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COVID-19
Several hospitals full as COVID-19 surge continues for third straight day
For the third straight day, the number of new COVID-19 cases in the country broke records after the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday reported 33,169 infections, the highest daily tally since the pandemic started two years ago.
Inquirer
Philippines prepares more hospitals beds with record COVID-19 cases
The Philippines ordered an increase in hospital beds and medical resources in and around the capital Manila, a senior government official said on Sunday, as the country set another record for new COVID-19 infections.
Interaksyon
OCTA sees early sign Metro Manila nearing COVID-19 peak as positivity rate goes over 50%
OCTA Research fellow Guido David on Monday said the positivity rate in Metro Manila is now at an alarming 52%, but he said there are early indicators the situation could soon improve in the capital region.
CNN Philippines
Cases
Philippines tallies 33,169 new COVID-19 cases, highest since pandemic began
The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, January 10, reported 33,169 new coronavirus infections, the highest since the pandemic was declared in March 2020.
Rappler
Department of Health
PH now at ‘critical risk’ for COVID-19 transmission, says Duque
“Our country is currently in critical risk case classification with an increase of 690 percent in our 7-day average of daily reported cases,” Duque said in Filipino.
Inquirer
DOH: Omicron now the dominant variant in PH
The highly infectious Omicron variant has replaced Delta as the dominant variant of COVID-19 in the Philippines, the country’s top health official said.
CNN Philippines
DOH clarifies guidelines for COVID-19 antigen testing
The Department of Health reminded the public on what they should do depending on their symptoms and the result of their COVID-19 antigen test.
GMA News
Free antigen test for Filipinos in areas with high COVID cases eyed
A ranking official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is pushing for free antigen tests for all Filipinos, especially in areas with high infection rate, amid the fears brought by the exponential growth of coronavirus cases (COVID-19) cases in the country.
Manila Bulletin
Delmicron, deltacron, IHU? WHO 'sole authority' to classify variants says DOH
The World Health Organization is the sole authority that can classify new COVID-19 variants, the Department of Health said Monday following reports of alleged variants delmicron, deltacron and flurona.
ABS-CBN News
No recorded cases of IHU, Deltacron/Delmicron yet in PH says DOH
No recorded cases of the said coronavirus disease (COVID-19) variants IHU and Deltacron/Delmicron have been detected in the Philippines and that the country’s local experts are still studying these, the Department of Health said on Monday, Jan. 10.
Manila Bulletin
IATF/NTF COVID-19
FDA OKs special permit for anti-COVID-19 pill Bexovid
The Food and Drug Administration has granted a compassionate special permit for the COVID-19 treatment drug Bexovid, the first generic version of Pfizer's Paxlovid.
CNN Philippines
Philippines aims to vaccinate babies, toddlers in 2022
Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., in a presentation to President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, January 10, said one of the pandemic task force’s 2022 targets is to “vaccinate 11.11 million 0-4 years-old with primary series.”
Rappler
Regions
Luzon including NCR
MMDA: NCR mayors see no need to escalate to Alert Level 4
Metro Manila mayors see no reason so far to upgrade the alert level status of the National Capital Region (NCR) despite the continuous rise of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.
Manila Bulletin
Visayas
Over 6.6 million vaccine doses given in Central Visayas
Some 6,615,102 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have already been administered in Central Visayas as of January 9, 2022, about 4.5 million of which are in Cebu, data from the Visayas COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center showed.
Philstar
Cebu City logs over 100 virus cases for 1st time this year
Cebu City logged 142 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, marking the first time the city registered over a hundred infections this year.
ABS-CBN News
Assignment of CIDG official to WV opposed
Reelectionist Hinigaran town Mayor Jose Nadie Arceo is opposing the reassignment of an official of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) to Western Visayas.
Sunstar
Capiz enforces ‘no vax, no entry’ rule in all shops
Those who are not vaccinated will not be allowed to enter public and private commercial establishments in Capiz province.
Politiko
Covid-19 testing required for Antique entry
Returning Antiqueños and Authorized Persons Outside of Residence (APORs) must present their negative RT-PCR test results as requisite for entry, Executive Order No. (EO) 001 issued by acting governor Edgar Denosta read.
