The wave of crime in Parañaque City involving Chinese nationals (click here, here and here) as well as the presence of illegal drugs in the same city (click here and here) were felt once again as the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that a huge load of illegal drugs were seized and a Chinese national was arrested in connection to it at Barangay Baclaran. This was the result of a successful buy-bust operation organized by the personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). They deserve thanks and admiration for stopping crime.
To put things in perspective, below is an excerpt from the news report. Some parts in boldface…
A Chinese national was arrested by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during a bust in Parañaque City that also yielded 38 kilos of shabu (crystal meth) worth at least P257 million.
The suspect identified as Zhizun Chen, 38, a resident of 168 Tower 2 in Binondo, Manila, was arrested during the bust at the open parking lot of a grocery chain in Barangay Baclaran at around 3:00 p.m.
Seized from the suspect were 38 kilograms of the suspected shabu, Mitsubishi sedan, and a Chrysler sedan, PDEA said.
The report ended stating that the foreigner is facing charges in relation to violating Republic Act Number 9165 otherwise called the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are living in Parañaque City, do you believe that trade or activities related to illegal drugs are happening in your local community? Having read the above news report, how do you feel about the presence of Chinese nationals in the city and there in your local community?
Have you ever heard about the Parañaque Renaissance? What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear those two words?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Have you heard about the words safety seal certificate or safety seal certification circulating in the local news and social media lately? In connection to this ongoing COVID-19 Crisis we are all living with, businesses are being compelled to get certified that they have met the safety and health-related requirements. The safety seal certificates are supposed to ensure the public that the business establishments they intend to enter are safe for their health.
To put things in perspective, over thirty companies have applied for the safety seal certificate according to a Philippine News Agency report. In Imus, Cavite province, certain businesses their now have the certificates according to a Manila Times report.
Now here is the latest. The City Government of Las Piñas announced that it has formed a new team designed to do inspections in relation to the local implementation of the safety seal certification which local businesses in their jurisdiction should have qualified for.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in bold…
Las Pinas City Mayor Imelda Aguilar issued an executive order creating an inspection team for the implementation of the safety seal certification.
The team created by Aguilar are composed of city administrator Reynaldo Balagulan, City Health Office head Dr. Ferdinand Eusebio, city director of Risk Reduction and Management Office Alejandro dela Merced, Public Information chief Paul San Miguel, chief legal officer Atty. Glenda Lucena, City Engineer Rosabella Bantog, Public Employment Services Office head Redante Garcia, Engineer Cesar Perillo of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and city police chief Col. Rodel Pasator.
Aguilar ordered the team to immediately start inspecting business establishments around the city on June 11 for the issuance of the safety seal certification.
She said the inspection was in line with the joint memorandum circular issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Tourism (DOT), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to ensure that all business establishment in the city will follow minimum public health standard as imposed by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease.
The mayor said the inspection and certification team was created to ensure that businesses around the city were following the minimum health standard to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and future surge.
Aguilar ordered the team to conduct inspections in malls, wet markets, retail stores, restaurants outside hotels or resorts, fastfood, eateries, coffee shops, car wash, laundry shops, banks, among others.
The above report ended stating that Mayor Aguilar wants the new team to regularly monitor the establishments using the checklist related to the safety seal certification. In a sense, this a new wave of regulation by the City Government on businesses and I should state that Las Piñas City has many businesses of all sizes all throughout its jurisdiction. Just drive along Alabang-Zapote Road coming from Alabang to SM Southmall and you will see so many commercial joints all the way between. And then there is the rest of Las Piñas where businesses are scattered at (examples: Marcos Alvarez Avenue, CAA Road, Tropical Avenue, BF Resort Drive, Gloria Diaz street).
To put things in perspective, the safety seal certification was emphasized in a ceremony in SM City Sucat in Parañaque City this past May which was attended by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.
Businesses aside, people still need to do their part in overcoming the pandemic by getting vaccinated. To get vaccinated, registering with the local authorities goes first. Already over 100,000 Las Piñas residents of have been vaccinated.
