Truancy – the action of staying away from school without good reason – went up again in Japan as confirmed by a government survey, according to a news article by Nippon.com. This problem has been going on for more than a decade now and it should spark discussions about what it would take to keep more students attend their classes with the future in mind.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Nippon.com article. Some parts in boldface…
Ongoing Rise in Nonattendance – A survey on problematic behavior and nonattendance of schoolchildren by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology found that a record 353,970 students refused to attend school for 30 days or more during the 2024 school year. This was an increase of 7,488, or 2.2%, from the previous year and marked the twelfth consecutive annual rise. Compared to a decade earlier, nonattendance has risen 5.5-fold for elementary school students and 2.2-fold for junior high school students.
Looking at nonattendance by education level, there were 137,704 elementary school students (up 5.6% from the previous year) and 216,266 junior high school students (up 0.1%), which accounted for 3.9% of enrolled students.
The most common causes schools found for nonattendance were “lack of motivation,” at 30.1%, followed by “breakdown in routines” (25.0%), “anxiety or depression” (24.3%), “poor academic performance and regular failure to submit homework” (15.6%), and “friendship issues other than bullying” (13.2%).
The disruption to routines during the COVID-19 pandemic is thought to have lowered the barrier to nonattendance, while parents and guardians have also become more open to it as a necessary form of recuperation.
This development reminds me of a particular quote by the late Ray Walston as teacher Mr. Hand in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The words were as follows:
What is this fascination with truancy? What is it that gets inside your heads? There are some teachers in this school who look the other way at truants. It’s a little game that you both play. They pretend they don’t see you. You pretend you don’t ditch! Now, who pays the price later? You!
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Is truancy/absenteeism a huge problem in your local community or in your city right now? If you are a parent who plans to migrate to Japan soon, do you intend to have your child enrolled in schools there? Do you think the long-term trend of absenteeism in Japan will be reversed in the near future?
The uncertainty about this year’s economic growth for the Philippines has gotten stronger as the Department of Finance (DOF) admitted that achieving 6% growth is quite difficult, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The DOF pointed to external shocks that are affecting the national economy.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
While the Philippine economy has already been recovering from its deep recession during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, hitting its growth potential of six percent would be challenging given the global uncertainties spilling over domestically, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).
“We do think that the potential of the Philippines is at the minimum six-percent growth. But of course, it’s quite difficult, especially knowing some of the challenges that we’re seeing,” DOF Undersecretary and Chief Economist Domini Velasquez told reporters during the Philippine thrift banks’ annual convention on Tuesday, July 15.
Just before the initial three-month pause on reciprocal tariffs ended on July 9, United States (US) President Donald Trump had stretched it to Aug. 1, but hiked the rates for Philippine exports to 20 percent from 17 percent previously, repeatedly citing the “significant and persistent trade deficit” that the trade giant has with its former colony.
Velasquez noted that the tariff hike was among the uncertainties that the Cabinet-level Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) had considered in downscaling its growth target for the year, through 2028.
Last month, the economic team slashed its 2025 GDP growth target to between 5.5 percent and 6.5 percent from six- to 6.5-percent previously. Cited as factors were heightened external uncertainties, especially the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and the imposition of US tariffs.
Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto told reporters during an informal press chat on Wednesday, July 16, that he expects the economy to accelerate “significantly” in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter.
“In effect, the target is still six percent for the year,” Recto noted, taking off from the recently revised growth goal. “Realistically, it’s probably around 5.7 percent or 5.8 percent for the year. It depends, because there’s a lot of uncertainty—uncertainty with trade policy.”
“But I think the second quarter will definitely be better than the first,” Recto said, noting that the improvement will be driven by both government and household consumption.
The DBCC had also narrowed the growth target range for 2026 to 2028 to six to seven percent, from the previously more ambitious six to eight percent.
“We did recognize those [tariffs]. When we dialed down on our growth target in 2025, it’s really because of the external factors that we were seeing,” Velasquez said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the national economy is not strong enough to achieve 6% GDP growth by the end of this year? What do you think the national government should do to strengthen economic growth and make the Philippines more attractive to foreign investors? Do you think the Philippines still has a chance to convince America to lower its planned tariff on Philippine-made goods?
Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!
When it comes to watching movies – both old and new – the best place for me is still the movie theater. The very large screen, high-tech sound systems and comfortable seats of the cinema all make the theater viewing experience very immersive which streaming apps and the home theater setup could never match. The cinema experience is always better than streaming.
That being said, it is disappointing for me – as a resident of Muntinlupa City here in the Philippines – that local theaters in Alabang had to close down. The original cinemas of Festival Mall, which first opened in 1998 and grew from six to ten screens, are no more. Before they were all closed down, those cinemas had deteriorated over time and I still remember how bad the projection in one of their premium cinemas was when I saw Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013. It was like I was watching a VHS copy of the movie on their screen. It was that bad!
This year, the 4-screen cinemas of Commercenter in Filinvest City had closed down (refer to my past blog posts by clicking here and here) and it is very unfortunate not just for me but also for others who enjoyed watching movies at that mall. In my experience, Commercenter was my favorite local place to watch movies at and the cinema operators were consistent with maintaining each screen, the comfortable chairs and the sound systems. At the same time, it was pretty convenient for me to park the car in the basement parking (really spacious), climb up to the cinemas at the 2nd floor (ticket counter and snacks counter were beside each other), enjoy a movie, and visit a local store or a restaurant within the mall after leaving the cinema.
With the closure of Festival Mall’s original cinemas and Commercenter cinemas, that is a combined loss of ten screens along with the many seats and equipment combined. Along the way, many people who worked directly in those lost cinemas either became unemployed or got re-assigned to a new task within the local establishment. Sadly, not too many people here in the Philippines are talking about the jobs lost with the closure of cinemas.
Cinemas of Commercenter have been closed down since March 15, 2025.
This brings me to my next point – BusinessWorld published an article exploring the current struggle of Philippine cinemas in what is now the post-pandemic era. For the newcomers reading this, the Philippines economy has been growing strongly year-by-year after the COVID-19 period ended but the nation’s cinema industry is still struggling in terms of sales and attracting paying customers. The Filipinos’ love for streaming is huge factor but there are also other reasons why not enough moviegoers are supporting cinemas.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld article. Some parts in boldface…
KAREN LUSTAÑAS, 30, tries to watch a movie in the Philippine capital at least once a month, if the budget allows it.
“I try to save time and money for films that I really want to see,” she told BusinessWorld in a Facebook Messenger chat. “I can barely afford it, but if I’m a fan of the director or actors, I really have to watch it.”
“Otherwise, I’ll just watch it on a streaming platform,” she added.
As good as the movie industry is in imagining alternate realities, it didn’t see this one coming. Five years after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) decimated the box office here and all over the world, movies are still struggling to come back.
Philippine gross movie ticket sales fell 3.7% year on year to $45.5 million (P2.5 billion) last year, a far cry from the $144.5 million posted in 2019, before the pandemic hit, according to US-based box office revenue tracker Box Office Mojo. In 2020, gross sales plunged 95% to $7.7 million.
Global cinema ticket sales fell 8.8% last year to €28 billion (P1.8 trillion) from 2023, the first annual drop since COVID-19, the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) said last month.
Regular movie ticket prices cost P300 to P400 in Metro Manila, or about half the daily minimum wage. On the other hand, the basic monthly subscription to streaming platforms like Netflix, Max (HBO) and Disney+ costs P150 to P250, and the titles are virtually endless.
“If you think about it, it’s really worth it and more practical to go with Netflix,” Ms. Lustañas, a freelancer, said.
The annual Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) grossed P800 million last year, hitting the target but failing to top 2023’s record P1 billion despite a week-long extension.
The pandemic forced people to watch movies at home, aiding streaming services like Netflix, whose revenue grew 14% annually to more than $39 billion last year from 2019, according to computations by BusinessWorld using data from the company’s website. Netflix subscribers also doubled to about 300 million over the five-year period.
Since 2020, local box office hits have been few and far between. The latest was Star Cinema’s My Love Will Make You Disappear starring Kim Chiu and Paulo Avelino, grossing P12 million on its opening day in March.
