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By Rjay Zuriaga Castor PHOTO: Panay News A Foodpanda delivery rider was shot dead by a security guard along De Leon Street in Iloilo City on Holy Wednesday, March 31. The victim, identified as Joemar Sanchez of Barangay Bitoon in Jaro district, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. After shooting the FoodPanda rider, the security guard and suspect Argie Solis of Laua-an, Antique, immediately fled the crime scene but was later on intercepted by Laua-an police station personnel in Sibalum, Antique on Wednesday night.  Solis is an employee of Grabato Investigation Risk Management and Security Service, Inc., was assigned to Malayan Bank. Based on the initial investigation, Police Captain Shella Mae Acanto Sangrines, Iloilo City Police Station 1 chief, said the victim went to the bank to deliver a meal pack ordered by an employee. The security guard allegedly got irked when the rider in a yellow-green raincoat placed the "wet" meal pack on top of his log book, wh...

By Jerico Alba PHOTO: CNET While there is already Microsoft Office 365, a subscription-based version of Office that charges for services monthly, users can still enjoy Office without bothering themselves for time-to-time payment, as Microsoft continues to launch subscription-free based Office, with Office 2021 to come later this year. “We also plan to release Office 2021 for personal and small business use later this year. Office 2021 will also be supported for five years with the traditional “one-time purchase” model,” Microsoft stated on their official website. Despite a few initial information available on what would be the new features of the upcoming version, purchase prices will be the same as with Office 2019. “We do not plan to change the price for these products at the time of the release. We will announce more details about new features included in Office 2021 closer to general availability,” Microsoft added. Upon release, Office 2019 had its pricing of $149.99 for the Home a...

By Jed Nykolle Harme There is no doubt that rice porridge or ‘lugaw’ is one of the favorite comfort foods in the Philippines. There are different kinds of porridge in the country. But the thing is, we are just picturing one thing in our minds: a hot bowl of chicken broth, rice, and a slice of acid in the form of calamansi.  Lugaw is a Filipino glutinous rice gruel or porridge. It is traditionally made by regular white rice boiled with excess water. This well-loved food can be paired with various dishes and ingredients. You may not know this, but Lugaw has actually two variants: savory and sweet. SAVORY LUGAW Introduced by Chinese-Filipino migrants, this variant of lugaw is influenced by a similar Chinese dish called congee. It comes in varieties across the country with everyone putting their own touch in preparing it according to their respective local tastes.  Lugaw is traditionally served with toyo, patis, calamansi and is usually paired with meat. The most common of which i...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Yahoo News "Wala pa naman akong nadidinig na ospital na nagsasara. Masasabi mong talo lang 'yan, pag nagsara na ang ospital." This was the response of a medical adviser to the pandemic task force on Wednesday to the recent claim that the Philippines "has already lost the war" against COVID-19. However, National Task Force Against COVID-19 Special Adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa admitted during the Laging Handa Network Briefing that some Metro Manila hospitals are reaching “surge capacity” which prompting referrals to COVID-19 patients to the hospitals outside the National Capital Region (NCR). "And all the doctors and nurses are doing heroic things, trying to take care of more patients more than they can handle. To me, yan ang heroism na dapat nating ipagsabi, hindi yung natalo na,” he said. When asked if the government should extend its re-imposition of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) to the “NCR Plus Bubble,” Hermosa said: “Iyong ECQ,...

