Perspective and Perception--
By: Tony A. San Juan, OCT-Retired
Toronto-Canada
January 2, 2022
Filipinos Lining Up for "Ayuda" or Vaccinations.
NEW YEAR HOPE. 93% of Filipinos or nine in 10 adult Filipinos are hopeful for 2022, according to a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations(SWS). The survey results, released on December 29, 2021, showed that 1,340 or ninety-three percent of the 1,440 respondents said they are entering the New Year “with hope rather than with fear.” The rating is below that of the past 2 years recorded in 2020 at 91% and 96% in pre-Covid 2019“. Only 7% of Filipinos will "welcome 2022 with fear".
The survey also said that hope for the New Year rose to 95% from 90% in Metro Manila, from 92% to 93% in Luzon, from 88% to 90% in the Visayas, and in Mindanao, it remained at 93%. Among elementary graduates, hope for 2022 also went up from 89% to 90%; among junior high school graduates, from 92% to 94%; and among college graduates, from 94% to 98%. Using face-to-face interviews, the survey was conducted from December 12 to 16,2021. ("Hindi pa rin ma-alis ang paniniwala na laging may pag-asa pa rin ang mga kababayan natin, kahit nakakaranas at nahaharap sa mga unos, kalamidad, at masamang nangyayari sa ating paladasaling bansa.")
Filipinos Lining Up for "Ayuda" or Vaccinations.
COVID ORAL PILL. According to the Philippine Department of Health, some 89 hospitals in the country are reported to be using "Molnupiravir", an oral antiviral drug even without EUA or Emergency Use Authorization. These hospitals, said a DOH senior official, is "using the drug under compassionate special permit" by the Food and Drug Administration( FDA). Molnupiravir (MK-4482, EIDD-2801), is described as a "game-changer" and the "pill can prevent severe cases of COVID 19 with 50% efficacy", based on clinical trials.
Merck's Molnupiravir Anti-Viral Pill
The drug has been authorized for use in U.K. and is being developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics "for the treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults with a positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test and who are at high risk." Meanwhile, on December 22, 2021. the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. granted emergency authorization to Pfizer’s antiviral pill, "Paxlovid". The highly anticipated Covid pill is still under review in Canada, according to news reports. ( "Sana naman ay magkaroon ng generic nito sa bansa natin na maaaring maabot kaya ng mga kababayang Filipino ang presyo ng ganitong gamot para sa kalusugan at maka-iwas Covid ang lahat, ano!")
RICHEST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
Seal of the Province of Cebu
QUEZON CITY HALL
SEAL OF LIMAY, BATAAN
Amid the pandemic, the country’s provinces, cities, and municipalities have registered Php billions in net assets, according to the 2020 annual financial report on local governments released by the Commission on Audit (COA) in December 2021. The richest province in 2020 was Cebu with P208.27 billion in net assets followed by 9 other wealthiest provinces such as Batangas with P81.56 billion; Rizal, P20.97 billion; Davao de Oro, P18.75 billion; Bukidnon, P16.73 billion; Surigao del Norte, P13.19 billion; Isabela, P12.51 billion; Cavite, P12.42 billion; Leyte, P12 billion; and Iloilo, P11.2 billion. The richest city was Quezon City with net assets of P421.92 billion with liabilities at P30.403 billion. Ranked behind Quezon City were Makati City with P220.31 billion worth of net assets; Manila, P52.044 billion; Pasig City, P42.73 billion; Mandaue City, P31.3 billion; Cebu City, P17.68 billion; Zamboanga City, P17.61 billion; Taguig City, P16.37 billion; Davao City, P16.21 billion; and Caloocan City, P11.83 billion. Limay, Bataan, was the richest municipality with P4.173 billion.The report also identified nine other wealthiest municipalities as Caluya, Antique, with P2.74 billion; Taytay, Rizal, with P2.43 billion; Cainta, Rizal, with P2.38 billion; Binangonan, Rizal, with P2.17 billion; Silang, Cavite, with P2.147 billion but with total liabilities of P2.09 billion.; Claver, Surigao del Norte, with P2.144 billion; Carmona, Cavite, with P2.13 billion; Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur, with P1.74 billion; and Pilar, Abra, with P1.68 billion.( "Nakakalungkot naman, dahil ang probinsiya ko ay laging sa hulihan at wala man lang sa bilang na nasa pitong-po ng 81 probinsiya ng Filipinas. Ang dahilan kasi, ang Bikol ay buwan-buwan dinadaan ng bagyo. Naku po!")
MANILA BRIDGE PROJECT. The Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways said that the "completion of the Binondo-Intramuros bridge project in Manila has been pushed back to the first half of 2022." Initially planned for completion by the end of 2021, the Php 3.3-billion China-funded bridge project, now at 88.63 percent finish is delayed to relocate public and private services and utilities and the delivery of Chinese-made pre-fabricated steel materials.
The 88% -Complete Intramuros-Binondo Bridge in Manila
Considered as one of the flagship infrastructure projects under the "Build Build Build" program, the 680-meter bridge project is expected to cut travel time between Intramuros at Solana Street & Riverside Drive and Binondo at Rentas Street/Plaza del Conde Street and Muelle de la Industria as well as benefit approximately 30,000 vehicles daily. ("Kaunting panahon at tiis na lamang, magiging maginhawa na sa mga motorista natin para hindi na ii-kot at dadaan pa sa ma-trapik ng mga tulay ng South-North Harbor, Jones( Escolta), at MacArthur( Sta. Cruz)". ( Tony A. San Juan, OCT-Retired).
Isang Masagana at Maluwalhating
Bagong Taon Sa Lahat!
