Tag: news

Muntinlupa City Government pledges P20-M financial aid to Visayas, Mindanao towns hit by Typhoon Odette

Muntinlupa City Government pledges P20-M financial aid to Visayas, Mindanao towns hit by Typhoon Odette

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In the spirit of “bayanihan” and solidarity, the City Government of Muntinlupa announced that it will be donating P20 million financial assistance to typhoon-stricken towns in Visayas and Mindanao.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi announced the city’s pledge of financial aid during Muntinlupa’s 104th Founding Anniversary on December 20 to towns and municipalities that were affected by Typhoon Odette (International Name: Rai).

“Ako po ay nagpapasalamat sa Sangguniang Panlungsod dahil kanina ay pinagtibay nila ang pagbibigay ng ating lungsod ng tulong sa mga naapektuhan ng Bagyong Odette. Naglaan ang ating lungsod ng halagang 20 million pesos,” Fresnedi said.

The Muntinlupa City Council has passed an ordinance authorizing the grant of financial assistance amounting to P20 million to at least 30 local government units devastated by Typhoon Odette in Visayas, Mindanao and Palawan.

P1 million each shall be granted to Dinagat Island and Siargao. While the remaining 28 LGUs to be determined by the Office of the Vice President (18 LGUs) and by the City Government of Muntinlupa (10 LGUs) shall be granted at least P500,000.

The funding shall come from the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund which is a 5 % mandatory appropriation in the annual budget for providing financial assistance, among others, to other LGUs hit by various calamities.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Monday that it has confirmed 9 deaths and 2 injuries after Typhoon Odette battered the country. While, undergoing validation are reports of 49 deaths, 199 injured, and 18 missing.

NDRRMC estimates an initial P343 million worth of damages to infrastructure and agriculture across Visayas and Mindanao.

At least 54,783 houses were either totally or partially destroyed, 41 road sections and four bridge sections collapsed, along with four airports and 118 seaports were damaged while 5,391.77 hectares of crops, and many livestock and poultry areas were completely wiped out in the affected regions.

More than 249,000 persons have been displaced, staying in evacuation centers or other houses, according to a report of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council last December 19.

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The above information was sourced from an official press release. Some parts were changed for this website.

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@twitter.com 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: Gamaleya Center’s preliminary study shows Sputnik vaccines are effective against Omicron variant

COVID-19 Crisis: Gamaleya Center’s preliminary study shows Sputnik vaccines are effective against Omicron variant

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Have you been inoculated with the vaccine of Sputnik V or Sputnik Light before? In case you missed the news, the people behind the Russian vaccines made some profound announcements in relation to the Omicron variant which continues to infect a lot of people in many parts of the world (note: a 3rd Omicron case has just been confirmed here in the Philippines). Also revealed were comparisons with other brands of COVID-19 vaccines.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the first of two excerpts from the official press release published on the Sputnik Vaccine website. Some parts in boldface…

Moscow, December 17, 2021 – A preliminary laboratory study conducted by the Gamaleya Center has demonstrated that the Sputnik V vaccine and the one-shot Sputnik Light booster (based on human adenovirus serotype 26, the first component of Sputnik V) are effective against Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant of COVID, providing for better protection when compared to other vaccines.

Heterologous boosting with Sputnik Light is the solution to increase other vaccines’ efficacy, including against Omicron, and extend the booster protection period.

Sputnik Light as a booster significantly increases virus neutralizing activity against Omicron based on sera 2-3 months after revaccination and is a universal booster to other vaccines inducing stronger antibody and T-cell response.

Efficacy of mRNA vaccines has proven to be waning, demonstrated by a number of scientific publications. A Swedish study in The Lancet journal [4] has shown that Pfizer vaccine’s efficacy against Delta is falling to 47% after 4 months, to 29% after 6 months and to 23% after 7 months. The recent study in US among 65+ years olds demonstrated the decrease in mRNA vaccine effectiveness accelerating against Delta after month 4, reaching a low of approximately 20% in months 5 through 7 [5].