“Today, going to the cinema is a more intentional experience, rooted not just in the movie being shown but in the overall ambiance that brings the film to life,” Hamm E. Katipunan, Ayala Malls’ Asset Management head, said in an e-mailed reply to questions.
“It’s not just about waiting for blockbusters to hit streaming sites; Filipinos appreciate the good feeling of watching movies that are truly worth experiencing on the big screen,” he added.
While cinemas run by Ayala Malls, SM Supermalls and other mall chains have diversified their offerings, a pattern has emerged in the top-grossing Filipino films that have drawn people to cinemas.
GMA Pictures and Star Cinema’s co-production Hello, Love, Again starring Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo set the record for the highest opening day gross for a local film with P85 million in November, surpassing the P75-million gross from The Super Parental Guardians in 2016.
‘FORMULAIC STORIES’ – It shows that Filipinos watch a movie mainly because of its main cast, Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) Chairman Jose Javier Reyes told a news briefing in March, citing a council-funded study involving 800 respondents.
“They can’t afford to go regularly to the movies anymore,” he said. “The biggest blow is that people don’t repeat screenings. They just wait for it to go on streaming platforms.”
The study, done in 2024 in collaboration with De La Salle University to explore the evolving habits, preferences and challenges shaping the local film industry, found that Filipinos from the A, B, and a small part of the C socioeconomic classes regularly watch movies.
The study, which will be released in July as part of the launch of FDCP’s Philippine Film Industry Roadmap, also found that streaming services have become the primary platform for 67% of Filipinos.
Only 21% still frequent cinemas, with many complaining about repetitive movie themes and high ticket prices.
Though stars are still the main movie drawer, the study also found that Filipinos are “sick of formulaic stories,” Mr. Reyes said. He added that the roadmap, mandated by the government, would shed light on how to better support the industry.
In October last year, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. placed the Film Academy of the Philippines under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to boost Filipino film development.
Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque earlier said the budget for the film industry would increase next year as part of the roadmap. She noted that other countries have been using movies and the creative industry to boost tourism and trade.
Mr. Reyes said movie outfits should improve the quality of their films to boost their success overseas. “In the Philippines, star power is important, but the moment you cross borders, there’s a market for people who are more interested in the material itself,” he pointed out.
Rico V. Gonzales, head of distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines, said the company supports the local industry by distributing two to three Filipino movies yearly, along with the usual foreign releases from Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures.
“It’s part of the goodwill of the company to help local producers who don’t have a distribution arm, compared with the likes of Star Cinema and GMA Pictures, which have the power to do it themselves,” he said.
The current state of the cinema industry of the Philippines is disappointing and the future looks uncertain as of this writing. While a lot of my fellow Filipinos chose streaming to watch movies in the comfort of their home, I prefer watching movies on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray disc format. The most phenomenal 4K Blu-ray experiences I had was Top Gun: Maverick and that movie never failed to amaze me each time I saw it using my 4K Blu-ray disc player. I also enjoyed watching my 4K Blu-ray copies of Casablanca, Interstellar, Total Recall (1990), and Star Trek: First Contact.
Going back to the state of cinema here in the Philippines, I did not watch a single movie in the cinema in 2024. In fact, the last time I saw a movie on the big screen locally was Sound of Freedom in 2023 (read my review by clicking here). This is because the new movies that were released in 2024 did not interest me at all and the fact that a lot of new Hollywood movies had woke garbage in them turned me off. Not only that, there were times when news movies from overseas were not even released in Philippine cinemas at all such as Jesus Revolution (note: I had to buy the movie on Blu-ray just to watch it).
I saw The Batman at Commercenter’s cinema on March 2022.
As of this writing, the direction of the entire cinema industry of the Philippines remains uncertain and so far there were no real breakthroughs that happened. That being said, I still remember when in 2015, there were long lines of moviegoers at Commercenter waiting to enter the cinemas to watch Jurassic World. Such a memory won’t be repeated here in Alabang and without its cinemas, Commercenter’s value as a place for fun has gone way down.
