COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City asks DOJ to reconsider transfer of PDLs with COVID-19 in Bilibid
The City Government of Muntinlupa expressed its opposition against the use of the New Bilibid Prison as a quarantine area for persons deprived of liberty who tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to the Department of Justice.
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi sent a letter to DOJ Secretary Menardo Guevarra signifying the city’s protest for the transfer of COVID-19 PDLs in Muntinlupa saying it poses a threat to city residents.
“Let it be stated that we are mindful that we are mindful of our obligation to extend humane considerations to those afflicted with the pandemic virus. However, we have also to consider the thousands of Muntinlupeños who are put at greater risks with the additional COVID-19 patients brought to the city.” Fresnedi said.
The mayor cited Section 16 of the Local Government Code of 1991 which states that, “Every local government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily implied there from, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare. Within their respective territorial jurisdictions, local government units shall ensure and support, among other things, the preservation and enrichment of culture, promote health and safety, enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology…”
The City Government of Muntinlupa recently coordinated with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) regarding the protest.
On April 21, the Bureau of Corrections (BUCOR) transferred 18 women PDLs who tested positive for COVID-19 from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City to the New Bilibid Prisons (Medium Security) in Muntinlupa City.
Following the transfer, BUCOR reported one male PDL from the Medium Security Compound who tested positive for COVID-19 and was confined at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine. The male PDL died on April 24.
BUCOR conducted contact tracing on the day the patient was hospitalized and forty (40) PDLs, including medical staff, were placed in isolation.
The Muntinlupa City Council has passed a resolution to express protest and opposition to the transfer. It stressed that such transfer cannot be done without prior consultation with the City Government and the people and villages living or residing near and surrounding the Medium Security Compound, Camp Sampaguita, and without the prior approval of the Sanggunian.
The Bureau of Corrections has recently requested the Department of Education for the use a public elementary school in the New Bilibid Prisons Reservation (Itaas Elementary School) as a quarantine area for its personnel.
Muntinlupa Schools Division Office advised BuCor to comply with the requirements provided by DepEd before it endorses the request to the DepEd-NCR Director for further action.
Department of Interior and Local Government released Memorandum Circular 2020-062 dated March 21, 2020 which states that public schools shall not be used as quarantine or isolation areas unless explicitly allowed by the DepEd and strictly following the guidelines.
As of May 3, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 154 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 22 deaths and 46 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 8 “suspect” cases and 443 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.
This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
And then the coronavirus disease COVID-19 struck the world and this resulted community quarantine here in the Philippines which was recently extended into mid-May. Under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), most businesses were halted, mass gatherings were prohibited and people were told to stay at home so that the risk of infection would be reduced. The authorities have been struggling with testing people for COVID-19 while local government units (LGUs), including barangays, have been working to manage their respective communities and perform services like distributing relief goods to families, implementing curfew, etc.
Let’s start first with the illegal online gaming operation that was found in Mayuga Compound, Barangay Tambo with details from the Manila Bulletin report.
Excerpt:Forty-four (44) foreign nationals and twenty-three (23) Filipinos (fourteen female and nine male) engaged in an illegal online gaming operation were arrested by the combined team of the Regional Special Operation Unit, Southern Police District, and the Parañaque City police Friday night.
Police said that the suspects were arrested at about 7:30p.m. along Mayuga Compound, Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City.
The police said that prior to the arrest of the suspects, members of the RSOU received a telephone call from a concerned citizen who reported that a group of armed foreign nationals were seen outside their residence violating the curfew hours imposed by the city government while the country is under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Upon receiving the information, members of the RSOU immediately coordinated with the SPD and the Parañaque City police for the arrest of the suspects.
The police said that verification was made and they found the group of foreign nationals with firearms visibly tucked in their waists loitering around the said place.
The suspects, upon seeing the approaching policemen, immediately ran inside their house. A chase ensued that led to the discovery of the illegal online gaming operation of the suspects.
Police recovered cash amounting to more than P1.3-million, 255 Chinese Yuan; 73 Chinese passports; two .45 caliber pistols; two .9mm pistols; nine internet modems, 40 cellular phones; 17 pairs of keyboard and mouse; 36 different brands of laptop computers and assorted computer cables.
