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Philippe Rater and Valerie Leroux, Agence France-Presse Posted at Sep 25 2020 08:15 AM UNITED NATIONS, US -- China on Thursday lashed out at the United States at a high-level UN meeting over its criticism on the coronavirus, with its envoy declaring, "Enough is enough!" Two days after President Donald Trump used his annual address to the General Assembly to attack China's record, the US ambassador to the United Nations also took an outraged tone -- after which her Chinese counterpart showed palpable anger. "I must say, enough is enough! You have created enough troubles for the world already," Chinese envoy Zhang Jun told a Security Council meeting on global governance attended through videoconference by several heads of state. "The US has nearly seven million confirmed cases and over 200,000 deaths by now. With the most advanced medical technologies and system in the world, why has the US turned out to have the most confirmed cases and fatalities?"

Published September 15, 2020 5:56pm By TED CORDERO, GMA News The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said Tuesday more than 70,000 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) as well as their dependents have enrolled in the agency’s skills development training programs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In a Palace briefing, TESDA Director-General Isidro Lapeña said the skills training programs were offered to displaced OFWs affected by the global health crisis to boost their employability in the country. “At present, mayroon tayong mga 73,000 OFWs at saka mga dependents nila who have enrolled and graduated in TESDA's skills training programs, kasama na diyan iyong training sa TESDA online program natin," Lapeña said. The TESDA chief said the employability rate of those who have undergone the agency’s skills training program is high at 85%, noting that they have been either hired or have started their own businesses. Lapeña said OFWs and their dependen

Published September 21, 2020 4:02pm By MICHAELA DEL CALLAR/ Malaysia will now allow professional and visit pass holders from the Philippines to enter the country as long as they get travel approval from Malaysian immigration authorities, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday. The entry ban was imposed by Malaysia on 23 countries with high number of COVID-19 cases, including the Philippines, on Sept. 7. Entry ban has been relaxed provided they have approval from the Malaysian Immigration Department and a support letter from the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA), the DFA said in a statement. The Philippines has the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia with 286,743 and 4,984 deaths. In its updated travel advice, the DFA said Brunei and Saudi Arabia still prohibits general entry and have imposed stricter medical protocols for those who are exempt from entry restrictions in the Sultanate and the Kingdom, such as presentation of negative COVID

Published September 23, 2020 12:45pm Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III lauded Wednesday the decision of the Qatari government to abolish the “kafala” system in the hiring and employment of migrant workers, saying it will benefit Filipinos working there. “We wish to thank the state of Qatar for this significant reform in their employment laws. This is a giant step to improve the work conditions of migrant workers, especially our OFWs,” Bello said in a press statement. The kafala is an employment sponsorship system used to monitor migrant laborers working primarily in the construction and domestic sectors in Gulf Cooperation Council member states and a few neighboring countries, namely Bahrain, Kuwait. The system requires migrant workers to get permission from their employers should they decide to change jobs. Citing a report from the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Qatar, Bello said the Qatari government recently enacted Decree Law Nos. 18 and 19 of 2020 amending some provisi

Published September 23, 2020 4:26pm By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Wednesday said China, Korea, and Taiwan are helping in the search and rescue operations of 36 still missing Filipino seafarers of the sunken Gulf Livestock 1. In a press conference, Bello said that the missing seafarers might have been drifted to the waters of the three countries, which are near the site of the incident. “I sent letters to embassies of Korea, China, and Taiwan. Luckily, they responded. And they said, on their own, even before receiving the letter, they are helping the search and rescue operation,” he said. “Yung mga relatives ng 36 are still clinging to the hope na buhay pa sila kasi wala pang nakikitang (katawan),” he added. Bello said the two survivors, the family of the 36 still missing seafarers, and the manning agency will meet with him on Wednesday afternoon to discuss some concerns. “They would like to have some few moments with them. Pumayag naman sila.