Recognizing the waning efficacy of mRNA vaccines, EU, UK, Greece, South Korea and other countries have recommended reducing the boosting period from 6 to 3 months.

Sputnik Light booster is recommended to strengthen efficacy of vaccines against Omicron. Boosting by Sputnik Light as well as heterologous boosting can strengthen and lengthen the quickly waning efficacy of many vaccines in light of combined Delta and Omicron challenge.

Sputnik Light has already been registered in more than 20 countries as a standalone vaccine and a universal booster to other vaccines helping to increase their efficacy (including in Argentina, UAE, Bahrain, Philippines, and San Marino). Sputnik V has been authorized in 71 countries with total population of over 4 billion people.

Sputnik Light has already shown strong results used as a booster in mix & match trials in Argentina. A combination of Sputnik Light with vaccines produced by AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Moderna and Cansino, conducted in 5 provinces (City and Province of Buenos Aires, as well as Córdoba, La Rioja and San Luis) has demonstrated that Sputnik Light induces stronger antibody and T-cell response as compared to homologous regimen (two shots of the same vaccine). Each “vaccine cocktail” combination with Sputnik Light provided higher antibody titer on the 14th day after administering a second dose when compared to original homogenous (same vaccine as first and second dose) regimens of each of the vaccines.

Authors of a study in Argentina have noted that protection against coronavirus remains stable over at least 4 months following vaccination with the Russian Sputnik V vaccine as a consequence of antibody maturation, resulting in improved potency of antibodies to viral escape mutations. The study results were summarized in an article at https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.22.21262186v1

Sputnik Light efficacy data:

  • Sputnik Light has been proven to be safe and highly effective by real-world vaccination data. In particular, data from the Ministry of Health of Buenos Aires (Argentina) has demonstrated standalone efficacy of Sputnik Light between 78.6-83.7% among the elderly (over 40,000 people of 60-79 years old), which is higher than that of many two-dose vaccines.
  • Findings by the Gamaleya Center based on data collected in Moscow have demonstrated Sputnik Light vaccine administered standalone has 70% efficacy against infection from the Delta variant of coronavirus during the first three months after vaccination. The vaccine is 75% effective among subjects under the age of 60. Sputnik V and Sputnik Light are based on a safe and effective human adenoviral vector platform and have not been associated with rare serious adverse events following vaccination, such as myocarditis or pericarditis.

Take note that this is not the first time that the group behind Sputnik V and Sputnik Light claimed their current vaccines are effective against the Omicron variant. Regardless, they went ahead developing a new and upcoming version of the Sputnik vaccine with Omicron in mind.

Going back to the above press release excerpt, the findings (conducted by other studies done by different research groups) exposed the weakness of mRNA vaccines particularly on efficacy against the Delta variant. If mRNA vaccines really cannot protect the vaccinated people from the Delta variant, how can they protect them from the much more contagious Omicron variant?

And now for the other details from the Sputnik Vaccine press release posted in the other excerpt below. Some parts are in bold face. Please read closely…

