The Outstanding

08/11/2021

Filipinos don't deserve frozen 'galunggong'!

A campaign was called to boycott imported agricultural and fisheries merchandise by Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya).

“The campaign to boycott imported 'galunggong' is on. The Filipino consumers don’t deserve frozen fish when there are fresh and better-quality fishery products that our fishers and abundant marine resources could offer,” Pamalakaya spokesperson Ronnel Arambulo said.

The group, together with Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women, held a protest at the Mega Q. Market in Quezon City to rebuke the massive import of 'galunggong' to be expected this month. At least 60,000 metric tons have been bought by the Department of Agriculture.

“Opening our floodgates for imported fish inflicts serious harm to our struggling fishing industry. Its immediate impact would be felt by our local fisherfolk whose products would be outcompeted by imported fish. This importation measure that stems from liberalization policies should stop,” Arambulo said.

The DA’s importation legislation, it argued, is a “death (knell) to the local fishing industry,” because small fishermen cannot compete with the low costs of imported products flooding the market.

The collective also called for the Government to implement a price cap on the fish product as the retail price peaked to ₱280 per kilogram, which is more than four times higher than the farm gate price of only ₱60/kg.

08/11/2021

Motorists are advised to take alternate routes as heavy traffic is expected.

Road reblocking and repairs in portions of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or Edsa in Metro Manila starting Friday, 05 November at 11 p.m. until 08 November.

Areas covered of these repairs includes Edsa before Annapolis to Boni Serrano flyover, northbound second lane from center island, in Quezon City; and EDSA-Tramo flyover in Pasay City.

08/11/2021

The decreasing number of COVID-19 infections and transmissions isn’t enough for Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez to be convinced that there won’t be any more increases in the future, so he recommends that people have antigen tests at home.
Home tests, according to him, should now be a normal standard operating procedure (SOP).

Lopez said in an advisory to the public that such an SOP will aid in the prevention of further transmission of the fatal virus, citing the practice now in use in the United Kingdom and the United States as an example.

“What should be SOP for every person is to have an antigen test that could be administered on his or her own,” he said in a radio interview.

“We’ve observed in other countries—let’s say they’re reopening their economy and people are coming in and going out—what they did like in the UK and the US [was] they gave antigen tests to their citizens and then they are required to [get tested] twice a week or especially if they would go to a gathering.” he added.

Local health authorities, on the other hand, have yet to express their views on the use of self-administered test kits, as those used in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Swab or antigen tests are still limited to hospitals and recognized centers in the country at the moment.

08/11/2021

“Most of these 11 reform bills have reached advanced stages in either chamber of Congress and only require counterpart action..."

08/11/2021

Pentagon questions China’s bio research for military use


Although Chinese officials have denied that their laboratory in Wuhan City (Hubei province) had anything to do with the Covid outbreak that has spread throughout the globe, United States officials have questioned the intent of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in conducting biological research into substances that potentially have both medical and military uses.



WASHINGTON D.C. — A report from the Pentagon reveals, “Studies conducted at most of PRC (People’s Republic of China) military medical institutions discussed identifying, testing and characterizing diverse families of potent toxins with dual-use applications.”

This recent report raises concerns over compliance with global biological and chemical weapons treaties.

Such concerns were echoed since early 2020 after the Covid-19 pandemic erupted first in the area of a Chinese biological research laboratory with PLA connections not only in Hubei but in Hunan province as well.

The Chinese have denied the lab had anything to do with the Covid outbreak but gave limited access to it for investigators.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon’s top military officer has warned that the Chinese military’s stunning technological advances, signified by its recent globe-circling hypersonic missile test, left the world poised to enter an era of increased strategic instability.

“We are witnessing one of the largest shifts in global geostrategic power that the world has witnessed,” Joint Chiefs chairman General Mark Milley pointed out during the Aspen Security Forum.

“That means that we’re going to have to put a premium, in my view, on maintaining great power to maintain global peace,” Milley said.

08/11/2021

01/11/2021

The Philippine National Police (PNP) in close cooperation with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have increased measures against the proliferation of loose fi****ms in the country.

It is part of the preparations for the campaign season and conduct of next year’s national and municipal elections in May.

