Volume V, No. 6 January 30-February 5, 2021
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REGIONAL NEWS INCOMING AFP CHIEF VISITS 402ND BRIGADE IN BUTUAN CITY
PROVINCIAL NEWS INTERVENTIONS: AGUSAN SARDINES13 STRATEGIC MAKERS GET P.4-M MINDA FUND GRANT SKILLS TRAINING UP FOR FAR-FLUNG 14 LIVELIHOOD COMMUNITIES IN AGNOR TOWN ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED TO SHIELD YOUTH 15 INFO FROM CTG INFLUENCE IN AGNOR TOWN INFO CARAVAN, ANTI-TERROR LAW HELD IN 17 EO70 AGNOR TOWN CELEBRATES 51ST ANNIV WITH COMMUNITY 19 4ID LOCALS IN AGSUR PIMENTEL NAGPASALAMAT SA NGCP SA 21 GOB. TULONG NA NAIBIGAY SA MGA BIKTIMA NG
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BAGYO SA SURIGAO SUR
SURIGAO SUR PLANONG BUMILI NG COVID-19 VACCINE PRC OPENS MOLECULAR LAB IN SURIGAO NORTE
MINDANAO NEWS DAVAO CITY OPENS 4-STORY MALASAKIT CENTER MINDA EYES ASF-FREE AREAS FOR HOG FARMING RECOVERY
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NATIONAL NEWS ANDANAR: NO ONE WILL BE LEFT BEHIND IN COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM ROLLOUT SECRETARY ANDANAR ON THE RECENT STATEMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT VICENTE SOTTO III ON THE COVID-19 VACCINE COMMUNICATIONS ANDANAR JOINS CALL TO SET ASIDE POLITICS, FOCUS ON COVID-19 VACCINE ROLL OUT PREPARATION NO NEED TO WEAR MASKS WHEN DRIVING ALONE, SAYS NOGRALES COVID-19 AND ROLLY-HIT COMMUNITIES RECEIVE AID FROM RED CROSS MYANMAR SITUATION CONCERNS GORDON PRC PARTNERS WITH SM SUPERMALLS FOR DRIVETHRU SALIVA COLLECTING SITES PRC STARTS POLIO & MEASLES-RUBELLA VACCINATION PHASE 2, AIMS FOR 100K CHILDREN IMMUNIZED STATEMENT OF NATIONAL TASK FORCE AGAINST COVID-19 CHIEF IMPLEMENTER AND VACCINE CZAR SECRETARY CARLITO GALVEZ JR. ON THE DELIVERY OF VACCINES FROM COVAX FACILITY THIS FIRST QUARTER PRESIDENT DUTERTE: GOV’T WORKING TO WEATHER PANDEMIC IMPACT PRESIDENT DUTERTE SEES AFP DEFEATING INSURGENCY, TERRORISM UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP
COVID-19 NEWS
PHILIPPINES TO RECEIVE THREE MILLION VACCINE DOSES BY END FEBRUARY PALACE ASSURES MORE THAN 70-M FILIPINOS WOULD BE VACCINATED
CONTENTS
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INFOCUS
COVER
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STATEMENT OF PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY MARTIN ANDANAR ON THE DEATH OF PACC CHAIRMAN DANTE JIMENEZ We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and loved ones of Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Chairman Dante Jimenez. As the founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, and co-chair of the InterAgency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD), PACC Chairman Jimenez’ conviction and dedication in fighting criminality and corruption in the country have been outstanding, apparent, and instrumental in the Duterte administration’s management and enforcement of our anti-corruption and anti-illegal drugs campaigns. He will be missed by those in the government and civil society. His death is a loss in our crusade against crime and corruption. May his deep commitment to uphold social justice, accountability, and transparency in governance inspire everyone, especially the people who will succeed him in his posts, for the welfare and progress of our nation. We pray for the eternal repose of his soul, and for his family and loved ones to find strength in this time of grief.
- SEC. MARTIN M. ANDANAR
Zero Hunger Task Force, program partners distribute free food packs in Laguna Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, head of the government’s Task Force on Zero Hunger, led partners from Pilipinas Kontra Gutom and Rise Against Hunger in distributing food packs in Calauan, San Pedro and Biñan in Laguna last Friday, January 29, 2021. 2,000 individuals in San Pedro and 2,000 individuals in Biñan received the free packs in an initiative Nograles described as “a showcase of public-private partnership in addressing malnutrition in children and hunger in Filipino families.” “There’s an entire ecosystem involved in our food assistance. We not only distribute food, but we also help our farmers, fisherfolk and members of the agriculture sector through coordination with suppliers from the private sector,” the Malacañang official said. The Cab Sec further explained that “When we launched the National Food Policy roadmap to achieve zero hunger nationwide, we actively sought non-
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| January 30-February 5, 2021
government partners, which led to the formation of Pilipinas Kontra Gutom.“ The Rise Against Hunger movement, meanwhile, was able to set up urban and community gardens for farmers in the Don Bosco area of Calauan through the assistance of Bayer Corporation. Harvests from these gardens are distributed to local families to fight instances of stunting, being underweight and undernourishment in young people. Nograles was joined by San Pedro City Mayor Lourdes Cataquiz, former Mayor Calixto Cataquiz, and several Councilors and Biñan City Councilors Liza Cardeno, Jeddie Alatiit, Gener Romantigue, Hershey Tan Gana and Elmer Dinaranan in separate food distribution events. For the Calauan leg, the Cab Sec met with
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Attendees from private sector partners included Margot Torres, McDonald’s Managing Director and RMHC Vice President; Richard Faulkerson, Sr. or Daddy Bae, Owner Operator Representative, The Faulkerson Corp.; Anna Taruc, Key Account Senior Manager of Coca-Coca; Director; Mac Dormiendo, External Relations Manager, San Miguel Foods; Marie Angeles, RMHC Executive; Ronald Atanacio, Public Affairs Manager, Junae Ortega, Operations Manager; Emil Batuhan, Grace Quilop and Albert Adia, Operations Consultants; and other staff members of RMHC at McDonald’s. Nograles stressed during the various food distribution events that the success of the program was due to close and sustained cooperation between the government and the private sector. “Kailangan natin magtulungan. Fighting hunger, malnutrition and poverty is an everyday advocacy and one that our partners want to address long term, in coordination with government. We do this for the welfare of Filipino families,” the former legislator explained.
Mayor Buenafrido Berris, Congresswoman Sol Aragones, Father Jeffrey Mangubat, SDB and RAH Executive Director Jomar Fleras, and Bryan Rivera, Bayer’s head of communications and public relations. The hot meal packs included crispy chicken fillet, rice and bottled water. These were prepared with help from Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), McDonald’s Kindness Kitchen, Coca-Cola Philippines, Metrobank, San Miguel Corporation and Dole Philippines.
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January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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News Briefs The Regional Inter-Agency Committee Against Trafficking and Violence Against Women and Children (RIACATVAWC) Caraga members from different government agencies and private sector convened thru a virtual meeting this afternoon. The members discussed the committee’s accomplishments for the year 2020, upcoming activities for 2021 and other updates, among others. xx
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA), together with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar is set to conduct the Explain, Explain, Explain: Pagdu-aw Sa Prosperidad (Agusan del Sur) on February 10, 2021. This aims to provide a platform for national and local government agencies to discuss their policies in helping the communities in mitigating the impact of the pandemic.
