DICT launches Tech4Ed Centers in Davao de Oro

Davao de Oro --- The Department of Information and Communications Technology – Mindanao Cluster 3 (DICT MC3) recently launched a Technology for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (Tech4Ed) Centers and turn-over computer packages in LGU New Bataan, Mainit National High School in Nabunturan and Philippine Army’s 10th SIGNAL Battalion.

 A Tech4ED is one of the DICT’s flagship programs implemented nation-wide that aims to provide access points for individuals and communities to bridge the digital gap and harness the power of ICT in society towards creating a progressive countryside.

 DICT MC3 Assistant Regional Director Engr. Erlito Tancontian underscores the government’s effort to provide easy accessibility to every municipality and barangay in the province particularly for those with minimal or no access to information and government services.

 “The establishment of the Tech4Ed Center is expected to bridge the digital and education divide by addressing the scarcity of ICT resources in the municipality that has hampered digital growth among locals,” Tancontian said.

He also added that Tech4Ed offers eight segment features like eEduSkills, eAssist, eHealth, eMarketPlace, eGovServices, Gender & Development and Rural Impact Sourcing (RIS) which all has a special function on a specific purpose from educational, job readiness and business tracking, to government office document transactions.

 The facilities set-up in these centers are open for free use of out-school-youths, students, teachers and entrepreneurs with no internet access, employees, PWDs, senior citizens, and indigenous people.

 As of February 9, 2021, 36 Wi-Fi zones are up in the province under the DICT-UNDP project dubbed “Free Wi-Fi for All Project” and the remaining 86 sites are ongoing implementation.

 Meanwhile, the PLGU-DdO’s Tech4Ed Center received additional four computer packages to further extend the government services among its employees and clients.

Present during the ceremony were DICT Davao de Oro Provincial Officer Engr. Ronilo M. Santa Cruz, Tech4ED Focal Person Eng. Albert C. Gabriel, LTC Jose C Perlas Jr, New Bataan Mayor Geraldford N. Balbin, Assistant School Principal II Sandy G. Yee, and Provincial Information Technology Officer Joyzel R. Odi and other local officials. (Rheafe Hortizano – Provincial Information Office of DdO)

Davao City posts 89% Covid recovery rate

 Photo by Mark Perandos

by: RALPH LAWRENCE G. LLEMIT

SunStar Davao City

A LOCAL health official said Davao City is targeting to beat the overall recovery rate in the country as Covid-19 recoveries in the city continue to rise.

City Health Office (CHO) Acting Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a radio interview on Wednesday, February 23, 2021, that the city is continuing to experience a downtrend of active cases due to a large number of new recoveries.

According to the Department of Health-Davao Region Covid-19 case bulletin, as of February 23, Davao City had a total of 12,832 Covid-19 cases, wherein 748 were active cases, 11,458 were recoveries and 626 were deaths.

He said the total number of recoveries accounts for an 89-percent recovery rate for the city.

The health official said the city's recovery rate is inching closer to the national recovery rate, which is currently at 93.1 percent.

"Hapit na ta mutungtong sa 90 porsyento. Kinahanglan nato maapsan or ma-overtake-kan nang atong national rate nga 93.1 percent sa recovery rate nationwide (We are now almost at 90-percent. We hope to surpass the current national recovery rate, which is now at 93.1 percent)," Lopez said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

He added, "Kung ato na malampasan nang 93 percent nga recovery rate, then that is very, very good na (If we would surpass the 93-percent national recovery rate, that is already a very good) accomplishment for Davao City."

Lopez noted an estimated 50-percent drop of active cases in the past two weeks.

"In fact, ang (our) number of deaths from March [2020] up to present, murag nipantay na siya sa atong (is almost equal to our) active [cases]," he said.

With the downtrend being felt since February 3, the health official said they are also targeting to decrease the active cases to a single digit or a much lower double-digit.

Lopez also noted a downtrend in Covid-19 cases in the entire Davao Region following the downtrend in Davao City. The city had contributed a high percentage of the total cases in the region.

Davao City, according to the previous Covid-19 bulletin, experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases in mid-October last year when the city was still placed under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ), which started on July 1, until it was reverted to general community quarantine (GCQ) on November 20.

Cases continued to increase until January 2021 brought about by the post-Holiday surge, which was projected to be felt until mid-February this year.

