Tuesday, March 23, 2021

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/

Another Covid-19 vaccine to arrive this month

Posted: 22 Mar 2021 06:48 AM PDT

DAVAO City is expecting another batch of Covid-19 vaccines coming from the National Government before the end of March, Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio said.

Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on Monday, March 22, 2021, that this was based on verbal information she received.

The mayor, however, did not mention the brand and the number of doses that will arrive.

The National Government allocated 33,600 doses of Sinovac and 20,000 doses of AstraZeneca to Davao Region. Of the vaccines received, 20,000 doses of Sinovac and 2,000 AstraZeneca were given to the city.

The city started rolling out the allotted vaccines to the medical frontline health workers starting March 5. A total of 16,800 workers are targeted to be inoculated.

As of March 15, a total of 4,968 public and private frontline health workers were already inoculated. Of the number, 3,997 were from private hospitals who received the Sinovac vaccine and 997 were City Government health workers who received the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio said the city is "not pressuring" the National Government for the allotment of more doses.

"Wala tay ing-ana nga move nga magbutang og pressure sa IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases]. Kasi sila ang nakakita sa national data, so ginabilin nato sa ila ang pag-allot sa allotment sa kung asa ipadala ang mga bakuna (We are not pressuring the IATF. They know the national data and we leave it to them to decide on how many vaccine doses we will get)," she said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

She added, "Wala tay basehan nga (We do not have the basis that) we need more than the other LGUs because we do not see the nationwide numbers."

The city, meanwhile, already negotiated with AstraZeneca for the procurement of the Covid-19 vaccines and the drug firm committed to delivering 30,000 doses within the third quarter of this year.

But because of the large demand, the mayor said they are "not expecting" that it will be delivered anytime soon.

"Wala po'y expectation sa iyang arrival because kita man nato all over the world nga dunay kakulangan but nisulti ang AstraZeneca nga maybe third quarter sila maka-deliver sa first tranche sa atoang gikuha sa ilaha (We are not expecting it to arrive on time because of the shortage of the global vaccine supply. However, AstraZeneca said they might be able to deliver the first tranche of the vaccines we ordered from them around the third quarter)," Duterte-Carpio said.

The 19th City Council on March 16, passed an ordinance authorizing Duterte-Carpio to enter into and sign the term sheet to be entered into by and among Faberco Life Sciences Inc., City Government of Davao, Department of Health, National Task Force Against Covid-19 and "all other subsequent contracts that may be entered into by the City with the same or any of such parties, in pursuance of the acquisition/procurement by the City" of the NVX-COV2373 Vaccine to Novavax.

Duterte-Carpio said they are waiting for the documents and the city will disclose later on the details of their negotiation with Novavax.

The city is targeting to vaccinate an estimated 1.2 million individuals to achieve herd immunity.

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Mayor will not ask for ECQ if 2nd wave hits Davao

Posted: 22 Mar 2021 06:47 AM PDT

IN THE event of a "second wave" of Covid-19 cases, the Davao City Government will not be requesting the city to be placed under a stricter quarantine status, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said on Monday, March 22, 2021.

The Department of Health (DOH) recently reported a surge in Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu, which showed signs of a second wave.

The surge in cases has been attributed to the new variants of Sars-CoV-2 and diminishing compliance to minimum health standards.

Manila is under general community quarantine (GCQ), while Cebu is under modified GCQ (MGCQ).

Duterte-Carpio, in a previous statement, already warned of the possibility of a "second wave" if the city will continue to relax some restrictions and the public will not be compliant with minimum health protocols.

In the case of Davao City, Duterte-Carpio said placing it under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) or a modified ECQ (MECQ) is not recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

"Mag-request ba og ECQ or MECQ? Wala nay ingon ana. Dati pa during our first wave, katong pinakataas nato nga mga time nga daghan kaayo ang mga cases, nag-ingon na ang IATF nga dili na mag-ECQ or mag-MECQ (Will we request to place the city under ECQ or MECQ? We didn't do that even before, during the first wave of cases, when we experienced a high number of cases. It was the IATF who said no more ECQ or MECQ)," Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

The mayor referred to the "first wave" as the period when the city was placed under MGCQ and had experienced a surge of Covid-19 cases beginning mid-October 2020 until January 2021.

At present, Davao City is under GCQ since November 20, 2020 and it is expected to end on March 31, 2021.

If ever the IATF will approve the city to shift to MGCQ, Duterte-Carpio said the city will still implement the same Covid-19 response and action plan if ever the second wave will be experienced during this period.

"We will try to prevent a second wave for Davao City," she said.

One of the measures the city is implementing is its test-before-travel policy through an ordinance.