The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) through its SubCommittee on Sexual Abuse and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (SC-SACSEC) spearheads the annual conduct of the National Awareness Week for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation by virtue of Proclamation No. 731 s. 1996. DTI-Caraga’s Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa Program, ARD Gay Tidalgo of DTI cited during today’s briefing in Butuan City that they have assisted 258 MSMEs (234 - fire victims, 24 health disasterrelated). 41 barangays were covered under the program, 20 trainings conducted, 258 kits distributed, and disbursed a total of P2.9-million.
REGIONAL NEWS
INCOMING AFP CHIEF VISITS 402ND BRIGADE IN BUTUAN CITY By Major Francisco Garello, Jr.
The incoming Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, visited the 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade, Home of the Stingers Troopers on February 02, 2021 at Camp Romualdo Rubi, Barangay Bancasi, this city. A Medal for Valor awardee and the current Commanding General of the Philippine Army, Lt. Gen. Sobejana’s visit to the 402nd Brigade is his only official visit to an Infantry Brigade as he prioritized major units of the Philippine Army and
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| January 30-February 5, 2021
as a way of looking back to the people he worked with in the past. He was accompanied by Major General Andres Centino, the Commander of the 4th Infantry Division. “We must know how to look back, even in doing our own job. We should look back and put forward the things that we have done that resulted in a good outcome and learned lessons from our mistakes. As we move forward, we must know how to look at ourselves on how capable we are in doing our job,” Lt. Caraga INFOCUS
Gen. Sobejana said. He was warmly welcomed and accorded with Foyer Honors by Brigadier General Maurito Licudine, the 402nd Brigade Commander. Also present to welcome him were the Brigade Commanders of the 401st and 901st Brigade, Brigadier General Allan Hambala and Brigadier General George Banzon, respectively, together with the Battalion Commanders and other AFP units in the Caraga region. Lt. Gen. Sobejana during his ‘Talk to the Troops’ highlighted the need to capacitate the Army and seek partners from civilian stakeholders as peace and security is a shared responsibility. “If we wanted to get the full support and cooperation in our efforts, we must have PEACE, People Empowerment in Addressing Conflict Environment. We must empower and increase people’s situational awareness and impress upon them that in the name of public service, the soldiers are not above them or below them but instead we are beside them,” he said. He further stressed the soldiers’ discipline and humility are of utmost importance to win the hearts and minds of the people recognizing that the insurgency problem is a propaganda war. “The more allies we have, the better chance for us to triumph battles to win the peace,” said Sobejana. Meanwhile, BGen. Licudine also expressed his gratitude on the visit of the incoming Chief of Staff of the AFP. “It is an honor to be visited by one of the most decorated Army Officers, my mentor and a living hero who inspired every one of us here. We are the only Infantry Brigade visited by Lt. Gen. Sobejana reflecting our standard of excellence as a show Caraga INFOCUS
window of the whole 4ID. His message is clear, we are more motivated to ensure and provide our people a community that is safe and secured. Let us remain humble and continue doing our job well,” he said. Lt. Gen. Sobejana, a member of PMA “Hinirang” Class of 1987, was announced recently to assume the most coveted position in the military as the 55th AFP Chief of Staff and shall replace General Gilbert Gapay, who will bow out of the military service this week. (CMO, 402nd Brigade/PIA-Caraga) January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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PROVINCIAL NEWS
STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS: AGUSAN SARDINESMAKERS GET P.4-M MINDA FUND GRANT Members of the Rural Improvement Club of AtaAtahon, Nasipit, Agusan del Norte will soon be producing sanitary and quality Spanish Sardines in glass jars as the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) provided funds for the purchase of the needed equipment.
steam to dry fish even during rainy days and nighttime and a 500-bottle capacity “retort” chamber.
The set of equipment include a mini-boiler designed by a multiawarded Mindanao inventor which produces
The “Retort Chamber” The steam-powered dryer usually costs about P5will also end the traditional million but the mini-version drying process which designed by Engr. Cane, leaves the fish open to dust, including the mini-boiler
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The steam-powered fish dryers could dry 200 kilos of “Tamban” or small “Bangus” in six hours for a maximum capacity of 800 kilos for a 24-hour operation.
flies and contamination. The “Retort Chamber” which was also designed by inventor Rudy Cane of Butuan City, Agusan del Norte will replace the pressure cookers which the women members of RICA have been using to lengthen the shelf life of the bottled sardines.
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LIVELIHOOD SKILLS TRAINING UP FOR FAR-FLUNG COMMUNITIES IN AGNOR TOWN By 1Lt. Roel T. Maglalang
and steam-powered fish dryers, has a total cost of P424,000. MinDA also assisted the women members of RICA with a more marketable label for their Spanish Sardines designed by MinDA worker Samuel Ponsica. The whole equipment package will be set up in an area offered by Nasipit Mayor Enrico Covera and will be operational before March 1, the date when the three-month Closed Fishing Season in Mindanao is lifted. Twelve other fishing towns in Mindanao will also be provided with similar facilities, including vacuumpacking equipment for dried fish production. The fund grant for these program comes from MinDA’s meager budget of P180-M for 2021.
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The Army’s 23rd Infantry (Masigasig) Battalion (23IB), together with the local government unit (LGU) of Nasipit through the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Arm Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) and the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) conducted a meeting recently in preparation for the implementation of a series of skills training in Barangays Camagong and Jaguimitan in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte. The said meeting was also attended by the
different line agencies of the government, the Philippine National Police (PNP) together with the members of the Barangays Councils of Camagong and Jaguimitan. Nasipit town Mayor Enrico Corvera facilitated the meeting and pledged his full support to the planned activities. The series of livelihood skills training to be conducted by the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) are aimed to develop self-reliant,
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resilient, and sustainable communities through a harmonized and culturally responsive development programs in support of the implementation of Executive Order No. 70 or the Whole of Nation Approach to end the local communist armed conflict. “I personally express my gratitude to the Provincial Director of TESDA in Agusan del Norte (TESDA-ADN) for his untiring support to the Local Government of Nasipit,” Corvera said. He also emphasized that the upcoming activities will help uplift the economic living conditions of the residents in Barangays Camagong and Jaguimitan.
INFO ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED TO SHIELD YOUTH FROM CTG INFLUENCE IN AGNOR TOWN By 1Lt. Roel T. Maglalang
The 23rd Infantry (Masigasig) Battalion (23IB), in partnership with the Youth for Peace (YFP) Las Nieves chapter and the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members conducted a series of information and education activities to youth groups from the different barangays in Las Nieves town in Agusan del Norte from January 20 to 28, 2021.
“These programs and livelihood training activities by TESDA, in partnership with the MTF-ELCAC and the 23IB, will help end the communist insurgency through the delivery of basic services and development initiatives for The eight-day activity was the local residents,” Corvera supported by the local said. government unit (LGU) of Las Nieves and the Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. council members of every Paulo, the Commander of concerned barangays and the 23IB commended the communities. MTF-ELCAC members for The activity aims to educate their untiring pursuit to save the youth in countering their communities from the the propaganda of the Communist New People’s Army (NPA) Terrorists (CNTs). Communist New People’s Army (NPA) Terrorists (CNTS) (CMO Officer, 23IB PA/PIA in their localities and to Agusan del Norte)
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enlighten them on the different deceptive tactics that the terrorist insurgents use in social media. In the overall perspective, the activity sought to shield the youth in Las Nieves from the recruitment of the CTGs. The YFP Las Nieves was established last July 15, 2017, through a Youth Leadership Summit (YLS) activity conducted by the 23IB. With the formation of the YFP, the youth members were organized, transformed, and empowered to fulfill their roles as responsible citizens and catalysts in advocating peace and development in their respective communities. Karen S. Rosales, the president of YFP, expressed gratitude to the YFP members and SK officers for
January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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our municipality grow and prosper,” Rosales said. Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo, the commander of 23rd IB, commended the YFP and SK leaders and members of Las Nieves for the success of the activity. “Your readiness and willingness to support the different peace and development initiatives and interventions of the government will save the youth of Las Nieves from the influence and destruction of the CNTs,” Paulo said.
the success of the series of information and education activities. “The YFP was established with the primary purpose to educate and enlighten the youth of Las Nieves to widen their perspectives on the different issues that hinder peace, progress, and development. Our organization also seeks to uplift the leadership capabilities of our youth, as the future leaders of our communities and municipality, through lectures and a series of education drives. The organization also works with other stakeholders, such as the 23IB, to enlighten our youth on the different schemes that the CNTs exploit, whether through individual recruitment activities in the barangays or through social media. We want our youth to be aware of the different disinformation campaigns that the CNTs and their cohorts employ in different platforms,” Rosales said.