Ni Kaela Patricia Gabriel LARAWAN MULA SA: Headlines PH Kinuwestiyon ng ilang mambabatas ang Department of Health (DOH) sa paglalabas nito ng datos ukol sa COVID-19 sapagkat hindi isinasama sa opisyal na bilang ng mga kumpirmadong kaso ang resulta ng antigen tests na nagpositibo. Sa isang House health committee hearing nitong ika-30 ng Marso, nagtaka si Marikina 2nd District Representative Stella Quimbo kung bakit hindi isinasama ng kagawaran sa opisyal na tala  ang mga positibong resulta ng antigen tests. Inamin naman ni Health Secretary Francisco Duque III ang pagkukulang at ipinaliwanag na itinuturing kasing "gold standard of testing" ang swab test o reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). “It’s a gap that we recognize and this will require a policy review as to when the antigen test results will be counted if positive,” ani Duque. Subalit hindi nakuntento ang kongresista sa naging sagot na ito ng kalihim.  “Your admission of a gap is tantamount to also a...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Presidential Communications Malacañang on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte is eyeing the establishment of Vaccine Institute before he steps down from the presidential office on June 30, 2022 to leave a legacy. “What he wants is for the (Department of Budget and Management) to set aside funding for Vaccine Institute so we can manufacture our own vaccine,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said during an online Palace briefing. “He wants to leave it as a legacy: having a Vaccine Institute, para hindi na tayo umaasa sa inaangkat na bakuna [so that we will not depend on imported vaccines]," he added. The Philippines is facing a current surge of COVID-19 infections with 124,680 active cases thus far. The government has also imposed different classifications of quarantine measures in a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, and such lockdown that preventing non-essential trips and services from an operation is still effective in ‘NCR Plus Bubble’ — whi...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: GMA News Malacañang said Monday that an extension of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila and four adjacent provinces will be decided as an absolute last resort amid an upsurge in coronavirus infections. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a media briefing that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will conduct a meeting on April 3, Saturday, to come up with a decision on either the strict quarantine measure will be extended in the NCR Plus areas or not. The government earlier placed Metro Manila together with provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, and Cavite under ECQ in a bid to decrease the surge of cases. “Another week or two weeks of ECQ, ’yun po ay magiging absolute last resort,” Roque said. “Inaasahan po natin na ang isang linggong ECQ at isang linggo ng NCR Plus bubble, kasama ang mask, hugas, iwas, at pagbabahay bahay ng paghahanap ng may sintomas at pinaigting na testing and is...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Presidential Communications President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, who are not actively engaging in coronavirus pandemic response would not be given a priority on the national vaccination program. Duterte said this after he welcomed the 1.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech which are part of the procurements made by the Philippine government. According to Duterte, the vaccines available on hand would be enough for frontline workers. “Let’s be frank. The 1.2 million doses that arrived today will just be enough for the frontliners — the health workers and all those connected with the efforts in fighting COVID,” he said in Filipino. “But, for example, people who are not at all doing work in a hospital or those who are not practitioners, those with businesses, shouldn’t they be considered as civilians? “I would not give [priority] because [COVID-19 res...

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor PHOTO: Inquirer Bandera Netizens rallied on social media with hashtag #DuterteManyak, calling out President Rodrigo Duterte over a viral birthday video showing him trying to touch his house worker who brought him a cake on his 76th birthday.  In a video that made rounds on social media, the President can be seen blowing a candle on top of a cup of rice. As a woman approached him seconds later while holding a sliced cake, Duterte seemingly attempted to touch her lower body, prompting her to quickly move away from the Chief executive's hand. "Having a macho-fascist president has worsened the situation of Filipino women —especially marginalized women in the PH. Duterte once again proved to us that he is the commander-in-chief of misogyny and fascism in the country. As women, we have to fight back! Oust!" said the women's group Gabriela Youth in a statement.  Former PTV-4 host Jules Guiang said the Duterte administration has tolerated a "backwa...

