COVID-19
Cases
Philippines' 12,021 new COVID-19 cases push active tally past 81k
The Philippines on Wednesday reported 12,021 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, the highest daily infections recorded since April 10, bringing the nationwide tally to 1,688,040
GMA News
Department of Health
DOH names regions without Delta cases
Three regions in Mindanao and one in Luzon are the only ones that have no confirmed cases of the highly contagious Delta variant, the Department of Health said Wednesday.
CNN Philippines
PH suspends 7-day quarantine for fully vaccinated close contacts of COVID cases
The Philippines’ COVID-19 task force has suspended the shortened quarantine period for arriving fully vaccinated individuals who are close contacts of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases, Malacañang said Wednesday.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
IATF/NTF COVID-19
Over 800K Pfizer shots to be allocated in NCR, areas with surging COVID-19 cases — Galvez
More than 800,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were delivered to the country on Wednesday night, Aug. 11, which comprise the third tranche of jabs that were procured by the national government from the United States.
Manila Bulletin
Regions
Luzon including NCR
Baby boy dies of COVID-19 in Bataan
An 11-month-old boy has died of COVID-19 in Bataan.
Philippine Star
COVID-19 again places pressure on NCR hospitals
Metro Manila's medical facilities are currently experiencing the same COVID-19 situation seen in March and April, with the fresh surge in cases overstretching the healthcare system, a hospital group said Wednesday.
CNN Philippines
Visayas
Cebu City eyes mass burial sites as COVID-19 deaths increase
Should the number of COVID-19 cases continue to surge, the Cebu City government is considering mass burials to trim the long queues of dead bodies for cremation in funeral parlors.
Rappler
Antique restricts movement of residents due to Delta variant
A stricter border control is now being observed in Antique until Aug. 30 to limit the movement of people as the province reported the highest number of cases of Delta variant of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Western Visayas.
Philippine News Agency
Mindanao
South Cotabato records first case of Beta variant
Health authorities in South Cotabato reported on Wednesday the province’s first-ever local case of the Beta variant of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) involving a recovered patient.
MindaNews
Bukidnon capitol ordered closed for 2 days for disinfection
The provincial capitol in Malaybalay City will be closed for two days starting Thursday for disinfection.
MindaNews
World
WHO announces three new drugs for latest COVID-19 ‘Solidarity’ clinical trials
Three new candidate drugs are being tested in the latest phase of global Solidarity clinical trials to find effective treatments against COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday.
UN News
Diplomatic, Development and Private Sector
Go Negosyo, SM, Robinsons team up for vaccine rollout
Go Negosyo has partnered with SM Supermalls and Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) to launch nearly 50 shared vaccination sites to provide efficient access to COVID-19 vaccines to over 300 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and around 170,000 employees nationwide.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Incidents and Violations
Editorial, Analysis, Opinion and Features
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Experts blast SC's ICC ruling: New win for powerful Duterte
When the Supreme Court junked on mootness the petitions questioning President Rodrigo Duterte's unilateral withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), law experts said it was a win for the President.
Rappler
In rant vs ‘call boy’ mayor, Duterte steps into pot-calling-kettle black situation
In 2019, President Rodrigo Duterte had all praises for Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, saying the then newly-elected chief executive of the country’s capital had “better resolve” than him.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
Robredo, QC launch 'Vaccine Express'
THE Office of the Vice President (OVP) together with the Quezon City government will roll out a vaccination program today, August 12.
Manila Times
Palace calls out Robredo’s ‘politicking,’ ‘nitpicking’ of gov’t COVID-19 response
Malacañang on Wednesday called out Vice President Leni Robredo’s supposed “politicking” for making it a habit to “nitpick” the government’s COVID-19 efforts as the national election nears.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
AUDIT, GRAFT, AND CORRUPTION
COA finds deficiencies on how DOH manages P67.32-B COVID funds
The Commission on Audit (COA) found deficiencies on how the Department of Health (DOH) managed its P67.32-billion fund to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that it contributed to challenges that the country faced during the crisis.
Philippine Daily Inquirer | Rappler | Philippine Star
BUDGET, FINANCE, and TAXATION
Over half of 2022 budget to fund ongoing projects
The Department of Finance (DOF) yesterday said more than half or P2.74 trillion of the P5.024-trillion proposed budget for next year would be directed to bankroll ongoing programs and projects of the government.
Philippine Star
DOF: 2022 jobless rate to remain ‘elevated’
THE country’s unemployment rate may remain “elevated” next year at between 6.7 and 7.6 percent, the Department of Finance (DOF) said on Wednesday.
Business Mirror
BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND INVESTMENT
Philippines exits recession with 11.8 percent GDP
The recession is said to be over because the Philippine economy has recovered in the second quarter of the year where the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) hit 11.8 percent, based on data released by the government on Tuesday.
