Tag: Edwin Olivarez

Parañaque City drug den raided, suspects arrested

Parañaque City drug den raided, suspects arrested

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This past weekend in the City of Parañaque, law enforcers raided a drug den and arrested six suspects, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The same report stated that hundreds of thousands of pesos worth of illegal drugs were confiscated. Take note that in early May, the city’s mayor declared almost all of the barangays were drug-free.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…

Members of the Southern Police District (SPD) Drug Enforcement Unit raided a drug den in Parañaque City that led to the arrest of six suspects and confiscation of P408,000 worth of shabu on Sunday, May 22.

SPD Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg said the drug den maintainer was identified as Kaliman Midtimbang,31, who was tagged by the police as a high value individual (HVI). He was arrested together with five other suspects: Datupuwa Kanapia Datumantang, 32, also an HVI; Frederick Bautista, 23; Alfredo Cinco Montilla, 67; Sarah Jane Lumabao, 27; and Nadeen Junio Pedragoa, 25, all tagged as street level individuals (SLI).

Macaraeg said the suspects were arrested around 9:20 p.m. inside the drug den located along Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City.

He said members of the SPD-DEU first conducted a buy-bust operation against Midtimbang and the team immediately raided the drug den after a poseur buyer was able to buy shabu from the suspect.

The SPD chief said the raiding team also found Datumantang distributing plastic sachets of shabu to other suspects to be sold to prospective buyers.

Macaraeg said the SPD-DEU team was able to confiscate from the suspects 16 sachets containing about 60 grams of shabu worth P408,000, and the P500 buy-bust money.

He said the arrested suspects were brought to the SPD custodial facility and were charged in violation of Section 5, 6 and 11 under Art II of RA 9165.

The confiscated shabu was brought to the SPD Forecsic Laboratory for chemical analysis.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this latest news development? Do you believe Parañaque will remain a hot spot for illegal drugs no matter what the city government officials say? Do you expect serious changes in the local war against drugs will happen once the newly elected local officials take over?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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 with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

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

COVID-19 Crisis: Metro Manila mayors to recommend adjustment to Alert Level 1 status starting March 1, 2022

COVID-19 Crisis: Metro Manila mayors to recommend adjustment to Alert Level 1 status starting March 1, 2022

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Thanks to the Lord who listens to the prayers of the faithful, the daily count of new COVID-19 cases kept falling down nationwide for the past few weeks and there are signs of stronger economic activities along the way. It should be noted that more people from overseas arrived in the country.

With regards to Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR), the mayors of the many cities of the metropolis came to an agreement to recommend to the higher authorities the shift of control from the current Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 1 which should take effect on March 1, 2022, according to a GMA News report. Before the news broke out, Muntinlupa City mayor Jaime Fresnedi confirmed he voted for the shift to Alert Level 1.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA News report. Some parts in boldface…

Mayors in the National Capital Region (NCR) have agreed to recommend the de-escalation of the region to Alert Level 1 from Alert Level 2 starting March 1, 2022, the head of the Metro Manila Council said on Wednesday.

“Downgrade to Alert Level 1 starting March 1,” Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez told GMA News Online in a text message when asked about the recommendation of the council following their meeting Tuesday night.

Under Alert Level 1, intrazonal and interzonal travel shall be allowed without regard to age and comorbidities. All establishments, persons, or activities, are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full on-site or venue/seating capacity provided it is consistent with minimum public health standards.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB on Tuesday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) officer-in-charge and general manager Romando Artes said the local government units (LGUs) in the NCR are ready to shift to Alert Level 1.

Artes said the NCR has been successful in implementing COVID-19 response programs.

Also on Tuesday, independent monitoring group OCTA Research said the positivity rate in the NCR has decreased to 4.9%, lower than the recommended 5% of the World Health Organization.

According to OCTA, this is the first time the positivity rate in the NCR decreased to less than 5% since December 26, 2021 prior to the COVID-19 surge caused by the more transmissible Omicron variant.

