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Politics

USE PAGCOR FUNDS FOR FREE COVID-19 TESTS – GARBIN

A party-list lawmaker urged the government to provide free reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for stranded passengers and drivers of public utility vehicles. Ako Bicol Party-list Representative Alfredo Garbin said funding for the free RT-PCR testing can be sourced from the revenues of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor). “Recalling the directive of […]

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Politics

HELP PARENTS MANAGE DISTANCE LEARNING – GATCHALIAN

As families continue to struggle with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Senator Win Gatchalian bats for institutionalizing the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) program to help parents meet the learning needs of their children and provide them with socio-emotional support. “Senate Bill No. 1985 or the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program Act aims to capacitate […]

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Politics

RED CROSS URGES COVID SURVIVORS TO DONATE PLASMA

What the Philippine Red Cross convalescent plasma center gained in five months, it lost in five days as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Senator Dick Gordon, PRC chair and CEO, thus encouraged individuals who have recovered from the disease to donate their much-needed plasma to help those who are still infected. “We need to have […]

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WOMEN ARE ‘NEW NORMAL’ HEROES – DE LIMA

Opposition Senator Leila de Lima has commended women around the world for their resiliency and ability to stand as the backbone of recovery for every community amid the current COVID-19 pandemic that put people’s life on a grinding halt. While the pandemic has disproportionally affected women around the world, De Lima said that women continue […]

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Politics

LAPU-LAPU SWIMMER CIRCLES OLANGO IN 12 HOURS

Open water swimmer Cleevan Alegres has successfully circumnavigated the island of Olango, a separate islet located east of Mactan Island. Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said 25-year-old Alegres completed the full swim around Olango in 12 hours. The distance was estimated at 19-21 kilometers. “He started his swim around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday from Barangay […]

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Politics

FREELANCE WORKERS BILL GETS HOUSE NOD – DE VENECIA

The House of Representatives has approved on third reading House Bill No. 8817 or the proposed Freelance Workers Protection Act. “It’s about time we started protecting our freelancers who comprise around 2 percent of our population. This is actually the biggest figure per capita in the world,” Pangasinan fourth district Representative Christopher De Venecia, one of […]

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Politics

USE BAYANIHAN FUNDS FOR FREE TESTING – PANGILINAN

With at least P20 billion in funds, the government should roll out a more aggressive testing and contact tracing program for the coronavirus to locate as many carriers of the infection and curb its spread, Senator Kiko Pangilinan said. Pangilinan made the call as public and private hospitals in Metro Manila and nearby provinces are […]

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Politics

VILLANUEVA: WHAT PLAN FOR NCR’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM?

Senator Joel Villanueva is asking the Department of Health to bare its plan to manage the stress in Metro Manila’s healthcare system as hospitals in the capital region contend with overflow capacity and overstretched manpower. Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee, said the government’s crisis managers should consider regrouping and have a “level-headed” assessment […]

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Politics

GATCHALIAN TO DEPED, CHED: STOP ‘SAGOT-FOR-SALE’

While the “sagot-for-sale” scheme remains prevalent despite being discouraged by the Department of Education (DepEd) and flagged in Senate panel hearings, Senator Win Gatchalian emphasized that DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and academic institutions should step up in probing and curbing various forms of distance learning cheating. Under the “sagot-for-sale” scheme, parents hire […]

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Politics

FREE SWAB TESTS FOR OFWS, ROFS IN CEBU — GARCIA

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) going home to any of the cities and towns in Cebu province will now have to undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR) testing upon arrival at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport. Governor Gwendolyn Garcia announced the testing will be free of charge. “The new policy will no […]