Friday, July 23, 2021

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4 Davao provinces now under GCQ

Posted: 23 Jul 2021 12:16 AM PDT

FOUR provinces in Davao Region are now under general community quarantine (GCQ) after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Friday, July 23, 2021, that Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte will be put under GCQ with heightened restrictions, as well as Davao del Sur sans the heightened restrictions effective July 23.

These three provinces were supposed to be under a more restrictive MECQ until the end of the month prior to the updated quarantine classification approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, through the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

Davao City will remain under GCQ with heightened restrictions and Davao Oriental under GCQ without heightened restrictions.

Davao Occidental will now be the lone province in the region that remains under MECQ.

The entire region was placed under MECQ due to the rising Covid-19 cases on July 1.

As of July 2, Davao Region had a total of 51,658 Covid-19 cases, wherein active cases were at 6,755, recoveries at 43,202 recovered, and deaths at 1,701.

Other areas placed under GCQ with heightened restrictions are Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur. Under this classification, children aged five and above can no longer stay outdoors, Roque said.

"As these areas will be placed under GCQ with heightened restrictions, children five years old and above will not be allowed to go to outdoor areas, as provided for under IATF Resolution No. 125," he said.

Under IATF-EID Resolution 125 issued on July 8, children as young as five years old can go outdoors despite the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, so long as they are residing in areas placed under GCQ and MGCQ.

Children in these areas can only go to outdoor spaces like parks, playgrounds, beaches, biking, hiking trails, outdoor tourist sites, and attractions as may be defined by the Department of Tourism, including outdoor non-contact sports courts and venues and al-fresco dining establishments, according to the resolution.

Mixed-use indoor or outdoor buildings and facilities like malls and similar establishments are not included in the allowed outdoor areas for children, the resolution said.

Roque also announced the inclusion of Thailand and Malaysia in the list of countries with travel restrictions in connection with the Delta variant.

He also announced that the government task force has allowed foreign spouses, parent/s, and/or children of Filipino citizens with valid 9(a) visas to enter the Philippines without the need for an entry exemption document beginning August 1.

GCQ with heightened restrictions

According to the IATF Resolution 121, the following establishments and activities are prohibited from operating in areas under GCQ with heightened restrictions: entertainment venues (bars, concert halls, theatre, etc.), recreational venues (internet cafes, billiards, arcades, etc.), amusement parks, fairs, playgrounds, kiddie rides, and traditional cockfighting and cockpits.

Also prohibited are outdoor contact sports, games, and scrimmages, except for non-contact sport, which is allowed.

Indoor sports courts and venues, indoor tourist attractions, venues for meetings, conferences, and exhibitions are still not allowed in areas under GCQ with heightened restrictions.

For personal care services such as salons, parlors, beauty clinics, they are allowed to cater up to 30 percent capacity. They may add 10 percent if the area is granted with the Safety Seal.

Outdoor tourist attractions are allowed to cater up to 30 percent capacity provided that minimum public health standards (MPHS) are strictly followed.

Staycations and other Department of Tourism (DOT)-accredited accommodations are allowed without age restrictions, provided that MPHS are adhered to. Staycation hotels with Certificate of Authority to Operate will be allowed up to 100 percent venue capacity, while other DOT-accredited accommodation establishments are allowed up to 30 percent area capacity with the local government oversight.

Indoor dining is allowed up to 20 percent area capacity. They may add an additional 10 percent if they were granted the Safety Seal. Outdoor dining is allowed up to 50 percent.

Religious activities are allowed up to 10 percent capacity but may add up to 30 percent depending on the local government.

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Tagum firm in hot water for endorsing Ivermectin

Posted: 22 Jul 2021 05:56 AM PDT

HEALTH authorities in Davao Region issued a warning against an establishment in Tagum City for promoting Ivermectin to its employees.

A photo of a tarpaulin posted at the building of LYR Group bearing the words, "Congratulations! This establishment is now Covid-19 free. Thank you, Ivermectin! Go fight win [sic]," went viral online for the past weeks.

In his post, the uploader of the photo questioned the establishment, considering that Ivermectin lacks clinical proof as an effective cure against Covid-19.

The post, which is no longer available as of Thursday, July 22, has met with mixed reactions, with the employees of the establishment criticizing the uploader for calling the believers of Ivermectin "bobo" (stupid).

Dr. Rachel Joy Pasion, Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit head of DOH-Davao, said in a virtual presser that they summoned the management of the establishment and explained that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not endorsed Ivermectin.

Pasion said the Tagum City Health Office reached out to them to raise the concern.

"Kaya po sila nagpatawag ng meeting sa (That is why they called for a meeting with the) company, and we provided them with the released advisories of FDA, and also, 'yung mga (the) clinical trials showing that Ivermectin has no enough evidence to support its claim against Covid-19 ," the DOH official said.

