President Rodrigo Duterte (Presidential photo) MANILA - President Rodrigo R. Duterte's order for village chiefs to restrict the movements of unvaccinated individuals shall be enforced nationwide as the country grapples with a sudden spike in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections, Malacanang said Friday. In a Palace briefing, acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, said Duterte's order to "restrain" unvaccinated people who refuse to "stay put" is applicable to all areas of the country regardless of the alert level status. "Sa declaration, pronouncement, at direktiba ni Pangulo, it appears na regardless (of alert level) ehnationwide po yan (Based on the declaration, pronouncement, and directive of the President, it appears that regardless of the alert level, it will be implemented nationwide)," Nograles said. He said the mobility restriction directive for the unvaccinated is meant to ensure the public's safety
(File photo) MANILA - Malacanang on Wednesday said the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 has approved the recommendation to suspend the traditional Traslacion procession and other related activities for "The Feast of the Black Nazarene" this year. In a virtual media briefing, Acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte's appeal to the Roman Catholic Church and the Black Nazarene devotees to cancel the physical gatherings, including the traditional procession on January 9, to further prevent the further increase of Covid-19 cases. "Kaugnay nito inaaprubahan ng National Task Force Against Covid-19 ang pasuspende ng Traslacion o ang procession ng imahe ng itim na Nazareno (In line with this, the NTF Covid-19 has approved the suspension of the Traslacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene image)," Nograles said. The suspension also includes the closure of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazar
Acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles (File photo) MANILA - Malacanang is supportive of the Commission on Human Rights' (CHR) decision to pursue its planned Human Rights Institute (HRI) whose provision in the PHP5.024 trillion national budget for 2022 was vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte. Acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, made this statement after CHR Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit announced plans to pursue the formation of the HRI despite Duterte's veto. "By all means, if they want to pursue legislation, then let them do so," he said in a Palace press briefing. Citing Duterte's veto message, Nograles said the establishment of the HRI was vetoed as there was no funding appropriated for the office even if the CHR said it would use existing resources to support it. "There was a reaction about bakit hindi siya naisama doon sa (why it wasn't included in the) budget. May I state that the reason
(File photo) MANILA - The national government may reassess the price range for reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test kits for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to make them more affordable, Malacanang said on Monday. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, acting presidential spokesperson, made this remark amid concerns that some laboratories and hospitals are turning RT-PCR testing into a private business. "Maybe we can start assessing again the prices, although we went through that cycle, we went through cycles of putting those caps on the RT-PCR. So maybe, it can be something that we can explore again or the [Department of Health] can explore again," he said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel's Headstart. On November 4 last year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Executive Order (EO) No. 118, mandating the DOH and the Department of Trade and Industry to determine and implement a price range for RT-PCR testing. Currently, the price cap for RT-P