Tag: Coronavirus

Muntinlupa City Government to purchase COVID-19 testing kits, eyes mass testing of city residents

Muntinlupa City Government to purchase COVID-19 testing kits, eyes mass testing of city residents

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Muntinlupa City Government to purchase COVID-19 testing kits, eyes mass testing of city residents

In a bid to curb the rise in the number of novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) cases in Muntinlupa City, the City Government is set to purchase testing kits through its Quick Response Fund and eyes to conduct mass testing of its city residents.

The Muntinlupa City Council approved a resolution allowing Mayor Jaime Fresnedi to procure Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) machines and testing kits following the rise in confirmed cases and persons under monitoring and investigation in the city.

As of March 24, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded eight confirmed cases in Muntinlupa with 146 persons under monitoring (PUM) and 72 patients under investigation (PUI).

Fresnedi said a more aggressive medical intervention is needed to effectively segregate, for quarantine purposes, the virus-stricken constituents of the city for appropriate medication and containing of the virus.

“Early detection of a COVID-19 infected person can deter the spread of the virus and the purchase of PCR machines and testing kits is critical in the determination of the medical assistance which must be administered to our constituents,” the local exec said.

While the City Government is eager to immediately purchase the testing kits to conduct a mass testing, Fresned added that the initiative is subject to the guidelines and regulatory standards of the Department of Health (DOH).

Muntinlupa LGU has designated Ospital ng Muntinlupa to house the testing area of the PCR machine upon the approval of DOH.

A field hospital has been constructed in Ospital ng Muntinlupa to treat patients with COVID-19 symptoms. Isolation areas in barangays are also in place for residents suspected to have contracted with the virus for monitoring by the local health office.

Barangay health workers and physicians in barangay health centers are on high alert against sustained local transmission in the communities. Health personnel in the barangay daily monitors reported cases of persons under monitoring and patients under investigation. PUMs and PUIs in the communities are given vitamins and medicines for those with underlying condition.

According to Muntinlupa City Health Office, there are currently two city residents under the care of two community isolation areas in Barangay Tunasan and Sucat for monitoring.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

Declare Your Love for God

Declare Your Love for God

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For months now, people and governments around the world have been struggling with fear, anxiety, uncertainty and even death due to infectious microbes. No matter what happens, we as Christians who accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior should never lose faith. It is faith in the Lord that spares us from disaster, poverty and evil. Of course, we Christians each have our own respective challenges in life to overcome and the ongoing crisis is the newest, major challenge for this particular time of the 21st century that happens to affect a lot of people around the world.

No matter how bad and depressing life becomes, we Christians must always put God first in everything we do. This includes constantly reading the Holy Bible (the Word of God), praying to Him, deepening our relationship with Him and applying His Word into our daily lives. We keep strong faith in Him and in due time, we will see God’s continual blessing in our lives.

Being faithful Christians, we certainly should never let religion, unbelief, idolatry, tradition and rituals hinder us from living with God’s Word and holiness. We are members of the Body of Christ. We are the church! Refer to 1 Corinthians 12:12-30 in the Holy Bible.

Therefore, as Born Again people, we should declare that God’s love is with us and nothing will separate us from Him. We must always declare our love for Him in addition to thanking and honor Him! We are not mere mortals for we are God’s creations with a holy purpose. We are tasked to spread God’s Word and help the Lord save the many, many unsaved and lost souls around the world. Remember, true faith in the Lord does NOT include force nor coercion nor shaming nor idolatry. As such, we emphasize God’s Word to others gently and always let them decide on their own whether to accept the Lord or not. After all, each and every person has a personal relationship with God which is strictly off limits to everyone else (even the biological family).