FDA Director Deborah Legaspi said they are currently investigating the establishment.

Legaspi explained that there is still no registered drug product that is for the treatment of Covid-19 in the market.

"Wala pa kasing (There is no) clinical studies that would show that these products are really produced for Covid-19 treatment," the FDA official said.

According to FDA, Ivermectin is approved in the Philippines as an antiparasitic treatment for animals. It is not approved for commercial distribution as Covid-19 treatment.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo said it is currently approved for compassionate special permit use only in selected hospitals in the country.

DOH Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stressed that the compassionate special permit is not the same as a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) for drug products.

She also said the currently available vaccines in the market are granted with emergency use authorization (EUA), and that only the government can directly distribute the vaccines for inoculation.

Legaspi said companies that are promoting drugs that are not registered or authorized by the government can be held liable.

"Merong (There is) product deception because the public is being deceived with the use of the product," she said.

According to Section 6, Item C of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2 law, she said it is an offense if a certain individual or company is engaging in product deception.

She also said that the Bayanihan Law also penalizes anyone spreading false information on certain products.

"Looking at the FDA law, if you look at Section 11, Item A, ipinagbabawal ang (among the prohibited acts include) pagma-manufacture (manufacturing, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising, or sponsorship of any health products that is unregistered or misbranded," Legaspi said.

SunStar Davao reached out to the LYR Group on its official Facebook page for comment on the statement of DOH and FDA. But they have not responded as of Thursday, July 22.

In a 46-minute video posted by the LYR Marketing Corporation on June 17, LYR Chairman Larry Y. Rubinos shared his testimony on the "wonders" of the Ivermectin drug.

However, LYR issued a disclaimer that the efficacy of the drug was only based on the opinion and testimony of those who consumed the drug and manifested therapeutic results. Thus, the information provided in the video should not be treated as professional medical advice.

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Over 123,000 doses of Pfizer, Sinovac vaccines arrive

Posted: 22 Jul 2021 05:55 AM PDT

MORE than 123,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines arrived in Davao Region on Thursday, July 22, 2021, bringing the total allocated doses to nearly 1.4 million.

Two vaccine brands arrived at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport (Davao International Airport) at different time intervals.

First to arrive via commercial flight were the 51,480 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at 7:15 a.m.

At 8:30 a.m., 72,000 doses of Sinovac CoronaVac vaccine landed.

As of July 22, Davao Region has received a total of 1,388,960 doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

These brands include Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Gamaleya Sputnik V, and recently Johnson & Johnson.

All of these vaccines were allocated by the national government, both Covax facility-donated, and government purchased.

Out of the total allocated doses, 684,601 were already administered: 521,344 for the first dose and 186,771 for the second dose.

Based on the breakdown per areas, Davao City has already jabbed 309,673 for the first dose, and 124,034 for the second dose, Davao de Oro (48,545 for first dose; 14,500 for second dose), Davao del Norte (71,054 for first dose; 21,614 for second dose); Davao del Sur (39,982 for first dose; 11,984 for second dose); Davao Occidental (15,242 for first dose; 3,677 for second dose); and Davao Oriental (36,848 for first dose; 10,962 for second dose).

For the priority groups in the region, A1 or healthcare workers, a total of 102,063 doses were administered for the first dose, and 74,920 for second dose; A2 or senior citizens - 147,068 for first dose, 34,362 for second dose); A3 or persons with comorbidities (164,064 for first dose, 73.243 for second dose); A4 or essential workers (88,017 for first dose, 2,501 for second dose); and A5 indigent population (8,175 for first dose; 1,745 for second dose).

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Vice mayor Covid-19 positive

Posted: 22 Jul 2021 05:54 AM PDT

PRESIDENTIAL son and Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte is positive for Covid-19.

This was revealed by his older sister, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, in a Facebook post on Wednesday evening, July 21.

"Sa ngayon, via video call muna ang family kumustahan nang malaman naming positive sa Covid-19 si Vice Mayor Baste (For now, we will be communicating via video call after learning that Vice Mayor Baste tested positive for Covid-19.) Get well soon Vice! Smile *smile emoji*," the mayor posted.

Hours later, the younger Duterte said in a short Facebook post that he is "okay."

"Salamat. Okay ra ko. Mahalaga ang importante okay ra mo (Thank you. I am okay. What is more important is that you are okay)," the vice mayor said.

On Wednesday afternoon, July 21, Duterte shared in his Instagram account a video chat with the entire Duterte family.

Included in the screenshot are his parents, President Rodrigo Duterte and Elizabeth Zimmerman, and his elder siblings, Sara and Davao City First District Representative Paolo Duterte.

The vice mayor has yet to issue an official formal statement on his current condition.

In March 2020, weeks after the city first declared a community quarantine, Baste was tagged as person under monitoring (PUM) after showing flu-like symptoms.

