news – Page 208 – Author Carlo Carrasco

DTI-NCR provides carinderia kits to 75 “Muntipreneurs,” Mayor Fresnedi receives Resilience award

July 9, 2021July 8, 2021carlocarrasco

The Department of Trade and Industry – National Capital Region Office has turned over Carinderia Kits to food retailers and other micro-entrepreneurs in Muntinlupa, dubbed as “Muntipreneurs,” in a bid to help them recover and improve their businesses amid the pandemic.

DTI-NCRO Regional Director Marcelina Alcantara, Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, and Congressman Ruffy Biazon led the Awarding Ceremony of Carinderia Kits worth P8,000 each to seventyfive beneficiaries of the Livelihood Seeding Program – Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (LSP-NSB) at Muntinlupa Sports Complex, Brgy. Tunasan last July 7.

*City Government officials led by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and the 75 Muntipreneurs. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)*

The LSP-NSB is a program of DTI that allows a wider reach of business development assistance by bringing government services closer to the people through partnerships between relevant local government units and DTI officials.

The program aims to provide individual package of livelihood kits that contains items that could aid in the recovery of affected individuals during catastrophic events including health disasters like epidemics and pandemics.

Other services offered by the LSP-NSB include business registration assistance, SME counseling, product development, financing facilitation, market/business matching, trade promotion, investment promotion, business information and advocacy, trainings, seminars, and workshops, among others. LSP-NSB beneficiaries will undergo monitoring and evaluation to ensure the growth of their businesses.

Other officials attending the program include LSP-NSB National Program Manager Asec. Dominic Tolentino, Muntinlupa Local Economic and Investment Promotions Department chief Gary Llamas, and City Administrator Allan Cachuela.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi extended his thanks to DTI-NCR for providing assistance to local entrepreneurs. He hoped that programs for micro-entrepreneurs in the city will help revive the stalled local economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the program, DTI-NCRO officials also conferred the Certificate of Recognition for being Rank 1 in the Resilience category (HUCs) of the recent Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index to Mayor Fresnedi.

*Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (3rd from right) receives the Resilience Award from DTI-NCRO. Also present was Congressman Ruffy Biazon and other local officials. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)*

For inquiries and other information, interested micro entrepreneurs may contact the local Negosyo Center at Plaza Central, Brgy. Poblacion at 0917 5120269 and look for Ms. Bea Trozado.

In a similar program, the City Government of Muntinlupa also provides financing assistance to micro-entrepreneurs and MSMEs through Tulong Negosyo Program’s zero-interest loans (formerly Dagdag Puhunan). Muntinlupa is the first LGU to introduce the micro-financing program.

Tulong Negosyo caters to MSMEs and provides micro-finance assistance ranging from P2,000 up to P150,000 depending on the business capital ceiling and payment record of beneficiaries. The program aims to provide additional capital for business expansion for aspiring and established business owners in Muntinlupa.

For more information, visit the Joint Resources Financing Program – JRF Facebook Page or visit them at 2F Plaza Central, Brgy. Poblacion with contact numbers 8772-3457and (0921) 888 6124.

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The above information was sourced from the official press release of the Muntinlupa PIO. Some parts were changed for this website.

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Two suspects arrested and P1.3 million in illegal substances seized in Parañaque City

July 9, 2021July 8, 2021carlocarrasco

The Manila Bulletin reported that on July 6, 2021 (Tuesday), local police officers successfully seized P1.3 million worth of illegal substances and apprehended two persons as suspects as a result of buy-bust operation that took place in Barangay San Isidro, Parañaque City. This is the 2^nd straight illegal drugs-related crime report about Parañaque following the drugs-in-DVD-cases report.

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

Southern Police District (SPD) operatives arrested two drug suspects on Tuesday in Paranaque City and confiscated from them P1.3 million worth of shabu.

SPD Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, citing a report by city police chief Col. Maximo Sebastian, said the arrests were made during a buy-bust operation along San Juan Miguel St., San Antonio, Valley 6, Barangay San Isidro, Paranaque City on Tuesday.

The arrested suspects were identified as Myrna Sobinsky, 47, and Marjun Estolonio, 30, both residents of Paranaque City.