Philippines Lifestyle
COVID variants likely to dent PHL recovery
THE PHILIPPINES is facing a stuttering economic recovery due to the sluggish pace of its vaccination campaign and the emergence of more infectious coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) variants, Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research said.
Business World
BUILD, BUILD, BUILD and PUBLIC WORKS
ANALYSIS: Why Build, Build, Build won’t fix Manila’s traffic
On June 8, President Rodrigo Duterte boasted that his administration had successfully alleviated Manila’s infamous traffic issues by investing in new infrastructure through the “Build, Build, Build” initiative.
Rappler
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
DISASTER AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DEFENSE AND SECURITY
Armed Forces of the Philippines
124 aspiring soldiers start military training at 3ID
A total of 124 candidate soldiers were received by the Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division through an Opening Ceremony and reception rites on Tuesday, August 10, 2021.
Kalinaw News
Philippine National Police
Eleazar meets police commanders, discusses Lacson's concern on PNP 'census'
Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), met with ranking police commanders on Thursday, August 10, to discuss and address the concerns raised by Sen. Panfilo Lacson on the alleged data-gathering being done by policemen that could be allegedly used for the 2022 elections.
Manila Bulletin
EDUCATION
Teachers’ group slams DepEd’s P1,000 incentive, calls it ‘pure PR stunt’
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said that the Department of Education (DepEd)’s P1,000 World Teachers’ Day incentive benefit was just a public relations (PR) stunt.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY
ELECTION RELATED
Aksyon Demokratiko open to have Isko as standard bearer; shuns talks with Duterte admin bets
The Aksyon Demokratiko Party-list will support its new member Manila Mayor Isko Moreno, should he pursue his presidential bid.
CNN Philippines
Transport groups in Mindanao pushing for Sara’s 2022 presidential bid
Several public transport groups in Mindanao have expressed their support for Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as they urge her to join the presidential race in the 2022 local and national elections.
Davao Today
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
IRR on EO lifting ban on new mining projects signed
The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Executive Order (EO) 130 – which lifted the moratorium on new mining projects and the nationwide ban on open-pit mining method – has already been signed by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu.
Manila Bulletin
44M kilos of fertilizer from South Korea shipped to Philippine landfill
Forty-four million kilos of “fertilizer” from South Korea were shipped to a sanitary landfill being built in Barangay Bon-ot of mining town Carrascal in Surigao del Sur, prompting a new foreign waste dumping investigation in the Philippines and calls to return it to South Korea.
Kodao
LABOR
LEGISLATIVE
Senate of the Philippines
‘Senate should’ve stood its ground’ on ICC withdrawal — Carpio
RETIRED Supreme Court Justice Antonio C. Carpio said the Senate should have insisted that President Rodrigo R. Duterte cannot unilaterally withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) under the Roman Statute.
Business World
Senators dismayed over DOH ‘incompetence’ in use of COVID-19 funds
Some senators expressed dismay on Wednesday over the deficiencies found by state auditors in the use of COVID-19 funds by the Department of Health (DOH), with one calling on the agency to unclog its procurement and supply chain “chokepoints.”
Philippine Daily Inquirer
House of Representatives
House probe eyed on health workers' risk allowance amid ₱9B fund 'discrepancies'
A lawmaker wants the House of Representatives to conduct an inquiry into the release of special risk allowance or SRA for health workers following alleged discrepancies in their distribution.
CNN Philippines
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)
OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
FOREIGN RELATIONS
West Philippine Sea
Allies key to PHL’s claim in South China Sea
THE PHILIPPINES under the next administration should enhance its alliances with nations that value international rules to strengthen its claim in the South China Sea, analysts said, noting that Beijing’s continued expansive activities in the disputed waterway indicate that President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s appeasement policy does not work.
Business World
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
HOUSING and SETTLEMENT
POVERTY
SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
TRANSPORTATION
TOURISM
WATER and ENERGY
Aboitiz keen on supplying power to Meralco via CSP
ABOITIZ Power Corp. will participate in the competitive selection process (CSP) for the Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) baseload capacity requirement of 1,000 megawatts (MW) for 2026 to 2046 and 1,200MW for 2030 to 2049.
Business Mirror
AboitizPower eyes 1,000-MW gas-fired plant
ABOITIZ Power Corp. is considering putting up a 1,000-megawatt (MW) gas-fired power plant within the next decade to provide baseload capacity for the electricity grid, its top executive said on Wednesday.
Business World
Power supply enough despite Malampaya shutdown
Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said there is sufficient supply of power despite the Malampaya gas field going offline this October as long as there will be no forced outages from power plants.
Philippine News Agency
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