The PUM classification was later on scrapped by the Department of Health.

Baste joined politics in 2019, where he was elected unopposed in the vice mayoralty position.

The vice mayor had been serving as acting mayor when his sister was on a medical leave and official business outside the city.

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Most water sources in Tulalian ‘waste-contaminated’

Posted: 22 Jul 2021 05:52 AM PDT

THE Municipal Government of Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte confirmed that several water sources in Barangay Tulalian, where the diarrhea outbreak happened, are contaminated with the E. coli bacteria.

In a press release on Thursday, July 22, 2021, the Municipal Health Office (MHO) said they found E. coli bacteria in the barangay's water system, which is run by Tulalian Water Association (Tuwasa), a private water service provider in the barangay.

E.coli or coliform is bacteria associated with human or animal wastes.

Dr. June P. Lim, Santo Tomas town's health officer, said that stool tests of patients showed that 13 patients suffered cholera, a water-borne ailment, based on the results of the random rectal swabbing done to the diarrhea patients.

The rectal swab was done last July 16 and the result was released by the Provincial Health Office (PHO)-Davao del Norte's Microbiology Section on Wednesday evening of July 21.

Lim said laboratory results confirmed that the diarrhea was due to amoebiasis, acute gastroenteritis secondary to E. coli infection and intestinal parasitism.

Aside from Tuwasa, the Municipal Government said the water source from a water pump in Purok 1, Barangay Tulalian and Longakit Refilling Stations' water stock were also found to be contaminated with the E.coli bacteria, a strain that causes diarrhea/bloody diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pains and cramps.

According to Lim, the MHO had examined the various water sources and stock in Barangay Tulalian last week.

The health official added that they took samples and submitted these to PHO's Water Bacteriology laboratory for comprehensive analysis.

Tests made by the PHO showed the presence of E. coli in three of nine water systems/stocks in the barangay.

Of the nine water sources and stocks examined, only three had failed in the bacteriology examination performed by the PHO-Davao del Norte. The six water refilling stations that passed the test were Aquabless, Aqua Rhabmargam, Crystal Sofia, Aquagel, AquaJam, and Sofia Malima water refilling stations.

"Sa pagkakaron hugot na gina-discourage nato ang mga tao na mag-inom og tubig bisag asa gikan na (As of now, we highly discourage people from drinking water from any) water source or stocks unless ilaha kining i-purify or initon sulod sa (this will be purified or boiled for about) 20 minutes para mamatay ang mga bacteria na naa sa tubig (to kill the bacteria in the water)," Lim said.

Municipal Information Officer Mart Sambalud told the media in an online message that the Sangguniang Bayan will conduct a legislative inquiry about the diarrhea outbreak.

"The August body will determine the liability of Tuwasa after the probe," Sambalud said.

On July 17, the Sto. Tomas Municipal Government declared a diarrhea outbreak in Tulalian.

Total number of affected persons as of July 19 was 440, while three others died after losing too much body fluids due to diarrhea.

Meanwhile, three of those affected by the diarrhea outbreak also tested positive for Covid-19.

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Munting Bisig: Child labor during the pandemic

Posted: 22 Jul 2021 05:51 AM PDT

THIS Sunday afternoon (July 25), Atom Araullo gets to know the working children of the pandemic on "The Atom Araullo Specials: Munting Bisig."

How does it feel to be completely submerged in muddy water, virtually blind and deaf, with only a hose for air as a lifeline? Atom finds out as he tries his hand at compressor diving in Paracale, Camarines Norte.

Here, Atom meets 15-year-old "Pancho", the youngest compressor diver in their barangay. He braves diving into 40 feet of mud to collect soil for the chance of finding gold. As the pandemic spread throughout the country, many children just like "Pancho" opted to use their time to find work and earn a few pesos to help their family survive.

In Cordillera, which reportedly has the lowest cases of child labor in the country, Atom discovers why the numbers in the province are so low.

He meets Yeseleen, one of only two child labor profilers in the entire province. Atom accompanies Yeseleen as she makes her journey through the mountains of Kalinga to find siblings engaged in hard labor.

But one doesn't need to travel far to find children at work. In Pasay, Atom meets Joshua—a bread winner of his family at the age of 12. Joshua is part of the "lockdown generation" as he finds himself "stranded" in Metro Manila while his ailing father is left behind in Cavite. Here in Manila, he rides his bike to sell snacks to his neighbors so that he can bring home earnings to his family.

In June 2021, the International Labour Organization released new findings that after a two-decade decline, child labor cases have once again risen all over the world. Atom tries to find out if this is true here in the Philippines. As the pandemic continues, he meets children who put their lives at stake to help their family survive.

Watch "The Atom Araullo Specials: Munting Bisig" this Sunday (July 25), 2 p.m. on GMA Network. (PR)

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