Tuesday, June 8, 2021

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Duterte-Carpio creates anti-red tape body

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 07:13 AM PDT

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio formed a special anti-red tape body to help expedite business and non-business-related transactions in the city.

Duterte-Carpio signed Executive Order (EO) 32, Series of 2021, known as "An Order Creating The Committee On Anti-Red Tape (Cart)" on June 1, 2021 and shall take effect immediately.

The mayor cited Republic Act 11032, known as "Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018," which mandates all government agencies to adopt simplified requirements and procedures that will reduce red tape and hasten transactions, in the issuance of the order.

It can be recalled that the mayor issued EO 43, Series of 2020, designating the Internal Audit Service Division as the Anti-Red Tape Unit of the City Government of Davao.

The Anti-Red Tape Authority (Arta), according to EO 32, issued Memorandum Circular No. 2020-07 Series of 2020, which directed all government offices to designate a Cart and provide for its guidelines.

Thus, Duterte-Carpio created Davao City's Cart, which shall be composed of the city mayor or her authorized representative as chairperson; head of the Internal Audit Service Division as vice-chairperson; and heads or representatives of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, City Treasurer's Office, City Assessor's Office, City Planning and Development Office, Human Resource Management Office, Business Bureau Permits and Licensing Division and City Legal Office as members.

The mayor, in her EO 32, said, "The Cart shall ensure compliance with the requirements of RA 11032, its implementing rules and regulations subsequent issuances by ARTA as applicable."

The Internal Audit Service Division will serve as the Committee's Secretariat tasked to handle all administrative and secretarial activities.

Cart's costs of operations will be chargeable against available funds and resources of the local government, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules.

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4M Filipinos jobless in April 2021 - PSA

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 07:12 AM PDT

STRICTER quarantine measures in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus area have caused a slight increase in the unemployment rate in April, the administration's economic managers said.

Based on the preliminary data of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the unemployment rate in the country increased to 8.7 percent in April from 7.1 percent in March. The unemployment rate in April is equivalent to 4.14 million in the labor force who are unemployed.

Employment rate, meanwhile, dropped to 91.3 percent in April from 92.9 percent in March.

"When infections spiked in mid-March 2021, the government decided to take a step back and impose the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ (MECQ) in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus area from March 29 to May 15, 2021 to save lives from the virus and buy more time to further improve our health system capacity. This resulted in a temporary reversal of our first quarter employment gains, which show the tight link between labor market outcomes and the level of quarantine restrictions," the economic managers said.

The administration's economic managers are Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, Socioeconomic planning Secretary Karl Kendtrick T. Chua, and Budget and Management Secretary Wendel E. Avisado.

They added that "the impact of the ECQ and MECQ on unemployment is more pronounced in regions with stricter quarantine measures, further highlighting the sensitivity of the labor market to the quarantine level."

"NCR and Region IV-A (Calabarzon), where the strictest quarantines were imposed, posted the highest regional unemployment rates in April 2021 of 14.4 percent and 13.4 percent, respectively," the economic managers said.

They also noted that "unemployment rate outside NCR continued its general downward trend, declining from 8.7 percent in January 2021 to 7.9 percent in April 2021."

"This reflects the gains from the safe reopening of the economy in the provinces," the economic managers said.

However, the economic managers said compared to the same period in 2020, the unemployment rate in April 2021 is lower. Data from PSA shows that the unemployment rate in April 2020 was at 17.6 percent or equivalent to 7.23 million Filipinos without jobs.

"The overall labor market outcomes are substantially better as we took a more risk-based approach in imposing restrictions. For instance, instead of shutting down three- fourths of the economy, we allowed public transportation and more sectors to operate, but still subject to the minimum health standards. Our experience this year shows that we can reduce cases while helping people recover their jobs and income at the same time," the economic managers.

Meanwhile, the underemployment rate increased to 17.2 percent in April this year.

"Underemployment rate or employed persons who expressed desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have an additional job, or to have a new job with longer hours of work was recorded at 17.2 percent in April 2021. This was lower than the 18.9 percent reported in April 2020 but higher than the January 2021 estimate of 16.0 percent," PSA said.

In a bid to improve the employment situation in the country, the economic managers said they will continue to "take well-calibrated steps to achieve better health and job outcomes for the people" through the implementation of the government's three-pillar strategy.

