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COVID-19
33% of Filipinos expect life to improve in next 12 months — SWS poll
Over a third of Filipinos are optimistic that their quality of life will get better in the next 12 months, according to a non-commissioned Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Manila Bulletin, Rappler
Health expert welcomes gov’t decision to provide COVID-19 booster shots for medical workers
An infectious disease expert welcomed the move of the government to provide COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to healthcare workers to further protect them against the viral illness.
Manila Bulletin
OCTA Research: 'Significant' COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Visayas, Mindanao must be addressed
Independent research group OCTA noted a “significant” vaccine hesitancy against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Visayas and Mindanao, which, if not addressed, may push back the gains made through the country’s vaccination program.
Manila Bulletin
Cases
PH COVID-19 tally rises by over 3K
Another 3,218 people contracted the coronavirus disease (COVID) nationwide, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed on Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Manila Bulletin
Department of Health
IATF/NTF COVID-19
Duterte finally gets to thank Biden for US generosity on COVID-19 jabs
President Duterte was finally able to express his thanks–albeit virtually–to United States (US) President Joe Biden for America’s generosity to the Philippines as far as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines donations are concerned.
Manila Bulletin
PH seals 100 M COVID-19 vaccines with Pfizer, AstraZeneca deliveries
The country will receive its 100 millionth dose of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine with the scheduled delivery of Pfizer and AstraZeneca jabs on Thursday, Oct. 28.
Manila Bulletin
PNP, BFP, BJMP medical personnel to assist LGUs ramp up vax drive- Año
Medical personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) will augment the vaccination teams of the local government units (LGUs) as the country aims a 70 percent total population target this year, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Eduardo Año said Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Manila Bulletin
Regions
Luzon including NCR
Tondo Medical Center health workers press for salary, health budget increase
Health workers from Tondo Medical Center (TMC) held a “snake rally” and noise barrage protest on Wednesday, Oct. 27, to press for a salary increase and a higher health budget in 2022.
Manila Bulletin
Group demands aid for teachers afflicted with or died of COVID-19
The Action and Solidarity for the Empowerment of Teachers (Assert) on Wednesday presented an initial list of 1,446 public school teachers who got sick or died of COVID-19, demanding the P50,000 aid promised by Education Secretary Leonor Briones.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Over 2M COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Ilocos region
More than two million doses of vaccines against COVID-19 had been administered in the Ilocos region, according to the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Visayas
Eastern Visayas aims to achieve herd immunity vs COVID before end of 2021
As the Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas aims to achieve herd immunity in the region before the end of the year, several local governments are devising schemes to reach this goal.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Mindanao
Vaccination of minors seen as path to herd immunity in Cagayan de Oro
The local government of Cagayan de Oro City will rollout vaccines for individuals age 12 to 17 starting on Friday in a bid to ramp up vaccination coverage and achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 before the year ends.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
World
Diplomatic, Development and Private Sector
Incidents and Violations
Editorial, Analysis, Opinion and Features
Philippines Is Still the Worst Place to Be in Covid Even as Cases Ease
The Philippines remains bottom of Bloomberg’s Covid Resilience Ranking of the best and worst places to be amid the pandemic in October, as vaccinations and reopening lag despite its outbreak easing.
Bloomberg
Salute to our health leaders for standing up against corruption, mismanagement
The St. Luke’s Medical Center Employees Association agrees with all the points raised by the Philippine College of Physicians and other prominent health experts on the issues of corruption and mishandling by the government of its COVID-19 response.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
FACES AND VOICES OF COVID-19: Home Is Where We Should Be
I used to love the thought of staying at home. While most people my age were outside partying and hanging out with their friends, I usually enjoyed just lying in my bed alone while listening to music. I do enjoy the company of other people, but nothing feels better than going home to a soft bed as my social battery drains out.
Mindanews
Pandemic worsens gov’t neglect of PH agriculture
Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, the agriculture and fisheries sector in the country had been “stagnating.” The pandemic came in like a strong wave, hit the sector, and pushed it further from the shore—far from possible recovery.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
AUDIT, GRAFT, AND CORRUPTION
Delay in submission of documents stalls probe on Pharmally’s deals – Martires
Delay in the submission of needed documents has stalled the probe of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) on the alleged anomalous deals of Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation with the government, Ombudsman Samuel R. Martires said.
Manila Bulletin
Culture of obliviousness
Once upon a time Ombudsman Samuel Martires said, incorrectly, that cases against corrupt government officials could not move forward because no one wanted to testify against them.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
BUDGET, FINANCE, and TAXATION
BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND INVESTMENT
PHL ranked Asean’s worst in 7 FDI metrics
THE Philippines ranked the poorest in majority of the indicators that foreign direct investors use in choosing which country to put their capital in for long-term investments, a recent research paper showed.