"Gi-unahan na nato na sa implementation sa ordinance nga kinahanglan duna kay 24-72 hours negative RT-PCR result para ka maka check-in sa airport (You will need a negative RT-PCR test result, 24 to 72 hours before your departure date, to be able to check)," the mayor said.

The city will also continue to intensify the monitoring of its communities for those with influenza-like illness (ILI) symptoms.

"Duna ta'y ipahigayon nga aggressive surveillance sa atong mga communities so maunahan nato ang mga [Covid-19] clusters (We will be aggressive in the surveillance of our communities to be able to prevent Covid-19 clusters)," Duterte-Carpio said.

She said they will be requesting those with ILI symptoms to get tested.

The city will also be reviewing its contact tracing strategy to prevent the second wave.

Based on the recent Covid-19 case bulletin as of March 21, Davao City has a current active case of 326.

When asked if the city is now ready to go down to MGCQ, she said: "Dili na kaayo important sa akoa sa pagkakaron kung unsa ihatag nga community quarantine classification (It is no longer important to us whatever community quarantine classification is given to us)."

She added that the provisions between GCQ and MGCQ are almost the same, particularly on the sectors and offices allowed to operate, and the number of allowed operational capacity.

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Davao City discontinues free RT-PCR test at airport

Posted: 22 Mar 2021 06:46 AM PDT

THE Davao City Government will discontinue the free reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test upon arrival in the city, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said a day before the reimposition of the "test before travel" order at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport, also known as the Davao International Airport.

Starting March 23, 2021, the City Government will once again require individuals entering the city through Davao International Airport a negative RT-PCR test result taken not more than 72 hours.

Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview on Monday, March 22, that air passengers must secure a negative test result from their point of origin before they board a plane for Davao City.

The reimposition of the mandatory test is in accordance to the City Ordinance 0477-21, Series of 2021, or an ordinance providing for mandatory testing prior to entry into the city via DIA.

The ordinance was signed by the mayor on March 2.

Section 4 of the ordinance states that "persons entering Davao City via the Davao International Airport are mandated to present their RT-PCR Covid-19 Test Result to Davao City officials and/or authorities, along with a valid government issued identification card."

Prior to the signing of the ordinance, the city implemented the mandatory RT-PCR to all air travelers in July 2020. Those who failed to secure their test results upon arrival at the airport were swabbed for free by the city. But this was suspended on January 13, 2021.

The mayor said the City Government already coordinated with all air companies to strictly impose the order to travelers bound for Davao City.

Airport Monitoring Team head Generose Tecson said in a previous report that the city is redirecting its resources to address the local transmission.

Tecson said the testing will resume once the Los Amigos Covid-19 Laboratory will start its operations.

But Duterte-Carpio said those who would arrive in the city without a test result will still be swabbed, but the expense will be shouldered by the passenger.

"But in the event nga duna gyu'y makasakay and gisugtan sa airline nga musakay nga walay test result (that there will be passengers who will be able to get on board after being allowed by the airlines), when they land here, they will be tested but it [will be] charge[d] sa ilang (to the passenger's) account," Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

The mayor said the city will also honor saliva-based RT-PCR tests taken not more than 72 hours before the flight if done by the Philippine Red Cross.

Air passengers will also be required to secure their Safe Davao QR (DQR) Code, which will serve as an electronic contact tracing and travel pass platform.

Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio said those who present a falsified Covid-19 test result will be swabbed and will be transported to the government's quarantine facility until the issuance of a negative test and their release into the custody of law enforcement agencies.

The mayor said the RT-PCR test upon entry into the city is strictly for air passengers as "this is the fastest mode of transfer" of the virus.

"We will try to prevent a second wave for Davao City. And gi-unhan na nato na sa implementation sa ordinance nga kinahanglan duna kay (We are already one step ahead with the implementation of the ordinance requiring) 24-72 hours negative RT-PCR result para ka maka check-in sa airport (for passengers to be able to check-in at the airport)," she said.

She, however, assured that the city's border checkpoints are still strict in checking the place of origin of land travelers coming into the city.

Once they determine that the land traveler comes from Metro Manila or Cebu, Duterte-Carpio said checkpoint officials will endorse them to the nearest swabbing centers. However, they will no longer be quarantined, and that they will only be informed of their test result.

The test for land travelers will be shouldered by the city.

Passing through travelers coming from the mentioned areas will no longer be required to be swabbed.

The mayor said the city is looking into crafting an ordinance for the mandatory testing for land and sea travelers.

Tecson told SunStar Davao in a recent report that the "test-before-travel" requirement to all passengers is not in contradiction to the issued Resolution 101 of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

According to the IATF, an LGU that will still require a Covid-19 test will be limited to RT-PCR.

