The ANC Brief: Lots of cars

Are some Metro Manila residents ignoring the quarantine? Here are the big stories making the headlines on ANC today:

Recoveries
The number of patients who recovered from COVID-19 in the country has exceeded the number of deaths. But the number of cases is still going up, and the Philippines is now the country with the most number of COVID-19 cases among ASEAN countries, according to a tracker by the Johns Hopkins University. Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) told hospitals not to turn away patients. A group of nurses urged the government to do away with “volunteerism” and hire more nurses, and medical graduates have been allowed to engage in limited practice.

Cars on the road
Why were there a lot of cars out on the roads of Metro Manila in the past few days despite the lockdown? The government said it would strictly implement the quarantine amid reports of traffic on some roads. Senators Tito Sotto and Ping Lacson want a probe on the delay in the implementation of the National ID System that was enacted two years ago. They said the system could have helped in the distribution of aid.

Borrowing money
The Philippines is taking out a $500-million loan from the World Bank to fight COVID-19. The Social Security System (SSS) said it will launch a calamity loans program for COVID-19 on April 24. The filing of income taxes was extended anew to May 29. Meanwhile, PLDT and Globe announced they were extending the deadlines for the payment of bills. Also, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned non-essential business from opening during the lockdown.

Dropping
The water allocation for Metro Manila and nearby areas from Angat Dam has been increased to promote hygiene amid the pandemic. But the water levels are dropping.

Wellness check
According to yoga instructor Sky Yang, our immune system is directly influenced by stress. He shares with ANCX a step-by-step guide on how to keep our health in check through meditation.