Raffin

https://www.cnn.ph/news/2020/5/26/lt...motorists.html

This additional guidance from the LTO came out in May. You will see it required mask wearing while driving. I saw that at the time time and was very surprised. I didn't see any media coverage. But while they did stop and maybe fine some motorists who were outside their residence for no acceptable reason I didn't hear of anyone done for not wearing a mask while driving. I would think because they soon realised they couldn't subject rich people in their SUVs etc to that ridiculous rule. But poor,young motorcyclists are fair game, even though just two passengers, out in the open, no AC to circulate virus. Also car occupants can often be from mixed households.

The poor really getting a bad deal generally here these days and especially on transport. They are necessary to get the economy back and can't work from home. Will GMA cover their problems? Researching the ownership of the second, now first, free to air TV channel, it turns up that the founders, though now retired, were linked to the first President that terminated ABS-CBN.

Raffin

Someone pointed out the patient data says there are 357 critical and severe COVID patients whereas the hospital data implies there are 560 patients in COVID ICU beds and 450 ventilators for COVID are being used.
Hmm?

PS Facebook link doesn't show for some reason. Just search for DOH COVID case bulletin #119.

Raffin

The hospital information on ICUs and ventilators is missing from the next DOH COVID-19 case bulletin, #120, which can again be found on Facebook. You now have to do a calculation to find the number of severe and critical patients comes to 271, Whereas the previous day's bulletin reported 357! So think their figures will always need to be taken with a large pinch of salt.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news...rd-high/story/

The latest recovery statistics are headlined. Are they all fully recovered anyway? Think the public would be more interested in the positive cases and hospital data. And better they just publish the statistics without headlines. Gives me the impression things are not going well but they want the public to think otherwise.

Raffin

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se...navirus-surges

According to this Straits Times article Navotas is now back in the upward case trend list and gets a new lockdown.. But the DOH placed it in the list of those areas doing well less than a week ago! The mayor blames the population for "flouting social distancing rules". Maybe true. But they also went back to work in the last three weeks. Jobs related to fishing, the port etc.

This article also reports another data muddle, this time.over COVID deaths.. Although the DOH yesterday reported 162 additional, not the 227 as this article states. Anyway, the recent daily average was only about 10. The DOH under-secretary says nearly all the extra late deaths were due to a "data reconciliation". Some occurred last month.

Bealinehx

With trends of new cases not following most of the world are you surprised that the published data is spurious.

Raffin

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news..._picks&order=4

PNP playing this two ways. Jul 19 is the deadline!! But the many thousands who won't have one of the two approved barriers installed by then will just get a warning. Allow extra time from Monday! There's just one plus for this crazy policy if it does push through. It will be good business for welding ,aluminium shops, handymen etc. The inventor of the cheaper option,the IloIlo governor, has said he will make the specifications freely available.

Raffin

ABS-CBN have analyzed DOH data on COVID test delays:

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/15/...-equipment-doh

Testing time for the most used test is recommended by the WHO to be 24 hours to effectively control spread, contact trace. Some months ago The Philippines reported an average of just over 2 days but looking at the backlog graph the average now must be many days. Most of it at the RITM in the NCR and a lab in IloIlo City...two areas where the virus is spreading fast.

Gazza-d

We had our swab tests done today, I think a pineapple up the rear would be more comfortable than that q-tip up the nose. We were quoted 2-3 days and results by email. This was San Fernando Pampanga.

Raffin

Testing times..COVID ,,,,,,and Vehicle emission tests. In our area of South MM there are few LTOs and our local one in Paranaque has been closed for some weeks due to many staff there down with the virus, The Las Pinas LTO says their tests are cut off until August 17. Couldn't get a clear answer on what they are doing there in the meantime. Think some of the tests are reserved for public transport vehicles. No clear guidance there from the staff.....think they are finding it all a bit embarrassing. A lone ramshackle private testing station nearby is operating by appointment only and we were told we can make one next week. But judging by all the people waiting there at 7am I am not optimistic it will be for this month, All the time the late fees are clocking up after two and a half months. They shouldn't apply them..let's see. Only one good thing from our visits is that I got the 3rd party insurance and maybe some of you are like me and forgot it does expire.You won't be covered in that case.

Researching this you find complaints have been made from early June. Some bikers have been lining up at midnight to get a test next day! A lawmaker from CDO has raised the issue recently and suggested emissions tests are suspended for the rest of the year. But it looks like the LTO is focused on making bikers install a bit of perspex while other politicians are busy with closing down media, anti terror legislation and filing cases for libel.

