Zambales barangay official in hot water for 'verbally assaulting' Inquirer reporter

A barangay kagawad makes threats to correspondent Joanna Rose Aglibot and her family, prompting the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines to issue an alert.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has issued an alert after one of its members was verbally attacked by a village official in San Antonio town early this week.

Philippine Daily Inquirer correspondent Joanna Rose Aglibot, who is based in Zambales, has lodged a police blotter entry against Barangay San Miguel Kagawad Siegfred Gonzales who reportedly harassed the lady journalist and her family on May 26.

In her incident report, Aglibot said Gonzales, who lived across her house, pointed a flashlight towards her mother who was in their garden at around 10 pm on May 26.

Gonzales was heard shouting in Ilocano: “Tumigil na kayo.... 'yang anak mong reporter, sige tumawag ka ng pulis.” (You should stop.... Your daughter who's a reporter, go on and call the police.)

Upon witnessing this, Aglibot took her phone out and started recording the incident on video.

Aglibot's father then confronted Gonzales, telling him to stop harassing them.

 “But Gonzales was later joined by his mother who also shouted and hurled insults at the Aglibots. The barangay official also pointed his flashlight at Ms Aglibot several times, hurting her eyes,” the NUJP said in a statement.

Aglibot said it was still unclear what triggered the harassment by Gonzales and his mother.

“But Ms Aglibot has been reporting on how local officials respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and had earlier earned the ire of village officials when she wrote about some households receiving allegedly tainted rice during the village's relief operation,” the NUJP said. (READ: Press freedom takes a hit in PH during coronavirus pandemic)

Aglibot said she would also file a complaint with the Department of the Interior and Local Government against the barangay official.

NUJP is among the lead proponents of press freedom and protection of journalists in the country. (Contents reposted from Rappler)

Mayors can place barangays, zones under ECQ

Local chief executives of areas with eased quarantine measures may impose a more stringent lockdown in communities with a high incidence of coronavirus infection, Malacañang said Friday.

According to presidential spokesman Harry Roque, mayors may implement localized enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in barangays or zone of barangays if needed as long as they would coordinate with the local unit of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

The Palace official said this after President Duterte approved the shift of Metro Manila and other areas into a more relaxed general community quarantine (GCQ) starting June 1.

Just because we are now under GCQ doesn’t mean there are areas that cannot be reverted to ECQ. Mayors can declare ECQ in barangays or zone of barangays but it has to be done in coordination with the local IATF.

Starting June 1, Metro Manila, Davao City, Region II, Region III, Luzon, Region IV-A, Pangasinan, and Albay will be placed under GCQ.

When GCQ takes effect, public transportation will resume operations but on a limited capacity and with the observance of health protocols like physical distancing and mask-wearing.

More sectors would also be allowed to reopen as residents are given more leeway to go out of their residence except for leisure purposes. (Contents reposted from Inquirer.Net)

Cebu City barangay officials face complaint over procurement of dump trucks

The Barangay Captain and members of the barangay’s bids and awards committee (BAC) of Barangay Apas in the City of Cebu are facing a complaint over the procurement of two dump trucks.

As per the administrative complaint filed by Matthan Serana, former Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) councilor of Apas and now mayor’s information and liaison officer (Milo), the barangay officials allegedly violated Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act and Section 3, Paragraph (e) of R.A. No. 3019 or The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Included as respondents of the complaint were Apas Barangay Captain Virgil Cabigon, six incumbent councilors, three members of the technical working group of BAC, the SK chairman, barangay secretary and treasurer.

Serana, in his complaint, stated that Cabigon posted on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) two invitations to bid (ITBs) on Sept. 26, 2019 with procurement mode through public bidding.

The barangay hall procured two dump trucks amounting to P3 million to be used as garbage trucks.

Upon further inquiry, Serana was surprised that the ITB reflected the specifications of both units, indicating the brand name, engine numbers and chassis numbers.

Serana said the scheduled bidding did not push through due to the failure of the suppliers to attend and the officials, later on, proceeded with the negotiated procurement after two failed biddings and awarded the two units of trucks to an “alleged favored” supplier.

The trucks were delivered to the barangay in November 2019, said Serana.

