Good news for the Philippines. COVID-19 vaccines of Moderna have arrived in the country at last with an initial supply of almost two hundred fifty thousand doses.
A total of 249,600 doses of the American-made jabs arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 via Singapore Airlines Flight SQ918 on Sunday evening.
“This is very significant as we now have five brands of vaccines in the country. It can create a lot of confidence because globally, this is the 2nd (most used) vaccine by many countries. As what I have said earlier, the side effects of this vaccine are very rare, very negligible and most of the countries agreed that they are very comfortable with using Moderna vaccines,” National Task Force against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. told reporters in an interview.
The vaccines currently being used by the Philippines in its fight against Covid-19 are Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Sputnik V.
Of these initial doses, 150,000 doses were procured by the Philippine government, while 99,600 doses were purchased by the private sector, led by the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), Galvez said.
“We will study the deployment of these vaccines because this is our first time handling Moderna. The majority of the vaccines will be deployed in the National Capital Region and later, we will give other urban centers and areas. The priority sectors for deployment are A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (persons with comorbidities but we have committed a bulk of these vaccines to OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and the seafarers and government front-liners,” Galvez explained.
The Philippines has inked a supply agreement for 20 million doses of Moderna vaccines which will be delivered in staggered batches in the coming months.
Of this number, 13 million doses were procured by the government while the remaining 7 million doses were purchased by the private sector for their workers.
Here is a related news video by GMA Network…
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Does the arrival of Moderna vaccines encourage you to get vaccinated? Did your local government announce that Moderna vaccines are available?
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
In the City of Muntinlupa, the vaccination of patients under the A4 category has officially started and also the grand total number of residents who got vaccinated (both single dose and two doses) is gradually approaching the 100,000-mark (since the start of COVID-19 vaccination a few months ago).
To get more details and precises numbers, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government has started vaccinating the A4 priority group, or essential workers, Thursday.
The number of vaccines administered in the city has reached nearly 95,000 doses.
Included in A4 are workers who are residents of Muntinlupa, or non-residents who work in the city, and individuals who need to go out of their residence to work. These are private and public sector employees, self-employed, informal sector workers and workers in a private household.
Individuals belonging to the A4 category need to register with the Muntinlupa COVID-19 Vaccination Program at vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac and wait for a text message that will contain their scheduled vaccination date and time.
PMAJ Magno Belmi of Muntinlupa City Police receives his COVID-19 vaccine at SM Center Muntinlupa as the local government starts the rollout of vaccines for the A4 priority group on June 10. City residents under the priority group are encouraged to register in MunCoVac http://www.vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac. As of June 9, at least 94,805 vaccines have been deployed in Muntinlupa, of which 69,197 individuals received their first dose and 25,608 completed their second dose. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
For A4 workers who are residents of Muntinlupa, they need to present a proof of residency like government-issued ID indicating Muntinlupa as the address, Muntinlupa Care Card, barangay certificate or village ID.
They also need to provide proof of eligibility as A4 such as company ID or certificate of employment for government and private employees; Professional Regulation Commission ID, certificate of business registration or income tax return for self-employed or freelancer; certificate of employment and proof of residency of employer for those who work in a private household; Tricycle Regulatory Unit (TRU) ID, jeepney association ID or transport network vehicle service (TNVS) ID for public transport drivers and workers; and barangay certificate for other informal sector workers.
For non-residents, they also need the same requirements as those for residents and these requirements should show that their company, business or workplace is located in Muntinlupa.
The Muntinlupa City government is adopting the Department of Health’s memorandum of age prioritization for A4 vaccination.
According to the DOH’s Memorandum 2021-0259, “In situations where there is limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines, priority may be given to eligible Filipinos within 40-59 years old, then to those 18-39 years old.”
The city government said express lanes will be set up for those who belong to the A1 (health workers), A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (persons with comorbidities).
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi has reiterated his call for residents to register with Muntinlupa’s vaccination program and get vaccinated for their protection.
As of June 9, 69,197 individuals, or 17.9 percent of the target population of 385,725, have received their first dose of the vaccine while 25,608 got their second dose for a total of 94,805 doses administered in Muntinlupa.
The vaccination organizers in Muntinlupa are doing their best to serve the registered constituents get immunized. It should be noted that the City Government’s personnel and barangay personnel have been working to vaccinate other patients (examples: bedridden, disabled) in their homes.