The PNP and the AFP are working together to improve coordination and intelligence sharing in order to strengthen the effort.

01/11/2021

Di you know that our scientists have found a possible complementary treatment that helps decrease the symptoms of mild COVID-19 cases?

As the pandemic extends, aside from the minimum safe protocols health authorities provide to prevent contracting COVID-19, it is rare that medications reducing the actual symptoms of the virus upon its onset are encountered or provided.

This time, that divide is finally crossed.

https://headlinesph.com/herbal-supplement-medicine-trials-lessen-covid-symptoms/

01/11/2021

With a “comprehensive” quantity of evidence, this committee can establish who did something and what, said chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon panel, Senator Richard Gordon.

“Since it’s comprehensive, it has made clear what has been committed and who should be held accountable for violation of the procurement law–and who has masterminded it,” he said in Filipino in an interview over radio dwIZ.

01/11/2021

The pandemic rules under the Alert Level 3 of the pandemic response task force do not hold any legal basis to force employees to receive COVID-19 vaccines, it says.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra says he disagrees with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on his statement that the resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the management of emerging and infectious diseases (IATF-MEID) provides a legal basis for employers to hold the salary of their unvaccinated workers.

“The subject IATF resolution placing the NCR (national capital region) under Alert Level 3 and authorizing certain establishments to open their doors to customers or clients simply provides that they may do so as long as their staff or employees are all vaccinated,” says the Justice secretary.

In contrast to what was earlier perceived by most, based on the IATF resolution, restaurants in areas under Alert Level 3 can offer indoor dining services at 30 percent capacity and al fresco or outdoor dining at 50 percent capacity as long as their workers are fully vaccinated.

“This means that these establishments should encourage their staff or employees to get vaccinated, otherwise, they may not be allowed to open for business.

“But they may not compel their employees or staff to get themselves vaccinated,” says Justice Guevarra.

Under the law, he says, the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021 states that vaccination cards shall not be a mandatory requirement for employment. He says he needs to discuss the matter more thoroughly with the Labor secretary.

The labor secretary later clarified his statement that there is no law requiring everyone to get vaccinated.

01/11/2021

As a direct response to China’s unilateral fishing restriction, Palawan’s local government drafted Provincial Resolution No. 15968 Series of 2021.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) applauded this initiative and posted a social media thread, commending the provincial branch.

“The DFA commends the efforts of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Palawan in fighting for the rights of fisherfolk in their affected community through the adoption of Provincial Resolution No. 15968, expressing its strong protest against China’s unilateral declaration and imposition of a fishing ban in the South China Sea and supporting the diplomatic protest filed by the DFA,” the Foreign Affairs department said.

“This laudable initiative demonstrates that all branches and levels of government have an important role to play in defending our country’s interests,” it added.

The agency rejected China’s moratorium in May 2021, regarding its fishing in the South China Sea from 01 May 16 August 2021 covering “waters north of 12 degrees north latitude” in the South China Sea, which includes “areas over which the Philippines exercises sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.”

The DFA stated that “China’s annual fishing moratorium extends far beyond China’s legitimate maritime entitlements under the United Nations Convention Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and is without basis under international law.”

01/11/2021

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James Jimenez said they are expecting to release the official list of candidates for the national elections next year by December.
With too many candidates, he said, at a glance, you know how much can be taken out.


They will be screening all the political aspirants who filed their certificate of candidacies (COC), which means not all will be included in the final list.

“Ine-expect natin ang final list mga around December. Ayun ang final. Ang pagsasala magagaganap ngayon hanggang that point (We’re expecting the final list to come out around December. That’s the final list. The screening will be conducted now until that point),” said Jimenez during an interview with radio DZBB.

“Sa pagka-Presidente lang 97. Ang dami mo nang sasalain kaagad. Sa VP [vice president], 28. Medyo talagang maraming trabaho (For the presidency we have 97 aspirants. We have a lot to screen. For the VP, there were 28. We have a lot of work to do),” he added.

“Unang tingin mo pa lang alam mong makakatanggal ka ng mga 95 percent na mga mag-file. Siguro matitira sa atin hindi lalampas ng sampu (At first glance, you know you may remove about 95 percent of those who filed. Only a few of them will be included).”