Wow. That’s such an operation. How exactly was it set up so discreetly? Was the apartment owner aware that the rented place was turned by the foreigners into an illegal business operation? Also when exactly did the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) of Parañaque City discover the first details about the illegal online gaming operation? Was Barangay Tambo even aware of the illegal operation?
To put things in perspective, Parañaque is the hot spot of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Metro Manila with 414 cases as of April 26 and the City Government and the barangays have been struggling to prevent the spread of infection while managing the communities. As seen many times on social media, pictures of many people crowding the public wet markets (palengke) in the city showed clear violations of social distancing. As such, the fear of a possible COVID-19 outbreak in Parañaque is entering more people’s minds.
Next, let’s take a look at the illegal clinics and the stockroom filled with Chinese medicine with details from CNN Philippines’ report.
Excerpt 1: Authorities raided two illegal clinics and a medicine stockroom in Parañaque City on Sunday night.
Among those seized in the stockroom in Barangay Baclaran in Parañaque was a large shipment of medicine for respiratory illnesses allegedly being used as a possible treatment for the coronavirus disease. There is no confirmed cure yet for COVID-19.
They found many more boxes of medicine and medical supplies from China in the stockroom, such as boxes of dextrose and medicine ranging from antibiotics, anti-viral drugs, and medicine used for treating sexually transmitted diseases.
“They have all kinds of medicines. Na-amaze ako kasi puro injectables silang lahat,” says Paranaque City Health Officer Dr. Olga Virtusio. She adds, “Kakaunti ‘yung oral meds, madami ding through IV (intravenous) fluid.”
[Translation: I was amazed because most of the medicines I saw were injectables. There were a few oral meds, but there were a lot of IV fluids.]
Meanwhile, some types of medicine sold by the two illegal clinics are a herbal supplement is used as a traditional Chinese treatment for colds, fever, cough, and sore throat and a non-prescription drug for flu and respiratory illnesses.
“The team is thinking na most probably they are really catering to the POGOs around, especially noong nagkaroon tayo ng massive routing of the different clubs at madaming nakitang prostitution. Mostly chinese ang nahuhuli,” the doctor added.
Authorities said they acted on a tip from a disgruntled worker from one of the illegal clinics. The owner of one of the clinics allegedly took her quarantine pass. As a result, the helper informed officials of what she called a “hospital” catering to mostly Chinese patients.
Excerpt 2: After the city government closed down the place, authorities found another similar clinic just a few blocks away.
Police found a Chinese man claiming to be a doctor in the second clinic. He did not speak on camera but presented what he claimed to be his doctor’s license in China.
The local government said they are finding out who owns this clinics and the stockroom.
Charges will be filed against the owners for violating quarantine laws, medical regulations, and for operating without necessary permits. The confiscated boxes of medicine will be turned over to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for testing.
Two illegal clinics that most likely served Chinese nationals located just a few blocks away from each other…could those two be connected with each other? As for the medicine imported from China, I wonder if they were cleared by the officials of customs. When exactly did the City Health Office led by Dr. Virtusio become aware of the illegal clinics? Did anyone from Barangay Baclaran notice the anomalies within their territory?
With these cases combined – the illegal gaming operation and the illegal clinics – I wonder if there was any bribery involved in establishing the illegal operations, how much the local authorities knew about their existence, and how exactly are Parañaque officials dealing with Chinese nationals who really had no intention to follow local laws.
It is fortunate for law enforcers that a disgruntled worker from one of the illegal clinics tipped them while a concerned citizen did the right thing by calling them about the presence of foreigners who were armed with guns. What exactly were those guns for, personal protection or as a means to threaten the local community’s members?
Whatever is happening behind the scenes with these two recent developments, what is clear is that Parañaque is still a hot spot for illegal activities involving Chinese nationals and the connection with mainland China. How the local authorities will deal with them is a big question mark.
You the reader might want to ask yourself: Are Chinese nationals already setting up Parañaque to be a key location for a future military invasion by mainland China?
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COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City expands the scope of personal information disclosure of COVID-19 cases
The City Government of Muntinlupa has expanded the scope of personal information disclosure for patients who tested positive of COVID-19 as a mitigation measure to prevent the further spread of the virus in the city.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi signed into law Ordinance 2020-094, amending the COVID-19 Public Health Information Ordinance, which provided a new list of personal information to be gathered from COVID-19 patients.
