Davao de Oro Allots 7 Million Pesos to Support Schools on “Blended Learning”

NABUNTURAN, DAVAO DE ORO

 – The Provincial Local Schools Board (PLSB) of Davao de Oro led by Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, allotted a total amount of ₱7,044,441.12 from its Special Education Fund (SEF) to the Department of Education-Davao de Oro (DepEd-DdO) to be used on its coming shift to the “blended learning” approach. This is in accordance with the directive from President Duterte that no face to face interactions shall take place on the opening of classes on August 24, 2020. 

The aforementioned amount will be used to buy essential tools for public schools such as external drives, WiFi modems, video cameras, transistor radios, learning materials, and workbooks for school levels kindergarten to senior high school.

The Schools Division of Davao de Oro through Dr. Eufemia Gamutin, its superintendent and concurrent Vice Chair of the PLSB, proposed these items to the school board. 

In a recent meeting with the eleven municipal mayors of Davao de Oro, Governor Tyron Uy encouraged everyone to support DepEd’s shift to blended learning. The province’s eleven mayors enthusiastically supported him in response. 

The governor further encouraged individuals and groups to join Brigada Eskwela. In his message, he quipped that this year’s opening of classes fall under extra-ordinary times, and that helping our schools brave through this crisis is of utmost importance. 

“We are all duty-bound to support our students. As they always say, it takes a village to educate a child. Let us be that village”. 

Earlier, the governor signed a partnership agreement with the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to install free WiFi stations in the province’s schools. The provincial government’s official radio station will also be allotting an hour from Mondays to Fridays. Through Vice Governor Maricar Zamora’s initiative, Z Radio will also be allotting four hours a day to help DepEd’s alternative modes of instruction. 

Ex-Wirecard-Vorstand Marsalek will sich nicht stellen

Wegen des Bilanzskandals beim Finanzdienstleister Wirecard werden die bisherigen Chefs juristisch verfolgt. Jan Marsalek ist Medienberichten zufolge im Ausland untergetaucht. Die Aktie indes hebt ab.

Der langjährige Vorstand der Wirecard AG, Jan Marsalek, wird sich offenbar nicht von deutschen Staatsanwälten vernehmen lassen. Das erfuhren die Sender WDR und NDR sowie die "Süddeutsche Zeitung" aus Kreisen der Prozessbeteiligten. Marsalek hatte über seinen Anwalt in der vergangenen Woche zunächst erklären lassen, er werde nach München kommen, um bei der Justiz vorstellig zu werden. Dies solle nun doch nicht stattfinden. Weder die Staatsanwaltschaft München noch sein Verteidiger wollten sich demnach auf Anfrage äußern.

Die Staatsanwaltschaft hatte in der vergangenen Woche einen Haftbefehl gegen den 40-jährigen Österreicher erwirkt. Marsalek werden verschiedene mögliche Delikte im Zusammenhang mit dem Bilanzskandal des Unternehmens vorgeworfen.

1,9 Milliarden Euro verschwunden

Der Zahlungsdienstleister Wirecard hatte am Montag vergangener Woche mitgeteilt, dass ein Vermögen in Höhe von 1,9 Milliarden in Euro auf Konten des Unternehmens bei zwei philippinischen Banken Asien gar nicht existiere. Die philippinische Zentralbank erklärte, dass kein Geld von Wirecard in das Finanzsystem des Landes gelangt sei. Der Börsenkurs des DAX-Unternehmens stürzte ab. Am Donnerstag beantragte die Wirecard AG, die zu den Dax-Konzernen gehörte, ein Insolvenzverfahren.

Jan Marsalek (Wirecard/Leopold Fiala)
Ex-Vorstand Marsalek: Nach China geflüchtet?

Marsalek hatte ein Jahrzehnt lang im Vorstand das operative Geschäft geleitet. Dabei entstand ein weltweit verzweigtes Konstrukt aus Tochter- und Partnerfirmen. Viele Umsätze und Gewinne, die in diesem Netzwerk angefallen sein sollen, hat es offenbar nie gegeben.

Wo ist Marsalek?

Marsalek soll sich zuletzt auf den Philippinen aufgehalten haben, anschließend verlor sich seine Spur. Der per Haftbefehl gesuchte Österreicher hält sich möglicherweise in China auf. Der philippinische Justizminister Menardo Guevarra teilte mit, Marsalek sei vergangene Woche auf die Philippinen eingereist und habe das Land kurz darauf Richtung China wieder verlassen. Sein langjähriger Förderer, der Wirecard-Vorstandschef Markus Braun, hatte sich am Montag vergangener Woche der Justiz gestellt.

Philippinische Behörde untersucht drei Firmen

Derweil kündigte die philippinische Anti-Geldwäsche-Behörde AMLC an, im Fall Wirecard möglichst rasch für Aufklärung sorgen zu wollen. Man werde eine "schnelle und gründliche" Untersuchung starten, um weitere involvierte Gesellschaften und Personen zu finden, sagte Mel Georgie Racela vom AMLC der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters. Genau ansehen werde sich die Behörde vor allem drei Unternehmen, die im Zusammenhang mit dem deutschen Zahlungsabwickler stünden: Centurion Online Payment International, Pay Easy Solutions und Cone Pay International.

Von den Firmen war zunächst keine Stellungnahme zu erhalten. Pay Easy antwortete nicht auf E-Mails, Telefone waren abgeschaltet. Die Telefonnummer von Centurion war außer Betrieb. Auch Cone Pay war für einen Kommentar nicht erreichbar, da Kontaktdaten auf der Internetseite fehlten und ein sonst in der Branche üblicher Jahresbericht bei der Regulierungsbehörde nicht verfügbar war. Der philippinische Zentralbankchef Benjamin Diokno, der der Geldwäschebehörde vorsteht, wollte sich nicht dazu äußern, welche Firmen und Personen noch untersucht würden.

Der von Wirecard offenbar als Treuhänder eingesetzte philippinische Anwalt Mark Tolentino wies eine Verantwortung für die Pleite von Wirecard von sich. Er habe sechs Bankkonten für eine in Singapur ansässige Firma eröffnet, aber bis zum Bekanntwerden des Skandals nicht gewusst, dass sie für Wirecard waren, sagte er der Agentur Reuters. Auf den Konten sei nie mehr als ein paar Hundert Euro gewesen. "Jeder zeigt mit dem Finger auf mich, und stellt mich als Dieb des fehlenden Geldes dar", sagte er. "Ich möchte meinen Namen reinwaschen. Ich bin ein Opfer von Identitätsdiebstahl und gefälschten Nachrichten."

Erneute Kurskapriolen bei Wirecard

Trotz der jüngsten Turbulenzen stach das angeschlagene Unternehmen am Montag am deutschen Aktienmarkt mit einem Plus von zeitweise rund mehr als 200 Prozent heraus, allerdings bei einem niedrigen Ausgangspreis. Das ist der größte Kurssprung eines Dax-Wertes überhaupt. Die Papiere seien ein Spielball spekulativ orientierter Anleger, sagte ein Händler. Die "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" berichtet, Finanzinvestoren und der Konkurrent Worldline seien an Teilen des insolventen Zahlungsabwicklers interessiert. Worldline-Aktien legten an der Börse in Paris um 1,5 Prozent zu.

kle/AR (afp, tagesschau.de, rtr)

Inter-Agency Task Force Covid-19

200 endemic trees planted in DdO's celebration of “Arbor Day”

Davao de Oro Province--- The 25th of June marks the celebration of the “Arbor Day”, a special day dedicated to tree planting, mitigating the effects of climate change, pollution and calamities due to the dwindling number of trees in terrestrial planes.

With this, the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro spearheaded by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) in partnership with DENR planted more or less 200 seedling of endemic species of trees such as Molave, Almon, Bagtikan, Bayug and Dau at one of the sites of “Oplan Liwanag” center in barangay Libasan, Nabunturan Davao de Oro.

Together with the employees of PLGU-Davao de Oro, Municipal-LGU employees, partners in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Libasan Cooperative participated in the activity.

“Dili lang kutob sa pagpananom ug kahoy ang atuang ginahimo, kundili atua pod kining alimahan, pinaka-main nga purpose niini mao ang pag hatag ug importance sa atung environment kay ang kinaiyahan kung walay kahoy maglisod pod kitang mga katawhan.” said Eugene Alaba, PENRO-DDO Department Head.

The “Oplan Liwanag” center was chosen as the site planted with the endemic trees to ensure its growth and survival providing comfort for our brothers and sisters undergoing healing for a life anew.

(Jasteen Abella, ID DAVAO DE ORO)

SONGS FROM THE HEART

In good and in bad times - I used to read the bible. Here at the very center are songs, rising up like a tune from the heart. Cries from the heart - songs for sorrow as well as joy. I am talking about the psalms. They capture the innermost thoughts and prayers of the Old Testament people - and they will speak directly to our needs.

For every motion and mood, you can find a psalm to match. The psalms wrestle with the deepest sorrow and ask God the hardest questions about suffering and injustice. Their voice is refreshingly spontaneous. They do not tip flowery compliments toward God: they cry out to Him, or shout for joy before Him.

In almost every psalm you find the presence of God, not as a philosophical principle, but as an active, strong, and loving ruler. Since reading the psalms, I found out that God really makes many differences in my life.

How did the psalms come together? They seem to have been compiled as hymnbooks for use in temple worship. Some psalms were written from an individual's experiences, but were adapted for congregational use. Directions for musicians were added.

Living by faith is not always easy - especially in these times of the "new normality". These powerful poems of worship and praise offer no magical formulas to make troubles go away. Yet, while real life questions, struggles, and discouragements have strong voices in these poems, more powerful still is the voice of joy and security in strength.

The best way to read the psalms is also the most common way: to make these ancient prayers your own and speak them directly to God. So many of the poems catch deep human feelings that you can't help being moved by them.

There are so many psalms. It is indeed the longest book of the bible. The richest lessons from psalms may come from difficult poems you must read again and again until you understand them. They merely ask time and close attention. My suggestion: read and reread them. They grow richer with careful study.

Wirecard kollabiert nach Bilanzskandal

Wirecard (picture-alliance/dpa/S. Hoppe)

Im Wirecard-Skandal überschlagen sich die Ereignisse: die Affäre um Luftbuchungen hatte bereits personelle Konsequenzen und juristische Ermittlungen zur Folge. Jetzt gerät das ganze Unternehmen in den Abwärtsstrudel.

Nach einem gigantischen Finanzskandal steht der Zahlungsanbieter Wirecard vor der Pleite. Angesichts eines 1,9 Milliarden Euro großen Lochs in der Bilanz meldete Wirecard am Donnerstag Insolvenz wegen drohender Zahlungsunfähigkeit und Überschuldung an. Es werde geprüft, ob auch Insolvenzanträge für Wirecard-Töchter gestellt werden müssen, teilte der Konzern mit. Es ist eine der größten Pleiten der Bundesrepublik, die das Vertrauen in den Finanzplatz Deutschland erschüttert. Erstmals in der mehr als 30-jährigen Geschichte des Leitindex Dax kollabiert ein Dax-Mitglied. Die Aktien stürzten nach einer vorübergehenden Aussetzung des Handels um knapp 80 Prozent auf 2,50 Euro ab. Dennoch wird die Aktie wohl noch bis im September im Leitindex bleiben.

Wirecard hatte in den vergangenen Jahren angeblich ein rasantes Wachstumstempo hingelegt und im September 2018 die Commerzbank aus dem Dax verdrängt. Zu Hochzeiten kostete die Aktie 200 Euro, doch die Geschichte vom erfolgreichen Fintech aus Deutschland erwies sich als Illusion. Zwar sah sich das Unternehmen aus Aschheim bei München seit der Gründung vor zwei Jahrzehnten immer wieder mit Vorwürfen der Bilanzfälschung konfrontiert, doch erst vergangenen Woche brach das Kartenhaus zusammen: Die Wirtschaftsprüfer von EY verweigerten das Testat für die Bilanz 2019, als sich herausstellte, dass Bestätigungen über Treuhandkonten in den Philippinen offensichtlich gefälscht waren. Die dort angeblich liegenden 1,9 Milliarden Euro gab es in Wirklichkeit wohl nie.

Die Gläubigerbanken versuchten sich in den vergangenen Tagen ein Bild davon machen, wie viel des angeblichen Wirecard-Geschäfts tatsächlich existiert und ob sich ein gesunder Kern der Firma retten lässt. Doch die Zeit wurde zu knapp, der Vorstand sah sich zu dem Insolvenzantrag gezwungen. "Ohne eine Einigung mit den Kreditgebern bestand die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Kündigung und des Auslaufens von Krediten mit einem Volumen von 800 Millionen Euro zum 30. Juni 2020 und 500 Millionen Euro zum 1. Juli 2020", erklärte Wirecard.

Ein Großteil der Umsätze existiere anscheinend nur auf dem Papier, die Kosten dagegen seien korrekt ausgewiesen, sagte eine mit der Angelegenheit vertraute Person. "Es gibt keinen Weg, dass sie ihre Schulden von insgesamt 3,5 Milliarden Euro aus dem gesunden Kerngeschäft zurückzahlen können."

Nun müssen die Gläubiger hoffen, möglichst viel Geld im Insolvenzverfahren zu retten. Doch die Chancen scheinen gering. "Das Geld ist weg", hieß es aus einer Bank. "In einigen Jahren werden wir vielleicht ein paar Euro zurückerhalten, aber wir werden den Kredit jetzt abschreiben." Auch aus zwei anderen Banken hieß es, der Kredit werde abgeschrieben. Fraglich sei, was von Wirecard verwertet werden könne. Wettbewerber bräuchten die Wirecard-Technologie wohl nicht und die Kunden, zu denen Firmen wie Aldi, Ikea oder die Fluggesellschaft KLM gehören, könnten sie einfach auf ihre Plattform herüberziehen.

Die Finanzaufsicht BaFin, die erst spät gegen Wirecard vorgegangen ist, steht massiv in der Kritik. "Bei der Finanzaufsicht müssen Köpfe rollen", sagte der Linken-Finanzpolitiker Fabio de Masi. "Der Insolvenzantrag von Wirecard ist ein Fiasko für den Finanzplatz Deutschland." Ins gleiche Horn stieß der Grünen-Finanzpolitiker Danyal Bayaz. "Dass ein Dax-Konzern innerhalb kürzester Zeit als Börsenstar in die Insolvenz schlittern konnte, wirft ein schlechtes Licht auf den gesamten Standort Deutschland", sagte Bayaz. "Besonders die BaFin und Abschlussprüfer müssen umfassend erklären, warum diese Entwicklung zu keinem Zeitpunkt vorhergesehen und verhindert werden konnte."

Dem Wirtschaftsprüfer EY, der jahrelang die Bilanzen von Wirecard testiert hatte, drohen eine Klagewelle und Geschäftseinbußen nach dem massiven Reputationsschaden. Erste Anwaltskanzleien werben bereits für Sammelklagen. Von EY war zunächst keine Stellungnahme zu erhalten.

Die Staatsanwaltschaft München ermittelt bei Wirecard wegen des Verdachts der Bilanzfälschung und der Marktmanipulation. Auch die Insolvenz von Wirecard schaue sich die Behörde an. "Wir werden alle in Betracht kommenden Straftaten prüfen", sagte eine Sprecherin der Staatsanwaltschaft. Sie hat bereits den ehemaligen Konzernchef Markus Braun, der fast 20 Jahre an der Spitze von Wirecard stand, im Visier. Nach einer Nacht in Haft kam er am Dienstag gegen eine Kaution von fünf Millionen Euro auf freien Fuß. Auch Ex-Vorstand Jan Marsalek, der das Unternehmen an der Seite von Braun rund 20 Jahre lang geprägt hat und sich nun möglicherweise auf den Philippinen aufhält, steht im Fokus der Strafverfolger. 