GLIMPSES OF SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PHILIPPINES, Nr. 21
Toronto-Canada
January 2, 2022
Filipinos Lining Up for "Ayuda" or Vaccinations.
NEW YEAR HOPE. 93% of Filipinos or nine in 10 adult Filipinos are hopeful for 2022, according to a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations(SWS). The survey results, released on December 29, 2021, showed that 1,340 or ninety-three percent of the 1,440 respondents said they are entering the New Year “with hope rather than with fear.” The rating is below that of the past 2 years recorded in 2020 at 91% and 96% in pre-Covid 2019“. Only 7% of Filipinos will "welcome 2022 with fear".
The survey also said that hope for the New Year rose to 95% from 90% in Metro Manila, from 92% to 93% in Luzon, from 88% to 90% in the Visayas, and in Mindanao, it remained at 93%. Among elementary graduates, hope for 2022 also went up from 89% to 90%; among junior high school graduates, from 92% to 94%; and among college graduates, from 94% to 98%. Using face-to-face interviews, the survey was conducted from December 12 to 16,2021. ("Hindi pa rin ma-alis ang paniniwala na laging may pag-asa pa rin ang mga kababayan natin, kahit nakakaranas at nahaharap sa mga unos, kalamidad, at masamang nangyayari sa ating paladasaling bansa.")
Filipinos Lining Up for "Ayuda" or Vaccinations.
COVID ORAL PILL. According to the Philippine Department of Health, some 89 hospitals in the country are reported to be using "Molnupiravir", an oral antiviral drug even without EUA or Emergency Use Authorization. These hospitals, said a DOH senior official, is "using the drug under compassionate special permit" by the Food and Drug Administration( FDA). Molnupiravir (MK-4482, EIDD-2801), is described as a "game-changer" and the "pill can prevent severe cases of COVID 19 with 50% efficacy", based on clinical trials.
Merck's Molnupiravir Anti-Viral Pill
The drug has been authorized for use in U.K. and is being developed by Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics "for the treatment of mild to moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults with a positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test and who are at high risk." Meanwhile, on December 22, 2021. the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. granted emergency authorization to Pfizer’s antiviral pill, "Paxlovid". The highly anticipated Covid pill is still under review in Canada, according to news reports. ( "Sana naman ay magkaroon ng generic nito sa bansa natin na maaaring maabot kaya ng mga kababayang Filipino ang presyo ng ganitong gamot para sa kalusugan at maka-iwas Covid ang lahat, ano!")
RICHEST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
Seal of the Province of Cebu
QUEZON CITY HALL
SEAL OF LIMAY, BATAAN
Amid the pandemic, the country’s provinces, cities, and municipalities have registered Php billions in net assets, according to the 2020 annual financial report on local governments released by the Commission on Audit (COA) in December 2021. The richest province in 2020 was Cebu with P208.27 billion in net assets followed by 9 other wealthiest provinces such as Batangas with P81.56 billion; Rizal, P20.97 billion; Davao de Oro, P18.75 billion; Bukidnon, P16.73 billion; Surigao del Norte, P13.19 billion; Isabela, P12.51 billion; Cavite, P12.42 billion; Leyte, P12 billion; and Iloilo, P11.2 billion. The richest city was Quezon City with net assets of P421.92 billion with liabilities at P30.403 billion. Ranked behind Quezon City were Makati City with P220.31 billion worth of net assets; Manila, P52.044 billion; Pasig City, P42.73 billion; Mandaue City, P31.3 billion; Cebu City, P17.68 billion; Zamboanga City, P17.61 billion; Taguig City, P16.37 billion; Davao City, P16.21 billion; and Caloocan City, P11.83 billion. Limay, Bataan, was the richest municipality with P4.173 billion.The report also identified nine other wealthiest municipalities as Caluya, Antique, with P2.74 billion; Taytay, Rizal, with P2.43 billion; Cainta, Rizal, with P2.38 billion; Binangonan, Rizal, with P2.17 billion; Silang, Cavite, with P2.147 billion but with total liabilities of P2.09 billion.; Claver, Surigao del Norte, with P2.144 billion; Carmona, Cavite, with P2.13 billion; Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur, with P1.74 billion; and Pilar, Abra, with P1.68 billion.( "Nakakalungkot naman, dahil ang probinsiya ko ay laging sa hulihan at wala man lang sa bilang na nasa pitong-po ng 81 probinsiya ng Filipinas. Ang dahilan kasi, ang Bikol ay buwan-buwan dinadaan ng bagyo. Naku po!")
MANILA BRIDGE PROJECT. The Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways said that the "completion of the Binondo-Intramuros bridge project in Manila has been pushed back to the first half of 2022." Initially planned for completion by the end of 2021, the Php 3.3-billion China-funded bridge project, now at 88.63 percent finish is delayed to relocate public and private services and utilities and the delivery of Chinese-made pre-fabricated steel materials.
The 88% -Complete Intramuros-Binondo Bridge in Manila
Considered as one of the flagship infrastructure projects under the "Build Build Build" program, the 680-meter bridge project is expected to cut travel time between Intramuros at Solana Street & Riverside Drive and Binondo at Rentas Street/Plaza del Conde Street and Muelle de la Industria as well as benefit approximately 30,000 vehicles daily. ("Kaunting panahon at tiis na lamang, magiging maginhawa na sa mga motorista natin para hindi na ii-kot at dadaan pa sa ma-trapik ng mga tulay ng South-North Harbor, Jones( Escolta), at MacArthur( Sta. Cruz)". ( Tony A. San Juan, OCT-Retired).
Isang Masagana at Maluwalhating
Bagong Taon Sa Lahat!