The police said the suspects were placed under surveillance by members of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) after receiving reports on their illegal drug activities.

Members of the SDEU immediately conducted a buy-bust operation and were able to confiscate from the suspects four pieces of medium heat sealed transparent sachet containing about 200 grams of shabu worth P1.3-million.

And now here is the related news video by GMA Network…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are living in Parañaque City, do you believe that the local police officers and barangay tanods are doing enough to protect your local community from criminals? Who do you think is the mastermind behind the presence of illegal drugs in Parañaque City?

Did someone promise you that Parañaque City would be a drug-free or crime-free city soon? Do you believe in the so-called Parañaque Renaissance?

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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Skyway Stage 3 toll collection to start July 12, 2021

July 8, 2021July 7, 2021carlocarrasco

For those of you who constantly drive going north or south through Skyway Stage 3, better brace yourselves as the collection of tolls from motorists will formally begin on July 12, 2021. That is this coming Monday already. Take note that it has been seven months since the use of Skyway Stage 3 was kept free for motorists.

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

After nearly seven months of providing the public free use of the 18-kilometer Skyway Stage 3, San Miguel Corp. (SMC) on Tuesday announced it will start collecting toll on the elevated expressway starting July.

In a statement, SMC said it will be using a revised toll matrix which is lower than the original proposed toll fees.

To recall, the Toll Regulatory Board approved last March the provisional toll rates for the Skyway 3.

The approved provisional toll rates are the following:

For Class 1 vehicles

Buendia to Sta. Mesa – P105.00

Sta. Mesa to Ramon Magsaysay – P30.00

Ramon Magsaysay to NLEX Balintawak – P129.00

Buendia to NLEX Balintawak – P264.00

For Class 2 vehicles, the toll rates are twice as much as the rates for Class 1 vehicles.

For Class 3, the rates are thrice the price of Class 1.

The approved provisional toll rates are lower than San Miguel’s petition ranging from P110 to P274.

SMC said the TRB issued a Toll Operating Permit and a Notice to Start Collecting Toll on Skyway 3.

The company, through its SMC Infrastructure, said it will post the final approved toll rates at the toll plazas prior to the start of toll collection.

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon Ang said that the revised toll matrix, as approved by the TRB, takes into consideration the pandemic, its impact on the economy, and on Filipinos.

“We thank the TRB for helping us determine the most equitable toll rates for our motorists. We know from experience that times are hard for many, and even a little relief for motorists can go a long way. These toll rates reflect our deferral of the collection of a substantial amount of the cost to build Skyway 3. We also further lowered the rates for those traveling shorter distances,” Ang said.

He said the tolls it will collect will provide the company revenues to ensure continued efficient operations, maintenance, and safe driving conditions on the elevated expressway—particularly as daily traffic puts a heavy strain on the road infrastructure, necessitating significant maintenance costs.

Skyway 3 reduced travel time from Alabang to Balintawak and vice versa, to only 30 minutes from the previous three hours, and from Buendia to Balintawak, to only 20 minutes.

With a capacity of 200,000 vehicles per day, the elevated toll road has also significantly decongested traffic on major Metro Manila thoroughfares, including Edsa and C-5.

With the start of toll collection, the government can now also start generating significant income from the expressway, as it imposes a 12 % VAT on all toll fees, according to SMC.

SMC said it fully-funded the construction of the project with no government funds or guarantees and had spent over P80 billion– more than double its original cost – to complete the project over a period that spans two administrations.

And here is a related video news report also by GMA Network…

As seen in the above report, clearly it is high time for motorists to pay San Miguel Corporation (SMC) for using Skyway Stage 3 which itself is a magnificent piece of infrastructure (made possible by capitalists, not socialists) that will benefit generations of Filipinos who need to travel north, south and within key parts of Metro Manila. Skyway Stage 3 is a major factor in the decongestion of traffic along EDSA, C-5 and other major metropolitan roads. By the way, what motorists will pay starting Monday, a portion of that will go to the national government in the form of value-added tax (VAT).

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you prepared to pay the toll rates for Skyway Stage 3 starting July 12? How many times a week do you travel along Skyway Stage 3? Are the toll rates approved fair to you?