What could hamper the vaccination operations though is the supply of vaccines coming from abroad. Just yesterday, additional vaccines arrived and more are expected to follow. How much of that will be allocated for Muntinlupa City, we will find out soon.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Were you able to get registered for the free vaccines under the A4 category? Are you very concerned about side effects from vaccines? Also, do you believe that local demand for vaccines will outstrip supply?
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
Vaccination for COVID-19 has entered a new stage with the inoculation of the many registered patients who are under the category of A4 (to be done in two phases). To be clear, the Department of Health (DOH) describes A4 as the category pertaining to frontline personnel in essential sectors, including uniformed personnel.
For starters, watch the GMA Network news video below…
To put things in perspective even more, posted below are selected excerpts from the Philippine News Agency’s (PNA) article. Some parts in boldface…
Excerpt 1
Some 50 workers from various sectors received their first dose of vaccine against the dreaded Covid-19 as the government kicked off the mass vaccination of the economic front-liners under the A4 priority group at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on Monday.
Christopher Molo, a 28-year-old Angkas rider, said getting vaccinated would lessen his fear to get infected with the disease and have serious illness conditions due to the virus.
He said he decided to get vaccinated to also protect his family against the risk of transmission.
“May takot at kaba dahil bukod sa panganib ng kalsada, may takot na rin sa virus kasi may posibilidad kami na mahawa rin na mas nakakatakot (There is fear and nervousness because apart from the danger of the road, there is also fear that we might get infected with the virus — that is more worrisome),” Molo said during the symbolic vaccination attended by officials from public and private sectors.
Molo said he always keeps the health protocols in mind during his work hours. But he is more feeling safe now that he is vaccinated.
Excerpt 2
TV host Iya Villania-Arellanosaid she decided to get vaccinated to become safe from the risks of getting infected.
“I wanna feel safe and I wanna contribute to taking that one step towards that achieving of herd immunity. That’s why we decide to get vaccinated. I wanna be one with everyone else in being able to give way the life that we had,” Iya said.
Iya and her husband Drew Arellano were both vaccinated with Sinovac vaccines, encouraging more Filipinos to avail themselves of the Covid-19 jabs.
“Don’t be choosy. Get what is available, because it is our way of being able to get back to our lives, and be able to enjoy what we used to be able to enjoy without the mask, without the face shield. Enjoy fresh air, enjoy breathing properly, and enjoy the outside world with our families, with our loved ones. So guys, come on, let’s get vaccinated,” she said.
Maurel Magyani, a service crew for eight years with Jollibee, said getting vaccinated will save her child from the danger brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I feel safe kasi nabakunahan na ako (because I already got vaccinated),” she said.
Excerpt 3
The Philippine government has decided to inoculate essential workers belonging to the A4 priority groups in areas where there is a high-risk exposure to Covid-19 infection.
The initial vaccination rollout for the A4 priority group is being carried out in the areas of Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao, which are collectively called the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus 8.
The first phase of the inoculation covers employees in private companies who are working outside their homes; employees in government agencies and instrumentalities, including government-owned or controlled corporations (GOCCs) and local government units (LGUs); and informal sector workers and those self-employed who work outside their homes, and those working in private households.
In his taped message for the event, President Rodrigo Duterte said the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines “in bulk” and the vaccination of essential workers boost the government’s efforts to beat the pandemic.
“We can now see the light at the end of the tunnel as the vaccine shipments have arrived, have started to arrive in bulk. This development is the result of our national government’s aggressive efforts to secure sufficient doses from the different manufacturers,” Duterte said.
Duterte also reminded the public to continue to adhere to the minimum public health standards.
That’s quite a load of information above. While A4 patients are being vaccinated, it does NOT mean that vaccination for patients of A1, A2 and A3 will stop. In fact, vaccination sites and their organizers are still waiting for category A1, A2 and A3 patients to come to them (note: register first) and those who missed out on their 2nd dose will still be served. Going back to the Philippine News Agency report, Senator Bong Go stated: “We should exert all efforts to continuously prioritize A1, A2, and A3 priority groups by establishing special lanes or special vaccination centers for them.”
Going back to the above excerpts, A4 is further defined as A4 workers in NCR+8 (Phase 1) and A4 workers outside NCR+8 (Phase 2). Below is an image sourced from another Philippine News Agency article.
For your reference.