01/11/2021

According to MMDA chair Benjamin Abalos Jr, the decision to restrict access to cemeteries and similar locations is an adaptation of a resolution passed last year that closed cemeteries across the metropolis for at least one week.

“Filipinos can still physically visit the graves of their departed loved ones earlier than October 29 or later than November 2, subject to the prescribed thirty percent (30 percent) venue capacity.”

“Face masks, face shields, and observance of physical distancing will also be required,” he added.

Also, under MMDA Resolution No. 21-22, “the conduct of wakes, necrological services, funerals, interment, cremation and inurnment during this five-day period will be governed by the prescribed guidelines by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).”

01/11/2021

With the country’s economy likely to recover from the pandemic, employers are expected to hike employee salaries by an average of 5.6 percent next year.

“Although there is a positive outlook among businesses, companies are also monitoring the Philippine economic landscape, hence, organizations may further adjust their 2022 salary budget forecast in the latter part of this year,” Rewards, Data and Software Practice Leader of Willis Towers Watson Philippines Chantal Querubin said.

See more. . . https://headlinesph.com/ph-economy-to-rebound-employees-wage-hike-seen/

01/11/2021

Pandemic task force resolution has no legal basis—DOJ


Most employers sought to vaccinate their workers, in an effort to reopen businesses as soon as possible, so they could return to work and maintain a steady pace. However, most employers enforce a ‘no vaccination-no work’ policy to ensure a continuous pace in the recovery.

The pandemic task force’s decision to vaccinate all employees when the capital region was upgraded to a more relaxed Alert 3 Level had given teeth to the ‘no vaccination-no work policy. It had emboldened the policy, which was to the workers’ detriment.

Worse, the Labor and Employment Secretary leaned toward the resolution that sustains the policy, declaring that the resolution offers the legal foundation for withholding workers’ salaries.

The pandemic rules under the pandemic response task force’s Alert Level 3 have no legal basis to force employees to obtain COVID-19 vaccines, says the DOJ.

The Justice Secretary says he disagrees with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III’s statement that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) resolution provides a legal basis for employers to withhold the wages of unvaccinated workers.

“The subject IATF resolution placing the NCR (national capital region) under Alert Level 3 and authorizing certain establishments to open their doors to customers or clients simply provides that they may do so as long as their staff or employees are all vaccinated,” says the Justice secretary Menardo Guevarra.

In contrast to what was earlier perceived by most, restaurants in Alert Level 3 zones can offer indoor dining at 30 percent capacity and al fresco or outdoor dining at 50 percent capacity as long as their employees are properly vaccinated, according to the IATF resolution.

“This means that these establishments should encourage their staff or employees to get vaccinated, otherwise, they may not be allowed to open for business.

“But they may not compel their employees or staff to get themselves vaccinated,” says Justice secretary Guevarra.

According to the law, the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021 provides that vaccination cards are not required for employment. He claims he needs to have a more in-depth discussion with the Labor Secretary.

Later, the Labor secretary stated that there is no law forcing everyone to get vaccinated.

27/10/2021

B**g B**g Marcos at Manny Pacquiao leads latest survey

Halos pareho na si BBM and Manny Pacquiao sa latest survey ng “Pulso ng Pilipino” dahil within range sila ng margin of error na +-3 percent.

No 1 si Manny Pacquiao sa Visayas and Mindanao while si BBM No 1 sa Luzon

Source: https://www.abante.com.ph/bongbong-pacman-bakbakan-lacson-angat-moreno-sadsad-sa-survey/

27/10/2021

27/10/2021

PANALO ANG MAHIRAP

Libreng Pabahay/Trabaho/Pagkain

19/10/2021

Tinanggap niya ang hamon. Hindi siya matitinag sa kanyang sinumpaang pangako. Bukas ang palad na tutulungan ang mahihirap at nangangailangan. Sarado ang kamao na lalabanan ang katiwalian.
He is MP. And he is My President.

Naglilingkod para sa Diyos at Bayan. Tunay na Anak ng Mahirap.

19/10/2021

Basta Promdi, Manny!

07/10/2021

07/10/2021