PRRD gives gov't agencies one week to send OFWs in MM back home

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has ordered the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Department of Labor and Employment and the Department of Health to ensure that some 24,000 repatriated overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who are currently awaiting results of their RT-PCR tests for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), would be sent home within the week.

Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr., on Monday, May 25, underscored the President’s directive to fast-track the process of sending the repatriated OFWs to their home provinces and to their families as soon as they test negative for COVID-19.

“Sang-ayon po sa Presidente, binibigyan nya ng awtoridad ang lahat ng mga opisyales ng mga departamentong ito na gamitin po ang lahat ng resources ng ating gobyerno para masiguradong makauwi ngayong linggo ang ating mga kababayan,” said Secretary Roque.

The Palace official added that if private or commercial buses, ships and airplanes would not be enough to bring home the OFWs, the President has ordered the use of the ships and airplanes of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for this purpose.

As of today, May 25, 2020, the OWWA has started sending home the repatriated OFWs. Those from Luzon were ferried through buses and ships, while those going to Visayas and Mindanao boarded especially commissioned flights.

“Sabi rin po ng ating Presidente, kinakailangan palawakin po ang kakayahan ng ating mga probinsya na magkaroon ng PCR test para sa ganoon po, yung mga susunod na darating na OFW ay dun na po sa kani-kanilang mga probinsya magku-quarantine at dun na po sila magpapa-PCR test,” Roque said.

For those who are yet to receive copies of their quarantine certificates, which they will need to go home, the Palace spokesman assured that the OWWA already has a system in place in which they give out copies of the certificate before the OFWs board a plane, bus, or ship.

In the same media briefing, the Spokesperson also gave updates on the recent resolutions of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).  Resolution Number 38 of the IATF approved amendments, revisions and/or clarifications to the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Community Quarantine in the Philippines.

Salient points of the revised Omnibus Guidelines include allowing full operational capacity for several sectors under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).  These sectors include public or private hospitals; health and emergency frontline services; manufacturers of medicines, medical supplies, devices and equipment including suppliers; workers in agriculture, forestry and fishery industries; and delivery and courier services of food, medicine, essential goods, clothing accessories, hardware, housewares, school/office supplies, pet food, and veterinary products.

Also allowed with 50 percent operational capacity in ECQ are work in private establishments that provide essential goods and services, media establishments, and workers in railway-related projects accredited by the Department of Transportation.

“Idinagdag din sa bagong guidelines sa ilalim ng ECQ, sa skeleton force, ang mga sumusunod: printing presses as authorized by the BIR to print ORs and accountable forms, companies engaged in repair and maintenance of machine, including computers and household fixtures, [and] real estate activities limited to leasing only,” said Secretary Roque.

Gatherings that are for the provision of critical government services and authorized humanitarian activities are now allowed in ECQ, modified ECQ, and general community quarantine (GCQ) under the revised Omnibus Guidelines.

Meanwhile, IATF Resolution Number 39 approved the recommendations of the Department of Science and Technology on the participation of the Philippines in the clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines, and its plan to establish a research center that will go forward with local vaccine development. ###  OPS-PCOO

BAKIT MAY TESTING ANG POGO WORKERS BAGO BUMALIK SA TRABAHO PERO REGULAR WORKERS WALA?

SIMPLE. KASI SUMUSUNOD ANG POGO SERVICE PROVIDERS SA PROTOCOLS  PARA SA RESUMPTION NG OPERASYON NITO. 


LIBRE BA ITO?

HINDI. SAGOT NG SERVICE PROVIDERS ANG BAYAD SA TESTING NG MGA POGO WORKERS. 

NAGBIBIGAY DIN ANG POGO SERVICE PROVIDERS NG LIBRENG TEST SA NON-POGO WORKERS. 

BAKIT WALA’NG MASS TESTING SA MGA REGULAR WORKERS?

1) WALANG PONDONG SAPAT ANG GOBYERNO PARA SA LIBRENG MASS TESTING.

2)DAPAT MGA PRIBADONG KUMPANYA ANG SUMAGOT SA MASS TESTING NG MGA EMPLEYADO NITO BILANG PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE.

It’s time to ease restrictions on labor

Data on Covid-19 cases from various countries indicate that the Philippines has contained the virus better than many other developed nations.

Below are the top 20 countries that have coronavirus cases and deaths. Some of the countries mentioned are also easing restrictions despite the risks.

