The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) distributed multipurpose cash grants and shelter tool kits to the residents of Catanduanes and Camarines Sur badly affected by Typhoon Rolly on December 5.
1 PIA Bulletin Online
Risks of giving birth amid COVID pandemic By Melinda Quiñones cautioned health - PIA/IDPD
workers on the increased risk of With the recent studies showing that infection during the COVID-19 particles “pushing stage” of labor. can remain in the “The ‘pushing air in an enclosed stage’ of labor room for up to where patients are three hours and travel up to six feet, working with their uterine contractions Dr. Maria Angela Rodriguez-Bandola, to conduct a an obstetrician from Valsalva maneuver – filling the lungs University of the with breath and Philippines-Manila pushing down on Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH), the diaphragm – is
Editorial Director Benjamin Felipe Editor-In-Chief Marie Angelie Villapando Associate Editor Melinda Quiñones Staff Writers IDPD Art Department CPSD headed by Bradley de Leon Layout Artist Gabriel Villanueva Production/ Aggregation DDCU with Team Leader Kate Shiene Agna
considered to be an aerosolizing event,” Dr. Bandola said. From March 23 to November 19, 2020,
Philippine Infectious Diseases Society has recorded 1,306 pregnant women with COVID-19
infection – 358 of which were either admitted or managed in the UP-PGH while 948 patients were treated in other hospitals.
INTERPOL warns the public against cybercrimes
By Adora Rodriguez - PIA/IDPD
INTERPOL Manila warned the public, particularly the businesses and organizations, on cyber crime activities such as malwares, phishing campaigns, and extensive Business Email Compromise scams. The Philippines is not an exemption as suspects are alleged to have developed phishing links, domains, and mass mailing campaigns in which they impersonated representatives of organizations. Cyber criminals use these campaigns to disseminate 26 malware programmes, spyware and remote access tools, including AgentTesla, Loki, Azorult, Spartan and the nanocore and Remcos Remote Access Trojans. These programmes were used to infiltrate and monitor the systems of victim organizations and individuals, before launching scams and syphoning funds. According to Group-IB,(high-profile cyber investigations) the prolific gang is believed to have compromised
government and private sector companies in more than 150 countries since 2017. INTERPOL reminded the public to protect themselves from online scams by following the advice featured in INTERPOL’s #WashYourCyberHands, #OnlineCrimeIsRealCrime and #BECareful campaigns. Any suspicious incidents related to this should be reported to interpolmanila1@gmail.com or 8721-3065. PIA Bulletin Online 2
No Minors FDA authorized to expedite in Malls this Christmas COVID vaccine break approval
By Melinda Quiñones PIA/IDPD
By Marites B. Paneda - PIA/IDPD President Rodrigo Roa Duterte granted Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director- General Enrique Domingo to issue Emergency Used Authorization (EUA) that will fast track the process of vaccine approval from the usual 6 months to 21 days, leading to the availability of COVID-19 vaccine by March 2021. Vaccine developers that have secured EUA from countries with stringent regulatory authorities or are included in the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency used list may apply for EUA in the Philippines. Under Executive Order 121, the following are the conditions on the issuance of EUA: • Based on the totality of evidence available, including data from adequate and well-known controlled trials, it is reasonable to believe that the drug or vaccine may be effective to prevent, diagnose or treat COVID-19; • The known and potential benefits of the drug or vaccine when used to diagnose, prevent or treat COVID -19 outweigh the known and potential risks of the drug or vaccine if any; • There is no adequate, approved, and available alternative to the drug or vaccine for diagnosing, preventing, or treating COVID-19. 3 PIA Bulletin Online
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III warned parents not to allow their minors to wander in malls this holiday break for fear of catching COVID-19 infection. DOH data showed that of 422,915 confirmed
COVID-19 cases in the country, more than 3% or 15,262, are children 0-9 years old. Since the first Philippine case of COVID-19 was recorded in March, 100 children have died, 16 were severe, and 31 were in critical conditions.