Moving on, let’s read a scripture from the Holy Bible.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

Galatians 3:13 (NKJV)

We all know that Adam’s rebellion towards God marked the downfall of humanity which lasted for many generations as recorded in the Holy Bible. Even though humanity was sinful, God never wiped humanity away because He planned for grand redemption and restoration to happen. In His greatest expression of love for us all, He sent us His only begotten Son Jesus. When His time came, Lord Jesus never despised the cross and went on to die for us all for redemption. It was Lord Jesus’ work, not ours, that removed the curse upon humanity. To express it in a different way, it was the blood of Jesus that cleansed us all! Satan was defeated! Jesus got resurrected and spread more of His holy enlightenment to those who witnessed His return. Then He ascended to Heaven to join God, our Heavenly Father. A promise was made by Jesus to return. Jesus is alive, always!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:35-39 (NKJV)

Romans 8:35-39 makes clear that as children of God who were saved, we have no reason to despair, no reason to live in fear and no reason to be defeated. We have the love of the Lord that lasts eternally and also the Holy Spirit is in our hearts! Even in hardships that we are experiencing now personally and globally, we can be more than conquerors because we are God’s children! We are faithful and we can excel in life as long as we put God first, we remain faithful to Him and execute His Word to save all the unsaved souls around us! We have a relationship with God and nothing can separate us from Him.

To you who are reading this, if you are living with darkness (caused by unbelief or religion or deep ignorance), it is not too late for you to be born again. No less than Lord Jesus emphasized the point of being born again in John 3:3 in the Holy Bible. You can become a true Christian and an actual child of God by getting born again and willingly accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Now we go to Chapter 91 of the Book of Psalm in both New King James Version and the Passion Translation.

I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from perilous pestilence.

Psalm 91:2-3 (NKJV)

He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence. He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy, and he will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse.

Psalm 91:2-3 (TPT)

The scriptures above point out that God, who is the Creator, the Source and Provider, is our stronghold (refuge) that we can always rely on and never worry about anything. Not even a global financial crash, nor a plague nor a major natural disaster nor someone very evil could crush us spiritually for as long as we are faithful to Him. We are God’s children and He will always protect us, deliver us from trials and He will fight and defeat the enemy for us. Remember that contrary to the teachings by religion-minded authorities, Satan has always been a loser and with God on our side, we can keep on defeating and rejecting Satan. That being said, always let the Holy Spirit lead you.

One more scripture.

Keep you heart with all diligence. For out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)

It is essential for us to keep our hearts. This mean valuing and protecting our minds, emotions and will. We all live in a screwed-up world with lots of problems plaguing people all around us. Even with all the hassle and problems, we should never lose faith in the Lord.

Now let me address the unsaved readers among you…

If you seek salvation now, learn that the first step is to receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Never be fooled into believing that your past defined you and your future. With Jesus, you become a child of God and a whole new creation! A true Christian with a holy purpose!

Once you are ready, pray this simple prayer in sincerity from your heart:

Dear God,

I believe that Jesus is Your Son, and that He died on the cross to pay the penalty of my sins. I believe that Jesus has been raised from the dead and that He is alive! Right now I call on the name of Jesus. Jesus, come into my heart. I receive You as my personal Lord and Savior. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me by the power of Your blood. Thank You for saving me and giving me eternal life! Help me now to follow Your plan for my life. Amen.

Congratulations! You are now a child of God! Praise the Lord and always be faithful to Him! No more darkness in your life caused by unbelief or religion (and the idolatry, traditions and rituals that come with it). Your new life has begun!

Always read the Holy Bible, apply its lessons into your life and pray in tongues regularly to Him. The Holy Spirit is in you and you are now a new creation! Declare your love for God!

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. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved souls out there.

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

Groceries, Supermarkets and Other Exempted Businesses in Muntinlupa ordered to limit operation from 6AM – 6PM amid Enhanced Community Quarantine

Groceries, Supermarkets and Other Exempted Businesses in Muntinlupa ordered to limit operation from 6AM – 6PM amid Enhanced Community Quarantine

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Groceries, Supermarkets and Other Exempted Businesses in Muntinlupa ordered to limit operation from 6AM – 6PM amid Enhanced Community Quarantine

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Muntinlupa City Hall.