  • The Gamaleya Center’s recent preliminary laboratory study shows that Sputnik V demonstrates high virus neutralizing activity (VNA) against the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant and is expected to provide strong defense against severe disease and hospitalization.
  • Sputnik V has demonstrated 3-7x less of a reduction in virus neutralizing activity against Omicron as compared to data from other vaccine producers: 11.8 times decrease of VNA for Sputnik V in contrast with 41 times decrease for Pfizer-BioNTech (according to the study led by scientists from Africa Health Research Institute published on Dec 7, 2021 [1]) and 49-84 times decrease for Moderna (according to the study published by research group from scientific institutes including Vaccine Research Center on Dec 15, 2021 [2]). So far, Sputnik V is showing the best virus neutralization results against Omicron in comparison with other vaccines.
  • The study was conducted using sera with a longer period after vaccination (more than 6 months after vaccination) as an indicator of Sputnik V’s long-lasing protection, in contrast with short studied periods for other vaccines producers (12-27 days for Pfizer-BioNTech and 28 days for Moderna).
  • Sputnik V elicits strong and long-lasting T-cell response, and as 80% of epitopes in the spike protein are not affected by the mutations in the Omicron variant, Sputnik V is expected to provide long-lasting protection against severe disease by Omicron. Sputnik V’s long-lasting T-cell immunity contributes to 80% efficacy against Delta on months 6-8 compared with efficacy of less than 29% demonstrated by certain mRNA vaccines after 6 months.
  • Sputnik Light as a booster significantly increases virus neutralizing activity against Omicron based on sera 2-3 months after revaccination. Virus neutralizing activity against Omicron 2-3 months after a Sputnik Light booster in this preliminary laboratory study is higher than VNA against the wild-type virus 6 months after Sputnik V vaccination. Based on these data the expected efficacy of Sputnik V with Sputnik Light booster against Omicron infection could be more than 80%, as Sputnik V showed efficacy of more than 80% against wild-type virus 6 month after vaccination.
  • 100% of individuals revaccinated with Sputnik Light as a booster developed neutralizing antibodies against Omicron and demonstrated their high level 2-3 months after the revaccination in contrast with only 25% of Pfizer booster recipients showing detectable level of neutralizing antibodies 3 month after vaccination (as demonstrated in the study published by research group from scientific institutes including Institute for Medical Virology (Frankfurt) on Dec 13, 2021 [3]).
  • Sputnik Light booster is expected to provide strong protection against infection, severe disease and hospitalization by Omicron. Sputnik Light booster is recommended to strengthen efficacy of vaccines against Omicron. Boosting by Sputnik Light can strengthen and lengthen the quickly waning efficacy of many vaccines in light of combined Delta and Omicron challenge. Sputnik Light is a universal booster to other vaccines, including Sputnik V. In Argentina, a combination of Sputnik Light with other vaccines has demonstrated its effectiveness as a universal booster inducing stronger antibody and T-cell response compared to a two-shots homologous regimen.
  • Sputnik V and Sputnik Light were developed on the basis of a safe and well-studied over 30 years technology and have not been associated with rare serious side effects as myocarditis or pericarditis.
    • The highest safety and efficacy of Sputnik V and Sputnik Light was demonstrated in more than 30 studies and real-world data publications from more than 10 countries.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about this latest announcement by the team behind the Sputnik vaccines? Do all the above details convince you to get a Sputnik vaccine as your first dose or as your booster shot? Has the Omicron variant infected people there in your local community?

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/

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City approaching 100% full vaccination rate on its target population

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City approaching 100% full vaccination rate on its target population

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Christmas is just a few days away and the good news to hear about Muntinlupa City as of late is that almost 100% of its target population has been fully vaccinated (injected with 2 doses of most brands of COVID-19 vaccines), according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

The Muntinlupa City government reported that 96 percent of the city’s target population is now fully vaccinated.

Latest data from the Muntinlupa City Health Office (CHO) showed that as of Dec. 16, a total of 366,023 individuals in Muntinlupa have been vaccinated or 96 percent of the target city population of 383,021.

By vaccination rate by barangay, Buli has 10,377 fully vaccinated individuals or 147 percent of the target population 7,055 followed by Alabang, 54,370 (112 percent); Tunasan, 43,251 (107 percent); Ayala Alabang, 16,603 (102 percent); Cupang, 42,279 (95 percent); Putatan, 59,331 (88 percent); Bayanan, 24,043 (86 percent); Sucat, 32,305 (74 percent); and Poblacion, 64,448 (74 percent). An additional 19,016 individuals have been fully vaccinated.

In addition, the Muntinlupa City government has administered booster shots to 12,500 individuals.

Meanwhile, Muntinlupa’s active coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases logged only eight as of Dec. 17 from seven on Dec. 16.

Muntinlupa recorded three new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 17 and two new recoveries and zero deaths.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what can you say about this latest local development? Does this latest news make you feel comfortable knowing that the country already has Omicron cases?

