Covid-19 leads to chronic water crisis – The Manila Times
That’s just not possible for an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the nation’s 178,000 residents, who do not have access to running water or sanitation. “Water is life,” say the Navajo, who prefer to call themselves “Dine” and their land “Dinetah.”The global death toll from the virus mounted to more than 357,000. More than 5.7 million have been confirmed infected since the virus emerged in China late last year. Rising temperatures and declining rainfall led to a decrease in the area’s surface water by an estimated 98 percent over the 20th century, according to a report by water nonprofit DigDeep. Starting in the mid-19th century, the US began heavily investing in water and sanitation systems — but an estimated 2 million of America’s 330 million people remain unconnected to this day.
Source:Manila Times
May 29, 2020 16:29 UTC
First Times online business forum tackles the ‘new normal’ – The Manila Times
Three business management experts shared their vision of the new realities being shaped by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic in the first The Manila Times online business forum on Thursday. Moti , Pag-IBIG Fund CEO, said despite the crisis severely affecting the figures in the month of April, allayed concerns about raising interest rates on housing or salary loans. The forum had the highest viewership so far since the Times started holding business discussion conferences on Oct. 28, 2014. Good job!”@Edith D. Dychiao: “Thanks, Klink and The Manila Times Forum team, special mention to [Times Chief Operating Officer] Blanca [Mercado] and [Advertising Director] Roda [Zabat].”@Yannie Tan-Dela Cruz: “Great presentation. Thank you.”@Grethel Cobankiat: “Thank you, Manila Times, for this forum, very helpful to business owners.
Source:Manila Times
May 29, 2020 16:20 UTC
Businessmen, ex-DoH chiefs back move to GCQ – The Manila Times
Concepcion is the founder of Project ARK-PCR (antibody rapid test-polymerase chain reaction) testing, whose objective is to conduct mass testing to reopen businesses safely. “It’s our obligation, as the private sector to conduct testing, to ensure that if found positive, we will trace, isolate, and treat,” Concepcion said. Former Health chiefs have also shared their insights as to the country’s preparedness in lifting the restrictions. Another former health secretary, Dr. Esperanza Cabral, said the country’s health system had “enough time to prepare,” making the country “ready” for reopening. And if we have not prepared over the last months, we will never be prepared,” she continued.
Source:Manila Times
May 29, 2020 16:20 UTC
Standard Chartered Bank donates more PPE to NCR hospitals – The Manila Times
SCB Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing Mai Sangalang, together with bank volunteers, delivered more than 1,000 PPE sets to Medical Center Muntinlupa (MCM), San Lorenzo Ruiz Women’s Hospital (SLRMC) in Malabon and Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center (ARMMC) in Marikina. These were received by MCM Nursing Director Renie Malvas, SLRMC Medical Center Chief Dr. Marilou Nery and ARMMC Administrative Officer Nelson Sobredo. “Our healthcare workers and first responders bear the brunt of the coronavirus and they rely on PPE to protect themselves. “Standard Chartered has long been a partner of PBSP in projects that reach out to more underserved areas nationwide. Other beneficiary hospitals are RITM Muntinlupa, San Lazaro Hospital, UP-PGH, Delos Santos Medical Center, Victor R. Potenciano Medical Center, San Juan de Dios Medical Center, Rizal Medical Center, Medical Center Taguig, Trinity Medical Center, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, United Doctors Medical Center, World Citi Medical Center, Medical Center Manila, Cruz-Rabe Hospital, Dr. Jose M. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, Las Piñas General Hospital and Quirino Medical Center.
Source:Manila Times
May 29, 2020 16:18 UTC
Girl, 14, killed for illicit affair – The Manila Times
TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called for new protections for women after a 14-year-old girl was allegedly murdered by her father in a so-called “honor killing,” sparking outrage in the country. Romina Ashrafi’s father is suspected of killing her with a farming sickle after she ran away from her family home in northern Iran’s Talesh County with a 29-year-old man, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. Police have arrested the teenager’s father.
