Good day. Here are the stories for The Manila Times for Friday, February 4, 2022, brought to you by Wilcon Depot, the country's leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer. Shop conveniently 24/7 with the Wilcon online store, just go to shop.wilcon.com.ph.
READ: Pediatric jabs rollout challenged in court
A PETITION to stop the vaccination against Covid-19 of 5- to 11-year-olds was filed on Thursday before a Quezon City Regional Trial Court by the Public Attorney's Office (PAO). The petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) was filed by PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta along with parents Dominic Almelor of Quezon City and Girlie Samonte, of Tondo, Manila. Named respondents were the Department of Health (DoH), Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd, Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire and the DoH's Public Health Services Team. They claimed that the DoH memorandum issued on Jan. 24, 2022, "Interim Guidelines on the Management and Administration of Tozinameran Covid-19 mRNA vaccine (nucleoside-modified) [Cominarty] Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine to Pediatric Population ages 5-11 Years Old," was unconstitutional. The memorandum states that if a parent or guardian refuses to give consent to the vaccination despite the willingness of the minor to be inoculated, "the State may act as parens patria and give the necessary consent." The state may be represented by the Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), according to the memorandum. The petitioners said the memorandum completely disregards the right of a parent or guardian to decide on the interest, well-being, life and health of the child.
READ: Pedia shots rollout moved to Monday
The vaccination of children ages 5 to 11 years has been moved to Monday, February 7, due to the delay in the delivery of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to be used in the rollout. The rollout was supposed to have been launched today, February 4. A joint statement from the Department of Health (DoH) and the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF) said the first shipment of around 700,000 doses of the reformulated vaccines will arrive on Friday night. The rollout was rescheduled "to ensure adequate preparation and distribution of the Pfizer vaccines allocated for children ages 5-11 years old."
READ: Govt will not scrap alert level system
THE government's pandemic task force does not see the scrapping of the alert level system anytime soon, Cabinet Secretary and Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases co-chairman Karlo Alexei Nograles said. An area, however, may be placed under the least strict Alert Level 1 if hospital bed utilization falls below the 49 percent threshold, and if it has a zero two-week growth rate and average daily attack rate of less than one, Nograles said.
READ: Drug store jabs expanded to Cebu City
THE government has expanded its program to use drug stores as Covid-19 vaccination centers to Cebu City. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. and the local government of Cebu launched the city's first "Resbakuna sa Botika" drug store at the Rose Pharmacy on Wednesday. In his remarks, Galvez said the program is part of the government's plan to devolve the vaccination function to the local government units (LGUs) and the commercialization of the Covid-19 jabs.
READ: 'Comelec vacancies will not affect polls'
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) gave assurances that the elections in May will run smoothly despite the retirement of Chairman Sheriff Abas and two commissioners. The commission en banc now only has four members. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez gave the assurance on Wednesday even as he admitted that the real challenge is the disposal of pending cases, among other matters, that need the collective decision of the en banc.
BUSINESS: Lopez bats for RCEP ratification this year
Over to business, following the Senate's failure to ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez expressed optimism that the trade deal will be ratified this year. In a statement on Thursday, Lopez said he understands that there are other important local bills that need to be acted upon, but he is hopeful that the Senate will eventually concur on RCEP's ratification when it resumes session this year.
SPORTS: Young Gilas players can join Chot's national team
In sports, returning Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes is leaning towards tapping the core of the TNT Tropang Giga to play for the February window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers starting February 23. However, available members of the young squad who previously played for the national team in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers and the Olympic Qualifying Tournament can still make the squad, according to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio.
READ: Opinion and editorial
Rigoberto Tiglao and Ruben Torres are today's front page columnists. Tiglao republishes a column that discusses a company involved in the overthrow of a former Ukrainian president, while Torres discusses the current tensions in the said country.
Today's editorial discusses the developments in Myanmar. Read a full version on the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times.
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On behalf of The Manila Times, this is Aric John Sy Cua reporting. Have a safe Friday ahead.