KAKAMMPI News

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday called out recruitment firms that disseminated false information on the application for travel documents after a huge number of Filipinos camped outside the DFA's consular office in Parañaque City to secure appointment slots. In a statement, the DFA said the applicants, bound for work overseas, were informed by their manpower agencies that they would get slots if they line up early and stay overnight. "DFA’s preliminary investigation into the incident revealed that several recruitment agencies had disseminated misinformation among their applicants regarding the Department’s walk-in policy," the DFA said. "According to accounts of applicants, their recruitment agencies urged them to line up and stay overnight at DFA Aseana so that all their travel documents could be expedited. Other applicants conveyed that their agencies instructed them late at night to proceed to DFA-Aseana immediately." On March 22, th

Sarah Al-Arshani In off-the-cuff remarks, President Joe Biden on Saturday said Putin couldn't remain in power. The White House quickly walked back Biden's statement. Foreign-policy experts said the remarks could make Putin less likely to show restraint. President Joe Biden's remarks that Russian President Vladimir Putin should no longer be in power could give Putin the freedom to stop showing any restraint, experts told The Washington Post. At the end of his speech from the Royal Castle in Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday, Biden said, "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power." The White House has since walked back the comments, saying Biden's remarks were not calling for a regime change in Russia. A White House official said: "The President's point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia, or regime change," Fox News reported. But some for

Fr. Shay Cullen 25 February 2022 They are the brave, they are the strong, they are the empowered children that, at very young ages, some just six years old, stand up to their rapists and abusers, and with courage, bravely recount to the court of justice the wicked, sinful and criminal acts done to them. The sexual abuse of children is as common as drinking coffee but the public does not know that there are thousands of abusers seeking out children every day. No child is ever totally safe. Anyone could be an abuser. Child abuse is a secret hidden crime done with threats, intimidation and pressure on the child never to tell anyone or else something bad will happen to them or their siblings or relatives. The rapist will instill fear in the child with threats and he or she controls the child with fear ensuring silence. With the passing of a new law setting the age of consent at 16 years old, any sexual act with a minor 16 years and below will be statutory rape carrying a life sentenc

During my stay in the US, I had a chance to see first-hand how the Americans are handling the transition to normalcy. Early in our visit, vaccination/booster card and face mask mandates were in place. Vaccination cards were then a requirement for entry to establishments, and later on, it was the booster cards that were asked to be presented. A month into my visit, all business establishments stopped asking for vaccination or booster cards and instead, masks were made optional for those who have been vaccinated, and mandatory for those who are not. The business establishments required only the staff to wear masks. This did not mean, however, that COVID completely disappeared; we ourselves had a brief brush with infection. I believe that the vaccinations we received had a lot to do with why we were protected during our travels. I think it would be the same for many Filipinos seeing how the Philippines is today in a better place than the rest of its neighbors. Some of our experts think

Fr. Shay Cullen 18 March 2022 The Russian unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the on-going bombing of civilians have resulted into over 1,000 civilians killed so far and perhaps more killing of women and children to come. The Putin war wages on in Ukraine. The Ukrainian army and militia are strongly resisting and winning victories against the massive deployment of hundreds of Russian tanks and fighting vehicles. The invasion is held up as the tanks are stuck in the marshes surrounding the capitol Kiev and are being counter attacked by the Ukrainian army, resolute to resist and expel the aggressive invader. The deliberate bombing of a theater in Melitopol, a Southern Ukrainian port city that was a shelter for women and children in the city, is a terrible war crime. They survived hiding in the basement. President Joe Biden has called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal. Peace talks are the only solution but they have stalled. Putin wants total surrender but defiant Ukr

By RICHA NORIEGA, GMA News More than 10,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are in Russia, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) said, amid sanctions placed on the country for its invasion of Ukraine. In The Mangahas Interviews on Thursday, POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said Europe is an “emerging market” for OFWs. He, however, noted that many OFWs in the region, including the countries near Ukraine and Russia, have been affected byo the invasion. “Ang Europa is an emerging market of our OFWs. Yung bansa pong nasa paligid ng Ukraine, yung Romania, Hungary, [at] Moldova, karamihan po dyan bago lang po yung mga deployment natin at nagsisimula pa po yung mga pagpapadala natin ng OFWs dyan,” Olalia said. (Europe is an emerging market for OFWs. Most of the countries around Ukraine including Romania, Hungary, and Moldova, have newly employed OFWs and we are still starting to deploy OFWs there.) “Napaka-volatile ng sitwasyon doon at hindi po natin masasabi ku

