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VP: Keep Xmas parties simple Bans gift solicitations, reminds schools/DepEd offices of hard times
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HRISTMAS celebrations in public schools and offices of the Department of Education "should be simple yet meaningful, keeping in mind the true spirit of the season and the austerity called for by the difficult economic times," Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a recent order. This was as the DepEd issued guidelines on Dec. 2 for the conduct of Christmas parties in its offices and public schools, as Filipinos mark the Yuletide season with the loosest restrictions since the COVID-19 pandemic. Public schools are set to take their Christmas break on Dec. 19, and resume classes on Jan. 4, 2023, giving teachers and students a little over two weeks to get their traditional yearend parties in. Private schools, community learning centers, and state or local universities and colleges may choose to adopt the DepEd's
guidelines on Christmas parties, according to the agency. Last month, public schools nationwide returned to five days of face-to-face classes at full capacity, following two years of closures due to the health crisis. According to the order, Christmas parties must be voluntary and "not result to expenses that will become a burden on parents, students and DepEd personnel." "No learner or DepEd personnel should be forced to contribute, participate or use their money for the celebration," it said. Next page
VOL. XXXVI • NO. 292• 2 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2022 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
COVID strains keep state of health crisis By Willie Casas and Rio N. Araja
ants are still a threat, infectious diseases pitals are no longer getting overwhelmed expert Dr. Rontgene Solante said Sunday. with new cases. In an interview on radio dzBB, Solante \“Maybe the only problem I see here THE state of public health emergency has said COVID-19 infections in the country on why we still can't get rid of the public not yet been lifted since COVID-19 vari- are now “very stable” and even the hosNext page
BONANZA FOR KIDS. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos are surrounded by children as they lead the Balik Sigla, Bigay Saya: Nationwide Gift-Giving Day in cooperation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, PAGCOR, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, local government units, private organizations and volunteer groups across the country. Presidential Photo
PBBM rolls out gift-giving in 40 sites across PH PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delighted children with gifts like backpacks and toys during a nationwide gift-giving event at the Malacañan Palace Grounds on Sunday.
In a speech during the “Balik Sigla, an early Christmas celebration. Balik Saya: Nationwide Gift-Giving “Christmas would not be complete Day,” the President said it was a if we would not see the smiles of our tradition for the President to distribute children, grandchildren and youth. That gifts to children at the Palace as part of Next page
SC: Bar exams Senate to go over wealth fund, in 2023 will be House ensures further debates Ramos-Araneta earlier, shorter ByandMacon Rio N. Araja By Rey E. Requejo
THE Supreme Court on Sunday announced that the 2023 online and regionalized Bar examinations will be administered earlier in September for only three days instead of four and with only six core subjects instead of eight. The SC through Associate Justice Next page
STRONG ERUPTION. Mount Semeru spews smoke and ash in Lumajang,
Indonesia on Sunday (see full story on World page B2). AFP
MOUNT SEMERU ERUPTS, NEARLY 2K FLEE HOMES WORLD / A6
Govt assures pork supply, cheaper onions THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said Sunday that sacks of white onions recently confiscated in Divisoria, Manila, would be sold in Kadiwa stalls at a cheaper price. At the same time, the DA said there was more than sufficient supply of pork to meet the market demand this holiday season, noting that consumers preferred buying fresh meat and that only sellers of
frozen meat were hesitant to release their supplies in bulk. In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, DA deputy spokesperson Rex Estoperez gave assurances there was no pork shortage, especially with the forthcoming Yuletide. In the same interview, Estoperez said the onions, estimated to be worth P3.9 million, would have to undergo Next page
SENATORS resume their scrutiny of the proposed Maharlika Wealth Fund on Monday even as its staunch advocate in the House of Representatives assured fellow lawmakers and critics that the proposed P275-billion sovereign wealth fund would go through a congressional examination. Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
underscored the need to scrutinize and extensively debate the Maharlika fund that will come from contributions by state pension funds and state-owned lenders. While he is not against the approval of the MWF, Estrada admitted he has many questions about it. "First of all, where will they get the money? Second, is it safe or is it risky? If they’re going to get it from GSIS, SSS, are we going to risk the pensions of our pensioners?" Next page
Meteor shower sparkles skies for two weeks STARTING last night, Filipino stargazers began to have a skygazing delight in areas where there was no drizzle with the Geminid meteor shower kicking off its two-week show which will peak on December 14 – the first of two this December. Next page
HEAVENLY SIGHT.
The Geminid meteor shower last year as captured by NASA photographer Jeff Dai.