https://www.sunstar.com.ph/ |
- Negros Occidental ready to accept fully vaccinated travelers without swab tests
- Albee-Distrito tandem in 2022?
- Coast Guard ends search, retrieval operations of sunken fishing vessel
- Ang hits voter registration amid Covid surge
- Albee: Petition will be rejected
- Negrense senator lauds voter registration extension
- Arevalo reminds troops to maintain good relationship with stakeholders
| Negros Occidental ready to accept fully vaccinated travelers without swab tests Posted: 29 Sep 2021 08:21 AM PDT NEGROS Occidental is ready to accept fully vaccinated travelers without the need for a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test in case the national government gives a go signal or approves its implementation, an official said. Provincial Administrator lawyer Rayfrando Diaz II Wednesday, September 29, 2021, said proposals have been forwarded to the National Inter-Agency Task Force (NIATF) to start easing domestic travels in the country in order to further open up the economy. Diaz said the province is ready since the quick response (QR) coded vaccination cards are already available. He said the province has already registered a substantial number of vaccinees based on their monitoring system and the vaccine identification cards have already been distributed to them. The provincial administrator stressed that they were previously concerned that vaccination cards could be faked but the issue seems to have been resolved already considering that QR codes are already embedded on the vaccination cards issued. Earlier, Philippine Airlines has again contacted the provincial government to introduce passenger flights that can only be occupied by fully vaccinated individuals and the removal of RT-PCR test requirements prior to or after arrival. Early this week, presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said governors from different provinces in the country are now open to the possibility of easing restrictions for domestic air travel for fully inoculated individuals in order to boost tourism activities. Aside from the Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia Philippines also called on the national government to lessen quarantine days for international travelers and for removing RT-PCR test requirements for those who are fully vaccinated.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Albee-Distrito tandem in 2022? Posted: 29 Sep 2021 08:19 AM PDT IS FORMER Councilor Caesar Distrito bolting out from Grupo Progreso (GP)? The question arose following Distrito's revelation Wednesday, September 29, 2021, that former Third District Congressman Alfredo "Albee" Benitez, who has earlier announced his intention to run for mayor in Bacolod City, asked him to run as his vice mayor. "I am seriously thinking about it, (but) I will consult my political leaders and supporters especially in Barangay Singcang-Airport and Sitio Magsungay," Distrito said, adding that he will also pray and seek divine guidance as to what decision to make. Distrito said if his family, especially Councilor Simple Distrito and his brother Singcang Airport Captain Rosinie Distrito, would say so, then he would accept Benitez's offer. The former councilman said he will also seek the advice of his personal friend and colleague Bacolod Congressman Greg Gasataya on what to do. During his meeting with Benitez, Distrito said the former lawmaker presented his programs that focused on health care for all Bacolodnons including establishing a city hospital, solving the housing backlog, infrastructure and road network improvements. He added that Benitez also presented his plans for the complete renovation of three major markets, the solution to the perennial flooding of city streets, to create business and job opportunities like industrial zones, among others. Having been a lawyer by profession and a professor at graduate school, political and criminal law in various universities in Bacolod City, if ever he decided to run, he is for sure prepared for the job, Distrito said. Distrito stressed that he is not new in legislative works after serving as councilor of Bacolod for nine years, wherein he was chosen twice as floor leader and chaired major committees such as budget and finance and laws and ordinances. He said he had a series of long talks with Leonardia and informed him that he is being invited by Benitez. "I have no negative words or bad relations with him (Leoanrdia) (and) what I have is purely appreciation and thanks for allowing me to be part of his lineup when I ran in 2010, 2013 and 2016 elections," Distrito said. Ill feelings? Distrito told SunStar Bacolod that he has no ill feelings against GP, although he admitted that they have few conflicts regarding some issues, which he refused to elaborate. If ever he will accept the offer of Benitez, Distrito said he is going to take the campaign into another by ignoring the bashers and trolls. When asked if he is ready to accept the fact that once he decided to run as vice mayor of Benitez his political relationship with the GP will be severed, Distrito replied, "it's part of the consequence." "I can maintain personal relationship (with them) without animosity," Distrito said.