International group of lawyers oppose Roque’s ILC nomination
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 24 lawyers from 12 countries expressed their disapproval of the nomination of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque’ to the United Nations (UN) International Law Commission (ILC). The lawyers are representatives of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL), a worldwide body of democratic lawyers and jurists from over 90 countries. Apart from this, the lawyers said that Roque had also “openly undermined” international accountability bodies and mechanisms like the International Criminal Court (ICC), the UN Human Rights Council, and the UN Office High Commissioner for Human Rights. “At its core, his election will be adding insult to the irreparable injury to the victims of continuing human rights violations in the Philippines,” they added. RELATED STORIESRoque downplays opposition of 152 lawyers to his ILC nominationADVERTISEMENTUP Diliman opposes Roque’s nomination to UN’s Int’l Law CommissionProtesters stage New York rally vs. Roque’s ILC nominationFLAG: Harry Roque ‘ill-suited’ to join international law commissionATMSubscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 10, 2021 00:13 UTC
Netizens arrested for inciting others to cast blank votes
Three people who allegedly shared an online post calling for people to cast blank votes in the Legislative Council elections next month have been arrested by the city’s anti-corruption watchdog, the first time after the actions have been banned since May. The arrests came hours after Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor warned citizens that inciting others to either not cast a vote or cast an invalid or blank cote could breach the ordinance. "So I will forewarn that people should not try to breach the law by inciting, promoting activities that will undermine the integrity of a public election. Two weeks ago self-exiled former lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung made an appeal on his Facebook, calling on Hongkongers to cast blank votes in the Legco election, adding he aimed at achieving the highest number of blank votes in the history of Hong Kong elections, and for blank votes to exceed the number of valid votes in geographical constituency. Hui responded to Tang’s remarks on Facebook later that day, saying that it is legal for people to cast blank or invalid votes, or even boycotting the election.
Source:The Standard
November 09, 2021 19:56 UTC
Philippines sees 1,409 new COVID-19 cases, 14 labs without data
Philippines sees 1,409 new COVID-19 cases, 14 labs without dataTraffic officers inspect public utility vehicles along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on November 4, 2021 after the pandemic task force increased seating capacity in public transport to 70%MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Tuesday listed 1,409 new coronavirus cases, pushing the country's total to 2,806,694Health officials said 1.1% of the Philippines' total caseload remain as active cases. They added 14 laboratories failed to turn in screening results. "The lower deaths reported today is due to technical issues encountered with COVIDKaya," the agency said. Active cases: 30,544 or 1.1% of the total30,544 or 1.1% of the totalDeaths : 46, pushing the count to 44,567: 46, pushing the count to 44,567Recoveries: 2,941 bringing the number to 2,731,583GDP grows in third quarter
Source:Philippine Star
November 09, 2021 19:33 UTC
Arrests loom for app fakers
Maisy MokPolice have located several suspects who allegedly produced the fake LeaveHomeSafe mobile applications and arrests may come soon, reports Eastweek magazine. The Standard's sister publication said at least 14 people, including three civil servants, have been arrested for using the fake LeaveHomeSafe app between October and last Monday. It reported that police have targeted multiple suspects for making the fake app or assisting and instigating others to use it. The letter said the platform was notified by police that the back-home-safe code is suspected to be a false instrument. After some people were arrested for using a fake LeaveHomeSafe app, "codogo-b" was slammed by netizens for ruining other people's lives.
Source:The Standard
November 09, 2021 19:12 UTC
Robredo wants NTF-ELCAC abolished
Robredo wants NTF-ELCAC abolishedVice President Leni Robredo announces in a press conference that she will run for president in the 2022 elections. MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo, who is running for president in the 2022 elections, said Tuesday she wants President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial anti-communist task force to be abolished. And it has to be abolished,” Robredo said, referring to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict which Duterte created in 2017. Magiging Tokhang Version 2 in the sense that the mandate given to the body will be abused, will be used to harass people,” Robredo said partly in Filipino. The vice president said there must be a rejection of the militarist approach to ending armed conflict and a shift towards more holistic ways to address its roots.