(C) 2020 by DW - Deutsche Welle

Emergency Employment Program for displaced ball-mill operators in Mt. Diwalwal

Davao de Oro Province---When the movement “Lihok Alang sa Naboc” started its operation to rehabilitate the polluted Naboc River, where for over 25 years served as a catchment basin for all waste coming from mining operations in Mt. Diwalwal, more or less 300 small mineral processing plant operations were ceased, temporarily displacing one of the residents’ source of income.

It can be recalled that an intervention has been made relocating them to a proper site in Mabatas Area wherein their operations can take place as the zone has a containment facility preventing direct discharge of waste to the river.

With this, another intervention was made through the initiative of the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) under the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) through its Emergency Employment Program, giving jobs to former ball-mill operators and employees.

A total of 136 former operators availed the program with a daily wage of Php 396.00. The said program lasted for 20 days with a budget of more or less 1.1 million pesos from DOLE. Pay out for their wages will be thru MLhullier estimated to be released on June 25, 2020 onwards.

To date, ball-mills were transferred in the Mabatas Area wherein they can resume their operations without sacrificing the Naboc River. (Jasteen Abella, ID DAVAO DE ORO)

PHYSICAL DISTANCING TO PREVAIL WHEN ROXAS NIGHT MARKET REOPENS

Posted on June 25, 2020  by administrator

The Roxas Night Market, which remains closed amid the efforts to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), might soon reopen – albeit, with a limited number of vendors, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said.

“We can expect nga ing-ana [control of the number of vendors at the Roxas Night Market] ang mahitabo because of the new normal requirements of [physical] distancing,” Mayor Inday said.

While she cannot give a definite time frame as to when the Roxas Night Market could reopen, she said she was hoping that it would happen very soon.“Of course di nato gusto nga next year pa because dili nato gusto padugayon ang delay sa pagbalik sa trabaho and sa negosyo sa tao,” Mayor Inday said.

She said the reopening of the Roxas Night Market entirely depended on how soon the quarantine measures against the coronavirus disease 2019 are lifted.The Roxas Night Market, despite having been bombed in September 2016, continues to gain popularity as a destination, not only among the locals but also tourists.It was shut down when the virus struck the city a few months back.To cushion the impact of its closure on vendors, they were enrolled in the TUPAD program of the city and the Department of Labor and Employment, under which, they were asked to do minimal work in exchange for P396 per day for 30 days. CIO

Davao de Oro partners with UP-Mindanao, DOST XI to build COVID test lab

DAVAO DE ORO --- Ramping up the efforts to curb the COVID-19 threat, the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro has partnered with the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao, and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) XI for the planned construction of a COVID-19 testing laboratory at the Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital-Montevista (DdOPH).

The ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was recently signed yesterday, June 22, 2020 (Monday), at the PGO Conference Room, Capitol Complex. Under the agreement, PGC UP-Mindanao and DOST XI obliged to capacitate the facility in accordance with the guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH). They are also to provide bio safety and molecular diagnostics training for its future facility personnel.

“We would like to thank everyone for being part of this project and I’m very proud to hold the province as one of our partners who came early in initiating this project. I hope this will be the beginning of a partnership that we’re going to strengthen further,” UP Mindanao Chancellor Larry N. Digal said.

“Kinahanglan jud ta mag establish ug atung kaugalingong testing laboratory aron magsilbi natu kining weapon to fight this unseen enemy because we cannot see them unless we test them, ug dili kita angay mabalaka kay aduna’y plano ang probinsya inubanan sa dakong tabang ug suporta sa atuang partners aron masuta ang risgadong dala sa COVID19,” Governor Tyron Uy in his statement.
To date, the province has eleven cumulative COVID19 cases--eight being current active cases, plus three recoveries.

There are only two accredited COVID-19 testing labs in Mindanao, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City, and Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in Tagum City. PLGU Davao de Oro aims to operationalize the testing lab by August, with its budget drawn from the Bayanihan Grant to the Provinces.

(Rheafe Hortizano, ID Davao de Oro)

How anxiety affects you

My column in Mindanao Daily, Businessweek Mindanao and Metro Cagayan de Oro Times

A drawn-out stressful situation can make simple tasks feel more difficult than they used to be. I experienced it myself since my German Consulate Office in Davao reopened. Both, my consulate clients and I got the same feelings.

Feel like you can’t concentrate on anything at the moment? You’re not alone. The extra anxiety caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has impaired our working memory, experts say. As writer and journalist, Kate Morgan stresses several days ago: we all know the feeling. You walk into a room with a mission and then stop, confused, and a little disjointed, realizing you have completely forgotten why you’re there.

Since the coronavirus’ spread began, almost all of us have been having that feeling of forgetting why I’m in another room dozens of times a day. We're finding it almost impossible to focus on anything at all. 

I can’t keep a phone number in my head long enough to dial it, and it takes forever to write a simple email. I start in on a task, and it’s only a few minutes before I’m distracted. My productivity has plummeted. Meanwhile, when at my home office alone, it's getting better step by step...

What was happening, is a malfunction of working memory: the ability to grasp incoming information, form it into a cohesive thought, and hold onto it long enough to do what you need to with it. “Think of it as the mental platform for our cognitive operations, for what we’re thinking now,” says Matti Laine, a professor of psychology at Åbo Akademi University in Finland. “Working memory is closely related to attention. You’re focusing on some task, some goal, some directive or behavior you want to get accomplished.”

In other words, working memory is the ability to reason in real-time, and it’s a big part of what makes the human brain so powerful. But research has shown that rapidly changing circumstances, worry, and anxiety can all have a significant impact on your ability to focus.

Rapidly-changing circumstances, worry, and anxiety can all have a significant impact on your ability to focus

“Long before the pandemic, we completed an online study with a large group of American adults who filled out self-assessment questionnaires,” says Laine. “We saw a trend of a negative relationship between anxiety and working memory. The higher the anxiety, the lower the working memory performance.” When you’re having an acute anxious experience – say, someone, threatening is walking behind you on your way home in the dark – it means you might have trouble recalling the details of their face. A drawn-out stressful situation can also ravage the working memory, making even the simplest tasks feel more difficult than they used to be.

“We’re talking about anxiety and stress that’s not acute,” says Laine. “It’s related to a deeply uncertain future. You don’t know – does it continue this summer, this autumn? Nobody knows. It’s leading us to a more chronic anxiety situation.”

New situations. New experiences. 

While collecting data for an as-yet-unpublished study on working memory training this spring, Laine says he and his team asked about 200 people from the UK and North America whether they had anxiety specifically linked to the pandemic.

Sustained anxiety can also cause insomnia, explains Oliver Robinson of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London. “Lack of sleep is a really good way of impairing working memory,” he says. “If you’re not sleeping as well, that’s a great way to wreck it.”

Even if you’re not explicitly aware of being more on edge, “it’s something you’re processing,” adds Robinson. Working memory problems might also be due in part to a cognitive load that’s overwhelming your brain’s capacity.

Ducking out to the shops used to be a mundane activity. Now with Covid-19, there are many more steps in the process that increase anxiety and mental load, wrote Kate Morgan. 

The good news is you can exercise working memory. There are lots of ‘brain games’ out there, but playing most of them, experts agree, doesn’t do anything except make you better at that game. “Cognitive training games don’t make me better at remembering my shopping list,” says Robinson. “That’s like trying to train people to play tennis by having them run.”

In other words, rebooting your working memory may also mean cutting down on your news consumption and considering a break from social media. But the most effective thing to do might simply be to convince yourself it’s OK to be struggling. That helped me a lot for several days....

Wichtige Hinweise der Deutschen Rentenversicherung (DRV)

Stand: April 2020 

Wichtige Hinweise der Deutschen Rentenversicherung (DRV) zu den Auswirkungen der Covid19- Pandemie auf die Ausstellung von Lebensbescheinigungen und Rentenzahlungen im Ausland

Bitte beachten Sie, dass die folgenden Hinweise unter Mitwirkung der DRV erstellt wurden und nur für deren Rentenzahlungen verbindlich sind. Bei Lebensbescheinigungen und Rentenzahlungen anderer Versorgungsträger (z.B. Versorgungswerke oder private Rentenversicherer) gibt es möglicherweise andere Regelungen, die im Einzelfall abzuklären und zu beachten wären.