By Deighton Acuin and Archie Villaflores PHOTO: Philippine Daily Inquirer Malacañang took a swipe at a comic strip calling the Philippines the world’s COVID-19 capital, urging the public to watch international news to see other countries were also facing a surge in infected individuals. During an online Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the remark after the online news agency Rappler published a comic strip showing a young girl waking up from a nightmare where the country is called the COVID-19 capital of the world. He said the country is ranked 30th with the most infections. “Hindi po totoo na COVID capital tayo,” Roque said. “Buong mundo po may problema sa new variant, hindi tayo nag-iisa.” “Kinakailangan, ‘wag lang lokal na telebisyon ang panoorin niyo, panoorin niyo rin po ang CNN at ang BBC nang makita niyo na ang dami na ring bansa sa daigdig ngayon ang nagla-lockdown,” Roque added. Citing data from John Hopkins University, the Philippines ranked 30th in...

By Jennylou Canon PHOTO: GMA News Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque slammed government critics’ “crab mentality” over President Duterte’s alleged pretention on being poor during his birthday celebration last March 28, Sunday. Roque said that Duterte did not show extravagance as he kept his birthday celebration at home simple. “I don’t think the President ever pretended to be poor. He has always been known as simple and that’s why he did not have guests on his birthday,” the spokesperson said. He later added that he thinks it is crab mentality as Duterte never pretends and only has simple celebrations. “I think it is crab mentality really for anyone to suggest that the President was pretending. No, the President never pretends. He’s known for his authenticity. He has simple celebrations and I think that what happened to his birthday,” he added. Duterte’s “simple birthday” drew flak online after photos of prepared foods actually included a lechon, as opposed to Bong Go’s picture of t...

Nina Deighton Acuin at Archie Villaflores PHOTO: Inquirer Bandera Para kay Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, walang malisya ang kumakalat na video sa social media ng di umanong panghihipo ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte sa isa niyang kasambahay. “Alam mo naman talagang palabiro ang ating Presidente, pero wala pong malisya ‘yun dahil nakaharap naman po doon si Ma’am Honeylet,”  ani Roque sa kanyang media briefing nitong Lunes. Ito ang winika ni Roque matapos magdaos ng ika-76 kaarawan si Duterte sa kaniyang tahanan sa Davao City noong Linggo, Marso 28. Sa isang birthday dinner, naunang hinipan ng Pangulo ang kandila na nakalagay sa “rice cake.” Matapos nito, isang kasambahay ang lumapit kay Duterte, dala ang isang maliit na birthday cake na may nakatirik na kandila. Anyong hihipuan ni Duterte ang kasambahay ngunit maagap niyang naiwasan ang Pangulo. Gayumpaman, ayon kay Roque, matagal nang kasambahay ng pamilyang Duterte ang babae. “Kung may magrereklamo, dapat iyong kasama niya s...

By Jennylou Canon PHOTO: EcoPinoy Malacañang assured the public on Monday that President Duterte remains healthy to perform his duties and is looking forward to be vaccinated against COVID-19 with Sinopharm’s vaccine. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that even as Duterte turned 76 years old last March 28, he remained healthy and still has a very active calendar. “He’s as healthy as any 76-year-old person could be. He retains to have a very active calendar and he continues to discharge the functions of the presidency at a time of the pandemic,” Roque said. Roque also slammed rumors that Duterte has been vaccinated against COVID-19. “I don’t think so. That’s why he is very keen on having Sinopharm enter the country,” the spokesperson said. Duterte earlier expressed his interest on getting vaccinated with Sinopharm’s COVID-19 vaccine after being advised by his doctor for a suitable vaccine for his age. The Palace then said that the president will wait for Sinopharm’s emergency u...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Sen. Bong Go Malacañang on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte did not pretend to be poor and just showing how simple he is while celebrating his birthday. “The controversy was whether or not supposedly the President pretended to be poor. I don’t think the President ever pretended to be poor,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque told ANC in an interview. “He has always been known as simple and that is why he did not have guests on his birthday,” he added. On Sunday, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go posted in social media photos of Duterte sitting in front of a “rice cake” supposedly purporting that the nation’s highest leader only having a simple birthday feast. Later that day, a social media post went viral because the table was filled with food with a whole “lechon” or roasted pig. However, Roque said the food during Duterte’s birthday ““did not violate any sense of decency.” “There may have been food served for special occasions but that did not violate any...

