Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net
ERAP BACK TO ICU AFTER LUNG INFECTION, NOT COVID—SON FORMER President Joseph “Erap” Estrada was returned to a hospital intensive care unit (ICU) due to a lung infection following a bout with COVID-19, his son, former senator Jinggoy Estrada, said Friday. “We wish to announce that my father
had a slight setback last night, as his doctors found a superimposed bacterial lung infection,” Jinggoy said in a Facebook post. Jinggoy said his father’s condition remains stable, but he had to be
Rody dooms vax doubters VOL. XXXV • NO. 61 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P18 • SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
Next page
Says they should die five times, warns of more deaths By Vito Barcelo and Willie Casas
P
RESIDENT Duterte said people who do not believe in vaccines should die five times over for putting others in danger, and warned that more people will die because of a vaccine shortage.
In a Thursday night address, Duterte expressed anger upon learning that a recent survey showed that 50 percent of the population are afraid to get the jab. The January 2021 Social Weather Station survey said almost half of all Filipinos are unwilling to get inoculated for COVID-19 mainly due to concerns about the safety of the vaccines. President Rodrigo Duterte
Others believe vaccines are not needed, or may be expensive. “We are facing turmoil not only in the Philippines but in the entire world,” he said. “The worst... is yet to come… More will die because of COVID-19 as there is no sufficient supply of vaccines to inoculate the world.” He said he did not know when the country would have enough stocks to vaccinate the people. “That I do not know. Nobody knows,” he said. “I tell you, more people will die here, I just cannot say who.” In a briefing Friday, the head of the World Health Organization said the number of COVID-19 cases per week nearly doubled globally over the last two months, coming close to the highest rate so far in the pandemic. “Cases and deaths are continuing to increase at worrying rates,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The Philippines logged 10,726 new COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the total number of infections to 914,971.
HERO BOAT. The dainty-
looking swan boat deployed for a rescue mission to Cagayan in the aftermath of typhoon “Ulysses” in November last year had just gotten her badge of heroism from the Baguio City Police Office led by Police Col. Allen Rae Co. Burnham Park boating concessionaire Vivian Celso lent four of her boats (one swan and three pontoon) to Cagayan as her contribution to the rescue effort in the floodaffected communities. While in Cagayan, the Baguio boats ferried residents of barangays Anquiray and Abollo to safety, doubling as a form of recreation for children traumatized by the deluge. Back in Burnham, it remains for hire but with her special marks, it becomes an extra attraction and a novelty apart from being an eternal symbol of generosity and selflessness of the people of Baguio, Co said. Aileen P. Refuerzo
Next page
LOCAL ROUNDUP
• Vax green lane • Don’t mix doses PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has directed the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to immediately pursue the planned local production of COVID-19 vaccines and ordered all government agencies to put up a green lane on government permits to ensure faster processing of all requirements and necessary documents. In his public address Thursday night, Duterte pledged to grant additional funding for the production of vaccines in the country, saying manufacturing vaccines would allow the Philippine government to have enough jabs for every Filipino and be able to export vaccines to other countries as well. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, who was with th President during a virtual meeting, reported that at least four pharmaceutical firms have expressed the intent to venture into local vaccine manufacturing. Next page
Hospital ICUs in six cities fully utilized, Duque tells lawmakers By Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz HEALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III, replying to questions at a congressional hearing Friday, disclosed that six cities which he did not identify had
reached 100 percent intensive care unit (ICU) utilization rate. Batanes Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. had questioned the DOH data, saying the ICU and isolation beds were not yet fully-occupied, but several patients were still not being admitted.
Meanwhile, the government is planning to establish five more modular hospitals nationwide by June, according to Duque. He said the Department of Health and Department of Public Works and Highways aimed to complete five more
modular hospitals in NCR, Batangas and Davao by June this year. “This week, more than six new TTMFs (temporary treatment and monitoring facilities) and isolation facilities with over 1,700 beds in NCR and nearby Next page
FIRST JAB. A Manileño receives the first dose of Sinovac
vaccine while other residents wait for their turn during the vaccination campaign held at the Justo Lukban Elementary School in Paco, Manila on Friday, April 16, 2021. The city has recorded a total of 72,141 vaccinated residents, according to the Manila Health Department. Norman Cruz
FDA grants ivermectin special permit to another private hospital granted a compassionate special permit (CSP) to use the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as treatment for FOOD and Drugs Administration COVID-19, as the country grapples Director General Eric Domingo said with a shortage of supplies of mediFriday one more private hospital was cines and vaccines.
By Willie Casas and Maricel V. Cruz
“Two hospitals have actually applied and granted CSP already,” Domingo told ANC in an interview. A compassionate use permit only allows legal administration of the drug in the country but is not an en-
dorsement of its safety and efficacy from the FDA. The first CSP for the use of ivermectin on COVID-19 patients was granted by the FDA last week. Next page
Prolong aid sked, LGUs ask By Maricel V. Cruz THE Department of the Interior and Local Government said Friday at least 23 local governments in the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus – which includes Rizal, Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite – have requested to extend the deadline for the
distribution of cash assistance. DILG spokesperson Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya told GMA News Online that three of these local government units were from Metro Manila, two from Rizal, two from Laguna, two from Cavite, and 14 from Bulacan.
COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE
(AS OF 4 PM APRIL 16)
914,971 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES
10,726 193,476 NEW
ACTIVE
15,738
145
705,757
650
DEATHS
RECOVERIES
NEW
NEW
Next page
China ignores protests to focus on goal—Carpio By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta
TYPHOON TRACKER. Weathermen track the movements of Typhoon ‘ Bising’ which has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility, intensifying as it hovers westnorthwestward, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph. It is less likely to make landfall in any part of the country, they said. (Story on A4)
CHINA will ignore all diplomatic protests filed against its aggressive behavior in the South China Sea because they run counter to its objective of establishing its national boundary based on its excessive nine-dash line claims, retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio
said Friday. “China’s objective is to seize all islands and waters within the nine-dash line, making the nine-dash line China’s national boundary in the South China Sea,” Carpio said in a text message to Manila Standard. “Everything that China is doing in the South China Sea is towards this
US SHOOTING: 8 DEAD IN FEDEX, INDIANAPOLIS
Next page
Story on B2