1. Vereinfachtes Verfahren für Lebensbescheinigungen der DRV im Jahr 2020

Aufgrund der weltweiten Situation, in der Menschen aufgefordert sind, zu Hause zu bleiben und viele Behörden und Ämter ihren Kundenverkehr eingestellt oder stark eingeschränkt haben, möchte die DRV darauf hinweisen, dass es bei Lebensbescheinigungen für das Jahr 2020 für alle Rentenberechtigten im Ausland ein vereinfachtes Verfahren geben wird. Eine Bestätigung der Lebensbescheinigung durch eine Behörde / amtliche Stelle im jeweiligen Wohnsitzland wird nicht erforderlich sein. Die Rentenempfänger füllen die Lebensbescheinigungen selbst aus und senden diese direkt (ohne Bestätigung einer amtlichen Stelle) an die DRV zurück.

Die DRV wird die Rentenberechtigten unmittelbar im Anschreiben zur Lebensbescheinigung über dieses vereinfachte Verfahren informieren. Zudem werden auf den Internetseiten der Deutschen Post AG / Renten Service und der Deutschen Rentenversicherung entsprechende Hinweise zum vereinfachten Verfahren zur Verfügung gestellt, falls das Anschreiben mit dem Lebensbescheinigungs-Formular den Rentenberechtigten nicht erreicht haben sollte. 

2. Begutachtungen

Gegenwärtig werden keine ärztlichen Begutachtungen im Zusammenhang mit Anträgen auf Erwerbsminderungsrenten durchgeführt; dies betrifft auch Rentenverfahren mit Auslandsbezug. 

3. Beeinträchtigung der Postzustellung von Schecks in das Ausland

Im Hinblick darauf, dass Rentenempfänger ihre deutsche Rente unter anderem auch per Scheck (insbesondere USA und Kanada sowie Italien) erhalten, wird darauf hingewiesen, dass es aktuell sowohl beim internationalen Postverkehr als auch bei der lokalen Postzustellung zu Beeinträchtigungen und Verzögerungen kommen kann. Dies kann dazu führen, dass Rentenberechtigte den Scheck verspätet oder teilweise gar nicht zugestellt bekommen. Die DRV möchte daher rein vorsorglich auf die Möglichkeit einer Umstellung von Scheckzahlung auf Kontozahlung hinweisen.

Nähere Informationen bezüglich der Zahlungserklärung finden Rentenberechtigte auf der Internetseite des Deutsche Post - Renten Service: 

https://www.deutschepost.de/de/r/rentenservice/downloadcenter.html 

Bei möglichen Einschränkungen des Kundenverkehrs von Banken und Geldinstituten gelten folgende Erleichterungen, falls die Bank keine Bestätigung der Zahlungserklärung vornehmen sollte bzw. der Rentenberechtigte sein Geldinstitut derzeit nicht aufsuchen kann: Anstelle einer Bankbestätigung genügt auch ein aktueller Kontoauszug (nicht älter als 30 Tage), aus dem die Angaben zur Bankverbindung des Rentenberechtigten hervorgehen. Die Zahlungserklärung und evtl. der Kontoauszug mit den Angaben zur Bankverbindung können per Post/Fax/E-Mail an die Deutsche Post AG, Renten Service geschickt werden: 

Deutsche Post AG Niederlassung Renten Service 13496 Berlin Germany

 E-Mail: rentenservice@deutschepost.de 

Telefon: +49 221 5692-777 Fax: +49 221 5692-778

STAY ALERT DURING RAINY SEASON

Posted on June 17, 2020  by administrator

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has advised Dabawenyos, especially those residing in danger-zones, to stay alert and vigilant against risks of disaster and diseases common during wet season.

Mayor Sara warned that calamities such as flooding and landslides can happen as the country enters the rainy season from June to December.“Ang dala sa ulan, number one – landslide, ikaduha – baha, lightning. Mag-ingat ta everytime na kusog ang ulan (The rainy season can cause number one – landslide, second – flood, lighting. Let’s be vigilant during heavy rains),” she advised.

The mayor said it is also the season when diseases affect people such as leptospirosis, dengue, and tetanus.“Usually dala aning ulan is ang mga sakit nga leptospirosis, mao na siya ang hugaw sa ilaga na naa sa floodwater. So dili ta basta-basta mulusong sa tubig baha because duna na siya’y dala na mga hugaw, mga kagaw. Dili lang ang leptospirosis, posible tang masamad and magkasakit ta og tetanus (Usually the rain brings diseases like leptospirosis which is a bacterial infection acquired from rats during flood. We should avoid floodwater because of the bacteria and germs in it. Aside from that, we can get wounds and get tetanus),” Mayor Sara stressed.

She also reminded the people to be aware of their surroundings as dengue can be widespread influenced by rainfall. Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection.“Paniguraduhon nato nga malabay nato ang mga nagpundo nga hugaw nga tubig kay posible ni siya nga mahimong balay sa mga lamok (Let’s ensure to throw away the dirty, stagnant water because mosquitos inhabit there),” she warned.She said that increase of cases like these (dengue, leptospirosis, tetanus) will add to the problem in the hospitals not being able to serve so many patients.“Kung mudaghan atong mga dengue cases, kung mudaghan atong mga leptospirosis, ang mga nasakit ug tetanus… tanan nga lain nga sakit, magdungan sila tanan sa hospital so mubalik na pud ta sa atoang problema nga dili na makakaya ang atoang hospital nga magcarry og mga tao nga dunay sakit (If our dengue, leptospirosis, tetanus cases, and all other diseases increase and patients overwhelm the hospital, we will go back again to our problem of hospitals not being able to cater everyone),” Mayor Sara said.

CIO

DDO goes digital for household profiling and assessment

After a series of launching for the digital innovations of the Davao de Oro farmers (DDO Bagsakan), Virtual Capitol for the on line services, Call DdOC for those who needs medical attention thru online for the out-patient in 4 hospitals of the province, this time the household survey will be fully digitalized.

Through KoboCollect-powered application for the Household Profiling and Needs Assessment (HNPA), it is an easy way to get data and information from the people of DDO. Using any mobile device with Koolbox Apps, the transmission of data online for validation is faster compare to manual data gathering.

The main purpose is to value the importance of establishing a concrete, accurate and reliable baseline data that provides a point of reference and serves as basis for the decision makers and development planners to come up with an evidence-based quality, doable and implementable plans, policies programs and projects to be prioritized in facing the COVID-19 crisis.

Through this way the government will get new, accurate and correct data in terms of health, demographics characteristics, building/house structural characteristics, climate change and disaster information, and accessibility and communication.

On June 10, 2020 the Provincial Household Profiling and Needs Assessment Committee (PHPNAC) of DDO kicks off its activities with the Households Enumeration and Geo-tagging. Trained teams went to Barangays Sao-sao, Conception, Nueva Visayas and Andili of the Municipality of Mawab for the ongoing survey.

"The provincial management acknowledges the importance of having a qualify data set that facilitates in understanding the general situation and specific characteristics of individual households and family or all households in the population of the province, whereby decision making and policy investments will be appropriately directed towards implementation of programs and projects that best serve to the people in need", part of the Executive Order 0039-2020 states.

This activity is set to be completed until November this year and shall be conducted in all municipalities of the province as part of steeping up data collection, and improving DDO through Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

(Rey Antibo, ID DDO)

Davao de Oro gives out food packs to displaced tourism workers

Davao de Oro --- A total of 228 displaced tourism workers received grocery food packs from the provincial government of Davao de Oro spearheaded by Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy to help withstand amidst the crisis brought by COVID-19 pandemic.