By Deighton Acuin PHOTO: Philippine Daily Inquirer Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated on Monday the country’s seeming return to “square one” is due to the new variants of COVID-19 and not the government’s response to the pandemic. Roque made the statement after the government placed Metro Manila along with Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) due to a surge of confirmed cases a year into the health emergency. “It’s not because of [the] government. It’s because of the virus, it’s because the virus mutated. There’s now the U.K., South Africa, Brazilian, and even the Philippine variant,” Roque told ABS-CBN News Channel. “Unfortunately, all these variants made the disease more infectious and more transmissible. So I’d like to stress, it’s not just foreign variants. Even the Philippine variant now, that’s something that no one could have done anything about because it’s in the nature of viruses to mutate,” he added. “What we need to do n...

Ni Archie Villaflores LARAWAN MULA SA: Philippine Star “Bakit kaya pinayagan ng Panginoon itong pandemyang ito?” Isa lamang ito sa mga naging pahayag ni Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque noong Sabado nang kaniyang ianunsiyo ang pagsasailalim ng mga lugar sa NCR Plus sa enhanced community quarantine o ECQ kasabay ng Mahal na Araw.  Sa kaniyang press briefing, inamin niyang mas mahirap ang pamumuhay ngayon sa gitna ng pandemiya ngunit ipinagdiinan din niyang hindi lamang ang Pilipinas ang nagdudusa. “Alam ninyo po talagang napakahirap ng buhay dito sa pandemya, at naiintindihan po natin iyan. Pero hindi naman po tayo nag-iisa. Hindi lang naman po Pilipinas ang may ganitong pahirap,” aniya. Hinikayat din niya ang mga Pilipino na mas palalimin ang relasyon sa Diyos sa darating na lingo kung kalian magsisimula ang implementasyon ng mas mahigpit na lockdown.  “Sana po gamitin din natin itong pagkakataon na ito magdasal, magmuni-muni at pag-isipan kung ano talaga ang ating relasy...

By Deighton Acuin, Prences Albis, Sydney Alipao, and Archie Villaflores Photo courtesy from Unified Youth San Joseño In times of coronavirus pandemic, being a volunteer is more crucial now to the society than ever. For you, what does volunteerism mean? An organization in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan held an online seminar tackling the importance of volunteerism and how it can be done by balancing studies and voluntary works. For Samahan ng Kabataang Boluntaryo ng Pilipinas National Auditor Mr. Benedic Tondag, the first speaker of the webinar, you can do any voluntary works if “it is your passion.” He also emphasized that volunteerism would last long and that will not hinder your studies. "You will do whatever you are going to do if it is your passion,” Mr. Tondag told more than 50 Unified Youth San Joseño participants. Meanwhile, for Ambagan PH Education Ambassador Ms. Samantha Gabronino, being a volunteer is like “saving a drowning kid.” “Helping the kid is the right thing to do…K...

By Jed Nykolle Harme While art is typically a form of self-expression, this local artist slams the government’s response to Covid-19 pandemic by creating parody arts to mock certain political issues through his artistic creations.  Jacob Cezar is a visual artist who creates parody arts.  ( Photo courtesy by Jacob Cezar’s Facebook Account.) This Cavite-based visual artist Jacob Cezar geared towards using digital arts to call for a positive Covid-19 response from the government. He uses his artistic parody creations as a platform to raise social awareness.  “Sinasalamin dapat ng sining kung anong nangyayari sa reyalidad sa malikhaing paraan,” Cezar said in an interview with Explained PH.  Photos courtesy by Art Rally MNL Facebook Page Cezar also said that as an artist, art should be an experience associated with responsibility to change communities while imparting knowledge in the arts.  “Kapag ganitong panahon, halos lahat ng tao, art ang kailangan. Para sa enter...