Economic significance of category A4
In another Philippines News Agency article, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez stated that vaccinating patients under category A4 is key to the nation’s economic recovery. A4 covers a wide number of employees under different sectors, most notably the private sectors who work outside their homes. Check out the excerpt below…
During the ceremonial vaccination for A4 group in Pasay City Monday, Lopez thanked the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for expanding the definition of A4 priority group to include “almost all” workers.
“We are really giving support to the backbone of our economy, our workers. So this is really a shot in the arm to the economic front-liners, a shot in the arm to our economy. And this is really what we need as we are trying to continuously reopen,” Lopez said.
Following the vaccination of healthcare workers, senior citizens, and those with comorbidities, economic front-liners can now get the jab against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
The expanded list in the fourth priority group has included self-employed individuals, house helpers, and business process outsourcing workers, among others, who work outside their homes.
Lopez added that as vaccines provide protection and lower the risk of getting severe Covid-19 cases and death, the inoculation for the A4 group will boost confidence to reopen the economy.
“And with that, we will confidently reopen towards that path, and that’s the path towards recovery. And now we’re seeing such recovery, we will see more and better signs of that recovery moving forward,” the DTI chief said.
Once a whole lot of A4 patients get vaccinated, it will be great for the businesses who have been struggling hard to keep operating. It will also be great not only for the fortunate employees (still working daily) but also for the unemployed (including those who are afraid of daily travel, fearing possible COVID-19 infection). Of course, those who will got vaccinated are those who successfully registered in their respective cities or local communities. There are still a lot of people out there who have not registered for one reason or another.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Does the start of vaccination of A4 patients sound encouraging to you personally? Have you registered already? Have you been unemployed for over three months now?
In your city, has the mayor or other city government officials been posing a lot for pictures while witnessing the local vaccination processes?
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
While it was announced really late in the evening of May 31, the general community quarantine (GCQ) remains in effect in the National Capital Region (NCR) and the bordering provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal from June 1 to June 15, 2021.
The general community quarantine (GCQ) quarantine classification in Metro Manila and other areas has been extended until June 15, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday night.
Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to extend the GCQ status in the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal (NCR Plus) for 15 more days to prevent a surge in Covid-19 cases in the country.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press statement, said some restrictions shall remain in place in NCR Plus limiting the capacities of certain industries.
The PNA article also includes key details such the OCTA Research Group recommending the GCQ status for NCR Plus to be retained so that people won’t become very complacent. When it comes to guidelines and restrictions, read the Manila Bulletin article.
I want to add here that vaccination registration and processes are being done by the many local government units around the nation. Millions more new vaccines will arrive this month. That being said, I encourage you – those who have not yet registered for free COVID-19 vaccines – to get registered and wait for the local authorities to contact you. I just received my 2nd dose of vaccine from Russia here in Muntinlupa City. In my two appointments for vaccination, the local organizing of the processes, verification and health check were done efficiently and smoothly. Even if one gets fully vaccinated (2 doses), there is still a need to follow health protocols.
Las Piñas City residents can learn the ways to get registered vaccines right here, while those in Muntinlupa can learn about online registration here.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a business owner, what are the biggest problems you experienced during GCQ? How many more business restrictions related to GCQ do you want to see get loosened or removed? If you have not yet registered for the free COVID-19 vaccines in your locality, what is your main reason for not registering?
Is the local vaccination organizer efficient and friendly to those who arrived for inoculation?
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
Are you feeling uneasy or anxious about the fact that the millions of vaccines for COVID-19 (China Virus) secured for the Philippines could not come in fast enough? You are not alone.
Are the daily reports of new COVID-19 cases released by the Department of Health (DOH) scaring you? You are not alone as I know someone who is extremely religious yet panicky who gets affected by such reports. Not even the good news of the launch of Sputnik V in the Philippines (check out the Muntinlupa City launch) could lift up that same person’s outlook.
Anyway, the latest COVID-19 vaccine update regarding the Philippines is this…the nation will start receiving the bulk of COVID-19 vaccine composed of up to seven million doses within this month. This was according to vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reports…
“Ang maganda po dito ‘yong delivery natin ng ano ng May, baka po from 4 million madadagdagan po tayo ng 7 million. Malaki po ‘yon, Mr. President, kasi ang dadagdag po dito ‘yong COVAX mukhang makakapag-deliver na po ng Pfizer at saka ng AstraZeneca (The good news is that, the delivery this May may increase from 4 million doses up to 7 million doses. That’s a huge volume, Mr. President, because the COVAX facility may also be delivering Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines),” Galvez told President Rodrigo Duterte in a Cabinet meeting Wednesday night.