Lopez cited the importance of having a projection or forecasting for Covid-19 cases, as it will be the city government's basis in its response.

Lopez said their projections were “accurate,” although the downtrend was felt a week earlier than what was previously projected.

"Mao na (That is the) advantage when you have accurate data, if you're going to have some anticipations based on the forecasting," he said, adding that their forecast depicts what would be the Covid-19 situation in the city in the coming weeks or months.

He said this progress is facing challenges brought about by the recent discovery of the new Covid-19 variant in the country, now also recorded in Davao City coming from a 10-year-old boy who was asymptomatic and fully recovered.

He also cited the recent recommendation of placing the entire country under MGCQ as a challenge in the city's improving Covid-19 situation.

Lopez said in a previous report that it is still early for the city to shift to a more relaxed quarantine status as the city is still managing to improve its Covid-19 case management.

He also said the recent recommendation of allowing international flights, even with countries with existing new variants, to enter Metro Manila is also another challenge.

According to Lopez, foreigners will now be allowed entry into the country provided they will undergo a 14-day quarantine.

"Problema ani kay kung makasulod (The problem is that once they enter), the question is how far can we monitor or mabantayan kaning pasyente (or monitor our patients)? How far can we go so we can suppress the possible transmission?" He said.

Lopez reminded the public to adhere to minimum health protocols as a measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus while the country waits for the Covid-19 vaccines.

Even with the arrival of the vaccines, he encouraged that health protocols would still be imposed as the vaccine's effect will not take effect immediately.

Igacos won’t allow island-hopping despite tourism reopening

Photo by Ace Perez

By RALPH LAWRENCE G. LLEMIT

SunStar Davao City

ISLAND-HOPPING within the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) will still be prohibited once tourism operations within the island resume on March 1, 2021.

Igacos Tourism Officer Jennifer Dagohoy Cariaga said in a radio interview on Wednesday, February 24, that island-hopping, one of the main tourism activities on the island, is still not allowed.

Cariaga did not further elaborate on the reason why the local government had temporarily suspended island-hopping activities.

The prohibition of island-hopping had been an existing guideline on the island prior to the suspension of Samal's tourism activities on December 18, 2020.

In a previous report, island-hopping was suspended to regulate the movement of the public as a mitigating measure against Covid-19.

She also said resort-hopping will also not be allowed.

"Kung asa ka naka-book, dili ka pwede magsuroy. Dili ka pwede mag-resort-hopping (Once you are booked to a certain establishment, you cannot roam anywhere and do resort hopping)," Cariaga said.

As of Wednesday, the city government has yet to issue an executive order (EO) on the complete guidelines, which Cariaga said the mayor will issue within the week.

She also added they would still implement the "no booking, no entry" policy.

As to the operational capacity, only 50 percent of the resort’s capacity will be allowed to maintain the required physical distancing.

Meanwhile, Cariaga said the local government is planning to lift the 24-hour liquor ban as they set to allow establishments to sell liquor. She, however, said liquors should not be consumed in public and even on resorts.

Beach resorts started the resumption of their operation on August 1, 2020, while tourism activities such as island hopping, scuba diving and aqua sports activities resumed on September 16.

Tourism activities on the island were suspended on December 18, 2020, in anticipation of the influx of tourists who wished to celebrate Christmas in Samal.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved the request of the Igacos government to reopen its tourism industry.

In a news report from state-owned media PTV Davao on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, Uy confirmed that the IATF granted their appeal to allow the gradual reopening of the island to tourists under a limited capacity after submitting their appeal to the national IATF.

Only resorts and other tourism-related establishments accredited by the local government and the Department of Tourism will be allowed to operate, he said.

Uy added that tourists outside Davao Region will also be allowed to visit Samal, but they must abide by the imposed requirements.

"Kadtong sa mga (Those from) outside Davao Region, they will go through the antigen test. Isa pud na sa gi-unsa pud sa IATF sa amoa (These were the regulations that the IATF ordered us to implement). Anyway, ang (the) antigen, ang mag-conduct ana [is] ang city unya libre na siya (will be provided by the city for free)," he said.

Duterte-Carpio calls for a stop on 'Run, Sara, Run' motorcades

File photo by Superbalita Davao

 

by RALPH LAWRENCE G. LLEMIT, SunStar

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio barred her supporters in the city from organizing motorcades prodding her to run for president in 2022.

