Other News

President Duterte won’t interfere on ABS-CBN franchise issue, says Palace

Palace to just wait for NTC’s decision on sought for provisional authority for media giant, as legislative franchise expires by midnight   (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte will not intervene in the issue of the legislative franchise of media giant, ABS-CBN, which is due to expire midnight later, according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. Roque said that Malacanang will just wait for the decision of the National Telecommuncations Commission (NTC) since Solicitor General Jose […]

Single-day COVID-19 recoveries in PHL hit record-high as cases rise to 9485

(Eagle News) — The number of coronavirus disease 2019 cases in the country rose to 9485 on Monday, May 4, after the Department of Health reported 262 new cases. The DOH said of the 262 new cases, 122 or 47 percent were from Metro Manila, 88 or 33 percent from Region 7 and 52 or 20 percent from other areas. Recoveries continued to increase, now at 1315, after 101 additional ones were reported. This was […]

US coronavirus deaths rise by 1,450 in 24 hours: Johns Hopkins

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Novel coronavirus deaths in the United States climbed by 1,450 in the past 24 hours, a tally by Johns Hopkins University showed Sunday, bringing the total number of fatalities to more than 67,600. The Baltimore-based university had recorded more than 1.15 million cases in the country as of 8:30 pm Sunday (0030 GMT Monday), with 67,674 deaths. The United States has by far the highest death toll of any country […]

NCRPO: 250 SAF members deployed to assist in “hard lockdown” of Tondo District 1

(Eagle News) — Over 200 members of the Special Action Force have been deployed to assist in the “hard lockdown” of Manila’s Tondo District 1, the National Capital Region Police Office said on Monday, May 4. NCRPO Chief Debold Sinas made the revelation of the deployment of the 250 SAF members in a statement, as he thanked the SAF for its “generosity…in sending us augmentation in this battle against the unseen.” “Verily, they will be […]

Updated: Albay province, Zamboanga City approved for inclusion in ECQ areas

  (Eagle News) – Malacanang has approved the inclusion of the province of Albay and Zamboanga City in the areas under enhanced community quarantine as had been earlier recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that the IATF had already forwarded this recommendation to President Rodrigo Duterte. The local officials of Albay and Zamboanga City have earlier asked for an ECQ in their areas because […]

Canada invests in online mental health care amid COVID-19 crisis

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) — Canada will invest CAN$240 million (US$170 million) to develop virtual care and mental health tools for residents to better cope with the consequences of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday. The funds will be used mainly to create new digital platforms and applications to give Canadians “strategies to manage stress or support from a procurement professional,” Trudeau said. It will also aim to strengthen online virtual care […]

Palace: President Duterte ordered PhilHealth to make OFW premium payments voluntary

(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered PhilHealth to make the payment of premium contributions of Overseas Filipino Workers voluntary. This is according to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, who gave a briefing on Monday, May 3. “Una sa lahat, ipinapaalam po namin sa inyo na nagissue ng direktiba ang Presidente sa PhilHealth para gawing boluntaryo po ang pagbabayad ng mga OFWs ng PhilHealth premiums,” Roque said. Roque added the payment of premiums was also no longer […]

LA County faces food insecurity more than any county in the US

Eagle News — Los Angeles has more residents facing food insecurity than any other county in the entire United States. That statement might be staggering for to those who might have envisioned Los Angeles as a sprawling metropolis with a bustling economy. But in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the problem of feeding such a large population is all the more magnified. That’s where organizations like the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank stepped in. […]

PhilHealth says payment of premium contributions only voluntary amid health emergency

  (Eagle News)–The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation has temporarily suspended collections of all premiums following complaints about reports of a hike in the premium contributions of Overseas Filipino Workers. PhilHealth President Ricardo Morales said in a radio interview those who wish to pay, however, could still do so. “For those na hindi makabayad, we have adopted ‘yung flexible payment scheme na pwede nila tapusin during the year ‘yung premiums for the year, para hindi sila […]

Health Secretary Duque calls for suspension of hike in OFWs’ PhilHealth premium contributions

(Eagle News)–Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Monday, May 4, called for the suspension of a provision in the Universal Health Care law’s implementing rules and regulations that specified a hike in the premium contributions of Overseas Filipino Workers. Duque made the call in a Tweet, following complaints over the 3 percent hike amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “I call for the suspension of Section 10.2.C of the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) of the UHC […]

Gilead Sciences exporting remdesivir, CEO says

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The head of the maker of remdesivir, an anti-viral shown to reduce recovery times in COVID-19 patients, said Sunday the company has been exporting the drug and is making it available to patients in the United States through the US government. Gilead Sciences CEO Daniel O’Day said the company is donating its entire existing supply of the drug — 1.5 million vials, enough to treat 100,000 to 200,000 patients. “We […]

Italy begins to emerge from world’s longest nationwide lockdown

by Ella IDE and Dmitry ZAKS Agence France Presse ROME, Italy (AFP) — Stir-crazy Italians will be free to stroll and visit relatives for the first time in nine weeks on Monday as Europe’s hardest-hit country eases back the world’s longest nationwide coronavirus lockdown. Four million people — an estimated 72 percent of them men — will return to their construction sites and factories as the economically and emotionally shattered country tries to get back […]