The affected workers were from 16 tourism establishments which were not included to COVID-19 Adjustment Measures Program (CAMP) under Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Tourism establishments such as resorts, hotels, inns, travel agencies and restaurants were the first to hit the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and were closed for almost three months due to close-contact activities that may happen. The owners are at a great disadvantage and the employees are also the most affected.

The Provincial Tourism Office of Davao de Oro facilitated the application of 86 tourism establishments through DOLE's CAMP assistance whereas each employee receives Php 5,000 and only 70 of them are included in the program.

As a result, Governor Uy mobilized the release of food packs to the listed establishments as follows: Plates N'Cups, Lake Leonard Ecotourism, Beach View Resort, Tony's Beach Resort, Dayok Dayok Beach Resort, Comval Hotel, Rain and Angel Beach Resort, Einkorn Bakeshop, Leopard, Bundan, LS, Edison's Marie and Katrina's, Katrina's Grill, Pepito's Café and Countryside Café.

It is also a welcome blessing that within the new Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), the establishment can start again and operate under 50% operational capacity after obtaining the Certificate of Authority to Operate (CAO) by the Department of Tourism for accommodation establishments (AEs) and provisional permits for non-AEs issued BY the Mayor's Office.

Not even the dreaded virus can take away the “bayanihan” spirit of the people in the province of Davao de Oro, ensuring that no one will be left behind. (Rheafe Hortizano, ID Davao de Oro)

Davao de Oro receives Pro-ACT’s handwashing facilities and hygiene kits

Davao de Oro Province--- Highly recommended by professionals in the medical field, handwashing remains one of the best prevention against acquiring the COVID-19 infection. Handwashing is a simple form of habit that could save lives of many when properly done in homes, workplaces and institutions both private and public.

In partnership with Pro-ACT implemented by Action Against Hunger and Fundacion Codespa, a total of 15 (fifteen) units of hand-washing facilities was handed-over to the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro together with the 68 hygiene kits or the basic PPEs for the municipal and barangay responders.

These hand washing facilities and hygiene kits mitigates the possible transmission of any forms of disease-causing agents including COVID-19. Pro-ACT’s initiatives also includes the distribution of food packs to families with senior citizens and person with disabilities to some barangays in the municipalities of Maco, Mabini, Nabunturan and Pantukan reaching a total of 1,333 families covered.

In addition, Action Against Hunger and Fundacion CODESPA’s COVID-19 response focuses in the distribution of food items, hygiene kits and hand washing facilities as well as the provision of agricultural inputs to selected and pre-identified Farmer’s Association or Cooperatives allowing them to minimize agricultural production losses and at the same time ensuring their families’ livelihood amidst the emerging crisis.

(Jasteen Abella, ID DAVAO DE ORO)

Europas Grenzen öffnen sich wieder

Polen, Tschechien, Frankreich, Norwegen: Die wegen der Corona-Pandemie eingeführten Beschränkungen an innereuropäischen Grenzen fallen nach und nach weg. Die "günstige Entwicklung" macht's möglich.

Polen öffnet seine Grenzen zu EU-Ländern (picture-alliance/dpa/S. Sauer)
Seit 13. Juni 2020, 0 Uhr, wieder offen: die deutsch-polnische Grenze

Nach knapp drei Monaten hat Polen seine Grenzen zu allen EU-Nachbarländern wieder geöffnet. Bereits am Freitag waren die Beschränkungen an der Grenze zu Litauen weggefallen - am frühen Samstagmorgen dann auch an den Grenzen zu Deutschland, Tschechien und zur Slowakei.

Für Nicht-EU-Staaten gilt die Regelung vorerst nicht, weil nach Ansicht der polnischen Regierung in einigen Staaten insbesondere in Lateinamerika und Nordamerika die Lage immer noch besorgniserregend ist. Auch Kontrollen an Polens Grenzen zur Ukraine, Weißrussland und zur russischen Exklave Kaliningrad (Königsberg) bleiben erhalten.

Frankreich hebt die Beschränkungen an seinen Grenzen für EU-Reisende am 15. Juni weitgehend auf. Dies geschehe in Übereinstimmung mit den Empfehlungen der Europäischen Kommission, teilten das Innen- und das Außenministerium in Paris mit. Menschen aus den Mitgliedsstaaten der EU sowie aus Andorra, Island, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norwegen, San Marino, der Schweiz und dem Vatikan dürfen dann wieder ungehindert einreisen. Ausnahmen gelten weiterhin für Spanien und Großbritannien - einschließlich einer zweiwöchigen Quarantänepflicht für Einreisende, die in beiden Ländern ebenfalls besteht.

Frankreich Carling, Grenze zu Deutschland | Coronavirus | Baguette-Übergabe (Getty Images/AFP/J.C. Verhaegen)

Wird nächste Woche abgebaut: Absperrung an der deutsch-französischen Grenze

Seine Grenzen zu Ländern außerhalb des Schengen-Raums will Frankreich ab dem 1. Juli schrittweise öffnen. Der Zeitpunkt der Öffnung werde "je nach Gesundheitslage in den verschiedenen Drittstaaten" variieren und den Vereinbarungen entsprechen, "die bis dahin auf europäischer Ebene beschlossen worden sein werden".

Auch Tschechien öffnet seine Grenzen ab Montag für Bürger fast aller EU-Staaten, der Schweiz und aus Liechtenstein. Ermöglicht werde dies durch die günstige epidemiologische Entwicklung, teilte das Gesundheitsministerium in Prag mit. Die wegen der Pandemie eingeführten Grenzkontrollen zu Deutschland und Österreich waren bereits vor einer Woche  aufgehoben worden.

Bestehen bleibt das tschechische Einreiseverbot indes für Reisende mit Wohnsitz in Belgien, Portugal, Großbritannien, Schweden sowie der polnischen Woiwodschaft Schlesien. Diese Territorien gelten nach Ansicht der Behörden als Risikogebiete für eine Coronavirus-Infektion.

Norwegen will am Montag die Grenzen zu fast allen Nachbarländern ebenfalls wieder öffnen, wie die Regierung des Schengenstaates in Oslo bekanntgab. Reisende könnten von Dänemark, Finnland und Island problemlos nach Norwegen kommen - bei Schweden gebe es regionale Regelungen: Vorerst dürften nur Besucher von der Insel Gotland einreisen, weil in den anderen Regionen Schwedens das Infektionsniveau noch nicht "akzeptabel" sei.

wa/fw (dpa, afp, rtr)

THE BEAUTY OF NATURE

In times with Covid-19, more and more friends of mine are enjoying to share beautiful places of Mindanao. Their posts on Facebook have been paired with the desire to going there if the coronavirus is gone. Then we might be free. We might be allowed to go wherever we want to go. Meanwhile, I shared the same desire and dreams with them too.

If you talk about the beauty of nature, automatically creation sings God's praise. Psalm 104 shows appreciation for every aspect of nature, even creatures like wild goats, lions, and others. The Israelites, as herders and farmers, had no romantic idealization of the outdoors. Nobody who herds sheep thinks of them as soft and fluffy pets. But to the poet who wrote Psalm 104, creatures that are no "use" to anyone still have intrinsic worth - especially to God.

The intertwining of nature is not, for the psalmist, like a complex machine, dangerously sensitive. Things fit together because a personal God watches over them. Every breath of life depends on His will.

Modern people nowadays are often preoccupied with the fear of overcrowding and poisoning nature. This might happen again if we are leaving free after the coronavirus lockdown has been lifted. The psalms show not such fear, for overcrowding and pollution were not major problems in that preindustrial civilization. Yet interestingly enough, the psalm ends with a wish that God would clean up the earth. The beauty of the earth, made by God, calls out for purity - purity of the heart.

If we will be "free" soon and able to discover our surroundings, we should ask ourselves, how does nature affect us. And, even more important: how do we affect nature?

Philippines benefits from new German aid protecting agriculture and food security

Germany just granted new assistance (around EUR 3 million or Php 165 million) to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The money is for a project benefitting also the Philippines: “Scaling-up Early Warning Early Action (EWEA) for agriculture and food security”.

