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  • GSIS urges pensioners to transact online

    GSIS urges pensioners to transact online

    State pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is urging pensioners to do their transactions online such as compliance with the online Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation (APIR) and loan applications to protect them from COVID-19 infection.

    “Kaligtasan, kalusugan, at kaginhawaan ng aming pensioners ang priority ng GSIS lalo na ngayong may pandemya. Since last year, we have put in place online methods of transacting with us so that our pensioners need not leave their homes and do it any time, any day,” GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet announced.

    The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) also issued Resolution No. 100 directing “pension-issuing agencies to adopt alternative modes of validation for senior citizen pensioners in lieu of personal appearances or submission of documents” starting March 1 especially with the various COVID-19 variants’ entry into the country.

    GSIS pensioners must renew their active status by complying with APIR on their birth month to ensure the continuous receipt of their pension and if applicable, the grant of milestone benefits and their availment of the Enhanced Pension Loan. Through APIR, only qualified pensioners are paid the monthly pension, safeguarding the viability of the fund in the process.

    “Magpadala lang po kayo ng text o email request sa inyong GSIS handling branch para sa online APIR schedule kung nasa Pilipinas kayo. Para sa mga nasa abroad, magpadala ng request sa email address na pensionglobal@gsis.gov.ph o sa GSIS Skype Appointment System na nasa aming website,” explained PGM Macasaet in lieu of personally going to any GSIS office or using the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosk.

    Those who were previously being home-visited yearly due to advanced age (80 years old and above), sickness, disability, or other health issues affecting their mobility must now request their online APIR schedule through email or text to eliminate the risk for both GSIS pensioners and employees.

  • President Duterte thanks China for recent COVID-19 vaccine donation

    President Duterte thanks China for recent COVID-19 vaccine donation

    President Rodrigo Roa Duterte welcomed the arrival Friday of one million doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine donated by the Chinese government, thanking the Asian giant for an effort, which he said would greatly help government’s fight against the coronavirus.

    Witnessing the arrival via video teleconference in Davao City, President Duterte thanked China saying: “My deepest gratitude goes to China for the various COVID-19 assistance extended in the past, including the donation of vital medical supplies and equipment and the provision of technical support on COVID-19 response”.

    “These initiatives are indeed a testament of the goodwill of the Chinese government and the deep strong relations between the Philippines and China. These additional doses will definitely boost our efforts to ramp up our vaccination rollout and allow us to achieve herd immunity soon.”

    President Duterte also expressed his gratitude to vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and their institutional partners for securing a steady vaccine supply to the country.

    At the same time, he recognized the contributions of the Filipino frontliners here and abroad since the beginning of the pandemic, thanking them for their selflessness in caring for the sick during the health emergency.

    The President said his government will do its best to protect and incentivize the country’s frontliners for their hard work, vowing to always back them.

    Renewing his appeal to the public to get immunized, the President said the vaccines will only work if people take them.

    “I encourage all Filipinos to get inoculated once your turn comes. Do not waste precious time as every single day is a risk for you and your loved ones,” he said.

    And as the government continues its vaccination drive, the President once again urged Filipinos to keep observing the minimum public health standards even after they get the jab.

    The President made an assurance that his administration is exerting all efforts and will continue to use all available resources to end the pandemic.

    “Join us in our collaborative action in beating this pandemic through vaccination and the strict observance of health protocols,” he stressed.

    The Chinese donation arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City via a Philippine Airlines (PAL) chartered flight.

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Sinopharm vaccine emergency use authorization (EUA) in June this year, making it the seventh vaccine brand to be given an EUA in the Philippines.

    The country expects to receive around 22.7 million doses of COVID-19 jabs from different manufacturers for the month of August.

  • BI ready to implement extension of travel ban to 10 countries

    BI ready to implement extension of travel ban to 10 countries

    The Bureau of Immigration (BI) announced that they will be implementing the extended travel restriction from passengers coming from 10 countries.

    In an advisory, BI Commissioner Jaime Morente stated that, in compliance with a resolution from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID), the travel restrictions set for passengers coming from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia have been extended beginning Monday, August 16 until August 31.

    In the said restriction, aliens coming from the 10 countries, as well as those who have been there 14 days prior to their arrival in the Philippines, shall temporarily be barred entry.

    “We have circulated the resolution to the airlines and other stakeholders,” said Morente. “Airlines have been instructed not to board those coming from the said countries,” he added.

    BI Port Operations Division Chief Atty. Carlos Capulong clarified that arriving Filipinos, under repatriation programs, may be allowed entry but shall be referred to the airport’s One Stop Shop to undergo an absolute 14-day facility based quarantine, apart from securing a negative RT-PCR result.

    On the other hand, passengers who transited or had a mere layover at the 10 countries, are not covered by the extended ban.

  • Philippines Logs 1,960 New COVID-19 Cases – DOH

    Philippines Logs 1,960 New COVID-19 Cases – DOH

    The Department of Health (DOH) announced that 1,960 additional coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections were logged in the country base don its case bulletin on Saturday, February 13, 2021.