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“Your bigger purpose is to become part of the overall peace development campaigns in your municipality. As members of the youth sector, you need to learn more and accept the various challenges you will come across in the future. But I am certain that you will succeed, as long as you are united and believe in the cause that you began to nurture today. She also asked the youth in Las Nieves to join the cause of the YFP and win over more members of the sector to the organization and transform them as effective agents in peace-building and development works in the municipality.
Continue your learnings because it is only through education that we become effective leaders in our communities,” added Paulo.
The 23rd IB commander also encouraged the YFP and SK leaders to help the efforts of the LGU and other line “Let us all work together and agencies of the government plant the seed of compassion to end the local communist armed conflict. (CMO and patriotism among our Officer, 23IB PA/PIA-Agusan youths so that together, we del Norte) can stand as one and help
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EO70 INFO CARAVAN, ANTI-TERROR LAW HELD IN AGNOR TOWN By 1Lt. Edmar C. Colagong
The 29th Infantry (Matatag Fighters) Battalion (29IB) together with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) recently launched the Executive Order (EO) 70 Information Caravan. NICA 10 and 13 Regional Director Manuel M. Orduña led the information caravan at the Municipal Building of Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte. “Ito na ang pinakamalaking programa ng gobyerno, ang EO 70. Ang Ending the Local Communist Armed Conflict. Itong problema natin na ito ang humila sa atin pababa. Ang gusto po ng presidente matapos ang Local Communist Armed Conflict na ito habang siya pa ang presidente,” Orduña said. Caraga INFOCUS
The information drive was attended by barangay captains, Sangguniang Kabataan representatives,Sangguniang Bayan members, businessmen and members of the Kitcharao Municipal Police Station. Mayor Aristotle M. Montante, Kitcharao’s Municipal Mayor, requested to initiate the caravan to support his municipalities’ effort in the information campaign. The goal of the information caravan was not just to orient the public but also to remind the stakeholders and agencies of their respective roles in the said campaign. The main topic covered was the EO 70, although the Anti-Terror Law and Resource Control were also discussed. January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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“Akong mainiton nga pagwelcome ug pagpasalamat sa inyong pagtambong. Kani nga information caravan mao ning atong pagsupporta sa E.O. 70 kinahanglan sad ni nato kay kita man ang mga frontliners diri sa atong lungsod (I warmly welcome and thank you for attending. This information caravan is what we need in support of E.O. 70 because we are the frontliners here in our town),” said Mayor Montante. “This is the biggest program of the government, the EO70. Ending the Local Communist Armed Conflict. This is the problem that is pulling us down. What the President wants is to end this Local Communist Armed Conflict while he is still the President,” said Orduña. According to Lt. Col Aristotle Antonio, Acting Commanding Officer of 29IB, they are in the area because they want to let them know what EO 70 NTF-ELCAC is. “Because the public has not been informed. For over 52 years, the Philippine government has been destroyed by
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| January 30-February 5, 2021
Communist ideology. The Communist Terrorists or the CPP-NPA, so it is important that each of us knows about this program. It is important so that we won’t be deceived by the propagandas of this communist-terrorist group,” he said. It can be recalled that EO No. 70, series of 2018, entitled “Institutionalizing the Whole-of-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating a National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and Directing the Adoption of a National Peace Framework” was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on December 4, 2018. The order aims to address “the root causes of insurgencies, internal disturbances, tensions and other armed conflicts and threats by prioritizing and harmonizing the delivery of basic services and social development packages, facilitating societal inclusivity, and ensuring active participation of all sectors of the society in the pursuit of the country’s peace agenda.” (CMO Officer, 29IB PA/PIA Agusan del Norte) Caraga INFOCUS
4ID CELEBRATES 51ST ANNIV WITH COMMUNITY LOCALS IN AGSUR
By 2Lt. Cecille Tappa
The 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (4ID), Philippine Army under the command of Major General Andres C. Centino, celebrated its 51st founding anniversary in the community through an outreach program held in Barangay Lydia, La Paz, Agusan del Sur on Feb. 1, 2021. This year’s anniversary was anchored on the theme, “Diamond Division: Sustaining Excellence Caraga INFOCUS
Amidst Challenges.” As part of the celebration, the activity intends to touch the lives and provide sociological support to the people who were struggling amidst pandemic as well as to bring happiness to those underprivileged in the farflung and isolated local communities. Barangay Lydia is one of the fortunate barangays in Agusan del Sur, which
was selected by the 4ID as the beneficiary of the outreach program. Aside from being a geographically isolated barangay, it is also considered as a conflictaffected area because of the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA) and their constant threat to the residents. A total of 228 beneficiaries took part in the activity. The troops of 26th Infantry January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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Battalion (26IB) also facilitated the distribution of food packs and other assistance during the activity and was made possible thru collaboration with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of La Paz headed by Mayor Michael V. Lim and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga regional office. “My gratitude to the Diamond Division for choosing Brgy. Lydia to be one of the beneficiaries in your area of responsibility.