Once it takes effect, Alert Level 1 will pave the way for businesses to operate better which will translate into new job openings that the unemployed badly need. Businesses that cater to customers with their physical presence involved should be allowed to serve them in higher numbers than before. It could also mean local cinemas should be allowed to allocated even more seats for moviegoers. Families should be allowed to bring their children to more places outside their homes as well. Churches should be allowed to accommodate even more people to worship the Lord on Sundays. Along the way, COVID-19 vaccination operations continue to happen and as of this writing, almost ten million people here in the Philippines have received their respective booster shots.

When it comes to the unvaccinated who remain restricted until now, Alert Level 1 means liberty for them.  In the city of Parañaque, unvaccinated people are still restricted because there is no lifting of restrictions within the city even under Alert Level 2. Parañaque is one of four local government units (LGUs) where the unvaccinated remained restricted under Alert Level 2 and they are the only city in South Metro Manila to be so.

While Alert Level 1 is liberating, I urge all the people in the Philippines reading this to keep following health protocols. If you are still unvaccinated, I encourage you to get vaccinated for your health, your safety and for the good of the country. From this point on, we will see how the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) will respond to the Metro Manila Council’s (MMC) recommendation. Literally, the ball is now in the IATF’s side of the court.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent news report? Do you believe that March 1, 2022 is the right time to start the implementation of Alert Level 1 all over Metro Manila? Do you believe that there are enough people who got vaccinated or boosted nationwide? Do you believe that the highly infectious Omicron variant is no longer a major problem?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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 with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.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

COVID-19 Crisis: Unvaccinated people are still restricted in Parañaque City under Alert Level 2

COVID-19 Crisis: Unvaccinated people are still restricted in Parañaque City under Alert Level 2

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People who remain unvaccinated are still restricted in Parañaque City, according to the news report by the Manila Bulletin. It seems that the recent shift of control of Metro Manila into Alert Level 2 does not matter to the said city.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

The Paranaque City government will continue to restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals despite the de-escalation of Metro Manila to Alert Level 2 quarantine status, Mayor Edwin Olivarez said on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

The mayor said unvaccinated individuals must always stay at home unless there is a need to buy essential goods and in need of medical services.

Olivarez said residents ages 18 years old and above are allowed to go out of their residences while the 17-year olds and below are only permitted outside if they are accompanied by fully vaccinated relatives.

(He) said for transportation, the city government allows tricycles to carry three passengers while buses and jeepneys are allowed to operate at 70% capacity.

The mayor said for businesses, the city government advised the establishments to apply for a safety seal so they can be allowed 10% additional operational and venue capacity.

As far as Manila Bulletin’s reporting above goes, things look really blunt in Parañaque City which itself is one of four cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) that have no automatic lifting of restrictions against unvaccinated in relation to the shift to Alert Level 2. This was confirmed by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairperson Benhur Abalos himself in a separate news report. Legally speaking, Parañaque’s restrictions on unvaccinated people (for references, click here and here) remain because the approved city ordinance allegedly has no automatic lifting clause (refer to the same GMA news report with Abalos involved).

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…

In a press conference, Abalos said the ordinances of Parañaque, Pasay, Quezon City, and Pateros have no automatic lifting clause for the restrictions against unvaccinated people.

“Four LGUs don’t have automatic lifting clause but three LGUs will be issuing a new executive order. These are Parañaque, Pasay, and Quezon City,” he said.

“Only Pateros will be left as they will still discuss the issue tomorrow,” he added.