    The new number cases raised the Philippines’ total COVID-19 tally to 547,255, with 6.4 per cent, or about 34,967 in active status.

    Of the active Covid-19 cases, the DOH said 86.3 per cent of these are considered mild cases, 8.7 per cent are asymptomatic, 2.3 per cent are critical, 2,2 per cent are severe, and 0.64 per cent are moderate.

    However, the DOH said 12 new deaths brought the country’s death toll to 11,507.

    The country has enough Covid-19 facilities according to the bulletin with 61-per cent availability for the intensive care unit beds, isolation beds have 67-per cent capacity, ward beds have 78-per cent availability, while 79 per cent of ventilators are still available.

    The DOH continuously reminds the public to strictly follow the imposed minimum health safety protocols to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in the country. 

    IATF Allows Reopening of Cinemas, MICE Centers

    Meanwhile, the inter-agency task force leading the country’s COVID-19 response has allowed more industries to reopen or expand their operations soon, Malacañang said on Friday, as authorities sought to boost the pandemic-battered economy. 

    The IATF, in its Thursday meeting, authorized “the reopening and further expansion” of the following industries in areas under general community quarantine or GCQ, said Palace spokesman Harry Roque. 

    • Driving schools
    • Traditional cinemas
    • Video and interactive game arcades
    • Libraries, archives, museums, cultural centers
    • Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions
    • Limited social events at accredited establishments of the Department of Tourism 
    • Limited tourist attractions, such as parks, theme parks, natural sites and historical landmarks 

    This will be subject to final guidelines that will be issued by the health department and local governments, Roque said in a televised public briefing.

    Sinovac Vaccine Arriving on February 23

    Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr announced in his press briefing today, February 11, that the vaccine from Sinovac will arrive in the Philippines on February 23.

    “Ang bakuna po na Sinovac, galing naman po sa China, nakaukit na po sa bato ang pagdating. Ito po ay abente-tres ng Pebrero, 23 February darating po ang Sinovac, 600,000 pero ang 100,000 po ay donasyon ng Tsina para po sa kasundaluhan sa Department of National Defense,” said Secretary Roque.

    Secretary Roque explained that while the vaccines from COVAX Facility are expected any time this month, the Philippine government has no control as to when is the exact date that COVAX will send the vaccines. 

    “Hindi po natin kontrolado yan dahil sila po talaga ang magdedesisyon kung kailan nila ipalalabas ang mga bakuna,” said Secretary Roque.

    With regard to the Pfizer vaccine, the Palace spokesperson said that the first batch of Pfizer vaccines will be coming from Belgium where it is being manufactured. 

    Sec. Roque said that as soon as the shipment of these vaccines are ready, it will be shipped from Brussels to London, then London to Manila by the country’s national carrier.

    Aside from the arrival of the Sinovac vaccine, Sec. Roque also announced that the Philippine Food and Drug Administration has issued a compassionate use license for 10,000 doses of the vaccine from Sinopharm for the use of the Presidential Security Group (PSG). – BusinessNews.ph

  • Malacanang Expands List of Foreign Nationals Allowed to Enter Philippines

    Malacanang Expands List of Foreign Nationals Allowed to Enter Philippines

    METRO MANILA – The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) now allows the entry to the Philippines of foreign nationals with visas issued as of March 20, 2020, and still valid and existing at the time of entry, and who were not permitted to enter the country under previous IATF resolutions.

    Also allowed to enter the Philippines are holders of valid and existing Special Resident and Retirees Visa (SRRV) and Section 9 (A) visas as long as they present an entry exemption document to the Bureau of Immigration upon arrival.




    This shall take effect on February 16, 2021 and shall be subject to the following conditions:

    • foreign nationals with pre-booked accommodation for at least six (6) nights in an accredited quarantine hotel/facility;
    • foreign nationals subject to COVID-19 testing at the quarantine hotel/facility on the 6th day from date of arrival;
    • foreign nationals subject to the maximum capacity of inbound passengers at the port and date of entry.

    This expanded list, however, is without prejudice to existing immigration laws, rules and regulations. The Commissioner of Immigration has the exclusive prerogative to decide on waiver or recall of exclusion orders for all foreign nationals allowed to enter the country under relevant IATF resolutions.

    Also adopted was the resolution of the Interim National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (iNITAG) and the DOH Technical Advisory Group (DOH-TAG) containing the following key points, namely, prioritization framework for national, local, and private distribution; prioritization criteria for Priority Group A1; recommendations on the criteria for allocation of the first batch of Pfizer BioNTech; recommendations on health profiling, screening and informed consent in the patient pathway; and recommendations on vaccination cards.
    Priority Group A1 includes frontline workers in national and local, private and public health facilities, health professionals and non-professionals, such as students, nursing aides, janitors, barangay health workers, etc.

    The National Task Force, through its Vaccine Cluster Task Group on COVID-19 Immunization Program, is directed to issue the corresponding operational guidelines, for later release. – BusinessNews.ph

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