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PRC deploys team amid spike in leptospirosis cases

By J.Lo

“ER is good for 60 patients, but admissions made now reached 120…so, you can imagine our staff being overworked… might not be able to go home because we lack manpower to monitor patients and give them medication,” Dr. Romina Danguilan, NKTI deputy executive director for medical services said surge of leptospirosis cases has left  emergency room of  National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) at full capacity on Friday, with 67 cases added to 48 currently confined due to bacterial disease.

Responding to  surge,  Philippine Red Cross (PRC) has sent 15-person medical team to provide support to  hospital’s staff.

Richard Gordon, PRC chairman and chief executive officer, assured NKTI director Dr. Rose Marie Liquete of PRC’s all-out support.
“PRC is ready to deploy medical tents with hospital beds once  situation or  number of patients further escalates,” Gordon said.

Apart from leptospirosis patients, other patients  such as those who will undergo surgery and those suffering from other illnesses  are also seeking treatment in the hospital.

Danguilan, said  number of patients admitted to  emergency room had doubled.

According to the hospital,  influx of leptospirosis patients is normal after  storm. In this case, recent floods from Typhoon Carina and  southwest monsoon is  likely factor.

Department of Health (DOH) advised leptospirosis patients to seek medical assistance from other health facilities.
“National Kidney and Transplant Institute is currently treating several confirmed and probable leptospirosis cases,” DOH said in an advisory. “To allow for prompt management, doctors and their suspect or probable leptospirosis patients are hereby advised to divert to nearby equally capable hospitals.”

DOH  continues to be on guard for leptospirosis cases in the country.

“Department of Health is continually assessing  clinical, epidemiologic and logistics situation to effectively respond to  anticipated rise in leptospirosis cases after floods of Typhoon Carina and  enhanced monsoon,” DOH said.

Data from  DOH showed there were 67 cases of leptospirosis recorded nationwide from July 14 to 27. Numbers  may change with delayed incoming reports.

It also noted that since  start of 2024 until July 27, total number of recorded leptospirosis cases stands at 1,444,  42 percent lower compared to 2,505 cases in the same period last year.

As for fatalities, 162 deaths due to leptospirosis have been recorded for the same time period this year.

Dr. Gwendolyn Pang, PRC secretary general, meanwhile advised  public to wear “protective gear” if walking through floodwaters cannot be avoided. “Use proper protection, such as boots and gloves, if they need to wade in contaminated water or floodwaters,” Pang said.

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Balancing  safety, urgency in draining Terranova

By J.Lo

“We are balancing  safety and  desire of the people to return to their normal lives,” Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)  Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan in an interview said PCG reiterated  need to be careful in draining over million liters of industrial fuel from  submerged tanker Terranova.

Painstaking  approach in siphoning  estimated 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel from Terranova  sank 34 meters deep and 3.6 nautical miles off Lamao Point in Limay town, Bataan  should not affect nearby highly industrialized areas and “sensitive” marine and coastal areas, he said.

According to an update from  PCG’s Bataan oil spill incident commander Michael John Encina,  salvage company in charge of siphoning operations for Terranova said “out of 24 valves, 12 have been secured and are leak-free  no metal cappings required.”

“For remaining 12 valves, six have been capped as of Aug. 9. .. installation of metal cappings on final six valves are ongoing,” he stressed.

“Very thin” oil sheen from Terranova has been confined to  area where oil spill booms were deployed,  has been diluted by water later on, he said.

Estimated  300,000 out of 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel would be siphoned while underwater to allow  capsized vessel to refloat, and additional 50,000 to 60,000 liters a day would be drained as soon as it is towed to shore.

Meanwhile, Encina said draining of seawater from another sunken tanker Jason Bradley started.

Gavan pointed out siphoning 5,500 liters of diesel oil carried by Jason Bradley would start once  capsized tanker has been refloated.

PCG is using absorbent pads, as well as “minimal and careful” use of oil dispersants, to collect leaking oil from Jason Bradley, he added.

With regard to MV Mirola 1  ran aground in Mariveles, Gavan said  PCG has collected over  hundred liters of water mixed with oil, believed to have come from two drums of heavy oil that spilled inside  ship.