"The first pillar is the further re-opening of the economy towards modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) or better, at the appropriate time, along with expanding the age group allowed to go out and gradually resuming face to face learning in the low-risk areas, all with the appropriate safeguards," the economic managers said.

This will involve the strict implementation of the prevent, detect, isolate, treat, and recover (PDITR) strategy.

"Our experience in the past year shows that strict adherence to the PDITR strategy is crucial in reducing cases significantly even as the economy reopens," the group said.

Meanwhile, the second pillar is the implementation of the recovery package, consisting of fiscal, monetary, and financial interventions. This will have the government spending over P2.7 trillion or 15.4 percent of GDP since last year.

"This includes the 2021 budget, the 2020 budget extension, the Bayanihan 2 extension, the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (Create) Act, and the Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (Fist) Act. Accelerating the pace of their implementation would bring forward the benefits that these measures intend," the economic managers said.

They are also calling for the passage of amendments to the Public Service Act, the Foreign Investment Act, and the Retail Trade Liberalization Act.

"Relaxing the restrictions on foreign capital will put the Philippines in a better position to compete for investments and bring in more and better job opportunities for Filipinos," the economic managers said.

The last pillar will be the accelerated implementation of the vaccination program. The group expressed optimism that more Filipinos will be vaccinated with the arrival of 27.7 million vaccine doses from May to July 2021.

The government has also recently expanded the A4 vaccine priority group to include all workers who work outside their homes, including government employees.

"Additionally, with the arrival of more vaccines this month, and the rollout of our vaccination for the 35 million A4 priority group or the economic frontliners, we can expect significant acceleration of vaccine capacity towards the 500,000 jabs per day level. This will allow us to fast-track the vaccination rollout and achieve higher immunity and greater consumer and business confidence sooner than later," Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a statement.

He added, "This, in turn, will lead to higher consumption of our local goods and services, empower more businesses, and generate more employment opportunities for our Filipinos."

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Editorial: How to get vaccinated?

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 07:09 AM PDT

ON TUESDAY, June 8, the Department of Health (DOH) in Davao Region announced on its Facebook page that 44,800 doses of Sinovac vaccines have arrived in Davao Region.

Hours later, the City Government of Davao also announced the schedule for those who are part of priority groups A1, A2, and A3 who have yet to get their first dose. The schedule for those who are part of priority groups A1 and A2 who have yet to get their second dose was also announced.

According to DOH, A1 are workers in frontline health services, A2 are all senior citizens, and A3 are persons with comorbidities. Davao City has yet to start the vaccination of those under the A4 group, which have already begun in the National Capital Region (NCR).

For the inoculation of the first dose, The city government said it will be able to accommodate around 500 registered individuals per day in 10 different locations across the city from June 7 to 12.

Meanwhile, for the second dose, the city will also be able to accommodate around 500 individuals per day in five different locations. It said that the district offices will contact those who already had their first dose for their scheduled second dose.

While the recent updates on the Covid-19 vaccination is a welcome development, there are still people who are wondering how they can register for the vaccination. Last we checked, the latest guide on Covid-19 vaccination registration was for the A2 group.

From what we know, other Dabawenyos can either register at their district health centers or through the Safe Davao QR. Since May 25, Dabawenyos can pre-register their names through the Safe Davao QR for the vaccination.

"After completing the online registration process, the user must wait for the announcement of their assigned schedule from the district health office or through the DQR push notification," the city said in a statement on June 2.

However, when you check the comment section of the city government's post on vaccination, there are those who are saying that they have not received any updates or text message for their vaccination since pre-registering on Safe Davao QR. One Facebook user, who is part of the A3 group, commented that she has registered through the Safe Davao QR since May 26 but has not received any updates yet.

Another commented that she was informed by their district officers that they will not be sending a text or notification. She was instructed instead to go to the vaccination and present her QR code, which would notify those at the site that she has pre-registered for the vaccine.

Aside from this, some claim that they simply line up at the vaccination site, get listed, and wait to receive their vaccines. Others also said it is much faster to get vaccinated if you register through your barangay.

At present, there is lack of clarity when it comes to the guidelines for the Covid-19 vaccination in Davao City. Do we go to the site to register? But this would cause mass gathering, which is the reason why pre-registration through the Safe Davao QR is being encouraged. But is the pre-registration for Safe Davao QR working? How long does one have to wait to be scheduled?

