With the current COVID-19 pandemic, PopCom is confident that this new tool will greatly help local government units and government agencies to appropriately respond and help the most venerable sector and community in their respective localities, thus help in managing the meager resources, especially that of the LGUs.

DVT also gives attention to the type of house and floor area of household dwelling as important element in determining the vulnerabilities of the members of the households especially when social and physical distancing is very much encouraged even inside the house to curb the spread of COVID-19.

PopCom data showed that certain densely populated barangays in the city with a number of housing unit density that is less than 20 square meter are highly vulnerable and susceptible to disease contamination. However, PopCom encouraged the city to validate the projected data presented and for the barangays to adopt the tools as baseline for planning and services.

“Without the vaccine, we are not certain as to when this pandemic will last. However, with this data from the DVT, the barangays at micro level can immediately act and LGUs can prioritize services,” Wong said.

Wong puts high regard on the DVT as this will also help LGUs respond quickly to the needs of vulnerable sectors, like the senior citizens, people with disabilities (PWD), and infants, among others.

As the first LGU to be oriented on the said tool in Zamboanga Peninsula, City Population Officer Jesielyn Puno expressed gratitude on behalf of the city government of Isabela for the confidence that PopCom-9 is giving to the city.

Meanwhile, City Information Officer Menry Lim appreciated the value of the tool in their ongoing data gathering per household to update the barangay profiles. She said that the challenge is on the encoding of the voluminous data and hope to complete them the soonest possible time. (NBE/RVC/PIA9-Basilan)

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Sibugay's 1st COVID-19

positive recovers, to home

The Zamboanga Sibugay Province’s first recorded active case of COVID19 was finally allowed to go home after the patient’s reswab test (RT-PCR) result came out clean or negative for the corona virus disease on July 14, 2020.

Patient ZS 003, a Locally Stranded Individual (LSI) who arrived Imelda town, Zamboanga Sibugay on June 16, 2020 from Cebu City was recorded Positive for COVID19 on June 24, 2020 and remained isolated at the Imelda LIGTAS COVID Center in Barangay Balugo, Imelda, until she was finally allowed home yesterday, July 15, 2020.

ZS003 underwent reswabbing on July 6 and her result was released on July 14, 2020 as negative for the disease.

The local government of Imelda town, headed by its town Mayor Roselyn Silva prepared a simple yet emotional send off ceremony on July 15, for the first COVID19 recovery of the province and witnessed by DOH 9 personnel.

ZS 003 was excitedly met by the husband yesterday, and she is now happily reunited with her family.

Meanwhile, Governor Wilter Yap Palma, in an official letter sent recently to the Chairperson of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 Sec. Delfin N. Lorenzana thru the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 9, requesting for a 15-day moratorium in sending back Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) to the province, “to contain the transmission of COVID-19”, as all recorded active cases in Zamboanga Sibugay were transmitted from LSIs.

To date, the province records a total of 20 confirmed COVID19 cases of which 2 of the cases are in Manila and Cebu City, respectively, with one recovered case. (RVC/JPA/PIA-Zamboanga Sibugay)

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Covid-19 cases rise by 2,241 to

67,456; recoveries now 22,465

The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday reported 2,241 new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) infections, raising the overall tally to 67,456.

DOH said the additional cases reported were based on the total tests done by 74 out of 84 operational laboratories.

The newly announced cases included 1,625 from the National Capital Region (NCR), 115 from Cebu, 76 from Cavite, 75 from Davao del Sur, and 55 from Laguna.

It also reported 398 new recoveries and 58 new deaths.

These figures bring the total number of recoveries to 22,465 and the total number of deaths to 1,831.

"Of the 58 deaths, 25 or 43 percent in July, 33 or 57 percent in June. Deaths were from Region 7 which is 54 or 93 percent, NCR which is one or 2 percent, and Region 11 which is one or 2 percent. Eighty-nine duplicates were removed from total case count. The total cases reported may be subject to change as these numbers undergo constant cleaning and validation," the DOH said.

It also noted that there are 43,160 active cases and about 90.1 percent of them are mild, 9.1 percent are asymptomatic, 0.4 percent are severe, and 0.4 percent are critical.

As of Saturday, a total of 1,058,764 individual tests were performed by the 67 licensed RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) laboratories and 22 licensed GeneXpert laboratories nationwide.

The DOH has 15,564 total bed capacity dedicated to patients with Covid-19.

Occupied are about 47.4 percent of 1,353 intensive care unit beds; 48.4 percent of 10,639 isolation beds; and 55.7 percent of 3,572 ward beds.

There are 2,137 total ventilators for Covid-19 patients with about 24.3 percent in use.

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ABS-CBN franchise denial not

prelude to martial law: Panelo

The failure of ABS-CBN Corp. to secure a fresh 25-year franchise from Congress is not a move closer to President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration of martial rule in the country, Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said on Friday.