Encina added  divers started assessing its hull.

With no one from MV Mirola 1 reaching out, PCG’s marine casualty investigation team has coordinated with  National Bureau of Investigation for efforts to probe allegations of oil smuggling in grounded ship, he said.

Last year, PCG held 18 sailors from MV Mirola 1 for illegally transferring fuel to three boats off  waters of Navotas, according to media report on Jan. 31, 2023.

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Headlines

Mandatory retirement age for cops 57, teachers 60

By Nidz Godino

“This bill proposes to increase compulsory retirement age of PNP ,Philippine National Police officers and personnel from 56 to 57 years old, similar to Armed Forces of the Philippines ,AFP, to ensure continuity and stability in the leadership and excellence in  PNP,” Sen. Imee Marcos said in explanatory note Senators are pushing for measures to extend  retirement age for police officers from 56 to 57 years while reducing  retirement age for teachers from 65 to 60 years.

Marcos filed Senate Bill 2758, amending section 39 of Republic Act 6975, otherwise known as  “Department of the Interior and Local Government act of 1990.”

At present,  mandatory retirement age of police officers is set at 56 years.

Marcos said there are proposals to raise  police age of compulsory retirement due to   reasons: increased life expectancy rates based on various studies, extending  police officers’ retirement age will ensure more experienced men at helm of PNP and members of police force aged 57 are still agile and physically fit to accomplish their duties, among others.

Undersecretary for Police Affairs Isagani Nerez, in his speech before  Pangasinan Police Provincial Office earlier, also said  “proposed increase by  year of  PNP retirement age will allow law enforcers to serve  public further.”

Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero filed Senate Bill 58,  act lowering  compulsory retirement age of employees of  Department of Education (DepEd) from 65 years to 60 years.

If enacted into law, Escudero said proposed legislation will benefit hundreds and thousands of retirable DepEd personnel, both teaching and non-teaching, who would want to spend  prime of their lives doing occupations other than their usual functions in government.

“Present system at  DepEd needs skills updating and professional advancement of their personnel in order that services rendered at the department would be restructured and modernized yet perpetual,” he noted.

Escudero said  measure shall also open  doors of opportunities to young teachers and non-teaching aspirants for jobs at  education department.

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Buboy Montano, RL honor Marilou Diaz-Abaya at remastered ‘Jose Rizal’

By Cynthia Montojo

“Naiiyak pa rin ako…sobrang ganda ng pagkakasulat…napaka-genius ng pag-direct…natutuwa ako because of this newly restored version, nalulungkot lang na wala si Direk Marilou to witness it,” actor Cesar Montano and screenwriter Ricky Lee paid tribute to the late director and National Artist Marilou Diaz-Abaya after  remastered version of her 1998 film “Jose Rizal” was screened.

Remastered  “Jose Rizal,”  screened in  Manila Metropolitan Theater last August 7, was part of  20th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

Film  stars Buboy as Rizal during his final days before his 1896 execution, flashing back to key moments in his life as  author.

It won 17 of its 18 nominations at 1998 Metro Manila Film Festival, and it remains  biggest haul by any entry in  festival’s history.

Ahead of  screening, both Montano and Lee, who co-wrote  movie with Jun Robles Lana and Peter Ong Lim, spoke about their journeys leading to the film.

Lee, also  National Artist, said  Diaz-Abaya confided to him that she wanted to create  “trilogy about men.” He and the late director previously worked on a “trilogy about women”  1980’s “Brutal,” 1982’s “Moral” and 1983’s “Karnal.”

This led  late director to helm “Jose Rizal,” 1999’s “Muro-Ami” and 2001’s “Bagong Buwan,”  coincidentally all stars Cesar.

Cesar acknowledged at that time  he was perceived as  action star, but he could not pass up  chance to work with Abaya. He had to do the film, even if it meant extensive learning of Spanish and reading numerous history and European books.

Lee shared pre-production and shooting on “Jose Rizal” took three months each, while Cesar recalled staying at Abaya’s house for hours to read up material Abaya required of him.

Both lamented that Abaya, who passed away in 2012 from breast cancer, could not be around to see  remastered film. Her family was represented at the screening by her son Marc, who thanked GMA Films for completing  restoration process.