Politiko
Mindanao
Zamboanga City to require negative RT-PCR test result again starting Jan. 12
ZAMBOANGA City will again require a negative RT-PCR test result starting January 12 from inbound travelers coming from areas under a coronavirus alert level higher than that of the city, which is currently at level 2.
Business World
NoCot town alert up as number of ASF-infested villages increase
The town government here has alerted all its 37 barangays as three more villages were affected by the African swine fever (ASF), bringing to eight the current number of areas infected by the hog-associated disease.
Philippine News Agency
Davao City creates body to monitor Paquibato
THE Davao City Government issued an executive order (EO) creating a joint task force to guide, regulate and monitor businesses and other developments in Paquibato District.
Sunstar
Climaco reorders stricter travel rules in Zamboanga over Omicron threat
Zamboanga City will again impose stricter travel rules in the city beginning on Wednesday, January 12, as the Zamboanga Peninsula region faced the prospects of a post-holiday surge in COVID-19 infections caused by the more transmissible Omicron variant.
Rappler
Mayor Duterte nixes reimposition of ‘test before travel’ for inbound air travelers
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte rejected the recommendation of the health cluster of the city’s COVID-19 Task Force to reinstate the “test before travel” policy for domestic air travelers amid the threat of the Omicron variant in the country.
Mindanews
World
Pope Francis calls for dialogue, justice to end unrest in Kazakhstan
MILAN, Italy – Pope Francis called on Sunday, January 9, for dialogue and justice to put an end to violent unrest in Kazakhstan, adding he was saddened by news about deaths occurred in the country.
Rappler
China's Tianjin testing all residents for Covid
BEIJING — Tianjin, a major Chinese port city near the capital Beijing, began mass testing of its 14 million residents on Sunday after a cluster of 20 children and adults tested positive for Covid-19, including at least two with the Omicron variant.
Sunstar
Saudi women take stage to show off their camels
Saudi women, in a first for the conservative kingdom, have paraded their camels in a beauty pageant for the prized “ships of the desert.”
Inquirer
Diplomatic, Development and Private Sector
Incidents and Violations
Editorial, Analysis, Opinion and Features
EDITORIAL - Enforcement challenge
Considering the tortuous path to its passage, the enactment of the law imposing a total ban on child marriage has been widely hailed. As in other contentious pieces of legislation, the next challenge is its effective implementation.
Philstar
Philippines’ monthly birth and death data show that indefinite lockdown and mass vaccination are wrong
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the updated monthly vital statistics last week, on Jan. 6, and many numbers are interesting or shocking.
Business World
EDITORIAL - No need to extend terms
What a surprise. Just a few months heading into the election there is now a proposal to extend the terms of the president, vice president, members of the Lower House, as well as local officials.
Philstar
[ANALYSIS] Duterte’s lazy legal analysis: Less rights for the unvaccinated
With Omicron, the government task force raised NCR to Alert Level 3 last week. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) then declared that the mayors have “agreed” to keep the unvaccinated from leaving their homes.
Rappler
How Duterte could use Omicron to cling to power
Covid variant’s rapid spread could give incumbent leader cause to declare martial law and delay May 9 elections.
Asia Times
When the lights went out: Our Typhoon Odette Story
When Typhoon Odette (International name: Typhoon Rai) slammed the Philippines on Dec. 16th with strong winds howling and lashing over 200 km per hour, the country was devastated. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) recorded 407 deaths, 78 missing and 1,147 injured.
Negros Chronicle
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Shift to Alert Level 4 possible once HCUR increases: Palace
The national government will not think twice about escalating the alert level status in the National Capital Region (NCR) and neighboring areas should the healthcare utilization rate (HCUR) reach the threshold for Alert Level 4, Malacañang said on Monday.
Philippine News Agency
Expand home isolation packages, Palace to PhilHealth
Malacañang is pushing the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) to expand its COVID-19 Home Isolation Benefit Packages (CHIBP) to include free reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing.
PTV News
Threat to arrest unvaccinated people in Philippines who break stay-at-home orders
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the arrest of unvaccinated people who leave their homes for non-essential reasons.
News.com.au
Siargao residents must not live again in coastal areas, Duterte says
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said Siargao residents who lived near the coastline should not be permitted to put up houses there after typhoon Odette.
ABS-CBN News
OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
Motivate the unvaxxed—Robredo
Vice President and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo said Sunday the government must offer incentives to motivate unvaccinated people to get their jabs against COVID-19.