During his commentary show “Counterpoint” aired on state-run PTV-4, Panelo said House lawmakers merely observed the rule of law when they decided to junk ABS-CBN’s bid to get a new franchise.

”Hindi ibig sabihin ito ay isang hakbang tungo sa isang diktaturya (This does not mean it is a prelude to the declaration of martial law). This is in fact a further step towards the faithful observance of due process of law,” Panelo said.

Panelo’s statement came four days after Duterte said he is “very happy” that he has dismantled the oligarchy in the country without declaring martial law.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises on July 10 denied the application of ABS-CBN for a fresh 25-year congressional franchise to enable the network to resume its broadcast operations.

Panelo said it was wrong to assume that ABS-CBN can use its franchise “forever.”

He said the granting of the legislative franchise to a broadcast firm is merely a “privilege and not a right.”

“Wala kayong pwedeng sabihin na since binigyan kayo, amin na ito forever. Hindi pupwede kasi (You cannot say that since you were granted a franchise, that’s yours forever. That cannot happen because) you don’t have a vested right to the privilege granted to you,” Panelo said.

Before the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise bid, lawmakers at the House of Representatives tackled several issues hounding the network, such as the citizenship of ABS-CBN chairman emeritus Eugenio Lopez III, its issuance of Philippine Depositary Receipts, and its supposed commission of alleged labor and tax violations.

Panelo said a broadcast network, including ABS-CBN, will be stripped of its privilege to get a new franchise if it commits certain violations.

“So ang mensahe is kung lumabag sa Saligang Batas ang mga may hawak ng prangkisa at kung ano pa mang mga batas na nilabag nito, yung pribilehiyong yun ay tatanggalin sa inyo (So the message is if a franchise holder violates the Constitution and the laws, you will not have the privilege to get a fresh franchise),” he said.

Critics have claimed that ABS-CBN’s closure is supposedly a serious blow to press freedom, an accusation which Panelo denied.

“‘Yung hindi pagbibigay ng prangkisa ay hindi ‘yun babala sa press upang huminto kayo sa inyong exercise ng isang constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of the press (The failure to grant a franchise is not a warning to the press to prevent them from exercising the constitutionally-guaranteed freedom of the press),” he said.

ABS-CBN, upon the directive of the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) shutdown order, ceased its broadcast operations on May 5, or a day after the expiration of the network’s legislative franchise.

The NTC on June 30 also issued two cease and desist orders, directing ABS-CBN to halt the operation of its digital television transmission using Amcara Broadcasting Corp.’s Channel 43 and the direct-to-home satellite transmission of its cable firm, Sky Cable Corp.

On Wednesday, the network announced that it would cease the operations of its businesses and lay off workers starting August 31.

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Mayor highlights COVID

measures in her SOCA

Isabela City Mayor Sitti Djalia T. Hataman highlighted on her State of the City Address (SOCA) on July 15, 2020 the city government’s efforts against COVID-19 pandemic.

As Mayor Hataman presented and enumerated several development efforts of her administration, she recognized how the entire LGU worked together with the COVID-19 Task Force for the first 3 months that the Isabela City has maintained zero confirmed case on COVID-19.

The city executive enumerated 5 major actions of the city government against coronavirus diseases to include; Creation of Isabela City Anti-COVID19 Task Force, Intensifying Information Drive on COVID-19, Installation of Foot-Pedaled Hand-wash Stations, Disinfection/Decontamination Protocols and Procurement and Distribution of Medical Supplies, Medical Equipment and PPES.

Isabela City Anti-COVID19 TF was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 13-2020 signed on March 10, 2020 and took effect immediately. The TF comprises different government agencies and other stakeholders who are actively participating to strictly implement measures and guidelines to curb corona virus in the city.

Moreover, awareness on COVID-19 is also very important for the public to understand how they can contribute and manage the spread of the virus. Thus the City Government through the City Information Office utilized different platforms to reach the grassroots and learn about COVID-19. They produced posters and distributed to the 45 barangays and other public places. They also prepared radio plugs and announcements played at DXNO Radyo Komunidad and discussed more about COVID-19 during their radio program dubbed as “LGU Hour” at DXNO-FM.

Despite the sudden increase of confirmed cases in Isabela City and in the entire Basilan, Mayor Hataman urged all her constituents to cooperate with the government and do their part to protect themselves and their families.

“Huwag po tayong magalit sa mga umuuwi. Tahanan po nila ang Isabela City at stranded po yan. Imbes na magalit po tayo dahil may nagpositive na, gawin po natin yong parte natin. Sarili po natin alagaan natin at yong pamilya natin”, she said.