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@twitter.com 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: Muntinlupa City issues public warning about Omicron variant

COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City issues public warning about Omicron variant

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The Omicron variant is still being feared a lot by people and government officials as it is often being reported in the news and the recent published results of two separate studies that found the said variant more infectious and resistant to the COVID-19 vaccine of Pfizer. The Omicron variant was recently detected here in the Philippines and in relation to that, the City Government of Muntinlupa issued a public warning, according to a recent Manila Bulletin report.

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

The Muntinlupa City government has reminded residents to strictly follow minimum public health standards after the detection of the first two Omicron variant cases in the country.

Dr. Juancho Bunyi, head of the Muntinlupa City Health Office (CHO), said when the news about the detection of the Omicron variant cases came out, the CHO alerted all barangays and communities to be ready.

Muntinlupa’s Prevent, Detect, Isolation, Treat, Reintegration (PDITR) and the vaccination teams are on alert to ensure that the city is ready, Bunyi added.

He advised the strengthening of rescue units in barangays and the disaster risk reduction and management office due to the Omicron variant, and to strictly implement health protocols especially in malls and other closed areas, and crowded places.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), two Omicron variant cases were detected from 48 samples that were sequenced on Dec. 14.

One Omicron-positive case is a returning overseas Filipino (ROF) who arrived in the Philippines from Japan on Dec. 1 on Philippine Airlines flight number PR 0427. His sample was collected on Dec. 5 and he tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Dec. 7. The patient is in an isolation facility managed by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) and is asymptomatic but had symptoms of colds and cough upon arrival, according to the DOH.

Prior to the reporting of the first Philippine cases of Omicron, a lot of people have been going out visiting places and coming to varied businesses (stores, food-and-beverage, cinemas, etc.) for their needs and wants. This is evident in Alabang which has many places that attract people like Festival Mall and Commercenter in Filinvest City, the Alabang Town Center (ATC) and Molito commercial complex located just outside Ayala Alabang Village, and more. Those said places are known to attract customers not only from around Muntinlupa but also from BF Homes, Las Piñas City, Cavite province, Laguna province and more.

How the City Government’s public warning about the Omicron variant will affect local commerce remains to be seen.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what can you say about this latest local development? Have you done a lot of research about the Omicron variant already?

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: According to two studies, Omicron variant causes less severe symptoms while being more resistant to Pfizer’s vaccine

COVID-19 Crisis: According to two studies, Omicron variant causes less severe symptoms while being more resistant to Pfizer’s vaccine

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News reports about the Omicron variant continue to scare people and their respective authorities around the world. To cut through all the noise and fear made by the secular liberal media outlets and their Leftist activists working as journalists, it’s time we pay attention to specific details about the Omicron variant with regards to infection and reaction towards the COVID-19 vaccine of Pfizer, as reported by CBN News.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the statement published by CBN News. Some parts in boldface…

The new Omicron variant of the coronavirus appears to cause less severe symptoms than earlier variants of COVID-19, but it’s also more resistant to the Pfizer vaccine, according to two new studies.

A Center for Disease Control study (CDC), published Friday, looked at 43 people with the confirmed strain.

The five-page report shows the most common symptoms are cough, fatigue, congestion, or runny nose lasting around three days.

More than 58% of those surveyed were young people between 18 and 39 years old. And 79% of those infected with the variant were vaccinated, including 14 people who had received a booster dose. In addition, 16% had been infected with COVID-19 before.

Only one person who was vaccinated was hospitalized.

Findings from a much larger study by Discovery Health revealed the Pfizer vaccine is less responsive to the Omicron variant.

Discovery Health is South Africa’s largest health insurance provider and the group looked at 78,000 cases of this particular variant between Nov. 15 and Dec. 7.

According to study findings, the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination provides 70% protection against hospitalization from Omicron but only 33% protection against a COVID-19 infection from this highly contagious variant.

Ryan Noach, Discovery Health’s chief executive, said the variant is more transmissible despite lower hospitalization rates.

“The omicron-driven fourth wave has a significantly steeper trajectory of new infections relative to prior waves,” he said in a statement. “National data show an exponential increase in both new infections and test positivity rates during the first three weeks of this wave, indicating a highly transmissible variant with rapid community spread of infection.”