Damien Simonart with Viken Kantarci in Krakow, Agence France-Presse MEDYKA, Poland - Faced with the influx of a million refugees fleeing Russian troops in Ukraine, Poles like Nicolas Kusiak, a 27-year-old manager, have rallied in an ever expanding humanitarian response. They have taken in refugees, offered food and transport and above all a little human kindness to the distraught and traumatized women and children who have had to leave their men folk behind to fight. "It's beginning to get organized," Kusiak told AFP near the Medyka border post -- a frequently clogged crossing point near the Ukrainian city of Lviv. Kusiak, a Pole born in France who speaks several languages, has been helping as a translator ever since he arrived at the border four days ago. He also brought tents, generators, heaters and food with him from Warsaw and has tried to coordinate police, doctors, firefighters and the volunteers doling out hot soups -- a daunting challenge. "Everyone i

By GMA News Published March 16, 2022 8:42pm The elderly Filipino woman who was mauled by a 42-year-old suspect in what many believe is a hate crime in New York is already in stable condition. According to JP Soriano's report on "24 Oras", the 67-year-old who was hit more than 100 times as she was entering her apartment in Yonkers may already be discharged from the hospital. “We were informed that her mother is in stable condition and could be discharged anytime," Consul General Elmer Cato told GMA News. "Kasi Friday pa siya nahospitalized as the result of the injuries she sustained that included the bleeding and facial and head fractures,” he added. The elderly victim has suffered fractures and wounds on the head and face from at least 125 punches and seven strong kicks from the suspect identified as Tammel Esco. He has been charged with attempted murder and assault as a hate crime. Several officials of the Asian American Democratic Committee, lawmakers,

Kyodo News Posted at Mar 06 2022 09:37 AM BEIJING - North Korea's latest launch was conducted to develop a reconnaissance satellite, state-run media reported Sunday, a day after what was described by neighboring countries as a ballistic missile launch toward the Sea of Japan. Saturday's test indicated that North Korea is seeking to develop its weapons capabilities while the United States is focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, some foreign affairs experts said. The missile is believed to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone after flying around 300 kilometers apparently on a lofted trajectory and reaching an altitude of about 550 km, the Japanese Defense Ministry said. North Korea also carried out a test for the development of a reconnaissance satellite system last Sunday. Pyongyang has fired projectiles nine times this year but did not test weapons during the 17-day Beijing Winter Olympics through Feb. 20 in consideration of China, its close e

Redhill drug blocks proteins that help the coronavirus An experimental oral drug being developed by Redhill Biopharma Inc interrupts a process that helps the coronavirus infect cells and might keep COVID-19 patients from becoming seriously ill, the company said. The virus co-opts proteins in the human body called serine proteases and uses them to prepare its spike to break into cells and infect them. The drug, RHB-107, blocks the proteins' activity. The new findings come from a small trial to confirm the safety of the drug in recently infected, symptomatic but non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. While a larger study is needed to demonstrate efficacy, Redhill in a statement said among the 61 adults in the trial, no one taking once-daily RHB-107 (upamostat) needed to be hospitalized, compared to 15% of those in a placebo group. Rates of new-onset severe symptoms were 2.4% with RHB-107 and 20% with the placebo. Because RHB-107 acts against human proteins that are involved i

ABS-CBN News MANILA—Two Filipino workers are seeking assistance from the Philippine government after they were terminated by their employers amid a COVID-19 surge in Hong Kong. Speaking to ANC's Rundown, Mylene Commission said her visa application was rejected by the immigration department. She later learned she tested positive for COVID-19. "Sana mapansin nila 'yung maliliit na, 'yung katulad po namin kasi sa last few days, pati nga ako naii-stress, nade-depress na. Naaawa na kami sa sarili namin. Hindi lang kasi ako, marami po talaga kami, na sobrang apektado po nitong nangyari samin," she said. "'Yung wala ka ng trabaho, na-COVID ka pa, tapos 'yung pamilya mo na umaasa diyan sa Pilipinas, hindi namin alam kung saan kami kukuha ng isusuporta sa kanila," she added. Meanwhile, Roxanne Florendo said she was terminated after she failed to return to work due to a flight cancellation in the Philippines. "Some of us suffer from anxiety and

Agence France-Presse Posted at Mar 07 2022 07:12 AM LONDON, United Kingdom - Britain is releasing another $100 million to help Ukraine, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday and promised fresh efforts to rally international opinion against Russia's invasion. The $100 million, to be provided via the World Bank, is in addition to the £220 million ($290 mln) of overall aid support to Ukraine, said a statement from Downing Street. The new funding will go towards keeping key state functions operating, it added. "While only (Russian President Vladimir) Putin can fully end the suffering in Ukraine, today's new funding will continue to help those facing the deteriorating humanitarian situation," said Johnson. The British leader will on Monday receive the Dutch and Canadian prime ministers, Justin Trudeau and Mark Rutte and they will visit a Royal Air Force base before holding a joint news conference. On Tuesday, Johnson will meet the leaders of the four Viseg

ABS-CBN News THE HAGUE - Investigators from the International Criminal Court set off on Thursday to start looking into possible war crimes in Ukraine, the tribunal's top prosecutor said in an interview. Karim Khan told Reuters his office would see if there was evidence of war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide - the offences under the court's jurisdiction - by all parties in the conflict. Read full story Asked about reports of artillery strikes in Ukraine's towns and cities, Khan said: "Any side that targets, directly targets, civilians or civilian objects is committing a crime under the Rome Statute and under international humanitarian law," referring to the statue that created the court. Hundreds of Russian soldiers and Ukrainian civilians have been killed since President Vladimir Putin sent his troops over the border on Feb. 24. Russia denies targeting civilians and says its aim is to "disarm" Ukraine and arrest leaders it fals

South China Morning Post Some 20,000 international volunteers have traveled to Ukraine to join in the fight against invading Russian forces, a top Ukrainian official said on Sunday. "This number is around 20,000 now. They come from many European countries mostly," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told US broadcaster CNN. "Many people in the world hated Russia and what it was doing in recent years, but no one dared to openly oppose and fight them," he said. "So when people saw that Ukrainians are fighting, that Ukrainians are not giving up, many felt motivated to join the fight" and bring Russia to account for its invasion. But while Ukraine's top diplomat said he understood the desire of foreigners to contribute on the ground, it was most important to receive "sustainable, political, economic and military support" from around the world. "And we need US leadership in this exercise, with special focus on air defense," Kuleba said.

ABS-CBN News Posted at Mar 07 2022 01:01 PM MANILA - Face-to-face graduation rites for school year 2021-2022 are still possible, the Department of Education (DepEd) said, as COVID-19 cases continue to decrease. At a virtual press conference, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said she is optimistic that schools may be able to conduct their graduation rites depending on the OVID-19 risk assessment in various regions of the country. “Yung risk assessment natin sa mga different regions, sa mga different schools ay nag-improve. Pag nag tuloy-tuloy ito, the chances of being allowed to conduct face-to-face graduation also increases," she said. "Sunod-sunod yan pag nag-opening ka ng classes, na- face-to-face (classes) ka, physical graduation rites are also possible,” she added. “Ang hope lang natin, maabutan ng graduation season natin na hindi naman abutan ng hindi magandang balita kung may biglang pagbabago,” Briones added. In a statement, the DepEd said the Office of the U

PARIS - France is to send medical aid to Ukraine including iodine tablets, which help protect against the effects of exposure to radiation, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday. "Yes, we have sent different medical products," Le Drian told France 2 television in response to a question on the sending of the tablets. Earlier Sunday, France's ambassador in Ukraine, Etienne de Poncins, told BMFTV that 2.5 million doses were to be sent to Ukraine in the coming days. Le Drian said French President Emmanuel Macron had contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin early Sunday to raise the issue of nuclear safety. Macron had expressed his "serious concern" for the safety of Romania nuclear sites after Russian attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant on Friday. Putin had said he was ready to respect IAEA norms for the protection of power stations and agreed to open talks with the agency, the French presidency told the media. Macron's view -- and