Any Las Piñas resident who has yet to get registered for free COVID-19 vaccines can learn the ways (3 methods) by clicking here. Anyone who is ready and willing to register online can click bit.ly/LasPiñasVaccination
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a business owner in Las Piñas, have you applied for the safety seal certification program already? Does the new team formed by the City Government for inspection sound challenging to your business? Also, are all of your employees been vaccinated for COVID-19?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Less than a year from now, the next elections for Philippine President, Vice President, Senators, House of Representative members, Governors, Vice-Governors, Provincial Board members, Mayors, Vice Mayors and City Councilors will happen. When exactly next year? May 9, 2022 to be precise as written in COMELEC’s Resolution Number 10695.
In relation to future elections, it has been reported through the Manila Standard, the Manila Times and Business Mirror that RP- Mission and Development Foundation Inc. released the results of a recent study titled “NCR Mayor: Pulso ng Bayan 2022” which is about the voters’ preference for mayor (of their locality) within the National Capital Region (NCR) in relation to the 2022 elections. According to the poll organizers, their study was conducted from May 20 to 30, 2021 with feedback from 5,000 respondents.
When it comes to cities here in South Metro Manila, their study on the City of Parañaque showed that 50% of respondents prefer former Congressman Gus Tambunting as the next Mayor, and he is way ahead of incumbent Congressman Eric Olivarez (the brother of incumbent Mayor Edwin Olivarez who is now serving his third and final term).
To be very specific and clear, below is an excerpt about Parañaque City as written in the study itself. Some parts in boldface…
While in Parañaque City, outgoing Mayor Edwin Olivarez’s brother Eric Olivarez who is currently Congressman will run as the next Mayor who achieved as 35-percentage result against former Congressman Gustavo “Gus” Tambunting who received a 50-percentage count.
For transparency, posted below are the two pages of the study sourced from RP- Mission and Development Foundation Inc.
Page 1
Page 2
Going back to the study, it’s hard to say if the results about Parañaque can be taken seriously even though it has been publicized through a number of national publications. Apart from listing only two candidates, there is no telling as to how many of the alleged 5,000 respondents were from Parañaque who supposedly participated.
The way it has been presented, it shows a 2-way fight for the mayoralty of Parañaque between Congressman Eric Olivarez and former Congressman Gus Tambunting. The latter leading by fifteen points.
To give the constituents of Parañaque a clearer view as to who they prefer to be the new Mayor in 2022, it would be helpful if the survey organizers would conduct another study and include more potential candidates and be more transparent with regards to respondents’ being from Parañaque. Imagine for example, as the deadline for the filing of candidacies at the COMELEC approaches, one of the barangay captains in the city decides to run for Mayor. Or what if former Mayor Florencio “Jun” Bernabe decides to run again? The organizers of the survey should do more studies in the months to come so that voters of Parañaque can get a clearer look at the potential battle for the mayoralty.
Who is Gus Tambunting?
For the newcomers reading this as well as those who are not too familiar with former Congressman Gus Tambunting and the history of Parañaque, Tambunting is the grandson of the late classic actress Mila del Sol.
With regards to public service, Tambunting has an enduring track record of election victories and public service in the form of legislation and projects. When Parañaque was still a municipality (note: it became a city in early 1998), he ran in the 1988 local election (the first local contest after the People Power Revolution of 1986) and won a seat for Municipal Council.
After serving the people of Parañaque, Tambunting went on to get re-elected as Councilor in 1992, 1995, and then as City Councilor 2001 and 2004. In 2007, he went higher as he got elected as Vice Mayor of Parañaque and got re-elected in 2010.
In 2013, Tambunting went even higher after getting elected as the Representative of the 2nd District of Parañaque City in the House of Representatives. In 2016, he survived an election challenge by former Congressman Roilo Golez winning a 2nd term with a lead of a little over 3,000 votes.