The Metro Manila Council (MMC), composed of the 17 mayors in the region, earlier agreed to restrict the mobility of unvaccinated people in the NCR under the Alert Level 3. These LGUs issued their respective ordinances on the matter.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City and you are unvaccinated, do you feel betrayed by your current City Government? Are the local restrictions on unvaccinated persons and businesses affecting you personally and professionally? Do the current restrictions make you think twice about voting in the next local elections? Do you feel like reaching out to anti-vaccine fanatics and SJWs (social justice warriors) from around the country and overseas to come to Parañaque and organize massive protest rallies to compel the City Government to act?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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 with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.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

COVID-19 Crisis: Parañaque City issues new ordinance restricting the mobility of the unvaccinated

COVID-19 Crisis: Parañaque City issues new ordinance restricting the mobility of the unvaccinated

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The City Government of Parañaque made it official to restrict the mobility of the people of the city who remain unvaccinated for COVID-19 by means of issuing a city ordinance or local law in relation to the Alert Level 3 status of Metro Manila, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. How will this affect the welfare of the people and the local businesses will be seen in the near future.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…


Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez signed Ordinance No. 1, Series of 2022, that regulates the movement of unvaccinated individuals in the city and provides penalties while Metro Manila is under Alert Level 3 until Jan. 31.

Olivarez said the city government now bans the entry of unvaccinated individuals to malls, restaurants, and public transportation under the ordinance which was passed and approved by the City Council. He said that unvaccinated persons must remain in their residences at all times, except when absolutely necessary.

The City Health Office (CHO) recorded a significant increase in active cases following the recent holiday celebrations. From one active case last December 24, it has since spiked to 548 active cases last January 17.

Olivarez said that based on the ordinance, all COVID-19 cases, including asymptomatic, mild, probable, suspected cases, and close contacts are mandated to undergo quarantine at home or in the city’s isolation facilities if requirements for home quarantine are not met as certified by the CHO.

He said unvaccinated individuals are prohibited in indoor and outdoor/al fresco dining in restaurants or other food establishments located anywhere in the city.

“They (unvaccinated persons) are also prohibited from leisure or social trips to malls, hotels, event venues, sports and country clubs, and similar facilities,” Olivarez said.

Concerned local establishments were encouraged to display near the entrance to their establishments a copy of the ordinance.

The ordinance penalizes individual violators with a fine of P 1,000 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second, and P5,000 for the third and subsequent offenses.

The above article ended stating that if a violator is found resisting or trying to escape from apprehending authorities, an additional maximum penalty will be imposed.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City and you still have not been vaccinated for COVID-19, do you feel threatened or protected by this new ordinance that restricts the mobility of the unvaccinated? Do you believe that the new ordinance was composed to be fair and just? If you run a business there in Parañaque, what is the worst thing that could happen to your business under the new ordinance? If you are a voter in the city, how will this development affect your selection of candidates in the May 2022 local elections?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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 with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.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

COVID-19 Crisis: Parañaque City’s new executive order targets unvaccinated individuals as well as local businesses

COVID-19 Crisis: Parañaque City’s new executive order targets unvaccinated individuals as well as local businesses

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Individuals in Parañaque City who remain unvaccinated for COVID-19 will have to brace themselves for a more restrictive form of new normal living within the city as a new executive order was approved to regulate them as well as local businesses, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez signed an executive order on Tuesday (Jan. 4) regulating the movement of unvaccinated individuals in the city while the National Capital Region (NCR) is under Alert Level 3.

Olivarez, in his order, stated that unvaccinated individuals must stay at home at all times and can only go out to buy essential goods.

The police and barangays were also ordered to reprimand or issue citation tickets to individuals found violating the order.

He warned individuals as well as business establishment owners against using fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and certificates.

The mayor also asked the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) to conduct monitoring on all business establishments in the city to make sure that only vaccinated individuals are allowed to work on site and must show proof of vaccination certificate from the Department of Health (DOH) and vaccination ID from the local government.