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Coast Guard ends search, retrieval operations of sunken fishing vessel Posted: 29 Sep 2021 08:19 AM PDT THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Western Visayas wrapped up Wednesday, September 29, 2021, its search and retrieval operations on the F/V St. Peter the Fisherman II, which sank off the coast of Carles in Iloilo Province last week. This, after the PCG was able to recover the remains of Julian Dungog inside the sunken vessel, Coast Guard District Western Visayas (CGDWV) chief of staff, Commander Jansen Benjamin, said. As it was trapped inside the inner compartment and covered with debris, they were unable to remove Dungog's remains. It was also too dangerous for them to access the portion of the sunken ship. Benjamin said Dungog's remains were already in an advanced state of decomposition, and it has been decided that it will be removed instead when the owner of the fishing vessel, Tristar Fishing Corporation, conducts a salvage operation of the wreck. As for the last missing crewman identified as Third Engineer Manuel Auditor, they have received information from survivors that he was last spotted on the upper deck texting. It was believed that Auditor's remains may have been tangled in the ship's fishing nets, however, when PCG divers conducted a thorough search, they were unable to locate Auditor's remains. It is now believed that Auditor may have been swept away by the waves when the vessel capsized. With the operation now terminated, the CGDWV commander, Commodore Hostillo Arturo Cornelio, said the PCG will continue monitoring the area. All vessels in the area near where the fishing vessel sank have also been informed to be on the lookout for sightings of a floating cadaver so that measures can be taken for their proper disposition. Earlier, the bodies of the other missing crew members identified as Norberto Parlotzo, Rommel Engle, Victor Calvo, Julit Salvo, Herminio Ronamo, Renante Forsuelo, and the ship's captain Frankie Chavez have been successfully recovered from the wrecked fishing vessel. The F/V St. Peter the Fisherman II from Cadiz City in Negros Occidental capsized in the early morning hours of September 24 after they were battered by strong waves and winds while fishing off the coast of Carles, Iloilo and Tanguigui Island, Cebu. PCG-Negros Occidental was only informed of the sinking in the afternoon, where 22 crew members of the vessel managed to survive.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Ang hits voter registration amid Covid surge Posted: 29 Sep 2021 08:15 AM PDT BACOLOD City Administrator Em Ang, who is the Executive Director of the Emergency Operations Center-Task Force, has slammed the ongoing voter registration in the city conducted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), calling it a "super spreader activity." Ang said Wednesday, September 29, 2021, that the activity being held at the University of St. La Salle (USLS)-Bacolod caters to hundreds, if not thousands, of would-be voters from out-of-town. She said many of these voter applicants are reportedly arriving at the satellite registration sites like USLS-Bacolod and Ayala Malls Capitol Central onboard trucks, buses and ambulances. There are some who were on vehicles owned by the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices of different local government units, Ang said. The EOC, at the same time, took into account the report of law enforcement agencies that the voter applicants were violating the curfew as they gathered at the registration sites as early as midnight to 1 a.m., Ang also said. She said based on their analysis, the spike in coronavirus (Covid-19) infections began with the onset of voter registration. "Was it just a coincidence?" Ang asked, adding that she has reasons to believe the ongoing voter registration has something to do with the surge of cases. The EOC official noted that two months ago, Covid-19 cases slowed down with infections averaging only at 20 to 30 cases daily. EOC records showed that the city now has an average of at least 100 cases per day with total recorded deaths of 122 as of Tuesday, September 28. "We now have an extraordinary spike (of infections) and (in the) number of deaths. It is also sad because in the list of fatalities were people I know personally but this is the reality," Ang said. "It is with a heavy heart that I learned of friends who died from Covid-19, yet, at the same time, there are still many people who continue to have doubts about the vaccine because they believe in fake news being propagated by anti-vaxxers on social media," she added. Ang recalled that two months ago, Bacolod City became a model in Western Visayas because of its low Covid cases. Some were adopting our strategies in the prevention and vaccination drive, she said. She stressed that things changed when people from different towns and cities started to flock to Bacolod to transfer their voters' registration. Ang wondered who is responsible for bringing these transferee-registrants. "I am stressed every day looking at the alarming data and I'm afraid for all of us (although) I am not trying to scare the Bacolodnons," she said. Ang claimed that medical experts also believe that the sudden increase in the number of Covid-19 cases in Bacolod could be triggered by the fact that many of those coming from other areas, who freely sneak in and out of Bacolod are unvaccinated. She also expressed alarm that with the reported extension of voter registration until October 31, Covid cases in Bacolod may turn to worse. Ang also said that many of those who lined up at the Comelec registration sites were shown in the photos and video footage forwarded by concerned netizens, do not wear their face mask properly and fail to observe proper physical distancing. "I even doubt if Comelec even has thermal scanners to check on body temperatures," she said. City Comelec Officer lawyer Kathrina Trinio-Caña could not be reached for comment as of Wednesday.