Other News

PHL ports open to ships from China, special administrative regions but disembarkation of vessel crew banned– PPA

(Eagle News) — Philippine ports remain open even to ships coming from China and its Special Administrative Regions so as not to disrupt the international cargo supply chain, the Philippine Ports Authority said on Tuesday, Feb. 4. In a statement, the PPA said the condition though was the “non-disembarkation of vessel crew” within 14 days after arrival. No visitors will also be allowed while a vessel is docked in any PPA-controlled port or at anchorage. […]

S.Africa says rhino poaching down 23 percent last year

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — South Africa recorded a 23 percent drop in the number of rhinos killed by poachers last year, official figures showed Monday. In 2019, 594 rhino were slaughtered for their horns, down from 769 killed in 2018. Poaching is fueled by the demand for rhino horn in Asia, where it is coveted as a traditional medicine or an aphrodisiac, and can fetch up to $60,000 per kilogram. South Africa, home to […]

3.0-magnitude quake hits Davao Occidental

(Eagle News)–A 3.0-magnitude earthquake struck Davao Occidental on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake, which struck at 12:13 p.m., had its epicenter 35 kilometers northeast of Jose Abad Santos. Depth of focus was 143 kilometers. No damage to property nor aftershocks were recorded.

Death toll due to 2019-nCoV hits 427; confirmed cases now at 20,613 mostly in China

  (Eagle News) – The death toll from the novel coronavirus has risen to 427, almost all in China, except for two cases outside the mainland – from the Philippines and Hong Kong. This came about as the total confirmed cases of the 2019-nCoV hit 20,613. Most of these are in China with 20,423 cases. Based on the information collected by the John Hopkins University, there were also more than 660 virus recoveries so far, […]

DTI: At least two million face masks to be available in a month

(Eagle News) — The Department of Trade and Industry on Tuesday, Feb. 4, said at least 2 million face masks will be available in a month’s time. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez made the disclosure during the Senate committee on public health’s hearing on the novel coronavirus. The Philippines has so far confirmed two cases, including one death. According to Lopez, the masks will be provided by a supplier in Bataan which has been in the […]

Angara files bill seeking to increase bed capacity of East Ave. Medical Center

(Eagle News) — Senator Sonny Angara has filed a bill seeking to increase the bed capacity of the East Avenue Medical Center from the current 600 to 1,000. In filing Senate Bill 1291, Angara noted that the  last time the EAMC was able to increase its bed capacity was in 1997 when Congress passed Republic Act 8345. RA 8345 added 250 beds to the hospital’s then 350-bed capacity. “As the EAMC continuously provides quality health […]

President Duterte to private hospitals: Help fight novel coronavirus

(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte has asked private hospitals to help fight the novel coronavirus. A statement issued by his office said the President issued the appeal during a briefing with government officials and health experts in the Palace on Monday, Feb. 3. “The President also appealed to private hospitals to help the government fight the scourge by accommodating patients seeking treatment after hearing reports that some private facilities refuse to accept patients manifesting […]

Hong Kong confirms death of patient with coronavirus; becomes 2nd place outside China to report nCoV death

  HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hong Kong on Tuesday become the second place outside of the Chinese mainland to report the death of a patient being treated for a new coronavirus that has so far claimed more than 400 lives. Medical authorities confirmed a 39-year-old man who was being treated for the virus died on Tuesday morning. The man was a resident of Hong Kong who had travelled last month to Wuhan, the Chinese […]

China opens virus hospital built from scratch in under two weeks

    BEIJING, China (AFP) — Coronavirus patients arrived Tuesday at a Chinese field hospital built from scratch in under two weeks at the frontline of the outbreak, state media said, following a round-the-clock construction marathon that became a national social media sensation. The 1,000-bed facility was built to relieve hospitals swamped with patients in Wuhan, the city in Hubei province at the epicentre of the national health emergency that has killed more in China […]

NBI “on standby” to support DOH in tracing those who came in contact with PHL’s 2 confirmed nCoV cases

(Eagle News) –The National Bureau of Investigation will be “on standby” to support the Department of Health in tracing those who came in contact with the Chinese couple who were the country’s first two confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus. As it is though, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, the DOH has said “they can still handle the contract tracing.” The DOH has said of the 74 people who came in close contact with the […]

Disappointing growth hits Google parent Alphabet shares

by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France-Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Google parent Alphabet missed revenue expectations in the fourth quarter despite stellar growth at YouTube and in the cloud, earnings figures released Monday showed. Detailing its cloud computing and YouTube revenues for the first time, Alphabet reported that profits rose 19 percent from a year ago in the quarter to nearly $10.7 billion as revenues increased 17 percent to $46 billion. Alphabet and Google chief […]

Sotto, Drilon, Lacson urge Duterte to reconsider PHL withdrawal from VFA

(Eagle News) — Three senators have asked President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his unilateral withdrawal from the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States. In urging the President in Senate Resolution No. 312, Senate President Tito Sotto, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Panfilo Lacson acknowledged that while “by constitutional fiat and by the intrinsic nature of his office” the President, as head of state, is “the sole organ and authority in the external […]