Hopefully the city government of Davao will be able to issue clear guidelines and processes on how one can get a vaccine in Davao City. There are people who are already part of the A1, A2, and A3, even those who are part of A4, who are ready to get vaccinated but are confused about the process.

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Samante: NBA Playoffs Round 2 predictions

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT

WITH the ouster of the defending champs last week, the road to the Larry O'Brien trophy is wide open.

Here are the semi-final matchups:

Western Conference

Jazz vs Clippers

Nuggets vs Suns

A well-rested Jazz team will have their hands full against the Clippers, who just survived the first round.

Clippers may be tired after that series, but we see the resurgence of Kawhi and PG. If they sustain their stellar play, the Clippers may have the edge in this series. But a young and talented Jazz team might be up for an upset. So I'd go with the Jazz in 6.

After conquering the defending champs, the Suns are definitely on a high. If they can maintain their focus, they can fight the Nuggets, who sorely miss Jamal Murray. Suns in 6.

Eastern Conference

76ers (0) vs Hawks (1)

Bucks (0) vs Nets (1)

Starting strong is the theme for this series between the Sixers and the Hawks. With a 42-27 advantage established in the first quarter, the Hawks were able to withstand the 4th quarter rally of the Sixers en route to their first win in the series. Whoever starts strong will win. I am picking Hawks in 6.

Giannis and Co. may have eliminated the Heat, but the Nets will be tough to deal with. Down one game in the series, the defense will factor in for the Bucks if they wish to upset the perennial title favorites, Nets. They cannot go toe to toe in scoring with this Nets team.

If they cannot get the job done in 6 games, the Nets will be poised to become the new kings of the East.

Notes from the sidelines:

Congratulations to Yuka Saso for winning the 76th US Women's Open. At 19 years of age, the future looks bright for our fellow Filipino. Finally, we have another world champion after our boxing greats.

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Meditalk: What are other coffee alternatives to start the day? (Part 2)

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT

(Foreword: This is the continuation of our response to John John on his desire for coffee alternatives.)

DEAR John John,

Moving on.... Here's more for your delight.

7. Carob

You can get it from the carob tree and add it to hot chocolate, smoothies, dairy, soy or almond milk. Carob is rich in fiber, helps digestion, and may even keep blood sugar and cholesterol at healthy levels.

8. Bone Broth

You can choose from beef, lamb, or chicken. This is a great source of protein, with 6 to 12 grams per cup and helps relieve swelling and inflammation. Chicken bone broth also helps clear the stuffy nose.

9. Kombucha

Just add yeast and sugar to a tea mixture and let it ferment and you have kombucha. This has lower sugar compared to soft drinks. But, be sure to do it right, or you might grow harmful bacteria, instead.

10. Rose Hip Tea

This has vitamin C together with a lot of cell-protecting and anti inflammatory phenolics and carotenoids.

11. Milk

This has always been a great source of B vitamins, including riboflavin, niacin, B6, and B12. But, choose low-fat or skim milk to limit those calories and fat.

12. Coconut Water

This is so good and better than other energy drinks in the market. Plus, it tastes great. It's natural and has no caffeine and less sugar. It has added benefits by replacing essential minerals or electrolytes that you lose when you sweat out.

Of course, don't forget to always have water by your side. Oftentimes, it's the only thing that you need.

Good luck!

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 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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Cacao enterprise in Maragusan

Posted: 08 Jun 2021 07:02 AM PDT

EVERY quality tablea produced by the Maragusan Multipurpose Cooperative (Mampco) carries with it a beautiful story of hard work and success.

Mampco, which started as a small cooperative with only a few members 50 years ago, has now grown to an organization with almost 4,000 members.

In 2010, they decided to get into the production and marketing of cacao fermented beans with a dream of expanding into tablea production to help more cacao farmers achieve a stable source of income.

To make this dream a reality, Mampco applied for enterprise development support from the Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) provided Mampco through the P2.51 million "Tablea Processing and Marketing Enterprise" subproject.

The interventions provided by PRDP to Mampco included one unit tablea processing building, roaster, cracker, grinder, stainless molding equipment, chiller, vacuum sealer, air conditioning unit, and other inputs for tablea processing.