The City Government of Muntinlupa ordered exempted business establishments during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine to limit their operating hours from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM in a bid to reduce movement of people to effectively contain the spread of coronavirus disease COVID-19 in the city.

Specifically, the Muntinlupa City Council passed Ordinance 2020-070 imposing of limited operating hours for convenience stores, sari-sari stores, talipapa, and groceries.

It shall also be mandatory for these establishments to implement social distancing during their operations set forth by the Department of Health and the Muntinlupa City Health Office. Violators shall be given a warning for first offense and cancellation of business permit for the remainder of the current year for last offense.

Earlier, the Muntinlupa City Council also approved the anti-hoarding ordinance that restrict bulk-buying of basic commodities to address the public’s panic buying.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi assured the public that there is no need for panic buying during the health emergency as there is enough supply of basic items. The local exec called for an emergency meeting with supermarket and grocery operators on Monday to ensure that there is no shortage of supply for Muntinlupa City residents.

Further, establishment offering non-essential services have been mandated to cease operations through Ordinance 2020-080.

Essential industries are exempted from cessation of operations including supermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, industries involved in food manufacturing, processing, distribution, and industries involved in the provision of medicines, medical supplies, and medical care. Other exempted establishments include banks, padala centers, water stations, and utilities. Muntinlupa City is now under a 24-hour curfew amid the enhanced community quarantine.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the City Government will implement stricter measures after receiving reports that many residents are still going out in the streets and do not observe social distancing while the quarantine is in effect.

“Our barangay chairmen reported that the imposition of the 8:00 PM to 5:00 AM curfew hours is not an effective deterrent for the public to stay at home. For this reason, I have ordered the round the clock curfew so that our kababayans will remain in their houses and reduce their risks from being infected by the virus,” Fresnedi noted.

The mayor urged the city residents to refrain from going out unless it’s important and follow protocols provided by the local and national government.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

Muntinlupa City Government drafts school nurses to aid medical personnel in checkpoints amid COVID-19

Muntinlupa City Government drafts school nurses to aid medical personnel in checkpoints amid COVID-19

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Muntinlupa City Government drafts school nurses to aid medical personnel in checkpoints amid COVID-19

In an effort to boost its fight against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city, the City Government of Muntinlupa announced yesterday that it has drafted nurses who got assigned in public schools to serve as additional medical personnel in local quarantine control points.

Muntinlupa City Health Office acting chief Dr. Manuel Casador Jr. said twenty-seven city-paid school nurses have been assigned to three checkpoints in the city to help implement quarantine control measures including checking of temperature, survey of travel history and symptoms, among others.

“We have deployed our school nurses to augment the staff from the City Health Office and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office stationed in San Pedro – Muntinlupa boundary, Commerce Avenue checkpoint, and Victoria Homes checkpoint to ensure that no individuals suspected to have contracted with the virus can enter the city,” Casador said.

The local health officer added that isolation rooms have been installed in quarantine control points to accommodate individuals manifesting symptoms and high temperature for further assessment.

A field hospital has been constructed in Ospital ng Muntinlupa to treat patients with COVID-19 symptoms. Isolation areas in barangays are also in place for residents suspected to have contracted with the virus for monitoring by the local health office.

Barangay health workers and physicians in barangay health centers are on high alert against sustained local transmission in the communities. Health personnel in the barangay daily monitors reported cases of persons under monitoring (PUM) and patients under investigation (PUI). PUMs and PUIs in the communities are given vitamins and medicines for those with underlying condition.

According to Muntinlupa City Health Office, there are currently two city residents under the care of two community isolation areas in Barangay Tunasan and Sucat for monitoring.

As of March 23, Muntinlupa CHO recorded 145 Persons Under Monitoring (PUM), 69 Persons Under Investigation (PUI), and six confirmed cases in the city.

Recently, the local government also launched the Virtual Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Team on Facebook to provide psychological counseling to city residents amid COVID-19 crisis.