Manila Standard
Robredo plans to create migrant resource centers in LGUs if elected President
Aspiring president Vice President Leni Robredo will order the creation of migrant resource centers in every local government unit in the country if elected to office to provide a full-cycle protection for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families.
Manila Bulletin
AUDIT, GRAFT, AND CORRUPTION
BUDGET, FINANCE, and TAXATION
BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND INVESTMENT
London-based think tank: ‘Uninspiring’ presidential bets ‘bode poorly’ for PH economy
Personalities in the running to become the Philippines’ next chief executive in mid-2022 – a time crucial for the economy to recover from its pandemic-induced slump and ease socioeconomic scarring – have been “uninspiring” so far for London-based think tank Capital Economics.
Inquirer
BUILD, BUILD, BUILD and PUBLIC WORKS
DISASTER AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
DA interventions in force to negate ‘Odette’ losses
The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday reported PHP11.7 billion worth of damage in Typhoon Odette-hit regions but early intervention enabled farmers to save their crops.
Philippine News Agency
DSWD-7: Not all typhoon victims will get P5K
The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Central Visayas (DSWD-7) clarified that not all typhoon-affected families will receive the 5,000-cash assistance from the national government.
Manila Bulletin
Infrastructure damage due to typhoon Odette reaches P17.7B
DAMAGE to public infrastructure due to typhoon Odette, internationally known as Rai, has reached over P17.71 billion, based on the national disaster management agency’s compiled reports as of Jan. 10.
Business World
Nine dead, hundreds ill with diarrhoea in typhoon-hit Philippines
Nine people have died and hundreds have fallen ill with diarrhoea in areas of the Philippines wrecked by a typhoon last month, with aid officials warning of a health crisis as millions struggle to secure clean water and food.
Politiko
PRRD hopes to correct law on state of calamity declaration
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he wants to “correct” a law requiring the assessment of reports on disaster areas on a state of calamity is declared before he steps down from office in June.
Philippine News Agency
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
DEFENSE AND SECURITY
Armed Forces of the Philippines
Philippine National Police
Cops optimistic gunman’s arrest leads to solving Cavite prosecutor’s slay case
THE Philippine National Police declared on Sunday that it is close to solving the murder of a prosecutor in Cavite who was gunned down on New Year’s Eve following the arrest of a self-confessed gunman.
Business Mirror
PNP active Covid-19 infections reach 1.8K; most cases mild
The Philippine National Police (PNP) continues to see a spike in coronavirus infections among its ranks.
Philippine News Agency
EDUCATION
ELECTION RELATED
Comelec investigating alleged data breach ahead of #Halalan2022
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suffered another data breach with 4 months to go before the crucial May national elections, a Manila Bulletin report claimed Monday, saying "60 gigabytes" worth of "sensitive voter information" and other data have been stolen by unidentified hackers.
ABS-CBN News | Manila Bulletin
Philippines imposes gun ban, sets up checkpoints as 2022 election period begins
MANILA: The 2022 election period in the Philippines kicked off on Sunday, with some 14,000 military and police personnel deployed across the country to implement a nationwide ban on carrying firearms and prevent election-related violence.
Arab News
PRO-7 beefs up checkpoints during election period
CEBU CITY – Gearing up for this year’s national and local elections, the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO 7) has intensified the conduct of checkpoints and anti-criminality campaigns in the region.
Manila Bulletin
Comelec urges motorists to yield to checkpoints
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is urging motorists to yield to the checkpoints established by uniformed men during the election period.
Philippine News Agency
NegOcc resident first gun ban violator in W. Visayas
BACOLOD CITY – A resident of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental is the first violator of the election gun ban in Western Visayas after he was arrested on Sunday night.
Philippine News Agency
BBM will most likely prevail in petitions – ex-Ateneo School of Govt dean
PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., will most likely prevail in the petitions to cancel his Certificate of Candidacy in the 2022 elections before the Comelec because of the “political doctrine” that needs to be decided by the people and not by the court.
Business Mirror
Incidents
INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND TECHNOLOGY
ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES
JUDICIARY
Supreme Court
Bar examinees 'strongly urged' to undergo self-quarantine starting today, Jan. 10 — SC
Law graduates who will take the online bar examinations on Jan. 23 and 25 in testing centers nationwide have been “strongly urged to self-quarantine starting today, Jan. 10.”