Almost three years since the completion of the subproject, the beneficiaries from Mampco said that the tablea processing center has made a big impact to their cooperative when it comes to value adding of cacao beans, and generating additional income for their farmer members.

According to Mampco manager Armando Escuadro, their cacao farm expanded after PRDP provided their processing building and equipment followed by an increase in the number of their farmer members.

"We started with only 70 farmer-members with a production area of around 70 hectares dedicated to cacao," said Escuadro. "But with the help of PRDP our production area has expanded to 156 hectares and the number of our cacao farmers has doubled."

Mampco is currently producing around 3,800 kilograms of fermented cacao beans per month. Their institutional buyer, Kennemer Foods International Inc., gets 70 percent of their produce while the remaining 30 percent goes to their tablea processing. From this they can make an average of 800 kilograms of chocolate tablets per month.

In a day, they can make two batches of 222 packs of tablea with each pack containing 100 grams. This is the result of the processing equipment that helped them fast-track their processing and ensure a good quality tablea in the end.

Through PRDP, other agencies were also able to provide support to Mampco expanding their market and allowing them to tie-up with their institutional buyers. Some of these agencies and institutions were Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Provincial Agriculture Office (Pagro) of Davao de Oro, Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao (Cidami), and more recently, the Foundation for Sustainable Society Inc. which will partner with them for their planned expansion of their production area to another 100 hectares including establishment of agri-tourism and farm resort.

Engrasio Detomal Jr., one of the farmer members of Mampco, said the buying price for cacao really increased and many farmers were motivated to go back into farming because Mampco acted as a sure buyer of cacao wet beans.

"When I started farming, the price of wet beans was at P25 to 28 per kilo. But now we can sell it at P32 to 35 pesos. In fact, many farmers here are working again in their cacao farms because they know that we have Mampco as a sure buyer of our beans, and they give us a good price," said Detomal.

This enterprise subproject also generated additional jobs to some of the unemployed family members of some of the cooperative members.

A year after she was hired, tablea processor Rose Villa Amores has already mastered the steps in processing the cacao beans into finely ground tableya, "With my income here, I am able to support our family's daily consumption and send my children to school," Amores said.

Mampco continued its operation amidst the pandemic and despite the disruption and challenges they encountered, they were still able to secure their Certificate of Product Registration and passed the requirement of the Food and Drug Administration.

To date, they are already distributing their tablea nationwide through local couriers at a cash-on-delivery basis.

Mampco is now planning to release new products within the year such as cacao nibs, chocolate, and cocoa powder. They are also crafting new proposals under the additional financing 2 (AF-2) of PRDP which would include a delivery van, additional equipment, refinery grinder, and a printing machine to customize their label. (Joy M. Montecalvo/PRDP)

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Confusion on speed limit causes citation ticket issuance

Posted: 07 Jun 2021 06:09 AM PDT

A TRAFFIC official apologized to motorists who were mistakenly issued citation tickets along the Diversion Road in Davao City after confusions on the current speed limit along the area.

"Mangayo ko'g pasaylo, mangayo kog sorry kung naay nga nanga-hassle kagahapon (I would like to apologize for the inconveniences our motorists experienced yesterday [June 6]," Traffic Enforcement Unit Lieutenant Colonel Nolan Raquid said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio on Monday, June 7.

Raquid said he already ordered the revocation of the ticket issued along Orange Grove to Matina Pangi, which stemmed from confusions in the implementation of the speed limit along the area.

"Di na ninyo kinahanglan muadto sa [City] Treasurer's Office para bayaran na kay ako mismo mag-request para i-revoke katong tanang nadakpan (They do not need to go to the Treasurer's Office to pay their fines because I will personally request to revoke the tickets of those running) below 66 kilometers per hour," he said.

Raquid said they based the implementation of the speed limit in the area on the traffic signage placed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) showing 30 kilometers per hour (kph).

However, according to Executive Order 39 series of 2013 signed by then mayor, now President Rodrigo Duterte, the area's speed limit is still at 60 kph.

"Ang atoa na lang siguro hunahunaon na (I think we should, at least, think that) those road signs were erected for a purpose," he said.

City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) Head Dionisio Abude said in a separate interview that he will request that the area's speed limit be amended through an executive order.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, however, said in her regular radio interview that this measure is being proposed to be converted into an ordinance.