If you are a daily traveler on Skyway Stage 3, how was your travel time between destinations?

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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Illegal drugs contained in DVD storage cases seized in Parañaque City

July 8, 2021July 6, 2021carlocarrasco

Very recently, the Manila Bulletin published new Parañaque City crime news related to illegal drugs. There is a catch, however, because this latest crime development involved the use of a DVD storage cases as a means to contain the illegal substance which amounted to hundreds of thousands of Pesos.

Think about that. Plastic DVD cases not used for storing movies on disc format but for storing illegal drugs instead. Fortunately for the city and the people, the person suspected to be responsible for the illegal drugs got arrested by police officers (who deserve thanks).

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

A 30-year-old man was arrested by members of the Southern Police District Drug Enforcement Unit (DDEU) during a buy-bust operation in possession of P340,000 worth of shabu hidden inside DVD cases in Paranaque City on Monday night.

SPD Director Brig. Gen, Jimili Macaraeg identified the suspect as Roy Francis Tolesora. He is now detained at the SPD custodial detention facility and charges for violation of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002, will be filed against him.

Macaraeg said Tolesora was arrested by members of the DDEU along Angelina Canaynay Avenue, Barangay San Dionisio, Paranaque City at about 7:00 p.m.

He said DDEU members conducted a buy-bust operation against the suspect resulting in the confiscation of about 50 grams of shabu amounting to P340,000.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you believe that it is possible for local authorities to make Parañaque City a drug-free city? Do you believe that the police are doing enough to get rid of criminals by organizing buy-bust operations? When it comes to crime, what particular form of crime do you think defines criminal activity in Parañaque City?

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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Better than Streaming: Space Jam 4K Blu-ray combo now available!

July 7, 2021July 6, 2021carlocarrasco

Are you fond of 1990s Hollywood movies? Do you love Michael Jordan during his reign in the NBA? Have you ever seen the famous Bill Murray act with Jordan and Larry Bird? Have you always been a fan of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang?

Here is the news that could be big to you in relation to the above questions – the 1996 hit live-action/animated comedy movie Space Jam is now available on 4K Blu-ray (with digital copy and Blu-ray disc included) and you can order it now at Amazon!

Here are the details on what comes with Space Jam 4K Blu-ray sourced from Blu-ray.com…

Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: HDR10
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Danish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Swedish: Dolby Digital 5.1
Norwegian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Finnish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles

English SDH, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish

Discs
4K Ultra HD
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)

Extra stuff – Commentary with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and director Joe Pytka. Jammin’ with Bug Bunny and Michael Jordan featurette. Two music videos and the theatrical trailer.

For those who are not very aware about the legacy of Space Jam, it was a special project of Warner Bros.’ animation group and not only did it star Michael Jordan (who led the Chicago Bulls to its 4^th NBA title in mid-1996), it involved big names like Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) as producer, comedy icon Bill Murray in a key supporting role and a whole lot of great voice talents such as Billy West (Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd), Dee Bradley Baker (Daffy Duck), and Frank Welker (best known for Transformers’ Megatron) to name a few.

Adding further zest to the cast lots of NBA personalities such as Hall of Famer Larry Bird, Mugsy Bogues, Charles Barkley, Shawn Bradley, Patrick Ewing and Larry Johnson, plus cameo appearances of Danny Ainge, Horace Grant, Steve Kerr and A.C. Green to name a few.

Personally, I never saw Space Jam in the movie theater but I got to watch it in the airplane going to the United States in April 1997. I was not able to focus fully on its story as watching it on a small screen behind the passenger seat in front of me was never a comfortable experience. Still, the movie caught my attention when I saw Larry Bird (my favorite basketball player of all-time) act with Jordan and with the iconic Bill Murray. Of course, the quality of animation done by Warner Bros.’ creative teams was pretty good for its time. I should state that Elmer Fudd scoring a basket in basketball uniform was fun to watch.

Going back to the above specs and details about Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, it’s really nice to know that the visuals have been confirmed to be native 4K. Personally, I am interested to see how the 1996 mixed live-action/animation film would look like on the screen of our 4K smart TV at home.

