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Government

UP TO 78% OF EMPLOYEES ALLOWED TO WORK UNDER MECQ – LOPEZ

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said more employees can go back to their jobs under a modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). “So, total around 75 to 78 percent [are] allowed to work under MECQ,” Lopez stressed. “There will be new quarantine status of regions, provinces, and cities starting May 16.” President Rodrigo Duterte announced the new […]

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Government

MMDA SANCTIONS EMPLOYEES VIOLATING ECQ RULES – LIM

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has sanctioned several employees for violating measures under the enhanced community quarantine meant to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).  MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim ordered that penalties and administrative sanctions be meted against errant employees who refused to follow the mandatory quarantine measures. “We are very serious […]

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Government

ORMECO RAMPS UP EFFORTS TO ADDRESS POWER WOES — NEA

The Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ORMECO) is ramping up efforts to address the power supply problems within its coverage area, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said. ORMECO Project Supervisor and Acting General Manager Norberto Mendoza acknowledged that the rotational power interruptions implemented under its service area in the past weeks were due to supply […]

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Government

MOBILE ROOMS AT CCP COMPLEX OPEN AS LIVING QUARTERS FOR FRONTLINERS – VILLAR

Shipping containers rebuilt by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and Villar Group of Companies into mobile rooms have already been deployed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex, Pasay City. Secretary Mark Villar said the high cube container vans converted into mobile rooms can be used as additional COVID-19 isolation […]

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Government

WE ARE ALL GOING TO ACCEPT THE NEW NORMAL IN TRAVEL – ROMULO-PUYAT

The tourism scene in the Philippines will be “vastly different” once travel activities will again be allowed as part of post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) measures, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said. The “new normal” would involve enforced health security standards for both tourists and personnel, including the “re-training” of tourism workers, Romulo-Puyat stressed.  In a Go […]

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Government

DA ALLOTS P230-M FOR RICE-CORN PROJECT OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES – DAR

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is supporting the “BigMa” (Bigas-Mais) rice-corn blending initiative of listed firm AgriNurture, Inc. (ANI) and groups of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Mindanao to devote vast tracts of idle land for planting white corn as an alternative to reduce dependence on imported rice.  In a virtual press conference, Agriculture Secretary William […]

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Government

MMDA SUPPORTS DOH CALL TO QUIT SMOKING – LIM

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has expressed its support to the appeal of the Department of Health (DOH) to smokers to quit as they are more vulnerable to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Last month, Dr. Beverly Ho, special assistant to DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, reiterated in its Beat COVID-19 virtual press conference […]

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Government

PH AGRI-FISHERY EXPORTS UP BY 12% IN Q1 – DAR

Exports of agriculture and fishery products have provided the bright spot to the otherwise bleak picture of the country’s trade numbers. The Department of Agriculture said export shipments of agri-fishery products from January to March 2020 grew by 12 percent to $1.31 billion, from $1.17B recorded for the same period in 2019, citing data from […]

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Government

DPWH COMPLETES FILINVEST TENT ‘WE HEAL AS ONE’ CENTER – VILLAR

Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar has announced that a new health facility to treat COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) has been completed in southern Metro Manila through the efforts of the government and the private sector. The 9th “We Heal As One” Center was put up at the Filinvest Tent in Alabang, Muntinlupa City […]

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Government

POWER CO-OPS TOLD TO PREPARE FOR TROPICAL DEPRESSION ‘AMBO’ – NEA

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has directed all electric cooperatives (ECs) to prepare and implement emergency measures to brace for the possible impact of Tropical Depression “Ambo” on power distribution facilities. The NEA through its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (DRRMD) issued an advisory requiring the 121 ECs to activate their respective Emergency Response […]