Under the local ordinance, the City Government requires COVID-19 patients to provide their complete address which include name of purok and subdivision, name of their building in case residents living in condominiums, travel history, frequented locations, time of manifestations of symptoms, start and end of symptoms, and visited hospitals including private and public places.
Fresnedi urged COVID-19 patients to cooperate with the City Government and disclose accurate details to protect public safety and health.
Information gathered from patients will be used by Muntinlupa City Health Office for contact tracing. It will also enable the city government to advise people of the potential contagion of COVID-19 and issue a warning for residents living in affected areas with high risk of infection to limit their movement.
Confirmed, suspected, and probable cases in the city are encouraged to voluntarily have themselves identified for the purpose of providing the utmost protection from the local government and for the purpose of protecting public safety and public health. The local government shall ensure that they are not directly or indirectly identified by the public.
Muntinlupa City also recently passed the Anti-Patient’s Dishonesty Ordinance of 2020 which aims to penalize dishonest COVID-19 patients who provide wrong personal information to health workers.
The public is advised to truthfully accomplish information data form, declaration or any similar document and disclose relevant information as may be asked by health workers, hospital employees, medical officers, or quarantine officers.
Violators shall be liable to pay a fine amounting to P5,000, community service for 30 days, and up to nine months of imprisonment. In case of inability to pay the fine, the offender shall be required to render an additional 30 days of community service or subsidiary imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.
As of April 26, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 132 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 19 deaths and 22 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 18 “suspect” cases and 472 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.
This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Council approves resolution protesting the transfer of 18 PDLs with COVID-19 to Bilibid Prison
This past Thursday, the Muntinlupa City Council passed a resolution to express their protest and opposition to the transfer of 18 women PDLs (persons deprived of liberty) who tested positive for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City to the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.
The City Council supports Mayor Jaime Fresnedi’s position against the transfer of the infected PDLs to Muntinlupa last April 21. Fresnedi denounced the transfer and said it was done without prior coordination with the local government.
The resolution stressed that such transfer cannot be done without prior consultation with the City Government and the people and villages living or residing near and surrounding the Medium Security Compound, Camp Sampaguita and without the prior approval of the Sanggunian.
Further, it cited the Local Government Code of 1991 which mandates all national agencies and offices to conduct periodic consultations with appropriate local government units, non-governmental and people’s organizations, and other concerned sectors of the community before any project or program is implemented in their respective jurisdictions.
According to the LGC 1991 Section 27, “no project or program shall be implemented by government authorities unless the consultations mentioned in Sections 2(c) and 26 hereof are complied with, and prior approval of the sanggunian concerned is obtained.”
The City Council pointed out that the transfer also compromises the safety and health of NBP prisoners as it involves a highly contagious and infectious virus that has affected and continues to affect the health and safety of our constituents in particular and the people of Metro Manila which is the most affected region in terms of number of infected persons.
Following the passing of the resolution, the Committee on Health and Sanitation is set to conduct a public hearing and invite officials from the Bureau of Corrections and all other sectors concerned, including residents of nearby communities in Katarungan Village and Southville 3, to discuss the said transfer.
Meanwhile, Congressman Ruffy Biazon sent a letter on April 22 to National Action Plan on COVID-19 chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. recommending the transfer of the COVID-19 PDLs to a more secure facility that has the capability to handle these cases pending the evaluation of the isolation facility at the NBP.
Mayor Fresnedi has yet to consult with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases appealing the relocation of COVID-19 PDLs back to Mandaluyong or a medical facility.
As of April 23, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 129 confirmed cases of COVID-19in the city with 18 deaths and 19 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 16 “suspect” cases and 392 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.
This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City to implement “pocket lockdown” in areas with high concentration of COVID-19 cases
In a bid to contain the further spread of COVID-19 in Muntinlupa, the City Government is considering to implement “pocket lockdown” in areas with high concentration of confirmed, suspect, and probable cases of COVID-19.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the City Government will begin implementing stricter measures following the sustained rise of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the city. He said that the measure aims to prevent the movement of suspected carriers and curb the spread of the virus in the communities.