To date, the virtual psychosocial team has catered to 168 city residents. The project is facilitated by the City Health Office, Social Service Department, and Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office.

Further, the City Government has distributed initial relief packs to 3,940 families in five barangays in the city. Another 5,000 grocery packs will be released to different barangays in the coming week.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi assured the public that the City Government has adequate supply of basic commodities for distribution to indigent residents and daily earners affected by the disruption of work. Fresnedi added that the local government continuous to implement initiatives to help contain the spread of and encourages the public to stay at home during the health emergency.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

24-Hour Curfew in Muntinlupa City Now in Effect

24-Hour Curfew in Muntinlupa City Now in Effect

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced by means of inquiring directly with an official of the City Government of Muntinlupa. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

After previously announcing their intention to implement stricter home quarantine all over the city in relation to the ongoing effort to halt the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the City Government of Muntinlupa confirmed today that it approved an ordinance making it official. As such, the entire city is now under a 24-hour curfew.

The City Council of Muntinlupa passed City Ordinance 2020-074 which was signed into law by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi dated March 21, 2020 (today).

For your reference, posted below are digital copies of the ordinance sourced from the City Government’s Facebook page. Just click to enlarge.

With regards to exemptions and a quarantine pass, below is the explanation by Muntinlupa Council Majority Floor Leader Coun. Atty. Raul Corro (sourced from City Government’s FB page).

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I also learned directly from the City Government that Muntinlupa residents who need to travel to report for work outside the city should prepare evidence (identification essentially) of employment to local personnel who are implementing the curfew.

For more updates about Muntinlupa, come back here.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

 

 

 

Barangay Baclaran Youth Council plus Partners at Work (Community Quarantine and COVID-19 Crisis)

Barangay Baclaran Youth Council plus Partners at Work (Community Quarantine and COVID-19 Crisis)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced by means of interviewing a top official of the Barangay Baclaran Sangguniang Kabataan. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Barangay Baclaran Youth Council plus Partners at Work (Community Quarantine and COVID-19 Crisis)

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Barangay Baclaran Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Rachel Garcia (left, wearing black t-shirt) and her companions hand out free items to local residents to help them protect themselves from coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (photo approved for publishing by Barangay Baclaran Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Rachel Garcia)

With the enhanced community quarantine in effect here in the Philippines as a result of the ongoing corona virus disease (COVID-19) crisis, life is now much different. Most businesses have been halted, people are required to stay at home and others have no choice but to make hard adjustments just as the national authorities work on preventing an outbreak of COVID-19.

When it comes to the authorities of each city, the local government unit (LGU) as well as the barangay units are mandated to govern and manage their respective communities. This includes enforcing curfew, the ban on liquor, traffic management, implementing awareness campaigns about COVID-19 and distributing useful items to the constituents.

Two days ago, I wrote about the community assistance and information campaign done by the Barangay BF Homes Youth Council (Sangguniang Kabataan ng Barangay BF Homes) in . This time, the focus shifts to the Barangay Baclaran Youth Council (Sangguniang Kabataan ng Baclaran) which performed community service (partnered with the Katipunan ng Kabataan) of the same nature.

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A man assisted by Baclaran’s SK chairwoman herself. (photo approved for publishing by Barangay Baclaran Sangguniang Kabataan chairwoman Rachel Garcia)

According to Baclaran SK chairwoman Rachel Garcia, her team and the KK prepared a total of 3,000 units of alcohol (with free refilling), 3,000 units of hand sanitizer and 2,000 units of soap. Those said items, which are meant for prevention of COVID-19 from spreading, were distributed by the Baclaran SK and the KK around the local community for free. Garcia and her companions endured the heat of the day visiting residents in Barangay Baclaran from one house to another house.

In addition, the group also organized an awareness campaign so that Baclaran residents will know what they can do to avoid infection, how to avoid infecting others and why they should follow the quarantine by staying at home.

