STATEMENT OF SEN. BONG GO ON THE PRESIDENCY

Running for the Presidency is something I have never dreamed of. Iniiwasan ko ang posisyon na ito, but fate -- as I said -- has a way of turning things around. Nagdesisyon ang partido at si Pangulong Duterte and I accepted the challenge.

At present, I continue to seek guidance from the Divine Being for I believe that the Presidency is a matter of destiny. Kung para sayo yan, para talaga sayo yan.

Nakakataba ng puso yung suporta at hindi po namin kakalimutan yan pero totoong tao po ako at sinasabi ko lang ang totoong nararamdaman ko.

Naging kandidato na ako as Vice President for about 40 days hanggang sa nangyari po ang hindi natin inaasahan. At dahil sa mahal ko at ayaw kong masaktan si Pangulong Duterte at ang kanyang pamilya ay kinailangan ko pong magpaubaya. But in the past few days po, I realized that my heart and mind are contradicting my own actions. Tao lang po ako na nasasaktan at napapagod din. O baka dahil sadyang napakarumi at ganun kainit lang talaga ang pulitika. Talagang nagreresist po ang aking katawan, puso |November 20-26, 2021

Bong Go

at isipan. Pati po ang aking pamilya ay nahihirapan.

Ako naman po ay isang probinsyano lamang na binigyan ng pagkakataon ng Panginoon at ng mamamayang Pilipino na makapagserbisyo po sa inyo. Hindi po ako isang pulitiko. Hindi ako nanggaling sa malaki o kilalang pamilya. I am only a simple public servant from the province na walang ibang hangad kundi ang magserbisyo po sa aking kapwa tao.

Pero sa ngayon, baka hindi ko pa po panahon. Ako yung taong handang magsakripisyo para wala nang maipit, masaktan at mamroblema. Ayoko na pong mahirapan si Pangulo at yung mga supporters natin. Mahal ko po si Pangulong Duterte. Matanda na rin po siya at ayaw ko siyang bigyan pa ng dagdag na problema. Having said this, I leave my fate to God and the Filipino people as I vow to do my best every day to serve selflessly and tirelessly. I am willing to make the supreme sacrifice for the good of our country, and for the sake of unity among our supporters and leaders.

Marami namang paraan upang makatulong sa ating kapwa Pilipino. Ako naman, kahit saan man ako ipadpad ng aking tadhana, patuloy po akong magseserbisyo. Kung anuman ang aking magiging desisyon, ipapasaDiyos ko na lang ang lahat alang-alang sa kung ano ang makakabuti sa bayan.

34.9M Filipinos already fully vaccinated vs. Covid-19

FOR WALK-INS. Health care workers check on the condition of walk-in vaccinees out to get their first dose of the Moderna Covid-19 jab at the Dasmariñas II Central Elementary School in Cavite on Thursday (Nov. 25, 2021). The city government provided the additional vaccination site to accommodate those who want to avail of protection against the dreaded disease. (PNA photo by Gil Calinga) The Philippines has administered 79,602,980 doses of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine as of Friday.

The latest data from the national Covid-19 vaccination dashboard showed 34,963,067 are already fully vaccinated while 137,801 vulnerable individuals from the A1 (health care workers), A2 (elderly), and A3 (immunocompromised adults) groups have additional or booster shots.

The country’s average daily vaccination rate in the last seven days stood at 811,634 doses.

In an advisory, the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 said it is all set for the implementation of the massive vaccination drive from November 29 to December 1, dubbed “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” Day.

The NTF called on doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, dentists, medical technologists, and other health care workers to volunteer their services during the three-day event. The government will simultaneously mobilize more than 8,000 vaccination sites across 17 regions to complete the vaccination of some 15 million Filipinos over the three-day period.

NTF chief and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said local government units have crucial roles in scaling up the country’s vaccination output as they must encourage their constituents to avail of free jabs and make them realize the benefits of being protected. (PNA/Lade Jean Kabagani)

PH gets 700K AstraZeneca Covid-19 jabs donated by Australia

The Philippines on Wednesday received 700,000 doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine donated by the Australian government that will boost the country’s national vaccination rollout. Health Secretary Francisco Duque, National Task Force Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez Jr., and representatives from the Australian Embassy led by Ambassador Steven J. Robinson graced the arrival ceremony at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 in Pasay City. The latest shipment of Covid-19 vaccine was part of approximately 3.6 million doses committed by Australia for the Philippines’ vaccination program until the end of 2022. “Australia remains steadfast in our commitment to support our friends, the Philippines, to boost its national vaccine rollout and sustain its recovery. I am very pleased that the Australian government continues to make an important contribution to the Philippines Covid-19 response and vaccine access and delivery needs,” Robinson said. “Our dose donations, procurement and COVAX funding will boost the Philippines’ supply. But we recognize that the Philippines also needs to address complex distribution challenges to ensure that doses reach the people who need them. That is why we are providing comprehensive, end-to-end deliver assistance, including PHP1.19 billion worth of vaccine delivery support which will enhance the Philippines’ capacity to distribute doses to remote areas and to vulnerable populations,” he added. According to the NTF, a total of 135,161,900 vaccines have arrived in the country since the start of the vaccination last March 1. It said an average of 829,254 jabs are being administered daily, bringing to a total of 34,199,500 individuals who are now fully vaccinated and 43,290,294 others who received the first dose. A total of 70,500 vaccines have also been administered as booster shots to qualified recipients. (PNA/Benjamin Pulta) Caraga INFOCUS November 20-26, 2021 | 23