In 2019, he stepped down which paved the way for his wife Joy Tambunting to run and win the 2nd District seat he previously occupied in representing the city in Congress.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are registered voter of Parañaque, would you be voting for Eric Olivarez or Gus Tambunting for Mayor if the 2022 local elections were held today? Do you find the Parañaque results of the study by RP- Mission and Development Foundation Inc. credible or interesting or pointless?
Other than Eric Olivarez and Gus Tambunting, who else in Parañaque City do you prefer to become the new Mayor?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
On the diplomatic arena, it is highly unfortunate that the Philippines voted in favor of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) investigation of the so-called human rights violations and abuses in Gaza which added to what I believe is the latest coordinated international attack against Israel. For the newcomers reading this, the terrorists, the anti-Semites, the Satanic Left (Marxists, socialists, Communists) and other kinds of people who hate Israel have long been using the United Nations as a global weapon against the Jewish state.
Even with these hard developments, I still believe that the State of Israel (whose founding in 1948 is a genuine miracle under the watch of God) is essential in this ravaged world as it is the light against darkness, and they have the undeniable right to defend themselves. With regards to the Israel-Philippines relationship, I still strong believe in it even though my nation committed a major blunder supporting the people who hate Israel at the UNHRC. In accordance to God’s Word (the Holy Bible), I will always love Israel and keep blessing it and its people.
Three experts from Israel’s Ministry of Health will help the Philippines to further enhance inoculation efforts against coronavirus disease (Covid-19).
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., also the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer, said in a statement on Sunday that the experts are set to arrive on June 20, 2021 to discuss strategies on vaccine deployment, transition to the new normal, and addressing vaccine hesitancy.
The government, he said, is targeting to adopt Israel’s interventions on increasing public uptake, which is to provide incentives for vaccine recipients and restrictions for those who are yet to get coronavirus jabs.
Galvez said Israel’s method allows people who have received the jabs to increase their mobility and slowly return to normalcy, while those who have not been vaccinated will still need to follow quarantine protocols.
Israel’s vaccination program has been “highly successful,” according to Galvez.
Israel has officially dropped its outdoors face mask policy on April 18, after inoculating more than half of its population with Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.
It has also reopened schools and revived economic activities.
Israel’s success in having a majority of its people vaccinated for COVID-19 is undeniable and it is indeed a great model for other nations (still struggling with COVID-19) to follow no matter what their politics are. The hatred towards Israel, the false accusations of apartheid thrown against them and the wickedness of the socialists (as well as the Marxist racism-driven movement Black Lives Matter) with siding with the terrorists are nothing more than garbage for everyone witnessing global events through the distorted news and views channeled through Leftist news organizations.
Israel is leading the way in the fight against COVID-19, in helping people getting their respective lives back to normal, and helping nations with much bigger populations to save themselves from COVID-19. In fact, Israel has been providing much-needed assistance to India which has been suffering a lot from their own COVID-19 crisis.
With Israel’s dedication on assisting the Philippines confirmed already, this is great news that Filipinos should be very happy about and become more aware of. For months already, COVID-19 vaccination programs have been going on nationwide and there is still a long way to go before even half the population gets vaccinated fully (2 doses for each patient).
Not only are there not enough vaccines arriving here in the Philippines, there are also Filipinos that I observed are hesitant of getting vaccinated for reasons such as phobia towards needles (injections), the fear of side effects with vaccines, fear of waiting too long in line at vaccination sites due to overcrowding or disorganization (look at the disastrous Pfizer launch in Parañaque City), the inability of certain people to register (the DILG called for additional help for non-techie senior citizens while Las Piñas City recently launched a 3rd option of assisted on-site registration), and more.
How the Israeli experts will help the Philippines solve the above-mentioned factors, we will find out soon enough. What is clear is that the Israel-Philippines relationship is still living and the recent setback at the UNHRC is temporary. Eventually by the end of this year, direct flights between the Philippines and the Jewish state will be established and that means golden opportunities for Filipinos (especially those who got fully vaccinated) to visit the Holy Land.
Before ending this article, posted below is a holy scripture…
“I will plant Israel in their own land,
never again to be uprooted
from the land I have given them,”
says the Lord your God.
Amos 9:15 (NIV)
If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
To the people of Parañaque City, did you notice something highly unusual in your community? Did you somehow purchase items that turned out to be fake? Have you been often using the products you bought recently?
Well, you might want to practice caution because a few days ago it was reported through the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that billions of pesos worth of fake products were seized by Customs agents in the City of Parañaque, specifically in Barangay Baclaran (or simply Baclaran as written in the report).
You want details? Check out this excerpt from the PNA’s report. Some parts in boldface…
Bureau of Customs (BOC) officers have seized some PHP2 billion worth of various counterfeit items in Parañaque City.
In a statement on Friday, the bureau said the goods were seized during an inspection of storage facilities by the Intelligence Group’s Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) – Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) in Baclaran on Thursday.
The items are composed of earphones, shoes, and bags bearing known registered trademarks such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Onitsuka Tiger, Vans, Adidas, Nike, JBL, Sony, and Jordan.
The team also discovered counterfeit personal care products such as Cetaphil, Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Vaseline, Jergens, Dove, Nivea, Glutamax, Kojic, Joe Malone, Bulgari, D&G, Channel, Victoria’s Secret, Hugo Boss, and Clinique.
The haul is one of the bureau’s biggest seizure of counterfeit goods this year.
The inspection was conducted through a letter of authority (LOA) and mission order (MO) signed by Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero.
The imported items were seized for the possible violation of Section 118 (f) of the Republic Act (RA) 10863 also known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA) and RA 8293 also known as the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines (IPCP).
The BOC also stated that beauty products and perfume found to be fake may contain chemicals that are toxic and harmful to users. Now check out this related news video.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the Philippine News Agency’s report and the above news video? Did you notice something strange going on in your local community there in Parañaque City? Do you believe that fake goods are being moved around your community? Who do you think is responsible for all those fake goods that the BOC seized in Baclaran?
Now that you read about the fake goods raided by Customs, do you feel discouraged about online shopping?
Have you heard about the Parañaque Renaissance? If you did, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
As I was browsing for South Metro Manila news on the website of the Manila Bulletin, I found the latest crime news related to Parañaque. It is about local police officers succeeding in their buy-bust operation that resulted the seizure of over a million pesos worth of illegal drugs and the arrest of three suspects. The local police officers and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) deserve to admiration and thanks in the fight against what seems to be a wave of crime plaguing Parañaque a lot lately (read about the cyber sex den raid, the kidnapped Chinese national, the arrest of suspects related to illegal sale of COVID-19 test kits, illegal drugs in the city, the shooting incident and smuggled face shields in the city, and the arrest of a very wanted Japanese national).
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from Manila Bulletin’s report. Some parts in boldface…
Southern Police District (SPD) Director, Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, identified the suspects as Mary Ann Villa, 31, of 75 Peras St., General Malvar Exit, Bagong Bario, Caloocan City; Christina Bungay, 33, of Block 13d Lot 20, Karimas Village, Barangay Panghulo, Malabon City; and Sohaily Batao, 30, of Phase 12 Barangay 188, Tala, Caloocan Cty.
Macaraeg said the suspects were arrested at about 2:50 p.m. on May 31 in front of a restaurant located along service road, Roxas Boulevard, Barangay Baclaran, Paranaque City.
He said that prior to the arrest of the suspects, members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) coordinated with the Paranaque Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) on the conduct of the buy-bust operation.
The SPD chief said that PDEA and SDEU operatives were able to confiscate a plastic sachets and bags containing a total of 200 grams of shabu worth P1,360,000.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you believe that Parañaque will continue to be an attractive city for criminals? Who could be behind the smuggling of illegal drugs around the city? Does this latest Parañaque crime news make you feel safe or uneasy living in the city?
Have you heard about the Parañaque Renaissance? If you did, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Speaking of unfortunate events, I want to thank the many people who read my article about the May 17 launch of the Pfizer in Parañaque and I also want to thank those who took time out to write to me about what they witnessed or experienced during the said launch.