Motorists who were given the ticket took to social media to air their confusion and disappointment.

Facebook user Jan Jan said he was surprised after he was flagged down by enforcers.

"Sa kadugay-dugay nako og byahe diria nga lugar, nakurat ko human gipara ko ug giingnan nga 30 [kph] daw ang speed limit. Ay nabuang na! Ingon sa balaod, 60 ako pagkahibawo (I have been driving in these area for years, and I was surprised after I was flagged dow. The enforcer told me that the speed limit is 30 kph. According to the EO, the area's speed limit is at 60 kph)," Jan Jan said in his Facebook post.

EO 39 was signed to limit the speed of vehicles running in Davao City from 30 kph to 60 kph due to the increase in traffic incidents on the highways and roads caused by reckless driving.

According to the EO, the downtown area starting from J.P. Laurel, Buhangin Crossing-Milan, and Carlos P. Garcia Highway to Bolton/Generoso Bridge, its speed limit is 30 kph.

Motorists from Ulas to Bolton/Generoso Bridge, Ma-a Road Diversion to McArthur Highway, and Panacan Crossing to J.P. Laurel Avenue are only allowed to drive up to 40 kph, while those driving along the highway in Sirawan, Lasang, Calinan, and C.P. Garcia are allowed only up to 60 kph.

Davao City Police Office spokesperson Captain Rose Aguilar said they had deployed their personnel to ensure the observance of the speed limit in these areas after they have been considered as "accident-prone" areas due to the number of recorded vehicular accidents.

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Penalty vs mandatory swabbing violators eyed

Posted: 07 Jun 2021 06:08 AM PDT

THE Davao City Covid-19 Task Force is proposing to penalize individuals who will not submit themselves for testing.

Davao City Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Marjorie Culas said in a virtual presser that the Covid-19 Task Force passed a resolution to the 19th City Council to enact an ordinance penalizing violators of the mandatory swabbing.

This is an accordance to Executive Order (EO) 20, "An Order Providing for Mandatory Swabbing of All F1, F2, And F3 Contacts of an RT-PCR [Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction] Confirmed Positive Case of Covid-19 In Davao City."

According to the EO, F1 contacts are those first-generation contacts of an RT-PCR confirmed Covid-19 positive case, while F2 contacts are those second-generation contacts of an RT-PCR confirmed Covid-19 positive case (close contacts of F1), and F3 contacts are those third-generation contacts of an RT-PCR confirmed Covid-19 positive case (close contacts of F2).

The EO states that all F1 are required to undergo home isolation while waiting for their result, while F2 and F3 can go back to their work while waiting for their result. But they are still advised to undergo home isolation, if possible.

Culas said some F1 contacts defy this order, while some F2 and F3 contacts refused to be swabbed.

She said some of the contact tracers experienced that some index cases will not disclose their close contacts.

Some of the close contacts turn off their phone while some do not respond to their phone calls, the health official said.

This is also similar to what they experience to second and third generation (F2 and F3) contacts.

Culas said there is already an initial meeting with the city councilors and other lead agencies to discuss the proposed ordinance.

"I hope it will come out soon para mabigyan natin ng leksyon 'tong mga violators kasi mahirap, marami nang natatamaan, at nadadamay (to serve as a warning to violators because many people are affected) because of this uncooperative people who are carriers of the virus," she said during the Department of Health-Davao Region (DOH-Davao) virtual presser on Monday, June 7.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said she will await the ordinance once it will be approved on final reading.

The mayor admitted that only an ordinance can impose a penalty.

Duterte-Carpio admitted that they are still encountering the same challenges in its Covid-19 response more than a year since the pandemic.

The mayor also said that some patients are hard to find as they do not "truthfully" provide their accurate contact details and address.

"Duna pud tay pasyente nga di na makita. Lahi ang address, lahi ang contact number (We have some patients that are nowhere to be found. The address and contact number are different), and when you access the address and contact number, wala na didto ang tao (they are no longer there)," Duterte-Carpio said.

The mayor, meanwhile, reminded those who tested positive despite having been completely vaccinated that they can still get infected with Covid-19. Although they won't be experiencing severe and critical conditions, they can still experience mild conditions.

"Duna gihapo'y testing na kinahanglan buhaton bisan nabakunahan naka, especially if duna kay contact with a [Covid-19] positive case (Testing is still important despite having been vaccinated, especially if you have a close contact with Covid-19 positive individual)," she said.