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| January 30-February 5, 2021
Happy 51st Anniversary and I am honored to be part of this momentous celebration. Rest assured that the local government of La Paz will always be grateful in your time and effort in providing sociological needs for our people and we will always be your partner on the implementation of government programs and initiatives for peace and development in our community,” said Mayor Lim. Meanwhile, MGen. Centino, commended all
the partner agencies for their benevolent support for the unit. “As our partner in achieving peace and development, I am very grateful to all who are committed in uplifting and empowering the lives of every Filipino especially the less fortunate. We guarantee that we will do our best in all our undertakings to help the people especially those in the remote communities. With all our efforts, no community will be left behind,” he said. (Acting CMO, 26IB/PIA-Agusan del Sur) Caraga INFOCUS
GOB. PIMENTEL NAGPASALAMAT SA NGCP SA TULONG NA NAIBIGAY SA MGA BIKTIMA NG BAGYO SA SURIGAO SUR By Nerissa M. Espinosa
Nagpahayag ng kanyang malaking pasasalamat si Surigao del Sur Gobernador Alexander Pimentel sa National Grid Corporation of the Phils. (NGCP) sa ibinigay na relief goods kahapon ng hapon, Pebrero 2, 2021 sa pamamagitan ng isang simpleng turn-over ceremony na ginawa sa Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Office (PDRRMO) sa lungsod. Ayon kay Gob. Pimentel, ang NGCP ang pinakaunang pribadong kompanya na nagbigay Caraga INFOCUS
tulong sa mga naging biktima ng Tropical Depression Vicky na tumama sa lalawigan noong Disyembre 2020. Dagdag pa ng punong ehekutibo na mula pa noong nagdaang administrasyon ng kanyang yumaong kapatid, maganda na ang relasyon ng NGCP at pamahalaang panlalawigan. Sa panig naman ng NGCP, kung saan kumakatawan si Kris Abellanosa, Spokesperson ng NGCP-Caraga
kasama ang iba pang mga opisyal nito, ang nasabing donasyon ay bahagi aniya sa patuloy na pagpapatupad ng kanilang Corporate Social Responsibility. Ang mga relief goods na ito ay may kabuuang halagang P1, 011,627.41, na mayroong 174 ka sako ng bigas, 271 cases ng cup noodles, 108 cases ng sardines, 87 cases ng corned beef, tuna caldereta, 271 cases ng bottled water at isang libong t-shirts. (DXJS RPTandag/PIA-Surigao del Sur) January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
SURIGAO SUR PLANONG BUMILI NG COVID-19 VACCINE By Raymond Aplaya
Plano ngayon ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Surigao del Sur na bumili ng bakuna kontra coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) para sa mga mamamayan nito. Ito ang kinumpirma ni Dr. Eric Montesclaros, hepe ng Provincial Health Office (PHO) nitong lalawigan sa panayam ng Radyo Pilipinas – Tandag. Ayon pa kay Dr. Montesclaros, hinihintay nalang nila ngayon na mabigyan nang pahintulot ang mga local government units o LGU na makabili ng bakuna
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direkta mula sa mga manufacturer nito. Hindi pa daw pinapayagan ang mga LGUs na makabili ng nasabing bakuna dahil prayoridad muna sa ngayon ng pamahalaan ang ibang mga lugar sa bansa na mataas ang kaso ng COVID 19. Sa ngayon, may limang rehiyon na nasa unang prayoridad umano ng pamahalaan na mabigyan ng bakuna lalo na ang mga rehiyon ng NCR, Region 3, Region 4-A, Cebu at Davao.
Maliban dito, siniseguro din naman na maipatutupad ang prioritization sa mga mabakunahan lalo na ang mga frontliners. Gayunpaman, nilinaw ni Dr. Montesclaros na magpapatuloy pa rin ang pagpapatupad sa minimum public health and safety standards laban sa COVID 19 kahit na magkakaroon na ng bakuna ang lalawigan at maumpisahan na ang vaccination program para dito. (DXJS RP-Tandag/PIA Surigao del Sur)
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PRC OPENS MOLECULAR LAB IN SURIGAO NORTE The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) in cooperation with the provincial government of Surigao del Norte and other partner stakeholders, spearheaded recently the blessing and inauguration of the PRC molecular laboratory located at Km. 9, Barangay Bonifacio, this city. Bishop Antonieto D. Cabajog of the Diocese of Surigao led the blessing rites of the laboratory. Senator Richard J. Gordon graced the event as its honored guest in his capacity
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as the PRC chairman and chief executive officer. In his message, Sen. Gordon commended the frontliners and volunteers who continue to work hard in order to stop COVID-19 from spreading. “All we need is good leadership like you have here. Leadership that has a vision that draws out the values and the best in us. You cannot achieve anything unless you work hard to put duty, dignity and determination first no
matter how hard the task is. We should fight. The task of a leader like Red Cross is to uplift human dignity and to make sure that we reach out to the most vulnerable,� said Sen. Gordon. In the same way, Sen. Gordon said the facility would be expanded in the future to accommodate student research and handle testing for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Zika virus, leukemia, cancer and other diseases.
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heartily expressed Sen. Gordon. The mining-funded facility will serve the entire Caraga Administrative Region and nearby provinces for efficient testing needs of the people. It is equipped with two Reverse TranscriptionPolymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) machines and one ribonucleic acid (RNA) extractor that can analyze up to 2,000 specimens a day. “If we have a common vision to unite the community, we must always have the common good at hand. That will bring progress and development to our country. Tomorrow is not tomorrow. Tomorrow begins now. We look at the past to learn and we fortify ourselves today and we make sure that we win the future. We would not be afraid of the future. We would not fear the future,” he said. “We will make the future our friend… In the meantime, let us continue to use the swab test so we will be able to quell the enemy. And the enemy today is the virus, COVID-19. And we are going to prevail. Instead of COVID, we are going to call it Cooperation in Victory and Development. We must believe in it. And we must prevent it from spreading! We must prevent the virus from taking territory so it will not spread. And the idea now is to always think forward. Make our
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community safe but at the same time one eye is in the future,” added Sen. Gordon. Sen. Gordon also thanked the mining firms for their significant contribution. He said that he will support mining so long as it is responsible. After affirming the important role of mining in daily life, he said that he looks forward to visit the Caraga mines and see for himself that the stakeholders truly carry out responsible mining. He is hopeful that people can come up with products that can be used by the Philippines aside from just drawing from the resources of the earth. Towards the end of his speech, Sen. Gordon acknowledged the collaborative efforts of all sectors and stakeholders in the successful establishment of the facility. He also thanked the Surigao State College of Technology for providing the land for the facility. “I salute all of you,”
THPAL Nickel Corporation (THPAL), Taganito Mining Corporation (TMC) and Cagdianao Mining Corporation (CMC) have pooled their resources together and gave an PhP18-million donation to the Philippine Red Cross in order to establish the said facility which is the second of its kind in Caraga Region. THPAL donated P15 million while TMC and CMC donated P3 Million. These mining companies laid emphasis on the importance of a testing facility so as to capacitate further the COVID-19 testing needs in the region. The provincial government of Surigao del Norte, Surigao City Government and mining firms such as Platinum Group Metals Corporation, THPAL and TMC, together with various contractors, provided the dump trucks and helped in the backfilling of the 2,000-square meter facility lot. (MGB-13/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
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MINDANAO NEWS
MALASAKIT CENTER. Senator Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go (left) leads the opening of the four-story Malasakit Center one-stop-shop at the Southern Philippines Medical Center on Friday afternoon (Jan. 29, 2021). The facility will house six offices. (Photo courtesy of Davao City CIO)
DAVAO CITY OPENS 4-STORY MALASAKIT CENTER By Prexx Marnie Kate Trozo
The city government opened its four-story Malasakit Center one-stop-shop at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC)n on Friday. During the opening, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said the Malasakit Center aims to provide services to more people needing medical assistance and other healthcare needs. “We now have a faster service through the help of President Duterte and Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. In this building are the different government offices
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| January 30-February 5, 2021
that can help you so that you will not have to pay anything,” Go said. The facility will house six offices: the Lingap para sa Mahirap, Office of the President (OP), Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Office of the First Congressional District Representative, and the Botika ng Bayan. Go said the Malasakit Center
has a budget of PHP44 million sourced from the Socio-Civic Fund of the Office of the President. Josephine Mitaran, officerin-charge of the Malasakit Center, said the Lingap and OP desks will operate 24 hours while the rest of the offices are open from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. Mitaran noted that the Lingap office caters to an average of 300 clients per day, making the facility “more conducive to our clients as compared to our old processing area.” (PNA)
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MINDA EYES ASF-FREE AREAS FOR HOG FARMING RECOVERY
The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will help address the national pork shortage by identifying localities, including island communities, which are free of the African Swine Fever (ASF), as hog production zones.
The Development Bank of the Philippines, MinDA’s banking partner, has assured of funding support for the Mindanao Hog Industry Recovery Initiative. Using the “Islands of Hope” strategy, MinDA will engage the local government units of the ASF-free areas, especially island provinces like Camiguin and Dinagat, with the help of the private sector to institute strict bio-security measures to keep their areas clean. Once biologically secured, MinDA will assist the LGUs in establishing a hog production program to be funded with low-interest loans from DBP. Owners of big hog farms in Mindanao like Joaquin
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“Jake” Lu and Mindanao Hog Raisers Association President Eduard So said they have sufficient fatteners and breeders to support the program. The “Islands of Hope” strategy is one of the four steps being undertaken by MinDA to initiate the recovery of the hog industry in Mindanao which was devastated by the spread of the ASF.
Nation-wide, an estimated 5.5-million hogs were killed by the ASF virus resulting in massive losses to farmers and shortage of pork supply. To address the spread of ASF in Mindanao, MinDA has officially communicated with the Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam asking for support in accessing the ASF Vaccine which was reported to have been developed in that country. MinDA has also asked DBP to extend substantial production loans to support big hog farms which have maintained biosecurity
safeguards.
The most important initiative to be undertaken by MinDA is to convince the government economic policy makers and the Department of Agriculture to issue a clear policy which would safeguard the investments of the LGUs and the hog farmers. “What we are afraid of is that after the logistical problems caused by the ASF and after this crisis is over, government will again allow the unimpeded entry of imported pork,” Mindanao Hog Raisers President So said. He said that with this initiative, Mindanao’s hog industry could recover in 18 months to one year and sure sufficient supply of pork for Mindanao. MinDA is set to conduct a virtual consultation with hog industry stakeholders in Mindanao next week in preparation for the implementation of the strategic interventions.
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NATIONAL NEWS
ANDANAR: NO ONE WILL BE LEFT BEHIND IN COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM ROLLOUT Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin M. Andanar assured the public that in the rollout of the national government’s vaccination program, no one will be left behind as the country adapts to the ‘new normal’ and recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Under the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Caraga INFOCUS
Duterte, whether it is in infrastructure development or in COVID-19 vaccines, I assure all the Filipino people that no one will be left behind,” said Sec. Andanar during the “Cabinet Report sa Teleradyo” on Friday, January 29, 2021. “The whole-of-nation approach means that our government wants to ensure that in each corner of our country, no one will
be left behind, especially when it comes to getting out of poverty amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added. National Task Force Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vince Dizon pointed out that the government needs the support of the private sectors, local government units, and the public in its whole-of-nation approach January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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in the implementation of the national vaccination program. “Noong nagsimula tayo dito sa napakabigat nating laban sa COVID-19, talagang nagsabi ang ating mahal na Pangulo na kailangan samasama tayo, tulung-tulong tayo dito, dahil hindi kaya ng gobyerno lang ang napakabigat na hamon ng COVID-19 [At the start of our fight against COVID-19, our beloved President said that we need to be united and help one another because the government alone cannot face the challenges brought by the COVID-19],” said Sec. Dizon. The 3-year vaccination program of the government aims to vaccinate 50% of the population or 50 to 70 million Filipinos this year. The private sectors nationwide will help in the transportation and storage of the vaccines in their facilities, while the LGUs are tasked to administer the vaccine to their constituents. “Ang objective natin is mabakunahan ang 50% of the population ngayong 2021, so roughly mga 50 to 70 million
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Filipinos. Kailangan talaga decentralized tayo. Kailangan gagamitin natin ang mga private sectors, at hihingi tayo ng tulong sa ating mga LGUs [Our objective is to vaccinate 50% of the population this 2021, so roughly around 50 to 70 million Filipinos. We really need to decentralize it. We need to ask for help from the private sectors and the LGUs],” he said. According to Sec. Dizon, proper coordination with all the barangays is important in the massive roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine. “Ngayong tulung-tulong na ang ating mga private sectors at ating mga LGUs para siguradong maayos ang ating roll out, napakaimportante diyan ‘yung coordination natin sa LGUs kasi sila ang nandiyan sa ating mga barangay, kasi ang far-flung barangay, nasa control ‘yan ng mga LGUs. Kaya dapat talagang mag-work together ang national government at ang LGUs [Now that our private sectors and the LGUs are working together to ensure proper vaccination program rollout, coordination with the LGUs is important because the LGUs have jurisdiction over all the barangays, even
the far-flung barangays. That is why the national government and our LGUs need to work together],” said Sec. Dizon. Meanwhile, the projects under the Build, Build, Build program continue amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar stressed that each infrastructure project contributes a lot to the quick recovery of the economy. “Gusto naming ipakita na napakalaki ng tulong ng Build, Build, Build [program] sa ating ekonomiya, dahil nagbibigay ng trabaho at nagkakaroon din ng development sa ating mga provincial areas. So, double po ‘yung benefit ng Build, Build, Build, in many ways—habang ginagawa at kapag nagawa na [We want to show that the Build, Build, Build [program] contributes a lot to our economy, because it provides jobs and it helps in the development of the provincial areas. So, Build, Build, Build provides double benefits, in many ways— during the construction of the projects and once the projects are completed],” said Sec. Villar. Caraga INFOCUS
SECRETARY ANDANAR ON THE RECENT STATEMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT VICENTE SOTTO III ON THE COVID-19 VACCINE COMMUNICATIONS We sympathize with Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s recent statement that there is an apparent apprehension among Filipinos to get vaccinated, which is why the PCOO has been intensifying its communications campaign to further educate and enlighten Filipinos on the government’s vaccination program. Caraga INFOCUS
The challenge of the lack of understanding in this regard remains a widespread problem. This gets further complicated with misinformation and disinformation by some individuals and groups who claim that vaccination is not an ideal and safe option for virus immunization. However, with clear and concise communications and information drives,
knowledge and clarity on the matter will be achieved. As the lead communications arm of the Duterte administration, we in the PCOO have been undertaking communications and information campaigns not only on the COVID-19 pandemic, but also on the upcoming rollout of our national vaccination January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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program. Through our Laging Handa Communications and Information Campaign, alongside different national and local agencies, we are able to communicate and enlighten Filipinos on important information related to the pandemic, government policies, and recovery programs, especially our vaccination program. Furthermore, our Laging Handa website, press briefings, “Explain, Explain
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Explain: Pagdalaw� events, different Town Hall meetings, and Media Literacy trainings, among others, have been vital towards achieving our desired behaviour of getting at least 70% of our population inoculated to achieve herd immunity. Different contents for social and traditional media platforms are being utilized and maximized to inform the Filipinos of our vaccination program, including how it will not only benefit themselves, but also their loved ones,
and every other Filipino. We want to deliver to them the message that the vaccination program can save lives, revive hopes, and shape our collective future as a nation. We will continue our intensified communications and information campaigns in order to inform every Filipino and assist the national government in the rollout and implementation of our national vaccination program so that we can heal, recover, and rise as one nation.
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ANDANAR JOINS CALL TO SET ASIDE POLITICS, FOCUS ON COVID-19 VACCINE ROLL OUT PREPARATION Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Thursday called on political leaders and the public to refrain from painting malicious political influences on the government’s COVID-19 response.
He cited that encouraging 70% of the Filipino population to get vaccinated should be the priority to attain herd immunity, and for the country to be able to get back to having a strong economy.