In relation to a recent viral video of a foreign national who caused some trouble locally, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) reminded foreigners present in the Philippine to behave and respect the nation’s laws and locals, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday reminded anew foreigners visiting the country to respect Filipinos and the country’s laws.
This came following a viral video of a Russian vlogger allegedly harassing people at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.
“Foreign visitors are expected to be in good behavior during their stay in the Philippines. We are a very hospitable country, and have the nicest, kindest people,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
“Hence, visitors are expected to reciprocate this and follow laws during their stay here,” she added.
In a post on X, content creator Vitaly Zdorovetskiy was seen threatening to rob a woman passing by the area who refused his offer of money in exchange for appearing in his vlog.
The foreigner went on berating the woman who was wearing a face mask, saying she might have Covid-19 and that she should get vaccinated.
In another incident, a mall security guard flagged Zdorovetskiy and told him to stop recording inside the establishment. He then grabbed the guard’s hat and refused to return it. He was also seen mocking the security guard.
For more insight about the Russian content creator, posted below are YouTube videos about his past and what he did here in the Philippines. He has been arrested.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Did you witness any foreigners misbehaving or harassing locals recently? Are you concerned that more troublesome content creators or IRL streamers from overseas will come into the country and become problematic?
For those of you who have been missing out on developments here in Alabang, Commercenter officially closed down their cinemas (4 screens) on March 15, 2025 fulfilling their announcement (click here and here) They did, however, announce that something new will materialize but there are no details as to what that might be.
During one of my recent visits at the high-end shopping mall in Filinvest City, I noticed that the 2nd floor path leading to what used to be the cinemas was sealed shut which you can see in the video below.
For the newcomers reading this, Commercenter’s cinemas operated for a little over ten years starting in the 2nd half of 2014. The cinemas had 4 screens and each screen had a sitting capacity of over 100 seats. Outside of the screens, the ticket desk and the concessionaire were right beside each other. Having seen a lot of movies at Commercenter, I can say that watching films inside the cinemas was often comfortable, convenient and pleasant.
As many of us know, the COVID-19 pandemic really hit the cinemas industry of the nation very hard as other types of businesses also went down. The nationwide shutdown of movie theaters caused by government pandemic restrictions really hurt not only the cinema operators but also their employees. When the restrictions were eased, cinemas around the country gradually reopened and for a time moviegoers had to wear face masks when watching movies. When I saw The Batman in Commercenter in March 2022, me and others had to wear face masks because they were required.
A post-pandemic economic recovery happened here in the Philippines but it looks like the cinemas industry has yet to achieve the pre-pandemic numbers of moviegoers. That being said, I can only speculate that the rise of ticket prices, the preference of locals to watch new movies by streaming, and the rise of varied operating expenses probably contributed to the closure of cinemas not only in Commercenter but also those in Festival Mall.
With regards to inflation, the rise of ticket prices at Commercenter during the post-pandemic persion were noticeable. I paid P320 for The Batman in March 2022 and P380 for Sound of Freedom in September 2023 at Commercenter. Before the mall closed down its cinemas, foreign movie tickets were being sold at P400 each. Clearly, there were unfavorable economic forces that happened.
Without the cinemas, Commercenter lost entertainment value. I remember back in 2015 when a lot of people formed long lines to watch Jurassic World which also explained why the mall’s basement parking almost reached full capacity. There were also busy weekends for blockbusters films like Wonder Woman, Avengers: Endgame, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Mad Max: Fury Road and others right there.
Before the closure of the cinemas happened, this movie poster of the 2025 Superman movie (directed by James Gunn) was displayed inside Commercenter. The film is set to open in cinemas worldwide this July and Commercenter’s cinemas have been closed since March 15. The display of this movie poster is pointless now.
Before the pandemic struck, Commercenter was a fun place for moviegoers and I personally know friends based outside of Muntinlupa City who came to the said mall for movies. That means Commercenter really had a unique attraction that made it competitive with Alabang Town Center and Festival Mall when it comes to attracting people who love movies. At the same time, the mall has nice places where visitors can have meals or coffee after watching a film.
Of course, the cinemas of Commercenter are no more and we can only remember the old days of fun-filled moviegoing at its cinemas through pictures, social media posts and collected movie tickets.