The above report ended stating that business establishments are also prohibited from catering or allowing the entry of unvaccinated individuals into their premises.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City who still is unvaccinated, do you find the new executive order discriminating or excessive with regulating you? If you are managing a business in the city, do you think the local authorities will be fair when it comes to monitoring the individuals (both vaccinated and unvaccinated) entering your business location? Is the City Government doing the right thing? Will this new executive order make life worse in the city? Do you think that the new executive order will present the spread of Omicron, Delta and Lambda variants in the city at all?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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 with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.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

COVID-19 Crisis: ECQ in Metro Manila to be extended beyond August 20?

COVID-19 Crisis: ECQ in Metro Manila to be extended beyond August 20?

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The Manila Bulletin reported yesterday that Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos confirmed that he and the National Capital Region (NCR) mayors will meet very soon to talk about the possible extension of the ongoing enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) which itself was announced to last until August 20, 2021. Meanwhile, a GMA Network news report states that the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) expressed that a lockdown is not the remedy and that the reopening of the economy is necessary.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report regarding Abalos and the Metro Manila mayors. Some parts in boldface…

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos said he and the mayors of the National Capital Region (NCR) will discuss the possible extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period in the metropolis this coming week.

Abalos made this revelation in an interview over DZBB radio on Sunday, Aug. 15.

“Martes or Miyerkules mag-uusap po kami, marami kang babalansehin diyan (We will talk either Tuesday or Wednesday, you have to balance a lot of things there),” said Abalos, who is the concurrent chair of the Metro Manila Council (MMC).

He said the factors that need to be considered in such talks are the number of those who will have no work as a result of the possible ECQ extension, the hospitalization rate for coroanvirus disease (COVID-19) cases, and the number of vaccinated persons in Metro Manila.

“Kasi kung mag-i-ECQ ka, ayuda nanaman yan eh (Another round of ECQ means another round of cash aid),” he pointed out.

Abalos reiterated in the interview that the mayor-members of MMC have yet to come to an agreement on whether or not to extend the imposition of ECQ, contrary to a news report over the weekend.

“Hindi pa po nag-uusap tungkol doon, pag-uusapan pa lang po (We haven’t talked about that yet, but we will),” he noted.

The report quoted MMC chair, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez as saying that the local chief executives have agreed during a meeting to extend the ECQ up to Aug. 30. Abalos has denied this, saying that Olivarez was just misquoted.

In addition, Abalos and the Metro Manila mayors should be aware of the presence of the Lambda variant in the Philippines. For sure that will be discussed in their meeting.

Now, we focus on the economic side with this excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) on Saturday said reopening of the economy is necessary to prevent further economic damage and job losses, along with continued rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and adherence to health protocols.

“It’s time we learn that lockdown is not the remedy,” ECOP president Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said in a statement.

“Let’s compromise, we have to think that the economy is more important and we have to live with COVID-19,” he said.

Ortiz-Luis made the statement amid speculations of possible extension of the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila after August 20.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez earlier said that the possibility of extending the ECQ in Metro Manila for another three weeks is not yet on the table, and talks of a five-week ECQ are mere rumors and disinformation.

Citing government estimates, Ortiz-Luis said lockdowns cost the economy P150 billion a week, or P300 billion for the two-week ECQ.

Further, he pointed out that the estimated lockdown losses are on top of business closures that lead to unemployment.

“It would have been much productive and useful to channel even a fifth of these losses to strengthen our healthcare system to address the cases and for prevention measures,” the ECOP chief said.

Ortiz-Luis, likewise, noted that the number of deaths related to the coronavirus is small compared to those who die due to other diseases, and even suicide and hunger.

He said there is thus a need to intensify monitoring of severe cases as a large majority of COVID-19 infections are asymptomatic.

“Let us not be fixated on the numbers. Instead, let us intensify and fast-track our vaccination.

“Let us not forget practicing health protocols and comply with quarantine classifications. Continue adding hospital rooms, facilities, COVID-19 centers…,” he said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you think that the MMDA and the Metro Manila mayors will recommend an extension of the ECQ knowing that such a move will require another round of releasing cash aid/ayuda? Do you think the ECOP is correct with the economic damage estimates of P150 billion per week of lockdown?