“What is encouraging at this stage is a flatter trajectory of hospital admissions indicating likely lower severity of this wave,” he told a news briefing later.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky described their agency’s smaller study as a starting point.

“I know we all remain concerned about where we are in the pandemic both with delta and now with the omicron variant,” she said during the White House COVID-19 Response Team briefing. “CDC has been actively addressing and evaluating the omicron variant and working with state and local jurisdictions to understand its spread.”

As seen in the above report, the two separate studies revealed key aspects of the Omicron variant: it has caused mild symptoms and among the forty-three people who got infected by the variant, one patient (described as vaccinated although it’s not clear as to how many doses were injected) got hospitalized. The other finding about Pfizer’s vaccine being less responsive to Omicron is more concerning as it is a fact that many millions of people around the world got vaccinated with Pfizer-BioNTech. In a somewhat related move, Pfizer announced that its COVID-19 pill could work against Omicron.

Going back to vaccines, the team behind Sputnik vaccines of Russia declared their current vaccines are effective against all variants, that they will prove to be effective against the Omicron variant, and they went ahead developing a new version of their vaccine with Omicron in mind. Here in the Philippines, the Omicron variant has been detected for the first time. Prior to the confirmation of the first two Omicron cases, the daily average of new COVID-19 infections remained in the hundreds and only 235 new cases were counted on December 14, which is the lowest count since May 2020. The Philippines also has over 40 million people fully vaccinated and a lot more people are able to move around in public and support the many struggling businesses as community restrictions have been eased. As of this writing, it remains to be seen if the Omicron variant will somehow cause a spike in the daily average count of new COVID-19 cases.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about these newest developments related to the Omicron variant? If you were injected with a Pfizer-made vaccine, what can you say about the recent study that found the said vaccine to be less responsive to the Omicron variant? What is the one aspect about Omicron that concerns you the most right now?

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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Cover photo used in this article was sourced from CBN News.

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/

Muntinlupa City: Motorists with open pipe mufflers, modifications will be apprehended

Muntinlupa City: Motorists with open pipe mufflers, modifications will be apprehended

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Ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebration, the City Government of Muntinlupa warns motorists that altered tailpipes emitting loud sound are prohibited in the city.

The Muntinlupa Traffic and Management Bureau (MTMB) has announced that those who will use aftermarket mufflers, or removal of such, which emit excessive loud noise and cause disturbances in the holiday season will be apprehended.

“Mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ang paggamit ng Open Pipe Mufflers at iba pang modipikasyon sa Lungsod ng Muntinlupa. Ito ay nakapaloob sa ating ordinansa 04-022 o mas kilala bilang Muntinlupa Traffic Code, Art. III Sec. 9,” the MTMB posted in its Facebook page.

Under City Ordinance 04-22, “no private person shall use sirens, bells, horns, whistles or similar gadgets that emit exceptionally loud or startling sounds.” Violators will be fined with 2,500 pesos.

To report violations, the public may coordinate with the following offices: MTMB (8831-9884), PNP Muntinlupa (8862-2611), and BFP Muntinlupa (8842-2201).

Further, the City Government reminds the public of the on-going ban on firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.

Under City Ordinance No. 14-092 the display and distribution of firecrackers in Muntinlupa is prohibited as part of the local initiative to reduce casualties and harmful effects of pyrotechnic devices to public health and the environment.

Apprehended individuals using firecrackers will be fined with P1,000 up to P5,000. While commercial establishments selling firecrackers may face revocation of permit and license to operate in pursuant to penalties provided in the ordinance.

Since the implementation of the firecracker ban, the City Health Office has recorded a significant decrease in firecracker-related injuries and casualties.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi urges residents to use alternative noise-making instruments and not to patronize firecrackers and open-pipe mufflers. The local exec encouraged Muntinlupa residents to safely celebrate the holidays especially with the threat of the Omicron variant.

As of December 15, Muntinlupa City has 13 active cases, 27,596 confirmed cases with 27,004 recoveries, 579 reported deaths, 15 suspect cases, and 259 probable cases.