Meanwhile, the city, in accordance with the IATF order, no longer requires travel authority from the Joint Task Force Covid Shield and health certificates.

Authorized persons outside residence (Apor) from National Government agencies and their attached agencies need only to present their identification card, travel order, and travel itinerary.

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SKY boosts speeds, lowers Fiber prices

Posted: 22 Mar 2021 06:46 AM PDT

FOLLOWING the tighter competition in the fixed broadband market, Sky Cable Corporation drops its most affordable postpaid plan at P999.

Considered the country's most affordable postpaid plan to date, this allows subscribers to enjoy a broadband speed of up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps) for a very affordable price. This plan also bumps up from speeds of 5Mbps or 10Mbps in previous years.

SKY's Consumer Products Group Head Claudia Suarez said in an online press briefing on Friday, March 19, that the leveled-up fiber-fast home internet subscription plans that are even more affordably priced than before are SKY's way of meeting the needs of every Filipinos under the new normal.

"New and existing SKY Fiber subscribers will continue to have broadband plans from SKY that are affordable but in addition get faster speeds that will entirely meet their needs," she said.

She added that these plans "were designed to assist Filipino households to cope with their combined demand for remote work, e-learning, online entrepreneurship, or content streaming."

This value for money upgrade can also be observed in the other SKY Fiber unlimited broadband plan options, most notably in its highest speed plan, which was previously only 150Mbps but has now leveled up to 200Mbps for the same price of P3,499 per month.

If value-conscious consumers are looking for a plan that is somewhere in between the basic and highest plan, they can opt for plan 40Mbps which is only priced at P1,499 per month, or plan 80Mbps which is now within pockets' reach for only P1,999 per month.

With the recent upgrade, existing SKY Fiber subscribers nationwide also experience an automatic upgrade without the hassles of going through an application process. They just simply have to do a three-minute hard modem reset to enjoy their leveled-up internet speed.

Meanwhile, entertainment-seekers will also be delighted to know that SKY Fiber is also offering unlimited broadband + HD Cable bundle speed plans of up to 120Mbps at best-value. For P2,999 a month, instead of just enjoying a speed of 60Mbps, subscribers can double the fun when they get to smoothly stream online videos with a speed of 120Mbps while also having access to over 60 cable channels.

To make the SKY Fiber Super Speed bundle plans an even more economical purchase, they all come with SKY EVO, the newest digibox innovation that offers access to over 190 SKYcable channels, 5,000 downloadable apps, and pre-installed content streaming apps such as iWantTFC, HBO GO, YouTube, Prime Video, and Spotify.

"The challenges of 2020 have compelled us to level-up our product offerings this year. We hope that we can ease the burden of Filipinos by presenting multiple solutions in our best-value bundle plans," said Alan Supnet, SKY's head for Consumer Broadband Products.

To enjoy fiber-fast speeds of up to 200Mbps at highly competitive prices, visit mysky.com.ph/skyfiber. The leveled-up SKY Fiber Super Speed plans are now available in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Cebu, Dumaguete, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Davao.

Baguio, General Santos City and Zamboanga can experience fiber-fast speeds of up to 80Mbps. (With PR)

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Abalayan: Understanding Irish

Posted: 22 Mar 2021 06:45 AM PDT

WHERE Tokyo Olympics-bound boxer Irish Magno was coming from is understandable.

Most of us were shocked when she made that controversial Facebook post where she blatantly ranted about the delay of her allowance as a national athlete and how it pains her to think about the hardship her family back home in Janiuay, Iloilo is enduring.

She has already taken down that post and even apologized for it.

Irish has become the sole breadwinner since the pandemic affected the carpentry and laundry jobs of her parents who also have to tend to her three other siblings living with them.

She may have made such a post at the height of her emotions as she was helpless being away from her family. She has been in Bangkok, Thailand since March 10 with the national boxing team to train for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games set in Vietnam.

The national boxers also underwent a bubble training camp in Laguna since January 15 before flying to Bangkok where they are still under 14-day quarantine.

Being in a foreign land, being away from her loved ones, and being under quarantine could have also contributed to her emotional outburst. Not to mention the daunting task of competing in the world's greatest sports spectacle for the first time. Expectations could weigh a man and a woman down, wouldn't you agree? Then, there's the prevailing threat of being infected with Covid-19.

I wonder how she is coping now. For her to express herself on social media could mean she has no one else she can turn to or there is just so much going that she could no longer bear it. Her family's situation seemed to be the last stroke for her. Thinking that she could eat well while her family has nothing to eat would really break anyone's heart. Thankfully, good-hearted people extended help to her family.

She and the rest of the national boxing team have been taken care of as the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) made sure of meeting their basic needs such as meals and accommodation, among others, and funding their trips and other related travel expenses as well.