“It has become evident that curfew hours are not effective deterrent for the public to stay at home. I have instructed barangay chairmen to coordinate with PNP Muntinlupa to look into imposing pocket lockdown in their respective areas. Upon their assessment, they can implement tougher quarantine measures to reduce the risks of transmission in their barangays,” Fresnedi noted.
The mayor urged city residents to refrain from going out unless necessary and follow protocols provided by the local and national government.
Brgy. Poblacion Capt. Allen Ampaya announced on Wednesday that a modified lockdown will be in effect in their barangay starting April 23. Residents residing in Poblacion are only allowed to buy essential goods from 6:00 AM – 12:00 NN.
Ampaya noted that residents who tested positive for COVID-19, probable, and suspect cases, including their families, are prohibited from leaving their houses. He added that food assistance and other supplies will be provided by the barangay government to affected residents.
The barangay captain warned violators that they will be apprehended and filed with a case by members of barangay police and PNP Muntinlupa.
Under a new directive from the City Government, flea markets (talipapa) in the city now operates from 6:00 AM – 12:00 NN. While Muntinlupa City Public Market in Alabang and other supermarkets in the city operates from 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM.
Muntinlupa City has recently enforced a 24-hour curfew, anti-hoarding ordinance, closure of malls and other non-essential establishments, ban in the sale, delivery and consumption of liquor and other alcoholic drinks, and ban on spitting and disposal of personal protective equipment in public places.
As of April 22, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 129 confirmed cases of COVID-19in the city with 18 deathsand 19 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 21 “suspect” cases and 331 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.
While confirmed COVID-19 rises in the city, the number of cleared cases also improve with over 313 cleared “suspect” cases and 28 cleared “probable” cases.
For concerns related to community quarantine and COVID-19 testing, Muntinlupa City residents may reach hotline nos. 0977-240-5217 or 0977-240-5218.
This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
COVID-19 Crisis: Apprehension of suspects leads to tighter community management in Las Piñas City
Managing an entire city is always tough and having strong coordination between the city government and the barangays is essential in ensuring service to the constituents. This is quite true over at the City of Las Piñas which, as of this writing, has 122 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 14 recoveries, 9 deaths, 6 probable cases and 48 suspected cases.
The City Government, headed by Mayor Imelda Aguilar, has been doing many things like distributing packages of relief goods to the homes of the constituents, receiving and answering inquiries from concerned citizens, securing the city and constantly communicating with the barangays. The City Government also had its KALIPI (Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina) practitioners involved in the production of brand new face masks which are essential now.
Even though the COVID-19 Crisis saw a sharp drop on criminal activity, there are still some people out there who did something crooked. According to a Manila Bulletin news report, two individuals who reside in the CAA community (Barangay BF International-CAA) were arrested on April 20 for the falsification of documents related to this current crisis.
This is about the making and selling of fake quarantine passes (QPs) allegedly done by suspects Mareclina Cayanan and Santiago Capon. They have since been detained by the local police and will be charged for documents falsification. A total of fifty fake QPs were recovered from the suspects and it was reported that each fake pass was sold at P20 each.
To put things in perspective, only the proper authorities have the legal right to issue QPs to their constituents as a means to control the number of people moving out of their homes to do essential things like buying groceries or doing bank transactions for their households.
In Las Piñas City, the quarantine pass is issued by the barangay units for their respective community members. Each QP has a seal (dried), a control number as well as the barangay captain’s signature. QPs are limited in quantity.
Going back to the Manila Bulletin report, the apprehension of the suspects resulted to Mayor Aguilar issuing a new order to each and every barangay captain in the city to be stricter in implementing the government’s home quarantine policy.
Mayor Aguilar also reached out to the constituents that if they see something illegal happening, they should call the police immediately.
Going back to the fake QPs that were sold by the suspects, the local police is searching for those who are using them. Anyone holding a fake quarantine pass will make the holder criminally liable.
If you are a resident of Las Piñas City and you want to help the authorities fight crime and catch the bad guys, contact the city police at telephone number 85516401 or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pcrstation4/
For the Las Piñas City official hotline, call 89945782, 09776726211 and 09496246824.