Like their counterparts in BF Homes, the Baclaran SK has a tough task and a huge responsibility to fulfill with regards to the COVID-19 crisis. If you think about it very carefully, it’s just mind-boggling that very tiny microbes like COVID-19 could cause a tremendous, negative impact on the whole world. Look at the many people getting infected as well as those who died.

Overseas, several teams of scientists are working hard to develop a vaccine for COVID-19. In the United Kingdom, clinical testing for a vaccine will start soon. In Israel, biopharmaceutical company Kamada announced that it is working on a blood-plasma treatment for coronavirus. Until medical breakthroughs against COVID-19 materialize, local authorities will have to keep performing with their current duties.

Going back to the publicly elected officials of Barangay Baclaran and its youth council, Garcia and her SK kagawads have more than two years of service left before the next barangay and SK elections will take place. Previously the barangay-SK elections were scheduled to happen this coming May but that all changed when President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act Number 11462 (titled “Postponement of the 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections Act”).

To learn more about the Baclaran SK, read my January 1 article and visit their Facebook page.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) Takes Part in Communities Assistance Campaign Related to COVID-19

Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) Takes Part in Communities Assistance Campaign Related to COVID-19

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced by means of interviewing a top official of the Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) Takes Part in Communities Assistance Campaign Related to COVID-19

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Informative flyers and hygiene kits were distributed by the Barangay BF Homes Youth Council to the residents in the mission areas. (photo contributed by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan Chairwoman Mariel Tumang)

With the imposed enhanced community quarantine in effect, most businesses and all other activities of life have been halted. This shows just how tremendous microbes can have on people and society in general when it becomes widespread. Of course, I’m talking about Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which has infected a few hundred people here in the Philippines.

With the enhanced community quarantine going on, officials of the barangays have been ordered to do their part on managing their respective local communities. To put things in perspective, there is the standard barangay unit led by its chairman (or captain) and council members (kagawads) who were elected into office by their constituents.

And then there is the youth council under the barangay referred to locally as the sangguniang kabataan (SK) which is led by elected officials the youth chairman and youth council members (SK kagawads).

For the topic of this post, I’m focusing on the Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) which, as of this writing, is already doing really serious work on managing the Barangay BF Homes local communities in relation to the COVID-19 crisis that has affected everyone.

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Barangay BF Homes SK kagawad Jerry Dalmero distributes a hygiene kit composed of soap and alcohol. (photo contributed by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan Chairwoman Mariel Tumang)
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Barangay BF Homes SK kagawad Roselyn Regis gives to a resident. (photo contributed by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan Chairwoman Mariel Tumang)

To put things in perspective, Barangay BF Homes is one very large local community in terms of both land area and population. As the late Parañaque Congressman Roilo Golez (1947-2018) told me years ago, Barangay BF Homes is a very vote-rich community in the city.

The Barangay BF  Homes main unit led by Captain Paolo Marquez has been working hard implementing several rules (meant to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 infection) such as night-time curfew (8PM to 5AM), social distancing (persons are supposed to be a short distance apart from each other), ban on mass gatherings, educating the residents about coronavirus and more.

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Barangay BF Homes SK kagawad gently hands over a hygiene kit to a lady. (photo contributed by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan kagawad Alma Galindo)

For their part, the Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan (BFSK) headed by chairwoman Mariel Angela Tumang and the SK kagawads have been working hard by visiting the many houses in the developing communities doing information campaigns about COVID-19 (with flyers being given to them personally) as well as distributing hygiene kits. Today, the BF Youth Council performed their duty by visiting eight mission areas and will continue to do so tomorrow in six mission areas.

