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Leptospirosis deaths rise Hospitals filled to capacity but expert says worst is over
By Ram Superable and Itchie Cabayan
P
UBLIC hospitals are gearing up for more leptospirosis cases following recent typhoons and widespread flooding, with the Department of Health (DOH) tallying some 2,396 cases of the waterborne disease between June 8 to August 7. As of Sunday, mostly government- City reported at least 54 fatalities arisrun hospitals in Manila and Quezon ing from recent leptospirosis infections.
The Quezon City government reported a total of 31 fatalities across several hospitals, while Manila health authorities logged 15 deaths at the San Lazaro Hospital (San Lazaro) and 8 deaths at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (Ospital ng Maynila). However, Health Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo said East Avenue Medical Center tops the list of Next page
REINFORCEMENT. Philippine Red Cross nurses and volunteers reinforce the nursing
staff of San Lazaro Hospital amid rising cases of leptospirosis. According to the Red Cross, as of 2 pm yesterday, their volunteers treated 116 patients -- 99 of them male and 17 female. Philippine Red Cross
VOL. XXXIX • NO. 177 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P20 • MONDAY, AUGUST 11, 2025
‘Pudol’ enters PAR; unlikely to wreak havoc
Senate to start online gambling hearings on Aug. 14 By Ram Superable, Rio N. Araja
By Rio N. Araja and Rex Espiritu SEVERE tropical storm “Podul” is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early today, according to the state weather bureau. In its 5 p.m. bulletin yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said once “Podul” enters the country, it will be named “Gorio.” It was observed to be accelerating while maintaining its strength as it heads closer to the country. The center of “Podul” was estimated at 1,680 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon or outside PAR. “Podul” is forecast to move generally westward today, then west northwestward or northwestward from Tuesday through the end of the forecast period, PAGASA further reported. It was moving westward at 25 km/h while the extent of the tropical cyclone’s winds from strong to storm-force winds extend outwards Next page
SENATOR Erwin Tulfo will lead a Senate hearing on August 14 to address proposed laws aimed at curbing the harmful effects of online gambling in the country. “I made a commitment to prioritize these bills because the problem is getting worse. It’s already a crisis, so this really needs to be addressed to solve the problem,” he said. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has cautioned against banning online gambling, saying it would only stoke illegal operations that would be harder to arrest, as the government and stakeholders such as the Catholic Church craft a Next page
TRAGEDY. A Palestinian man mourns over the shrouded body of a loved one killed the previous day while seeking aid near Zikim, west of Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, at the morgue of at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on August 10, 2025. Nearly two years into the war in Gaza, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces mounting pressure to secure a truce to pull the territory’s more than two million people back from the brink of famine and free the hostages held by Palestinian militants. AFP
PBBM concerned over Gaza situation, hopes for US intervention PRESIDENT Marcos has expressed grave concern over the ongoing crisis in Gaza marked by sustained attacks from Israel, describing the humanitarian cost of the conflict as “unacceptable”. Marcos likewise deplored Israel’s
plan to fully take control of Gaza. Reports had it that under a new plan approved by the security Cabinet of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli military intends to take total control of Gaza City.
Hamas denounced Israel’s plan to escalate the fighting, describing it as a “new war crime”. In an interview with Indian media Firstpost last Aug. 6, the President noted that the situation in Gaza was “deteriorating” due to
BUSINESS / B1
SPEAKER BACKS DSWD-TESDA TIEUP NEWS / A3
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Minority senators to push for revival of impeach case
WHITE CANE WALK.
Hundreds participated in the White Cane Walk 2025 organized by the QC Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) and the Philippine Blind Union (PBU) held at the Tomas Morato Avenue residence in conjunction with Car-free, Carefree Sunday.
By Vince Lopez SENATE Minority Leader Senator Vicente Sotto III and Senator Panfilo Lacson are ready to lead the motion to revive from the archives the impeachment case of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio if the Supreme Court releases its decision reversing its earlier ruling on the case.
Rare planetary alignment begins today—PAGASA AT AROUND 5 a.m. today, six planets -- Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, Mercury, Uranus and Neptune -- seemingly forming a parade could be viewed, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Adminis-
mounting deaths and starvation. “I don’t know what they say in Israel, but everywhere else I think it is unanimous that the humanitarian cost of the continued attacks on Gaza is
‘PH GETS WORSE TARIFF DEAL’
tration (PAGASA) chief of Astronomy section Mario Raymundo. The “parade of planets” or alignment of planets is a normal phenomenon that the public could enjoy, he said. Four could be seen through the naked eye,
while Uranus and Neptune would require the use of binoculars. “It’s a normal phenomenon. Some people are talking about it on social media, saying there could be an event as Next page
“While the archiving, definitely it’s not dismissal... we need to file a motion on the floor to pull out the one that was archived because it is voted,” Lacson said during a radio interview with DWIZ. Lacson also sees that some of his colleagues will still block his plans. “I just feel like it’s likely that the one Next page
Davao’s Samal island to be site of one of world’s tallest statues
A CHURCH-based organization has disclosed the forthcoming construction of a 150-foot tall icon of the Divine Mercy overlooking Samal Island off Davao City and surrounding environs. The proposed Divine Mercy statue will be built on a mountaintop similar to the famous Christ the Redeemer of the
seaside city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Under the project blueprint, the statue would emit rays of pale blue and red representing the Divine Mercy, to be made possible through digital technology. Joji Ilagan-Bian, lay coordinator of Next page