Source:Manila Times
May 29, 2020 16:18 UTC
300 buses to ply EDSA next week
MANILA, Philippines — Only around 300 buses will initially be allowed to ply EDSA once Metro Manila is put under general community quarantine starting on June 1, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said yesterday. These buses will be deployed to augment the limited capacity of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 have specific pickup and dropoff points along the route of the MRT-3, he said. Año said that the Department of Transportation (DOTr) will gradually allow more buses to ply EDSA. ‘New bus stations safe’The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday assured commuters that bus stations attached to the MRT would be safe. Passengers boarding the buses should enter LRT-1 or MRT-3 stations and go down what used to be emergency stairs to board the buses, he said.
Source:Philippine Star
May 29, 2020 15:56 UTC
BOC seizes P1.3-B fake cigarettes, raw tobacco materials, machines
MANILA, Philippines — Fake cigarettes, raw tobacco materials and cigarette packing machines amounting to around P1.3 billion were intercepted by authorities, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported Friday. BOC said operatives under the Enforcement and Security Service (BOC-ESS) intercepted on Thursday a warehouse said to contain fake cigarettes at Brgy. ADVERTISEMENTIntial inventory showed that roughly 2,000 master cases of assorted cigarettes, ten units of cigarette-making machines, 12 units of cigarette packing machines, and 300 boxes of raw materials were stored inside the warehouse. The said goods were immediately intercepted for lack of permit and violation of Customs laws, rules and regulations, BOC said. JPVRead NextEDITORS' PICKMOST READ
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 29, 2020 15:11 UTC
Two House panels approve anti-terror bill
MANILA, Philippines — Two committees in the House of Representatives approved Friday a substitute bill seen to toughen up the country’s anti-terrorism policies. ADVERTISEMENT“The instruction of the House leadership is to somehow submit and approve today a bill that is similar to the Senate bill because of the possibility of avoiding a [bicameral conference],” Masbate 1st District Rep. Narciso Bravo Jr., who chairs the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, said during the hearing. “The urgency of this bill requires us to really fast track the approval of this bill,” Bravo added. The still unnumbered substitute bill—based on the adopted Senate version of the bill—was later approved by the committees. The bill also removed the provision on payment of P500,000 damages per day of detention of any person acquitted of terrorism charges.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 29, 2020 12:56 UTC
Firm maintains fair price in COVID-19 medical supplies
ADVERTISEMENTOmnibus said it also offered another package which costs P4 million to PS-DBM on May 6 as a Promotional Letter, including Marketing Materials for Budgetary and Reference Quotations. The P4 million worth of package has a “slightly lower price” because the machine and NATCH were priced separately but no other additional costs were included, Omnibus said. “With these challenges, the costs added up to P4.3 million (for the NATCH machine with 25,000 PCR consumables) and P4 million (for the NATCH machine alone). Bottom line, Omnibus stands by its statement that they offered a fair price for both packages mentioned,” read the statement. Omnibus also denied its involvement in hoarding or monopoly of PCR, NATCH machines and COVID-19 testing equipment and kits.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 29, 2020 12:22 UTC
Over 50,000 part-time college faculty members in need of financial aid
MANILA, Philippines — More than 50,000 part-time faculty members from different higher education institutions (HEIs) are in need of financial assistance while reeling from the the “no teach, no pay” setup due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) chairman Prospero de Vera III said Friday. “And we have to help them, especially because the opening of classes for private universities is moving to August. Meanwhile, universities and colleges that will conduct face to face or the regular classroom setup can start classes by September. Asked why the part-time faculty members were not included in the SAP, de Vera replied: Hindi sila kasama doon kasi ang database ng SAP, iba eh. ADVERTISEMENTDe Vera added that the CHEd will ask the private universities and colleges to provide a list of names of part-time faculty members who did not receive remuneration during the lockdown period.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 29, 2020 11:59 UTC
Bulacan cops raid unlicensed cigarette warehouse, arrest 3 Chinese, 4 Filipinos
MARIA, Bulacan–Three Chinese nationals and four Filipino workers were arrested after they were caught with packs of cigarettes at an unregistered warehouse in this town on Wednesday (May 26), police said. The other Filipino workers were identified as Cris Rosales, Elmer Andy and Julio Domalaon. The cigarettes are reportedly owned by Japan Tobacco Industry (JTI) while the warehouse at the village of Partida was believed to be operated by G20 Environmental Solutions. Police said the warehouse’s owner has no business permit to operate and the suspects were not wearing facial masks while working. Authorities have already coordinated with JTI and the Bureau of Customs to verify if the cigarettes were fake or smuggled.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 29, 2020 11:55 UTC
Virus crisis restricts Heysel disaster remembrance
Authorities and fans today marked the 35th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium tragedy where 39 people died during violence at the 1985 European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus. Flowers and wreaths were laid at a remembrance plaque at the King Baudouin Stadium, which was renovated and renamed after the tragedy. Prior to the final, hooligans from a stand holding Liverpool fans smashed their way into an adjacent section for Juventus supporters. “Every year I come here to give the flowers for the community of Italians, because I will never forget this night, never, never, never,” said Sandro Follacchio, a Juventus supporter who was at the match. The disaster was instrumental in improving stadium safety across the continent, and hooliganism has lost much of its violent edge.-AP
Source:The Standard
May 29, 2020 11:26 UTC
CNN crew arrested while reporting on Minneapolis protests
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota State Patrol on Friday arrested a CNN television crew as they reported on violent protests in Minneapolis following the death of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who pleaded for air as a white police officer kneeled on his neck. Atlanta-based CNN said that the crew, which included CNN reporter Omar Jimenez, was released later Friday morning. ADVERTISEMENTWhile live on air, Jimenez was handcuffed and led away. A producer and a photojournalist for CNN were also led away in handcuffs. CNN’s communications team earlier said on Twitter that the crew was arrested “for doing their jobs, despite identifying themselves — a clear violation of their First Amendment rights.”The Minnesota State Patrol said on Twitter that the journalists were among four people arrested as troopers were “clearing the streets and restoring order.” The patrol said they “were released once they were confirmed to be members of the media.”Late Thursday in Minneapolis, cheering protesters torched a police station that the department abandoned as three days of violent protests spread to nearby St. Paul and angry demonstrations flared across the U.S.GSGRead NextEDITORS' PICKMOST READ
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 29, 2020 10:52 UTC
Courts nationwide resumes full operation on June 1
MANILA, Philippines — All courts across the country will resume full operations starting June 1, the Supreme Court announced Friday. “All courts and offices of the courts nationwide beginning June 1, 2020 shall be in full operation from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the National Capital Judicial Region,” Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said in Administrative Circular No. Peralta said that courts outside NCR will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Night and Saturday courts, however, remain suspended. Courts may function with only skeleton staff, Peralta said, noting that mass transportation has yet to resume in full operation. In-court trials resumeFollowing the easing of health protocols across the country, Peralta ordered that case hearings be done “in-court.”“All the courts shall resolve and decide all the cases pending before them.
Source:Philippine Star
May 29, 2020 10:30 UTC
Lawmakers approve HK$5.4b bailout for Ocean Park
The Legislative Council Finance Committee today approved the HK$5.4 billion of funding that cash-strapped Ocean Park is seeking to keep it afloat for another year. Thirty-two lawmakers voted in favor, 20 voted against, and two abstained. Some lawmakers had questioned whether the government is pouring money into a bottomless pit. The theme park in Wong Chuk Hang has been closed since January 26 due to the coronavirus epidemic. It had previously sought HK$10.6 billion in funding.
Source:The Standard
May 29, 2020 10:18 UTC