Going back to Parañaque crime news, the Manila Bulletin reported yesterday that a wanted man from Japan was arrested by law enforcers at a certain hotel in Parañaque. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the said report. Some parts in boldface…
A Japanese fugitive, who is allegedly wanted in several countries for various crimes such as online fraud and extortion, has been arrested at a hotel in Paranaque City by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
In an announcement on Wednesday, May 26, the NBI identified the arrested Japanese as Watanabe Yuki, who is also known as Kenji Shimada and Shi Shimada.
The NBI said Yuki was arrested last March 17together with two other Japanese nationals identified as Tomonobu Saito and Kousuke II.
It said that Saito and Kousuke II failed to present their passports and Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR). Saito, on the other hand, has a summary deportation order. Both were turned over to the BI.
The NBI said Yuki is “an international wanted fugitive with Blue Notice in Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization).”
Google says “a Blue Notice is issued when Interpol grants a member country’s request for assistance with the following: seeking the location of someone connected with a criminal investigation, identifying someone connected with a criminal investigation, finding witnesses to a criminal act, and locating friends, relatives, or associates of offenders or suspected offenders.”
NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor said that “subject Yuki was hiding in the country due to his involvement in various crimes in Japan and other countries, and he is also allegedly operating syndicate activities in the Philippines, such as but not limited to, online fraud and extortions.”
“Verification conducted by the NBI-STF (Special Task Force) to ascertain the veracity of the information revealed that subject Yuki is said to be the ‘Big Boss’ of the largest telecommunication fraud syndicate, whose international operations cover several countries including Japan and Philippines,” the NBI said.
It said that Yuki will be turned over to the BI which issued a commitment order against the Japanese “for undesirability (fugitive) and Illegal Entrant.”
The above reported ended by stating that Yuki has since been placed under the custody of the Security Management Section of the NBI (NBI-SMS) after being found positive for COVID-19.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the Manila Bulletin’s crime news report? Did you notice something strange going on in your local community there in Parañaque City? Are the local police, barangay tanods, NBI operatives and BI operatives doing enough to secure your local community from criminals?
Do you believe that Parañaque City has something that attracts crooks and fugitives from overseas? Do you believe that Parañaque continue to be a safe haven for criminals, smugglers and murderers?
Have you ever heard about the Parañaque Renaissance?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Hey readers! Have you been driving along Skyway Stage 3 lately? In case you missed the news, the southbound Quirino exit of Skyway Stage 3 was officially opened this past Monday. To be specific, it allows motorists from Balintawak and Quezon Avenue to travel to Manila much faster and safer than before.
In a May 24, 2021 Facebook page post, San Miguel Corporation president Ramon S. Ang wrote: Together with the DPWH, we opened today the Quirino southbound exit of Skyway Stage 3. This will cut travel time from Balintawak and Quezon Ave. to Manila to less than 20 mins from the usual 1.5 hours. In the midst of the pandemic, we remain committed to delivering sustainable infrastructure that will ensure better lives for the present and future generations. This is the world we want.
The Quirino exit on the southbound lane of Skyway Stage 3 formally opened. (source – Ramon S. Ang Facebook page)
To put things in perspective some more, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) article about the same subject matter. Some parts in boldface…
San Miguel Corporation (SMC), through SMC Infrastructure, opened Monday the southbound Quirino exit of the Skyway Stage 3 elevated expressway to Class-1 vehicles, allowing motorists coming from Balintawak and Quezon Avenue to directly reach Manila within less than 20 minutes from 1.5 hours without traffic.
The opening was led by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar and SMC president Ramon S. Ang.
“The full completion of Skyway Stage 3 will divert at least 75,000 vehicles away from EDSA or C5. This is a realization of President Duterte’s promise to decongest EDSA. Skyway Stage 3 is proof that the private sector and the government can work together towards a unified solution,” Villar said.
Ang said the opening of the Quirino southbound exit will greatly improve accessibility from Quezon City and Manila.