Raffin

As the Philippines takes the number 1 position for SE Asian COVID cases we will see more reports like this on international TV:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/...184411472.html

Going for dramatic video in places like Navotas. But Wikipedia refers to a 2018 report estimating the population living in slums in MM at about 4m. I recall reading an article which said there were 50 slums here. Some are large and famous, like Tondo, but they are in most cities and vary in size., Even in Quezon City and Makati. You wouldn't know about them if you only visit the glittering malls. Small pockets where people sleep also abound...you only see them if you walk around. Near where we live we saw a few people living inside a tunnel carrying a water course under the NAIA road. You would never have guessed they were there every time you pass in the car..Then up from them are the many densely populated subdivisions and residential areas. Adding to the potential for virus spread are the many tight workplaces you see all over. One example...all those small police stations. No wonder the PNP has a lot of cases.

Raffin

A page from the latest DOH COVID 19 case bulletin #126 to be found on Facebook. It shows the current case doubling time at eight and a half days, On June 1 it was just over six. Underneath it says "Faring Better"! But official case numbers in early June were about 20,000 and now they're well over 60,000. So a doubling time of over 8 days now is much more serious.than one of 6 days back in June in terms of added infections. Just a lower rate of growth. Someone was asked to find something positive to show and this was all they could find.

Raffin

Always good to see some figures supporting what you already suspected:

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news...-pinoys/story/

Filipinos tend to be tagged "pasaway" when they are subject to rules which are unnecessary, difficult to conform to and possibly a danger.. Like those on motorcycle backriding. There is still just under a week to go before D Day but already the police are down on riders not having the marriage certs, from different households and with no approved barrier:

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/130897...pillion-riding

More to get entangled with if you have an accident:

https://philnews.ph/2020/07/18/motor...na-gusto-niyo/

Have done some driving around Paranaque and Las Pinas lately. Few backriders to be seen...of those most with no barrier, one holding a piece of perspex and one a piece of hardboard. Just two had something that looked like the required design, although one of those used clingfilm rather than perspex. I think most will conform to these rules by not backriding at all, adding to the already bad situation for commuting and getting about generally.

Raffin

As on cue we have this:

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/...043227920.html

Although the Philippines has one of the highest conformity rates worldwide (according to a respected UK polling organisation) this reaction is not a surprise given the military character of the chief executive and his anti Covid campaign. Just waiting for news of people who are not of sound mind etc being dragged off to police stations. The effort to get that extra 10% compliance will make little difference given the unique nature of Manila in this country.....a large,.densely populated urban area where even in a half opened up economic state appropriate social distancing is often very difficult

It seems that the long Manila lockdown was not capitalized on and the virus horse has already bolted with re-opening. With the government playing catch up. As the article states the Philippines is ranked low internationally for COVID testing. Back in May the target was 30,000 tests a day. That was before the surge. Now, with much more virus spread, the numbers tested daily are still well below that figure. Then we have the aim of the Health Secretary to test another 9m Filipinos over the next year, when they can't even get to a target they set in May!

You can put this reaction down to just to the way this government operates... or are Filipinos, especially the poor, being set up to take the blame for the virus surge and the critical Manila hospital situation? Nationwide the DOH says COVID ICU bed use is always at about 50%...but they never publish the figure for Manila. Many individiual Manila hospitals report they are fully utilised.

Perhaps also undergoing more lockdown? An Inquirer article describes well the current situation in Paranaque. There are certain barangays which are hotspots, and medical teams are working away in them to test and contact trace. So, they are finding more cases. But the Mayor's reaction to this is to threaten a two week lockdown "if cases continue to go up".
That doesn't make any sense, but why he said it can be explained by the fact that all Manila Mayors were summoned to a meeting with the President a few days ago where he told them to get tough with the people in their cities, Paranaque was singled out due to its case growth. The Mayor's threat is probably an empty one. He compared his city's situation with Navotas. But Paranaque is much larger and of a completely different character to that city by the Port. He is probably scared of the President and so wants to scare his citizens. But he is also scaring businesses in his city wondering whether to reopen.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/130908...us-cases-spike

Stokkevn

At least they are trying here, at least in the province where I am. Mask compliance seems to be very nearly 100%, due to the checkpoints the use of helmets on motorbikes seems to have gone up greatly and even the jeepnies are complying with max passenger numbers instead of the usual, room for just one more small one. A friend's wife and an auntie of her-in-doors have returned from Manila and had to self quarantine for 2 weeks, they had visits from the LGU guys at least twice and sometimes 3 times a day at any hour, once at 20:30hrs at night. A friend returned to the UK 10 days ago and he and his wife had to self quarantine for 2 weeks, 10 days later no one has checked to see if they are.

Ref the masks, many people here wore them before the virus came along in jeepnies, buses, motorbikes, tricycles and many who live along the main road due to the dust.

Bealinehx

Yes the wearing of facemasks is to be applauded. However the second major part of the equation is the 20 second hand washing procedure which should happen very time one returns home. I wonder how many people comply with this requirement?