The time to ease restrictions on labor and other industries is now, and this is supported by the data.

Our economy will suffer further if we do not restore work in areas that manifest low COVID-19 incidence.

But, on the whole, according to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the resumption of activities for the government’s priority “Build, Build, Build” (BBB) infrastructure program will help jumpstart the economy once the death rate and coronavirus disease infection are brought under control.

Closer to the ground, Dominguez proposes, the government should consider employing as COVID-19 contact tracers those who temporarily lost their jobs due to the lockdown.

“We should hire contact tracers en masse to boost our efforts to stop transmission and defeat COVID-19 while providing jobs,” Dominguez told the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

He remarked that an estimated 1.2 to 1.5 million workers are temporarily out of work, who can be tapped to do contact tracing faster. “We need to hire more contact tracers to match the numbers we expect that will come with more testing,” Dominguez underscored.

He stressed, further, that it will be well-advised to “restart and accelerate the Build, Build, Build program”, in accordance with sound health standards.

He told IATF: “Infrastructure remains the best driver of economic growth because it has the best multiplier effects in terms of employment.”

IT’S TIME FOR GANGWON-DO!

Social media influencers came together to promote winter tourism in Gangwon, South Korea’s up-and-coming premier destination. A special summit of leaders of ASEAN and South Korea marked the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-Republic of Korea dialogue relations. The event closed last November 27. Las year, the summit was previously held in Busan. The visit of the social media influencers to Gangwon-do was to promote the activities for winter sports in Gangwon Province, the Yongyang International Airport, and the famous tourist spots in Hanryu which is well known for the K-culture. The influencers, who have more than 1 million followers and visited Gangwon Province, include: Renee Dominique (the musician who just released a single album with Jason Mraz), Bautista Vanessa, Quijano Sergio, Luigi Pacheco and Bont Bryan Oropel from thePhilippines. The were also joined by singer and actress Jannine Weigel of Thailand. Osusu, Nabee TV and Umi TV of Vietnam also appeared in the winter tourist commercial video. The Gangwon Province Winter Tourism commercial video will be produced and published on Arirang World Channel. It has 142 million receiving households in 103 countries. The ASEAN social media influencers stayed in Gangwon province for 5 nights and 6 days from 26th November to 1st of December. They visited many locations including Nami Island in Chuncheon, known as the location of K – drama ,Yeongjin Beach, as well as the Daegwanryeong Ski Resort in Gangwon Province, which is called the Alps in Asia, Gangneung Curling Center and Wonju Soguem Mountain suspension bridge. Cultural exchanges between ASEAN and Korea by the social media influencers were done in the snowplows in Gangwon Province. This will be a great chance to promote Gangwon tourism to all the ASEAN countries.

President Duterte tells political allies, opponents: “Don’t oppress the people”

AGUSAN DEL NORTE —President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Sunday, April 21, appealed to his political allies and opponents not to oppress the people, instead help them move out of poverty.

“We may be in the same political party or not, do not oppress the people,” the President said in vernacular during the campaign rally of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) here.

According to the President, Filipinos are poor and dependent on their government. People ask for assistance from local officials like barangay captains and mayors.

He explained that this dependency could be blamed on the existing feudal system in the country because under feudalism, the government is seen as “a miracle from heaven,” which makes the government susceptible to corruption.

Politicians elected to public office often pocket large amount of government money intended for state projects.

Kickbacks and commissions typically go as high as 30 percent for every project handled by elected officials.

“The politicians divide money this way. Thirty percent of the budget allocated for a certain project will go straight to the pockets of the congressman. How will he be able to buy good quality cement and busses? How will he be able to pay for workers’ wages? That is why he can only afford to hire five people to work on road projects for the whole year. That road project has been going on for five years. There’s no more money left because of corruption. That’s the truth. Ask anyone…ask a contractor. That’s really how it is. And that is why we are still in a feudal system, ” he said.

“People are in poverty. Almost everything they need in life…eskuwelahan, national high school…will all go to the elected congressman, governor, and mayor. It does not come naturally because the money is always divided by politicians,” he added.

He then reaffirmed that in his administration, no government deals and transactions reach his desk, stressing that cabinet secretaries handle such big items.

In his remarks, President Duterte also said that he tried to allocate money equally to local officials, regardless whether they are political allies or foes, stating that this was his mandate then to former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno. ###PND