Galvez assured that enough doses dedicated for the vaccinees’ second shots would arrive on time.
“‘Yong second dose wala na po tayong problema. Mayroon po tayong makukuha ngayong May more or less baka mga 1 million or 2 million na AstraZeneca. Iyong definite date lang po ang ina-ano po natin. So matutuwa na po ‘yong mga nakapag-first dose dahil kasi mayroon pong padating na COVAX na AstraZeneca (We don’t have a problem with the second dose. We might be having more or less 1 million or 2 million doses of AstraZeneca this May. We are just working on the definite dates so we are glad because the AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX Facility will be delivered),” he said.
As of May 4, a total of 2,065,235 Filipinos have been vaccinated with at least one dose against Covid-19, with 320,586 persons fully vaccinated.
The bulk of the vaccines will be arriving in June, allowing the government to begin the inoculation of the general populace, Galvez added.
“So pataas po nang pataas ang volume po, Mr. President. Talagang ang medyo nahirapan lang po tayo noong March at saka April. Pero ngayong May medyo mayroon pong bubuhos sa atin (We will be receiving an increased volume of vaccines, we really had hard times during March and April, but this May, more vaccines will be arriving),” he said.
An estimated 20-30 percent of the country’s healthcare workers have yet to be vaccinated, according to Galvez, as they opted to wait for the arrival of other brands of Covid-19 vaccines.
Despite negative reports, Galvez said the public’s acceptance of the Covid-19 vaccines has significantly increased, noting that more Filipinos wanted to get immunized.
To date, data from Our World in Data show that the Philippines is fourth among Southeast Asian nations with the most number of vaccine doses administered.
The report ended stating that as more vaccines arrive, Galvez described as “very doable” is the government’s goal to vaccinate half-a-million people daily.
In closing this, let me ask you readers…do you believe the updates from Galvez? How is the local COVID-19 vaccinating program doing there in your local area? Were you vaccinated already?
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
The liquor ban in Muntinlupa City is has officially been lifted but with restrictions for the duration of Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) and other less stringent community quarantines as may be declared by the national government.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi approved City Ordinance No. 2021-232 lifting the liquor ban in the city with provisions on regulation and limitations for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Under the local ordinance, city residents can only consume alcoholic beverages within their private residence. Social drinking involving individuals not living in the same residence shall still be strictly prohibited.
The sale of liquor and other intoxicating beverages shall only be during 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and will only be limited to Muntinlupa residents.
Consumption or drinking liquor in public places such as restaurants and other commercial establishments permitted to operate by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) shall be regulated: beer – maximum of 2 bottles, hard drinks – maximum of 2 glasses, and for wine and whiskey – maximum of two glasses.
Business establishments who will violate the ordinance shall be meted with the following penalties: closure of one week for first offense and revocation of business permit for second offense.
Further, violating persons who are sellers shall receive P2,000 penalty for first offense and P5,000 for second offense, while those who are buyers will be penalized with P2,500 for their first offense and P5,000 for second offense.
Members of the Muntinlupa City Police Station, Public Order and Safety Office, City Security Office, Muntinlupa Traffic and Management Bureau, Business Permit and Licensing Office, Barangay Chairpersons and their personnel, and other deputized individuals will conduct inspections in commercial establishments to ensure that the local ordinance is followed.
The City Government warns beneficiaries of the emergency assistance from the DSWD that they are prohibited to use their cash aid to purchase liquor or any alcoholic beverage. The public is encouraged to report violators for proper action.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi reminds city residents that the lifting of liquor ban is for economic reasons and that the health and safety of the public should not be compromised.
“COVID-19 is still an imminent threat so I urge everyone to be responsible and to continue observing health protocols even as quarantine measures and the liquor ban are relaxed in the implementation of MECQ,” Fresnedi said.
As of May 5, Muntinlupa City has 11,585 confirmed cases with 10,127 recoveries, 1,154 active cases, 304 reported deaths, 168 suspect cases, and 988 probable cases.