In the official Blu-ray.com review for Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, the visuals were partially described as: Advertised as a new HDR-enhanced 4K master, Space Jam arrives on the format with a mostly pleasing 2160p transfer that corrects a few of the 2011 Blu-ray’s visual shortcomings but back-pedals elsewhere. For starters, it’s worth noting that portions of this film have always looked soft and very light on grain, such as Jordan’s arrival and stay in WB world, including the climactic basketball game; this was a necessary style choice to ensure that live-action elements didn’t stick too far out against the more smoothly-rendered animation. Other built-in source “defects” (for lack of a better word) include a bit of aliasing on specific CG backgrounds, such as a few sharp angles and edges on Moron Mountain and the baseline and free-throw paint on animated basketball courts; it’s easily spotted on screenshot #4, but again hardly distracting in-motion.

Space Jam 4K Blu-ray combo is now available and it should appeal to NBA fans, Looney Tunes fans and just about anyone who feels nostalgic about the 1990s. Take note that when Space Jam was released in cinemas in late 1996, Michael Jordan was on his way to a second three-peat of NBA championships and the movie was clearly part of the legacy of his basketball greatness which defined the NBA in the 1990s (note: Jordan and the Chicago Bulls won the NBA championship titles in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998). Space Jam was made at a time when Hollywood not yet dominated by the Satanic Left, those whiny socialists, the naked Communists and all those liberals who love to use movies as pieces to spread their poisonous propaganda. In short, Space Jam of 1996 was simply made to entertain without any political garbage.

For more entries of my Better than Streaming series of articles, check out my pieces on The Beastmaster 4K Blu-ray, The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, Mortal Kombat 2021 4K Blu-ray, and V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray disc of Warner Archive (read my retro review).

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COVID-19 Crisis: 11.7 million people vaccinated nationwide

July 7, 2021July 6, 2021carlocarrasco

Close to twelve million people here in the Philippines have been vaccinated successfully according to the National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 when it issued a statement two days ago through the Philippine News Agency (PNA). To be more specific, the official count of vaccinated individuals all over the Philippines was at 11,708,029 people.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA article. Some parts in bold face…

A total of 11,708,029 individuals have been vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the Philippines, the National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 said on Monday.

The latest NTF data shows a total of 8,839,124 individuals have received their first dose while 2,868,905 others have completed their two doses of Covid-19 vaccine as of July 4.

In the past 18 weeks of the national vaccination program, the government has reached a record high of 1,778,989 doses being administered.

The average daily vaccination rate in the last seven days is at 254,141 doses, with 1,197 average number of active reporting vaccination sites.

The NTF reported that 1,714,313 health care workers have already received their first shot of the Covid-19 vaccine while 1,156,220 are fully vaccinated.

Some 2,524,204 senior citizens under A2 category of priority groups, 2,993,197 persons with comorbidity (A3), and 1,350,979 essential sector (A4) and 256,431 indigents (A5) have received their first dose.

On the other hand, some 788,630 of A2, 897,719 of A3, 26,109 of A4, and 227 of A5 are now fully vaccinated against the disease.

Looking at the above official statistics, it is notable that more than a million healthcare workers have been fully vaccinated (two doses). There is still a long way to go before the number of fully vaccinated A4 patients (note: the workers) before reaching the million-mark. A4 patients are essential in the Philippines’ economic revival and business owners need a healthy and immune (against COVID-19) work force to make economic progress happen.

When it comes to South Metro Manila, almost a quarter-million people in Las Piñas City have been vaccinated successfully while 39% of Muntinlupa’s target population have been vaccinated. Parañaque City, meanwhile, had to temporarily halt first-dose vaccination.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you believe the national authorities and the local government units (LGUs) are doing enough to get more people here in the Philippines vaccinated? Are there still people in your local community who continue to be defiant and completely avoid getting vaccinated? Do you believe that the secured 13 million COVID-19 vaccines will arrive on time here in the Philippines?