In a radio interview on Monday, February 24, Duterte-Carpio said some barangay officials, along with some supporters in the city, are planning to stage a motorcade to convince her to run for the presidency.

Duterte-Carpio told organizers to better save the fuel of their vehicles for some other essential purposes because she is firm in her decision not to run in the upcoming elections.

The mayor also told the group not to push through with their activity since the city is still under pandemic.

"Nagpasulti nako sa ila (I already told this person), who is a mover of their group, not to conduct gatherings because we are in a pandemic, and there is a risk na (that) there will be transmission kung dunay activity or gathering sa mga tao (if there will be activity or gathering of people), and [I told them] to stop that motorcade," she said.

Duterte-Carpio added the city has an existing ordinance prohibiting motorcade as this contributes to air pollution.

"Kahibalo ta nga naga-worsen na ang global warming. So these motorcades nga walay essential nga rason nga naga-contribute global warming and air pollution (We all know there is global warming and these unessential motorcades are just contributing to global warming and air pollution)," she said.

The mayor also ordered the removal of tarpaulins, posters, and billboards with the text "Run, Sara, Run," mounted by her supporters in some parts of the city.

"Mag-remind lang ko sa tanan na ang pagtaod og billboard and tarpaulin, there is a regulation para ana. One of that is kinahanglan ka magbayad sa government para sa mga ing-ana (May I just remind everyone that when you install billboards and tarpaulins there is a regulation for that, one of which is that you need to pay government fees)," Duterte-Carpio said.

She told the public to report the location of these posters so that the city can remove these and return these to the owners.

With the increasing number of supporters, not only in Davao City or Davao Region, but also in some parts of the country, Duterte-Carpio reiterated her previous statement that she will not be running for the national post.

"Tingala siguro ang mga tao ngano wala ko ginahatag nga rason kung ngano dili ko gusto mudagan pagkapangulo. Sa ilang tan-aw siguro, there is this chance nga tingali magbag-o akong huna-huna or wala ko nagsulti og tinuod (They might wonder why I am not giving any reasons why I am not running for the presidency. They thought there is this chance that I might change my mind, or that I am not telling the truth)," the mayor said.

"Ako na lang ginasulti pirmi is nagapasalamat ko sa ilang trust and confidence sa akoa, and nagapasalamat ko sa ilang suporta sa ako (What I am always saying is that I am very grateful for their trust and confidence in me, and that I am always thankful for their support). But I already answered that," Duterte-Carpio said, adding that there is "no chance" of changing her mind.

The mayor did not further disclose her reasons not to run, although she previously said she has many reasons behind it.

She added she does not want to offend any people on her decision.

The mayor had been shutting down rumors of her planning to run for presidency despite constant calls from her supporters, and has been leading in various surveys from different polling bodies for the 2022 presidential elections.

The mayor responded through a statement issued to national media saying that she is not planning to run in 2022, but in 2034.

"I am pleading to them to please allow me to run for President in 2034, if at that time, there is something I can do to help the country," she said.

Duterte-Carpio said in a recent interview that she is currently focused on addressing the Covid-19 situation in the city.

President Rodrigo Duterte, in recent public speeches, also does not want his daughter to run for presidency.

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (VI)

Chapter VI: A new car, a new job and the Apartheid Regime

Yes, 1980 was a year of great upheaval for me. A new car was needed. An old sports car: Opel Manta. Because there was no speed limit in Germany during this time, I was mostly alone in the left lane of the motorway, the German Autobahn and mostly at night. 200 km/h - no problem.

In East Germany, the German Democratic Republic, everything was very different anyway. Speed limit 100 km/h and highway patrols at any corner.

After my return from Moscow I was really surprised at how quickly I got a visa for East Germany every time. I visited my "Lola" there as much I could. The border controls limited themselves to an absolute minimum. "We have to control you a little. It's our duty", whispered the two border police guys one day. "Have a nice stay in our republic!" I was able to explain the reactions very quickly; after all, I had flown from Berlin to Moscow "on the line of German-Russian Friendship"... .

