Mayor Isko Moreno made some way to help the health workers in Manila City affected by the community quarantine and public transportation ban.

Yesterday, the Manila City Government hired buses that are planned to use for the frontliners, health workers and some employees of Manila. Mayor Moreno personally inspected the buses.

Aside from offering free transportation to the COVID-19 front liners, Moreno signed executive order no. 17 that ordering motels and hotels in the city as a temporary shelter of the health workers working in hospitals in Manila.

The Mayor said that hotels should follow the executive order ‘voluntarily or involuntarily’.

Moreno cited the Local Government Code of 1991 which gave powers to mayors to “carry out such emergency measures as may be necessary” during a state of calamity.

President Duterte already put the whole country under a state of calamity due to COVID-19.

“Sa mga may ari ng hotel, I hope, in line of the call of the President to act in unison, in solidarity as Filipinos, I hope you will cooperate with the call of your city, and I’m grateful immediately some respondent already favorable to the executive order voluntarily,” he said.

There are around 531 rooms available for the health workers and Moreno already asked his staff to gather the list of all nurses and doctors working in the city.

According to Moreno, Sogo is going to provide 421 rooms, Eurotel to provide 50 rooms, and Town and Country to provide 60 rooms.

Moreno made the said executive order after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) ordered all hotels to stop their operations except those with existing bookings with foreigners.

While Moreno seems already solved the problem of the health workers in his City, some Mayors like Vico Sotto are still looking for ways to help the frontliners in his city.

Yesterday, Sotto allowed tricycles to operate around the city to help health workers, however, the authorities rejected the Pasig Mayor’s order.

Cabinet Secretary Nograles said that tricycles are not allowed to operate during the community quarantine period because of the difficulties of practicing social distancing in a small vehicle.

However, Nograles suggested that Mayors like Sotto can look for bigger vehicles to be used to help health workers.

“Sa tricycle, let’s address that, concern talaga ang gobyerno sa paggamit ng tricycle dahil hindi namin lubos makita o maintindihan kung paano mag social distancing sa tricylce, number one,” Nograles said.

“Number two, ang concern po ng LGU ay ganyan, maari namang gumawa ng mga initiatives ang mga LGU, with regard to vehicles na hindi naman kailangan tricycle ang gamitin, so may means po ang LGU na gumamit ng other means of transportation, meron po silang sariling sasakyan o di kaya’y  gumamit sila ng sasakyan ng iba at makiusap, or other means,” he added.

Members of the Church of God International (MCGI) and television show Ang Dating Daan (ADD) leader Eli Soriano complained why the political enemies of President Rodrigo Duterte are still criticizing the chief executive even during the middle of COVID-19 outbreak.

On a live video, Soriano said that he understood the gravity of problems being faced by President Rodrigo Duterte and urged his critics to unite and help the government to fight COVID-19 in the Philippines.

He defended the decision of the President, especially the deployment of the military during the period of community quarantine in Luzon.

“Ang masasabi ko lang sa mga kontra-partido ni Presidente Duterte, sana kalimutan niyo na muna yung politika, eh bakit kailangan ng sundalo? E mayroong matigas ng ulo kaya kailangan nga ng sundalo, hindi naman para pagmalupitan ang tao, para lang hindi mapigil ang pagkalat ng virus,” Soriano said.

Soriano then mentioned how COVID-19 became uncontrollable in Italy and affected millions of its residents.

He then compared Italy’s health care system to the Philippines, saying that Filipinos might not handle the same problem that the Italians faced.

“Hindi ka sakit mmatay, kundi mmmatay ka sa pagbabayad,” he said.

Soriano urged the critics of the government and also Vice President Leni Robredo to just cooperate with President Duterte instead of opposing his actions against COVID-19.

“Yung mga politiko sana wag na po kayong tutol ng tutol, makipag cooperate na kayo, gusto ko sanang humingi ng personal na pakiusap sa Bise Presidente, kasi tuwing magpapahayag ang Bise Presidente eh it seems na para sa akin ay palagi siyang kontra kay Presidente Duterte,” Soriano said.

“Kaya nga nalagay siyang Presidente ay niloob ng Diyos, imbis na kontrahin natin ng kontrahin ay ating tulungan, mag isip ka kung paano ka makakatulong Bise Presidente, na hindi lagi ang deklarasyon mo kontra sa Duterte administration, kalimutan na muna natin ang politika, Bise Presidente Robredo, sumama ka sa panalangin,” he added.

He reiterated that people should disregard politics amid the COVID-19 outbreak and think of things that could help the government and their neighbors.

“Hindi po ito panahon ng politika, panahon po ito ng compassion, understanding, consideration, wag niyo pong awayin ang mga pulis kababayan,” he said.

A netizen shared a receipt showing the estimated amount needed to pay by a Person under Investigation (PUI) for COVID-19.

On a Facebook post, Jerick Enopia tried to convince the people not to insist on going to their job by showing how much financial burden they could get if they got infected by COVID-19.

“So pili nalang. Pilitin pumasok sa work. Kikita ka ng 15-25k vs 90k na estimated bill kapag tinamaan ka. Ikaw bahala,” Enopia said.

According to the photo he posted, the estimated hospital bill amounted to 90,223 pesos.

Enopia didn’t disclose the hospital where the bill came from.

Fortunately, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles announced that the Philippine Insure Corporation (PhilHealth) will shoulder the quarantine, isolation and testing kit cost.

“The last thing we want is for our citizens to worry about medical costs and expenses. Their only concern should be their well-being and the well-being of their families,” said Nograles.

However, Nograles didn’t mention if the emergency room fee are covered by PhilHealth.

Recently, PhilHealth also released P30-B to accredited hospital as a response against COVID-19.

“Further, the state health insurer will also provide its members and service partners with additional relief in view of the recent declaration of a state of public health emergency in the country by extending the deadline of payment of contributions for its self-paying direct contributors. They can now pay their first-quarter contributions on or before April 30, 2020, instead of March 31, 2020, without interest,”  the statement read.

“Moreover, its policy on a single period of confinement and 45-days coverage are also waived in favor of the member, while the filing period for claims is also extended from the usual 60 days to at least 120 days in favor of the health care providers” 

Aside from testing fees, PhilHealth said that Filipinos can avail their P14,000 health package if they got quarantined because of COVID-19.

People who tested positive in COVID-19 can also seek a beneficiary package of up to P32,000.

The Mayor of the second richest city in the Philippines said that they need assistance from the national government as they might get short of budget to buy food for their residents next month.

In a press conference Wednesday, Joy Belmonte of Quezon City vowed to feed 400,000 families during the whole period of community quarantine in the Philippines so they’re not going to worry from being jobless for one month.

“Tayo po yung may pinakamalaki at pinakamaraming sustentuhan in the few weeks leading up to April 12,” Belmonte said.

“Next week, March 23 to March 27, QC will be able to provide food for these 400,000 families. The week after that, the QC gov’t will again be able to provide for them,” she added.

She also ordered the barangay captains to activate their quick response fund to help their people.

“Gamitin niyo para pambili ng pagkain para sa mga nawalan ng kabuhayan, dahil it will take time for the city government to procure food supplies for 400,000 families,” the Mayor told the Quezon City, barangay captains.

However, they said that they might get short of the budget in the fourth week of the community quarantine, that’s why they’re already informing the national government and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to help them.

“Sa ika-apat na linggo, medyo magkukulang na po ang pondo ng lungsod, sapagkat ang quick response fund po natin ay mauubos na, at ang halaga nito ay P400-M lang ata, and we have other things to take care of katulad hospital equipment,” she said.

“We are now appealing to the DSWD, national government na sana tulungan naman nila kami sa lungsod ng Quezon,” she added.

Quezon City is one of the cities affected by the month-long community quarantine ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Mayor Vico Sotto urged the national government to allow the tricycles in Pasig to operate explaining that people’s lives might be in danger if there’s no public transport roaming around the city.

In an interview with the reporters, Sotto revealed that some tricycle drivers that he allowed to operate today were apprehended by the authorities because of violating the ‘enhanced community quarantine’ which ordered that all public transportations were not allowed.

According to him, people who are seeking medical help have no choice but to stay at home because no public transport could bring them to the hospital.

“Hindi na po para sa tricycle driver, para nalang po sa public health and safety dahil ako po sa risk assessment na ginawa namin kapag hindi po natin pinayagan ang mga tricycle ay mas marami po ang mmatay,” Sotto said.

Sotto argued that people of Pasig might lose their lives not because of COVID-19, but because of the inability to go to the hospital.

