Author: malaysiang

SEOUL: The monthlong confrontation between the government and doctors was feared to worsen further as medical school professors were to tender mass resignations and cut back on patient care starting this week, while the government was to suspend the licenses of striking trainee doctors, officials said Sunday.

More than 90 percent of the country’s 13,000 trainee doctors have been on strike in the form of mass resignations for about a month to protest the government’s decision to increase the medical school enrollment quota by 2,000 seats from the current 3,058 starting next year to enhance health care services in remote areas, as well as essential but less popular medical disciplines.

Joining the collective action, professors of medical schools nationwide will begin to submit their resignations on Monday and will reduce their weekly work hours to 52 hours by adjusting surgeries and other medical treatments, according to the national medical school professors’ council.

Starting April 1, they will also “minim
ize” medical services for outpatients to focus on seriously ill patients and emergency patient care.

The professors have called on the government to withdraw the plan to drastically raise the medical school enrollment quota and come forward for dialogue.

“Our decision to resign and reduce outpatient care was to ensure safe treatments for inpatients and those with serious cases,” a council official said. “Even after tendering our resignations, we will do our best to treat patients until the resignations are accepted.”

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong once again voiced deep concerns over the planned resignations by medical professors and called on them to stand by patients.

“The government will further strengthen the emergency medical response system to minimize disruptions to medical services caused by the collective action,” Cho said after holding a meeting on the issue Sunday.

“We urge medical school professors to actively take part in discussing detailed medical reform measures.”

The government has made
it clear that the planned increase of medical students by 2,000 was not a matter for negotiations, vowing to take action “in accordance with law and principles.”

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda jr. on Sunday directed the maritime police to help the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) intensify the crackdown against colorum vessels as millions of passengers are expected in seaports during the Holy Week vacation.

Police officers will also assist the PCG in monitoring overloaded passenger vessels.

‘Pati na rin ‘yung local police to make sure that ‘yung mga port na maliliit lalo ‘yung mga walang coast guard, bantayan ang paglalayag ng ating mga vessels na lalo sa tingin niyo ay overcrowding (The local police must also make sure that small ports, especially those without coast guards, will be monitored particularly for overcrowding),’ he said. ‘Let us make sure that all these vessels are within the allowed number of passengers and safe.’

During Friday’s inter-agency meeting at Camp Crame in Quezon City, PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said they have limited manpower to monitor illegal vessels.

‘Ang gagawin namin ay maghihigpit,
magiging visible, pero ang importante rito talaga ‘yung cooperation ng public at saka yung tulong na rin ng PNP kung sakaling walang coast guard na maaring magsawata doon sa mga (What we will do is to be strict, be visible, but what is really important here is cooperation of the public and also the help of the PNP in case there is no coast guard to stop) colorum vessels,’ Balilo said in the press conference following the meeting.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said all units are on heightened alert from March 25 to April 1.

Fajardo said 52,273 police officers will be deployed to secure travelers and in places of worship, commercial areas and other convergence points.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Department of Health, Department of Transportation and Land Transportation Office also part of the security contingent.

The Philippine Ports Authority earlier said it is expecting over two million passengers in various ports nationwide.

Source: Philippines N
ews Agency

MANILA: A congressman is pushing for an inquiry to identify and hold accountable the officials behind the acceptance at least 36 Chinese nationals as members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA).

Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said in a news release Sunday that the officials seem to be protecting China’s interest.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan bared during a House of Representatives hearing on Wednesday that Chinese nationals served the voluntary uniformed organization but their contracts have been terminated

They held the ranks of brigadier general and commandant, according to Barbers.

‘Nuong panahon ng Hapon sa Pilipinas, meron tayong mga Makapili. Ngayon, meron na rin umano tayong mga Makabagong Makapili na nagsisilbi sa interes ng China sa ating bansa. Panahon na para imbestigahan at kilalanin ang umano’y mga walang kunsensya at taksil sa bayan na mga ito (During the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, we had the Makapili. Now, we already have the allege
d modern Makapili, serving the interest of China in the country. It’s about time to investigate and identify those who have no conscience and are traitors to the country),’ Barbers said in a statement.

The Makabayang Katipunan ng mga Pilipino (Patriotic Association of Filipinos), better known as the Makapili, during World War II was a group of Filipinos who provided information and turned over fellow Filipinos to the invading Imperial Japanese Army forces.

‘The Chinese nationals were with the PCGA for more or less three years. Did the PCG conduct due diligence on these nationals? Obviously, there’s none,’ Barbers said.