Manila Bulletin
Court of Appeals
Sandiganbayan
Municipal/Regional Trial Courts
LABOR
PSA: 1 million workers displaced by closure of over 130K firms
MORE than a quarter of a million firms were deemed permanently closed between 2018 and 2021 and more than half of these firms closed during the pandemic, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Business Mirror
LEGISLATIVE
Senate of the Philippines
Senators say it’s too late to push changes to 1987 Constitution
A PROPOSAL at the House of Representatives to lift presidential term limits through a constituent assembly is too late, senators said on Monday.
Business World
Senators junk fresh call to extend terms of president, other officials
A number of senators on Monday rejected another attempt at extending the terms of top government officials. “It’s too late in the day,” Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said in a text message to reporters.
CNN Philippines
Senate resumes probe on disinformation infrastructure this week
The Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of laws will resume this week its inquiry into the effects of the rise of social media platforms and rapid advances in their technology.
Philstar
Senate approves release of Pharmally exec over ‘humanitarian reasons’
Senators have agreed to release Twinkle Dargani, president of the controversial government supplier Pharmally, due to humanitarian reasons, particularly her “deteriorating mental health.”
CNN Philippines
House of Representatives
Duterte ally wants to cha-cha to allow prexy reelection
Congressman Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Pampanga’s 3rd district representative and an ally of President Rodrigo Duterte, wants to shorten the presidential and vice presidential terms to five years with a catch – they can run again for office when their term ends.
Yahoo News
Marcoleta vows Senate probe on ABS-CBN, sister company if he wins
Owners of former network giant ABS-CBN face a congressional inquiry in connection with the operations of its digital service firm Big Dipper, but that is if Deputy Speaker and Sagip Partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta succeeds in his Senate bid.
Manila Bulletin
LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS (LGUs)
Palace wants all LGUs to provide telemedicine services
Malacañang is hoping to see more local government units (LGUs) providing telemedicine and telehealth services for patients who tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Philippine News Agency
Unvaccinated following directive to stay home —DILG
The Department of the Interior and Local Government said unvaccinated individuals have been following the government's order to stay indoors amid the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.
GMA News
OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
FOREIGN RELATIONS
West Philippine Sea
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
'Odette' agri losses climb to P11.7 B
Damage and losses to agriculture from Typhoon Odette have climbed to P11.7 billion, the Department of Agriculture said in an update.
Manila Bulletin
‘Export earnings from bananas down by 35%’
Export receipts from banana shipments in January to October 2021 declined by 35 percent to $926.937 million from the $1.435 billion recorded in the same period in 2020, according to the latest government data.
Business Mirror
GENDER
HOUSING and SETTLEMENT
DPWH to provide temporary housing for 'Odette' ravaged areas
TACLOBAN CITY – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Roger Mercado assured the public that they will work closely with local government units to speed up the temporary housing process in Typhoon ‘Odette’ ravaged areas.
Manila Bulletin
POVERTY
SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
TRANSPORTATION
PUVs warned against violating health protocols
The Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas is calling on the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and Land Transportation Office to strictly implement health protocols in public utility vehicles (PUVs) to prevent the rise in Covid-19 cases.
Sunstar
TOURISM
WATER and ENERGY
Gov’t urges Indonesia to lift coal ban
THE Philippine government is urging the Indonesia to lift its ban on coal exports, saying the policy would be detrimental to economies that depend on coal for power generation.
Business World | Business Mirror | Manila Bulletin | ABS-CBN News
Aboitiz Group renews sustainable goals pledge
Renewable energy provider SN Aboitiz Power Group (SNAP), the joint venture of SN Power of Norway and Aboitiz Power Corp., has reaffirmed its commitment to powering positive change through economic development, environmental protection, and sustainable practices.
The Manila Times
Bohol-based power plant to rise in 2024
The establishment of a more efficient and higher-capacity power plant in Bohol is expected to be accomplished in June 2024 with the facility seen to pave the way for a more stable power source in the province, which has been heavily reliant on supply from land-based sources in Leyte.
Bohol Chronicle
Visayan Electric Company reaches 50% power restoration as of Jan. 10
THE Visayan Electric Company had restored power supply to 50.84 percent or 241,121 of its 474,182 consumers as of 12 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10, 2022.
Sunstar
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