And then came the big day in business. I had my job interview. To my great surprise, a young lady came up and said, "Please come, the publisher is waiting for you already". The publisher? I was actually expecting an interview with the Human Resources Director. At this point in time, I didn't see my future boss becoming my great mentor. He was a lawyer and responsible publisher of the law department. Besides, there was a Department of Medicine and a Department of Religion in this international publishing house based in Berlin, New York, and Amsterdam.

My travel plans to South Africa were not a hindrance. I was able to start my job as Editorial Assistant for law magazines on January 1, 1980. I have never studied law in my life.

October 1980 I traveled to South Africa - more precisely from Berlin to London and then by British Airways from London to Johannesburg with a stopover in Kenya with its snow-capped Kilimanjaro. 

Lisa waited for me. One of my penfriends from all over the world. She had moved from Austria to South Africa. In January 1972, I received her first letter from Vienna. Now in 1980 we should finally get to know each other personally. 

Not in Austria but in South Africa -  a country with the Apartheid policy.

Apartheid (Afrikaans: “apartness”) is the name of the policy that governed relations between the white minority and the nonwhite majority of South Africa during the 20th century. Although racial segregation had long been in practice there, the apartheid name was first used about 1948 to describe the racial segregation policies embraced by the white minority government. Apartheid dictated where South Africans, on the basis of their race, could live and work, the type of education they could receive, and whether they could vote. Events in the early 1990s marked the end of legislated apartheid, but the social and economic effects remained deeply entrenched.

It was an unforgettable trip in a camping bus to gold mines, wildlife, desserts and visiting the different tribes. 

On my return flight I remembered a very specific country. One of the stewardesses was born there as she told me: Philippines. Well, the Philippines was getting closer and closer into my life. I guessed it after several conversations with this wonderful Filipina.

(To be continued!)

ARE WE LOSING FAITH AND HOPE ALREADY?

When I listen and lock around, I would have to answer this question with a big yes. Several friends of mine started talking with me and mentioned the good old days. Yes, those were the days my friend! Well, we all know: times have changed drastically. More natural disasters, more wars that hardly anyone speaks of anymore, and a pandemic that I have purposely put at the end of this list.

To be or not to be. Sein oder nicht sein. Shakespeare. To say it clearly: without faith and hope, we're really nothing.

Faith is belief; believe in us, in our works, talents and our personalities. We should also believe in our parents - or much better, in our whole family including the black sheep, which can be found everywhere.

We should believe in our friends, even if it seems to become very difficult nowadays. The pandemic kills many friendships.

Please remember, my dear readers: without faith  and hope will we reach the rock bottom. Don't say, it's a likely story.

The German poet Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (1759-1815) has mentioned in his drama "Maria Stuart": "Even the word might be dead, but faith keeps it alive!" Chapter I of Second Thessalonians gives encouragement to all Christians, who were undergoing persecution for or because of their faith. Yes, faith is really not everybody's thing, or "not everyone has faith".

"If I have faith, that can move mountains" (First Corinthians 13,2).

Faith is a tantamount to convincing and conviction. Richard Wagner (German classical composer and poet, 1813-1883) found the following lyric: "Blessed are those people, who know how to live their life in humility and faith."

So, let's even continue believing in our governments or the institution church. Faith means also a belief specially in a revealed religion. Faith is trust or reliance. Faith is indeed a pledged word. Yes, I know. Hope too.

People without faith and hope  in themselves cannot or will never survive. Worth to think about it!

‘New normal’ tourism demands it:

DOT chief underscores need for uniform travel protocols

by Alexandria Dennise San Juan, Manila Bulletin

Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat reiterated on Wednesday, Feb. 17 her call for the enforcement of standardized health protocols across all active tourism destinations in the country.

She noted that based on the results of the latest Philippine travel survey, one the top desires of the traveler-respondents was to have standardized travel and safety protocols in the various travel destinations so that the booking process would become easier.

“This is exactly our complaint because we in the DOT, we really go around and we follow all the protocols because we want to see how it is to travel,”

Puyat said in a virtual briefing wherein she discussed the survey findings. 

“Admittedly, kahit na kami, nahihirapan din kasi (even us are having a hard time because) different provinces [have] different protocols and I agree that it is really important to have uniform travel protocols,” she added.

The online travel survey, which was a follow-up to the May 2020 survey, was conducted by the DOT from Nov. 28 to Dec. 30 last year. It was carried out with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM)-Dr. Andrew L. Tan Center and Guide to the Philippines in a bid to support the crafting of the department’s strategy to jumpstart the tourism industry. 