PH receives over 682K Moderna doses

A total of 682,360 doses of the Moderna vaccine, procured by the national government, have been delivered to the country Tuesday, adding to the Philippines’ increasing, steady supply of the lifesaving shots.

In an interview during the vaccine arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF Covid-19) Special Adviser Dr. Teodoro Herbosa said the Moderna doses would be used to vaccinate the general public, those 12 to 17 years old, and booster shots to priority groups.

“We are now using this for our booster doses. It is included in the brands that can be used, either homologous or heterologous. Moderna is given at half the dose kapag booster dose lang siya (if given as a booster),” Herbosa said.

To date, he said the country has received about 134 million Covid-19 vaccine doses—with about 90 million doses procured by the national government, 29 million as donations, and the rest donated as direct government-to-government donations. On average, he said the

ARRIVAL OF MODERNA DOSES. National Task Force Against Covid-19 Special Adviser Dr. Teodoro Herbosa and other government officials during the arrival of 682,360 doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on Tuesday (Nov. 23, 2021). Herbosa said the country has received about 134 million Covid-19 vaccine doses, with the priority now on the administration instead of procurement of the jabs. (PNA photo by Raymond Carl Dela Cruz) country receives delivery of about 1.5 million Covid-19 vaccine doses daily—solving the country’s issue on vaccine supply.

As more vaccines have arrived, Herbosa said the bigger priority has shifted to administering the shots to the public.

“Kaya ang hope namin sa national vaccination days makatulong talaga na maalis natin sa cold storage ‘yan at mabakuna sa balikat ng mga mamamayan (That’s why we hope that during the national vaccination days we would be able to take the vaccines from cold storage then straight into our citizens’ shoulders),” Herbosa said.

He also called on the public to get vaccinated or join as volunteers during the national vaccination days on November 29, 30 and Dec. 1, 2021, to protect themselves and help the country beat the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the event, he said the government is eyeing to administer about 15 million Covid-19 jabs mainly to the unvaccinated, noting that those in priority groups A1 to A3 would also be welcome. (PNA/Raymond Carl Dela Cruz)

Executive Editor ABNER M. CAGA

Associate Editor FRYAN E. ABKILAN Managing Editor NORA CL MOLDE Copy Editor VENUS LIM GARCIA Layout Artists RONNIE E. MADANGUIT JOHN CHARLES B. MALAZARTE Contributors JENNIFER P. GAITANO

Agusan del Sur NIDA GRACE B. TRANQUILAN

Surigao del Sur SUSIL D. RAGAS

Surigao del Norte/Dinagat Islands DOREEN MARIELLE N. ROSALES

Regional Office Daisy Jane Apit Christine Cudis Raymond Carl Dela Cruz Kent Warren H. Fugoso Lilibeth P. Gimoto Lade Jean Kabagani Benjamin Pulta DAR-Surigao del Norte DA Caraga FSUU-Butuan POPCOM MGB-13 PNA CIO

Business Managers ZARINA O. LASTRA MARIESH F. CELEDEÑA MAY AMOR O. ALABADO Photographer ROBESPIERRE C. TRADIO RUDOLF BONNIN E. SANICO

Regional Office

Jose Rosales Avenue, Butuan City piacaraga@gmail.com; pia_caraga@yahoo.com.ph (085) 341-5285; (085) 815-1991 Philippine Information Agency Caraga @PIACaraga

Information Centers

AGUSAN DEL NORTE

Jose Rosales Avenue, Butuan City (085) 815-1991 pia.northagusan@gmail.com PIA Agusan del Norte

AGUSAN DEL SUR

Provincial Government Center, Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur 0917-723-3455 pia.agusandelsur@yahoo.com.ph PIA Agusan del Sur

SURIGAO DEL NORTE/DINAGAT ISLANDS

Parrucho corner Magallanes St., Surigao City (086) 826-9450 piasurigao@gmail.com PIA Surigao del Norte; PIA Dinagat Islands

SURIGAO DEL SUR

Old DPWH Bldg., Telaje, Tandag City (086) 211-3353 piasurigaosur@gmail.com; sds_pia@yahoo.com.ph PIA Surigao del Sur