The Mayor also denied that he’s defying the order of President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that they’re willing to cooperate with the national government as long as there’s already public transportation available for the public health workers and patients.

He said that while they’re already offering free transport services for health workers and others, their vehicles are not enough to accommodate all of them.

“Kulang po talaga sa ngayon, kaya bakit hindi nalang muna natin payagan [yung mga tricycle],” he said.

Yesterday, Sotto ordered the tricycles to operate around Pasig, citing that people still need public transportation despite the order from the national government disallowing it.

He said that only people exempted from the public quarantine are allowed to use the tricycles.

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in Italy were furious with ABS-CBN journalist Karen Davila after the latter mentioned in national television that the Italian Government is giving food stamps to its citizens.

Davila who’s covering the enhanced community quarantine imposed on Luzon was talking about the food security of some countries who got affected by the COVID-19 and she mentioned Italy as one of the examples.

“Sa italy ay binibigyan ng mga vouchers ang mga tao para makapunta sa supermarket at makakuha ng pagkain ng libre,” Davila said.

However, some netizens working in Italy called the attention of Davila and informed her that there’s no food stamps or food being given to them by the government.

“Hoyyy Karen Davila sinong may sabing may libre vouchers dito sa Italy!!!I am from italy and we are in total lockdown but the food we buy it on our own pockets..makabalita ka palpak pa!may maibatikos lang sa gobyerno!nasan ang krebilidad mo!? Mahiya ka!!!! nga,” netizen Sylvia Apolonia said.

“Dito sa Italya kayod marino ang mga filipinos,pati hininga binabayaran dito,tapos ibabalita mo dyan sa Pilipinas may mga boucher ang mga taong naka clockdown dito sa italya,humusay usa ka nga karen lagi kay FAULT tuwing bumubuka ang bibig mo,” netizen Mhay Ayala commented.

“Hoy! Karen davila sa sariling bulsa namin kinukuha ang aming mga pambiling pagkain.. hindi sa government ng italy for your info,” Primz Bruno remarked.

Another netizen tried to ask Davila for clarification on her Instagram.

The journalist then clarified that the voucher is still only a proposal.

“Ma’am, correction. There is a proposed €600 voucher/financial assistance for mothers in Italy (can be used for food) as reported in the New York Times,” Davila told the OFW.

One netizen even made a vlog to debunk Davila.

Kristina’s Vlog, a Filipina working in Italy said that they’re not receiving anything from the Italian government and they’re forced to use their savings to buy basic needs.

“Sana po kapag magbabalita kayo siguraduhin niyo rin na tama yung binabalita niyo kasi wala pong free dito, siguro free lang dito yung tubig kasi may mga fountain dito na pwede kang uminom ng tubig,” she said.

Italy is one of the most affected countries by COVID-19.

As of writing, there are already 26,062 people infected by the said virus in Italy.

A netizen was done with people who are criticizing the government for the bad effects of the community quarantine to the poor people living in Luzon.

Netizen Jeoffrey Lacaba on a Facebook post, slammed the critics of the government and the people complaining about the community quarantine imposed by President Rodrigo Duterte, saying that the world is not yet going to end.

According to him, people should not be afraid to lose their lives because of hunger, as the government already vowed to help them to get food and financial support.

He suggested that people may ask their relatives for help if they cannot wait for relief goods from the government.

Lacaba believes that Filipinos could survive the month-long quarantine as some of them could even throw a birthday party and also ready to borrow money just to fund it.

The netizen also said that people should not think of their work for now as getting infected by COVID is more dangerous than being jobless.

He then urged the people to follow the simple request from the government to stay at home for a month to avoid the spread of COVID-19 in the country.

Before ending his post, Lacaba said that all of them should participate and cooperate in the fight against COVID-19 because all Filipinos are going to benefit from it.

You can read his whole post below:

“ANONG SINASABI NYO NA PAG DI KAYO PUMASOK OR MAG WORK MMTAY KAYO SA GUTOM? 1 MONTH LANG PTAY NA AGAD? YUNG MGA SINASABI NYO NA WAKANG MAKAIN DATI NA SILA WALA MAKAIN, PERO NAKAKASURVIVE SILA..ANO KINAKATAKOT NYO?

1. HINDI PA ITO APOCALYPSE, may gobyerno pa tayo, may kuryente, tubig, open mga groceries, may mabibilhan pa tayo ng pagkain, may hospital, may mga tutlong sa atin, may WIFI at may TV pa nga eh..