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403 BPO firm workers test positive for coronavirus

Posted: 07 Jun 2021 06:05 AM PDT

A BUSINESS process outsourcing (BPO) company has been placed under lockdown after 403 of its employees tested positive for Sars-CoV-2, which causes the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Davao City Assistant City Health Officer Dr. Marjorie Culas said in a virtual presser Monday morning, June 7, 2021, that a certain BPO company has 403 positive cases after some 1,000 employees were swabbed during a surveillance swabbing.

Culas did not name the BPO firm nor further elaborate the status and condition of the confirmed patients.

Andy, not his real name, reached out to SunStar Davao after his BPO company is also experiencing a surge.

He said most of the employees are first generation (F1), second generation (F2), and third generation (F3) contacts.

Andy said most of them, including their supervisors, are F1 contacts supposed to undergo quarantine while waiting for their swab results, as mentioned in Executive Order (EO) 20.

"Some of our supervisors were supposed to be on medical leave. However, some of the leaders were asking them to get 'fit to work certifications' so that they can have them sign a waiver to continue working even after being tagged as F1," he said in an online interview.

"The fact that they were asking those supervisors to get out from their respective houses and go to certain establishments like a hospital is clearly a violation of the said EO," he added.

Andy also said some leaders issued directives to their members "not to cooperate/communicate with the CHO or contact tracers because they are a scam."

"They instructed some employees not to disclose information sa mga tao nga duna silay nakadikit nga (to the people that they have) close contact kay aron di sila madamay (they won't be included in the contact tracing). They even said it's the employee's discretion to or not to disclose correct information," Andy said.

SunStar Davao raised this concern to Culas during the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Region virtual presser.

She said some BPOs are "uncooperative" in the City Government's Covid-19 contract tracing efforts, resulting in some being placed under lockdown due to the increasing number of cases.

"The reports have reached us nga may mga uncooperative na mga companies na (that some companies are uncooperative) as they [employees] are still roaming around kahit na F1 sila," Culas said

According to EO 20, F1 contacts who even tested negative should finish their 14-day home quarantine, while F2 and F3 contacts are required to undergo swabbing although they are allowed to go back to work while waiting for their result.

But Culas said they are advised to undergo isolation. But, if they tested negative but manifest symptoms, they must still undergo isolation.

Culas said for the past 10 days, the BPOs are the mostly affected business sector in the Covid-19 transmission.

"That's why we are forced to lockdown the area kasi talagang surge na talaga (because there is a surge) within the workplace," Culas said.

As of Monday, June 7, the CHO official said 11 BPOs have active cases.

Meanwhile, a total of 26 establishments are placed under lockdown for the past seven days. These include government offices, stores, banks, food and non-food, and churches.

According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Covid-19 Work Accident and Illness Report (WAIR) from January to May this year, a total of 41 cases out of the 16 BPOs were reported.

Some BPO firms were not compliant with the workplace prevention control measures, including no signages of "one-way direction" in walkways.

DOLE Regional Director Ofelia Domingo said establishments are obliged to submit their reports on the Covid-19 situations of their employees.

But Domingo said they have no legal authority to sanction establishments, based on the joint Dole-Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) guidelines on workplaces.

Domingo said it is only the local government who can sanction establishments that are non-compliant with the health protocols, as they are the ones given "police power" during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Sila 'yung merong jurisdiction, or they are the ones who can impose sanction doon sa mga companies na nag-vaviolate," she said.

"Because we are in a pandemic, ang binigyan ng jurisdiction ng ating government to impose sanctions is the local government unit," she added.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, meanwhile, said the incident should serve as a "lesson" to offices and establishments to avoid hiding their Covid-19 situation and coordinate with CHO to assist them.

"Masarado gyud ilang establishment kung ilang tagu-taguon ang mga positive cases nga gapanghitabo sa ilaha (Their establishments will be closed if they keep mum on the current cases in their area)," Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster.

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Davao City only has 2 weeks to ‘flatten curve’

Posted: 07 Jun 2021 06:03 AM PDT

DAVAO City has only two weeks to "flatten the curve," Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said after the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) granted the city's request to be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) for only 16 days.