Within your city of residence, are you satisfied with the way that your local government and its partners are organizing the registration, set-ups and COVID-19 vaccination operations?

Did you hear the recent news about a fully vaccinated patient (two doses in Mandaluyong City) who somehow got a third shot of COVID-19 vaccine in another city?

Still within your city, how many people do you personally know lost their jobs because of the most recent ECQ? Are there any business owners you know who had no choice but to scale down operations or shut down entirely all because of the ECQ?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

COVID-19 Crisis: Metro Manila mayors approve resolution prohibiting outdoor exercise during ECQ

COVID-19 Crisis: Metro Manila mayors approve resolution prohibiting outdoor exercise during ECQ

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Are you conscious about your health and you constantly need to exercise to meet your personal fitness goals? If you are residing here in Metro Manila, you will be screwed because the Metro Manila Council (MCC) composed of many mayors with Parañaque mayor Edwin Olivarez as the chairman approved a resolution prohibiting residents from going out of their homes for exercise in relation to the current enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Take note that lesser outdoor space to exercise means lesser opportunities to keep yourselves healthy and boosting your immune system (this we all need so badly in this COVID-19 pandemic apart from the vaccines).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Metro Manila Council (MMC) Chairman and Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the mayors of the National Capital Region (NCR) are ready to implement the ban on exercising outside residences during the two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

Olivarez said Metro mayors agreed and passed a resolution prohibiting residents from going out of their homes to exercise until August 20.

“Ipinagbabawal po natin ang exercise, ang walking. Dahil po sa Delta variant, talagang hard lockdown po talaga. Ganon ang naging usapan talaga dahil nagkakaroon po kasi ng gathering kapag nageexercise. (We prohibit exercise and walking. Because of the Delta variant, it’s really a hard lockdown. That’s what we talked about because there’s a gathering when people exercise), the mayor said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo.

“Kung hindi po talaga essential yung paglabas mo talaga, hindi po talaga papayagan talaga (If it is not really essential, it really won’t be allowed),” he added.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Daily Inquirer made its own report of the same issue except their source is Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos (who recently visited Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Parañaque for inspection of local vaccination operations). Watch this Inquirer news video clip…

Let me ask you readers: What do you think about the latest news? Do you believe that the Metro Manila mayors carefully analyzed the health-related science, the situations in their respective cities and the COVID-19 data before deciding on a resolution prohibiting outdoor exercise? Do you believe the Metro Manila mayors consulted with doctors and scientists about outdoor exercise being a COVID-19 risk?

Do you agree with mayor Olivarez’s claim about people gathering when they exercise? How far should local government leaders go with their authority over their constituents over the topic of outdoor exercise? If you are a resident of Parañaque City, do you believe that the local vaccination organizers are doing a good job with the registration, contacting registrants and handling all the people who lined up at local vaccination sites?

Could the Metro Manila mayors be more concerned about the next national and local elections of May 2022 than public health and COVID-19? If ever MMDA chairman Abalos runs for a national position in 2022 like, let’s say for Senator, would you vote for him?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

In concluding this, I want you readers to pay close attention to what I’m posting here…

No matter what the other news outlets report about the prohibition on outdoor exercise within Metro Manila and no matter the public officials do, we must never lose faith in the Lord high above us all. It is to Him we should look up to and pray to Him for continued protection and lifting us up. We also need to pray to Him to enlighten all the public officials in office so that they may see the light. Always remember that Lord Jesus is the true savior of all. Posted below is a holy scripture for you all…

When you abide under the shadow of Shaddai,

    you are hidden in the strength of God Most High.

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.

His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.

    You can run under his covering of majesty and hide.

    His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.

You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night

    nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you.

Don’t fear a thing!

    Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you,

    nor will the powers of evil be launched against you.