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BFSK Kagawad Anne Corre hands over a hygiene kit. (photo contributed by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan kagawad Kelly Haboc)
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Even in a tight place like this, BFSK Kagawad Kelly Haboc persevered to hand out a hygiene kit. (photo contributed by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan kagawad Kelly Haboc)
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BFSK kagawad Stephanie Sebullen gives a hygiene kit to someone at a store. (photo contributed by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan Chairwoman Mariel Tumang)

Chairwoman Tumang confirmed to me that she and her team prepared five thousand (5,000) hygiene kits to be distributed to the residents at their respective homes. According to her, each kit comes with soap and alcohol which are essential for people to protect themselves with from the raging coronavirus. Along the way, they did their best to educate their constituents with discipline in mind.

“Maliit na tulong po na nanggaling sa amin pero alam po namin na hindi po ito yung lunas para makaiwas sa sakit ang talagang makakapaglunas po rito ay yung disciplina po ng tao. Sana po matututo nalang silang maging madisiplina, sumunod sa mga sinasabi ng gobyerno, manatili sa kanilang bahay at ingatan ang kanilang sarili,” BFSK chairwoman Tumang stated.

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Barangay BF Homes SK chairwoman Mariel Tumang wearing a mask and protective clothes. (photo approved by Barangay BF Homes Sangguniang Kabataan Chairwoman Mariel Tumang for this website)

As Tumang made clear, the BFSK and Barangay BF Homes itself have been working hard on preventing COVID-19 from spreading in their local communities as well as doing their best to educate the constituents. All of these are being done in accordance to the rules and orders of the national authorities.

Watch out for further BF Homes and South Metro Manila updates here soon.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

Muntinlupa City Government to implement stricter home quarantine for residents due to rise of COVID-19 cases

Muntinlupa City Government to implement stricter home quarantine for residents due to rise of COVID-19 cases

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Muntinlupa City Government to implement stricter home quarantine for residents due to rise of COVID-19 cases

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Muntinlupa City Hall.

In a bid to slow down and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Muntinlupa, the City Government will implement stricter measures on home quarantine for city residents.

As of March 19, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 55 Persons Under Monitoring (PUM), 43 Persons Under Investigation (PUI), and four confirmed cases in the city.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi urged barangay officials to strengthen efforts in prohibiting city residents to get out of their homes amid enhanced community quarantine.

“We plead to our constituents to stay at home during this health emergency. The local government is restricting movement of people only for accessing basic necessities and essential work,” Fresnedi said.

The public is advised to stay indoors and consider cancelling non-essential travels as Muntinlupa also imposes curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting March 16 until April 14.

Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said PNP Muntinlupa augmented roving personnel and will start apprehending violators.

Recently, the Muntinlupa City Government ordered the closure of establishments including malls, beauty parlors, spas, barber shops, and similar establishments with potential face-to-face contact of clients. Those providing essential services were exempted such as banks, pawnshops, money transfer firms, groceries, supermarkets, drug stores, pharmacies, and hardware stores.

Restaurants, carinderias, and other eateries were only allowed to only accept take-out orders and refrain from providing dine-in services to ensure implementation of social distancing. Restaurant owners and operators were encouraged to post notices and warnings on the spread and ill effects of COVID-19 in their premises.

Further, public and private recreational facilities were also mandated to halt operations such as fitness gyms, swimming pools, saunas karaoke bars, and country club facilities for sports that entail close person to person contact. While, a liquor ban was enacted to prevent gathering opportunities for city residents in the duration of the quarantine period.

In a bid to address panic-buying, the Muntinlupa City Council also approved the anti-hoarding ordinance that restrict bulk-buying of basic commodities.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

Restaurants in Muntinlupa only allowed to accept take-out orders, other establishments to close amid COVID-19

Restaurants in Muntinlupa only allowed to accept take-out orders, other establishments to close amid COVID-19

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Restaurants in Muntinlupa only allowed to accept take-out orders, other establishments to close amid COVID-19

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Muntinlupa City Hall.

The City Government of Muntinlupa today ordered the suspension of dine-in services of restaurants in the city while other establishments were urged to close amid the novel coronavirus disease’s (COVID-19) sustained community transmission in the country.

