Stokkevn

Try the attached link for PNB branch opening times, seems to be updated relatively early each morning.

https://www.pnb.com.ph/index.php/pnb-open-branches

Raffin

Thanks,.. but the list shows two branches which were closed yesterday.. one of them has definitely been closed for at least three weeks! It lists another which had a notice saying it was closing on April 20. And it doesn't list the one local branch to us which was open. Luckily we won't need to go again for some time.

Stokkevn

Pity about that, I use BPI and their list ( at least for our local banks ) seems pretty accurate.

Stokkevn

Agree about the alcohol ban but in Iloilo they did lift the ban and 12 hrs later reinstalled it due to the amount of drunks not obeying the lockdown rules. If they had never banned it, it would have been less of a problem. Wife has a friend of a friend who has a relative who works in the local San Miguel warehouse so hopefully after dark nudge nudge wink wink - no problem sir, when required.

The Philippines must be one of the countries in the world with the most experience with respect to distributing aid ( typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions etc ) but every disaster turns into an aid disaster as they don't know who should get it, when, how much and why. Our local barangay captain's son got his P6,000 despite having an OFW wife and himself still working in BPO, his cousin who scratches a living in the jungle with half a dozen chickens and picking and selling a few jungle weeds/vegetables apparently does not qualify for any financial assistance.

Gazza-d

My wife's young single mother neice didn't get it because she is related to my wife who is rich because she's married to me.

Raffin

My in Laws didn't get anything as they're getting money on the 4Ps programme. But they only get 1,500 every two months!

To be fair the DSWD are facing a distribution on a far larger scale than the usual typhoon, earthquake etc. But instead of concentrating on lockdown enforcement the government should by now have started to help by opening up many small businesses and occupations.

We needed a new car battery the other day. I can understand why the large establishments should remain closed, but not the small shops. That goes for all the other auto shops too.

People here in the NCR will now be looking forward to May 15, but I don't think they should expect the relaxation proposed for General Quarantine Areas if cases are still increasing by then.

I think the number of poor here, however defined, will greatly increase long term as a result of how these lockdowns are being operated.

RedApe

"The Philippines halted all inbound passenger flights for a week starting yesterday to free up space in quarantine centres filled with thousands of migrant workers who have come home during the coronavirus pandemic.Millions of Filipinos work abroad, with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Singapore and Qatar among the most popular destinations.

Some 24,000 have already returned home, many after losing their jobs as the global economy screeches to a halt because of the virus.

Those returning are required to complete a 14-day quarantine at centres built or re-purposed by the government that are now filled to capacity.

“The new flight restriction… will be implemented for one week to give the government the opportunity to decongest the quarantine facilities in Metro Manila,” government official Carlito Galvez said."

https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/0...ntine-centres/

Stokkevn

Apart from the obvious disaster that this virus is causing there are some positives. The air quality has improved immensely and is very obvious even where I live in a village on the edge of the jungle 400km from Manila, where I thought we were not that effected by air polution. The other positive is that since mid March I have not heard songs being murdered on karaoke machines late into the night, or at any other time of the day come to that. Other positive is that the local beer shop opened yesterday so life is back to normal.

Raffin

Also....driving around town very relaxing and you can park almost anywhere....although you need to watch out for speed merchants.

But I think the major positive, if you follow it, comes from watching the news coverage of people who have succumbed to the virus. Many front liners, some personalities and some well before their time. For a while at least it should make you appreciate your life and health much more.

Bealinehx

Well the news coverage is now much less than it was with the closedown of ABS-CBN

Raffin

Yes..many here rely on it.

We're in a select group of countries where the opportunity has has been taken to reduce the news coverage of problems with Covid-19 associated policies, settle old scores and
implement other policies and actions when domestic and international attention is elsewhere.

Bealinehx

At last I can enjoy a G&T with a slice and ice this evening.
Went to my local supermarket this morning and discovered that the liquor ban has ended in Marikina. The tricycles are also back in action so some sort of normality is beginning to return.
Credit where credit is due I think that the authorities have done a splendid job in educating the populace. Now that the daily new COVID-19 cases is hovering around the low 200's time to move forward with caution. Unlike their former colonial masters.

Raffin

A fair assessment also of the situation in our part of Metro Manila. Though still a liquor ban and just a few tricycles going around. Good many smaller shops have been allowed to open at last. But if you see the reporting you learn that there are a number of residential areas here where testing is finding a worrying number of infections. Those areas are undergoing more restrictions and testing. But people living in those areas want to head to the reopened malls and so the precautions in those are really necessary. Unless they are stopped from going out, which is the case in one area of Pasay where I am reliably informed that only one person in each household can be named on a pass.to exit the barangay.. Where we live it is two and there is no problem both of us going out of the subdivision.

New Covid cases are steady at around 200 a day for the country as a whole, with most in the NCR. Hopefully more targeted testing will help to control the outbreak, but that will be difficult as the numbers so far tested nationally is only about 200,000.

mikemike

''Unless they are stopped from going out, which is the case in one area of Pasay where I am reliably informed that only one person in each household can be named on a pass.to exit the barangay.. '' not just pasay, same in ls pinas

Raffin

Looks like the Paranaque pass was meant for one ...the space ion the pass is for "Name". But my wife and I are both on it . Suspect there is some exception being made as we are in a satellite village contained in a high end subdivision. Cars exiting the three gates we need to pass through to the main road often have one or more passengers ...with no checks made from day 1 in March. Because where we live is unlikely to be a virus hot spot? Or influence of the rich occupants of the containing village? But the larger groceries in the city do only allow one of us in at a time.
My contact in Pasay also said that she could get out on payment of P5,000! To whom she didn't say.