After  screening, Cesar admitted to members of  media, he was emotional seeing the film again, this time remastered.

Cesar  then called on the new generation of Filipinos  to watch “Jose Rizal,” adding  “must-watch film” gave him  different perspective on life as  actor and  Filipino.

Lee similarly admitted crying to inspiring story of Rizal, “Nakakapag-palakas ng puso na makakita ng isang gaya ni Jose Rizal mag-mahal sa bayan, magulang, pamilya, kababayan, at sa sining.”

The National Artist also lamented that older Filipino movies could not be restored like “Jose Rizal.” He cited 1981’s “Salome,” which he wrote.

Restored  “Jose Rizal” will be part of  upcoming 27th edition of Fiesta in America in the United States later this month

l0 Agosto 2024, Sabado

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Garcia case vs Smartmatic, in US

By J.Lo

“I have coordinated with  US DOJ, Department of Justice just last night because I believe that this is bank fraud, identity theft and money laundering in their definition,” Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia is considering filing criminal complaints in  US against Smartmatic and persons behind what he describes as  smear campaign against him.

He was referring to accusations that he received bribes to award  poll automation contract for  2025 elections to South Korea’s Miru Systems, and that he keeps dirty money in offshore bank accounts.

“America can come in, this should be connected in their first investigation,” he said, noting that  US can take jurisdiction over the matter.

He also said  Comelec would use  indictment in  US of three Smartmatic executives and former poll chairman Andres Bautista for bribery and money laundering to convince  Supreme Court to uphold  disqualification of  vote counting machine provider from future elections contracts.

“We will surely manifest this and point out that we did not commit abuse of discretion because we have this basis to disqualify Smartmatic, these developments will surely be manifested by  Comelec before  Supreme Court in relation to  cases pending there,” Garcia said  referring to  motion for reconsideration filed by  Comelec with tSC,  granted  petition for certiorari filed by Smartmatic accusing  poll body of grave abuse of discretion in disqualifying the company.

It was in November 2023 when  Comelec disqualified Smartmatic from participating in any public bidding for elections, citing  ongoing criminal investigation on Bautista and the company.

In April 2024,  SC granted Smartmatic’s petition for certiorari,  Comelec responded by filing  motion for reconsideration.

According to Garcia,  indictment will also help them in their ongoing investigation on alleged rigging of  bidding for  2016 elections. He created  panel to undertake tinvestigation.

“We are trying to determine how and who were involved in alleged rigging of  bidding…officials involved, if any, and whether  allegations are really true,” he added.

Garcia earlier accused  foreign company of being involved in bribery allegations,  he has vehemently denied.

US Department of Justice reported  Bautista and three Smartmatic employees were indicted for their roles in  alleged bribery and money laundering scheme to retain and secure business related to  2016 polls.

Personnel  of Smartmatic supposedly caused at least $1 million in bribes to be paid to Bautista sometime between 2015 and 2018.

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CA restores Rappler’s media license

By J.Lo

“Securities and Exchange Commission is ordered to restore  Certificate of Incorporation of Rappler, Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corporation in its records and system and withdraw all its issuances and actions made pursuant to its illegal revocation of the same,”  Court of Appeals Special 7th Division in  48-page decision promulgated on July 23.

 Court of Appeals has ordered to restore  certificate of incorporation of the company that runs news website Rappler and its owner, Rappler Holdings Corp., voiding  2022 ruling by  Securities and Exchange Commission  declared  company was not 100% Filipino-owned.

In  statement  Rappler said  appeals court’s decision was  “vindication after  tortuous eight years of harassment.”

“Rappler welcomes  Court of Appeals,CA ruling  eliminates  long-standing threat to its corporate existence on account of  flawed ruling by  Securities and Exchange Commission ,SEC…when  rule of law prevails, justice is served,  CA was unequivocal in its rejection of  SEC’s 2018 shutdown order, declaring it ‘illegal’ and ‘grave abuse of discretion ,”  statement read.

In 2018,  regulatory commission ordered to shut down Rappler for violating  constitutional prohibitions for mass media when it issued Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) gave Omidyar Network,  foreign entity, control over media organization.  

