Philippines

METRO MANILA  – Senator Panfilo Lacson agrees that that the so-called “mafia” at the Philippine Health Insurance Corp is actually the executive committee itself as alleged by its former anti-fraud officer. According to the Senator, based on the documents he read, as early as April, it is maneuvering everything including the movements of funds and overpricing, the executive committee is …

METRO MANILA – The government are now requiring everyone to wear face shields inside commercial establishment, market as additional safety measure against Covid-19. According to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr., The Covid-19 National Task Force led by Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr agreed on requiring the use of faceshields to commercial establishments in addition to wearing facemask, social distancing …

METRO MANILA – The Senate has ratified last night the P140-billion Bayanihan to Recover as One measure that will support the sectors heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Chair of the Senate finance committee Sen. Sonny Angara said the funds will be used for the various government programs with an additional P25-billion standby appropriation and P10 billion for the procurement …

METRO MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte continues to trust Health Secretary Francisco Duque III espite the new corruption allegations against him in connection with Philhealth, says presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Wednesday. Roque said that the Health Secretary will continue to work as the head of the Department of Health and chairman of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious …

METRO MANILA – Metro Manila mayors have agreed to a uniformed curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m in Metro Manila as part of the stricter implementation of the general community quarantine (GCQ). According to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, the majority of the mayors voted for the curfew hours from 8pm to 5am. Inaprubahan ng IATF-EID ang naging rekomendasyon ng …

METRO MANILA – The government has finally eased up on the much controversial motorcycle barrier requirement for riders living in the same house. According to the Joint Task Force COVID Shield on Tuesday that the National task force for Covid-19 has approved new and more relaxed guidelines in motorcycle backriding. However, areas under GCQ will still required riders not living …

METRO MANILA – Public transportation and domestic flights resume today after Metro Manila has been shifted to general community quarantine or GCQ status. According to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Public trains and operators from various public utility vehicles such as taxis, buses, and modern and traditional public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and UV express will resume operations to ferry the …

METRO MANILA – Metro Manila and other nearby provinces has now been reverted back to a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) from Aug. 19 to 31, two weeks after upgrading the status to Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) Metro Manila will be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) from August 19 to August 31, 2020. The President also reverted …

METRO MANILA – A mutated strain of the coronavirus that is believed to be more infectious than the original SARS-CoV-2 has been discovered  in the Philippines. Philippine Genome Center reported the discovery of G614 strain a new mutation that has been reported to have become the dominant strain circulating worldwide. The original D614 genotype showed up in the cases collected …

METRO MANILA  – Nearly half of the country’s adult labor force was unemployed in July this year, a recent survey revealed by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) on Sunday. According to the survey conducted from July 3-6, 2020, unemployment in the country rises to  45.5% from  17.1% last December. a 28-point increase and a new record-high beating the 34.4% recorded …