“An economy can only be strong if you He instead enjoined them to help in uplifting have a healthy population, a healthy the lives of Filipinos, while the country workforce. [Only] then can we go back to continues to take action on curbing the our vision of having a comfortable life for spread of the virus and awaiting the roll out every Filipino,” he said. of the vaccine. While waiting for the vaccine, the PCOO “Dili man gud maayo nga istoryahan ning chief stressed the need to address the politika karun. Ang istoryahan ug i-focus current 47% vaccine hesitancy among nato ang vaccination campaign [It’s not Filipinos through intensified information drive good to talk about politics right now. The on its safety and efficacy. focus of our discussions should be on the vaccination campaign],” he said. Secretary Andanar emphasized the need Caraga INFOCUS
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for partnership between the government and the media to increase the willingness of the public to get inoculated. The PCOO and its attached agency, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), is set to conduct another leg of Explain, Explain, Explain town hall meeting with local government units in Region 13 on February 9-11, 2021, covering the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Surigao del Sur. Secretary Andanar mentioned that this will go on with other regions as well in the coming months. The activity aims to apprise local government officials about National COVID-19 Vaccine road map, likewise capacitate them to cascade the accurate information to their constituents. He also extended his gratitude for those Filipinos who continue to support the administration. “Salamat kaayo sa inyong padayun nga pagsuporta kay Presidente Duterte. Let us remember that the vaccine is already almost in our midst. Hulat-hulat lang ta. Sunod ta sa health protocols [Thank you very much for the continued support you have shown for President Duterte. Let us remember that the vaccine is almost in our midst. Let’s continue to follow the health protocols, while we wait for it],” he said. He noted that specific details will be provided through the National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF-COVID-19) and the Department of Health (DOH) on the vaccines that will be used for the immunization program.
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| January 30-February 5, 2021
NO NEED TO WEAR MASKS WHEN DRIVING ALONE, SAYS NOGRALES Drivers who are alone in their vehicles need not wear masks while driving. This clarification was issued by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who on Tuesday reiterated an advisory posted by the Department of Health (DOH) on its online platforms. Nogerales, Co-Chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), stressed that the advisory states that “those driving alone may remove their masks while inside their vehicle.” “I think that is only logical; if there is no one in the vehicle with you, you cannot infect anyone else.” According to Nograles, the easing of quarantine restrictions as well as the forthcoming roll out of the government’s Covid-19 vaccination program should not lead to complacency, as everyone still has to do their part to halt the spread of Covid-19. “Kailangan natin magtulungan; wag po natin kalimutan na lahat tayo kailangan maging BIDA,” referring to the “BIDA Solusyon Plus” campaign of the DOH. “BIDA” is an acronym that stands for: B - Bawal walang mask I - I-sanitize ang mga kamay, iwas-hawak sa mga bagay D - Dumitansya ng isang metro A - Alamin ang totoong impormasyon The DOH-led campaign promotes the active role of individuals in the fight against COVID-19.
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COVID-19 AND ROLLY-HIT COMMUNITIES RECEIVE AID FROM RED CROSS The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), in partnership with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and American Red Cross (AMCROSS), simultaneously conducted cash distributions in Leyte, Cebu, Rizal and Catanduanes - localities greatly affected by last year’s Typhoon Rolly and the on-going COVID19 pandemic. 10 months after the lockdown, as the Philippines struggle with unemployment, economic losses and navigating the “new normal” due to the COVID19 pandemic, a series of typhoons smashed into the country causing more suffering. PRC visited communities and conducted assessments in order to identify those with the greatest exposure to risk and danger. Families of these individuals were given a cash grant of Php 3,500.00 each. PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard Gordon, virtually
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attended the event with AMCROSS representative Mr. Nikhil Khanna IFRC Interim Operations Manager Ms. Radhika Fernando, and other officials from the local government unit (LGU).
quarantine restrictions.
In his message, Chairman Gordon lauded the PRC staff and volunteers for their unending work to help alleviate human suffering as he added “This would not be possible if it were not for our hardworking staff and volunteers. The Philippine Red Cross is here to serve the most vulnerable.”
As for the Typhoon Rollyaffected communities, 191 vulnerable families were given cash assistance in the municipality of Baras in Catanduanes amounting to PHP 668,500 over-all.
In Leyte, 301 families from 32 barangays in the Municipality of Alang Alang were given a cash assistance totaling to PHP 1,053,500 as part of PRC’s COVID19 support. Meanwhile, 72 families from the Municipality of Minganilla and Naga City in Cebu received a total of PHP 252,000. Most of the beneficiaries were unemployed or considered as high risk and unfit to work due to the COVID19
A total of PHP 122,500 were granted to 35 beneficiary families from 13 barangays in the municipality of Tanay, Province of Rizal.
In total, the humanitarian organization was able to provide a total of PHP 2,096,500 pesos to 599 most vulnerable families in the said municipalities. Since the start of the pandemic and after the chain of typhoons, the Philippine Red Cross has continuously supported communities in-need with cash support, allowing the receiving families to spend the money as they see fit according to their needs and priorities.
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MYANMAR SITUATION CONCERNS GORDON Senator Richard J. Gordon yesterday expressed extreme concern over the political unrest in Myanmar, a friendly ASEAN neighbor, which led to the detainment of several of its outstanding political leaders including Nobel Peace Prize awardee, Aung San Suu Kyi. “I worry for her safety and wellbeing in this period of uncertainty in her country. I hope the current political situation in Myanmar will stabilize and that the country will continue on its path to national unity, democracy and prosperity for its people,” he said. The National League for Democracy party said Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s elected leader, and other senior ruling party figures were detained in morning raids
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on Monday amid fears of a military coup following a disputed election. Gordon said he finds Suu Kyi, whom he has met a couple of times in the course of cooperation on humanitarian issues like disaster relief and mitigation, and also on the Rohingya situation, to be a person with a good heart. During a dinner at the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit held in the Philippines in 2017, Suu Kyi asked Gordon to help the Myanmar Red Cross Society in providing humanitarian assistance to the affected communities in the restive Rakhine State. Gordon was also asked to lead a high-level humanitarian diplomacy
mission in Myanmar in October of the same year. The delegation, composed of officials from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the MRCS, succeeded in its mission to get Suu Kyi to understand that MRCS, IFRC, and ICRC are one Movement that is an impartial and neutral organization whose only objective is to alleviate human suffering and uplift human dignity. They also succeeded, among others, in securing the provision of safe and fast access to Rakhine State for the relief goods and personnel of the Movement.
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PRC PARTNERS WITH SM SUPERMALLS FOR DRIVE-THRU SALIVA COLLECTING SITES To make Saliva RT-PCR testing more accessible, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) partners with SM Supermalls (SCMC) as they open drivethru saliva RT-PCR collection sites in SM megamall and SM Mall of Asia starting February 2, 2021. A ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement was held the same day, attended by PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard J. Gordon, PRC Secretary General Elizabeth Zavalla, SM Supermalls President Mr. Steven T. Tan, Senior Vice President for Operations Mr. Bien C. Mateo, and other executives from PRC and SCMC. PRC will have its first two collection sites located in SM Megamall, Mega A bus bay at EDSA Mandaluyong, and
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at the 5 Ecom Open Parking in Mall of Asia, Pasay City. The said locations will only serve as specimen collection sites for the saliva RT-PCR test and these samples will be forwarded to the Red Cross laboratories for testing. “Kahit dumating na ang bakuna, importante parin ang pag-tetest para labanan ang COVID-19. kaya gumagawa ang PRC ng paraan upang mapadali at mapabilis ang pag-tetest sa ating mga kababayan. We are heading towards nationwide Saliva RT-PCR testing to help industries and schools open in this new normal,� Chairman Gordon said. PRC will start to roll out the Saliva RT-PCR testing nationwide as chapters that
will serve as saliva sample collecting stations undergo training to ensure the safety of the collecting personnel and the quality of collected samples. This will give more Filipinos easier access to cheaper, faster, and noninvasive tests for COVID-19. The saliva test offered by Red Cross, just like the swab test, is also RT-PCR based which is considered by the World Health Organization as the gold standard in testing for COVID-19. It has been approved by the Department of Health after going through thorough study and research by the University of Illinois and the University of the Philippines. To book a testing appointment, please visit book.redcross1158.com.
