THE Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved a recommendation to close cemeteries for five days during the observance of All Saints’ Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls’ Day (Nov. 2) to prevent gatherings that may serve as coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) superspreader events. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday that based […]
Rama to WestVac: Sign MOA to resume VAX trial
ACTING Mayor Michael Rama will lift the suspension on the clinical trial WestVac Biopharma Co. Ltd. is conducting on a Covid-19 vaccine in the city once they have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA). Rama gave this condition Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, after company representatives visited him two days after he ordered a halt to […]
Editorial: Waiting for real good news
THIS sounds like good news to the administration critics: Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, revealed that the blue ribbon committee will recommend the filing of charges against several personalities involved in the alleged misuse of Covid-19 pandemic funds. Included in the powerful committee’s partial report are officials of Pharmally Pharmaceuticals Corp. and […]
Vaxxed young adults have highest breakthrough infections in CV
VACCINATED young adults in Central Visayas topped the figures for breakthrough infections for Covid-19, the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC) said. Of the 13,596 total breakthrough infections in the region, 8,209 or 60 percent belonged to the young adults (21 to 30 years old). VVOC spokesperson Dr. Mary Jean Loreche on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, […]
Over 50% of senior citizens in Mandaue fully vaxxed
THE Mandaue City Vaccine Board announced that the city has already achieved the 50 percent vaccination of the senior citizens, a requirement before it can conduct its vaccination rollout for the minors. Vaccine Board chairman Ernie Manatad said on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, that Mandaue City has vaccinated more than 50 percent of the 33,000 […]
Cebu-Cordova Bridge to use electronic toll system
THE Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX), also known as Cebu-Cordova Bridge, will use radio frequency identification (RFID) as its electronic toll collection system. The RFID will be in the form of stickers, making the process cashless and contactless at CCLEX, which is managed by Cebu Cordova Link Expressway Corp. RFID is a wireless system comprising two […]
Maker of bogus bills caught
AN ALLEGED maker of counterfeit money was arrested by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Central Visayas (CIDG 7) during an entrapment in Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City on Tuesday night, Oct. 19, 2021. Suspect Joseph Mercado Salas, 36, reportedly sold P10,000 worth of bogus bills for P1,000 for quite some time already; however, Salas […]
LTFRB Central Visayas chief assures no jeepney fare hike in region
COMMUTERS can heave a sigh of relief after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Central Visayas (LTFRB 7) assured there will be no jeepney fare increase in the region. LTFRB 7 Director Eduardo Montealto Jr. said the jeepney fare in Central Visayas is on status quo. The question about jeepney fare in the region […]
Dover Business Services from global to world class
AWARD-WINNING shared service center Dover Business Services (DBS) continues to empower its operating companies and talents as it realizes its strategic goals. For three years in a row, the World HR Congress in Singapore and Mumbai, India has named DBS as one of Asia’s Top 100 Best Employer Brands and the site has maintained “industry-leading” […]
Primary Homes’ condo in Talisay set for turnover in Q1 2022
THE construction of the first two courtyard buildings of Almond Drive in Talisay City is now in full swing. Its developer Primary Homes Inc. (PHI) is set to turn over the walk-up condominium units in the first quarter of 2022. Almond Drive is a two-phase development composed of townhouses and Courtyards walk-up condo units with […]
Philippine stocks extend rally on recovery hopes
SHARES extended their climb on Wednesday on hopes of global economic recovery and as the country’s pandemic situation continued to improve, as well as anticipation for the release of third-quarter corporate earnings. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) went up by 30.77 points or 0.42% to close at 7,297.08 on Wednesday, while the all shares […]
Peso weakens on hawkish comments from Fed official
THE PESO weakened versus the greenback on Wednesday following signals from the US Federal Reserve of the possibility of earlier rate hikes. The local unit closed at P50.79 per dollar on Wednesday, depreciating by seven centavos from its P50.72 finish on Tuesday, based on data from the Bankers Association of the Philippines. The peso opened […]
TnT routs Magnolia, takes Game One
The TnT Tropang Giga routed the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots, 88-70, in Game One of their best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup finals series on Wednesday at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga. TnT blew past Magnolia early in the contest and never looked back after to gain the early lead in the […]
Bill preserving worker benefits during mergers hurdles panel
A HOUSE COMMITTEE approved Wednesday a bill preserving worker benefits and seniority in the event their employers merge. In a hearing, the House Committee on Labor and Employment approved an unnumbered substitute bill and committee report to House Bill 2633 filed by Trade Union Congress of the Philippines Rep. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza. The […]
Over 1,000 availed themselves of mobile number portability — TCI
A JOINT VENTURE operated by the main mobile service providers said over 1,000 subscribers have switched networks since the commercial launch at the end of September of Mobile Number Portability (MNP). “There are more than 1,000 who have successfully ported to their new networks,” Melanie A. Manuel, general manager of Telecommunications Connectivity, Inc., (TCI), the company tasked with carrying out the […]
DBM taking steps to keep agencies from gaming fund utilization rates
THE BUDGET department said it will propose rules in the 2022 General Appropriations Act to deter the “abuse” of fund utilization metrics by government agencies in order to arrive at a more accurate picture of how appropriations are used. At a Senate finance committee hearing, Senators had raised the issue of high budget obligation rates […]
Grid operator briefly raises yellow alert warning over Luzon
THE GRID operator issued a yellow alert warning lasting a few hours over the Luzon power grid Wednesday afternoon, after five power plants with a total capacity of 1,230 megawatts (MW) went on forced outage. In an announcement on Viber, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) said the grid was under yellow alert beginning […]
First Gen says Avion unit cleared to run on liquid fuel
FIRST GEN Corp. said the second unit of its 97-megawatt (MW) Avion power plant has returned to commercial operations using liquid fuel after the completion of repairs Tuesday. “Unit 2 of the 97-MW Avion Power Plant is now commercially available on liquid fuel operation,” the power company said in a disclosure Wednesday. It added that […]
ADB approves renewable, low-carbon energy policy
THE ASIAN Development Bank (ADB) said it approved a new energy policy which aims to support its member countries in their transition to renewable and low-carbon energy sources. “Energy is central to inclusive socioeconomic development, but the expansion of energy systems has come at the cost of harmful impacts on our climate and environment,” ADB […]
BoI approves health information software project for incentives
THE BOARD of Investments (BoI) said it approved an application for incentives filed by Pivotal Peak Digital Health Solutions, Inc. (PPDHSI) for its P26-million health information software project. The BoI said in a statement Wednesday that PPDHSI is eligible for the incentives as a new developer of software as authorized by Executive Order No. 226 […]