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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa City Government protests the transfer of 18 PDLs with COVID-19 to New Bilibid Prison
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi is denouncing and protesting the transfer of 18 Persons Deprived of Liberty from the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City who tested positive for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to the New Bilibid Prison located in Muntinlupa City.
Fresnedi expressed his disappointment over the transfer saying that the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) did not inform the City Government when it transferred the prisoners to Muntinlupa on April 21.
“Coordination for the transfer of PDLs who are confirmed COVID-19 cases was not facilitated by BuCor to the local government. We were surprised to know about it from sources outside BuCor. We are all trying to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Muntinlupa and the transfer should not be done as it poses threat to the health of Muntinlupa residents,” the local exec said.
Fresnedi added that the local government has no information as to how the PDLs were transferred and if BuCor has followed protocols on safe patient transport for COVID-19 as provided by the Department of Health.
The Muntinlupa City Council is set to convene for a special session to file a protest opposing the transfer of confirmed COVID-19 PDLs from CIW. Congressman Ruffy Biazon expressed his support for the protest.
The City Government earlier announced that it will start to isolate suspect and probable cases in quarantine centers as a mitigation initiative to prevent sustained transmission in the communities.
A field hospital and isolation rooms have been constructed in Ospital ng Muntinlupa to accommodate suspect, probable, and confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Muntinlupa Public Information Officer Tez Navarro said the local government is considering to implement “pocket lockdown” in areas with high concentration of confirmed, suspect, and probable cases of COVID-19.
Navarro added that the unique measure aims to prevent the movement of suspected carriers and curb the spread of the virus in the communities.
Muntinlupa City has also enforced a 24-hour curfew, anti-hoarding ordinance, closure of malls and other non-essential establishments, ban in the sale, delivery and consumption of liquor and other alcoholic drinks, and ban on spitting and disposal of personal protective equipment in public places.
As of April 21, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 126 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 17 deaths and 14 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are23 “suspect” cases and 236 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.
This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
COVID-19 Crisis: Muntinlupa to start isolating suspect, probable cases in quarantine centers, earns praise for physical distancing measures
In an attempt curb the rise in the number of novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) cases in Muntinlupa City, the City Government is set to isolate suspect and probable cases in quarantine centers following the conduct of localized targeted mass testing.
Muntinlupa City started its targeted COVID-19 mass testing on April 13 and has finished collecting swab samples from 194 persons under investigation (PUI) for processing and testing.
As of April 20, Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 121 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 17 deaths and 14 recovered cases. According to the local health office, there are 41 “suspect” casesand 189 “probable” cases in Muntinlupa to date.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi said the City Government will begin the transfer of suspect and probable cases from their homes to quarantine facilities as a mitigation measure in avoiding further spread of the virus in the communities.
“Suspect and probable cases who are in home quarantine will now be transferred in isolation areas. A more aggressive medical intervention is needed to effectively segregate, for quarantine purposes, the virus-stricken constituents of the city for appropriate medication and containing of the virus,” Fresnedi said.
A field hospital and isolation rooms have been constructed in Ospital ng Muntinlupa to accommodate suspect, probable, and confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The City Government has also started to construct a public crematorium facility in Brgy. Putatan in anticipation of the pandemic’s worst-case scenario in the city.
Meanwhile, the city’s rules on physical distancing for market-goers have earned praises from the Palace and was hailed as a best practice in the enhanced community quarantine.
Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr. cited Muntinlupa’s measures as one of the best practices when it comes to physical distancing during a televised press briefing on Monday.
“We can see how they practice social distancing in the flea markets, as well as the public markets. They’re very orderly in Muntinlupa,” Roque said.
Muntinlupa City recently implemented a market schedule for residents in different barangays. The city public market in Alabang now operates from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Mondays for disinfection.
Residents of Barangays Tunasan, Poblacion, Putatan, and Bayanan can go to MCPM on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays while those from Alabang, Ayala Alabang, Cupang, Buli, and Sucat can enter on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. All are required to show their quarantine passes and face masks before they are allowed to enter.
A queuing system has been imposed in the market in which those who are waiting need to fall in line with a distance of at least one meter from one another.
