COVID-19

Cases

5,411 new Philippine COVID-19 infections logged; active cases at 47,190
The Philippines on Sunday reported 5,411 new COVID-19 infections, pushing the country's total tally to 1,507,755 as four laboratories failed to submit data on time.
GMA News

Department of Health

PHL can’t copy Singapore’s Covid drive; LGUs warned
AN official of the Department of Health (DOH) reminded local government officials not to breach quarantine protocols, saying any violation “might be detrimental” to the country and the population.
Business Mirror

DOH expands capacity of Calabarzon hospitals
TO prepare for any possible surge of cases, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) announced that Covid-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and ward tents donated to the Quezon Medical Center (QMC) are now ready for utilization.
Business Mirror

IATF/NTF COVID-19

Vax rollout on right track —BSP
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno expressed his belief over the weekend that the COVID-19 vaccination rollout of the government is on the right track, saying it is a key to strong economic recovery from the pandemic.
Manila Standard

Regions

Luzon including NCR

Visayas

Bacolod City forms Safety Seal committee
Mayor Evelio Leonardia has ordered the creation of the Bacolod Safety Seal Committee (BSSC) to ensure that health and safety protocols are implemented as part of the “new normal” in the conduct of business and trade in this city.
Philippine News Agency 

Mindanao

At least 8,000 mall workers rendered jobless during ECQ in CDO
At least 8,000 employees of stores selling non-essential items in at least 10 shopping malls here found themselves  jobless on the first day of the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on Saturday.
MindaNews

World 

France: Thousands protest against vaccination, Covid-19 health passes
Over 100,000 people protested across France on Saturday against the government’s latest measures to push people to get vaccinated and curb rising infections by the Delta variant of the coronavirus.
Business Mirror

UK reports 54,674 new infections, most Covid-19 cases since January
The UK reported 54,674 new Covid cases on Saturday, the most since January 15 as the spread of the Delta variant pushes infection rates near records for the entire pandemic. Hospitalizations rose to 3,964, the most since late March.
Business Mirror

Diplomatic, Development and Private Sector 

OCTA warns resurgence in COVID-19 cases once Delta variant enters NCR
The Philippines could face a resurgence in COVID-19 infections, with a daily tally likely matching the peak seen in March and April, once the Delta variant enters the country’s busiest metropolitan area, an independent COVID-19 research watchdog said on Sunday.
CNN Philippines

Watchdog: Probe pols using vaccination drive
Poll watchdog Kontradaya yesterday sought an investigation into reports of “politicization” of the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination program.
Philippine Star 

Incidents and Violations

Editorial, Analysis, Opinion and Features

Health Corruption – Isn’t it talking point for the global health security during CoVID-19?
Corruption is a major obstacle to global peace, prosperity, and human rights. Statistic indicates that every year $1 trillion in bribes are paid and another $2.6 trillion (or 5% of global GDP) is lost to other forms of corruption.
Modern Diplomacy 

[Opinion] A work in progress
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned last week that COVID-19 is becoming “a pandemic of the unvaccinated.” Across the world, vaccine rollouts continue to be hampered on the one hand by logistical issues, shipment delays and supply shortages, and on the other by persisting issues of vaccine skepticism and hesitancy.
Philippine Daily Inquirer 

[Opinion] Keeping Covid-19 out of prisons in the Philippines
IT is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” This is what Nelson Mandela, former South African president, who himself spent many years in jail, said.
Business Mirror

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Expect ‘safer, easier’ travel amid pandemic, PRRD to tourists
President Rodrigo Duterte ensured Saturday that the new passenger terminal building (PTB) at the Clark International Airport (CRK) would allow passengers to enjoy a “safer and easier” air travel experience despite the prevailing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Philippine News Agency 

Of bells and bills: More on Duterte’s Sona targets
This installment reviews what has become of President Rodrigo Duterte’s specific action plans as spelled out in his second State of the Nation Address (Sona), which he delivered on July 24, 2017.
Philippine Daily Inquirer 

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT

Robredo: Govt. should flood regions outside NCR with funds amid potential surge
As the highly transmissible Delta variant reaches the Philippines, Vice President Leni Robredo urged the national government on Sunday to boost the funding of regions outside the capital to equip them for a possible surge of new infections.
CNN Philippines

Robredo suggests prioritizing areas with COVID-19 Delta variant for Janssen vaccine
Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday proposed that Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine be allocated in areas where the Delta variant was detected.
ABS- CBN News

AUDIT, GRAFT, AND CORRUPTION

BUDGET, FINANCE, and TAXATION

‘Good jabs drive, key to rating prospects’
PASSAGE of the Bayanihan to Arise as One Act or Bayanihan 3 will not improve the country’s rating prospects, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno told reporters over the weekend.
Business Mirror

Export, logistics players nix 15% port tariff hike
EXPORT industry stakeholders have asked the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to postpone the proposed increase in cargo handling tariff and passenger terminal fee by a port in Manila.
Business Mirror

BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND INVESTMENT

Market to stay cautious as Delta variant cases rise
INVESTORS in the Philippine stock market will likely remain cautious this week after the country logged more cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Delta variant and as they wait for the release of economic data and corporate earnings reports.
Business World