To promote social distancing during the enhanced community quarantine period, the Muntinlupa City Council passed Ordinance No. 2020-070 mandating restaurants, carinderias, and other eateries to only accept take-out orders and refrain from providing dine-in services.

Restaurant owners and operators shall also post notices and warnings on the spread and ill effects of COVID-19 in their premises.

Other establishments ordered to close include malls, beauty parlors, spas, barber shops, and similar establishments with potential face-to-face contact of clients.

However, those providing essential services are exempted such as banks, pawnshops, money transfer firms, groceries, supermarkets, drug stores, pharmacies, and hardware stores.

Further, the City Council also passed Ordinance No. 2020-072 urging the closure of public and private recreational facilities such as fitness gyms, swimming pools, saunas karaoke bars, and country club facilities for sports that entail close person to person contact.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said this initiative aims to help contain the spread of the virus by restricting the movement of people and encouraging them to stay at home during the health emergency faced by the entire country.

Fresnedi encouraged city residents to be vigilant and follow health protocols. He reminded the public to practice frequent hand-washing, proper cough etiquette, and other precautionary measures wherever they are as the virus may be transmitted through direct contact or respiratory droplets.

As of March 18, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 49 Persons Under Monitoring (PUM), 43 Persons Under Investigation (PUI), and three confirmed cases in the city.

The field hospital installed in Ospital ng Muntinlupa is now operational to treat patients with COVID-19 symptoms. Isolation areas in barangays are also in place for residents suspected to have contracted with the virus for monitoring by the local health office.

For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.

This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.

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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.

 

My Observations: The Official Specs of Xbox Series X

My Observations: The Official Specs of Xbox Series X

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The components of Xbox Series X. (photo source – Xbox.com)

Very recently Microsoft and some members of the gaming press revealed the official specs of the next-generation console Xbox Series X. As a long-time gamer, this newest development is nice and exciting even though I am still enjoying my basic Xbox One console a lot for my video gaming and movie viewing (note: I’m a Blu-ray movie collector). The current generation console I bought way back in 2015 still works well and so far showed no signs of breaking down or slowing down (when compared to my previous console the Xbox 360). Even so, I intend to acquire the Xbox Series X to replace my Xbox One although not necessarily during the new system’s launch. Here is hoping that Microsoft will announce a launch price of not more than $499.

So let’s get on with the specs of the next-generation Xbox starting with the CPU (central processing unit) and the GPU (graphics processing unit).

CPU: 8x Cores @ 3.8 Ghz (3.6 GHZ w/ SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU

GPU: 12 teraflops, 52 CUs (compute units) @ 1.825 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU

Die Size: 360.45 mm2

Process: 7nm Enhanced

Memory: 16 Gigabytes GDDR6 w/ 320b bus

Memory Bandwidth: 10GB @ 560 GB/s, 6GB @ 336 GB/s

Internal Storage: 1 terabyte NVME SSD (solid state drive)

I/O Throughput: 2.4 GB/s (raw), 4.8 GB/s (compressed with custom hardware decompression block)

Expandable Storage: 1 terabyte Expansion Card (matches internal storage exactly)

External Storage: USB 3.2 External HDD Support

Optical Drive: 4K Ultra High Definition Blu-ray Drive

Performance Target: 4K @ 60 frames-per-second, up to 120 FPS.

On face value, those specs are very impressive and worthy of being referred to as next-generation at least in terms of potential. The Xbox Series X, with those specs, unsurprisingly surpassed my Xbox One and even the Xbox One X (released in 2017) which is currently the most powerful game console in the world. With a performance target of 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,160) with a frame rate of 60 frames-per-second and even up to 120 FPS, now is a great time to upgrade your HDTV by means of replacing it with an UHDTV (or 4K TV).

Apart from improved speed and efficiency, the Xbox Series X will come with Xbox Velocity Architecture (XVA) which features the tight integration between hardware and software. It’s a new architecture optimized for streaming of in-game assets and should be useful for game developers who in turn will have instant access to an estimated 100 gigabytes of the said assets.

