32 areas under Covid-19 Alert Level 2 from Nov. 1 to 15–DOH

Published November 1, 2022, 1:09 AM

by Analou de Vera, MB

DOH

Thirty-two areas in the country were placed under Covid-19 Alert Level 2 from Nov. 1 to Nov. 15, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approved the latest Covid-19 Alert Level System (ALS) classifications for provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities, the DOH said in a statement on Monday, Oct. 31. 

“Thirty-two provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities are under Alert Level 2,” the DOH said.

On the other hand, 89 out of 121 provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities were placed under Alert Level 1, the DOH said.

The DOH has observed a decline in the country’s case trend and hospital admissions.

“This means that our key indicators, such as the healthcare utilization rate (HCUR), are showing improvements. We attribute this development to every Filipino who continues to cooperate with our Covid-19 response,” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire. 

“But while we see a continuous decline in case and admission trends, we must remember that deescalation does not mean that the battle with Covid-19 is already over. These current numbers are not permanent; we must all work together to maintain these low numbers,” she added.

Here’s the list of areas under Alert Level 2:

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR):
Benguet
Ifugao

Calabarzon
Quezon Province

Mimaropa
Palawan

Bicol Region
Camarines Norte
Masbate  

Western Visayas
Antique
Negros Occidental

Central Visayas
Bohol
Cebu Province
Negros Oriental

Eastern Visayas
Leyte
Northern Samar
Western Samar

Zamboanga Peninsula
City of Isabela
Zamboanga Del Sur
Zamboanga Sibugay

Northern Mindanao
Lanao del Norte

Davao Region
Davao De Oro
Davao Del Norte
Davao Del Sur
Davao Occidental

Soccsksargen
North Cotabato
Sarangani
Sultan Kudarat

Caraga
Dinagat Islands
Surigao del Norte

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM):
Basilan
Lanao Del Sur
Maguindanao
Sulu
Tawi-tawi

The following areas were under Alert Level 1:

National Capital Region

CAR
Abra
Apayao
Baguio City
Mountain Province
Kalinga

Ilocos Region
Dagupan City
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
La Union
Pangasinan

Cagayan Valley
Batanes
Cagayan
City of Santiago
Isabela
Nueva Vizcaya
Quirino

Central Luzon
Angeles City
Aurora
Bataan
Bulacan
Nueva Ecija
Olongapo City
Pampanga
Tarlac
Zambales

Calabarzon
Batangas
Cavite
Laguna
Lucena City
Rizal

Mimaropa
Marinduque
Occidental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro
Puerto Princesa City
Romblon

Bicol Region
Albay
Camarines Sur
Catanduanes
Naga City
Sorsogon

Western Visayas
Aklan
Bacolod City
Capiz
Guimaras
Iloilo City
Iloilo

Central Visayas
Cebu City
Lapu-Lapu City
Mandaue City
Siquijor

Eastern Visayas
Biliran
Eastern Samar
Ormoc City
Southern Leyte
Tacloban City

Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga del Norte

Northern Mindanao
Bukidnon
Cagayan de Oro City
Camiguin
Iligan City
Misamis Occidental
Misamis Oriental

Davao Region
Davao City
Davao Oriental

Soccsksargen
General Santos City
South Cotabato

Caraga
Agusan del Norte
Agusan del Sur
Butuan City
Surigao del Sur

BARMM:
Cotabato City

Davao City to outsource durian

By Richy Nalagon

The government of Davao City, through the City Agriculturist's Office (Cagro), said it will deliver its commitment to have an abundant supply of durian during the Kadayawan season by outsourcing the "smelly but inviting" fruit from neighboring regions.

The unusual weather patterns caused by climate change have affected the cyclic production of durian in the city, resulting in a supply deficit.

Typically, the annual volume of durian that Davao City produces can reach over 12,000 metric tons (MT).

Davao City recorded 15,485 MT of durian in 2019, over 17,000 MT in 2020 and 12,930 MT in 2021. However, only over 3,000 MT of durian were harvested for the first half of this year.

During the I-Speak media forum on Thursday, Cagro head Edgardo Haspe said that because of the unusual weather patterns felt in the city's highlands early this year, a significant number of durian trees did not bear fruit in time for the Kadayawan season.

He said in order to respond to the high demand for the fruit during Kadayawan season, the Cagro is currently in talks with durian consolidators from other regions to import durian into the city.

"We are now discussing with the Durian Industry Council Association of Davao City, if, based on their monitoring, there is available supply from neighboring provinces and regions, just like North Cotabato, Kidapawan, Makilala, to supply the need for durian during that period," Haspe said.

Although there is still durian left to be harvested from the city's highlands, this will still not be enough to supply the market and the estimated 50,000 tourists who are expected to come during the Kadayawan season.