In my honest opinion, watching movies in Alabang will never be the same.
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
Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, the city health office stated that there are no cases of the new variants of COVID-19, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City Health Office said there are no cases of the new variants of Covid-19 in the city amid the start of screening for arrivals at the country’s points of entry.
Dr. Juancho Bunyi, CHO head, said as of May 28, there are only four active Covid-19 cases with mild and moderate symptoms in the city confined at the city-run Ospital ng Muntinlupa in Alabang.
“No new variants reported as per DOH [Department of Health],” said Bunyi.
The country’s Bureau of Quarantine ordered the screening at points of entry on all arrivals from countries where Covid-19 FLiRT cases have been reported.
The DOH said based on the update by the World Health Organization (WHO), the three new variants of Covid-19 being monitored are JN.1.18, KP.2 and KP.3, which are “descendants of JN.1.”
It said KP.2 and KP.3 are known as the “FLiRT” variants, “a nickname coined by some researchers to describe amino acid changes in the COVID-19 virus’ spike protein, specifically from phenylalanine (F) to leucine (L) at position 456, and from arginine (R) to threonine (T) at position 346.”
WHO observed that “there are currently no reported laboratory or epidemiological reports indicating any association between VOIs/VUMs and increased disease severity.”
In the Philippines, the DOH reported that from May 7 to 13, a total of 877 new Covid-19 cases were recorded with an average of 125 reported cases per day.
It said that while there is an increase of Covid-19 cases in the country recently, it is small and lower compared to previous observed increases.
Of the 877, seven had severe or critical disease and five people died, which occurred from April 30 to May 13.
“All Philippine regions remain to be at low risk for COVID-19. There is no scientific basis for travel restrictions to any country because of an increase in COVID-19 cases. The Department remains to be in close coordination with international health authorities, and its Bureau of Quarantine is keeping watch over points of entry nationwide. The voluntary use of face masks should be done properly, along with standard precautions like hand washing, avoiding crowds, and choosing good airflow,” the DOH said.
As of May 12, only 11 percent (119/1,117) of dedicated Covid-19 ICU (intensive care unit) beds were occupied and only 13 percent (1,238/9,571) of dedicated Covid-19 non-ICU beds were occupied, the DOH added.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you concerned FLiRT variants of COVID-19 could be detected in the city soon?
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
More patients around the country can avail of the bivalent vaccines for COVID-19 as a result of the Department of Health’s (DOH) revision of its guidelines, according to a Manila Times news report. This developed as less than 50% of the initial batch of bivalent vaccines have been used on patients limited to health care workers and senior citizens.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Times report. Some parts in boldface…
THE general population can now be administered with Covid-19 bivalent vaccine after the Department of Health (DoH) issued revised guidelines on the updated jab.
A bivalent vaccine protects against both the original virus that causes Covid-19 and the Omicron variants.
In a memorandum dated July 10 but was released to the public only this week, the DoH said those under the A3 group, meaning persons with comorbidities and compromised immunity, can now receive the Pfizer bivalent vaccine in hospitals and health facilities nationwide.
Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa added that the general public can also avail of bivalent vaccine, noting their decision stemmed from the slow consumption of the updated jab among the A1 (health care workers) and A2 (senior citizen) subgroups. He said only 38 percent of the 391,000 donated doses allotted for these groups were used.
“Because of that, we have decided to make it available to those who want to get vaccinated with the booster. We only decided on this last week as the uptake was slow,” Herbosa said in Filipino and English in a radio interview.
The government’s stock of donated bivalent vaccines are set to expire on July 31, with an extension date of August 30.
Herbosa said a person can only receive a bivalent vaccine four to six months after getting the second booster dose.
He added that the government is negotiating with the global Covax Facility for additional bivalent vaccine doses.
Pfizer, Herbosa said, has issued a certificate of product registration that would make the vaccine available in drugstores across the country, but the lack of local cold chain storage proves to be a hindrance.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Are there many people in your local community who have been wanting to get immunized with the bivalent vaccines?