Published September 25, 2020 1:52pm By VIRGIL LOPEZ, GMA News The fifth batch of remains of overseas Filipino workers who died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will be flown back to the Philippines this weekend, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said Friday. In July and August, the government facilitated the repatriation of deceased OFWs, who have died of COVID-19 or other causes. “Aakyat na po sa mahigit kumulang 320 in all ang human remains, so that means mga 320 families po ang natulungan natin kahit papano na sila’y makapag-closure dito, magkaroon din ng healing sa kanila,” OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said at the Laging Handa briefing. “First time lang ito nangyari sa kasaysayan natin na nagkaroon ng mass repatriation ng human remains kasi naipon nga po sila gawa ng lockdown sa Saudi.” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier promised that the government “will continue to fly home all our dead, and if need be, not only from the Middle East but also from

Published September 20, 2020 2:35pm By JOVILAND RITA/ The Philippine Overseas Labor Office has issued a notice of suspension to a Singapore-based employment agency for its refusal to address concerns of an overseas Filipino worker. In a statement on Saturday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said its POLO suspended the Union United Employment Pte Ltd for its refusal to settle the complaint of a Pinay household worker. The OFW reported that the agency collected unauthorized fees from her salary and failed to properly document her deployment despite its Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) accreditation. According to the DOLE, the suspension order is effective for 60 days. With order to cease from the operation, DOLE said, POLO and POEA will suspend all the documentary processing of the agency. POLO Singapore encourages OFWs to call telephone number 6737.3977 ext. 107, or text cellphone number 90235608 if they wish to air their their labor complaints.

Published September 20, 2020 2:35pm By JOVILAND RITA/ The Philippine Overseas Labor Office has issued a notice of suspension to a Singapore-based employment agency for its refusal to address concerns of an overseas Filipino worker. In a statement on Saturday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said its POLO suspended the Union United Employment Pte Ltd for its refusal to settle the complaint of a Pinay household worker. The OFW reported that the agency collected unauthorized fees from her salary and failed to properly document her deployment despite its Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) accreditation. According to the DOLE, the suspension order is effective for 60 days. With order to cease from the operation, DOLE said, POLO and POEA will suspend all the documentary processing of the agency. POLO Singapore encourages OFWs to call telephone number 6737.3977 ext. 107, or text cellphone number 90235608 if they wish to air their their labor complaints.

Published September 25, 2020 1:52pm By VIRGIL LOPEZ, GMA News The fifth batch of remains of overseas Filipino workers who died in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will be flown back to the Philippines this weekend, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said Friday. In July and August, the government facilitated the repatriation of deceased OFWs, who have died of COVID-19 or other causes. “Aakyat na po sa mahigit kumulang 320 in all ang human remains, so that means mga 320 families po ang natulungan natin kahit papano na sila’y makapag-closure dito, magkaroon din ng healing sa kanila,” OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac said at the Laging Handa briefing. “First time lang ito nangyari sa kasaysayan natin na nagkaroon ng mass repatriation ng human remains kasi naipon nga po sila gawa ng lockdown sa Saudi.” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III earlier promised that the government “will continue to fly home all our dead, and if need be, not only from the Middle East but also fro

Published September 25, 2020 1:09pm A total of 3,753 Filipinos in Qatar have been repatriated since June due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambassador Alan Timbayan said Friday. In a televised briefing, Timbayan said the embassy has so far recorded 12 repatriation flights. He also said the remains of Filipinos who died because of COVID-19 have been flown back to the Philippines. There are around 241,000 overseas Filipino workers in the Gulf state, according to the embassy. “Na-notice na po namin na karamihan po ng aming mga OFWs dito po ay minabuti na po nilang mag-stay dito dahil po sa maganda na po, nag-open na po ang Qatar, nagbukas na po, marami na po nakabalik sa kanilang trabaho,” Timbayan said. Qatar has so far reported 124,425 COVID-19 cases, with 212 deaths, according to a tally by the Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center. “Wala ho tayong count doon kasi po hindi po nagbibigay sa atin ang mga pamahalaan rito gawa po ng privacy law ng Qatar.”