Barbers said the recruited Chinese may be businessmen or tourists who wanted to stay longer in the country.

He said he also received reports that the Chinese recruits tagged along senior PCG officials during routine and official patrol missions at the disputed West Philippine Sea.

He said the Chinese could even be spies who gathered the strategies and missions of the PCG.

Source: Philipp
ines News Agency

ISTANBUL: Russia is observing a national day of mourning on Sunday after a deadly attack at a concert hall in the Moscow region.

Flags were lowered to half-mast, while people laid flowers at Crocus City Hall, the concert hall where armed men opened fire on Friday, killing at least 133 people and injuring 152 others.

President Vladimir Putin has pledged to punish those behind the ‘purposeful massacre,’ saying four gunmen trying to flee to Ukraine had been arrested.

“I express my deep, sincere condolences to all those who lost their loved ones. The whole country and our entire people are grieving with you,” he said in an address to the nation on Saturday.

Russian authorities have arrested 11 people in connection with the attack, including four directly involved, according to the Federal Security Service.

Source: Philippines News Agency

MANILA: The United States (US) has denounced China for its “dangerous actions” that could destabilize the region and disregard international law after Chinese Coast Guard’s (CCG) water cannon attack that severely damaged a Philippine vessel and injured its crew members during a routine resupply (RORE) mission to the country’s outpost in Ayungin Shoal.

The US State Department has also reaffirmed its commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the US and the Philippines.

‘The United States reaffirms that Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft – including those of its Coast Guard – anywhere in the South China Sea,’ US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement dated March 23.

The seven-decade old defense pact dictates that the US and the Philippines would support each other if either of them were to be attacked by an external party.

The Philippines’ National Task Force for t
he West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) reported Saturday morning that CCG vessels, along with Chinese maritime militia vessels, ‘acted recklessly and dangerously’ against the country’s resupply boat Unaizah May 4 (UM4) and its Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) escort vessels.

This ended with two CCG ships water cannoning the UM4, causing severe damage to the boat and injuries to the Filipino crew members onboard.

The NTF-WPS said the Chinese vessels even attempted to obstruct the PCG escort vessels from providing immediate relief and assistance to the disabled UM4 and its crew, but the PCG ships were able to break through and provide medical attention to the injured crew.

To complete the RORE mission, BRP Sierra Madre which serves as the Philippines’ outpost in Ayungin Shoal, deployed rigid-hulled inflatable boats to UM4 to ferry personnel.

READ: PH resupply boat heavily damaged after another CCG water cannon attack

READ: Filipino crew injured; PH reprimands China over latest harassment

According to Miller, China’
s actions ‘are destabilizing to the region and show clear disregard for international law,’ adding that the 2016 Arbitral ruling clearly disregarded Beijing’s expansive claims to the waters around Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Shoal) and that the submerged reef is clearly within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

‘As provided under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the 2016 arbitral decision is final and legally binding on the PRC (People’s Republic of China) and the Philippines, and the United States calls upon the PRC to abide by the ruling and desist from its dangerous and destabilizing conduct,’ the US official said.

The Philippines, along with Southeast Asian neighbors Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam, have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, along with China, which is claiming virtually the entire resource-rich region, including maritime features in the West Philippine Sea that are well within Manila’s EEZ.

Japan stands with PH

Meanwhile, the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines has also ex
pressed ‘grave concern’ over what it described as China’s ‘repeated dangerous actions’ in the South China Sea.

‘Japan stands in solidarity with the PH as confirmed at the (Japan-PH-US) Vice Foreign Ministers’ meeting held in this week,’ the embassy said in an X (Twitter) post.

The incident comes ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s visit to Washington where he is set to hold a trilateral leaders’ summit with his US and Japanese counterparts on April 11.

According to the White House, Marcos, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Fumio will discuss a broad range of areas, including economic and security cooperation, among others.

Source: Philippines News Agency

LEGAZPI CITY: The police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents arrested two high-value individuals and seized PHP14.28 million worth of shabu during a buy-bust in Matnog town, Sorsogon on Saturday.

Lt. Col. Malu Calubaquib, Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO5) spokesperson, identified the suspects as “Pan” and “Ham” both from Lanao del Sur.

The joint operation seized suspected shabu in plastic sachet weighing approximately 100 grams valued at PHP680,000 and in two vacuum-sealed tea bags weighing approximately 2,000 grams with a total estimated value of PHP13.6 million, Calubaquib said.

Both suspects and seized evidence are now under the custody of Matnog Municipal Police Station for proper disposition while charges are being prepared against them.

Source: Philippines News Agency