+++++
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
Have you been dreaming of visiting the Holy Land or doing business in Tel Aviv in Israel? There is something positive in development right now and breakthroughs could happen before the year ends. This is because recently, Israel’s Ambassador Rafael Harpaz announced that the establishment of direct flights between the Philippines and Israel is being worked on with 2021 in mind (specifically before the end of the year). There is no timeline yet as to when will Philippines-Israel travel will resume but make no mistake that Israel is opening its borders to foreign tourists (who got vaccinated for COVID-19) starting May 23, 2021 which itself is connected with their successful vaccination program.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) article. Some parts in bold…
Direct flights between the Philippines and Israel before the end of the year are in the pipeline, Israeli Ambassador to Manila Rafael Harpaz said Friday.
“We would like very much for the Filipino tourists to be back to Israel. The Philippine Airlines already informed us that they are planning to start a direct flight to Israel towards the end of the year,” Harpaz told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview.
There’s no timeline yet when tourism exchanges between the Philippines and Israel would resume, but he said the deployment of Filipino caregivers continues despite the pandemic.
“Actually, every day we see new caregivers because there is a demand. So they are flying to Israel and when they get there, they also get the vaccine immediately,” Harpaz said. “We don’t have a quota (on deployment) but it depends on the demand. Because our population is getting older and older, the demand is getting high. We also have from other countries but the demand is high for Filipino caregivers.”
In 2019 alone, about 35,000 Filipino tourists visited Israel, while more than 30,000 overseas Filipinos are working there as caregivers.
‘Tourism restart’
At present, there is no agreement between the Philippines and Israel for a travel bubble setup, but Harpaz said he is hopeful that the two nations’ tourism exchanges would soon resume.
He added that several Filipino tour operators are interested to bring travel groups once Israel fully reopens.
“They’re waiting. There’s so many tour operators in the Philippines who are eager to take groups to Israel because it’s a big tourist destination for Filipinos,” Harpaz said. “The Israelis are also eager. The businessmen are eager to return to the Philippines. They want to go to Banawe, Palawan, Siquijor, and all those wonderful places. Let’s hope that it will soon work out.”
Israel is opening up its borders to foreign tourists under a travel bubble setup, with the vaccinated population no longer required to undergo a long period of quarantine.
But for now, the vaccines that Israel recognizes for this arrangement are Pfizer and Moderna.
It has so far signed a travel bubble agreement with Cyprus and Greece.
“We are moving slowly with more countries because we want to have tourism back and business back,” he said.
As you already know, I strongly believe that the ties between my native Philippines and Israel are very essential. I really love it when Israelites and Filipinos are in harmony together, and the fact that Filipino caregivers and students were vaccinated for free in Israel is an example of that. Filipino caregivers have been known to be very helpful towards Israelites and there is a strong demand for more caregivers. Christians here in the Philippines, led by faith, love to visit the Holy Land and discover personally the places where Lord Jesus had been to.
Speaking of Philippines-Israel ties, Ambassador Harpaz also announced more good news for Filipinos struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Posted below is an excerpt from another Philippine News Agency article…
The Philippines can expect to be among the priority countries of Israel once the latter is able to transfer its excess vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), Israel Ambassador to Manila Rafael Harpaz said Friday.
Harpaz explained that Israel, for the time being, could not transport its extra vaccine doses to any third country due to some legal issues in its contract with Pfizer.
“It has nothing to do with the Philippines. Israel, for the time being, was not able to give vaccines to a third country because we have a contract and there are limitations on giving it to a third party,” he told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview on Friday.
Aside from Manila, more than 10 countries have also expressed interest in purchasing their excess vaccines, Harpaz said.
“It’s something we are looking generally in a favorable manner but it’s the legal issues that must be resolved first. But it’s one of the issues in the discussions and when the moment that there would be a green light to give (the vaccines) as assistance to third countries, the Philippines will certainly be among them,” he said.
“The Philippines is definitely a high priority for us once we’re capable of giving away the vaccines.“
Wow! Considering the current situation here in the Philippines, it’s nice to learn that our country is a high priority for Israel for potential donations of excess vaccines from their own stocks. The legal issues are blocking access. To be very clear, the Philippines secured many millions of COVID-19 vaccines but those stocks cannot come fast enough. Very recently, the cities of Muntinlupa and Parañaque became the first recipients of vaccines from Russia. How many exactly? THREE THOUSAND doses for each city.
In closing this, here are some Israel-related videos for your viewing pleasure and for your insight.
+++++
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
A special campaign to help raise funds and donations in-kind for national athletes, both regular and the differently abled ones, and dubbed AYUDA SA ATLETA, was launched recently as an initiative of the private sector to help them in these difficult times of the pandemic.