But their allowances got delayed, which PSC Chairman William Ramirez said took awhile due to the reassessment process of the more than 1,300 national athletes and they have to follow the strict requirements and policies of the government.

PSC, in a statement, said the allowances of Olympic-bound athletes were released this week while the rest of the athletes will also start receiving their allowances soon.

What PSC Commissioner Ramon Fernandez, PH chef de mission for SEA Games, raised was also worth noting. The NSAs could at least advance their athletes' allowances and just get reimbursed by PSC later, considering that government procedure often takes awhile.

Well, the good thing is athletes have started receiving their allowances. We are hoping though it continues without a glitch in the rest of the months.

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Mendoza: Gift of Faith

Posted: 22 Mar 2021 06:42 AM PDT

POPE Francis marked 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines with a Holy Mass on Sunday in St. Peter's Basilica with only a limited number of faithful allowed to attend the 10 a.m. (Rome time) Mass on March 14.

In an article written by Robin Gomes, the Christian faith that arrived in the Philippines 500 years ago, is very much alive today in the joyful witness to evangelical charity by Catholics, even in hard times, as mentioned by Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

It was also known from the said article that the Philippine Church has been preparing for this great jubilee celebration for nine years, with each year having a specific theme.

The Catholic Faith in the Philippines began when the great 16th-century Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, who led a Spanish expedition to the so-called 'East Indies', 1519 to 1522, reached what is today known as the Philippines on 16 March 1521. His sailors had planned to remain there for a month and a half. It is believed that during that time, the first Mass was celebrated on Filipino soil on March 31, 1521, on the island of Limasawa, South of Leyte.

It was also mentioned that some 800 were baptized to form the first Catholic community.

It can be said that the Catholic Church in the Philippines has chosen Easter Sunday, April 4, to formally inaugurate the year-long celebration of the 5th centenary.

Still written in the same article that on that occasion, in a ceremony, Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, the president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), will flag off the opening of the "Holy Doors" of pilgrim churches across the nation.

The theme of the jubilee celebration is "Gifted to Give."

Archbishop Valles said that "Faith is a gift from God. And so, we are joyful in this special jubilee year. Valles explained to Vatican Radio that they are also joyful because they have experienced that faith has given meaning to life.

"In a sense, faith helps us to navigate through the journey of life" and this faith is lived not only individually but also in the family and in the community.

Moreover, witnessing faith in Jesus in the Asian context, according to Pope Francis, Archbishop Valles said, means to show the joy of believing. Life in the Philippines, he said, is difficult but faith helps them to be strong amidst the storms of life and forge ahead, assured that the Lord is with them.

This is the reason behind the joy of the 500 years of the Christian faith in the Philippines - the joy of living in the Lord.

Valles added that this faith also entails the duty to evangelize. But even before we can evangelize, he explained, we first need to "deeply realize and appreciate that we are gifted - gifted with faith from the Lord" thus the theme 'Gifted to Give'. With the awareness that you are gifted, also comes the desire to share this faith.

In the present context of the pandemic, which is difficult to witness to evangelical charity because of the bad times the Filipinos have been going through over the past two years with strong earthquakes killing many lives and destroying numerous homes.

At the start of 2020, another volcano erupted in Taal, causing the evacuation of thousands of people and by March of that year, the Covid-19 pandemic struck the Philippines and before the end of the year saw two strong typhoons.

Valles said that recently, when the vaccination program kicked off in the Philippines, churches volunteered to offer the government their facilities as vaccination centers, especially in remote areas.

Hence, when asked to be witnesses to evangelical charity, to be a house with open doors that offers hope and strength, Archbishop Valles said they stood up to the challenge and they still continue to be a Church that, above all, is able to offer charity, mercy and compassion in times of great difficulty.

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Humility in the spotlight

Posted: 22 Mar 2021 06:42 AM PDT

IN THE academe, finishing a master's and PhD degrees are the dream. It is not easy especially when one has to balance work with studies as well as family time.

As for me, I am still in the process of my dissertation completion. I'm almost there. But during the initial and middle phases, my energy is drained. I keep procrastinating tasks just so I can delay the research progress. Even now that I am in the recommendation and conclusion phase, there are still portions that I spot every now and then that need revision and further contemplation.

I know that this dissertation will represent who I am. It is something that I would be proud of after all the struggles. But certainly I have learned more about time management, have endured years of reading, and have calmly revised without complaining. I have become an obedient protégé.