“With more private vehicles diverted to Skyway Stage 3 on their way back from NLEX (North Luzon Expressway), or coming from Quezon Avenue, to Manila, traffic on our major public roads as well as on streets usually utilized as ‘shortcuts’ or ‘alternate routes’, will be a thing of the past. This will redound to relief from congestion and faster and easier commutes for many of our countrymen on our major thoroughfares. We thank President Duterte and the government team led by Secretary Villar for all their support,” he said.
And said SMC will continue to deliver on its commitment to bring motorists quality infrastructure that addresses congestion and lack of accessibility.
“We remain dedicated to providing convenient and seamless travel for motorists to help decongest Metro Manila and enable growth in all areas that we reach,” he added.
SMC, which fully-funded and built 100 percent of the Skyway Stage 3, said the expressway now has 15 operational ramps.
These include Northbound entry/on-ramps — Buendia (Zobel) and Quezon Avenue; Southbound entry/on ramps –Balintawak, Quezon Avenue and Plaza Dilao; Northbound exit/off ramps –Quirino Avenue, Nagtahan, Quezon Avenue, A. Bonifacio, and Balintawak; and Southbound exit/off ramps –Quezon Avenue, E. Rodriguez, Nagtahan, Quirino and Buendia (Zobel).
Now here is a related news video for your viewing pleasure and learning…
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Have you traveled along Skyway Stage 3 and exited through Quirino already? If you did, what was the experience like? How fast did it take you to travel from Balintawak or Quezon Avenue to exit through Quirino? Is the southbound travel along Skyway Stage 3 even better now that the Quirino exit is open?
To all motorists based in Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Parañaque, how often did you travel along Skyway Stage 3 this year?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The week of May 17 to 23, 2021 has not been good for the city of Parañaque as far as news coverage is concerned. First of all, the launch of the Pfizer vaccine in Parañaque was marred by very long lines, frustration and confusion (complete with information that witnesses shared with the Manila Bulletin).
On May 19, it was reported by GMA Network that a shooting incident happened in the city, along Airport Road in Barangay Baclaran to be precise. For transparency, posted below is the excerpt from the report…
A delivery personnel of a water station was shot by unidentified armed men in Paranaque City Wednesday morning.
According to Super Radyo dzBB’s Mao dela Cruz, the yet to be identified victim has been brought to the hospital for treatment.
The incident happened along Airport Road in Baclaran where the pedicab of the victim and empty water gallons were left.
Next is a more intriguing report (by Manila Bulletin) as it involved the presence and efforts of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC). They entered a warehouse in Barangay BF Homes and found smuggled products related to this COVID-19 pandemic. Posted below is an excerpt from Manila Bulletin’s report. Some parts in bold…
Authorities discovered P70 million worth of alleged fake and smuggled face shields from China in a raid in Parañaque City on Thursday, May 20, as the government tightens its monitoring of counterfeit coronavirus disease (COVID-19) safety equipment that are flooding the market.
Joint personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Bureau of Customs (BOC) found boxes of inauthentic “Heng De” face shields that were illegally sneaked in the country and stored in a warehouse in Barangay BF Homes.
The PCG said the smuggled face shields “did not pass the appropriate inspection” by the BOC.
“[It] may not be declared safe for use by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA),” it added.
The above report ended stating that the BOC will destroy the seized materials once accounting has been done. A follow-up investigation will eventually start to find out who is responsible with the smuggling.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction towards the shooting incident along Airport Road? Who do you think is responsible for the smuggling and storage of the seized face shields that were seized in the Barangay BF Homes?
Do you believe it is time for City Government, the local barangays and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Parañaque to renew their efforts to fight crime and secure the safety of the people?
With regards to COVID-19 vaccination, were you able to get vaccinated in Parañaque City in a smooth and orderly manner? Did you notice the local vaccination organizers allow walk-ins recently? Did the local vaccination organizers respond promptly to those who registered online?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Let me ask you my readers based in Parañaque City – did you witness the launch of the Pfizer vaccine at a certain shopping mall in the city this past Monday (May 17)?
During that day, I spotted a lot of pictures and videos posted by Internet users on Facebook related to the Parañaque rollout of the Pfizer vaccine (note: Israel itself used vaccines of Pfizer). Those images showed very long lines of people trying to enter that shopping mall and many of the comments posted by users mentioned very long waiting times, confusion and frustration.