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Albee: Petition will be rejected Posted: 29 Sep 2021 08:15 AM PDT "THE petition is exactly the same (thing) they filed at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) so it should have the same result." This was the reaction of former Negros Occidental Third District Representative and now provincial consultant Alfredo "Albee" Benitez on the petition for his exclusion from the list of registered voters of the city. Benitez has already declared to run for mayor of Bacolod City against reelectionist Mayor Evelio Leonardia. Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 4 heard the petition Tuesday, September 28, where the camp of Benitez was asked to file their counter-affidavits. The petition was filed by private complainants, Hector Yula, Teodoro Abao and Jonah Tornea, who are believed to be allies of Grupo Progreso (GP). The trio earlier sought the denial of Benitez's application for the transfer of his voter's registration in Bacolod before city Comelec, alleging that he is not a resident of Baranggay Mandalagan contrary to what he claims. However, the Election Registration Board on July 23 dismissed the petition and declared Benitez a duly registered voter of Bacolod. "I attended the hearing for the petition to exclude me in the Bacolod voters list at the Hall of Justice. I am confident that the petition will be rejected," he added.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Negrense senator lauds voter registration extension Posted: 29 Sep 2021 08:15 AM PDT NEGRENSE Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri lauded the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to extend the voter registration by three weeks. On Wednesday, September 29, 2021, Comelec chairman Sheriff Abas announced that they would be extending the voter registration period from October 9 to 31, 2021. This announcement came after the Senate and the House of Representatives ratified a bill extending the voter registration period. The Senate majority leader, in a statement, said they thanked Abas and the commission for hearing the call not just of Congress, but of the people. Zubiri, who is the author and sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, said "judging by the packed lines at our registration sites, talagang gusto po ng maraming Pilipino na makaboto, and they deserve the chance to do so." The senator said the bill extends the voter registration period for thirty days after the effectivity of the act, while Comelec's three-week extension will start only after the period for filing of certificates of candidacy, which lasts from October 1 to 8, 2021. "We're very happy with this decision. Ang laki ng magagawa nitong extension for our democratic process," he said, adding that "I really hope our people take advantage of these extra three weeks, to get out, register, and eventually vote."  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Arevalo reminds troops to maintain good relationship with stakeholders Posted: 29 Sep 2021 08:14 AM PDT "WE SHOULD be loved by the people and feared by the enemy." This was stressed by Major General Benedict Arevalo, newly installed Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) of the Philippine Army, in his message to 303rd Brigade troops during his visit on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. "We should maintain and sustain the partnerships with different stakeholders in order to curb the strength of the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) while also helping in coronavirus disease (Covid-19) responses," Arevalo said. "The morale and welfare of the troops must also be considered and given priority," he said. Arevalo visited the soldiers stationed in Negros Occidental, particularly the troops of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB) at its Headquarters in Camp Major Nelson Gerona, Barangay Minoyan, Murcia on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. He was welcomed with the traditional military honors and received by 303rd Brigade Commander Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte together with staff officers and battalion commanders of Line Units 79IB, 62IB and 605th Community Defense Center, 6th Regional Community Defense Group, Army Reserve Command (Arescom). On September 21, Arevalo assumed command of the 3ID which is based in Camp General Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz. Before his assumption, Arevalo served as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations (J7) in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. He also led the 303rd Infantry Brigade in Murcia, Negros Occidental and the 301st Infantry "Bayanihan" Brigade in Dingle, Iloilo. He is a member of the Philippine Military Academy "Bigkis Lahi" Class of 1990. As 3ID commander, he supervises all Philippine Army units in Western and Central Visayas.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| You are subscribed to email updates from https://www.sunstar.com.ph/. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment