Philippines

The head of a leading hospital in central China’s Wuhan area, the epicenter of an outbreak of coronavirus, died of the disease on Tuesday, state television reported, becoming the second prominent Chinese doctor to succumb to the pathogen. Advertisement Liu Zhiming, the Wuhan Wuchang Hospital manager, died at 10:30 a.m., it said. Earlier this month, the death of Li Wenliang, …

According to the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday, the new price ceilings that will be imposed on certain medicines in the country in accordance with the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP) have gone through complex review since 2017. The goal, according to Guerrero, is to lower the country’s medicine prices and make them equal to developed countries ‘ prices. …

The Cagayan de Oro City Second District Representative and House Constitutional Amendments panel Chair Rufus Rodriguez said Tuesday, the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments was set to vote on several recommendations for amendments to the Charter. Rodriguez noted that his panel should give weight to the interagency panel’s recommendations on constitutional amendments which included: Electing senators for each of the …

According to data from the Department of Health (DOH), only around a quarter of the 527 people under investigation (PUIs) for suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines are still admitted to hospitals. Announcement By 12 p.m. 387 PUIs, or 73 per cent, were discharged from medical facilities on Tuesday. In the Philippines the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases …

The Philippine Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association (PHAP) on Tuesday cautioned that pharmaceutical companies will reduce their labor force as a result of potential loss of competitiveness due to the high retail price recently levied on certain medicines. PHAP’s opposition to price control has been consistent since global experience showed that artificial measures lead to market inefficiencies and lack of supply …

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday, the number of Filipinos onboard a quarantined cruise ship in Japan that tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has more than doubled to 27 over the weekend. Through the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, the Department of Foreign Affairs estimates that as of 16 February 2020, the number of Filipinos …

The travel ban on Taiwan was also rooted in politics, both Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Panfilo Lacson said Saturday, reportedly part of the effort to prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease-2019. Lacson held the same opinion, arguing that the explanation behind the ban could only be a political one. Lacson also pointed out that, given its 23 …

House Committee on Legislative Franchises Vice-President Tonypet Albano told ABS-CBN Corporation that it would have its “time and day” in the chamber for consultations on the proposals seeking the renewal of its franchise. In a speech, Albano reiterated the claim made by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano that timing was necessary for the renewal of the broadcast giant’s franchise because of …

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order imposing a maximum retail price for certain products, a top official from Malacañang said Monday. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Duterte had signed EO 104, which aims to improve access to affordable medicines for the Filipinos. A copy of the EO has yet to be released by The Palace. Later the Department …

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) said Monday that power interruptions may be expected in the dry season because of the predicted power supply shortage in the coming months. Given the high demand and low supply, one-hour power interruptions could be expected in April and May, according to NEA administrator Edgardo Masongsong. He was referring to the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), …