For starters, watch this related news video from GMA Network.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from yesterday’s Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in bold…
Parañaque City residents flocked a mall in the city on Monday (May 17), in hopes of getting vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, but many left the place disappointed and criticized the handling that they experienced.
A resident who requested anonymity, reached out to the Manila Bulletin and mentioned how the rollout became a “super-spreader” event mainly due to the reason that there was only one venue for the Pfizer vaccine rollout which was the mall, concentrating all residents in a single place.
“So the whole of Parañaque in A1 – A3 classifications came by because many didn’t get confirmation texts,” she said.
The resident mentioned that the city initially said in a post on the Facebook page of the Public Information Office on Sunday afternoon that “interested fellows” may come.
“By Sunday night, it was changed to those who have confirmed schedule. But what is a confirmed schedule? When people just get an email or text confirming a Patient ID,” she said.
“Also in the Sputnik rollout, walk-ins were allowed so naturally now people know that is possible so a lot came by,” she added.
It can be remembered that many residents were also eager to get inoculated during the pilot vaccination of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V in Parañaque City on May 4, and a lot of them were left fuming after they spent hours waiting without even getting the jab.
Meanwhile, the resident also claimed that the way the seniors were treated, they were just standing on snake lines spanning the whole transport terminal from morning until afternoon in the “sweltering heat”.
The resident, who belonged to the A3 category or persons with comorbidities, arrived at the mall at 7:40 a.m. with her husband who recovered from COVID-19. She said that marshals in the area also did not know how to respond and were sending people back in line which by 8:30 a.m. was already 2,000, according to her.
Mayor Edwin Olivarez said in a report on 24 Oras that many walk-ins or those who did not receive a text confirmation for their schedule of vaccination arrived. He said that they were advised that there will be a specific time for them to come.
To be clear, this is not the first time that Parañaque residents joined the long line and got frustrated. In relation to the above report, the Manila Bulletin also published another report while the Pfizer rollout went on. This one includes summarized feedback from the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19. Check out the excerpt below…
What was supposed to be a momentous event turned out to be chaotic as the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine at a mall in Paranaque City on Monday, May 17, was heavily criticized for the poor handling of the vaccinees, resulting to violation of minimum health standards such as the observance of social distancing.
The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 expressed concern over the “obvious lack of social distancing” by the vaccinees during the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine at a mall along Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard corner Aseana Avenue.
Prior to the rollout, the Paranaque City government announced that the event was “strictly intended for scheduled patients with secured slots” but photos and videos posted by netizens on social media showed that scores of people showed up at the venue and social distancing was no longer observed.
A netizen, Chinggay Kanapi, who posted photos of the vaccination event, described the incident as a “super spreader event” as she claimed that “thousands and thousands of people [were] milling around with no information where to fall in line.”
Kanapi told the Manila Bulletin that she initially waited at the parking lot of the mall where the vaccinees would have to enter before being allowed to get the vaccine but she was surprised to see that physical distancing was not observed.
“After so many hours waiting in that awful parking lot, my driver came up to me and said that there was an easier way. We passed thru McDo and entered the mall without being stopped. Then it was a breeze going thru the process in the vaccine area! I pity the ones outside who didn’t figure it out like my driver,” Kanapi said.
Long lines, uncomfortable conditions, alleged lack of care and precision, walk-ins happening, registered residents waiting longer than expected…these are unfortunate events that seem to be repeating in Parañaque, at least in the shopping mall that had the respective local launch events of Sputnik V and Pfizer vaccines.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the launch of Pfizer vaccines in Parañaque? Do you believe the allegations are true? If you were among the many people who endured the long wait during the Sputnik V launch or during the Pfizer launch in Parañaque, how uncomfortable was the entire experience to you?
What do you think that the City Government of Parañaque should immediately do to make sure its citizens get vaccinated with the convenience and comfort in mind?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Author Carlo Carrasco 