Not to mention, my professors, some of them are nursing theorists, are great. They bridge my ignorance to cross towards bliss and knowledge. They've awakened me to appreciate meta-synthesis or metanalysis and see the beauty in the various types of research. Most importantly, I professionally grew by immersing myself in quantitative studies and in the process, loving numbers. On the other hand, I've captured people's lived experiences because of qualitative studies. In all of these, I thank St. Paul University Philippines in Tuguegarao City, where I am enrolled in PhD in nursing, and Ateneo de Davao University for the faculty development opportunity.

But with all these struggles for further study, does this give us the permission to brag and tell everyone about our degree? Or will it be more pleasing to see a humble PhD that does not brag about his/her achievements to the students? Or rather, let me ask, is it hard for a PhD holder to not answer confused students with, "Huwag na kayong magtanong, kasi PhD ako, mas may alam ako sa inyo"?

This may not be true to all, for I know many brilliant PhD holders like Efren Sabado, PhD; Rozzano Locsin, PhD; Mark Renosa, PhD; Elizabeth Baua, PhD; and Josephine Lorica, PhD who are all humble and have the heart to teach neophytes in research like me. But I am so saddened for those who are possessed with the delusion of grandeur, having fixed false belief about one's greatness or skills.

I hope that students in research would not have research mentors who do not want to be asked for clarification. I hope that research mentors do not instill fear in students that would hinder them from learning more. And I hope that even if one has reached a high level of educational attainment, he/she remains approachable.

I think that as teachers, we should all indulge in that scientific spirit of being sure but sometimes accepting that we cannot be sure. Let us learn to be willing to surrender when students' ideas are correct and that we are wrong. Being humble is not thinking less of ourselves but it is thinking of ourselves less. So, if you wish people to think well of you -- do not speak well of yourself! Stay grounded -- remember that the substance of our attitudes can last eternally even if our fame and glory fade.

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Meditalk: 35 but looks like 50 (Part 2)

Posted: 22 Mar 2021 06:40 AM PDT

(Foreword: This is the continuation of our response to Marietta 2021 on her concern on her aged looks.)

DEAR Marietta 2021,

Now, moving on...here are more reasons why.

Alcohol

Alcohol dehydrates you. And when you don't have enough water, your skin dries, and wrinkles can set in.

Processed Meat

The sodium and chemical preservatives in your bacon, sausage, ham, and deli cuts, are smoked, cured, or salted can cause inflammation which can wear out your body down inside and out. Remember that too much can cause heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Fried foods

A nice long bath in boiling oil promotes free radicals, or unstable molecules that can damage other molecules in your cells and your skin will look more than your age.

Baked goods

Cookies, cakes and white bread are high in artery-clogging fat that can add to your weight and add years to your skin. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and tooth decay (among other things) are also adding up here. They can also cause inflammation which increases your chances of arthritis, depression, Alzheimer's, and some cancers. So, beware.

Charred meats

Frying or grilling meat at high temps gets you advanced glycation end products, or AGEs. And high amounts of them cause inflammation that triggers heart disease and diabetes. So, beware of grilled meats that are charred, my dear. They not only make you look old, but, they can kill you slowly but surely, as well.

Oops... we are out of space again. Let us continue this next time. Until then again!

Dr. Fritz

(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She is the co-host of digital page of Superbalita. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, "Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz." For your questions, you may e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don't wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)

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7th in 2014 Medtech board exam places 8th in physician’s licensure exam

Posted: 21 Mar 2021 06:15 AM PDT

TOPPING any board examinations is no joke, let alone ranking it twice.

Newly registered physician Jannie Leah Prieto Miedes of the Davao Medical School Foundation secured the 8th spot in the recently announced results of the March 2021 Physician Licensure Examination. She had a rating of 87 percent.

What's more interesting about Miedes's milestone is she also ranked 7th in the 2014 medical technologist licensure exam.

In an interview with SunStar Davao, Miedes shared she did not expect to be on the list.

"I was pleasantly surprised! I really didn't expect it! I was actually just praying to pass because I really found the exams difficult. I topped the boards for medical technology back in September 2014, but it was different. I didn't expect to top that exam before as well, but I was confident enough to say I would surely pass," she said.

Miedes also shared that to future board exam takers, especially to those who are still about to enter medical school, taking your studies seriously would help one in answering difficult parts of the exam.

She said stock knowledge helps one in passing the exam.

"They say you should start studying for the board when you start med school. It's real! Maybe even before that. You wouldn't appreciate that statement until you take the boards. Because when the questions become difficult, not tackled in your review, pops out of nowhere, it will all come down to what you really learned in pre-med, med school, and in the hospitals," she said.

"Read as much as you could and internalize," Miedes added.

Above all, she said the students' goal when studying should not be just for the board exam alone but for them to be prepared in the real world when they perform their duties as medical frontliners.

Based on the Professional Regulation Commission data, a total of 1,234 individuals passed the exam in March 2021 out of the 1,927 examinees.

