News Roundup 23 March 2024
Mar 23, 2024 • 4 min Read
China Coast Guard water-cannons anew Ayungin-bound civilian Philippine boat | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — A China Coast Guard vessel again blasted a Filipino supply boat with water cannons during the latter’s attempt to bring much needed supplies to soldiers stationed at the Ayungin (Scarborough) Shoal, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported Saturday morning.
According to the AFP report, Chinese vessel BN21551 performed a “dangerous maneuver” against Philippine Supply vessel Unaizah May 4 (UM4), which was said to be on a “rotation and resupply mission” for troops aboard the BRP Sierra Madre.
“At 08:38 AM, the Philippine supply vessel Unaizah May 4 was subjected to direct water cannoning by two CCG vessels near Ayungin Shoal,” said the AFP today.
“The UM4 supply boat sustained heavy damages at around 08:52 due to the continued blasting of water cannons from the CCG vessels.”
BN21551 earlier “crossed the bow” against the supply boat at around 6:08 a.m. and later on performed a “reverse blocking maneauver,” causing a near collision by 7:09 a.m.
China Coast Guard starting blasting Unzainaj May 4 at around 7:59 a.m. with a water canon, “deliberately targeting and hitting the supply boat.”
The aggressive act is just but one of the many blocking and water cannon incidents deployed by Chinese government vessels against Filipinos within the West Philippine Sea, even it is well within Manila’s 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Full Story at: China Coast Guard water-cannons anew Ayungin-bound civilian Philippine boat | Philstar.com
‘We broke it, we fix it’: DENR urges Filipinos to join Earth Hour 2024 | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) enjoined Filipinos to do their part in reversing damages brought by humans upon Mother Nature in the last 300,000 years.
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga had this to say Saturday as the World-Wide Fund for Nature — Philippines (WWF Philippines) encourages everyone to switch off non-essential lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the face of global warming and climate change.
“While global discourse on climate resilience continues, we must face the urgency of our planetary crisis,” said Loyzaga.
“The Earth Hour reminds us both the promise and the perils of our current trajectories,” she added.
While humans have managed to generate artificial intelligence, send men to the moon and search for signs of life on other planets, the DENR official lamented how mankind still cannot control its fossil-fueled consumption, nor prevent plastics from reaching oceans.
The said movement aims this year’s Earth Hour to the the biggest yet. Last 2023, over 410,000 hours were given to the planet by supporters in over 190 countries and territories.
In line with this, the DENR has renewed its commitment as it stands with the WWF Philippines in the global observance of Earth Hour 2023 with the local theme, “Switch Off Plastic Pollution, Switch On Nature.”
Full Story at: ‘We broke it, we fix it’: DENR urges Filipinos to join Earth Hour 2024 | Philstar.com
1 million pertussis vaccines to arrive in PH by June–DOH | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Around one million doses of pertussis vaccines are expected to arrive in the country by June, Department of Health (DOH) spokesperson Eric Tayag said Saturday.
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a “highly contagious” bacterial respiratory infection with symptoms such as mild fever, colds, and coughs appearing seven to 10 days after exposure.
The disease can be treated with antibiotics and prevented through vaccination.
During the Saturday News Forum, Tayag revealed that between 800,000 and one million doses are expected to arrive by mid-year.
“We don’t have a percentage, but what’s in our inventory has been provided by the DOH to Quezon City, consisting of 1,500 doses, which they can utilize while awaiting the new supply, which might arrive in June,” he said when asked about the current stock of pertussis vaccines.
Full Story at: 1 million pertussis vaccines to arrive in PH by June–DOH (inquirer.net)
Pagasa debunks ‘three days of darkness’ hoax | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — The state weather and astronomy bureau dismissed claims that the Earth will experience three days of darkness due to passing the “Photon Belts” starting April 8 as false.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Friday there is no scientific evidence to support the claim.
“DOST-PAGASA would like to inform the general public that the news circulating on the internet about the Earth experiencing three (3) days of darkness due to its passage through Photon Belts on April 8, 2024, is a hoax,” Pagasa said.
“There is no scientific evidence to support its existence, and its origins are unclear. Astronomers have not observed any evidence of a band of high-energy photons surrounding the Milky Way galaxy. It is said that when the Earth passes through this belt, it triggers various transformative effects, both physical and spiritual. However, there is no scientific proof to support this theory,” it added.
Full Story at: Pagasa debunks ‘three days of darkness’ hoax (inquirer.net)
