Sports, Entertainment, Athletes and Games Network: 10/07/21

Thursday, October 7, 2021

The inter-agency task force on COVID-19 will discuss on Thursday a proposal to reopen cinemas in Metro Manila and possible new protocols for travelers.

The capital region's movie houses, arcades, and cinemas have been shuttered since March after coronavirus cases spiked.

"Ang alam ko po, nasa agenda ‘yan mamaya ng IATF," task force and Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque said of the reopening of cinemas.

"Pero ang pagbubukas po na pag-uusapan ay Level 3, hindi po Level 4. Pero pag-uusapan pa po ‘yan mamaya," he said in a press briefing.

(I know that is on the agenda later of the IATF. But the opening that will be tackled is for Level 3, not Level 4. But that will be discussed later.)

Metro Manila is under the 4th highest alert in a 5-step scale until Oct 15. The alert system being tested in the region is accompanied by granular lockdowns, which government hopes will better curb COVID-19 outbreaks and spur business activity.

Asked if the government would remove the COVID-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated travelers heading to other provinces, Roque said, "Wala pa pong desisyon ang IATF d'yan."

(The IATF has no decision on that yet.)

"Pero isa po sa pag-uusapan mamayang hapon ay 'yong pagbabago ng ating arrival protocols from abroad," he said. "Iyong mga darating po sa abroad, meron pong panukalang pag-uusapan mamayang hapon."

(But one thing that will be discussed this afternoon is the change of our arrival protocols from abroad. For those arriving from abroad, there is a proposal that will be discussed this afternoon.)

The Philippines on Wednesday reported 9,868 fresh COVID-19 cases, the second straight day that the number of new infections was below 10,000. The lower case count was due to lower laboratory output last Monday.

Of the 2,622,917 cumulative total infections, 112,807 or 4.3 percent are active.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/07/21/govt-to-discuss-metro-manila-cinema-reopening

Vilma Santos will not run in 2022 elections

Showbiz icon and politician Vilma Santos on Thursday announced that will not be running for any post in the May 2022 elections.

The outgoing House Deputy Speaker and Batangas representative made the announcement through her social media accounts.

"After careful consideration of the present situation, especially the limitations in conducting a campaign during a pandemic, I have decided not to seek any elective post in the May 2022 elections," Santos-Recto wrote on Instagram.

"Pero hindi nangangahulugan na titigil na ako sa pagseserbisyo sa ating mga kababayan. Nandito pa rin ako para maglingkod sa inyo. I have been serving the public for more than 23 years and will continue to serve, in the best way I can, even in my private capacity," she added.

Santos-Recto concluded her post with a vow to continue to serve.

"Tuloy pa rin ang trabaho at serbisyo! Sa lahat ng nagtiwala at patuloy na sumusuporta sa akin, maraming maraming salamat po. Pagpalain nawa tayo ng Poong Maykapal," Santos said.

Santos-Recto is on her second term as congresswoman. She joined politics in 1998 when she became the first female mayor of Lipa City. She completed her three terms as the chief executive of the city.

The award-winning actress also made history when she became the first woman governor of Batangas province in 2007.

In 2016, she made history again as the first woman to represent Lipa, with the district formed before the 2016 elections.

Santos-Recto was the chairperson of the Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation in the 17th Congress but was removed from the position after she voted against the re-imposition of death penalty.

In 2019, she won her second term at the House of Representatives and became the Deputy Speaker.

The 67-year-old Santos has principally authored 147 bills, co-authored 32 bills.

She also pushed for the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise.

Dubbed as the country's Star for All Seasons, Santos is the wife of Senator Ralph Recto. She was last seen on the big screen in the 2016 drama "Everything About Her."

https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/10/07/21/vilma-santos-will-not-run-in-2022-elections