Mayor Hataman also reported the procurement of PPEs, facemasks, face shields, disinfectants and medical supplies intended primarily to equip frontliners in the city who are dealing with COVID-19 cases, respond to emergency situations and provide other basic services in times of COVID crisis.

She also recognized, acknowledged and extended her gratitude to some individuals and institutions who gave support to the city government, especially to her husband Congressman Mujiv Hataman who is giving full support in the city’s fight against COVID-19.

In addition, Mayor Hataman also reported the operationalization of some facilities in the city which were designated as Ligtas COVID Facility and Bayanihan Facility. These facilities cater to COVID-19 confirmed patients and Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) and Returning Overseas Filipinos who needed to undergo and comply with the mandatory quarantine of 14–21 days.

She revealed that Isabela City maintains two (2) facilities: the Ligtas COVID19 Quarantine Facility at Cabunbata with 30 bed capacity for those symptomatic patients and manned by 10 personnel and the HapIsabela Bayanihan Reception Facility at Barangay Begang with approximately 350 capacity for stranded persons.

Likewise, the LGU implements other efforts that help Basileños cope with the present situation. These efforts and initiatives include Isabela City Special Delivery Service, Palengke on Tour, Task Force JAGA (Bantay Dagat), Agri-Isabela Distribution of Seedlings and TelEdukasyon to promote and sustain education amidst the pandemic.

All these initiatives and efforts were also implemented and sustained with the support of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Isabela City led by vice mayor Kifli Hataman Salliman who passed several ordinances to supplement these measures against COVID-19. (RVC/NDR/PIA9-Basilan)

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124 terrorists killed in

1st half of 2020 Army

Some 124 terrorists were killed in 279 armed encounters against communist and local terror groups in the first semester of 2020, the Philippine Army (PA) said on Saturday. 

In a statement, Army commander Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay said 95 others were captured while 422 firearms were seized from these operations despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis.

In a virtual command conference on Thursday to present the Army’s accomplishments in the past six months, Gapay lauded his field commanders for their operational "verve and outstanding performance."

"Moreover, the convergence of efforts of various government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, local communities, and the security sector have facilitated the surrender of 1,705 terrorists with 378 assorted firearms with the aggressive implementation of the whole-of-nation approach through the National Task Force in Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)," he said.

During the command conference, Gapay also reported that the campaign from January to June led to the neutralization or surrender of nine ranking officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army (CPP-NPA).

Central Committee member Julius Soriano Giron was killed in a gunfight after resisting arrest during a search warrant operation in Baguio City last March 13.

His wife, Anne Margarette Tauli, a member of the Executive Committee and former secretary of the Regional White Area Committee of the Ilocos – Cordillera Regional Committee (ICRC) voluntarily yielded to authorities in Kin-iway, Besao, Mountain Province on June 4.

According to Gapay, Giron, who was also head of the National Military Commission, was responsible for the death of numerous military personnel and innocent civilians, loss of economic assets and civilian properties due to arson, and the displacement of thousands of people due to harassment and terrorist acts.

He said that with Giron's death, the CPP is currently in crisis due to a leadership vacuum, as there is no immediate qualified replacement, while Tauli’s surrender is also a major blow to the resource generation activities of the Ilocos – Cordillera Regional Committee.

Gapay said these series of losses and the enactment of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which took effect on Saturday, would hasten the defeat of the terrorist groups.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines

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Deadline for motorcycle safety

barriers extended to July 26

The government has extended for another week the mandatory installation of safety barriers prescribed for back riding couples, a police official announced on Saturday.

In a press statement, Joint Task Force Covid Shield commander Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 approved their recommendation to extend the original deadline from July 19 to July 26, to give riders enough time to install either of the two barriers that passed the safety standard—the Bohol prototype and the Angkas design.

“As per our Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (SILG) Eduardo Año, from the original July 19, the deadline for motorcycle riders to comply with the required barrier for pillion riding is now moved to July 26,” Eleazar said.

He added they recommended the extension after consulting with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) through general manager Jojo Garcia, the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group led by Brig. Gen. Eliseo Cruz and George Royeca, designer of the Angkas-made model.

Motorists have earlier asked for an extension to ensure that their compliance conforms with the safety standards set by the NTF Against Covid-19.

Eleazar said he had already coordinated with PNP chief, Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa for the dissemination of information down to the local commanders and the policemen manning and supervising the quality control points (QCPS) across the country, especially in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities.

“We hope that the two-week grace period is more than enough for motorists to conform to the safety standards of the two approved designs to ensure the safety of both the driver and the riders,” he added.

While waiting for the full implementation of the motorcycle barrier policy, Eleazar said they will continue to warn those who have not complied with follow the rules set by the NTF Against Covid-19 at the soonest possible time.

He added that they will also continue to apprehend motorists for other violations.

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