Source:Philippine Star
November 09, 2021 18:07 UTC
Ngong Ping 360 starts lucky draw for music award tickets
Music fans can take the Ngong Ping 360 cable car and join a lucky draw for tickets to the Ultimate Song Chart Awards Presentation 2021, an annual music awards organized by Commercial Radio. From November 9 to December 19 (excluding November 11, 16 and 17) guests who take designated trips on the cable car will have the chance to join the lucky draw. The lucky draw will have three phases, and 50 winners will be drawn in each phase. Each winner will receive two tickets to the music award show. Details of the lucky draw can be found here.
Source:The Standard
November 09, 2021 17:46 UTC
P61 billion allotted for booster shots in 2022 budget
P61 billion allotted for booster shots in 2022 budgetA pharmacist prepares a dose of the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine with a syringe in a pharmacy, in Savenay, western France, on April 2, 2021. MANILA, Philippines — Some P61.6 billion has been allocated in next year’s proposed national budget for the procurement of vaccine booster shots, based on the Senate version of the 2022 budget program that has the health sector having the third biggest share of allocation. The health sector – including the DOH, PhilHealth and government specialty hospitals – will be getting P312.3 billion. PGH repairThe Philippine General Hospital was also given funding for the repair of its facilities destroyed in a fire earlier this year. “We appeal to our government leaders to overhaul the current 2022 national budget because it is still not people-centered or pandemic-responsive,” the PBC said.
Source:Philippine Star
November 09, 2021 17:31 UTC
Bong Go: Be a hero, get vaccinated
"Let us be heroes in our own way and put a stop to the spread of this virus by getting vaccinated. I am encouraging everybody to get vaccinated, especially that the program is now open to the general population. The government has administered 64.2 million doses as of November 7. A total of 34.7 million individuals have received their first dose while 29.5 million Filipinos are already fully vaccinated. He previously backed a proposal by the Metro Manila Council of the Metro Manila Development Authority to ease certain Covid-19 guidelines for the fully vaccinated.
Source:Manila Times
November 09, 2021 16:31 UTC
Brazil’s Bolsonaro sees trouble for new spending rules in Senate
BRASILIA — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Monday said he is confident the lower House will vote to raise a government spending cap and stagger payment of court-ordered debts, but he foresees trouble for passage in the Senate. ADVERTISEMENTThe bill would allow for 92 billion reais ($16.7 billion) of additional spending next year, including a more generous monthly welfare stipend for 17 million poor families. Bolsonaro compared Bolsa Familia to vote buying in his 2018 campaign. The push to overhaul Brazil’s fiscal rules spooked investors last month and has also drawn scrutiny from the Supreme Court. Supreme Court Justice Rosa Weber issued an injunction on Friday that could bar some 8.5 billion in pork barrel spending that the government attached to the bill to win backing of lawmakers.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 09, 2021 13:09 UTC
Tsim Sha Tsui building locked down after crewmen test positive
Previous NextA Tsim Sha Tsui residential building has been locked down after two crew members tested preliminary positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday. They left Hong Kong on October 31 for Germany and returned to Hong Kong on November 6 by the same flight (CX2066) from Germany. The results of the six tests conducted during the compulsory quarantine period at Silka Tsuen Wan Hotel were all negative. Upon completion of the compulsory quarantine on November 7, she stayed at Rosedale Hotel in Causeway Bay. Upon completion of the compulsory quarantine on November 4, she stayed at Gateway Hotel, Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Source:The Standard
November 09, 2021 12:56 UTC
2 former health secretaries back Robredo
MANILA, Philippines — Two former health secretaries have expressed their support for Vice President Leni Robredo’s presidential bid and came aboard her team as advisors on public health matters, in what is seen as a boost to her campaign hinged on eradicating the COVID-19 scourge in the country. On Monday, Former Health Secretaries Manuel Dayrit and Esperanza Cabral, who served under the Cabinets of former Presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III, respectively, said they were “only too happy” to join Robredo’s team in crafting a good health agenda. ADVERTISEMENTBoth Dayrit and Cabral noted that the country had “moved too slow” in closing down its borders at the onset of the pandemic. That was the biggest miscalculation,” Dayrit said. —KRIXIA SUBINGSUBINGRead Next