2. WALA KA PERA PAMBILI NG FOOD? bakit wala ka ba kamag anak or kapitbahay na pede mo hingan ng tulong?
Bakit pag birthday or okasyon, nakaka gawa ka ng paraan, kahit mangutang ka para lang mairaos yang celebration mo, pero ito basic survival parang di mo kakayanin?
2 -3 days pede ka mag survive na hindi kumakain, for sure sa situation natin ngayon makakakain ka kahit isang beses sa isang araw, sinabi din na sa aalamin ng mga barangay chairman yung mga mawawalan ng pagkain at irereport sa DSWD para mag padala ng pagkain..so ano problema mo?

3. HINDI MAG PAPAPASWELDO ANG COMPANY MO KUNG HINDI KA PAPASOK..Eh ano ngayon? bakit? mawawalan ka ba ng trabaho? eh pano pag nahawa ka? at mmtay ka? pano pamilya mo? bibigyan ba sila ng tulong ng company mo? para kanino ka mag tatarabaho? yung customer mo or client mo naka community quarantine, ano gagawin mo sa work, tutunganga? kahit sa factory kapa nga wowork, pag lumala situation ipapahinto rin yan. ang tanong hihintayin mo pa ba na lumala bago ka sumunod?

4. ANO ANG HINDI NYO MAINTINDIHAN SA “STAY AT HOME” may crisis, nag utos ang gobyerno na dapat sa bahay lang muna bakit ayaw natin sumunod? ano mawala sa atin? ipinapakita mo lang na wala kang pagmamahal sa bayan mo, may kalaban ang bayan mo at humihingi sya ng tulong mo, ang gagawin mo lang ay mag stay sa bahay..paano kung mag ka gyera at humingi ng tulong ang bayan mo? eh di mas lalo kana hindi tutulong kasi makikipag barilan kana?

5. MAY GINAGAWA ANG GOBYERNO NATIN, PERO PARA MAGING EFFECTIVE YUN, DAPAT MAG PARTICPATE AT MAG COOPERATE TAYONG LAHAT..PARA KANINO BA LAHAT ITO? SINO BA MAKIKINABANG PAG NATALO NATIN TONG COVID-19 VIRUS? DIBA TAYONG LAHAT DIN? DI KA BA MAKOKONSENYA NA KUNG SAKALI MATALO NATIN TO, AT NAGING COVID FREE ANG PINAS, ISA KA SA MGA WALANG GINAWA KUNDI KUMONTRA AT MAGREKLAMO, PERO TINATAMASA MO ANG RESULTA NG SAKRIPISYO NG IBANG TAO..ANONG KLASENG PAGKATAO MERON KA?”

Yesterday, President Duterte imposed the community quarantine in Luzon, affecting millions of Filipinos.

Some of them even forced to walk to their destination as the government stopped all public transportations to control the movement of the people.

Source: [1]

Vice President Leni Robredo couldn’t stop herself from cursing after she was informed that some netizens are renting vans for the Office of the Vice President.

Robredo denied that they’re hiring vehicles for their free shuttle service program, saying that private organizations already offered their help without any cost.

“We are not hiring vehicles for our free shuttle services tomorrow. This is a malicious Facebook entry which intends to put our office in a bad light,” Robredo said.

“The free shuttle service that we will be offering to medical frontliners is through the kindness and generosity of private organizations, at no cost to the government,” she added.

She described the action as vile, asking how people could do such things during times of crisis.

“Walang sukdulan na kasamaan ang sinuman na nakakaisip pa ng mga ganitong kag*guhan sa panahon ng matinding sakuna,” she said.

According to the circulating Facebook post, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is hiring 300 transport vans for 3,500 a day each vehicle.

The post also told the vehicle owners and drivers to visit the OVP.

They even put “deployment as soon as possible” to attract more interested vehicle owners.

On Tuesday, Robredo announced that they’re going to offer free shuttle service to help the hospital workers.