The Embassy is pleased to inform about this new financial support in times of the global COVID-19 pandemic. It underlines that German support for the Philippines continues in times of crisis, and it shows that German aid looks beyond the immediate needs into the wider future.

Said initiative follows a new, forward-looking approach to humanitarian assistance. It supports high risk countries in Africa, Central Asia and the Philippines which are considered vulnerable to natural hazards and conflict. The project aims to protect agricultural livelihoods and food security of vulnerable households by acting before a disaster strikes. Therefore it reduces humanitarian needs, preventing the deterioration of food security and strengthening resilience.
In order to link early warning to early actions that can lessen the impact of a disaster, partner countries will be supported in their risk analysis, activation and implementation process among others.

#germanyinphl #botschaftMNL #humanitarianassistance #agriculture #FAO #EWEA

4TH ROUND OF FOOD AID TO ‘PIPS’

DAVAO CITY COMPLETES 4TH ROUND OF FOOD AID TO ‘PIPS’

Posted on June 9, 2020  by administrator

The Davao City government has completed the fourth round of the food distribution to the Women/People in Prostitution (PIP) whose source of income is also affected by the movement restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic.

Gina A. Molon, in-charge of the food assistance and the Officer-in-Charge of the Pre-schooler and Children’s Concern Division (PSCCD) of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), said CSWDO has reached out to a total of 323 PIPs in the areas of San Pedro, Legaspi, Anda, Claveria, and Tiongco. Together with the food assistance, CSWDO also distributed hotline number cards in case they would need psychosocial assistance.

Molon said CSWDO has identified these beneficiaries previously because they are already clients of the city government’s different programs, advocacies, and livelihood assistance.

“Ato na man gyud na sila’ng kleyente. In fact, na-organize na nato sila. Naa ta’y organizations sa mga People in Prostitution (They are already our clients. In fact, we have organized them, we have organization for the People in Prostitution),” Molon said.

She added that aside from the livelihood assistance their children are also beneficiaries of the city’s educational program.“Beneficiary nato na sila sa atong mga livelihood ug sa atong educational assistance sa ilang mga kabataan (They are beneficiaries of our livelihood and the educational assistance for their children),” she noted. CIO

DAVAO CITY FIRM VS. GCQ VIOLATIONS

Posted on June 11, 2020  by administrator


The Davao City government has filed charges against over 200 persons who have violated the protocols of the community quarantine.Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay said that 90 cases had already been filed in court against 277 violators for defying the rules on curfew, liquor ban, and social gathering.

Sumagaysay said that on the other hand, 145 cases had also been filed out of the 329 apprehensions for violations of the Food and Medicine Pass (FM Pass).Other cases are yet to be filed as these will be done through regular filing while other apprehended suspects are minors.

“We just have to follow the protocols, especially on the social distancing and wearing of mask,” he said. Sumagaysay said the protocols are being strictly implemented to prevent the further spread of the virus.The city has registered a total of 321 cases since the outbreak started. Of the figure, 192 have recovered but 30 have died.

Currently, 99 cases remain active. Sumagaysay also commended the police authorities for doing their job and ensure that the protocols are strictly implemented. “We are commending the security sector, particularly the Davao City Police Office for continued implementation of GCQ guidelines. We hope that Dabawenyos would cooperate and adhere to the guidelines (because) after all, this is for the good of our community,” he said.

By: CIO
Categorized in COVID-19, Peace and Order

Bundesregierung verlängert generelle Reisewarnung außerhalb Europas

Erneut hat das Kabinett über den Fortgang der Reisebeschränkungen entschieden: Innerhalb Europas sollen die Grenzkontrollen so schnell wie möglich fallen, außerhalb bleibt es bei der Reisewarnung, mindestens bis Ende August. Tourismus- und Luftfahrtbranche fordern mehr Differenzierung.

Heiko Maas
© stock.adobe.com / REUTERS / FABRIZIO BENSCH

Die Bundesregierung hat die Reisewarnung für mehr als 160 Länder außerhalb der Europäischen Union bis zum 31. August verlängert. Das hat das Bundeskabinett heute beschlossen.

Das Eckpunktepapier des Kabinetts sieht vor, dass das Pandemiegeschehen weltweit weiter beobachtet wird. Ausnahmen können für einzelne Länder gemacht werden, erläuterte Bundesaußenminister Heiko Maas (SPD). Voraussetzung sei, dass die Verbreitung des Virus ausreichend eingedämmt sei.

Anders als bei den europäischen Nachbarn gebe es für den Rest der Welt "noch nicht die gemeinsamen belastbaren Datengrundlagen, Kriterien und Abstimmungsprozesse, die einen uneingeschränkten Reiseverkehr ohne unkalkulierbare Risiken wieder möglich machen", so Maas. 

Maas weiter: 

"Die Bundesregierung hat heute entschieden, dass die weltweite Reisewarnung für alle Länder außer den Mitgliedsstaaten der Europäischen Union, den Schengen-assoziierten Staaten und dem Vereinigten Königreich vorerst bis einschließlich dem 31. August weiter gilt. Anders als bei unseren europäischen Nachbarn haben wir für den Rest der Welt heute noch nicht die gemeinsamen belastbaren Datengrundlagen, Kriterien und Abstimmungsprozesse, die einen uneingeschränkten Reiseverkehr ohne unkalkulierbare Risiken wieder möglich machen. 

Gleichzeitig ist uns sehr bewusst, dass viele Bürgerinnen und Bürger so schnell wie möglich auch außerhalb Europas wieder reisen möchten. Das betrifft Urlaubsziele in der Türkei und in Nordafrika aber auch Südostasien und Amerika. Ab wann solche Reisen auch zu touristischen Zwecken wieder vertretbar sind, wird vom Verlauf der Pandemie abhängen.

Wir werden deshalb die Reisewarnung auch vor September immer wieder auf den Prüfstand stellen, immer mit der Sicherheit der Reisenden als zentralem Kriterium. Dort - und nur dort - wo das Gesamtpaket aus positiver Pandemieentwicklung, einem stabilen Gesundheitssystem, stimmigen Sicherheitsmaßnahmen für den Tourismus und verlässlichen Hin- und auch Rückreisemöglichkeiten das zulässt, können wir möglicherweise schon früher von einer Reisewarnung zu Reisehinweisen zurückkehren.

Klar ist dabei aber auch: eine Aufhebung der Reisewarnung muss in das Gesamtbild passen. Solange pandemiebedingt Einreiseverbote aus Drittstaaten in die Europäische Union bestehen, wäre es nicht vermittelbar, wenn dort schon wieder zu Tausenden europäische Touristen unterwegs sind."

Foreign Minister Maas on the Cabinet decision concerning the extension of the worldwide travel warning until 31 August

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas issued the following statement today (10 June) on the decision by the Cabinet to extend until 31 August 2020 the warning against non-essential travel abroad for tourist purposes to all countries with the exception of the member states of the European Union, the countries associated with Schengen and the UK:

logo The German Government decided today that the worldwide travel warning for all countries except the member states of the European Union, the countries associated with Schengen and the UK will remain in place until 31 August. In contrast to our European neighbours, we do not yet have shared reliable data sources, criteria and coordination processes for the rest of the world which would make unrestricted travel possible again without incalculable risks. We can and will not risk Germans being stranded around the world again this summer or holidaymakers unsuspectingly bringing the virus back to Germany.

At the same time, we are very aware that many people would also like to travel outside Europe again as soon as possible. That applies to holiday destinations in Turkey and in North Africa, as well as South-East Asia and America. At what point such trips, also for tourist purposes, will be advisable again will depend on how the pandemic develops.

We will therefore review the travel warning on a regular basis before September and travellers’ safety will always be the central criterion. Where – and only where – the pandemic is developing positively, there is a stable healthcare system, appropriate safety measures for tourism are in place and both outward and return travel is assured, can we possibly revert at an earlier date from travel warnings to travel advisories.

However, it is clear that lifting the travel warning must fit into the overall picture. As long as there are pandemic-related bans on entries from third states to the European Union, it would be hard to justify thousands of European tourists travelling to those countries.

