Manila, Philippines — Iginiit ng kinonsultang health expert ng Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) na maaaring coronavirus disease variants ang dahilan ng biglang paglobo ng COVID-19 cases sa bansa.

Maaalalang inanunsyo ng Department of Health ang 52 pang kaso ng B.1.351 COVID-19 variant mula sa South Africa (South Africa variant) at 31 pang kaso ng B.1.1.7 variant of COVID-19 mula sa United Kingdom (UK variant) sa bansa.

 “One evidence that the variant could be causing this surge is, we detected the variant just before cases start to rise. So there’s some indirect evidence that the variants are causing this surge. We should encourage the public to take precautions,”  lahad ni Dr. John Wong mula sa  IATF technical working group sa data analytics.

“The number of cases found is only because we’re still collecting samples for surveillance testing so as we collect more samples, we’ll be able to see more,” Wong added. “The number of cases you see now should not be seen as sort of the maximum number of people or patients who have the variant. There could be more than that.”

Sa ulat, dalawang bakuna na ang dumating sa bansa partikular na ang Sinovac mula China at AstraZeneca na dinebelop ng British-Swede drugmaker. RNT/FGDC

Manila, Philippines – Sa wakas ay kinumpirma na ng aktor na si Gerald Anderson ang relasyon nila ng aktres na si Julia Barretto sa isang panayam ni Boy Abunda.

Sa ulat, tinanong ni Tito Boy si Gerald kung si Julia ba ang kanyang happiness.

 “Very happy. It’s a yes,” lahad ni Anderson na naging tahimik sa kabi-kabilang ispekulasyon.

“At the end of the day, ako ‘yung pinaka-controversial na tao sa Pilipinas ngayon but I’m so blessed with good health, ‘yung pamilya, nakakakain kami araw-araw, may work ako. I can still provide for them.”

In mid-2019, Anderson was at the center of controversy after his breakup with his then-girlfriend Bea Alonzo. He was then romantically linked with Barretto, his co-star in the Japan-set romantic drama “Between Maybes,” but both denied ever being more than friends.

Maaalalang naging maingay naman ang hiwalayan ni Julia at ni Joshua Garcia na kamakailan ay nagsama sa music video ng ‘Paubaya’ ni Moira Dela Torre. RNT/FGDC

Manila, Philippines – Tiniyak ni Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu ang kahalagahan ng makabagong solusyon upang maprotektahan ang forest ecosystem at biodiversity ng bansa sa ginanap na virtual celebration ng World Wildlife Day noong Miyerkules, Marso 3.

“In order to achieve our goals, we do not need to go back to an era of primitivity, where we abandon the comforts of the 21st century and tailor our lives after our ancestors,” nakasaad sa speech ni Cimatu na binasa ni DENR Undersecretary for Legal Administration, Human Resources and Legislative Affairs Ernesto D. Adobo, Jr.

“Instead, we must find ways to continue to advance while maintaining the integrity of our forest ecosystems.  What is needed is a step forward, not a step back,” pagbibigay-diin ni Cimatu.

Naniniwala ang DENR chief na upang makaabante ay kinakailangang magkaroon ng tulungan sa panig ng enforcement agencies at pagbuo ng makabagong pamamaraan upang mabigyan ng solusyon ang environmental problems.

“It also means the creation of sustainable models that will guide the government in defining policies for the management of our ecosystems.  It also means legislating pro-environment rules such as the Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases,” ayon pa kay Cimatu.

“Lastly, it means establishing frameworks that will lead to more efficient investigation and prosecution of crimes,” dagdag pa nito.

Sinabi pa ni Cimatu ang kanyang respeto at pagpapahalaga sa indigenous peoples (IPs) ng bansa kasabay ng pagsasabi na bagama’t ang selebrasyon ng World Wildlife Day ay “globally” mananatili naman itong very Filipino.”

“A perfect example is when we look to our indigenous peoples.  Their survival depends on the integrity of our forests.  And though our IPs are only a segment of our country’s population, it does not mean that the rest of us does not, in a similar way, depend on our surroundings for survival,” pahayag ni Cimatu patungkol sa selebrasyon ngayong taon na may temang “Forest and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet.”

Bilang bahagi ng selebrasyon ng World Wildlife Day, ang Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) ng DENR ay nagsagawa ng 8th Wildlife Law Enforcement Awards at nagbigay din ng rekognisyon sa Inter-Agency Task Force Philippine Operations Group on Ivory and Illegal Wildlife (POGI) dahil sa pagkamit nito ng Asia Environmental Enforcement Awards na ipinagkaloob ng United Nations Environment Programme noong Pebrero.

Umabot sa 43 law enforcers mula sa mga partner-agencies kabilang na dito ang National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police, at Bureau of Customs ang binigyan ng pagkilala.

Sa kabuuan, mayroong 18 gold awardees, 2 silver awardees, at 23 bronze awardees ang nakatanggap ng parangal.

Nagsagawa rin ang BMB ng iba’t ibang youth competitions kabilang na dito ang poster-making, mobile photography, at jingle-making.

Nakakuha ng P15,000 (1st prize) ang nanalo sa poster-making at mobile photography, P10,000 sa 2nd prize at P7,500 sa 3rd prize. Sampung participants ang nakatanggap ng consolation prize na P2,000 bawat isa.

Para naman sa jingle-making contest, ang 1st, 2nd, at 3rd prize ay nakatanggap ng P20,000; P15,000; at P10,000 ayon sa pagkakasunod-sunod.

Nabigyan naman ng P3,000 bilang consolation prize ang tatlong kalahok bawat isa.

Isa naman sa nabigyan ng “highlight” sa selebrasyon ang paglulunsad ng online learning platforms kabilang na dito ang eLearning course para sa Basic Wildlife Law Training and the Wildlife Podcast, sa ilalim ng DENR-Asian Development Bank at ang Global Environment Facility Illegal Wildlife Trade Project and USAID-Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Project 3.  (Santi Celario)

Manila, Philippines — Ipinagutos na ng Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court ang pagpapalaya sa mamamahayag na si Lady Ann Salem at  trade unionist Rodrigo Esparago, batay sa ulat.

Noong Pebrero 5, sinang-ayunan ng Mandaluyong City Regional Trial Court Branch 209 ang mosyon nina Salem at Esparago na “quash the search warrant, suppress the evidence, and declare the illegally seized items as inadmissible.”

“There are not enough facts and circumstances which would lead a reasonably direct and prudent man to believe that an offense has been committed and that the objects sought in connection with the offense are in the place sought to be searched,” lahad ng korte.

Maaalalang naaresto si Salem, alternative media site ng Manila Today at kasamang si Rodrigo Esparago ay naaresto noong December 10, 2020 sa kasong paglabag sa Republic Act No. 10592 o ang  Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act at R.A. 9516 or the Law on Explosives makaraang akusahan sila na sangkot sa gun-running syndicate.  RNT/FGDC

Manila, Philippines — Isasara sa mga motorista ang ilang daan para sa road repairs ng ilang kalsada sa Quezon City.

Sa abiso ng Department of Public Works and Highways at Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, isasara simula alas-11 ng gabi Biyernes, Marso 5  ang 1st lane mula sa center island ng northbound direction ng E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. mula Green Meadows Ave. hanggang Metropoli Drive.

Bubuksan naman ito sa ganap na alas-5 ng umaga sa Lunes, Marso 8.

Payo naman ng departamento sa mga motorista, humanap na lang ng ibang daang alternatibo upang hindi na magdulot pa ng abala. RNT/FGDC