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Davao City starts pre-registration for Covid-19 vaccine

Posted: 21 Mar 2021 06:14 AM PDT

THE City Government of Davao has already started the pre-registration of Dabawenyos who want to be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccines.

Davao City Covid-19 Vaccine Cluster head Dr. Josephine Villafuerte said they already started the vaccine registration last week.

Villafuerte said eligible for the registration are Dabawenyos who are 18 years old and above.

She said they can go to the nearest district and barangay health offices in their area to be pre-listed until their turn to get vaccinated.

"They can go to their district health offices, barangay health stations, or even their barangay captains through the barangay health workers," Villafuerte said.

The official said people must bring with them any proof of identification to be presented to the barangay or district health workers.

Meanwhile, Villafuerte announced that three vaccination hubs are ready for the vaccination of the general public. These are the University of Southeastern Philippines, Ateneo De Davao University and Matina Aplaya Elementary School.

"The areas are ready. Eventually, they will be opened once we start the vaccination of the general population," she said.

Villafuerte said the city will not open other sites until all the vaccines under Priority Group A, composed of frontline healthcare and several non-healthcare workers, are completed.

Two hubs are currently being utilized as vaccination sites – the Mabini Elementary School and Magallanes Elementary School.

As of March 15, a total of 4,968 public and private frontline health workers were already inoculated. Of the number, 3,997 were from private hospitals who received the Sinovac vaccine and 997 were city government health workers who received the AstraZeneca vaccine. A total of 16,800 frontline health workers in the city were targeted to be inoculated.

Once all health workers are vaccinated, City Health Office Acting Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said the city will start administering the Covid-19 vaccine to more than 77,000 indigent and non-indigent senior citizens by April.

Based on the master list from the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs, Lopez said there were a total number of 77,189 seniors who will be inoculated with the vaccine. (RGL with CIO)

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Tagum Diocese apologizes for priest’s ‘harsh’ actions

Posted: 21 Mar 2021 06:12 AM PDT

THE Diocese of Tagum apologized after one of its priests, who appeared to be upset while doing the baptism rite, went viral online.

In an issued statement signed by Bishop Medil Aseoo and Chancellor Fr. Vicente Arado on Saturday, March 20, the diocese regretted the incident, which happened at Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Parish in Barangay Kimamon, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte on March 13.

The video was uploaded the next day by Facebook user May Flor Concon Decano, who was one of those who attended the baptismal rites.

"Sakto ba ning pari nga magbunyag kulang na lang balian?! Wala pa labot kasaba.ka harsh ba gud nimu Father. Karon ra ko.. Dapat Celebration sa PagkaChristian sa bata,dili kay aniun niyA. Unsa iya giexpect 1st time parents ang ginikanan *sad emoji*. Maypag ingun na lang ka father ug gusto ka mubunyag or dili,kay murag sakit man sa imu dughan magbunyag ug bata hinuon [sic]," Decano said in her Facebook post.

(Is it appropriate that this priest will be performing the baptismal rights to the point that he will break the child's neck? Not only that, he even scolded the parents. That was harsh, father. That was the first time I witnessed something like this. That was supposed to be a celebration of a child being baptized into Christianity. What was he expecting considering these are first-time parents? Just be frank, father, if you wanted to officiate the baptism or not. It seemed that it was against your will to officiate the child's baptism.)

The video was no longer accessible in her account. However, various accounts have already reposted the video and have gained significant likes and shares.

The local church immediately talked to the involved parties upon learning the incident.

"As soon as this came to our attention, we, at once, talked to the couple and the priest involved. After a series of dialogues, both parties have reached conciliation and mutual understanding recognizing the lapses and excesses on either side," the diocese said.

"We ask for everyone's forgiveness for the pain and scandal this may have caused," the diocese added.

The Tagum church appealed to both parties to put "an end to the issue which has caused more harm than good."

"We humbly appeal to the supporters of both sides to prudently refrain from engaging in activities that further sow division and animosity," the church said.

It also appealed to netizens "to exercise prudence and charity mindful of the feelings and sensitivities" to the parties and their loved ones.

In line with the Lenten season, the church also urged the public to reflect and make amends for the betterment of everyone.

The name of the priest was not identified in the statement. In a report from GMA's One Mindanao, the parish priest was identified as Reverend Father Ben Cañete, who also apologized for the incident.

"As of this time, the matters are dealt with properly by the diocesan curia. If you are Catholic and the video has offended you, my sincerest apologies," Cañete said in a text message.

SunStar Davao reached out to Decano for further comments on this matter, but she has not responded as of Sunday evening.

The Sto. Tomas Municipal Information Office, which first confirmed that the incident happened in their area, declined to comment on the matter.