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The above information was sourced from an official press release. Some parts were changed for this website.

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@twitter.com 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: OCTA Research concerned over possible surge of new cases if Omicron hits the Philippines

COVID-19 Crisis: OCTA Research concerned over possible surge of new cases if Omicron hits the Philippines

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Do you believe that the Philippines is prepared to handle a possible rise of new COVID-19 cases if ever the feared media-magnified Omicron variant hits the country? For some direction, it is important to pay close attention to what OCTA Research said if such a scenario happens and the Manila Bulletin reported their concern. Take note that the Omicron variant is the same variant that spread panic and even caused governments to close their borders.

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

Independent research group OCTA expressed concern over a possible surge of new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases if the Omicron variant finds its way in the Philippines.

Citing the record-high number of cases in South Africa where the variant of concern was first detected, OCTA research fellow Dr. Guido David said that the country reported 37,875 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 12, 2021 alone.

“This is a new record-high for South Africa. From Nov. 8 to 14, South Africa had an average of 246 new cases. Since then, case jumped to an average of 19,400 over a span of four weeks. The average weekly growth rate over that period was more than 200 percent,” David said in a Twitter post on Tuesday, Dec. 14.

“The reproduction number in South Africa increased from 0.48 to as high as 4.18, with a current value of 2.96. This is higher than the reproduction number during the Delta surge,” he added.

In comparison, David said that the seven-day average in the Philippines is 236, from Dec. 7 to 13, with a reproduction number of 0.14.

Vaccine coverage in the Philippines is 36 percent, while it is currently at 25 percent in South Africa.

“Although vaccine coverage in the Philippines is significantly higher compared to South Africa, the Omicron variant, if it enters the country’s borders, will likely trigger a serious surge of new cases in the Philippines,” David said.

“The bright side is that, based on the information we have at this time, most of the cases will be mild or asymptomatic,” he added.

As you can see in the above report, OCTA Research’s focus on South Africa served as the basis for comparison with the Philippines as well as their concern about what would happen if ever Omicron’s presence gets detected here in the country. It should be noted that the nation authorities have been tracing for passengers who arrived here in the Philippines from South Africa this past November. So far, none of the located passengers tested positive for Omicron although there are still two more passengers who have yet to be found.

Meanwhile, there will be another 3-day nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive and it has been reported that there will be sufficient supplies of vaccines for it. While a lot more Filipinos have been moving around and businesses are serving much more customers physically present at their respective venues, the daily count of new COVID-19 infections is still in the hundreds and the total number of people declared fully vaccinated (injected with two doses of most vaccines) has surpassed the 40,000,000 mark nationwide. There is also optimism that Christmas this year will be more joyful for families.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about these newest developments related to the Omicron variant? Are you convinced that the national, local and community authorities are ready to make adjustments in the event the Omicron variant causes a spike in new COVID-19 infections? Do you think that the Metro Manila mayors and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will be able to react decisively on managing Metro Manila?  

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/

Illegal drugs worth more than P3 million confiscated in Parañaque City

Illegal drugs worth more than P3 million confiscated in Parañaque City

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The City of Parañaque is once again the hot spot for illegal drugs and arrests as the Manila Bulletin recently reported the arrest of one suspect and the confiscation of illegal drugs worth more than P3 million as a result of a buy-bust operation that involved the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

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

Government anti-narcotics operatives confiscated an estimated P3.45 million worth of shabu on Sunday, Dec. 12, following the arrest of a suspected drug pusher in a buy bust operation in Sucat, Parañaque City.

In a statement, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said the suspect Jimmy Kasim, 31, of Quiapo, Manila was nabbed at the parking lot of a fast food chain in Barangay San Antonio Valley 1 at 11;10 a.m. after selling illegal drugs to an undercover agent.

The operatives caught Kasim with 500 grams of shabu in his possession and is facing charges for violation of Section 5 (selling of dangerous drugs) of Article II of Republic Act (RA) 9165 otherwise known as “The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.’’