Unemployment rate eases latest Philippine Statistics Authority’s The country’s latest Labor Force labor market is Survey (LFS) the showing further unemployment signs of recovery rate improved as unemployment from 17.6 percent rate is continuously in last August to recovering amid the 8.7 percent in ongoing COVID-19 October this year. pandemic according This means that to the National the number of Economic and unemployed workers Development was reduced to Authority (NEDA). 0.8 million from the NEDA said that figures recorded in based on the July. By Jan Karl Coballes PIA/IDPD
LCP declares low bed occupancy for COVID patients
By Melinda Quiñones are 25% occupancy of our COVID beds - PIA/IDPD
The Lung Center of the Philippines (LCP), a COVID referral hospital, declared reduction of hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients from 100% in the months of July to September to 25% in November 2020. “July, August, and September were hell months really. [But] right now, we
as compared to 100% during those [months],” said Dr. Vincent Balanag, Jr., Executive Director of the LCP. “We’re seeing less cases, things are quieter, more manageable, and less hectic as compared to the past months,” Balanag added. Although COVID-19 has threatened the
health, safety, and lives of the medical community and those caring for the afflicted, Dr. Balanag said it has
P2B set for AKAP funds
also presented great opportunities for medical staff and trainees to challenge
their knowledge, experiences, and decision-making capacities.
End VAWC now! By Melinda Quiñones - PIA/IDPD
cash aid. In the new system, all new The Department applications for of Labor and AKAP will be Employment is set accepted through to disburse another the website oasis. P2 billion in AKAP owwa.gov.ph for funds provided displaced OFWs under the Bayanihan who are scheduled 2 law, in a more for repatriation. This expeditious manner will allow the offices that will benefit an of the (Overseas additional 200,000 Workers Welfare OFWs who will get Administration) the P10,000 to process and By Marie Angelie Villapando - PIA/DDCU
evaluate the applications in advance. “This will shorten the waiting period of OFW applicants as they are now allowed to apply while still onsite and receive the financial assistance once they come back home to the Philippines,” Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.
Taking pictures or videos or anyone performing sexual act or any similar activity is a crime. Capturing an image of the private area (naked or with undergarment), pubic area, buttocks or female breast without the consent of the person involved and when they have reasonable expectation of privacy is a crime per to Republic Act No. 9995. Any person with authority, influence, and moral ascendency who demands, requests, or requires any sexual favor is committing a crime per Republic Act. No. 7877. Violence against Women and Children (VAWC) is a public crime. Support the 18-day campaign to end VAW, an advocacy campaign that is observed annually from November 25 to December 12. PIA Bulletin Online 4
HIV cases in PH increasing By Melinda Quiñones PIA/IDPD
Philippines has the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region. DOHEpidemiology Bureau data estimates more than 110,000 Filipinos are living with HIV in 2020; 37,000 have not been diagnosed, and among those previously
diagnosed, at least 18,500 still need to be enrolled in lifesaving antiretroviral (ART) therapy. US Embassy in the Philippines
donated more than P875 million ($18.2 million) to support the country’s HIV/ AIDS prevention and treatment efforts.
Minors as domestic Plastic-free workers illegal Christmas! By Marie Angelie Villapando - PIA/ DDCU
By Melinda Quiñones - PIA/IDPD
As we wrap our Christmas presents and prepare food for sharing this holiday season, the Department on Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reminds us to avoid using single-use plastic to reduce plastic pollution. According to Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Filipinos use 59.7 billion pieces of sachets, 17.5 billion pieces of shopping bags, 16.5 billion pieces of plastic labo bags, and 1.1 billion diapers yearly. The Philippines is also one of the major sources of plastic trash in the world, contributing almost three million metric tons of plastic waste and 500,000 metric tons of plastic waste leakage per year. 5 PIA Bulletin Online
The Department of Labor and Employment reminded households that it is unlawful to employ minors as domestic workers employing minors because it is considered a clear form of child labor and exploitation. Republic Act No. 10361 or the Kasambahay Law states that it is unlawful to employ children under the age of 15. It is also illegal to withhold their wages and benefits and require them to make deposits for loss or damaged items in the household, and placing them on debt bondage.
“If employers are proven guilty of employing minors as kasambahay, they can be penalized with a fine ranging from P10,000 to P40,000. These penalties are on top of the civil and criminal charges that can
be filed against the employers under the R.A. 9231 or the act on the elimination of the worst forms of child labor,” DOLE’s Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC) Director Ma. Karina Perida-Trayvilla said.
December 1 is World AIDS Day
By Dr. Dean Hernando Zenarosa
World AIDS Day, designated on the 1st of December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease. The theme for the 2020 observance is “Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: Resilience and Impact”
There were an estimated 38 million people living with HIV at the end of 2019, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The problem facing people with HIV is that those who have it don’t usually know their status until they’re tested The following are areas in the Philippines where you can get free testing:
PIA Bulletin Online 6