Business Mirror
Neda chief, retail sector upbeat on more ‘normal life’
FACE-TO-FACE classes and a more “normal life” for all may soon become a reality following the decline in Metro Manila’s Covid-19 cases, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
Business Mirror
BUILD, BUILD, BUILD and PUBLIC WORKS
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS
DISASTER AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
‘Bayanihan’ for climate resilience
WHILE we strive to recover from the pandemic, the recent destruction wrought by Typhoon “Maring” reminds us that the intensifying impacts of climate change are an enduring challenge.
Business Mirror
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
PAO has 27 new lawyers
The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), an agency under the Department of Justice (DOJ), has 27 new lawyers who took their oaths of office before PAO Chief Persida V. Rueda Acosta last Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Manila Bulletin
DEFENSE AND SECURITY
Armed Forces of the Philippines
Philippine National Police
EDUCATION
DepEd supports UN’s strategy and plan of action on hate speech
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday, Oct. 27, expressed full support to the United Nations’ (UN) Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech.
Manila Bulletin
DepEd, USAID strengthen partnership for digital inclusion, gender equality in basic education
Recognizing that there are gaps that need to be filled in basic education, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) reiterated their commitment to further strengthen digital inclusion and gender equality.
Manila Bulletin
Teachers stage Halloween-themed protest, slam DepEd’s 'trick or threat' scheme
In time for Halloween, a group of education workers staged a protest at the Department of Education (DepEd) main office in Pasig City to once again press the agency for overtime compensation and other economic benefits.
Manila Bulletin
Legarda files ‘One Tablet, One Student’ bill
Three-term Senator Loren Legarda today filed House Bill No. 10405, also known as the “One Tablet, One Student Act of 2021,” that seeks to provide each public elementary and secondary student, as well as students enrolled in state universities and colleges (SUCs) a tablet.
Philippine Star
Student group laments closure of schools despite opening of malls
“Malls have now opened, but what about our schools?” This was the sentiment of the Rise for Education Alliance (R4E) less than a month before the targeted pilot limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas.
Manila Bulletin
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Solon laments failure in implementation of Mobile Number Portability law
An opposition leader in the House of Representatives lamented on Wednesday, Oct. 27 the unsuccessful implementation of the Mobile Number Portability (MN|P) Act that was previously trumpeted as a game changer in the country’s telecommunications industry.
Manila Bulletin
ELECTION RELATED
Sara Duterte slams ‘wild chismis’ in Tulfo column
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte blasted as “wild conjectures, lies, intrigues, and chismis (rumors)” a column written by Ramon Tulfo that speculated that she may run as Bongbong Marcos' running mate to upset vice presidential aspirant Senator Bong Go.
Rappler
Cusi to Duterte: Why not run for senator?
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, the leader of a faction of the PDP-Laban, confirmed on Wednesday urging President Rodrigo Duterte to run for senator in the 2022 elections.
ABS-CBN News, Philippine Daily Inquirer
Robredo: Presidential bid ‘much lighter’ than 2016 VP race
Vice President Leni Robredo said her presidential bid for the 2022 elections feels much lighter than the 2016 vice presidential race.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Comelec backs proposed P100,000-fine vs nuisance bets
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) supports a bill that seeks to impose a hefty monetary penalty against nuisance candidates, but one watchdog is worried that the proposal would further tilt the playing field against underprivileged Filipinos aspiring to run for public office.
Rappler
Vote-buying an election offense, says Comelec after Robredo's remark
The spokesman of the Commission on Elections asserted that vote-buying is an election offense, after Vice President Leni Robredo's statement on vote-selling ignited a heated debate on social media.
Rappler
Imee says Sara Duterte convinced Marcos Jr. to run for president
Senator Imee Marcos fueled more speculation about a possible 2022 alliance between her brother, Bongbong, and Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
ABS-CBN News
Oxford: Bongbong Marcos' special diploma 'not a full graduate diploma'
The special diploma given by the prestigious Oxford University in England to presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr in 1978 "was not a full graduate diploma," said Oxford University.
Rappler
I filed a COC, but I am not a ‘nuisance candidate’
A reaction to what was written by Randy David in “Politics in the age of mass media” (10/17/21), where he wrote: “Only fools and clowns (read: nuisance candidates) dared to present themselves as candidates for public office, purely out of self-delusion.”
Philippine Daily Inquirer
The 2016 election: Mistakes and lessons
The 64 percent of the electorate that didn’t vote for the PDP-Laban Party’s Rodrigo Duterte in the 2016 election realized, very soon after that political exercise, that the other parties had made serious mistakes in the formulation and execution of their campaign strategies and that lessons had to be learned if a 2016-type outcome was to be avoided in the coming election.
Manila Standard
Presidential bets and FOI law
For many, many years the people have been waiting and hoping for a freedom of information (FOI) law.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Can a movement win vs traditional politics?
Finally, the political dust is beginning to settle. This is an old expression which means that it is becoming clearer. However, this does not mean that it is completely clear and there will be no more surprises.
Philippine Star
Political messaging: What you say and don’t say
As we inexorably head toward the elections on May 9, 2022, we reflect on the political marketing landscape and how things are shaping up as candidates stick to what their handlers or campaign managers have prescribed for a victorious campaign.
Businessworld Online
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
Duterte administration to lift ban on open-pit mining
The Duterte Administration is poised to reverse its earlier ruling on keeping the ban on open-pit method of mining supposedly done to appease environmental groups.
Manila Bulletin
Puerto Princesa is a cautionary tale as Duterte opens new mining areas
Sugary white beaches, pristine coral reefs, a variety of marine life, and lush tropical forests astoundingly filled with dense flora and fauna. But also limestone, nickel, chromite, copper, iron, and mercury, among other minerals.
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
DOST-ASTI, LLDA ink pact on AI project to preserve Laguna de Bay
The Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to officially mark the agencies’ partnership on the implementation of the Artificial Intelligence for Land and Water Applications in Laguna de Bay Region (AI4LaWa).
Manila Bulletin
Environmental groups to SC: Compel gov’t to act on pollution caused by plastic wastes
The Supreme Court (SC) was asked on Wednesday, Oct. 27, to compel the government to address swiftly and effectively the unabated pollution and dangers to people’s health due to the dumping of millions of tons of plastic wastes.
Manila Bulletin
LABOR
DOLE urges IT-BPM firms to secure SSC in workplace
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is pushing for a safer workplace for employees of the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) firms after the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) rejected proposals to grant tax incentives to the sector for implementing work-from-home (WFH) arrangements.
Business Mirror
BMP blasts 'no jab, no pay' policy
Labor group Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) warned against the possible widespread abuse by employers of the “no jab, no pay” policy which has been allowed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for certain establishments.
Manila Bulletin
TUPAD fast depleting as DOLE ramps up drive; additional funds eyed
WITH less than a billion pesos left for its Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) this year, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it is now considering requesting for additional funding for its emergency employment program.
Business Mirror
LEGISLATIVE
Senate of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Lower House transmits 2022 budget bill to Senate
Enactment by year end of the proposed P5.024-trillion national budget will be on schedule after the House of Representatives made good is pledge to submit the 2022 spending plan on or before October 27.
Manila Bulletin, Philippine Star
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)
OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
FOREIGN RELATIONS
Duterte says PH will open doors to Myanmar refugees: 'We will do our part'
President Duterte reiterated during the virtual plenary session of the 39th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit the Philippines’ willingness to accept refugees coming from conflict-torn Myanmar.
Manila Bulletin
Duterte renews call for peace in the Korean Peninsula
President Rodrigo Duterte has renewed his call to fellow Asean leaders to hold continued talks to bring peace in the Korean Peninsula.
Philippine News Agency
Duterte serves as voice of caution on AUKUS security pact in ASEAN Summit
President Duterte has told his counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that arrangements such as the Australia, United Kingdom, and United States (AUKUS) trilateral security partnership “must complement and not complicate” working methods for cooperation.
Manila Bulletin, CNN Philippines
PH, Egypt meet to discuss trade opportunities in food, pharmaceuticals, other resources
The Philippines and Egypt are mulling possible trade and investment opportunities for both nations, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday, Oct. 27.
Manila Bulletin
West Philippine Sea
Duterte brings up coral reef protection, illegal fishing during ASEAN-China dialogue
President Duterte raised the issues of coral reef protection and illegal fishing during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) dialogue with China on Tuesday, Oct. 26.
Manila Bulletin
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
DA sees rabbit industry as pork alternative
Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar instructed Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) Director Reildrin Morales to support the production and distribution of rabbit for meat consumption and livelihood.
Philippine News Agency
DOST-PCAARRD launches PoliSiyensya for more science-informed policies on agri-aqua sector
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) has launched a program seeking to develop and strengthen the country’s agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector through the development of “more science-informed and foresight-driven” policies.
Manila Bulletin
DA close to securing P10-B fund from WB for FishCoRe project
The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday said it is in the final stage of getting the approval to implement the Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) project worth USD200 million (PHP10 billion) to be funded by the World Bank (WB).
Philippine News Agency
HOUSING and SETTLEMENT
POVERTY
SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
TRANSPORTATION
P4.7-B cash aid disbursed to PUV drivers, operators under Service Contracting
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has so far distributed P4.7 billion payouts to drivers and operators under Service Contracting.
Manila Bulletin
TOURISM
DOT mulls full subsidy of travelers’ swab tests
The Department of Tourism (DOT) wants to subsidize all charges and fees of COVID swab tests for local tourists.
Philippine Star
Boracay may scrap COVID-19 test for vaccinated tourists
The Department of Tourism (DOT) said Aklan may do away with the requirement of negative COVID-19 swab tests for vaccinated tourists ahead of the holidays.
Rappler
WATER and ENERGY
‘Worse than the pandemic’
For the ninth straight week, pump prices of petroleum products went up last Tuesday, stoking fears of further hikes in the prices of basic commodities. That prospect will make even heavier the already backbreaking burden that COVID-19 pandemic-stricken Filipinos have been carrying since March of last year.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Meralco opens door to nuclear power option
Power utility giant Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is the first private sector player in the country’s power industry to open its doors to nuclear power option – primarily the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) – as part of its long-term energy investment strategy.
Manila Bulletin
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