Kasim is now under the PDEA custody and is awaiting the filing of charges.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you believe that Parañaque City will remain a hot spot for illegal drugs and arrests in the long term? What do you think will solve this ongoing problem in the city? Did someone from the City Government promise you that Parañaque would be free of illegal drugs?

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: Almost 364,000 patients fully vaccinated in Muntinlupa City

COVID-19 Crisis: Almost 364,000 patients fully vaccinated in Muntinlupa City

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As the Omicron variant keeps on distracting people and spreading fear as it gets magnified by the secular, liberal news outlets every day, the City Government of Muntinlupa scored another milestone as the grand total number of local patients who got fully vaccinated (injected with two doses of most COVID-19 vaccines) reached almost 364,000, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Nearly 364,000 individuals are now fully vaccinated in Muntinlupa, according to the city government.

Latest tally as of Dec. 12 showed that 363,688 persons have been fully vaccinated or 94 percent of the target population of 385,725, which is 70 percent of the estimated total population of Muntinlupa of 551,036.

By barangay, Alabang has 53,841 fully vaccinated individuals; Ayala Alabang, 16,670; Bayanan 23,813; Buli, 10,384; Cupang, 41,931; Poblacion, 63,866; Putatan, 58,845; Sucat, 32,211; and Tunasan, 42,925. A total of 19,202 fully vaccinated individuals are classified as “others.”

In addition, 10,519 individuals have been administered booster shots in Muntinlupa as of Dec. 12.

Meanwhile, the number of fully vaccinated minors aged 12 to 17 in Muntinlupa has reached more than 16,000.

As of Dec. 12, a total of 16,743 minors have received the second dose of the vaccine and are now fully vaccinated, representing 30 percent of the total population of 55,391 for the age group.

A total of 27,432 minors got their first dose or 49.5 percent of the 12 to 17-year-old population in the city.

The above report ended stating that more than forty-three thousand minors have been registered with MunCoVac.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what can you say about this latest local development? Are you often disturbed by these constant news reports about the Omicron variant?

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: More than 40 million fully vaccinated people in the Philippines

COVID-19 Crisis: More than 40 million fully vaccinated people in the Philippines

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According to a recent report published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA), that the number of people here in the Philippines who got fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (two doses of most brands of vaccines specifically) has surpassed forty million.

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

The Philippines has already administered 95,982,996 doses of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine nationwide, with 40,693,310 Filipinos now fully protected against the dreaded disease.

Data from the National Covid-19 vaccination dashboard as of December 10 also showed that 54,553,456 doses were used as first shots while 736,230 were for booster or additional shots.

The government targets to complete the two primary doses of at least 54 million adult Filipinos, at least 80 percent of children aged 12 to 17 years old, and booster shots for 1.6 million health care workers by the end of the year to achieve population protection.

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer, earlier said the government will aim to increase the number of fully vaccinated Filipinos up to 77 million by the end of the first quarter next year and up to 90 million by the second quarter.

The government reminded the public to avail themselves of booster shots six months after receiving their second doses or three months for those who received the single-dose Janssen jab.

Senior citizens and adults with comorbidities have priority lanes in vaccination centers.

In relation to the above news, it was announced recently that COVID-19 vaccinations has exceeded 1,000,000 in Las Piñas City and that figure includes vaccination of minors as well as booster shots for a growing number of fully vaccinated people. Almost 478,000 patients got fully vaccinated in Las Piñas City.

While having more than 40,000,000 fully vaccinated people around the Philippines is pleasing to hear, it remains to be seen how the national and local authorities will react in the event that the media-magnified Omicron variant gets detected within the country. The national authorities have been monitoring the Omicron variant developments while many other countries saw their government impose restrictions. Meanwhile the people behind Sputnik vaccines insisted that their current vaccines remained effect against all variants and went ahead with developing another version of their vaccine with Omicron in mind.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Does this latest development make you feel confident about what lies ahead for the Philippines during this pandemic? If you were vaccinated, are you eager right now to get a booster shot? Are you convinced that world governments overreacted towards the Omicron variant?

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