NEWS

 DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/10 Sep) - Mayor Sebastian Duterte said the local government of Davao would only adopt the "optional" wearing of face masks if there is proof that it could not lead to a rise in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. However, he is open to the idea of loosening the strict face mask policy in outdoor spaces. On Friday, Mayor Sebastian Duterte indicated on Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR"Special )'s Hour with Mayor Sebastian Duterte" show that he would prefer to wait and see how this would work out in other local government units before implementing it in the city. When Malacaang announced on September 7 that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) had advised making the use of face masks outdoors "optional" nationally, Duterte responded. However, he said that Dr. Ashley Lopez, the director of the City Health Office (CHO), had advocated maintaining the current regional rule requiri...

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services ( Pagasa ), the strong tropical storm "Inday" has maintained its power but may slow down before leaving the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday or Wednesday. According to Pagasa weather expert Benison Estareja, it was moving northwest at a speed of 20 kph and was estimated to be around 495 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes. According to the state-run weather service, Inday has maximum sustained winds of 110 kph around the center and gusts of up to 135 kph. He told The Manila Times that the strong tropical storm "would probably decelerate over the period and may perhaps approach a quasi-stationary condition by Tuesday before it exits PAR and passes near to the Miyako or Yaeyama Islands by Tuesday or Wednesday." Pagasa argued that although Inday's trough may be to blame for the deluge that may be felt over Southern Luzon and the western parts of Central Luzon and Visay...