Triathlon President and former Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) chairman Tom Carrasco and veteran sports journalist and management consultant Lito Cinco, who wrote about the need for a community pantry of assistance to national athletes in his column The Bottom Line last April 21, co-lead the group. Joining them are sepak takraw President and POC official Karen Tanchanco Caballero, sports science figure and former national archer Nino Sinco, and sportsman/sports patron Alex Wang of Wang’s Ballclub.
The group is tasked to plan and manage the program, from raising funds all the way to distribution of the assistance to the recipients, initially with the differently-abled athletes who are more in need, “We know we cannot cover the total 1,500 number of national athletes and coaches, that is why decided to start off with the differently-abled ones and are in touch with PHILSPADA to get the complete roster,“ said Carrasco.
“We have categorized the assistance in the form of vitamins, sports drinks, energy bars, and personal hygiene items for those who would like to give in kind. Fortunately, Cebuana Lhuillier President/CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier, himself a sports man and long-time supporter of Philippine sports has jumpstarted the program with a P250,000 donation. We hope other sports-loving companies and individuals will follow his lead, our national athletes who have brought us honor certainly deserve to be helped during this pandemic,“ added Carrasco, whose company, Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines also donated P25,000 to the cause.
On his part, Cinco who has been long involved in projects for the needy, including current community pantries in Mandaluyong, said, “I was inspired by what I have seen about this community program that has grown all over and I thought, why not initiate one for athletes, and wrote about it . The following day after my column came out, I got a call from Cebuana Lhuillier pledging assistance. I was not really surprised about the help extended as I have known Jean Henri as sports patron for a long time.”
Solicitation letters will be sent to various companies and individuals for cash and in-kind donations, with the group promising transparency for all funds received and expenses made.
“Our target is to start the distribution to athletes by June to give us time to raise more donations so we can cover more athletes,“ concluded Carrasco.
For interested parties, contact persons for the program are Carrasco, 0917 8992999, Cinco, 0920 9241981 and lito_cinco@yahoo.com, Wang, 0943 0119811, and Tanchanco, dsgkarencaballero@olympic.ph
+++++
Note: Some parts of the above press release were edited 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 as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For those who are scared about the Department of Health’s (DOH) daily count of new COVID-19 (China Virus) cases in the Philippines averaging 10,000, there is this recent news from the national government that could put some at ease – many millions more vaccines are coming into the country in the months ahead.
The press release published through Philippine News Agency (PNA) states that the national government is working hard to ensure that millions of COVID-19 vaccines from four manufacturers will arrive soon plus even more will come after April. The announcement was made by vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr.
For more, read the excerpt posted below. Some parts are in bold…
The government is working hard to ensure that the country can secure almost 14 million vaccine doses from four vaccine manufacturers within the second quarter, said vaccine czar Sec. Carlito Galvez, Jr., chief implementer of the National Task Force Against Covid-19.
“The global supply is limited but the government is doing its best to ensure that the country will have a fair share of the vaccines. The instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte is for Filipinos to be vaccinated and save more lives as we collectively surmount the challenges brought about by the pandemic,” Galvez said.
In his report to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, Galvez said the delivery of 1.5 million doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac is expected to be completed within April.
The government is expecting another 500,000 doses to be delivered on April 22, and another 500,000 doses on April 29.
Sinovac had shipped out 500,000 doses last April 11. These are on top of the 2 million doses that the Chinese vaccine maker had delivered to the country last February and March.
An initial 20,000 doses of the Russian-made Sputnik V are also expected to arrive this week. The second tranche of 480,000 doses will be delivered before the end of April.
Galvez said the government is also expecting the shipment of 195,000 Pfizer vaccine doses by the end of April or early May.
He said there is also a possibility that AstraZeneca vaccines coming from the COVAX Facility will also arrive within the month.
For May, Galvez said the government expects at least 2 million doses of Sinovac vaccines to be delivered to the country, along with 1 to 2 million Sputnik V doses, and 194,000 Moderna doses.
He said the government is also working with the World Health Organization, GAVI, and UNICEF for the possible delivery of Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines under the COVAX Facility.
Galvez said the government expects to receive 7 to 8 million vaccine doses in June. These include 4.5 million doses of CoronaVac, 2 million doses of Sputnik V, and 1.3 million doses of AstraZeneca.
“With the arrival of these vaccines, we will continue our aggressive vaccine roll-out in the county to protect the Filipino from Covid-19,” Galvez said.