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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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa stops accepting walk-ins in vaccination centers due to limited supply

July 6, 2021July 5, 2021carlocarrasco

The City Government of Muntinlupa, through MunCoVac, has announced that vaccination centers in the city will stop accepting walk-ins due to limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Dahil sa limitadong supply ng bakuna, lahat ng ating vaccination sites ay hindi tatanggap ng walk-in simula July 5. Tanging may mga schedule lamang at nakatanggap via text message ang i-aaccommodate sa sites. Magpapatuloy po ang ating vaccination basta’t mayroon tayong supply ng bakuna,” MunCoVac posted in its Facebook page.

MunCoVac further explained that only those who were registered online and were notified via text message for their first and second dose will be accommodated.

The City Government anticipates the delivery of additional supply from the national government in the coming days.

As of July 2, there are 190,747 vaccines deployed in Muntinlupa, of which 149,585 are first dose (38.8% of the target) and 41,162 are of second dose. While, there are 263,952 registered individuals in MunCoVac, translating to 68.4% of the target population to be vaccinated. Muntinlupa targets to inoculate 385,725 residents which is 70% of 551,036, the city’s estimated population for 2020.

Recently, MunCoVac launched the “Drive-Thru Vaccination” and “Bakuna sa Bahay” for bedridden residents and those who have difficulties in mobility.

In Drive-Thru Vaccination, senior citizens and PWDs who have limited mobility are vaccinated in their cars and will not need to fall in line. While for the house-to-house vaccination, members of the vaccination team will visit bedridden patients and other qualified residents for the service.

To request for Drive-Thru Vaccination and Bakuna sa Bahay, the public may coordinate with MunCoVac via the following hotline numbers: 0960-588-5935 / 0960-588-5937 / 0998-249-4580 / 0956-358-9228 / 0915-805-5932. Hotline numbers are available from Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Residents who will be accommodated in the said programs must also register online via https://vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac at present a medical clearance from a doctor.

Further, MunCoVac released an updated list of accepted IDs and documents for vaccination of the following priority groups:

All priority groups – Any of the following proof of residency: Government-issued ID with Muntinlupa address, Muntinlupa Care Card, Proof of billing with Muntinlupa address (utilities like electricity, water, phone bill, etc.), and Village of Condo ID in Muntinlupa;

A1 (Healthcare Workers) – Proof of eligibility: A1 = PRC/Company ID of those involved/connected with giving healthcare services, or A1 OFW = latest contract and other supporting documents showing deployment;

A2 (Senior Citizens) – Proof of eligibility: Government-issued ID with birth date and Muntinlupa OSCA ID;

A3 (Pesons with Comorbidities) – Proof of eligibility: prescription for medicine and medical certificate issued within 18 months, medical clearance issued within 2 weeks of vaccination;

A4 (Economic Frontliners) – Proof of eligibility (Muntinlupa residents): Company ID or Certificate of Employment (Employees); PRC ID, Certificate of Business Registration or latest Income Tax Return (Self-Employed); Certificate of Employment and ID/Proof of residence of employer (Private Household), Driver’s License, TRU-issued ID, Jeepney Association ID, or TNVS ID (Public Transport); Barangay Certificate (Informal Sector);

Proof of eligibility (non-residents): Company ID or Certificate of Employment and 2021 Business Permit of Employer, COE and proof of Muntinlupa residency of employer (kasambahay, family drivers, etc.);

A5 (Indigent Population) – Proof of eligibility: 4PS ID or Certificate of Indigency from Social Service Department.

For more information and inquiries, visit the MunCoVac Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/MunCoVac

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The above information was sourced from the official press release of the Muntinlupa PIO. Some parts were changed for this website.

COVID-19 Crisis: No hospitalization, deaths recorded after full vaccination according to FDA

July 5, 2021July 1, 2021carlocarrasco

Were you fully vaccinated for COVID-19 with two doses already? There is something worth paying attention to related to health and immunity towards COVID-19, particularly on what happens once a person successfully got two doses. I’m talking about the local Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which declared that there were no hospitalizations and no deaths related to COVID-19 recorded after more than two weeks of getting the 2^nd dose.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) article. Some parts in boldface…

Out of the 8.4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines administered as of June 20, no hospitalization and deaths due to Covid-19 were observed after more than 14 days of getting the second dose and only 0.6 percent reported reactions, the Food and Drug Administration said.