Only fifty individuals are allowed to enter the market to ensure that social distancing is observed. Senior Citizens, pregnant women, persons with disability, and children are not allowed inside the market.
Flea market operators were also ordered to implement a market schedule and set up stricter physical distancing measures as mitigation to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). City flea markets are now operating from 6:00 AM – 12:00 NN.
Mayor Fresnedi thanked Malacanang for recognizing Muntinlupa’s initiatives to strictly implement the enhanced community quarantine in the city.
The City Government has also enforced a 24-hour curfew, anti-hoarding ordinance, closure of malls and other non-essential establishments, ban in the sale, delivery and consumption of liquor and other alcoholic drinks, and ban on spitting and disposal of personal protective equipment in public places.
This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
71,000 scholars in Muntinlupa to receive allowances in advance amid COVID-19 crisis
The City Government of Muntinlupa has started to distribute scholarship allowances in advance in light of the financial impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi approved City Ordinance 2020-087 for the early release of scholarship allowances to 71,000 Muntinlupa scholars covering the period of June to August.
Fresnedi said the City Government recognizes that most of the students under the local scholarship program belong to daily wage earner-parents and the allowance will help their families cope and get through the COVID-19 crisis.
Muntinlupa Scholarship Program piloted the distribution of allowances at Sucat Elementary School – Zone 4 on April 9.
In a Facebook Post, MSP explained that while the early distribution of scholarship allowance has rolled-out, there might be some delays as the government also considers the safety of the beneficiaries in the process.
“The local government hopes to deliver the scholarship allowance to every scholar during this COVID-19 crisis situation, however we also put into consideration the safety of the public as beneficiaries will gather in distribution locations,” it said.
MSP is posting distribution schedules in its Facebook Page to ensure the number of beneficiaries per location adhere to the protocols and guidelines given by the Department of Health and the COVID-19 Inter Agency Task Force (IATF).
The scholarship office advised claimants to strictly abide by the posted schedule (time, date and venue), observe social distancing, and wear masks in the distribution locations.
If they are unable to claim, scholars may still receive their allowance after the quarantine period by filing necessary requirements for re-processing.
Elementary and alternative learning system students in Muntinlupa receive an allowance of P4,000 per year. For junior high school students, the local government provides P5,000, while for senior high school students, P6,000 per year.
Further, State Universities and Colleges students, including beneficiaries of Continuing Assistance for Reintegrating Students Program, can receive a maximum incentive of up to P10,000 per semester depending on their academic performance.
As of April 19, the Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 117 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city with 17 deaths and 14 recovered cases. There are 76 “suspect” cases and 147 “probable” cases.
This is an official Press Release issued by the City Government of Muntinlupa. Some parts were edited for this website.
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 and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments.
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the Our Home Tahanan coffee table book, inquiring with Florencia Umali and doing research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Our Home Tahanan is the Definitive Book about Tahanan Village
If you want to discover and study the history of a well-established village such as Tahanan Village in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City, don’t rely on a pretentious, so-called independent local community print media publication. Instead, pursue such information recorded in the official documents or an official publication of the village produced by the villagers.
As many of us here in South Metro Manila are confined into our homes with the ongoing quarantine on communities (which is part of the COVID-19 Crisis), I found time to read the official Tahanan Village coffee table book titled Our Home Tahanan.
The coffee table book itself.
Published in 2006, Our Home Tahanan is a commemorative publication that emphasizes the past, the present and the future of Tahanan Village which in 2005 celebrated what was back then its 30th Foundation Day. It has a collection of stories and testimonies from the pioneering residents and the later residents who contributed to the development of the Tahanan community in more ways than one. I myself enjoy reading it and examining the photos which clearly showed how much Tahanan Village developed through the decades.
A special project of the 2005 Board of Directors of the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA), Our Home Tahanan has an extensive look at the history of the village starting even before it was founded in the 1970s. It also offers readers a look at the many organizations that not only organized several in-village activities and events, but also emphasized how lively Tahanan’s community really has been.
Let’s take a look at how Our Home Tahanan was conceptualized and turned into an actual coffee table book.