"We won't comment on the issue as we maintain a 'neutral' stance towards an issue of religion in constitutional recognition on the separation of the church and the state. It is best that the Diocese of Tagum will investigate the matter and shed light further on the issue," Municipal Information Officer Mart Sambalud said in an online message to the media.

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Summerfrolic will not push through this year

Posted: 21 Mar 2021 06:09 AM PDT

DUE to the continuing threat of Covid-19, organizers of Mati City's summer party activity Summerfrolic will have to skip this year's event.

"It has always been an excitement for our team to announce our event date each and every year. Unfortunately, for now, we'll have to skip yet again this year," organizers announced in a Facebook post on Saturday, March 20.

"Until then, be safe everyone and enjoy your summer ahead!" the organizers added.

This was the second time Summerfrolic was postponed. Organizers canceled the event supposedly slated from June 5 to 6, 2020.

SummerFrolic was established in 2014 in an effort to promote Dahican Beach and Mati City as major tourism attractions.

Dahican Beach is a seven-kilometer stretch of white sand facing the Pacific coast and is one of the popular tourist destinations in Davao Region. Aside from skimboarding and surfing, Dahican is also famous for its pristine marine environment, the beach being nesting sites of marine turtles.

Meanwhile, Mati City Information Officer Ben Tesiorna told SunStar Davao in an online interview via Messenger that they welcome the organizer's decision.

"We welcome the announcement of the organizers of this annual Summerfrolic considering that the world is still fighting the pandemic. What we need now is to focus all our efforts in fighting Covid-19," Tesiorna said.

He added, "Dahican will be there for years to come and we can still party once the pandemic is over."

Tesiorna said beach parties are considered mass gatherings, which is prohibited under City Ordinance 427 or "Disiplina Panahon sa Pandemya Ordinance."

Mati, along with the rest of Davao Oriental, is currently modified general community quarantine until March 31.

The city has since allowed tourism establishments and activities to operate but under limited capacity, as mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang issued Executive Order 40 on October 5, wherein walk-in guests will not be allowed to stay overnight in the province's tourist destination. They must present confirmed booking appointments in the accommodation establishment. All border control checkpoints will have a list of establishments accredited by the Department of Tourism.

Tourism establishments are urged to utilize online or mobile modes of reservation and payment applications.

Upon entering, guests will undergo a mandatory screening that includes checking body temperature using a thermal scanner or thermometer gun.

As of March 20, the Mati City Incident Management Team recorded a total of 517 confirmed Covid-19 cases, wherein 19 were active cases, 485 recoveries, and 13 deaths.

Davao Oriental, meanwhile, had a total of 1,295 confirmed cases, wherein 29 were active cases, 1,237 recoveries and 29 deaths.

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Petecio, coaches, family overjoyed over Tokyo Olympics slot

Posted: 21 Mar 2021 06:06 AM PDT

AIBA 2019 Women's World Boxing champion Nesthy Alcayde Petecio, a tough woman on the ring, burst into tears over a phone call.

She became emotional after hearing the news from coach Nolito Velasco that she has just booked a slot in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics after the International Olympic Committee Boxing Task Force (IOC-BTF) confirmed her slot to the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) on March 19.

The 27-year-old native of Barangay Tuban in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, whose amateur career began in Davao City, said, "Kahilak jud ko. Grabe akong thank you sa akong mga coaches labaw na sa Ginoo. Nihilak ko sa mga igsoon nako. Akoa silang giatik gani nga 'tawagi ko ninyo kay naay emergency' hahaha wala nagduha-duha nagtawag sila sa akoa. Hilak akoa kuya og ate nga naa sa Japan (I cried. I really thanked my coaches and most especially God. I cried to my siblings. I tricked them to call me, saying that I had an emergency. My elder brother and elder sister in Japan also cried with me)."

Velasco, known as Coach Boy, also shed tears of joy when he broke the good news to the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games champion over the phone since they, along with the national boxing team, were still under quarantine at a Bangkok hotel in Thailand.

"Gitawagan dayun ko ni coach Nolito Velasco. Dili gani sya maka-istorya tarong kay hilak sya sa kalipay, pati si coach Galido hilak pud sa kalipay pag tawag sa akoa. Sobra kaayo ko ka happy Ma'am. Blessed and grateful jud kaayo ko. Mao nani, naa nako hapit sa akoa pinakadula sa pangarap nako," she told Sun.Star Davao in a Facebook interview.

(Coach Nolito Velasco called me. At first, he could not say any word as he was crying. Coach Rey Galido also cried with happiness when he called me. I am overjoyed, Ma'am! I'm so blessed and grateful. This is it! This has been my greatest dream.)

Petecio, although she was anxious at first, did not lose hope when the remaining Olympic qualifying tournaments earlier set to resume this year were canceled anew due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Her coaches told her that Olympic berths will instead be based on the Aiba world rankings. She then regained her confidence knowing that she would not lag in the rankings and she entrusted everything to the Lord.

"Naa ko sa rank 5 po sa new ranking. Pero ang rank 4 naka sulod na so ako na magiging rank 1. Magsalig lang ko sa Ginoo kung unsa may mahitabo sa ranking (I was fifth in the latest ranking but the top four ranked boxers already qualified so that would make me first among other possible qualifiers based on the ranking. I just trust God with whatever happens in the ranking)," she added.

True enough, she along with Carlo Paalam sealed their Olympic tickets through their high rankings in women's flyweight 57 kilograms and men's flyweight 52 kgs divisions, respectively.

As of September 2020 though, Petecio was ranked World No. 2 after winning the gold medal in the 2019 women's world boxing championships that earned her 1,200 ranking points.

The Philippines will now have four boxers competing in the Tokyo Olympics including Eumir Felix Marcial and Irish Magno, which is considered as the largest contingent from the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap) in the world's greatest sports spectacle.

Charly Suarez of Barangay Sawata in Davao del Norte and Mark Anthony Barriga of Barangay San Vicente in Panabo City were the lone Filipino boxers in the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2012 London Olympics, respectively.

Coach Boy, in a separate interview, said they will upgrade the training of the four Tokyo Olympic qualifiers.

Abap Secretary General Ed Picson, for his part, said, "Of course, we're very happy about it and Nesthy has vowed to be more focused on her training. Our coaches are also concentrating on working on all our Olympians to give them the best opportunity to win medals in Tokyo."

Petecio maintained that she won't allow the pressure to get the better of her, saying, "Chill rako Ma'am. Baga, mindset nako dili magpadala sa pressure para swabe lang ang dagan tanan (I'll just chill, Ma'am. My mindset would be not to be pressured by anything)."

While undergoing the 14-day quarantine at the hotel since they arrived in Bangkok on March 10, the national boxing team has resorted to online training. The Philippine Sports Commission funded their Thailand training in preparation for the Olympics and the 31st SEA Games in Vietnam.

Petecio said they are doing well and their meals are just being delivered to their hotel rooms. She finds time to update her social media accounts during her training break to keep her family and friends updated.

Aside from Petecio, Magno, and Paalam, others training in Thailand are their teammates Aira Villegas, Riza Pasuit, Irish Magno, Marjun Pianar, Junmilardo Ogayre, Rogen Ladon, James Palicte, Ian Clark Bautista, and Mario Fernandez.

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Custodio: Finding zen in manually grinding coffee beans

Posted: 21 Mar 2021 05:32 AM PDT

I LOVE coffee and last Valentine's Day, my dear sister gifted me with a coffee drip set which brought me so much joy!

I had been meaning to shift from my usual 3-in-1 coffee fixes to something pure so receiving the gift really made me happy. Included in the set was a manual grinder for the coffee beans. I was excited about this too since I had just watched (and loved) a Japanese film on Netflix where the main male protagonist ground his coffee beans for his coffee every morning!

I find manually grinding my coffee beans quite relaxing. Of course, on the onset, I'd be gritting my teeth, needing a bit more power to actually begin the process. I would feel my wrist ache from gripping the barrel of the grinder too tightly. Sometimes my rotation is off and so I fumble, too. Stressful, hahaha, but when I get the hang of it, I actually enjoy it! My breathing starts to relax and I am overcome with a sense of peace and joy that gives my mind clarity and calmness.

I do a lot of reflecting when I prepare my coffee this way. I have realized that my thinking processes tend to synch with the pace of the task. In many ways, it is like doing breathing exercises, which is a good thing! Somehow, it eases out unwanted distractions that add tension to my daily life. I like how it slows me down.

We all know how doubly challenging the past year has been. Things changed so much since 2019 that I still shake my head at the sight of people wearing masks and face shields in the street! Who would have thought that this would happen, right? No matter how many people say that the pandemic is a hoax and that it is a business maneuver to get the world to spend so much, the images of the faces of those I had to tell that they were infected will continue to be clear in my mind. And the friends that I have lost because of it, will never return. So much chaos created by something invisible to the naked eye!

We all need respite from these disturbing feelings. We all should find ways to ease the anguish and worries somewhat, don't you agree? I found zen in grinding my coffee beans. Thank God!

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1 comment:

  1. Alisha CharltonDecember 24, 2021 at 9:48 AM

    Thanks for writing this great article! It’s very informative, and you included some great points to the equally great article regarding RT-PCR COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit.

    ReplyDelete

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