Twenty-one Filipino seafarers evacuated from a ship in Odessa, Ukraine amid the Russian invasion of that country are expected back in the Philippines on Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. The seafarers are crew members of MV S-Breeze, according to a report on News Live on Saturday. The Pinoy seafarers crossed the border to Moldova from Ukraine on February 27 and March 1, then Romania. The MV S-Breeze, a bulk carrier, has been docked in Odessa since January 27 for repairs, the DFA said. The DFA added that 13 other seafarers out of the 31 crew members of Star Helena reached Moldova on March 3 and are awaiting repatriation. The department advised those who need repatriation near the Moldova and Romania borders to contact the Philippine Embassy in Budapest through the following: Hungary Budapest PE emergency hotline: +36 30 202 1760 ATN Officer Claro Cabuniag: +36 30 074 5656 (mobile) and +63 966 340 4725 (viber) Moldova Honorary Consul Victor Gaina: Mobile numb

Kyodo News Posted at Mar 07 2022 12:45 PM SYDNEY - Australia will build a new submarine base on its east coast to support a future nuclear submarine fleet being acquired under a security partnership with the United States and Britain, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday. "Establishing a second submarine base on our east coast will enhance our strategic deterrent capability with significant advantages in operational, training, personnel and industrial terms," Morrison said in a speech to Australian think tank the Lowy Institute. Brisbane in Queensland and Newcastle and Port Kembla in New South Wales are being considered as possible locations for the estimated A$10 billion ($7.4 billion) defense facility, he said. The potential sites were chosen for their proximity to industrial infrastructure, large population centers, deep water, maritime training, and weapons storage and loading facilities, Morrison said. The new facility will serve as additional national capacit

KYIV, Ukraine — A barrage of Russian missiles destroyed a civilian airport in Vinnytsia in central Ukraine on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. "I have just been informed about a missile strike on Vinnytsia. Eight rockets... The airport was completely destroyed," he said. Several cities and airbases in Ukraine have been bombed, shelled or hit with ballistic missiles since Russia launched its 11-day-old invasion. But Vinnytsia is in the western area of central Ukraine, far from the Russia and Belarus borders, in an area that has seen fewer such strikes. Zelensky took the opportunity to renew his demand that Western powers enforce a no-fly zone over Ukraine to prevent more Russian attacks. “We repeat every day: close the sky over Ukraine. Close for all Russian missiles, for Russian combat aircraft, for all their terrorists," he said. "If you don't, if you don't give us at least planes so we can protect ourselves, there's only one t

DFA exec: 116 Pinoys still in Ukraine, 200 seafarers stranded at sea By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News An official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday that 116 land-based Filipinos are still in Ukraine, and around 200 Pinoy seafarers are stranded in the Black Sea amid Russia's ongoing invasion. In a radio interview, DFA Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola said 27 Filipinos, including 21 seafarers, had moved to Moldova and have already crossed to Bucharest in Romania for a flight to the Philippines. Also, 15 Filipinos are in Hungary, nine in Austria, and four in Romania. “So, 116 pa yung nasa loob ng Ukraine (116 are still in Ukraine),” she said. According to Arriola, 19 Filipinos have been repatriated to the Philippines. Some Filipinos with Ukrainian spouses stayed in the country despite the conflict, she added. Citing information from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), Arriola said around 200 Filipino seafarers are stranded in the Black Sea a

By FARAH MASTER, Reuters HONG KONG — Hong Kong's subway operator, bus and ferry companies, and one of its biggest supermarket chains, are cutting back services due to a worsening COVID-19 outbreak that has seen daily infections explode this year. Authorities reported a new daily record of 56,827 new infections and 144 deaths in the Chinese-ruled city on Thursday, an exponential rise from around 100 in early February and a clean three-month streak of zero cases at the end of 2021. The surge in cases and mixed messaging from government officials have triggered an exodus of people from the global financial hub, where authorities are clinging to a "dynamic zero" policy that seeks to eradicate all outbreaks. Many restaurants and shops have closed, while its main financial district is eerily quiet and few people are out in normally bustling neighborhoods. Hong Kong's Transport Department said 98 bus routes would be suspended with operators facing critical manpower shor

Published March 4, 2022 7:03am The Philippines is now on the green list for travel to France, the French Embassy said Friday, noting that fully vaccinated Filipinos can enter the country with no restrictions while those who are not vaccinated only need a pre-departure negative test. An embassy statement said the Philippines' inclusion on the list took effect on March 3. Vaccinated travelers from the Philippines must only present proof of vaccine status when traveling to France, the embassy said. If not vaccinated, the following must be presented to the transport operator and border control authorities: a negative PCR test from less than 72 hours before departure or an antigen (lateral flow) test from less than 48 hours before departure (departure of first flight when there is a layover); or a recovery certificate (positive PCR or antigen (lateral flow) test dated more than 11 days and less than six months prior to departure) Children under 12 years old are exempt from these

Reuters LONDON - Russia's advance on the Ukrainian capital has made little progress over the past three days and the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol remain in Ukrainian hands, according to British military intelligence. "The main body of the large Russian column advancing on Kyiv remains over 30km from the centre of the city having been delayed by staunch Ukrainian resistance, mechanical breakdown and congestion," Britain's defence ministry said in an intelligence update. "The column has made little discernible progress in over three days," it said. "Despite heavy Russian shelling, the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol remain in Ukrainian hands. Some Russian forces have entered the city of Kherson but the military situation remains unclear." "The Russian defence ministry has been forced to admit that 498 Russian soldiers have already been killed and 1,597 wounded in Putin's war. The actual number of those killed and w

Agence France-Presse GENEVA — The number of refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine has surged to nearly 836,000, United Nations figures showed Wednesday, as fighting intensified on day seven of Russia's invasion. In all, 835,928 people have fled across the country's borders, according to the website of UNHCR, the UN refugee agency. That marks a huge jump from the 677,000 announced Tuesday afternoon by the organization's chief Filippo Grandi. More than half have headed west into Poland, according to tallies completed up to Tuesday. UNHCR figures show that 454,000 people had fled to Poland; 116,000 to Hungary; 67,000 to Slovakia; 65,000 to Moldova, 43,000 to Russia, 38,000 to Romania and 350 to Belarus. Meanwhile, 52,000 have moved on to other European countries. An additional 96,000 people had crossed into Russia from the separatist Donetsk and Luhansk regions between February 18 and 23, UNHCR noted. Russian forces said they had captured the Ukrainian port of Khers

Agence France-Presse Posted at Mar 03 2022 04:31 PM FRANKFURT, Germany - Germany will increase its weapons deliveries to Ukraine following the Russian invasion by sending an 2,700 anti-aircraft missiles to the conflict zone, a government source told AFP on Thursday. The government "approved further support for Ukraine", involving the delivery of STRELA-type anti-aircraft missiles of Soviet manufacture, which were previously used by the army of communist East Germany, the source said. Germany's first arms consignment of 1,000 anti-tank and another 500 anti-aircraft missiles has already been despatched to the front, the government said on Wednesday. The move came after Germany reversed its long-standing policy of not sending weapons to conflict zones, a position which has its roots in the country's Nazi-era war guilt. On Saturday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz recognized that the Russian invasion represented a "turning point in history" that compelled Germany t

Reuters - Eastern city of Kharkiv suffers further heavy bombardment - Moscow says it has seized Kherson, mayor says troops in streets - UN votes overwhelmingly to censure Russia's invasion - Refugee total exceeds 1 million - UNHCR KYIV/KHARKIV, Ukraine - Russian troops were in the center of the Ukrainian port of Kherson on Thursday after a day of conflicting claims over whether Moscow had captured a major urban center for the first time in its eight-day invasion. Russia's defense ministry said it had captured Kherson on Wednesday but an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy responded that Ukrainian forces continued to defend the Black Sea port of about 250,000 people. "We are a people who broke the enemy's plans in a week," Zelenskiy said in a video address. "These plans had taken years to write - they are mean, with hatred for our country, for our people." The capture of the strategic southern provincial capital, where the Dnipro R

Farah Master, Reuters HONG KONG - Hong Kong's subway operator, bus and ferry companies, and one of its biggest supermarket chains, are cutting back services due to a worsening COVID-19 outbreak that has seen daily infections explode since early February. The surge in cases and mixed messaging from government officials have triggered an exodus of people from the global financial hub, where authorities are clinging to a "dynamic zero" coronavirus strategy that seeks to stamp out all outbreaks. Many restaurants and shops in the Chinese-ruled city have closed while its main financial district is eerily quiet and few people are out and about in normally bustling neighbourhoods. Hong Kong's Transport Department said 98 bus routes would be suspended with operators facing critical manpower shortages. A rise of infected people coupled with a drop in customers due to stringent social distancing measures made it hard to maintain operations, it said in a statement late on We

By JAMIL SANTOS, GMA News Published March 3, 2022 1:03pm The number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong who have tested positive for COVID-19 has risen to 221, the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) said Thursday. Of this number, 43 have recovered while 95 have undergone isolation at their employers' homes, Hong Kong Labor Attaché Melchor Dizon said at the Laging Handa briefing. Twenty two (22) meanwhile took their isolation at government quarantine facilities, 22 were at non-government organization facilities, six (6) stayed in hotel facilities, and eight (8) remained in hospitals. "Sa kasamaang palad medyo tumaas 'yung cases. From zero noong January (2022) nagkaroon ng mga more than 100. Tapos nitong February nag-start nang tumaas, nag-6,000, tapos nag-10,000, nag-20,000. Noong March 1, 32,000," Dizon said. (Unfortunately COVID-19 cases slightly increased. From zero in January, cases increased to more than 100. It started to rise in February t

Twenty-one Filipino seafarers safely arrived in the Republic of Moldova from Ukraine, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported on Wednesday. The DFA said the all-Filipino crew of MV S-Breeze, from Chornomosk, Ukraine were transported with the assistance of Philippine Honorary Consul in Moldova Victor Gaina and in coordination with the Philippine Embassy in Budapest. The Filipino seafarers arrived in Moldova in two batches: on February 27 and on March 1. The seafarers of bulk carrier MV S-Breeze were in drydock for repairs at the Ilyichevsk Ship Yard in the Port of Odessa, Ukraine since January 27. The crew had been staying in the vessel’s accommodations with enough provisions but requested repatriation due to the worsening conflict, according to the DFA. The department said at least 27 Filipinos have been evacuated from Ukraine to Moldova. “Both the Philippine Embassy in Budapest and the PH Consulate in Chisinau assured that they will arrange the repatriation of the seafa

HONG KONG/MANILA — A rapid spread in COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong has put the plight of domestic helpers in the global financial hub in the spotlight after some were fired or made homeless by their employers when they tested positive for coronavirus. Hong Kong has around 340,000 domestic helpers, most hailing from either the Philippines or Indonesia. Many families in the city depend on live-in helpers for housekeeping and to look after the elderly and children, with the minimum wage set at HK$4,630 ($593) per month. Under Hong Kong law, migrant domestic workers must live with their employers, often residing in tiny rooms or sharing the bedrooms of the children they care for. Reports from helper support groups and local media of these workers being kicked out or fired have triggered appeals from Philippine authorities for the Chinese-ruled city to protect and support the domestic workers. The Hong Kong Federation of Asian Domestic Workers Unions told Reuters last week it had received

By RICHA NORIEGA, GMA News Published March 3, 2022 4:02pm The Philippines on Thursday logged 989 new COVID-19 cases increasing the nationwide COVID-19 tally to 3,664,905. Based on the Department of Health (DOH)’s latest bulletin, the new cases brought the country's active case count to 50,458, of which 463 are asymptomatic, 45,510 are mild, 2,773 are moderate, 1,415 are severe, and 297 are critical. The DOH said of the 989 reported cases on Thursday, 879 or 89% occurred within the recent 14 days from February 18 to March 3, 2022. Among the top regions with cases in the recent two weeks were the National Capital Region (NCR) with 192 or 22%, followed by Region 4-A with 111 or 13% and Region 7 with 101 or 11%. The number of recoveries rose to 3,557,909 after 1,349 more patients recovered from the respiratory disease. The country’s death toll climbed to 56,538 with 34 new fatalities. Meanwhile, the Philippines’ COVID-19 positivity rate was at 4.5% which is slightly lower than t

By JOVILAND RITA, GMA News Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Wednesday said 17 more Filipinos will soon arrive in the Philippines from Ukraine under raging Russian invasion. Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Bello said the 17 Filipinos flew from Poland and commended Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. for personally picking them up from Lviv, Ukraine. “Bilib ako. Nakita ko. Biro mo, sinundo niya yung 17 from Lviv, papunta sa border ng Poland. And from Poland, nilipad sila. Parating na yung 17 na kababayan natin,” he said. (I am impressed. I saw it. Secretary Locsin picked up the 17 Filipinos from Lviv to the border of Poland. And from Poland, they flew off. The 17 Filipinos will arrive soon.) Bello said there are Filipinos who do not want to return to the Philippines and are staying in Ivano-Frankivsk in Ukraine as they wait for the armed conflict to subside. On February 18, six Filipinos in Ukraine were repatriated. According to Overseas Workers Welfare

By JON VIKTOR D. CABUENAS, GMA News Published February 27, 2022 3:31pm Around a fourth of the Filipino workers in Taiwan would be qualified to avail of the territory's new permanent residency program set to take effect in April, an official of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) said over the weekend. Around a fourth of the Filipino workers in Taiwan would be qualified to avail of the territory's new permanent residency program set to take effect in April, an official of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) said over the weekend. According to POLO Taipei Labor Attaché Cesar Chavez Jr., some 35,000 Filipino workers were eligible to apply for permanent residency in Taiwan as they fit the conditions set under a new Ministry of Labor measure. Under the initial guidelines, foreign workers could secure an Alien Permanent Resident Certificate (APRC) should they meet the required tenure — six years of work, on top of another five years of employment. Before the new

By LLANESCA T. PANTI, GMA News Published February 28, 2022 1:10pm Majority of Filipinos in Ukraine are fleeing the areas where Russia's unprovoked assault is happening and are hopeful such offensive will end in two to three months, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday. DFA Undersecretary Sarah Arriola made the announcement in the aftermath of the trip of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to assist Filipinos wanting to leave Ukraine by entering via the border in Poland. "There were 13 Filipinos who were able to cross the border. Twelve adults, one baby. They are now in Warsaw, Poland, in a hotel, being assisted by our embassy. They already took the RT-PCR test and once they test negative, they will be able to go home [to the Philippines] tonight or tomorrow. They were also given $200 assistance," Arriola said during the Laging Handa briefing. "But we learned there are 33 people who left Kyiv and are in Lyiv, and there are those still lea

Malacañang on Wednesday called on Congress to review the oil deregulation law amid the weekly increases in oil prices and the ongoing situation in Ukraine that is expected to have an economic impact on the Philippines. At a press briefing, acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said the review on the oil deregulation law is among the medium-term measures agreed upon during Tuesday's top-level special meeting presided by President Rodrigo Duterte. "For the medium term, we call on Congress to review the oil deregulation law, particularly provisions on unbundling the price and the inclusion of the minimum inventory requirements in the law, as well as giving the government intervention powers or authority to intervene when there is a spike and/or prolonged increase in prices of oil products," Nograles said. Under the law, formally known as the Downstream Industry Deregulation Act, government control is removed to help oil companies become more competitive with the

By LLANESCA T. PANTI, GMA News Published February 28, 2022 1:10pm Majority of Filipinos in Ukraine are fleeing the areas where Russia's unprovoked assault is happening and are hopeful such offensive will end in two to three months, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday. DFA Undersecretary Sarah Arriola made the announcement in the aftermath of the trip of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to assist Filipinos wanting to leave Ukraine by entering via the border in Poland. "There were 13 Filipinos who were able to cross the border. Twelve adults, one baby. They are now in Warsaw, Poland, in a hotel, being assisted by our embassy. They already took the RT-PCR test and once they test negative, they will be able to go home [to the Philippines] tonight or tomorrow. They were also given $200 assistance," Arriola said during the Laging Handa briefing. "But we learned there are 33 people who left Kyiv and are in Lyiv, and there are those still le

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) headed for Taiwan would be required to undergo a 21-day quarantine that would be covered and paid for by their employer and the Taiwanese government, according to the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO). According to a report on GMA’s “Saksi,” employers and the Taiwanese government would be required to pay the OFWs' salaries and cover the cost of their quarantine period. The POLO said that the OFWs would be quarantined at a government facility for the first 14 days, while the following seven days would be “self-help management.” At least 40,000 new hires and returning OFWs are set to arrive in Taiwan. Taiwan earlier announced plans to reopen to business travelers and shorten quarantines for all arrivals, slightly loosening restrictions in one of the few pladces alongside China still pursuing a zero-COVID strategy. — Richa Noriega/DVM, GMA News

By GISELLE OMBAY, GMA News Published March 1, 2022 1:47pm Over 63 million Filipinos are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, exactly a year since the Philippine government started its vaccine rollout, Malacañang said Tuesday. Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said a total of 63,219,221 people have completed their primary vaccine series as of Monday, February 28. Of the total of 135,747,294 vaccine doses administered nationwide, 68,808,944 individuals have received their first dose, while 10,214,164 have received their booster shots after reaching the three to six month requirement. “With more than 80% of our country’s target population now fully vaccinated, we are confident that we can achieve our goal of vaccinating 90 million Filipinos by the end of the second quarter, and administer at least 72.16 million booster shots by the end of the year,” National Task Force (NTF) chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said. The government is eyei