That same year,  Court of Appeals upheld  regulatory commision’s decision that  media organization allegedly violated  Constitution and foreign equity restrictions in mass media.

However, the court also asked  regulatory commission to evaluate  legal effect of  alleged donation of Omidyar Network of all its PDRs to Rappler staff.

In 2022, SEC ruled that Omidyar’s donation of PDRs “did not cure  violation by Rappler Inc. and Rappler Holdings Corporation” and upheld its revocation of Rappler’s certificates.

On July 23,  appeals court ruled  regulatory commission had committed grave abuse of discretion when it ruled  donated PDRs did not waive Rappler’s alleged violation without actually studying  terms and conditions of  donation.

Decision  noted  regulatory commission did not conduct any hearing or receive any evidence from petitioners prior to making its ruling.

“Thus, it has no knowledge whatsoever  terms of  donation, nor has it even reviewed  donation itself,” it stressed.

SEC “chose to ignore”  appeals court’s order and “‘evaluated’  legal effect of Omidyar’s donation without even bothering to look at  donation itself,”  decision said. 

“Worse, it actively avoided giving petitioners  opportunity to present the same…such action is  height of grave abuse of discretion,” it added.

SEC also “intentionally shirked its responsibility, ignoring  directive of  CA 12th Division to ‘evaluate  terms and conditions of  alleged supervening donation.'” 

“On this basis alone,  assailed Compliance and Order should be reversed and set aside,”  decision said.

Appeals  court also ruled  PDRs by Omidyar did not amount to  constitutional violation. 

“As law and jurisprudence stand, there is nothing prohibiting Filipinos from entering into PDR agreements, even if  underlying shares are mandated to be Filipino-owned,  only limitation, pursuant to  above-cited cases, is to issue shares of stock which are lacking in voting rights, right to dispose or right to receive dividends…here, Rappler Holdings retained all these rights,”  decision read.

Facts  point to Rappler being “currently wholly owned and managed by Filipinos, in compliance with  Constitutional mandate,”  decision said.

News  site considers  decision to be its “biggest case as  company,” according to its report on the decision.

The 2018 ruling by  regulatory commission turned out to be the first in  slew of cases filed against Rappler, which one of several prominent news organizations that earned  ire of  Duterte administration from 2016 to 2022.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte routinely vilified  media in public speeches during his six-year term. He once publicly blasted Rappler as  “fake news outlet” for reporting on  multibillion-peso Navy frigate acquisition project, ushered in  closure of ABS-CBN, the nation’s largest broadcaster, and issued threats against the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Rappler said it was  “fact that  Duterte government used  SEC order to unleash its power to further harass us, our employees, our stakeholders, and our communities.”

“Banks refused to do business with us…clients shied away from advertising with us…government officials and agencies shut their doors on us…we were forced to close our Jakarta bureau, stop our expansion plans… Rappler couldn’t even open  bank account outside the Philippines, we look forward to  speedy dismissal of our remaining two cases:  cyber libel case at  Supreme Court and  anti-dummy case at  Pasig court ,”  company said in its statement.

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Student exams to match PISA

By Creselda Canda-Lopez

EDUCATION SECRETARY SONNY ANGARA

“I think we need to have more test exams that are PISA-like,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara wants schools to develop examinations that will match  Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) in measuring students’ problem-solving and comprehension.

Examinations should be presented in a way  students can harness their skills and apply them to real-life situations, Angara said.

PISA is  worldwide study by  Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development designed to evaluate 15-year-olds’ competencies in mathematics, science and reading.

Angara said these school assessments would encourage students to be analytical and critical thinkers.

“PISA present  situation and participant must react to it and analyze it…so, it’s not like  normal exam asking what happened on this date, or what causes this… so they really give you  problem set… very real-world type,”  education chief said.

Angara stressed  need to change  culture of assessment and measurement where decisions “are not based on what we think or what we feel, but really based on evidence.”

He referred to these plans as having “more objective tools to measure our education outcomes.”

In 2022, PISA showed  Filipino students lagged behind in reading, math and science. he Results  “were about same” as in  assessment conducted in 2018.

PISA also conducted its first-ever creative thinking assessment in 2022, where  Philippines was second to the last among 64 countries and economies worldwide.