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 09, 2021 10:03 UTC
Senate starts deliberations on P5.024 trillion budget
Senate starts deliberations on P5.024 trillion budgetSenate President Vicente Sotto III said starting Thursday, sessions will be held in the morning and in the afternoon to ensure the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) is passed before Congress adjourns session on Dec. 17. MANILA, Philippines — The Senate will start today its marathon plenary deliberations on the proposed P5.024-trillion national budget that senators vowed to recast to make it more responsive to the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of reducing infections and reviving the economy. Senate President Vicente Sotto III said starting Thursday, sessions will be held in the morning and in the afternoon to ensure the General Appropriations Bill (GAB) is passed before Congress adjourns session on Dec. 17. Sen. Sonny Angara, who chairs the Senate finance committee, is expected to sponsor on the floor today the proposed budget that already includes many amendments that were mostly on pandemic response. He said 2022 National Expenditure Program submitted by Malacañang to Congress last August did not include several key items related to the country’s response to the pandemic.
Source:Philippine Star
November 09, 2021 09:31 UTC
Trials: China’s new COVID-19 drugs showing good results
BEIJING — Drug researchers in China are making progress on developing therapies to treat COVID-19 with several antibody drugs, which neutralize the virus, emerging as promising candidates in clinical trials. Xie added that a new drug based on DXP-604 has demonstrated good efficacy in Phase 2 clinical trials. As of Nov 2, the medication had been administered to 14 patients with COVID-19 at Beijing Ditan Hospital through the compassionate use program, which expands access to experimental drugs for critical patients. The company said results from Phase 3 clinical trials overseas have shown that the medication can cut the risk of hospitalization and death of COVID-19 patients by 78 percent. ADVERTISEMENT“Vaccines and antibody therapies are two weapons that complement each other,” said Zhang Linqi, a professor at Tsinghua University’s School of Medicine.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 09, 2021 08:50 UTC
DOH confident none of donated vaccines would expire unused
DOH confident none of donated vaccines would expire unusedA health worker prepares to administer the Sinovac vaccine against the COVID-19 coronavirus at Pinyahan Elementary School in Quezon City on April, 14, 2021. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday expressed confidence that none of the donated COVID-19 vaccines whose shelf life is until the end of November will expire. According to DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, they received vaccine donations from different governments across the globe and from the COVAX Facility. The official added that none of the COVID-19 vaccines received by the government in the past were spoiled. We were able to deploy it at once to fast moving vaccination (sites).
Source:Philippine Star
November 09, 2021 08:36 UTC
30% of COVID-19 beds remain occupied — DOH
MANILA, Philippines — Only about thirty percent of COVID-19 beds nationwide remain occupied amid the downtrend in coronavirus cases in the country, according to data from the Department of Health (DOH). Based on the latest situationer report from the health agency, 11,417 out of 38,256 total beds are occupied as of Sunday, November 7. ADVERTISEMENTThe DOH said 1,719 or 43 percent out of 4,019 intensive care unit beds; 3,408 or 24 percent of 13,966 ward beds, and; 6,290 or 31 percent of 20,271 isolation beds are occupied as of the said date. However, the DOH cautioned the public against complacency in observing health protocols, noting that some hospitals were still full of COVID-19 patients. As of Monday, the country still has 32,077 active cases of COVID-19 out of the total 2.8 million confirmed coronavirus infections since the onset of the pandemic.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 09, 2021 07:14 UTC