Reisewarnung fast für gesamten Schengenraum aufgehoben

Aufgehoben wird dagegen die Reisewarnung für die Länder in der Europäischen Union. Das selbe gilt für das gerade aus der EU ausgetretene Großbritannien sowie einzelne Staaten des grenzkontrollfreien Schengenraums, die nicht Mitglied in der EU sind: Island, die Schweiz und Liechtenstein. Die Aufhebung gilt ab 15. Juni.

Einzig Spanien und Norwegen sind von den Lockerungen aktuell noch ausgenommen - wegen noch bestehender Einreisesperren für Deutsche dort. Generell gilt aber bei allen europäischen Ländern: Sollten bestimmte Parameter in einem Land festgelegte Grenzwerte überschreiten, können auch wieder einzelne Reisewarnungen ausgesprochen werden.

Bundespolizei beendet innereuropäische Grenzkontrollen

Gleichzeitig beendet Deutschland zum 15. Juni die aufgrund der Corona-Krise eingeführten Binnengrenzkontrollen zu vier Ländern. Reisende aus Österreich, der Schweiz, Frankreich und Dänemark können dann wieder ungehindert nach Deutschland einreisen.

Bundesinnenminister Horst Seehofer (CSU) erläuterte im Anschluss an die Kabinettssitzung, dass mit dem Ende der Grenzkontrollen die Freizügigkeit innerhalb der Union wieder hergestellt werde. Das Innenministerium werde die Bundespolizei anweisen, die Kontrollen bis dahin schrittweise zurückzufahren.

Seehofer äußerte zugleich die Erwartung, dass bis Ende Juni alle Reisebeschränkungen innerhalb der EU aufgehoben werden. Zu Norwegen und Spanien sagte der Minister: "Wir handeln da gleichberechtigt", sagte Seehofer. Betroffen davon sei vor allem der Luftverkehr.

"Wirtschaftliche Erholung gefährdet"

Der Deutsche Reiseverband (DRV) kritisiert die Verlängerung der generellen Reisewarnungen für Ziele außerhalb Europas. Es brauche einen differenzierteren Ansatz, um die wirtschaftliche Erholung und die Wiederaufnahme von Handel und Tourismus nicht zu gefährden.

"Das Auswärtige Amt macht es sich mit der weltweiten Reisewarnung zu leicht. Die Pandemie klingt in sehr vielen Ländern der Welt ab. Entsprechend stellt sich das Infektionsgeschehen in den rund 160 Ländern, auf die sich die Reisewarnung bezieht, sehr unterschiedlich dar. Man soll und kann sie daher nicht alle über einen Kamm scheren", sagte DRV-Präsident Norbert Fiebig.

Man nehme zur Kenntnis, dass das Auswärtige Amt eine zweite Rückholaktion ausschließen wolle, daran dürfte die Aufhebung der Reisewarnungen jedoch nicht scheitern. "Im Fall der Fälle sorgen die deutschen Reiseveranstalter wie bisher auch dafür, dass die Gäste – sofern notwendig – vorzeitig und sicher nach Hause kommen. Die Rückholgarantie ist bei uns also inklusive – übrigens ohne Mehrkosten" so Fiebig mit Blick auf Pauschalreisen.

Auch der Flughafenverband ADV ist der Meinung, dass differenzierte Reisewarnungen schneller kommen sollten. Reisen zwischen Deutschland und Nicht-EU-Staaten sollten möglich sein, sofern das Infektionsgeschehen und die gesundheitlichen Bedingungen dies hergeben würden.

Den Wegfall der Grenzkontrollen innerhalb Europas begrüßt die ADV. Die schnelle Öffnung des Reiseverkehrs mit klaren, in einem Leitfaden definierten Sicherheitsstandards sei Anliegen der Flughäfen. "Je länger die Krise dauert, desto mehr Existenzen stehen auf dem Spiel", teilte der Verband mit.

Reisewarnung für mehr als 160 Länder bis Ende August!

By dpa

Reisen im Corona-Sommer bleibt eine komplizierte und unsichere Angelegenheit: Die Bundesregierung will die Reisewarnung für mehr als 160 Länder außerhalb der Europäischen Union bis zum 31. August verlängern.

Nach Informationen der Deutschen Presse-Agentur sollen jedoch Ausnahmen für einzelne Länder gemacht werden können, die bestimmte Kriterien erfüllen.

Laut der Nachrichtenagentur Reuters einigten sich Auswärtiges Amt und Innenministerium zudem darauf, von Kreuzfahrten weiter dringend abzuraten. Das Bundeskabinett solle der Regelung am Mittwoch zustimmen.

Zu den betroffenen Ländern außerhalb der Europäischen Union zählen auch Hauptreiseländer, allen voran die Türkei als drittbeliebtestes Urlaubsland der Deutschen.

► In der Bundesregierung wird Reuters zufolge darauf verwiesen, dass die Lage in vielen Staaten weltweit völlig unterschiedlich sei. Dies betreffe sowohl die Corona-Infektionszahlen, Hygieneregeln, Testkapazitäten, die Transparenz über das Infektionsgeschehen in verschiedenen Landesteilen als auch die Kapazitäten des Gesundheitssystems und Möglichkeiten der Rückreise. Deshalb soll nach dem 1. Juli individuell geprüft werden, für welche Staaten die Reisewarnung aufgehoben werden kann.

Vergangenen Freitag hatte die Europäische Union beschlossen, ab Juli die Reisebeschränkungen für Länder außerhalb der Staaten-Gemeinschaft schrittweise abzubauen.

STAY AT HOME

My column in Mindanao Daily, BusinessWeek Mindanao and Metro Cagayan de Oro Times

During corona times ‘Stay at home’ is a simple message, but as countries (Philippines not yet!) open up with social distancing guidelines, there’s more room for interpretation – especially among friends.

When people in Europe (even in my home country Germany)  were finally allowed to meet with up to 10 friends after eight weeks in lockdown, some couldn’t wait to gather over beers back at their favourite bar terrace, or host a dinner at their apartment. But others were unsure about how to socialise, and some even found themselves judging the different behaviours of people in their network.

Some of my German friends, who are all in their 30s or early 40s, are nervous about how flippantly one member of their group has been taking the risks of the virus. They told me by emails that it felt “too annoying” to wear a mask in the supermarket despite these being mandatory in other European countries. It is a transition phase.... and, certainly, people are starting to look at each other with a bit more suspicion. How about in the Philippines?

Of course, some people have small parties and get-togethers where all guidelines have gone out the window. So what's social distancing all  about?

In my opinion, it's difficult to talk to those who have broken guidelines, and ended up leaving sarcastic comments on one girl’s Snapchat, which caused her to remove him from her private story feed. Although they weren’t close, I don’t think they’ll talk going forward.

Why do we have different boundaries?

Dr.  Kate Hamilton-West, a health psychologist at the University of Kent in England, argues that whereas most people easily understood the message that “you must stay at home if that is possible” during lockdowns, it is “human nature” that more varied types of behaviours and responses will emerge if governments and institutions give people more choice.

This is partly because different personality types can be generally more or less risk-averse, or have contrasting value preferences. “Protecting others, for example, is something that people will value to different degrees... for some people, that might be less important to them than things like, for example, having autonomy over your own decision-making.”

In Sweden, which never had a lockdown, researchers from Lund University found that the strongest indicator of how likely people were to follow voluntary recommendations was their willingness to adapt their actions for the benefit of others. They measured this kind of responsible “pro-social” behaviour through surveys and game-based experiments, focused on how much they would put others at risk in order to win more money for themselves. Being pro-social was a predictor for following physical distancing and hygiene measures, buying a cloth face mask and seeking out health information about Covid-19.

"People are acting like for them, the pandemic is over,” says Gravin Wolfe van Dernoot, a student in the US state of Colorado. And several political leaders and governments all over the world too ... !