"As we have observed based on our monitoring, naa pa'y nabilin na portion in Toril, Sibulan, Catigan, portions of Marilog and Baguio, Calinan. Siguro dili na ni kaabot og 5,000 tons (As we have observed based on our monitoring, there are still some left in some parts of Toril, portions of Marilog and Baguio, Calinan. Maybe that will no longer reach 5,000 tons)," Haspe added.

Although Haspe admitted that this Kadayawan season's durian harvest in the city is proving to be underwhelming, he said the industry remains lucrative.

He added that more and more farmers are engaged in durian production due to its favorable prices in the global market.

In 2019, the total land area for durian farming in Davao City was recorded at 3,222 hectares.

This had since increased to 3,389 hectares in 2021. Haspe said the city's durian processors have also been increasing in number.

"Our durian processors here in the city are increasing.

There is one in Calinan, here in Tibungco; they come to our office to ask where they can find supply," Haspe said.

On top of this, Davao City is also eyeing building a direct link to the Chinese market.

The Cagro head said that the city's durian usually has to go through consolidators in other countries, such as Thailand, before ending up in mainland China.

He said exporting directly to China will increase the profit margin of Davao City's durian farmers as well as the city's visibility in the global market.

Heatwave: Ferocious European heat heads north

By Malu Cursino

BBC News

Firefighters work to contain a tactical fire in Louchats, as wildfires continue to spread in the Gironde region of southwestern France, July 17

IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS

Fires in the south of France have ravaged more than 15,000 hectares (37,066 acres) of forests since 12 July

Western Europe faces more sweltering temperatures on Tuesday as a ferocious heatwave heads north.

In France and the UK extreme heat warnings were issued while northern Spain recorded temperatures of 43C (109F) on Monday.

Wildfires in France, Portugal, Spain and Greece have forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

The UK is expected to see its hottest day ever and experts say parts of France face a "heat apocalypse".

Several parts of France saw their hottest-ever days with the western city of Nantes recording 42C, the national weather office said.

Wildfires in recent days have forced more than 30,000 people to flee, with emergency shelters set up for evacuees.

Gironde, a popular tourist region in the southwest, has been hit particularly badly, with firefighters battling to control blazes which have destroyed over 15,000 hectares (37,066 acres) of land since last Tuesday.

"The idea that comes into my head is, it's a monster," Jean-Luc Gleyze, the president of the Gironde region said of the fires.

"It's a monster like an octopus, and it's growing and growing and growing in the front, in the back, on both sides. Because of the temperature, because of the wind, because of the lack of water in the air... it's a monster and it's very difficult to fight against it."

The UK had one of its hottest days on record on Monday, with a high of 38.1C recorded in Suffolk, in eastern England. Forecasters say Tuesday could see a top of 40C, which would be the highest temperature ever recorded in the country.

There were severe travel disruptions with trains cancelled and flights at London's Luton Airport suspended when part of the runway buckled under the searing heat.

On Monday, the Netherlands recorded its hottest day of the year so far. In the south-western town of Westdorpe, temperatures reached 33.6C.

And it is expected to be hotter on Tuesday, with temperatures forecast to top 39C in southern and central regions of the Netherlands.

Forecasters say the heatwave is heading north, with Belgium, Germany and Italy expected to see temperatures around 40C in the coming days.

In Spain and Portugal, more than 1,000 deaths have been attributed to the heat in recent days.

Temperatures in Portugal hit 47C on Thursday - a record for July. Most of the country has been placed under high fire danger by the national meteorological office IPMA.

Local media reports that 300 people from the northern Murça municipality have been evacuated due to the fire danger - authorities are anxious to avoid a repeat of 2017, when 66 people were killed in wildfires.

In Spain, at least twenty fires are burning out of control. A passenger filmed the moment the train he was travelling on came to a temporary halt - as fires raged on both sides of the carriage near the northern border with Portugal.

Heatwaves have become more frequent, more intense, and last longer because of human-induced climate change. The world has already warmed by about 1.1C since the industrial era began and temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions.

May 9 declared as special non-working holiday

A volunteer feeds a sample ballot to the vote-counting machine or VCM during a trial run for the May 9, 2022 elections at San Nicolas in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya on Tuesday, April 12, 2022.

The STAR / Victor Martin

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte declared May 9, election day, as a special non-working holiday for the conduct of the national and local elections, Malacañang announced Tuesday.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea signed Proclamation 1357, which stated the need to declare May 9 as a special non-working holiday “to enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote, subject to the public health measures of the national government.”

The Commission on Elections earlier asked Duterte to declare May 9 as a special non-working holiday to ensure full participation in this year’s high stakes polls.

There are around 65.7 million locally registered voters and 1.69 million overseas voters.

Pre-election surveys show Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of a former dictator, is on track to win the elections. — with report from News5/Maricel Halili