Here's a Heads Up from Reportr.World on news that you need to know today, May 11:
HAPPENING TODAY
- First quarter GDP data will be released, an indicator of the state of the economy one year into the COVID-19 quarantines. Economists polled by Bloomberg News gave a median forecast of a 3.2% contraction from a range of 1.3 to 4% contraction.
WEST PHILIPPINE SEA NEWS
- President Rodrigo Duterte said his 2016 promise to ride a jet ski to the Spratlys to assert the Philippines' claim against China was a "pure campaign joke" and he would have died had he honored it.
- In his public address last night, Duterte said he was not scared of retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who accepted his dare for a debate on the West Philippine Sea. The President earlier backed out.
NEWS YOU CAN USE
- A Sydney-based Filipina data scientist has developed an app that will help her countrymen find out which hospitals have available COVID beds.
- May 13, Thursday, is a regular non-working holiday for Eid'l Fitr, the end of Ramadan.
- If you’re in an MECQ area, the LTO just extended the registration validity for vehicles with plate numbers ending in 3, 4 and 5.
MONEY EXPLAINED
- Here’s how you can negotiate your salary if you are a fresh graduate.
SMART PARENTING EXCLUSIVE
- Island mom Andi Eigenmann stars in this digital cover. The 30-year-old discusses why “me time” makes for “A+ parents.”
QUARANTINE NEWS
- Authorities caught 18,862 violators of face mask rules, 904 of whom were arrested, one week since Duterte ordered strict enforcement
- If you’re in an MECQ area like Metro Manila, don’t go pool partying just yet. Photos of a swimming pool crowd that went viral has led to the shutdown of the popular Gubat sa Ciudad in Caloocan.
- It’s the last week of MECQ in the NCR Plus Bubble and Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the decision on whether it will be extended or downgraded will take into account the “total health” of 24 million people.
- Cagayan, Apayao and Benguet were placed under MECQ, one quarantine level higher.
NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW
- Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade stays as spokesman of the NTF-ELCAC, now with eight communications people, including the MMDA’s Asec. Celine Pialago. Sen. Panfilo Lacson warned the anti-insurgency body of the repercussions of keeping the controversial general.
- The Philippines on Monday night received its initial shipment of the high efficacy COVID-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
- The DOH has sought emergency use authorization for China’s Sinopharm vaccine, following the lead of the World Health Organization.
- Here’s a directory of COVID vaccines that have arrived in the Philippines as of yesterday.
- Ana Patricia “Patreng” Non and community pantry volunteers should be accorded a formal citation by the Senate for reigniting the bayanihan spirit, said Sen. Grace Poe.
- The University of the Philippines COVID task force has called on big pharma to waive patents on COVID vaccines to address the inequity in access between rich and poor nations to the life-savings jabs.