This is what the announcement reads:

“The OVP will deploy six air-conditioned bus units on Wednesday for the round trips that will start at 6 a.m., 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the following routes:
ROUTE 1: RITM Alabang — Magallanes SLEX MRT (via Osmeña Highway, via Quirino Ave.) — Taft Ave. LRT — PGH / UP-NIH — Lawton LRT — Carriedo LRT — Recto LRT — Tayuman LRT — Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center
ROUTE 2: Heritage Hotel EDSA ext (via Roxas Blvd., via Quirino Ave.) — Taft Ave. LRT — PGH / UP-NIH — Manila City Hall (via Quiapo) — UST Hospital — UDMC (via Welcome Rotonda, via Quezon Ave.) — Phil. Orthopedic Center (Banawe, via Araneta Ave. — EDSA Quezon Ave. MRT
ROUTE 3: SM MOA Globe EDSA — EDSA Taft LRT / MRT — Magallanes MRT — Guadalupe MRT — Shaw MRT — Cubao MRT / LRT2 (via Aurora Blvd., via C5 ext.) — QMMC (via C5 / Marcos Highway) — Santolan LRT2 — Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, Cainta
ROUTE 4: EDSA ext. / Macapagal Ave. — EDSA Taft LRT / MRT — Magallanes MRT — Shaw MRT — Cubao MRT / LRT2 — East Ave. Medical Center — Phil. Heart Center — Lung Center of the Phils. (via Quezon Memorial Circle) — VMMC (via EDSA) — Monumento LRT
ROUTE 5: SM Fairview (via Commonwealth Ave, via Quezon Memorial Circle) — East Ave. Medical Center — Phil. Heart Center — Lung Center of the Phils. (via Agham Road, via Quezon Ave.) — Phil. Orthopedic Center — UDMC (Welcome Rotonda, via España) — UST Hospital — Lawton LRT
ROUTE 6: Balintawak LRT — Quezon Ave. MRT — GMA – Kamuning MRT — Cubao MRT — Santolan–Annapolis MRT — Ortigas MRT — EDSA cor. Kalayaan Ave. — Ayala MRT — Magallanes MRT — Heritage Hotel EDSA ext.”

Three business tycoons heeded President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to help the employees being affected by the community quarantine in Metro Manila and Luzon.

San Miguel Corporation’s Ramon Ang, Fernando Zobel de Ayala of Ayala Corporation and Metro Pacific-Salim Group Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

Ang, Ayala, and Pangilinan published their separate statements after President Duterte on a televised address asked the business tycoons to take care of their employees that might be absent for one month because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Ang’s San Miguel Corporation said that they’re already assured the government of enough supply to feed the Filipinos amid the OUTBREAK.

They’re also planning to use one of their plants to make alcohol sanitizers that they’re going to give for free.

“We will provide essential services such as food, water, power, petrol products, and beverages to everyone,” Ang stated.

Ang said all employees of SMC would continue to get paid despite the quarantine and any form of work discontinuation.

This is also the same with Ayala, announcing that employees of their company are going be paid during the month-long quarantine period in Luzon.

They prepared a P2.4-B COVID-19 emergency response package consisting of “wages, bonuses, leave conversions and loan deferment” for its employees.

The group also said that they’re not going to charge their tenant who is affected by the closing of Ayala-owned malls.

Ayala is also going to distribute its mid-year bonuses earlier starting on March 17.

Meanwhile, Manny V. Pangilinan said that their employees should not worry because they’re going to receive salary despite being absent due to community quarantine.

“Heeding the President’s call tonight for business – large or small – to rise to the challenge posed by Covid 19, the MVP Group is one with the President in coping with this virus. We are helping our employees by maintaining their salaries and benefits during the crisis. We have asked them to Work from Home.” Pangilinan said.

Heeding the President’s call tonight for business – large or small – to rise to the challenge posed by Covid 19, the MVP Group is one with the President in coping with this virus. We are helping our employees by maintaining their salaries and benefits during the crisis.

— Manny V. Pangilinan (@iamMVP) March 16, 2020

They’re also planning to give the 13th-month pay in full for PLDT, Smart and Meralco employees.

We are also taking the following measures to ensure the well-being of our employees:

1) Advance 13th month pay in full for Pldt, Smart, and Meralco employees

2) Continuation of salaries and benefits of all employees.

— Manny V. Pangilinan (@iamMVP) March 17, 2020

Malacanang is not yet releasing a statement on the recent move of the tycoons.

It can be remembered that President Duterte criticized Pangilinan and Ayala over a water deal between the government, Maynilad and Manila Water.

However, it seems that the President and the tycoons agreed to have a ceasefire to focus on helping the people affected by COVID-19.