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children is crucial for us to halt the ongoing polio outbreak and prevent an impending measles outbreak. Let us protect our children as early as now,” PRC Chairman & CEO, Sen. Richard Gordon. From October 2019 to December 2020, PRC was able to vaccinate 960,429 children against polio and 83,799 children against measles-rubella. Overall, 1,044,228 have been vaccinated through the efforts of
PRC STARTS POLIO & MEASLESRUBELLA VACCINATION PHASE 2, AIMS FOR 100K CHILDREN IMMUNIZED The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) started its nationwide measles-rubella & polio supplemental immunization activity (SIA) on February 1, continuing its support of the Department of Health’s (DOH) second phase of Chikiting Ligtas – the DOH’s vaccination program for 2021. In this phase, children will be given additional vaccine doses aside from their routine immunization. PRC targets 100,000 children vaccinated – 50,000 each for polio and measles-rubella.
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The Philippine government aims to vaccinate a total of 9,472,468 children with the measles-rubella vaccine, and 6,919,015 children with the bivalent oral polio vaccine. To meet these figures, PRC will be pursuing vaccination the whole month of February. The humanitarian organization will mobilize 2,000 volunteers with 75 staff from 35 PRC chapters. The volunteers and staff will be grouped into 300 teams which aim to reach 500,000 households in 500 communities. “The need to vaccinate
PRC. For PRC Chairman Gordon, the coordination of the two institutions is vital as it speeds up the supplemental immunization for the children, especially with the challenges posed by the on-going pandemic. Gordon also acknowledged PRC’s staff and volunteers who braved the risks in order to help protect communities against polio, measles, and rubella. “PRC’s greatest assets will always be its dedicated volunteers and staff. Their service has been instrumental for this supplemental immunization activity. As Chairman, I am very thankful and proud that many volunteers are fulfilling the Red Cross humanitarian mandate whenever, wherever,” Gordon said.
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STATEMENT OF NATIONAL TASK FORCE AGAINST COVID-19 CHIEF IMPLEMENTER AND VACCINE CZAR SECRETARY CARLITO GALVEZ JR. ON THE DELIVERY OF VACCINES FROM COVAX FACILITY THIS FIRST QUARTER We are pleased to report that at least 5.6-million vaccine doses produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca are expected to arrive in the country within the first quarter of this year to jumpstart the country’s national vaccination program as part of the global efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus. Today, we received a letter from Aurélia Nguyen, managing director of the World Health Organizationled COVAX facility, officially informing the Philippine government that the country stands to receive a total of 9,407,400 doses from the two pharmaceutical makers within the projected first and second quarters of this year.
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With the country demonstrating its preparedness to receive the vaccines, the regional review committees from the WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi have granted us two vaccine brands that have been “authorized or very close to being authorized by WHO through an Emergency Use Listing (EUL),” according to the letter. In its letter, the COVAX Facility said the Philippines will receive 117,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. These are expected to be delivered in mid-February and will cover the first quarter supply commitment. Delivery confirmation of the supplies for the succeeding quarters will be announced later.
Likewise, the country will receive 5,500,800 to 9,290,400 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines. As the company awaits the issuance of its EUL, the “indicative” numbers of doses reflect only the supply for the first two quarters of 2021. The initial delivery is scheduled by mid to late February as stated in the letter. I would like to emphasize that according to COVAX the number of doses and the projected arrival of the vaccines are all indicative since it all depends on the global supply. The Philippine Government through its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has earlier granted
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both Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA), which means that these vaccines can be safely administered once they become available.
this infectious disease. But with the arrival of vaccines and the implementation of the National Action Plan Against COVID-19, we are now in a better position to put an end to the epidemic.
Over the past week, we have been visiting cities in Metro Manila to monitor the ongoing preparations being carried out by our local government units (LGUs) and the private sector for the arrival of the vaccines, specifically the crafting of their respective local vaccine implementation plans.
Indeed, there is now light at the end of the tunnel.
We are scheduled to visit other areas across the country in the coming weeks, especially now that the Philippine National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 vaccines has been finally approved for immediate implementation. Based on our visits, we have seen that many LGUs and the private sector are now ready for the vaccine rollout – from their vaccination sites, to their cold storage equipment and facilities, to their personnel. We hope that these kinds of preparations will be replicated nationwide. These latest developments came a year since the country declared its first confirmed COVID-19 case. We were all clueless then on how to effectively manage and mitigate the impact of
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We assure the Filipino people that under the leadership of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, your government will secure the targeted 148 million doses of safe, effective, and free vaccines to inoculate 70 million people by 2021 and realize our nation’s goal of achieving herd immunity within this year. We would therefore like to urge all Filipinos to set their fears aside and have themselves inoculated once these vaccines are available. Again, we would like to assure our countrymen that all the vaccines the government will be administering must pass the stringent selection and evaluation process of the Vaccine Expert Panel, FDA, and the Department of Health. With the vaccine providing us an extra layer of protection, we must also push for “vaccine plus” or the strict observance of minimum health standards – the wearing of face masks, maintaining social distancing, and practicing proper hygiene. This remains
the most effective way to curb the spread of the virus and put an end to this pandemic. We are confident that with the whole nation working together, we will be able to recover our economy and bring back a greater sense of normalcy among our people. The arrival of these COVAX vaccines is a welcome development as we await the vaccines that we have negotiated, which are expected to be delivered in the succeeding second, third, and fourth quarters of this year. The vaccines under COVAX can now inoculate our healthcare workers, medicalrelated personnel, and other frontliners. These all fall under the guidance of President Duterte to preserve the healthcare system and major institutions of the country. This positive news is a testament that under the COVAX facility, it ensures equitable distributions of vaccines throughout the globe, which bodes well with the Duterte’s administration principle of “Walang maiiwan, walang iwanan” (No one will be left behind). “We must work together to ensure that all nations - rich or poor - will have access to safe vaccines. No one is safe until all of us are safe,” as what the President has said.
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PRESIDENT DUTERTE: GOV’T WORKING TO WEATHER PANDEMIC IMPACT The government is doing its best to weather the crippling effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said on Monday, noting mass inoculation could reverse the present situation. In his weekly public address on government response to the pandemic, President Duterte tackled the economy particularly after the government released the nation’s recent gross domestic product (GDP) figures. The country is losing billions in lost productivity as a result of the raging pandemic as the government carries out restrictions to contain the further spread of the virus, the President said. The country’s economy used to perform well prior to the pandemic, he noted. “According to the Secretary
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of Finance, araw-araw ngayon hanggang matapos itong COVID, araw-araw we are losing two billion na pera para sana ‘yon sa mga tao ‘yung the workers, the Filipino workers, would have earned that money kung ang ekonomiya natin gumagalaw. Eh kaya nga hindi eh,” he said. “So, we are sinking deeper and deeper pero hindi lang rin tayo. Kung hindi tayo, lahat. Pero we are trying our very best to keep us afloat,” he added. The Philippines is not alone, he said, stressing all economies in the world are bearing the brunt of the pandemic. “Alam mo lahat ng bayan ngayon ng buong mundo bagsak, talagang bagsak,” he said. President Duterte encouraged the people to hope for the best. The
country’s best chance is through mass immunization, which according to the President, is encountering a problem now as nations compete for vaccine supply. Manufacturers also grapple with huge demand. The country’s economy suffered a record annual contraction in 2020, after the GDP shrank in the fourth quarter, according to the preliminary figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). PSA data showed that the country’s GDP contracted by 8.3 percent in the fourth quarter, in contrast with the 6.7 percent growth it posted in the fourth quarter of 2019. The Philippines’s full year GDP plunged 9.5 percent, which the PSA said, was the country’s steepest economic contraction in history. The PSA has been collecting annual data since 1947. PND
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PRESIDENT DUTERTE SEES AFP DEFEATING INSURGENCY, TERRORISM UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has expressed confidence on Thursday, February 4, that under the new leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the government can successfully address multiple threats confronting the country. “I am confident that under Lieutenant General Sobejana’s leadership, the AFP will achieve even more milestones in its campaign to address insurgency and terror, and put an end to all threats to our national security,” President Duterte said in his address during the change of command rites of the AFP in Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. “It is my hope that this new beginning will ensure a more fruitful collaboration as we strive to be a source of great moral strength for our people.” The President also assured the members of the Armed forces of the government’s full support to improve their welfare, as well as to
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upgrade their capabilities aimed at ensuring national security.
eliminating insurgency and securing our sovereignty,” he told the outgoing AFP chief.