As of April 18, a total of 1,477,757 vaccine doses have been administered in the country. Currently, only medical front-liners, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities are being inoculated.
Starting mid-May or June, the government will allow the inoculation of other essential workers.
The Philippines ranks third among countries in Asean in the number of citizens that have been vaccinated, while the country has placed 41st out of 173 countries worldwide in the same category and 14th among 47 Asian nations.
At present, the government has signed contracts with five vaccine manufacturers, which include Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Novovax and Gamaleya. Contracts with Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer are being finalized.
Galvez said the country expects a steady supply of about 10 million to 15 million vaccine doses per month in the third and fourth quarters of this year.
In response, Duterte lauded the government’s vaccination rollout, saying it is “more than an acceptable performance in the matter of the fight against Covid as far as the Philippines is concerned.”
“Maganda ang record natin (We have a good record) despite unfounded criticism…The Philippines was able to get the upper berth of the countries that are inoculated. Maganda ang record na ‘yan (That’s a good record) and to think people were almost in a quandary where to get the next vaccination,” the President said.
“Nakita mo naman hindi pala tayo ang pinakamahina at mataas ‘yung atin (We are not the weakest) and it goes to show that we are really working very hard especially Sec. Galvez to get the vaccines here in the Philippines on time,” he added.
Wow. That’s a lot of COVID-19 vaccines coming into the Philippines in the months to come. Achieving herd immunity for the Filipino people is the goal here and it is crucial not only for people’s lives but also for the economy. This China virus pandemic negatively impacted everyone and it even prevented people from heavily attending and worshiping the Lord together at churches. In the private sector, cinemas are still closed which took its toll on the 300,000 cinema industry workers.
While waiting for vaccines to arrive, residents of the cities of Muntinlupa and Las Las Piñas are encouraged to get themselves registered.
Nationally, a total of 1,353,107 people have been vaccinated with a total of 1,562,563 COVID-19 vaccines as of April 20, 2021. Among those who got vaccinated were 989,703 healthcare workers.
If you have something to say about the current situation of COVID-19 vaccines in the country, or within your city or local community, you may contact me directly online or comment below.
+++++
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
The City Government of Muntinlupa announced that it has completed vaccinating frontline health workers from primary public and private hospitals providing COVID-19 care and has started preparing the vaccine roll-out for senior citizens.
National Immunization Program Coordinator for COVID-19 in Muntinlupa Dra. Maria Rochelle Abat said the City Health Office recorded 5,657 frontliners from Ospital ng Muntinlupa, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Medical Center Muntinlupa, and other private hospital who received Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines as of March 29, covering 108% of the priority group population.
Further, Abat noted that the inoculation of City Health Workers is ongoing and 269 (37%) local frontliners such as members of barangay health emergency teams and contact tracers have already received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
A group of frontline health workers waiting to get vaccinated for COVID-19. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Muntinlupa City Health Office acting chief Dr. Juancho Bunye said the City Government eyes to complete the vaccination for the remaining A1 sub-priority group of frontliners from stand-alone facilities, clinics and diagnostic centers, dental clinics, and other institutions within the next two weeks, targeting 444 individuals per day, before proceeding to inoculate the senior citizens.
Bunye added that CHO is coordinating with the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs in preparing the vaccination of more than 45,000 senior citizens in Muntinlupa. He added that 19 public schools, including one private school, were identified as vaccination centers for the roll-out for seniors.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi urged the senior citizens and other members of the priority groups to avail the vaccination services of the government for them to have an added protection against the adverse effects of COVID-19.
He also encouraged the public to pre-register in the city’s COVID-19 vaccination registration through https://vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac and to strictly observe health protocols such as frequent hand-washing, wearing of face masks and face shields, and physical distancing especially during the implementation of ECQ in Metro Manila.
A health worker gets vaccinated. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Recently, Ospital ng Muntinlupa announced a 129% bed capacity utilization on COVID-19 related cases.
Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said barangays were ordered to reactivate local isolation centers to accommodate asymptomatic cases and residents with mild symptoms to decongest primary health care and quarantine facilities.
Navarro added that the City Government through the Department of Disaster Resilience and Management will intensify its citywide cleaning and disinfection activities in a bid to prevent further COVID-19 transmission.
As of March 29, Muntinlupa City has 7,051 confirmed cases with 5,945 recoveries, 908 active cases, 198 reported deaths, 242 suspect cases, and 759 probable cases.
+++++
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
Author Carlo Carrasco 