Another common traveler sentiment that authorities learned from the survey is the need to “personalize” travels.Based on the survey, “value-sensitive” travelers prefer trips that are tailored according to their needs and objectives. Meanwhile, simplified trips to tourism destinations with the most relaxed health protocols and reduced cost and are a better fit for “price-sensitive” travelers.

In a bid to help travel agencies and tour operators enhance their packages and services, the tourism chief said that the department will roll out development initiatives such as business-to-business meetings, bench marking, product audit, and familiarization tours featuring new sites and attractions that will entice more people to travel domestically. 

“As always, we shall be taking a multi-lateral approach to address current issues relating to the pandemic, working more closely with local government units, stakeholders, and local communities,” Puyat said.

“Guided by the new survey results, the DOT and its partners will be able to plot the crucial next steps for the recovery of the tourism industry, creating better, more efficient, and effective strategies where there is mutual and inclusive growth for all,” she added.

Titled “The Evolving Landscape of Domestic Travel in the Philippines: A study of travelers and tourism enterprises amidst the pandemic,” the survey gathered responses from a total of 7,243 travelers from all 78 provinces in the country, as well as 108 tourism enterprises to get their views on traveling under the “new normal”.

DOES PAPER REALLY STILL MATTER?

 

The frequent whirring of printers in offices - despite the Internet, Microsoft Word, social media (by the way, I love Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter), scanners, smart phones applications and many much more - attest to that.

It's no longer a secret, I'm writing my biography. You can already read the first chapters online. But, of course, I also have the idea and the wish one day to be able to hold my thoughts in a tightly bound book.

I was - and I am still! - very much old fashioned in many things. While still typing on an old manual typewriter,  my former colleagues in different publishing houses used already electric units. I loved my antique typewriter. I love it till today. Yes, it's still here at my office in Davao City. I can't use it anymore, because no more ribbons are available in the Philippines. It's fine for me. My electric typewriter is also here. Just beside the manual unit. Those were the days, my love... .

It has been sometimes at the end of the 1990's. I worked in an international publishing house in Berlin with branches in Amsterdam and New York. I still used one of those wonderful electric typewriters - and tried to avoid vehemently a personal computer. Already during that time, I needed to hold paper in my hands. Paper, says the productivity expert David Allen, is "in your face". I strongly agree with David. He said, "Its physical presence can be a goal to completing tasks, whereas computer files can easily be hidden and thus forgotten. I am also returning to paper planners for this very reason. Smile ... .

David Allen, the author of "Getting Things Done", does much of his writing on a computer. So do I meanwhile. But, there are still times when writing with a fountain pen on a notepad. It allows "us" to get "our" heads in the right place. When I tried to learn more from David Allen, I really got surprised that we have many things in common. Old fashioned or not? I don't care. Here are some facts:

Paper print outs serve an important function. For long texts, a print out can allow a reader to better understand relationships between sections and writings. Paper handouts are still a presence at meetings partly because they are useful for taking notes. Reading a long document on paper rather than on a computer screen helps people "better understand the geography of the argument contained within, "said Richard H.R. Harper, a principal researcher for Microsoft in Cambridge/England and co-author with Abigail J. Sellen of "The Myth of the Paperless Office," published already in 2001.

I also strongly agree with Sellen, saying that using more than one computer screen can be helpful for all this cognitive juggling. But when workers are going back and forth between points in a longer document, it can be more efficient to read on paper.

How about "e-reading a book"? A novel, a drama, whatever? What do you prefer, my dear reader? You wanna know my opinion? I am sure, you can imagine. Yes guys, I still need a book in my hands for my leisure reading. I need to feel the book as well as I need to smell a fresh-printed newspaper. Environment savers might start yelling at me now, though I am one of them. So, where is the edge and borderline?

Paper can be indeed a luscious and beautiful thing - the way we savor fine food and wine, as Steve Leveen, co-founder and CEO of Levenger, said. People complain that writing by hand is slow (yes I am really!), BUT that can be good for thinking and creating! Here we are again!

Yes, paper matters still: in defense of the power of paper! 