“It’s about revolutionizing how games can create vastly bigger and more compelling worlds,” Technical Fellow on Xbox Series X Andrew Goossen described XVA.

When it comes to video games with those large in-game environments, nothing can be more annoying than load times, delayed textures and noticeable drop of frame rates. In my experience playing Mass Effect on my Xbox 360 way back in 2007, the game’s long load time (with the overly long elevator ride designed to conceal the loading) was so bad it took me out of the game. And then there were newly loaded segments in which the polygons lacked the proper textures for the first seconds. Open-world games I played before such as Saints Row: The Third, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 each had their own bouts of annoying load times or delayed loading of key visual elements. If the XVA delivers the promised benefits for both the game developers and the gamers, then such technical hiccups should be a thing of the past and the immersion should be much better for players. More on load times, they should not be a problem anymore in the next-generation now that the Xbox Series X will have SSDs.

Check out these official Xbox Series X videos about quick loading and quick resume.

As far as my Xbox history is concerned, I am a multi-generational Xbox LIVE user and my account has lots of Xbox 360 and Xbox One titles recorded with regards to playing history and achievements made. I also enjoy the backward compatibility feature Microsoft launched in 2015 which makes playing my old Xbox 360 games on the Xbox One possible without having to pay anything extra. I also love the fact that Xbox LIVE allows me to select and buy Xbox 360 games (via digital download) that I never played before and there are hundreds of titles of the 360 offered all the time!

That being said, the backward compatibility experience will continue with Xbox Series X guaranteeing that all the Xbox 360 and Xbox One games I have will never go to waste! For the next-generation, backward compatibility on Xbox Series X will see benefits like improved booting time, shortened loading times, improved resolution, more stable frame rates and enhanced visuals. I can imagine playing the Xbox One versions of Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto V, Resident Evil 2 remake (and very soon the remake of Resident Evil 3) and Gears 5 on the Xbox Series X in the near future with the technical improvements in place.

Going back to the announcement of the specs, it has been declared at long last that the memory of Xbox Series X is set at 16 gigabytes using GDDR6 which is a more advanced RAM (random access memory). By comparison, my Xbox One has 8 gigabytes of DDR3 RAM and the Xbox One X has 12 gigabytes of GDDR5. Honestly, I was anticipating that Xbox Series X would come with 24 GB GDDR6. I’m not saying that I’m disappointed with the declared 16 GB GDDR6 and I will look forward as to how that memory of the new console will be beneficial for both gamers and game makers.

The internal storage declared was 1 terabyte NVME SSD. I’m surprised that just one terabyte will be used to launch the Xbox Series X. That’s because games as well as their respective patches, expansions and other digital stuff nowadays consume a lot of storage space. My current Xbox has only 500 GB storage and the Xbox One games alone in our household could not be fitted. This means uninstalling games and other digital pieces. I was hoping that at least 2 terabytes would be offered at launch. In fairness, Microsoft announced that the storage can be expanded with an Expansion Card (1 terabyte).

The way things are right now, I intend to buy the Xbox Series X not because the specs are impressive but also because of the very bright future of games coming. Microsoft in recent years acquired a whole lot of game studios to produce content for the Xbox and Windows platforms. Already a whole lot of new games are in the pipe line being produced gradually. Clear to say, Microsoft’s 1st party games lineup in the next generation will no longer be limited to the Halo, Forza Motorsport, Forza Horizon and Gears of War game franchises. At the same time, I am also excited for new games from 3rd party developers for this coming new console generation and soon we will find out how great their games will be on Xbox Series X.

Due to the coronavirus scare happening worldwide, we won’t see a new E3 this year and it is now up to the game publishers and Microsoft to come up with new ways to announce, emphasize and promote their next-generation games. I’d watch out for the upcoming Xbox digital event from Microsoft if I were you.

If you want to immerse yourselves with the very, very technical examinations of the Xbox Series X, I highly recommend you watch these embedded videos below.

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