Even in a time of disaster, with thousands and thousands being killed,

    you will remain unscathed and unharmed.

You will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment,

    for they will be paid back for what they have done!

Psalm 91:1-10 (TPT)

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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

COVID-19 Crisis: 40 million doses of Pfizer vaccine coming to the Philippines

COVID-19 Crisis: 40 million doses of Pfizer vaccine coming to the Philippines

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As the nationwide count of COVID-19 vaccine jabs surpassed 8,000,000, a staggering supply of 40,000,000 vaccine doses from Pfizer will come into the country within this year. This is the result of a signed agreement between Pfizer and National Task Force against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. according to an article published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) yesterday.

To put things into perspective, posted below is an excerpt from PNA’s article. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippine government has made the biggest vaccine procurement for 2021 with the signing of a supply agreement for 40 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.

This was announced by the National Task Force against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Sunday.

“We are very happy to report that the government and the management of Pfizer have finally concluded our negotiations. (Health) Secretary (Francisco) Duque and I signed yesterday (Saturday) the supply agreement for the biggest and most decisive deal we had for 2021,” Galvez said.

“I would like to thank my colleagues from the Philippine vaccine negotiating team from the Department of Finance and our multilateral partner for tirelessly working to secure these much-needed shots that will benefit 20 million Filipinos,” he added

The vaccine czar said the deliveries of 40 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will begin “after eight weeks starting August”, to be delivered in bulk.

“The vaccine demand has begun to ease up for many big and rich countries, as most of them have already acquired more than enough vaccines for their population and have vaccinated many of their citizens. This has allowed the manufacturer to commit to us that deliveries, though still to be made in tranches, will be in bulk,” he pointed out.

The procurement of the 40 million vaccine doses will be financed through a multilateral arrangement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Galvez explained that loan funds from multilateral partners such as the ADB follows a direct disbursement scheme wherein payments are paid directly by the fund manager to the vaccine manufacturer.

“Through this scheme, the Filipino people can be assured that our transactions on vaccine procurement will be transparent, as the funds will not pass through the hands of any government official or agency,” he emphasized.

With the latest supply agreement, the Philippines has now secured the delivery of 113 million doses from five manufacturers namely, Sinovac with 26 million doses, Sputnik V with 10 million doses, 20 million doses from Moderna, 17 million doses from AstraZeneca, and 40 million doses from Pfizer.

The COVAX Facility has also committed to deliver a total of 44 million doses this year, bringing to 157 million doses the total number of doses secured by the Philippines.

Mathematically and theoretically, 40 million Pfizer doses can be used to vaccinate 20 million first-timers and provide for each and every one of them the 2nd dose. How exactly will those future vaccines from Pfizer will be distributed to the local citizens has yet to be determined as of this writing.

It should be noted that recently, the City Government of Muntinlupa announced a reduction of capacity for vaccinating patients per site due to tight supply of vaccines. Over in the City of Las Piñas, an incentive program designed to encourage locals to get vaccinated was launched and in recent times the number of citizens vaccinated grew tremendously. Ultimately the supply of COVID-19 vaccines for the Philippines remains a sensitive issue.

This is not the first time Pfizer vaccines became available here in the Philippines. Take a look back at the Pfizer launch in Parañaque City.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0IzPpzNfB4

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Does the newly signed agreement of securing 40 million vaccines from Pfizer encourage you to get registered and join the line to get vaccinated? Are you very choosy when it comes to the different brands of vaccines? Why?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

Parañaque City Mayor Gus Tambunting?

Parañaque City Mayor Gus Tambunting?

carlocarrasco

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?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

COVID-19 Crisis: Long lines and a lot of people during the Pfizer vaccine launch in Parañaque City

COVID-19 Crisis: Long lines and a lot of people during the Pfizer vaccine launch in Parañaque City

carlocarrasco

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.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=q0IzPpzNfB4

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?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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