Over 15,000 people from the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila lost their jobs during the stretch of heightened restrictions in the area from March 22 to April 11, 2021 as a result of the surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases.
Published April 13, 2021, 12:08 AM
The quiet general, who was the source of his troops’ quiet confidence in battle, that was what Crispulo Julio “Jun” Icban, Jr. meant to the Manila Bulletin reporters.
Now that the “general” is gone, MB reporters can’t help but reflect on how their beloved “Sir Icban” made them believe that they were each extraordinary, even if all one did was perform a job.
“Reporters, like a normal person, have insecurities. For a bunch of reasons, I sometimes feel limited or not as good when compared to my colleagues from other media outfits,” said Ellson Quismorio, an MB reporter since August 2003.
(Mark Balmores / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“That is true (no data to prove that COVID-19 cases have increased in the work place),” Bello said in response to a reporter query during Wednesday, March 17’s weekly virtual press briefing.
“Kasi so far wala naman kami natatanggap na report (Because so far, we haven’t received reports) both from the employers and the workers na yung (that the) incident of contamination or transmission is rising in the work place,” he noted.
Bello claimed that the implementation of health protocols in local workplaces have been strict.
“You know of course that our inspectors, especially our occupational safety and health inspectors are very industrious in inspecting these business establishments to see to it that these protocols are strictly complied with.”
(Photo via Ellson Quismorio)
Bello made the announcement during the agency’s weekly virtual press briefing that same day, as he bared that three DOLE employees had just tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The Cabinet official said he underwent a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test and the result came out negative.
DOLE Information and Publication Service (IPS) Director Rolly Francia’s test also turned out negative.
Bello said some offices within DOLE would reopen on Friday in order to render service to the public.
The sudden lockdown changed the set-up of the weekly presser, which in effect clued the reporters in that something was amiss.
"Vintage shopping" the selling and buying of second-hand clothes has gone digital. Used, thrifted clothes are being sold in the online space, with the advent of delivery services facilitating "ukay-ukay" shopping like never before, even during a restrictive pandemic.