As keepers of peace and order, he reminded the soldiers that they are instrumental in building a safe environment so that the people can be protected from lawlessness.
“When our nation faced a daunting public health crisis last year, you inspired our troops to risk their lives to contain the pandemic and provide other essential humanitarian assistance to our people.”
President Duterte also expressed high hopes for the future as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic that has impacted people’s lives. “Through our joint efforts in building the road to recovery during the pandemic, I am confident that we will move closer in achieving our shared aspirations for a better and stronger Philippines,” he said. The Chief Executive congratulated Gen. Gilbert Gapay for his successful stint as the AFP’s chief of staff. “During your tenure, you have commendably steered the men and women of the AFP towards our goal of
Gapay’s hard work and excellence have set a high standard not only for his comrades, but also for the institution’s future leadership, he noted. Gapay, who was succeeded by Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1986. The new AFP chief of staff, on the other hand, is a graduate of PMA Class of 1987. Sobejana, whose military career was mostly spent in Mindanao, is a recipient of the country’s highest military award, the Medal for Valor. PND
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Philippines to receive three million vaccine doses by end February
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Around three million coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine doses are expected to arrive in the Philippines by the end of February this year after successful negotiations with pharmaceutical companies and with the COVAX facility, the country’s vaccine czar said Monday night.
Roa Duterte during a public address on government’s COVID-19 interventions.
“At natutuwa po kami at natutuwa po ‘yung mga LGU na they will receive ‘yung 117,000 na COVAX Pfizer and also more or less 5.5 million to 9.2 million po na AstraZeneca,” Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said in his report to President Rodrigo
At the same time, Galvez said Philippines has already signed five term sheets and is now preparing for the finalization of contracts by mid-February.
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“Ang rollout po nito is mid- or last week of February. Kaya po mayroon po tayong at least mga more or less na aasahan na three million doses this coming February po, sir.”
Galvez noted that the country’s first vaccine rollout
has been made possible with the help of COVAX facility, a global alliance that aims to provide poor countries opportunities to vaccinate their population against the deadly coronavirus. “Dahil po noong nagsubmit po tayo ng ating recommendations sa COVAX noong January 18, pinirmahan po namin ni Secretary Duque na tayo po ay mag-a-apply ng COVAX facility na for early rollout,” he noted. Apart from assisting the Philippines with its first vaccine rollout, Galvez
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said the COVAX facility has also made commitment to provide 117,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses for the country’s health workers. All in all, the COVAX facility has committed enough vaccine doses to cover 20 percent of the Philippine population, which is roughly 40 million doses, said Galvez. Meanwhile, the Philippines is negotiating a second quarter rollout of vaccines from pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Novavax, according to the country’s vaccine czar. The Philippines’s full rollout of vaccines, however, will be on the third and fourth quarter of this year with the government facilitating the release of around 30 to 50 million doses per quarter, he added, noting manufacturers expressed willingness for an early rollout and distribution in the second quarter. The rollout also includes the Serum Institute of India. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, who was also present during the meeting, said the country is pursuing three financial approaches in the vaccine procurement — multilateral approach, private sector partnership, and local government units (LGUs) tie-up. The government’s multilateral approach has an available fund of $1.38 billion to be
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CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
provided by the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Dominguez said. This is in addition to the available money for the vaccines through agreements with suppliers or with COVAX, he added. These methods will fund the procurement of a total of 106 million doses amounting to $1.2 million, the finance chief said, adding the government also secured 40 million doses from COVAX. Dominguez said the Philippines expects to acquire up to 148 million doses of vaccines to immunize around 76 million adults or more than 100 percent of the country’s adult population. He added that those aged 18 years old and below aren’t qualified for inoculation. President Duterte said that among the first to
be inoculated should be healthcare workers, government frontliners, uniformed personnel, poor population and other vulnerable sectors of society. Individuals belonging to the country’s priority sectors and institutions are also in the priority list and may receive the jab in the second quarter. They include economic frontliners and laborers such as drivers, food industry workers, social service workers, and life support service workers, among others. Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Novavax Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Sinovac are among the pharmaceutical companies that Philippines is negotiating with to procure COVID-19 vaccines. The Department of Health (DOH) has recorded 1,658 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 527,272 with 487,574 recoveries and 10,807 deaths. PND
January 30-February 5, 2021 |
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PALACE ASSURES MORE THAN 70-M FILIPINOS WOULD BE VACCINATED The national government assured the public that more than seventy million Filipinos will be vaccinated against COVID-19. Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr said that the Philippines is assured of 40 million doses of vaccines under the COVAX Facility that is worth $84-M, citing the report of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III during Monday night’s Talk-to-the-People Address of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. “This is around 146-M doses to vaccinate 76 million adults,” said Secretary Roque during a press briefing in Malacañang on February 2. “Around seventy million ang eligible population. Hindi kasali dito ang nasa edad isa hanggang disiotso,” added Sec. Roque. The Palace official presented in the briefing the infographic that Secretary Dominguez showed during last night’s meeting with the President, which shows the volume of vaccine doses that the Philippines is expecting and the timeline for the delivery
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| January 30-February 5, 2021
of the vaccines. The said infographic shows the volume of vaccine doses that were committed by six different unnamed vaccine brands and the COVAX Facility for the Philippines this 2021, which are expected to arrive in the country starting this month of February until December 2021. The Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) approval to two of the six vaccine brands, from which 5 million vaccine doses each are expected by the second week of February to March 31, 2021. Two of the vaccine brands have current pending EUA applications, which are expected to come out between the second week to the last week of February. The remaining two brands are yet to file for EUA with the FDA. In terms of sources of funding, five of the six brands were secured through multilateral process, while the other one is through COVAX. The brand that will be coming through the COVAX
Facility is expected to be delivered between May 31 to December 31, 2021. Also in the same press briefing, National Task Force against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said that the Philippines has now signed five term sheet agreements with vaccine manufacturers and has so far secured 108 million vaccines doses. Sec. Galvez also lauded the preparations being done by various local government units, and said that massive vaccine roll-out is expected to begin in the third quarter of this year. Meanwhile, Testing Czar Secretary Vivencio Dizon said that as of date, some eight million tests have already been done, with some 35,000 to 40,000 tests done daily on the average. Sec Dizon also shared the results of the aggressive community testing that they did in Bontoc (1,709 swabbed; 32 tested positive), Isabela (7,643 swabbed; 53 tested positive), and Sagada (418 swabbed, 2 tested positive). OPS-PCOO
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