Preliminary data presented by FDA Director General Eric Domingo showed that some Covid-19 infections occurring after vaccination were recorded after more than 14 days from the second inoculation but all were mild cases.

In a news release, the FDA said Sinovac, with 1.6 million individuals completing the two doses, recorded 33 infections. AstraZeneca with 428,000 individuals vaccinated with the full dose, recorded one infection.

Pfizer had one infection after 82,800 individuals were vaccinated with two doses. There were no recorded infections in Sputnik V among the 14,000 individuals who received the full dose.

The performance of Covid-19 vaccines in the country, as initially reported by the FDA, supports the results of the clinical trials and real-world data reported by several countries that vaccines prevent hospitalization and deaths.

Health experts locally and abroad have reiterated the importance of getting vaccinated as an additional layer of protection against Covid-19.

Among the common reactions after vaccination included increased blood pressure, pain in the injection site, headache, fever, dizziness, rashes, and respiratory symptoms. No local events of blood clotting and myocarditis were reported.

“To date, the evidence gathered from all causality assessments has concluded that all serious reactions reported were unrelated to the Covid-19 vaccine. We reiterate that vaccines with emergency use authorization are safe and effective against Covid-19 and the benefits of using them outweigh the risks,” Domingo said.

The Department of Health and the FDA emphasized the importance of completing the required two doses, as maximum protection sets in two weeks after getting the second dose.

“Gaya ng ating nakita sa mga clinical trial, kapag tayo ay nakakompleto ng 2 dose ng bakuna ay walang naospital at walang namatay dahil sa Covid-19 matapos ang 14 araw (The clinical trials show that when we have completed the required two doses, no one gets hospitalized or die from Covid-19 after 14 days). Vaccines do protect us from getting severe Covid-19 and prevent hospitalization and death. We urge everyone to get vaccinated when it is their turn to protect themselves and their families against Covid-19,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.

While the preliminary report shows that chances of hospitalization and death are reduced, fully vaccinated individuals may still get infected with Covid-19 and therefore may still infect others, especially those who have not received their vaccines yet.

So there you have it! The FDA and local health officials found that being fully vaccinated (2 doses) for COVID-19 is really helpful in the sense that you become more protected from the coronavirus, although not necessarily 100% protected. By analyzing the risks and the high costs of medical care today, it is more preferrable to avoid hospitalization for COVID-19 and this alone should motivate the unvaccinated to get registered and vaccinated.

Getting fully vaccinated also enable people – especially the unemployed – to get back to work and become part of the economic recovery effort. In fact, COVID-19 vaccination was cited in the ease of national unemployment for the month of May. Here is an excerpt from another PNA article. Some parts in boldface…

The economic managers added that 1.5 million jobs were created between April and May this year.

“Following the trend of recovery from the previous months, total employment remains above pre-Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) levels with a net job creation of 2.2 million since January 2020,” they said.

They are also optimistic that the National Employment Recovery Strategy (NERS) and the faster rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination program will support the government’s target to grow the economy by 6 to 7 percent this year.

Some 829,662 economic front-liners under the A4 priority group have received their first dose of Covid-19 jab since the list was expanded last May 27.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Have you been vaccinated with two doses for COVID-19? What was the brand of vaccine you got injected with? Do you believe that the Food and Drug Administration conducted their research properly?

As far as employment is concerned, do you consider COVID-19 vaccination essential?

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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House committee discussed road closure in Bilibid, Mayor Fresnedi denied claim of coordination from BuCor

July 5, 2021July 2, 2021carlocarrasco

Members of the House Committee on Justice and other local officials attended a congressional inquiry on Wednesday to settle the issue of the construction of a wall by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) along Insular Road in New Bilibid Prisons (NBP) Reservation.

Muntinlupa officials, led by Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, presented to the committee the lack of coordination from BuCor regarding the construction of the wall along Insular Road which gives residents of NHA, Southville 3 access to and from the city proper. He also noted that the construction of the wall was unlawful and there has been an excessive use of authority from BuCor.

BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag insisted that they have coordinated with the LGU but Mayor Fresnedi vehemently refuted his claim.

“Yung sinasabi ni Director Bantag na coordination, they notified the local government of the closure of Insular Road, wala pong katotohanan ‘yun. I vehemently deny, as far as the blocking of the road is concerned, that there wasn’t any communication on this matter,” Fresnedi said.

Brgy. Poblacion capt. Allen Ampaya added that while they have received a letter from BuCor on March 18, there was no mention on the construction of a permanent wall and only informed the barangay that paths leading to the affected communities wouldn’t be accessible temporarily to all pedestrians and motorists from March 20-21. BuCor carried out the construction on March 20.

Jap Landingan, president of Southville 3 group, said that many from their community have lost their jobs since the road closure and appealed to the committee to call on BuCor for the opening of the access road.

Committee on Justice chairman, and former Court of Appeals justice, Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso III inquired about the ownership of the road as basis for the resolution of the issue.

DPWH NCR Las Piñas Muntinlupa District Engr. Elpidio Trinidad noted that the Insular Road in Bilibid was registered as a National Road. Cong. Veloso commented that BuCor has no ownership on the road and that the construction of the wall was against the law.

“Let it be a warning, kapag hinarangan niyo pa ‘yan, hindi niyo giniba ‘yan, pwede kayong kasuhan sa Ombudsman, aakyat ‘yan sa Sandiganbayan for violation of Section 3, Paragraph E of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act,” Veloso said.

The Committee on Justice is set to review the provisions of the BuCor Modernization Law and scrutinize the bureau’s “absolute authority” over the NBP Reservation.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon said he is glad that the Chair of the Committee on Justice had the same view that what the BuCor did in constructing a wall to block Insular Road was against the law.

“His conclusion is aligned with ours, and the other resource persons confirmed the non-coordination by the BuCor. I call on Director Bantag to do what is right and tear down that wall,” Biazon noted.

Last March, the City Government has condemned BuCor’s action to construct a concrete wall along Insular Road. Southville 3 is a socialized housing project of the National Housing Authority located within NBP with 8,000 families or at least 40,000 residents.

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The above information was sourced from the official press release of the Muntinlupa PIO.

COVID-19 Crisis: Almost 250,000 people in Las Piñas City successfully vaccinated

July 5, 2021July 4, 2021carlocarrasco

According to a very recent report by the Manila Bulletin, close to two hundred fifty thousand people in Las Piñas City were successfully vaccinated for COVID-19. To be precise, the official count as of July 3, 2021 is at 239,706 people vaccinated.

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

The Las Piñas City government has administered 239,706 vaccines against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the total 450,000 target population.

Mayor Imelda Aguilar said the city government inoculated a total of 239,706 persons belonging to the A1 (health care workers), A2 (senior citizens), A3 (adult with comorbidities), A4 (economic frontliner) and A5 (indigent sector) categories.

The City Health Office (CHO) reported on July 3 that 195,893 residents or 30.76 percent of Las Pinas population and about 43.82 percent from the 70 percent target population already received their first dose of vaccines.

Aguilar said about 43,813 residents or 6.86 percent of Las Pinas population were fully vaccinated.

The mayor said the CHO records showed that A3 category has the highest record of vaccinated with 74,649 followed by the A4 category with 73,050.

For the A5 category, the city government vaccinated a total of 3,573, she added.

The mayor then continue to call residents belonging to the A5 category to register and avail the city’s vaccination program, “Ligtas na Las Pinero, Lahat Bakunado.” The city government has already 18 vaccination sites and two more additional sites located at Barangays Manuyo and Talon 5 to accommodate the growing number of residents who wants to be vaccinated.

She said the city is committed to achieve the targeted 446,000 residents to be vaccinated out of more than 600,000 population.

Any Las Piñas resident who has yet to get registered for free COVID-19 vaccines can learn the ways (4 methods) by clicking here. Anyone who is ready and willing to register online can click bit.ly/LasPiñasVaccination

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you believe that the City Government of Las Piñas and its strategic partners are doing a good job in vaccinating as many people as possible? Did the incentive program of Las Piñas Representative Camille Villar convince people you know to get vaccinated? How many people in your local community do you know remain unwilling to get vaccinated for COVID-19?

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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