BUILD, BUILD, BUILD and PUBLIC WORKS

'Asia’s Next Premier Gateway’ at Clark defies downturn
BEING groomed as “Asia’s Next Premier Gateway,” the Clark International Airport (CRK) is expected to “spur economic growth, boost connectivity and mobility” in the northern parts of Luzon, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said on Sunday.
Business Mirror

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

DISASTER AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE

'Habagat' may bring rains over most of Luzon, Visayas in next 2-3 days — PAGASA
Tropical storm “Fabian” (international name “In-fa”) and a tropical depression outside the Philippine area of responsibility are expected to further enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat” that will induce monsoon rains over most of Luzon and Visayas in the next few days.
Manila Bulletin

Magnitude 5.4 quake jolts Davao Oriental
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake jolted Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental on Sunday morning, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Philippine News Agency 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

DEFENSE AND SECURITY

Armed Forces of the Philippines

Philippine National Police

Unpaid P8 million power bill mars inquiry on General Santos City killings
What was supposed to be an official inquiry on killings in General Santos City turns into a public discussion about the unpaid electric bills of the city police
Rappler

PNP to deploy more cops in public places
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, on Sunday ordered all police chiefs to deploy more personnel in public areas to prevent mass gatherings that can be considered super spreader events amid threat of more infectious Covid-19 Delta variant.
Philippine News Agency 

EDUCATION
 
[Opinion]  The increasing struggle of Philippine education
The reality that we face today in the field of education is daunting. Last year, Save the Children organization warned us of an “unprecedented global education emergency,” where more than 1 billion children around the world are out of school due to the pandemic and almost 10 million children may never return to school following the COVID-19 lockdown.
Philippine Star

INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY  
 
ELECTION RELATED

Election surveys may be used as propaganda tool–Pabillo
AN official of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) urged the faithful to be wary of the poll-related surveys for being propaganda tools.
Business Mirror

Sara Duterte: I’m still in control as mayor even when I’m outside Davao City
Mayor Sara Duterte said she remains in control as mayor of Davao City even as she spends time going around the country to consult the people on her possible bid for the presidency in next year’s elections.
Philippine Daily Inquirer 

Critics tell Duterte: Vice president not immune from suits
PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s possible vice presidential win next year won’t protect him from lawsuits, according to a congressman.
Business World

We are PDP-Laban, Pimentel insists
Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III insisted on Sunday that the reorganization of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), orchestrated by President Rodrigo Duterte and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, was invalid.
Philippine Daily Inquirer 

ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

LABOR

DOLE expects more workers regularized by end of 2021
AN additional 200,000 contractual workers were regularized by their employers even with the onset of the novel coronavirus disease pandemic last year, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Business Mirror

CSC hoping to hold another civil service exam before end of 2021
With the “successful and smooth” conduct of its Career Service Examination Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) in some regions on Sunday, July 18, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) is hoping to hold another test before year ends.
Manila Bulletin

LEGISLATIVE

Senate of the Philippines

Gordon calls for mobilization of resources vs Delta variant
FOLLOWING the reported cases of Delta variant in the country, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO Senator Richard J. Gordon called for massive mobilization of resources to protect frontliners in the affected regions, especially those in Cagayan De Oro and Misamis Oriental.
Business Mirror

Bill seeking jail time vs. unfair debt collection practices filed
Senator Win Gatchalian warned financial service providers anew, including online lending platforms, against continuing with their abusive debt collection practice, as he vowed to pursue the legislation criminalizing such acts.
Philippine News Agency 

House of Representatives

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE

FOREIGN RELATIONS  

West Philippine Sea

‘West Philippine Sea a primary concern in 2022 elections’
Former foreign secretary Albert del Rosario urged Filipinos to consider the West Philippine Sea as a primary concern in the 2022 elections, saying President Duterte is “tyrannically forcing Filipinos to be silent against China’s encroachment of Philippine territory and maritime entitlements.”
Philippine Star

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Full-inspection regime for farm imports deemed impractical
THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) needs to implement a risk-based method for determining which agricultural import shipments to inspect, a University of the Philippines economist said.
Business World

[Editorial] Pricey pork
The government has allowed the importation of more pork at lower tariffs to boost supply and bring down skyrocketing prices in public markets and groceries. And yet, despite the entry of cheaper meat from abroad, consumers continue to reel from high pork prices and local hog raisers are still getting less for their output.
Philippine Daily Inquirer 

HOUSING and SETTLEMENT

PSA: Most families reside in single-type houses
Majority of families lived in a single building or housing unit last year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
Manila Times

POVERTY

SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT

TRANSPORTATION

TOURISM

Improving air connectivity to boost tourism–Puyat
IMPROVING air connectivity between tourism markets and destinations will help restore tourism to pre-pandemic levels.
Business Mirror

WATER and ENERGY

‘More DU contracting will fill power gaps’
ENERGY security still hanging? Policy is key, says an energy expert who said power supply deficiency may be addressed by requiring distribution utilities (DUs) to contract more from power generation companies.
Business Mirror

Gatchalian bats anew for tighter review of Malampaya stake to Udenna Corp.
ThE Department of Energy must thoroughly review the sale of the 45-percent stake of the Shell-led consortium in Malampaya gas field to the group of Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy for its implications on energy security and pricing, the chairman of the Senate energy committee stressed at the weekend.
Business Mirror