The IATF on Thursday, June 3, 2021, approved the City's request to be placed under MECQ from June 5 to 20, 10 days short of the city's initial appeal, which was from June 5 until June 30.

Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on Monday, June 7, that the IATF did not mention the reason why the request period was shortened.

"Wala naghatag og reason ang IATF ngano hangtod June 20 lang. But kung ako patagnaon kung ngano (The IATF did not specify their reason why they only approved the MECQ until June 20. But if I were to guess), it's [because] they wanted us to flatten the curve in two weeks only," the mayor said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

The mayor admitted that it would take two to three weeks to see the effect of the MECQ on managing the Covid-19 cases in the city.

The decision for the possible extension will still depend on the Covid-19 cases in the city after June 20.

When asked if it the two-week MECQ will be enough, she said, "Enough na siya nga time kung musunod tanang tao sa kinahanglan nato buhaton nga (It is enough time if people will abide by the protocols to) 'stay home', and come out only if you need to work, or do business, and kung magpabakuna mo (if you will get the Covid-19 vaccine)."

The City Government said it requested the national IATF to elevate the city to a higher quarantine status "to allow a circuit breaker in the surge of patients inside hospitals."

Salient points of the guidelines include limiting the movement of all persons to accessing goods and establishments and for work in such establishments (Sec. 3, IATF Omnibus Guidelines dated May 20, 2021).

It also states that any person below 18 years old and over 65 years of age, persons with comorbidities and pregnant women shall be required to stay at home, except for obtaining essential goods and services (Sec. 3, IATF Omnibus Guidelines dated May 20, 2021).

Meanwhile, according to the Department of Trade and Industry memorandum, pick-up and delivery services are still in full operation, while 10 percent operational capacity for indoor dining and 50 percent for outdoor dining are only allowed.

The City Government has called on those affected by MECQ zero operational capacity to coordinate with the Trabaho Dabawenyo employment assistance at the City Mayor's Office Special Project Office at Magsaysay Park.

The City added that all public transportation shall be permitted to operate.

"Ang (The proposed) MECQ nato was a product of the discussions of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force and sa mga nakita nato sa occupancy sa atong mga (based on the occupancy of our) TTMFs [temporary treatment and monitoring facilities] and hospitals," she said, adding that the City is avoiding the possible overwhelming of the health care system.

In its latest monitoring report, the Octa Research Group said Davao is one of the Mindanao cities considered an area of concern, with 206 new cases for May 31 to June 6, 2021.

Its growth rate is 54 percent, while its average daily attack rate (ADAR) is 11.34 percent.

Department of Health (DOH)-Davao Director Annabelle Yumang said they have yet to check the projection of Octa, but she said it is evident that there is a surge, and that there is a need to curb the transmission.

As of June 6, Davao City has a total of 18,288 confirmed Covid-19 cases, wherein 2,460 are active cases, 15,049 have recovered, and 779 have died. (With reports from PNA)

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Editorial: Vaccination issues

Posted: 07 Jun 2021 06:02 AM PDT

WITH the recent surge in Covid-19 cases, the City Government of Davao is facing a challenge on how to be able to slow the increase of new cases and prevent the hospitals from being overwhelmed.

On top of that, the city is also facing another challenge in relation to the Covid-19 -- vaccination.

The city has just recently opened its mega vaccination hub at The Tent in Azuela Cove. This vaccination site is able to cater to 1,000 vaccinees per day. Prior to this, the city government also has other vaccination hubs strategically located in different parts of the city. These sites also include malls and private hospitals.

The City Government is planning to vaccinate at least 10,000 Dabawenyos per day in order to achieve the targeted herd immunity before the end of this year. However, Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio said that this is only achievable if there will be ample and steady supply of vaccines in the city.

Last week, Davao City Health Office acting head Dr. Ashley Lopez expressed concern over the low supply of Covid-19 vaccines in Davao City.

"Hinaot unta atong bakuna dili madelay ang pag allocate from the national government kay sa pagkakaron nahurot na ang Astra[Zeneca], nahurot na ang Pfizer. Natagaan ta additional vaccines from DOH [Department of Health] 11, katong Sinovac pero pahurutay napud ning Sinovac. Hopefully dili mastop o mainterrupt ang supply nato so that makapadayon ta og ma-maximize atong pagpabakuna (We're hoping that the vaccine allocation from the national government won't be delayed since we have run out of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines. DOH 11 gave us additional Sinovac vaccines, which are also running out as of this time. We hope our vaccine supply won't be stopped nor interrupted)," the CHO head said.