Published September 25, 2020 9:19am Updated September 25, 2020 9:55am The Commission on Elections (Comelec) sees no need to postpone the May 9, 2022 elections even if the COVID-19 is not yet over by that time, its spokesperson said on Friday. "Atas ng Constitution yan (election), hindi yan basta-basta mapapalitan," Director James Jimenez said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV. "At this point we don't see a need for it (postponement), hindi nakikita yung pangangailangan." At a budget hearing at the House of Representatives on Thursday, Deputy Majority Leader Mikey Arroyo asked Comelec officials present to consider postponing the 2022 elections due to health and safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Constitution mandates that national elections be conducted every second Monday of May every three years. Former Comelec commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal had earlier said postponing the 2022 elections due to the pandemic is without basis, noting that

Published September 25, 2020 12:53am DUBAI - The United Arab Emirates will introduce equal pay for men and women working in the private sector on Sept. 25, the state news agency (WAM) reported on Thursday. “Female employees shall receive wages equal to that of males if they perform the same work, or another of equal value", WAM also reported. -- Reuters

Published September 24, 2020 9:21pm Two Dubai-bound passengers were arrested on Thursday after pretending to be employees of the Manila International Airport Authority to get past immigration officers. According to John Consulta’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, the National Bureau of Investigation-International Airport Division said the two female suspects attempted to enter Ninoy Aquino International Airport using fake MIAA IDs. “Ginamit nila ito para malagpasan ang immigration, para ‘di na sila dumaan doon. Kasi ‘yong dinaanan nila, dinadaanan ng mga empleyado papunta sa loob para makadiretso na sila sa boarding gate,” NBI international airport investigation division chief Atty. Ruel Dugayon said. Also nabbed was their accomplice who works as an operations assistant at MIAA. GMA News reached out to the three suspects but have yet to respond as of posting time. NBI deputy director Atty. Jun de Guzman reminded overseas Filipino workers to get in touch with authorized travel a

Published September 24, 2020 11:10am By LUCKY MAE F. QUILAO Some Filipino nurses in Eurasia salute their fellow nurses in the country, for their dedication and sacrifices, particularly in the time of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Most of them cited the sacrifices they had gone through --including work overload, and low pay --when they were still in the Philippines. “I am very proud of my colleagues who are working there in the Philippines because of their great service despite the situation,” shared Francisco Miña, a 32-year-old nurse at the University Hospital in Frankfurt. “I have been overworked and underpaid myself when I was still there, receiving only P4,000 a month without overtime and benefits. Plantilla is difficult to get — you’re lucky if you know someone working in a higher position — so during those years, my status is only a job order,” the president of the Association of Filipino Nurses in Germany (AFNG) added in an interview via Messenger on September 21. Only

Bishop pleads for resumption of search for survivors from sunken ship Published September 24, 2020 11:00am An official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Wednesday appealed to the shipowner of the livestock vessel that sank off Japan on September 2 to resume search operations for missing seafarers, mostly Filipinos. In a report on CBCP News --a Catholic online news service --Bishop Ruperto Santos, vice chairman of the Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People, called for the search to continue, saying, “We are making a direct and strong appeal to the shipowner, Gulf Navigation Holding, to resume the searching.” Likewise, he appealed for support, in every possible way, for the respective families of those still missing at sea. Santos, who is also the bishop-promoter of the Apostleship of the Sea – Philippines, said he is hoping that the crew are found alive. “We continue to pray that others may have somehow survived this tragic incident,” the pr

Published September 25, 2020 12:34pm By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday said most mayors in the National Capital Region (NCR) still prefer to retain the region under general community quarantine. "Ang masasabi ko lang maraming mayors natin sa NCR ang talagang gusto pa rin mag-GCQ," Año said at the sidelines of the inauguration of a mega-complex facility in Taguig City. He said a consultation with Metro Manila mayors is scheduled on Sunday, September 27, to discuss what will be the next quarantine status in NCR by October. "Doon namin tatalakayin 'yan, papakinggan natin kung ano 'yung recommendation ng buong Metro Manila Council, kung ano ang kanilang magiging recommendation tapos ikukumpara natin sa data analytics at doon mabubuo natin kung ano ang ire-recommend natin sa Pangulo," Año explained. "Siyempre ang pinaka-number one concern talaga ng ating mga mayors ay kaligtasan ng kanilang constituents," he a

By: Cathrine Gonzales - Reporter / @cgonzalesINQINQUIRER.net / 01:18 PM September 09, 2020 MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has so far spent P2.5 billion to about 245,000 overseas Filipino workers displaced by the coronavirus disease pandemic. “Talking about AKAP (Abot Kamay ang Pagtulong) program, we have already spent P2.5 billion extended to about 245,000 OFWs,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said during the budget hearing of DOLE at the House committee on appropriations. Bello said P5 billion was previously allocated to Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) for the repatriation expenses of displaced OFWs, including the P1 billion for the continuation of the AKAP program. He said DOLE is hoping to have an additional budget for the initiative in 2021 to further aid displaced OFWs as the current funding may still be not enough, citing the large number of Filipinos working abroad whose jobs were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. O

Fr. Shay Cullen 8 September 2020 Jennifer (not her real name) was only 12 years old when an adult neighbor, a man 37 years old in a small town raped her. He convinced her that he loved her. She was frightened and warned not to complain or tell anyone otherwise bad things would happen to her and to her mother. Jennifer became a child sex slave of the 37-year old man. His friends raped her, too. The child was traumatized and brain-washed with fear and told no one. After four years of fear, stress, pain and trauma, she broke down and told her mother of her years of sex slavery to the men. The mother immediately filed criminal charges and asked Preda Foundation to protect and help her child. Jennifer has now been rescued by the Preda social workers and is safe from the abuser’s threats. From many similar cases as that of Jennifer, we learn of the suffering and fear of these abused children. In the Preda homes, they receive free of charge a quality life in community and get healing, th

Louise Maureen Simeon (The Philippine Star ) - September 21, 2020 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines — An oceanographic phenomenon called upwelling caused the fish kill in Manila Bay along the Baseco seawall in Tondo, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said over the weekend. The BFAR said upwelling or overturn caused the depletion of dissolved oxygen, causing mortality of at least 10 kilos of fish in Manila Bay. Photos of the dead fish went viral on social media last week, raising questions on whether the white sand project caused the fish kill. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has denied that the fish kill was caused by the crushed dolomite laid over a portion of Manila Bay for its rehabilitation program, which drew criticism. Upwelling happens when saturated, cold seawater rises from below and replaces lighter and warmer water on the surface after a rainfall, according to the BFAR. The upwelling water activity draws up sediments from the sea bott

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) said that the fate and the future of more than 60,000 young girls have been left in a precarious state, as the leadership of the Senate decided to delay the discussions on Senate Bill (SB) No. 1334, or the proposed “Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act,” which seeks to fully and appropriately address the alarming prevalence of teenage pregnancies nationwide. “We need to address minor parents’ lack of access to family planning services,” Undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez III, MD, MPH asserted. “POPCOM believes it is high time for our lawmakers to acknowledge the glaring fact that the numbers of minors who are becoming vulnerable to social and economic pressures, on top of their health needs, are escalating yearly.” Perez said that if passed into law, SB 1334 will greatly benefit minor girls who are already mothers and those who are currently conceiving, as it will enable their unimpeded access to reproductive health programs,

Department of Labor and Employment September 21, 2020 POEA assures protection of seafarers during pandemic The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Governing Board has issued the interim guidelines on the deployment and repatriation of Filipino seafarers to further ensure their protection and benefits during the national state emergency brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Governing Board Resolution No. 13, Series of 2020, the POEA emphasized the provision of assistance and benefits to seafarers under unfortunate situations in their deployment or repatriation due to COVID-19 related reasons. The POEA board is chaired by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III. In the resolution, a seafarer who already signed an employment contract but cannot be deployed from the point of hire due to COVID-19 related reasons shall be provided with accommodation and food at the principal/employer’s cost, unless provided by the government, until the seafarer is deployed or returned home,

Department of Labor and Employment September 20, 2020 PH seafarers one of the bravest in the world–Bello Filipino seafarers are among the bravest in the world, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said on Sunday. Bello extolled the seafarers as he led officials in the warm welcome for the two survivors of the ill-fated cargo ship that sank off the turbulent waters of southern Japan early this month. Bello also lauded Chief officer Eduardo Sareno and deck crew Jay-nel Rosales for their courage and will to survive the violent seas. “I admire the never-say-die attitude of our seamen in the face of great danger, a trait common to many Filipinos particularly our OFWs,” Bello said. “Filipino seafarers are one of the bravest in the world. That’s why many employers prefer their company at sea,” he added. Sareno and Rosales were flown home Saturday via Philippine Airlines from Tokyo after undergoing medical checkups and spending weeks in hotel quarantine in accordance with health protoco

Department of Labor and Employment September 20, 2020 Kyushu employers prefer Pinoy workers Employers in the region of Kyushu, the southernmost and third largest island of Japan, prefer Filipino workers for their industriousness and fast learning ability. In a post outreach mission report, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Osaka, cited the employers’ preference in the region for Filipino workers for their industry and ability to learn fast. “The employers were very appreciative of our efforts to reach out to them, particularly amid the pandemic, and expressed their hope for the lifting of the ban on foreign workers due to coronavirus,” Labor Attache Elizabeth Estrada told Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III in her report. The POLO visited the worksites of OFWs in vulnerable occupations, particularly in the performing arts and agriculture sectors, and consulted with the employers on the issues and concerns on Filipino workers and labor documentation. The POLO team als

Department of Labor and Employment September 19, 2020 POLO suspends erring agency in Singapore For refusing to settle the complaint of a Filipino household service worker (HSW), the Department of Labor and Employment’s Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Singapore issued a notice of suspension to a Singapore-based employment agency. POLO suspended Union United Employment Pte Ltd for its refusal to settle the complaint of a Pinay HSW. The aggrieved OFW alleged that the agency collected unauthorized fees from her salary and failed to properly document her deployment despite its being a POEA-accredited agency. The suspension order is effective for 60 days. With order to cease from the operation, POLO and POEA will suspend all the documentary processing of the erring agency. POLO-Singapore has also recommended to POEA the revocation of the agency’s accreditation to prevent it from victimizing more HSWs. POLO Singapore encourages OFWs to call telephone number 6737.3977 ext. 1

Department of Labor and Employment September 17, 2020 More Pinoy workers feted overseas Filipino workers overseas continue to reap recognition and accolades for their exemplary industry and work ethics even in the face of the global pandemic, the labor department reported on Thursday. And Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III is all praises to the growing roster of OFWs being awarded by host countries for performing their jobs well despite the challenges posed by the health crisis. Bello received a report that another group of five OFWs was given recognition this week, this time by the Kaohsiung Bureau of Labor Affairs in Taiwan. Earlier, the Taipei City government also awarded two Filipina workers for their dedication and outstanding contribution to improved work condition during the pandemic. “True to what our OFWs are known for, our modern-day heroes are unfailing in giving the country honors. They make the Filipino nation and President Duterte even more proud,” Bello said. “For

Department of Labor and Employment September 15, 2020 Bahrain resumes recruitment of HSWs; employers prefer Pinays The Labor Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) of the Kingdom of Bahrain announced that it has resumed the recruitment of domestic workers on Monday, September 14, lifting the temporary suspension last March due to COVID-19 pandemic, the labor department said yesterday. It said the announcement was made a month after the renewal of the issuance of work permits of expatriate skilled workers last August 9. In a report to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Bahrain also said Filipino workers are preferred by most employers in the kingdom in reopening their doors to migrant workers. POLO said the LMRA has warned would-be employers of migrant domestic workers to refrain from engaging the services of unlicensed domestic expatriate employees employment offices (DEEEOs) in hiring domestic workers. This is to ensure that mitigation measur

(Agence France-Presse) - September 17, 2020 - 8:10am WASHINGTON, United States — A group of wealthy nations representing 13 percent of the global population have already bought up more than half of the promised doses of future Covid-19 vaccines, according to a report by Oxfam on Wednesday. The non-governmental organization analyzed deals struck by pharmaceuticals and vaccine producers for the five leading vaccine candidates currently in late-stage trials, based on data collected by the analytics company Airfinity. "Access to a life-saving vaccine shouldn't depend on where you live or how much money you have," said Robert Silverman of Oxfam America. "The development and approval of a safe and effective vaccine is crucial, but equally important is making sure the vaccines are available and affordable to everyone. Covid-19 anywhere is Covid-19 everywhere." The five vaccines analyzed were from AstraZeneca, Gamaleya/Sputnik, Moderna, Pfizer and Sinovac. Oxfa

(The Philippine Star Today) ) - September 17, 2020 - 12:00 am President Duterte has already approved the filing of a graft case against former Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) President and Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Morales. Apart from Morales, six other high-ranking officials are being charged. They are Senior Vice President Jovita Aragona, officer-in-charge Calixto Gabuya Jr., SVP Renato Limsiaco, SVP Israel Francis Pargas, COO Arnel de Jesus, and division chief Bobby Crisostomo. Health Sec. Francisco Duque III despite accusations that he was responsible. According to the Senate investigation, Duque should also be charged. A task force has been formed to investigate corruption in PhilHealth. The task force recommended filing a corruption case against senior PhilHealth officials and President Duterte immediately approved it. The President said, “I'm sorry for them, but they will have to undergo trial, although they can always prove their guilt beyond

(The Philippine Star Today) ) - September 17, 2020 - 12:00 am President Duterte has already approved the filing of a graft case against former Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) President and Chief Executive Officer Ricardo Morales. Apart from Morales, six other high-ranking officials are being charged. They are Senior Vice President Jovita Aragona, officer-in-charge Calixto Gabuya Jr., SVP Renato Limsiaco, SVP Israel Francis Pargas, COO Arnel de Jesus, and division chief Bobby Crisostomo. Health Sec. Francisco Duque III despite accusations that he was responsible. According to the Senate investigation, Duque should also be charged. A task force has been formed to investigate corruption in PhilHealth. The task force recommended filing a corruption case against senior PhilHealth officials and President Duterte immediately approved it. The President said, “I'm sorry for them, but they will have to undergo trial, although they can always prove their guilt beyond

Robertzon Ramirez, Marc Jayson Cayabyab (The Philippine Star ) - September 17, 2020 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines — Quiapo Church officials said yesterday they are ready to face the investigation of the police Joint Task Force COVID Shield on the procession of the Black Nazarene on Monday. Police said the motorcade, which drew hundreds of devotees, violated the ban on mass gatherings under general community quarantine. Manila Police District director Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda said he has ordered the Quiapo police station commander to meet with the parish officials to discuss possible violations of quarantine protocols. Photos showed that the devotees braved the rain during the motorcade and did not observe physical distancing measures. Fr. Douglas Badong, parochial vicar of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, said they are willing to answer questions regarding the religious event. “We are open if they want to ask us or conduct a probe. We are ready to answer them if there

Helen Flores (The Philippine Star ) - September 16, 2020 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines — Nearly six in 10 Filipino adults think “the worst is yet to come” in the COVID-19 crisis, a new poll by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed. The latest mobile phone survey, conducted by SWS on July 3-6, found 57 percent of Filipinos saying the country has yet to see the worst of the pandemic. This is higher than the 47-percent result when respondents were asked the same question last May. The proportion of those who feared “the worst is yet to come” was highest in Metro Manila at 70 percent (from 50 percent in May), followed by the Visayas at 61 percent (from 54 percent), balance Luzon at 56 percent (from 43 percent) and Mindanao at 49 percent (from 48 percent). On the other hand, those who said “the worst is behind us” were highest in Mindanao at 41 percent (from 42 percent in May), followed by balance Luzon at 35 percent (49 percent), the Visayas at 33 percent (from 38 percent) and Met

(Agence France-Presse) - September 10, 2020 - 8:39pm LONDON, United Kingdom — Drugs giant AstraZeneca on Thursday said a COVID-19 vaccine could still be available by as early as the end of the year, despite a randomised clinical trial being paused. "We could still have a vaccine by the end of this year, early next year," the UK-based company's chief executive Pascal Soriot said in comments at a media event. AstraZeneca announced Wednesday it had "voluntarily paused" its trial of a drug developed alongside Oxford University after a UK volunteer developed an unexplained illness. An independent committee was drafted in to review safety but the company said it was a "routine action" designed to maintain the integrity of the trials. "We will be guided by this committee as to when the trials could restart, so that we can continue our work at the earliest opportunity," Soriot said in a statement. AstraZeneca's vaccine candidate is one of

Sebastian Smith (Agence France-Presse) - September 10, 2020 - 7:44am WASHINGTON, United States — US President Donald Trump admits he tried to minimize the seriousness of the threat from Covid-19 at the outset of the pandemic in audio recordings released Wednesday from interviews with veteran US journalist Bob Woodward. "I wanted to always play it down," Trump said in an interview with Woodward on March 19, according to a CNN preview of the book "Rage," due to be published September 15. "I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic," he said in the conversation with Woodward, which was recorded. Coming eight weeks before the November 3 presidential election, the revelation added new pressure on Trump. Opinion polls show around two thirds of Americans disapprove of his handling of the virus and he has often been accused of minimizing the crisis in order to try and boost his reelection chances. Speaking to reporters at the W

Josh Edelson (Agence France-Presse) - September 10, 2020 - 7:52am OROVILLE, United States -- Hundreds of homes were destroyed by wildfires and officials warned of potential mass deaths Wednesday as apocalyptic orange skies caused by dense smoke coated vast swathes of the western United States. At least five towns were "substantially destroyed" in Oregon as widespread evacuations took place across the northwestern state, governor Kate Brown said, citing early reports. Related Stories Helicopters rescue over 200 trapped in California wildfire "I want to be upfront in saying that we expect to see a great deal of loss, both in structures and in human lives," she told a press conference. "This could be the greatest loss of human lives and property due to wildfire in our state's history." Along with neighboring California and Washington, Oregon has been scrambling to contain rapidly spreading wildfires since the weekend due to unprecedented heatwaves f

Pia Lee-Brago (The Philippine Star ) - September 16, 2020 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines — Japan is providing 50 billion yen (approximately P24 billion) in loans to the Philippines to support the country’s quick recovery from natural and health-related disasters. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. and Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda exchanged diplomatic notes yesterday at the Department of Foreign Affairs to formalize the Post Disaster Stand-by Loan Phase 2. The PDSL 2 is the biggest among the PDSL loans Japan has provided to developing countries. The loan is seen to help the Philippines better manage its vulnerability to natural disasters, combat the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate the adverse effects of these risks on the country’s economy by promoting policy actions on disaster preparedness and providing a quick-disbursing budgetary support for the Philippines’ calamity response. The Japanese embassy in Manila said the loan’s repayment period is set at 30 years after a

Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik/AFP Strongman regimes display weakness in COVID-19 response, say analysts Françoise Kadri (Agence France-Presse) - September 10, 2020 - 3:17pm PARIS, France — Posturing, repression and a distaste for facts: the world's strongman regimes have dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic in much the same way they deal with everything else, analysts say. But the sometimes blatant disregard for the wellbeing of populations, coupled with sheer incompetence, has undermined whatever trust citizens have in such leaders, they say. "They all have a similar type of leadership behaviour, a macho leadership," said Uma Kambhampati, a development economist at Britain's University of Reading. "This kind of pandemic must be irritating the hell out of them." After a strong public presence early in the crisis, leaders like Narendra Modi, the prime minister of India, and Russian President Vladimir Putin are now avoiding the COVID-19 limelight, she told AFP.

(Agence France-Presse) - September 11, 2020 - 7:48am PARIS, France — The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on March 11 that the outbreak of Covid-19 had become a pandemic. Six months on the virus has cost the lives of over 900,000 people. Back in March the death toll stood at 4,200 from 120,000 cases, with most of the fatalities in the Wuhan region of China where the virus first came to light last December. Those figures were enough to cause concern back then. But now, 28 million people have been infected worldwide, according to an AFP tally, while the death toll heads inexorably towards a million. From China to global pandemic When the WHO declared the pandemic in March, Covid-19 had already spread to five continents, though more than two-thirds of known cases had been registered in Asia. Though the virus was first detected in Wuhan, Europe quickly became the new hotspot. In the second half of March more than 80 percent of new cases worldwide were detected there. Lockdo

Jonah Mandel (Agence France-Presse) - September 14, 2020 - 7:46am JERUSALEM, Undefined — Israel said Sunday it will reimpose a national lockdown after coronavirus cases soared, while European nations grappled with mounting infections against a backdrop of protests against restrictions aimed at reining in the pandemic. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the three-week lockdown, which will hold people to within 500 metres (yards) of their homes, will start on Friday and could be extended. According to an AFP tally, Israel is second only to Bahrain for the world's highest coronavirus infection rate by population. Britain, France, Austria and the Czech Republic were among European countries reporting surges, with new cases in the UK reaching more than 3,000 in 24 hours for the second day in a row on Saturday. After a spate of local lockdowns this month, new government restrictions come into force across England on Monday, limiting social gatherings to no more tha

(Agence France-Presse) - September 10, 2020 - 8:05pm NEW YORK — New York City will soon allow indoor dining in restaurants, officials said Wednesday, as economic pressure mounted to lift coronavirus curbs in America's largest metropolis. The city -- once the epicenter of pandemic in the United States -- has seen steadily declining case numbers for weeks, but authorities had held off green-lighting indoor restaurants over concerns of another outbreak. Related Stories New York starts reopening as WHO says virus 'worsening' worldwide Facing a crisis, New York hopes to reinvent itself again "Restaurants pose a possible risk with the concentration of people inside with indoor dining -- but there's also a great economic loss when they don't operate," New York state Governor Andrew Cuomo told journalists Wednesday. The easing of restrictions will come September 30 as outdoor temperatures cool, with restaurants allowed to fill 25 percent of their indoor table

Christina Mendez (The Philippine Star ) - September 16, 2020 - 12:00am MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte expressed his concern on Monday about the reported pre-requisite – demanded by some pharmaceutical firms – of advance payment from countries wanting priority access once a vaccine against COVID-19 is developed in the next few months. It is for this reason that the Chief Executive said he would give preference to China and Russia in the Philippines’ procurement of a COVID vaccine. Duterte insinuated that with the need for advance payment, the chances are slim to get guaranteed access for countries like the Philippines. “We will give preference to Russia and China provided that their vaccine is as good as any other in the market. It could be as good as ‘yung mga kompanyang sinabi nila, hindi ko sasabihin baka naman magpa-pa-advertise sila (the companies they are mentioning. I won’t mention them because they might be advertised),” he said. Lashing out at western economies, D