Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez (File photo) MANILA - The mock polls conducted in Metro Manila and several provinces in preparation for the 2022 national and local elections were successful, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said many people have participated in the activity which simulated the election process from voting to canvassing. "In general, coming from the rest of the mock election areas, the election.the mock elections were actually a success," he said in a press briefing after the activity on Wednesday. He said the mock polls held in huge areas "have a very high turnout". "In fact, in most places, we have a 100 percent turnout versus our expected number of voters, so I think that the exercise itself was very well run," he added. He, however, noticed some concerns particularly in the implementation of health protocols against Covid-19 pandemic. "There are still lingering concerns
(File photo) MANILA - Malacanang on Wednesday enjoined local government units (LGUs) to impose granular or localized lockdowns in areas with an uptick in Covid-19 cases to prevent infections from again reaching an alarming level. Acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, said President Rodrigo Duterte and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) are concerned about the surge in infections, noting LGUs should step up in efforts to control the movement of people. "Of course, we are getting worried, at dapat lang! Kaya ang panawagan (and we should! That is why our appeal is (sad) LGUs please enforce. Kapag may tumataas ang bilang ng kaso, granular lockdown. Hindi po nawala sa equation ang granular lockdown (If there is a rise in cases, granular lockdown. Granular lockdowns should not be erased from the equation)," he said in a Palace press briefing. Nograles emphasized that it is the "responsibility&
(File photo) MANILA - A party-list lawmaker on Monday said local government units (LGUs) with online vaccination registration should no longer require old registrants to sign-up and schedule their booster shots. BHW Party-list Representative Angelica Natasha Co said the database should have the information of those who have already received their primary doses. Co said LGUs should either allow all those previously registered to walk in at the vaccination centers or provide separate lanes for walk-ins and newly-registered. "Bakit kailangan pang mag-register ulit online para sa booster shots ang mga nakatapos na ng primary doses? 'Di ba nakasaad naman sa database kung sino-sino ang mga nakatapos na sa primary doses? (Why do they need to register again online for booster shots when they are already done with their primary doses? Is the information on those who completed their primary doses not indicated in the database?)," she said. She said the Department of Health and LGU
SHORTER INTERVAL. Secretary Francisco Duque III speaks during the NTF and IATF visit to a vaccination site in Subic, Zambales on Thursday (Dec. 16, 2021). Duque said the vaccine experts panel will officially recommend the shortening of administration interval between primary doses and booster shots. (Photo courtesy of NTF against Covid-19) MANILA - The country's vaccine experts panel will officially recommend the administration of booster dose three months after receiving the second dose amid the threat of the Omicron coronavirus variant, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday. "I already spoke to the head of the vaccine expert panel, her name is Dr. Nina Gloriani. Yesterday, she told me that they will officially recommend a three-month interval between the booster and the second dose," Duque said in a media interview during a vaccination event in Subic, Zambales. Duque said this would be applied to all Covid-19 vaccine brands that were app
Philippine Army (PA) chief, Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (Photo courtesy of Philippine Army) MANILA - Philippine Army (PA) chief, Maj. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. vowed to enhance the competencies and skills of Filipino troops to ensure that they are well-trained, equipped, and prepared for the challenges of fighting the "enemies of the state" and protecting the people. During his assumption as the new Army chief at the PA headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Friday, Brawner pledged to provide the necessary resources to units in the field all over the country so that they are capacitated to do their assigned tasks effectively and efficiently. He also vowed to continue the programs and accomplishments, implemented by his predecessor, Lt. Gen. Andres Centino, now the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff. "It is imperative that we pursue this thrust so that we be able to accomplish the mission that was ordered by no less than the Commander-in-Chief (Pres