In his third State of the Nation Address last July, President Marcos challenged Angara to “recover” country’s quality of education from its current dismal state, where more than half of junior high school students fail to reach  required proficiency levels.

FMJ also cited recent assessments that revealed more than half of grades 6, 10 and 12 students have failed to reach  ideal proficiency levels, faring low in information literacy, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

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Cops feelers to testify in EJK probe

By Nidz Godino

“Some of them are also retired…and I believe this will give direction to our committee as to how we’re going to treat testimonies or their evidences,” House committee on dangerous drugs chairman Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said, refusing to identify  retired and active police officers have sent “feelers” to become witnesses in  Quad Comm inquiry on extrajudicial killings during  Duterte administration.

Quad Comm has been formed by  House of Representatives to look into  possible links between EJKs, illegal drugs, Chinese syndicates and Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGOs.

It is composed of Barbers’ committee,  human rights committee headed by Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante; public accounts committee headed by Abang Lingkod Rep. Caraps Paduano and public order and safety committee headed by Sta. Rosa, Laguna Rep. Dan Fernandez.

On issue of EJKs, Barbers noted “members of our law enforcement agencies are  ones who want to share their information.”

He also did not comment when asked if Philippine National Police (PNP) Northern Luzon Command chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. was one of  potential police witnesses who came forward.

National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) director general Ricardo de Leon recently revealed that Caramat offered to Speaker Martin Romualdez to disclose everything he knew about EJKs and other irregularities in  drug war, including list of names targeted for killing in return for  appointment as PNP chief.

Barbers  assured Quad Comm  “definite study  and dig deeper” before they accept any testimony and that they will also be guided by legal experts.

He also called on anyone who has information to come forward and help in the investigation.

“And all those people we invited in the past POGO hearing,  likes of the mayor of Porac,  mayor of Bamban,  acting mayor,CIDG ,Criminal Investigation and Detection Group,  PAGCOR, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. officials and some Philippine National Police  generals, including General Caramat, and we will also invite maybe General Eleazar Matta of  PNP Drug Enforcement Group,” Barbers stressed.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said  Department of Information and Communications Technology admitted to have noticed  significant reduction in text scams after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.ordered total ban on POGO, indicating that their operations have also targeted Filipinos in their scamming activities.

“With  implementation of ban, Filipinos are more likely to have  safe and better experience in their online transactions, which could expedite  country’s digital transformation,” he said.

FMJ ordered  total ban of POGO in the country during his third State of the Nation Address last July following complaints that such activities were linked to scamming and human trafficking.

Gatchalian said cyber safety is important not only for accelerating  use of digital technologies in the country but also for attracting investments.

“We hope that our cyberspace will be safer and we will be able to attract more investors to the country, We also hope that the number of text scams and other online scams that prey on our compatriots will further decrease,” Gatchalian added.  

TODAY’S GOD’S MESSAGE

Psalm 46:1

Psalm 46^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.^[b] A song.

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.

Footnotes

1. Psalm 46:1 In Hebrew texts 46:1-11 is numbered 46:2-12.
2. Psalm 46:1 Title: Probably a musical term

7 Agosto 2024, Miyerkules

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LTO yet crackdown on light e-vehicles

By Nidz Godino

“We won’t crack down on LEVs yet, except on national roads like South Super Highway and EDSA….no crackdown because we are not yet done with  information dissemination with LGUs,” Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza said in  chance interview with reporters no crackdown yet on light electric vehicles as  Land Transportation Office (LTO) continues its information dissemination on registration of LEVs.

Mendoza said  for now, LTO is only strictly enforcing regulations on LEVs on major national roads in Metro Manila.

Mendoza is  still in dialogue with local government units (LGU), as well as LEV owners, on use of  e-vehicles on public roads.

Mendoza noted  LGUs are  ones determining where LEVs will be allowed to ply on their national and local roads.

Last March,  LTO released  memorandum requiring e-bikes and e-trikes to have registration and licensed drivers on all public roads nationwide.

Regulations  were set to take effect in April, but have since been postponed to make way for information campaigns.

Mendoza urged LEV owners to have their units registered or they may face citation tickets with repeated violations.