-
Gov’t hires 238,000 contact tracers, still needs 50,000
By Fernan Angeles THE government has already recruited 238,000 contact tracers but Interior Secretary Eduardo Año hinted on hiring 50,000 more in the coming days to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Año cited the need for more contact tracers since most of the 238,000 existing contact tracers are deployed only in areas they prefer. “Sa ngayon,…
-
Duterte gave Laude’s family cash, thrice
By Fernan Angeles THE FAMILY of slain transgender woman Jennifer Laude was shocked on what they described as an extreme position that President Rodrigo Duterte took when the latter gave US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton a presidential pardon, paving way for an unstoppable release of the convicted US serviceman. Laude’s former defense lawyer Harry Roque,…
-
DOH shuns Duterte’s criteria on vaccine pick
By Fernan Angeles IF they had their way, the Department of Health would consider safety and effectiveness of the potential vaccine against COVID-19, if and when the country opts to buy them from foreign countries. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire’s statement is far from the criteria earlier hinted at by President Rodrigo Duterte who is…
-
Las Pinas COVID-19 laboratory now open
The COVID-19 testing laboratory which will serve patients in Las Pinas City is now opening its doors and starting operations to help improve the country’s testing capacity and recovery rate for the new coronavirus disease. A team of experts went to the COVID testing facility of the Las Pinas General Hospital and Satellite Trauma Center…
-
Gov’t may enforce ban on home quarantine
By John Clifford Lintao TOP government officials who would be infected with COVID-19 would soon be joining hundreds or thousands of ordinary citizens in government-designated quarantine facilities as the Department of Health underscored the need to immediately effect the proposal of COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force to prohibit home quarantine for COVID-19 patients and their close…
-
Mancao is back, named cyber-security top man
By Fernan Angeles THE controversial former police officer Cezar Mancao is back on center stage doing what he does best – stalking. Mancao has been appointed as executive director of the Department of Information and Technology’s Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center, an office dealing with the country’s cybersecurity. Created by the Cybercrime Prevention Act of…
-
No entry for LSIs in Western Visayas, Iligan, and Lanao del Sur
By John Clifford Lintao FOR the time being, locally stranded individuals (LSIs) won’t be able to enter Western Visayas, Iligan City and Lanao del Sur amid sustained government efforts to contain COVID-19 in these areas, said Malacañang. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) approved the ban on Monday, following…
-
Cell sites to be built inside military camps
By Fernan Angeles PRESIDENTIAL staunch ally Dennis Uy should now be considered as the most powerful businessman in the Philippines after his Dito Telecommunity handily secured a contract that would allow a private telecommunications company to construct cell sites inside military camps. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana admitted to have signed the contract with China-backed telecommunications…
-
8 out of 10 elders have no pensions, says Diokno
By John Clifford Lintao EIGHT of 10 elders in the country are deprived of the meager pensions or retirement funds due to senior citizens, said Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno, citing Philippine Statistics Authority’s most recent report. “Based on the latest report of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Philippines has around 7.6 million…
-
Duterte considering vacation in Spratlys
By Fernan Angeles AFTER “missing in action for weeks,” President Rodrigo Duterte hinted at a plan to go – again, on a vacation, but this time at the Spratlys which forms part of the disputed area off the West Philippine Sea. In his public address, the President said he wanted a vacation, specifically at the…