Sunbathing in Boracay
President Rodrigo Duterte said he will visit Boracay to go swimming to spur domestic tourism after the country’s tourism industry suffered a setback due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) that has claimed more than 4,000 people around the globe.
In a press briefing, the President even jested that he will visit Boracay if Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat will accompany him to swim.
President Duterte quickly made it clear that his latest statement was not meant to offend Puyat. I’m not being rude to you. This is not a feminist thing,” he said.
Duterte assured the public that “everything is safe in our country” in terms of health, law and order and accessibility.
The popular tourist island was shut down for six months in 2018 to pave the way for massive rehabilitation amid pollution woes.
Avoid panic buying
The Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association on Wednesday urged consumers not to panic and if needed, buy only “twice” what they need in the wave of increasing number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the country.
Steven Cua, association president said in an interview with CNN that there have been a spike in consumption of face masks, alcohol and other cleaning supplies recently and the industry has not imposed restrictions or regulated the sale of these items.
Prison visits suspended
The Bureau of Corrections has suspended visitation privileges in its prison facilities for a week as a precautionary measure amid the threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In its advisory, the BuCor’s Public Information Office said suspension will start on Wednesday, March 11, and will cover the New Bilibid Prison and all the BuCor’s operating prison and penal farms.
M/V Grand Princess
The Philippine government is working closely with the United States and Princess Cruises on the repatriation of Filipinos aboard the M/V Grand Princess which carried more than a dozen who tested positive for the Covid-19.
Philippine Consul General to San Francisco Henry Bensurto Jr. said there are 529 Filipino crew and nine Filipino passengers on the ship that has reportedly started disembarking guests in the Port of Oakland on Tuesday morning.
CSC exams put off
The Civil Service Commission suspends the conduct of the March 15 Career Service Examination-Pen and Paper Test (CSE-PPT) nationwide until further notice.
The tests will be conducted in 66 testing locations nationwide with an estimated 293,845 individuals nationwide registered to take the test.
Mobile alerts
Senator Grace Poe has urged health and civil defense authorities to send the public free mobile alerts on the COVID-19 outbreak to ease widespread fears and help citizens make informed choices.
TV info drive
Senator Nancy Binay rallied television networks to share their artists to work together on initiatives in creating awareness surrounding COVID-19.
With the help of their mother studios, she said Filipino showbiz personalities can help in leading the campaign to increase public health awareness, and encourage their fans to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.