The delays in vaccination will affect the city's Covid-19 response and could worsen the Covid-19 situation here if not addressed properly.

Sadly, as much as the city wants more vaccines for Davao City, its hands are tied as it will be the national government who will distribute the Covid-19 vaccines. At present, bulk of the vaccines is currently in the National Capital Region. The national government's hands are also tied due to the limited supply of vaccines globally.

Fortunately, things are looking good in the coming weeks after President Rodrigo R. Duterte directed Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez to fast track the Covid-19 rollout in the Visayas and Mindanao. With the arrival of an additional one million doses of Sinovac's Covid-19 vaccine, Galvez said the majority of this will be delivered to Mindanao. He added that the majority of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will go to NCR.

Another vaccination issue, this time being faced by the residents, is the lack of clarity when it comes to who gets the vaccine and the process of availing it.

There are several social media posts of individuals allegedly cutting the line. Others have allegedly used contacts to get vaccinated first over senior citizens, health workers, and those with comorbidities. Many on social media have expressed dissatisfaction over the alleged line cutting.

The registration process for those who are A3, based on the experience of some, they had to line up, walk-ins were allowed, and others had to register using the Safe Davao QR. The City Government of Davao has also not posted any updated guide on vaccine registration leaving many unsure and confused on what to do.

We hope these issues will be resolved soon. While a lot of factors come into play in the vaccine supply, the city government with the Department of Health in Davao Region can definitely make improvements and clarifications on how the residents can get the vaccines.

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Father’s great love

Posted: 07 Jun 2021 05:59 AM PDT

WHEN I think about great love, I think most of the time about my dad, my "tatay" and my husband. They are three of the most special men in my life. And they have contributed much to what I am right now. Men show their love; differently, they can be very open -- will shout to the whole world their love. But, at the same time, some are too silent and will express their love discreetly. So let me share with you about Dad, my Tatay, and my husband's great love that gives me life.

My Dad "Tino" is my biological father. I would say that he is all the time silent but very strict and has rigid rules. He is a father that does not show us joy when we achieve something. But will proudly tell all his friends our achievements without us hearing it. He is a father that is so distant even when we are sick -- it was difficult for him to give us the healing touch. But surely, he will provide us the medicine and therapies that we need, no matter what the cost is. And will silently sneak into our room to check if we are still breathing. Also, he is a father that does not monitor our school grades. And all the time has trusted us, giving us the many chances to continue school even at times we fail. Dad, I wish to know how you saw me when I was six; I would love to know a hundred. I guess my dad, since I was born, has loved us so much in silence. And I did not realize this, not until he left. Oh, I am so sorry, Dad, but I have loved you so much too in silence.

While my "Tatay Manix" is my stepfather, I met "Tatay" when I was in high school. His unselfish attitude made me feel I am accepted and secured. So, it was not difficult for me to accept him as my second father. Tatay is a retired soldier, very disciplined, strong but easily can shed tears. Every time we all get together, I can see him teary-eyed because of joy. Tatay would even wake up early in the morning to cook something special because he knew we were coming. He would love to chat with my kids and would always request for them to sleepover. And during family or friends' celebrations, Tatay will always share good stories about me, how pleasing to my ears! Oh, I have realized it is not blood that makes one a family but love and caring.

Lastly, my husband, Rey. Rey is my long-time crush in college, and I have hidden it for years until we meet again in our 30's. Since we got married, he has been very supportive, and he never failed to believe that I can do more. He is the greatest fan of our kids and loves them unconditionally. Papang is our anger, anxiety, and pain absorber. He listens to our kids when they cry, fights for them when they almost give up, and is their 24/7 loving father. Oh, thank you, Papang, for your care and protection that became the pillar of our strength as we live life.

Dad Tino, Tatay Manix, and my husband Rey gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, and that is – they all believed in me! Indeed, I am indebted to them for living well! No love is greater than that of a father for his children. Only when we are grown-up or perhaps only when we have children can we fully understand how our parents had loved us so. So, I guess this is an urgent reminder for everyone to appreciate our fathers who loved us helplessly, no matter what and who we are, before it is too late.

Advance Happy Father's Day!

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