Philippines: Church warns against 'holy alcohol' for COVID-19

Churchgoers in the Philippines have been urged not to fall for products advertised as being "holy" to protect themselves from COVID-19. Besides alcohol, church leaders said there's "no such thing" as a holy face mask.   

The Catholic Church in the Philippines warned against buying "holy alcohol" and other products claiming to protect against the coronavirus.

"There is no sacramental holy alcohol that we should make the sign of the cross with when we rub it to ourselves," the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said in a statement on Monday. "Moreover, it should not be sprinkled on the faithful."

They likewise warned that there is "no such things" as holy face masks, holy face shields, holy hand sanitizer and holy personal protective equipment.

"This is an irreverent marketing strategy or gimmick," the statement added.

They issued the warning after an archdiocese outside of the capital Manila flagged "fake news" reports about the church replacing holy water with "holy alcohol," news agency DPA reported.

The CBCP said that many churches emptied their holy water fonts in recent months to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but that the holy water had not been replaced with rubbing alcohol.

Churches across the predominantly Catholic country were closed for months due to the COVID-19 lockdown, although some restrictions have eased starting in June. 

Some Catholic churches reopened to worshippers over the weekend, although the number of people allowed to attend mass is limited.

In Manila where the number of COVID-19 cases is higher, only 10 people are allowed to attend a mass at a time. In other areas of the country, churches are allowed to have up to 50% of their seating capacity, DPA reported.

The country has logged 22,474 COVID-19 cases so far as well as 1,011 deaths.

(C) by DW 2020

How to safely return to work and beat Covid-19 ...

... at its own game

With Metro Manila transitioning to GCQ, and many people returning to work, you need to fully understand how to avoid getting infected

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By Edsel Maurice T. Salvana, MD, DTM&H, FPCP, FIDSA, MANILA BULLETIN 

As the country tries to open up after a prolonged lockdown, many employees and employers are diligently preparing their workplaces to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19. What are the best practices to ensure we can resume work safely? Can we ever go “back to normal?” What is the best way to beat the virus at its own game?

How the virus moves from one person to anotherUnderstanding how Covid-19 spreads is key to controlling its transmission. Since SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) is a respiratory virus-like influenza, the most common route of transmission is from respiratory droplets. These are released when someone sneezes or coughs. Droplets can also be generated and released when someone is talking—but this is much less efficient than an explosive cough or sneeze. Droplets typically travel about three feet before they drop to the ground, although some may travel longer distances if there is wind or ventilation. This is the rationale behind keeping a physical distance of three to six feet from each other—chances are much less that any expelled respiratory droplets will be inhaled or swallowed. Inhalation of respiratory droplets is by far the most efficient and common way for COVID-19 to spread. The best ways to prevent droplet transmission are by consistent physical distancing and by wearing a mask.

Another path of transmission is through contact with infectious secretions. When someone sneezes, surfaces can be contaminated with respiratory droplets. If someone touches these surfaces, the droplets can transfer the infectious virus on to a person’s hands. If the person does not wash his hands and then inadvertently touches his eyes, nose, or mouth, live virus can be transferred. This route of transmission can be affected by the surface that the droplet lands on, as well as the environmental temperature which can eventually inactivate the virus the longer it stays exposed. The best ways to prevent contact transmission are by frequent handwashing and appropriate disinfection of surfaces.

The transmission number
To measure how easily a virus replicates itself and infects other people, scientists use a number called the reproductive number, abbreviated as R0 or “r-naught.” This is a theoretical number that reflects on average how many people a person with a contagious disease can infect. An R0 of one means one person infects another person before he or she recovers—the epidemic continues, but the new case numbers will remain steady over time. An R0 of two or above will result in exponential growth—one person infects two (or more), those two infect four, the four infect sixteen, and so on. The R0 of COVID-19 has been calculated to be as high as 5.7—and the exponential increase in cases seen in the US and Brazil bears this out.

When the Philippine government implemented the lockdown in March, it was working with reported data from Wuhan, China where the R0 was shown to be as high as 3.8, but post-lockdown it went down to 0.3. An R0 of less than one can result in the termination of an epidemic, although this is hard to achieve. A lockdown was the only intervention that showed any good evidence of working.

The epidemic in Italy at that time stood out as a stark warning that using usual thresholds of deciding when to lock down were not enough to mitigate the exponential growth that has characterized this virus. The Philippine government, with a much smaller healthcare capacity than Italy, decided to act. We were the first developing country to shut down its capital, at only 52 cases. Eight weeks later, the R0 has been brought down from about 3, to near 1.0. Not perfect, but potentially tens of thousands of Filipino lives were saved (Figure 1).

Figure 1. R0 of COVID-19 in the Philippines over time. Courtesy of Epimetrics.

Keeping R0 at or below 1As we begin to ease ECQ, we also release physical controls on the virus. The potential for R0 to suddenly surge is always present, but the virus may be kept at bay with interventions to interrupt transmission. For those returning to work, it will be essential to rely on actions that limit the potential for the virus to transfer from one person to another.

The following measures can help limit the spread of the virus in the workplace.

Don’t go to work if you feel sick. While absenteeism is generally frowned upon, now is not the time to tough it out when you feel under the weather. That cough or cold could just be the usual respiratory infection, but it could also be Covid-19. In order to lessen the chance of transmission, stay home if you feel ill. Employers should allow flexible work arrangements for those at risk and for those who have symptoms that might be due to Covid-19. Staying home when you feel sick is the right thing to do.

Wear a mask. A cloth mask should be enough if you don’t have any symptoms. The main reason for wearing the mask is so that you do not transmit virus in case you are infected with Covid-19 but have not yet developed symptoms. Wearing a mask is an act of solidarity—you are doing it for other people and not just yourself. If you have overt respiratory symptoms, use a surgical mask and contact a healthcare professional. Leave the N95 masks for healthcare workers. These need to be specially fitted and can be very uncomfortable.
When wearing a mask, cover both your nose and mouth. Do not touch the front part of the mask, and adjust it using the ear loops. If you accidentally touch the front of the mask, wash your hands immediately.
When you are done wearing the mask, remove it by the ear loops or ties. If it is a washable cloth mask, soak it in water with detergent immediately. Always wash your hands right after handling a used mask. Avoid touching your face.

Maintain physical distancing. “Six feet apart or six feet under,” goes the saying. It sounds morbid but staying at least three to six feet from one another precludes respiratory droplet transmission.

Wash your hands. Even if you get your hands contaminated with Covid-19, the virus still has to get into your body. Washing your hands with soap and water will inactivate the virus, because soap strips off the lipid coating of the virus, which is necessary for it to infect human cells.

Select the right test for the right people. There is no perfect swab or blood test that can pick out asymptomatic carriers. Testing may be requested and carried out at some workplaces with employees’ consent, with the employer shouldering the cost. There is no required test for returning to work as long as you have not been sick in the last 14 days. Just screening of returning workers for symptoms using health questionnaires or similar tools eliminates about 85 percent of the potential for transmission. Beyond testing, engineering the workplace to be Covid-19- proof is the best way to deal with undetected asymptomatic carriers.

Arrange transport that enables social distancing. This may be the most challenging for those who take public transport. While DOTr has come up with guidelines, the ideal for workers who need to be physically present is still onsite housing. Other options include dedicated company shuttles, using bicycles, or walking when feasible. More and more public transport providers are accepting contactless payment systems, and more innovations, with hope, will be incorporated to decrease the risk of spread.
Transitioning to a safer work environment is essential in this time of COVID-19. We know a lot more about this virus than we used to, and we can use that knowledge to protect ourselves. The only way forward is to learn to safely live with this virus until an effective vaccine is found. Life needs to go on—we just have to manage the risk of infection and protect ourselves and our loved ones as best we can.

Edsel Maurice T. Salvana, MD, DTM&H, FPCP, FIDSA is an internationally-recognized infectious diseases specialist and molecular biologist at the University of the Philippines and the Philippine General Hospital. He is the director of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the National Institutes of Health at UP Manila. He has spoken and written extensively on the COVID-19 outbreak, and serves on the Technical Advisory Group of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).