Agencies told to support three-day drive to vaccinate 15M vs COVID-19
Agencies told to support three-day drive to vaccinate 15M vs COVID-19The Pasig City government starts vaccinating Pfizer vaccine for the persons with disability and with comorbidities at Pasig Sports Center on July 17, 2021. MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered all state agencies to support the national vaccination drive from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, Malacañang said Monday, as it urged unvaccinated persons to avail of the jabs to protect their families from COVID-19. The government seeks to inoculate 15 million persons across 16 regions outside Metro Manila during the three-day "Bayanihan Bakunahan" project to meet its target of vaccinating at least half of the Philippines' population this year. The National Vaccination Operations Center secretariat previously said some 170,000 to 200,000 vaccinators would be mobilized in about 11,000 vaccination sites. The second day of the vaccination drive will coincide with the birth anniversary of national hero Andres Bonifacio, a regular holiday.
Source:Philippine Star
November 22, 2021 13:38 UTC
Researchers find unexpected leopard populations in Tibet
China is home to at least three: the Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis), the North China leopard (Panthera pardus fontanierii, which is more commonly known as Panthera pardus japonensis outside China), and the Indochinese leopard (Panthera pardus delacouri). China is also home to the snow leopard, Panthera uncia, a different species, and may also be home to Acinonyx jubatus or the Cheetah. Of the three leopard subspecies, the North China leopard is endemic. Researchers at the institute have been finding leopard traces in Tibet during wildlife surveys for almost a decade. Through individual pattern recognition technology, more than 30 individual leopards have been identified in Lhorong, all North China leopards.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 22, 2021 11:22 UTC
HK sees three new imported virus cases with mutant strains
Hong Kong on Monday reported three new imported Covid-19 cases that involved mutant strains, bringing the city’s tally to 12,405. The Centre for Health Protection said the new patients involved a man and two women, aged 23 to 43, from the Philippines, Indonesia, and the United States respectively. All three were found carrying the L452R mutant strain of the virus and all of them did not develop symptoms of Covid. Health authorities said two patients tested positive upon arrival at the Hong Kong Airport and one tested positive during quarantine at Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre. Over the past fortnight, the SAR reported 33 Covid-19 cases and all of them are imported cases.
Source:The Standard
November 22, 2021 06:50 UTC
A risk management view of the elections
The four risk handling methods are risk avoidance; loss prevention or reduction; risk retention; and finally, risk transfer. However, before using these methods, we must first apply the three steps of risk management, which are: risk identification; evaluation and the measurement of the risk; and finally, the selection of the risk handling method (RHM) itself. We must be able to identify this risk, risk being the possibility of something going wrong. Knowing what the risk is will dictate what risk handling method or combination of RHMs are best to use. This practically leaves us with only three risk handling methods to use when using the RMP in choosing a candidate.
Source:Manila Times
November 22, 2021 04:02 UTC
Funding for research, devt on the rise
DoST Assistant Secretary for Finance and Strategic Planning Maridon Sahagun reported that the number of R&D personnel has tripled, from a headcount of 25,000 in 2015 to 75,000 in 2018. "Half of the R&D personnel in the Philippines in 2018 are researchers, one-third are auxiliary personnel, and the remaining 16 percent are classified as technicians," she said. The majority of R&D spending came from the private industry at P31.6 billion, followed by the government (P13.5 billion), HEIs (P11.8 billion), and private non-profit institutions (P1 billion). He said that his department has always been pushing for maximum economic and social benefits of science and technology (S&T) to the people. "These R&D statistics are important in coming up with indicators that are globally recognized and serve as metrics to measure the country's progress in achieving economic and sustainable growth.
Source:Manila Times
November 22, 2021 03:40 UTC
Couple arrested over bruising to young daughter
A couple was released on bail after they were arrested for allegedly physically abusing their three-year-old daughter. The husband and wife, 29 and 27, were held for "ill-treatment or neglect by those in charge of a child" last Saturday. Their daughter, who was found with injuries to her limbs and skull, is in hospital. "According to Offenses against the Person Ordinance, the maximum penalty for the offense of ill-treatment or neglect by those in charge of a child or young person is 10 years' imprisonment," police said. Last Wednesday, the High Court sentenced a young couple who chained their friend's 22-month-old daughter and hit her with a rattan stick before her death.
Source:The Standard
November 22, 2021 01:17 UTC
House to probe sale of Orthopedic property
House to probe sale of Orthopedic propertyMANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives may conduct an investigation into the alleged anomalous sale of parcels of land owned by the Philippine Orthopedic Center to a couple last year. The resolution was forwarded to the House committee on health chaired by Quezon Rep. Helen Tan. She said the sale of the land belonging to the state-owned Orthopedic Hospital must undergo public scrutiny to find out whether or not the deal was legal. On March 21, 2018, the Philippine Orthopedic Center, through the Office of the Solicitor General, filed a complaint for the implementation of the March 15, 2009 court ruling. It is not known if the Limwans own Visco Motors Corp.Taduran said she would ask the House panel to summon the people involved in the sale of the Orthopedic property.
Source:Philippine Star
November 21, 2021 23:22 UTC
Indian man found alive after night in morgue freezer
NEW DELHI, India — An Indian man declared dead after a road accident shocked his relatives when they found him still breathing despite a night in the freezer of a hospital morgue. ADVERTISEMENTHe was transported to a private medical facility where he was declared dead on arrival by the doctor and then transported to a government hospital for a post-mortem on Friday. He did not find any signs of life and hence declared him dead,” Rajendra Kumar, the hospital’s medical superintendent, told AFP on Sunday. The doctor said police were informed and the body was placed in the morgue freezer until his family arrived six hours later. “When a police team and his family came over to initiate the paperwork for the autopsy, he was found alive,” he added.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 21, 2021 23:22 UTC
Seniors and immunocompromised citizens should take BioNTech as booster: Yuen Kwok-yung
Citizens who have completed both doses of the Beijing-made Sinovac vaccine should take the German-made BioNTech/Fosun shot as a booster for better protection, top microbiologist Yuen Kwok-yung said. Yuen said the results proved high risk groups, including elderly people and those with weaker immunity, should take the BioNTech jab as a booster, and added that his team will soon publish a journal on the trial. Yuen said he was worried about the current vaccination rate in Hong Kong -- 70 percent have taken at least one dose. "One way is the nasal spray vaccine, which is scheduled to start its third phase of clinical trials overseas soon. The other is a combination of vaccines, and mixing the use of different vaccines can complement each other to achieve better immunity, and the adverse reaction is not prevalent," Yuen said.
Source:The Standard
November 21, 2021 23:03 UTC
BI eases appointment rules for those with jabs
FULLY vaccinated people will be exempted from securing an online appointment at the Bureau of Immigration's (BI) head office in Intramuros, Manila. Morente said individuals who can present their vaccination cards or a certification that they are fully vaccinated may be allowed entry to process immigration-related documents, even without booking an appointment online. "This would allow us to provide services to more clients, while still ensuring that strict health protocols remain in place," Morente said. Those who cannot show proof of vaccination must book through the BI's appointment system through the website e-services.immigration.gov.ph. The bureau earlier announced the extension of work hours in the NCR, reverting to the regular 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. schedule.
Source:Manila Times
November 21, 2021 21:27 UTC
Duterte: PDDS, PDP-Laban are one
Duterte: PDDS, PDP-Laban are oneIn this file photo, President Duterte holds a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases at the Matina Enclaves in Davao City. MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has described as a “political strategy” his decision to run for senator under the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) as he assured his allies in PDP-Laban that he remains a member of their party. Duterte noted that the PDP-Laban is facing a leadership row between his allies and that of Sen. Koko Pimentel. “For those (asking) why we used the CONA (certificate of nomination and acceptance) of our allied political party, PDDS, it can be summed up in two words, political strategy... Duterte is chairman of the PDP-Laban faction of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, who supports the presidential bid of the President’s former aide Sen. Bong Go.
Source:Philippine Star
November 21, 2021 20:29 UTC
Moreno vows to replicate projects in Manila as president
Moreno vows to replicate projects in Manila as presidentPresidential aspirant Manila Mayor Francisco Isko Domagoso delivered a message to the supporters during the visit at Quezon City Memorial circle on October 29, 2021. MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor Isko Moreno yesterday promised to replicate his city projects for the entire country if he wins as president next year. In a statement, Moreno said his 10-point agenda includes mass housing projects, field hospitals, free mass testing and free COVID-19 medicine. What we did in Manila, we will do for the whole country,” Moreno said. During a presidentiables’ forum hosted by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry last Thursday, Moreno promised to dedicate two years of his administration in improving the health care system to prepare for future pandemics.
Source:Philippine Star
November 21, 2021 19:11 UTC
Int’l rights group urges ICC to resume probe on Duterte’s drug war
MANILA, Philippines — An international human rights group is urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to proceed with its investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war and his alleged crimes against humanity, calling the probe’s suspension a ‘betrayal’ of witnesses and victims of the alleged abuses. ADVERTISEMENT“Any suspension or delay is an absolute betrayal of those brave individuals who came forward at great personal risk to provide evidence and testimony regarding these alleged crimes,” said Murphy. Meanwhile, despite requesting to defer the probe, Malacañang maintained on Saturday that the Hague-based court has no jurisdiction over the Philippine government. ADVERTISEMENTRELATED STORIESICC suspends PH drug war probe, warned of Duterte ‘ruse’Trillanes expects ICC to resume investigation on Duterte’s war on drugs/MUFSubscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy PolicyRead Next
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 21, 2021 19:09 UTC
Suspected burglar spotted climbing into Chai Wan flat
A photo of a man in black who appeared to be climbing into the window of a Chai Wan flat went viral on Facebook. The man was standing on the windowsill of an opened window on the second floor of Block 1 of Neptune Terrace, Chai Wan around 7pm on Saturday, when a passerby saw the scene, took a photo of it and reported it to police. The suspected burglar had left the scene when officers arrived, but police found the that windows of the flat had been damaged, suggesting the man had attempted to break into the flat. The post drew heated discussion on Facebook, with one netizen suggesting that the light should have been shone on the man. Others joked the man was probably not a burglar but a paramour of the female owner of the flat, and he had to hide outside the window because the husband had returned home.
Source:The Standard
November 21, 2021 17:57 UTC
Covid cases on the rise again
Sunday's figure pushed the total number of Covid-19 cases to 2,826,410, with 21,101 of them active. Covid-19 cases have been steadily rising for five days after a record 849 cases on November 16. It said the people's actions will determine if Covid-19 cases will rise or fall in the coming days. President Rodrigo Duterte last week approved the optional use of face shields in areas under Alert Level 3 or lower. Local government units in areas under Alert Level 4 can decide whether to make face shields mandatory.
Source:Manila Times
November 21, 2021 16:36 UTC