Recently in the progressive City of Muntinlupa, over three thousand qualified patients availed of the bivalent vaccines for COVID-19 as of July 28, 2023, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government has administered the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine to 3,026 people while its number of active cases totaled two.
Data from the city government showed that as of July 28, there were 2,139 people who received the Pfizer bivalent vaccine under the A1 category or healthcare workers and overseas Filipino workers who will be deployed within the next four months.
In addition, 866 senior citizens under the A2 category were administered the vaccine while 21 under A3 (adults with comorbidities and pregnant women) received it.
Eligible people can get the third booster dose at least four months after getting their second booster shot.
On the other hand, Muntinlupa’s active Covid-19 cases totaled two as of July 31, an increase of one case from the July 24 tally.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this development? If you are a qualified patient, do you intend to avail of the bivalent vaccine shot for COVID-19? Do you consider COVID-19 a serious problem locally?
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
Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the City Government officially launched the administering of bivalent vaccines for COVID-19 specifically starting with the health workers, the senior citizens and other qualified patients, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. As of this writing, there are three sites in the city where qualified patients can visit to avail of the bivalent vaccines.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas City government has started administering bivalent vaccines against Covid-19 to health workers and senior citizens in the city on Wednesday, July 26.
Mayor Imelda Aguilar said, based on the advisory of the City Health Office (CHO), that all frontline health workers including their immediate family members aged 18 years-old and above can now receive the bivalent vaccine.
Aguilar said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) bound for deployment within the next four months, along with senior citizens can also avail of the vaccine.
Individuals belonging to these groups can get vaccinated in any of the three vaccination sites designated by the city government — Robinsons Mall, SM Center, and Villages Square.
The above article ended stating that the administering of bivalent vaccines (for the 3rd booster shot) is scheduled from 8AM to 4PM.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, what is your reaction to this new development? If you are interested to avail of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, have you checked already if you are qualified? Do you think bivalent vaccines are still needed as COVID-19 infections have been minimal in recent times? Have you kept all your COVID-19 records?
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
In case you missed the biggest update related to COVID-19 in the Philippines, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., officially lifted the state of public health emergency related to novel coronavirus, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. Take note that the said state of emergency pertaining to public health had lasted more than three years and the nation has clearly recovered from the negative effects of the pandemic. Many millions of Filipinos got vaccinated for COVID-19 while a growing number of businesses have been reporting the best financial results since the pre-pandemic age.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has formally lifted the state of public health emergency declared due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Malacañang announced on Saturday.
Marcos on Friday issued Proclamation 297, lifting the nationwide declaration of a public health emergency due to Covid-19, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a statement.
“All prior orders, memoranda, and issuances that are effective only during the State of Public Health Emergency shall be deemed withdrawn, revoked or canceled and shall no longer be in effect,” according to the proclamation.
Under Proclamation 297, all government agencies are enjoined to ensure that their policies, rules, and regulations will take into consideration the lifting of the state of public health emergency.
Government agencies are also instructed to amend existing or promulgate new issuances, as may be appropriate.
Garafil said all emergency use authorization (EUA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under Executive Order (EO) 121 issued in 2020 would remain valid for one year from the date of issuance of Proclamation 297 “for the sole purposes of exhausting the remaining vaccines.”
EO 131 authorizes the FDA to issue EUAs for Covid-19 vaccines, which shall be valid only within the duration of the declared public health emergency.
“The proclamation also states that although Covid-19 remains to be a serious concern for certain subpopulation and requires continued public health response, the country has maintained sufficient health care system capacity and low hospital bed utilization rates even after the liberalization of Covid-19 health protocols,” Garafil said.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 922 on March 8, 2020, declaring a state of public health emergency after the first Covid-19 transmission reported by the Department of Health (DOH).
On May 4 this year, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) noted the decreasing trend in Covid-related deaths, the decline in hospitalizations and intensive care unit admission, and the high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2).
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on May 5 concurred with the committee’s advice and determined that Covid-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. Ghebreyesus advised the transition to long-term management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In May, Marcos said the country is already “on normal footing” after the WHO lifted the global state of public health emergency.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think the lifting of the COVID-19 state of public health emergency will impact local societies around the country?
Author Carlo Carrasco 