WITH BEETHOVEN UNDER PALMS (V)

Chapter V: Crocodiles, rum and reggae

Jamaica? Did I mention Jamaica earlier? Yes, sure. Somehow, I wanted to be a loner, even though it was travelling. The travel plans between me and my buddy Jürgen became more and more different. Sad to say,

Our last trip together brought us to Gran Canaria in 1978. A wonderful island  belonging to a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean west of the African coast. A five-hours-flight nonstop from Berlin. Just a little something for Jürgen and me as global travelers. Several years later, I would stay on Gran Canaria more often - even for a second honeymoon. 

Jamaica, yes. An amazing island in the Carribean sea. A German Foreign Aid School Project brought me there. My previous journeys to Canada and the United States of America in 1975 have been mostly projects of the then Organization for International Contacts - back then it was located in the old West German capital Bonn.

Jamaica in 1979. A school project of the German Foreign Aid allowed me to visit this Carribean island.

 It was not really a vacation stay but long enough for some extraordinary experiences. Rum, well... . Rum and Coke, the long drink  Maitai - I am not sure if its origin is really from Jamaica. Here, we tried buko ( fresh coconut juice and Jamaica rum). Jamaica and its Blue Mountains.

Crocodiles? Yes, many. An organized river trip by tour guides up to the Dunn River Waterfalls in Ochos Rios made it possible to encounter many of these breathtaking species. Beethoven and Asia were somehow so very far away... .

Speaking of music. "No woman - no cry"! One of my most spectacular life open air music events was the one with legendary King of Reggae Bob Marley.  He scribbled his name on one of the records I bought there. Unforgettable seconds ... .

1980 became a really great change in my private and business life. The ups and downs pulled my nerves. My job as circulation manager in a publishing house did not satisfy me any more. As a typical risk taker, I followed the recommendation of my very closed office mate and applied to another publisher.

 

In the same year, I took on another challenge and traveled to South Africa, more precisely to Johannesburg. A trip to London and another 11 hours direct flight took me there. Lisa invited me. Lisa, my "oldest friend" ever. We "met" as pen pals in 1972 while she was residing in Vienna, Austria.

(To be continued!)

No case yet of new coronavirus strain in Davao City

 

Photo by Associated Press

By RALPH LAWRENCE G. LLEMIT, SunStar Davao City

THE Davao City Health Office (CHO) has not received any report of infection from a new variant of Covid-19 in the city based on its recent updates from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), acting CHO Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a radio interview on Wednesday, February 10, 2021.

Lopez said samples tested from Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and Davao One World Diagnostic Center were sent to Philippine Genome Center (PGC) in Manila for genome sequencing. However, results have not yet been sent back to them because of technical problems with the machine being used to process the specimen for the confirmatory tests.

"Until now, naa pay adjust na ginabuhat sa machine. So dili pa sila makahatag og results (Adjustments are being made with the machine so we still cannot get the results)," he said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

Lopez said the city already sent all tested and confirmed specimens in January to determine if the new Covid-19 variant had already reached the city and had contributed to the spike in cases.

"Ingon sa ako naka-istorya, most likely wala pa ang new variant sa Davao [City]. Kay kung naa daw na siya, usually maghatag na sila og alert. Wala man ko nadawat nga alert so far," he said.

(The person I am in contact with said, most likely, the new variant is not in the city yet. If it had reached the city, they would alert us, but for now, they have not alerted us.)

The health official said they are intensifying their biosurveillance to detect and monitor variants of the Sars-CoV-2.

He said the RITM is the only facility in the country that can perform genome sequencing for Covid-19.

He added that it is only through genome sequencing that can detect if the patient was infected with the new variant of the Covid-19.

In a previous interview, National Task Force (NTF) Covid-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez personally suggested to Lopez, through a phone call, that the city should submit its specimens to the national RITM to detect if the new variant had reached the city.

Lopez said Galvez was worried upon seeing the recent uptick of cases in the city.

Lopez had explained to the NTF chief that the case surge was brought about by post-holiday activities.

Since the confirmation of the first case of the B.1.1.7 Sars-Cov-2 variant or the UK variant, the country has at least 25 known cases of the new variant. One of them died. The patient died in the third or fourth week of January, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

Davao City, meanwhile, is on heightened alert following the recent discovery of the presence of the new variant of the virus in Sabah, Malaysia, Davao Region's closest foreign neighbor.