From concept to a published work
The idea of developing an official coffee table book about Tahanan Village was raised in a meeting that was held on June 10, 2005. The Committee composed of Tess Arriola, Florencia Umali, Corly Vergara, Peter Olivares, Reno and Malou Araneta, Nene Sandico and then THA president Milton Lalisan had a thorough discussion about the elements and topics for a souvenir program in relation to the 30th Foundation Day of the village.
A group photo of the yearbook committee members. An article and a full page image.
The idea of a coffee table book alone was perceived to be challenging at first and there were expressions of skepticism and incredulity. The mood eventually turned into optimism and determination.
According to then THA president Milton Lalisan, the Committee came to a decision to develop the coffee table book project.
Below is an excerpt with words of Lalisan…
It was agreed that we would develop a really nice, glossy book, semi-hard cover, with lots of colored and black/white pictures. The book should appeal to different types of readers:
+ Residents who have grown with the village, who were here when Tahanan was still on its pioneering stage.
+ Residents who have built their houses at a later stage but who quickly managed to acclimatize to the environment around them.
+ Sons and daughters of residents who had their childhood in Tahanan Village, some who may now be in their teens, young adulthood or are parents themselves.
+ and those who have personal interests in Tahanan Village, the lot owners who have not built their houses, the prospective homeowners who are considering living in the village.
Afterwards, several forms of preparation followed: writing articles, researching, organizing an in-village photo contest, financing, editing and finally, publishing it.
According to Florencia Umali (now the incumbent president of the Century Club of Tahanan, Inc. or CCTI), she and her fellow members of the Committee worked long and hard to make the project a reality.
“We coordinated with the different clubs and organizations, and the previous Tahanan Board (of Directors),” Umali recalled. “We also coordinated with the first homeowners of Tahanan Village. We also worked on collating their old pictures and memories.”
After much hard work as well as editing done by a local resident, Our Home Tahanan got published.
The history of Tahanan Village and its origin
As mentioned earlier, this coffee table book also has the official history of Tahanan Village and what happened behind the scenes that led to its foundation way back in the 1970s.
Here’s an excerpt from the article Tahanan Village: How It All Began written by Digoy Fernandez.
I guess the Tahanan story really began with the friendship of Dominador “Bandoc” Mercado with both the Rufino and the Campillo families. According to youngest Campillo son Lito, Bandoc had a special way with his father, Sostenes Sr. Bandoc even had a free place to stay in the Campillo managed Shellbourne Hotel located strategically at the Luneta. I remember my group of friends, which included Charlie Rufino, going to watch movies for free in the Rufino theaters, and then dropping by the hotel to meet up with Bandoc and middle Campillo son, Jun, on many an occasion during our high school and college years.
One day, Bandoc approached the Rufino family with a proposition to develop 60 hectares of the Campillo rice farm in Parañaque into a subdivision. At that time, the heirs of the eldest Rufino patriarch, Vicente, wanted to try their hand in horizontal development. Their past experience in real estate was mostly in vertical development. At that time, BF Homes had already started and proved that a housing development beyond the Merville area could be a success. The Rufino family agreed provided that Bandoc take the helm of the management of the project.
Youngest son Charlie and youngest daughter Pixie were assigned to the project and were mentored directly by Bandoc. The latter drew up a joint venture agreement with the Campillo family, and thus, Tahanan Development Corporation had its beginning. The eldest Rufino daughter, Ditas, thought up the name “Tahanan” Village and also the use of flowers to denominate streets.
The definitive book about Tahanan Village
Our Home Tahanan also contains articles about how the Tahanan Homeowners Association (THA) started, what were the facilities and organizations in the village, how the village’s very own tennis club began, who were the pioneers and notable residents, and more. Special attention was also paid to the THA’s relationship with contracted security agencies as well as the breakthroughs on securing the village that were realized when the association formed their Security Committee.
A few of the many congratulatory pages.Another villager-written article.
There are also many literary pieces written by village residents who shared their experiences and what living in the village truly is like. Adding depth to these articles are the many, many photographs of the times, the events, and the people involved with the village.
In my experience, Our Home Tahanan is not only a great published work to discover and research about Tahanan Village…it is the definitive published work complete with the contributions and involvement of the villagers.
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Special thanks to Augusto Tejada of Tahanan Village.
Author Carlo Carrasco 