He then found out that the brand name, engine numbers and chassis numbers posted in the ITB in September matched those of the trucks delivered to the barangay in November.

“The foregoing acts of respondents in specifically indicating the brand name, engine numbers and chassis numbers is in direct violation of Section 18 of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act which expressly prohibits reference to brand name specifications based on irrelevant requirements that will limit procurement to a specific brand,” he stated.

The following prayers were stated in the administrative complaint, for respondents to be preventively suspended; be charged for grave misconduct; indictment of respondents for violation of Section 3 (e) of R.A. 3019; and such reliefs just and equitable under the circumstances.

SunStar Cebu tried to get the side of Cabigon but he refused to provide a statement. (Content reposted from SunStar Cebu)

Map: Baragay Apas, Cebu City  (From Google).

DILG eyes 'Barangay-based lockdown' by June

The government eyes the implementation of a barangay-based lockdown after the end of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila on May 31, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said on Monday.
He said villages identified as "critical zones" or with many cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) could be placed under lockdown while the nearby villages are called "containment zones," and the ones with no cases of Covid-19 are the "buffer zones".

Buffer zone villages could ease the restrictions on the movement of the people and open some business establishments, Año said.

However, he said the lockdown is not limited to villages as it could be implemented to smaller units such as subdivisions and neighborhoods.

"Mahigpit ang lugar na ito, kapagka inilagay natin sa total lockdown eh wala talagang papasok at lalabas dyan [Strict rules will be implemented in these areas once they are under total lockdown. No one will be allowed to enter and exit]," Año said in a radio interview.

He also assured that more law enforcers will be assigned to the community or barangay that will be isolated.

Año said the decision on whether Metro Manila could be placed under a general community quarantine (GCQ) will depend on the recommendation of its mayors.

“The Metro Manila Council will have a meeting to discuss its recommendations to the (Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). Their recommendations will also be compared with data analytics or what we call trend -- the number of new cases and the doubling rate,” he added.

Through this, he said the people can start adjusting to the "new normal".
The cities of Cebu and Mandaue are currently under ECQ while MECQ is in effect over Metro Manila, Laguna, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, and Zambales.

The rest of the country is under GCQ.

Malacañang earlier said that the nationwide GCQ may likely be imposed in August this year. (Content and photo reposted from Philippine News Agency)

Solon urges DOH to tap barangay health workers and civic groups for contact tracing

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Tuesday urged the Department of Health (DOH) to mobilize civil society organizations and tap around 400,000 barangay health workers and parent-leaders from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to accelerate contact tracing efforts against the coronavirus disease or COVID-19 pandemic.

In a letter to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Drilon suggested that the government starts tapping accredited organizations to be part of its COVID-19 efforts to combat COVID-19.

Drilon said the World Health Organization (WHO) itself noted the government’s slow contact tracing efforts to contain the spread of the disease.

“To help expedite contact tracing, I propose that we assemble and activate existing government-organized and accredited groups. We can easily tap the over 200,000 Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), 200,000 parent-leaders from the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program and members of DSWD-accredited Civil Society Organizations,” he said in his letter to Duque.

“Time is of the essence and we must act expeditiously. Tapping the above workers and leaders can save us precious time and help us combat COVID-19 efficiently,” the senator said.

“Since they are already organized, they can be quickly mobilized as contact tracers,” he added.

Dr. Socorro Escalante, WHO acting representative, had earlier raised alarm over the country’s slow contact tracing efforts and stressed the need for the Philippines to “push harder” and “work harder.”

Drilon said the WHO is correct in saying that there is “a very short window of opportunity to improve the country’s contact-tracing system.”

Contact tracing, he said, should be expedited before the government eases the lockdown, most especially in Metro Manila.

The DOH should also provide transportation allowance and protective gears such as face shield and mask to the contact tracers.

Drilon said it is imperative that the government realizes the importance of tracking in containing the virus and winning the fight against the pandemic.

“Our objective to prevent the virus from spreading is based on our ability to efficiently identify the infected and notify those he or she has made contact with. Hence, contact tracing is a must and should never be neglected,” Drilon said. (Content reposted from: Manila Bulletin)

In photo: Senator Franklin Drilon (Photo from Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN)