It’s about time we bite into something we have always loved.
Twilight, the ever-loved vampire series is publishing a new series. The author, Stephenie Meyer, is publishing a new book, Midnight Sun, on August 4.
After a decade, Meyer will be publishing a new book amid the quarantine. Though Meyer felt the need to delay this, she knew she had to give the fans what they’ve always longed for.
“I thought seriously about delaying this announcement until things were back to normal. However, that felt wrong, considering how long those who are eager for this book have already waited.”
– Stephenie Meyer
“I know how much I personally need distractions right now, how much I need something to look forward to, and most of all, how much I need more books to read. So, I hope this book gives my readers a little pleasure to anticipate and, after it arrives, a chance to live in an imaginary world for a while,”
Since the release of the first book, “Twilight,” in 2005, the series has cultivated millions of fans worldwide and generated five major movies, starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.
Philippine Statistics Authority is looking at the registration of 10 million people for the national ID system signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018.
That’s a whole lot of number and processing to look forward to but it won’t be happening anytime soon with the global pandemic happening. The registration has been moved from its original starting date July to October 2020.
“Yong mass registration natin will start October po. Kung hindi tayo nagkaroon ng COVID-19 then we should start the registration sa July,” – Lourdines Dela Cruz, PSA assistant secretary
Proposed National ID / Photo courtesy of Philippine Statistics Authority
What is the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys)?
Serves as a valid proof of identity for all Filipinos and residents registered.
ID holders would no longer need to provide other IDs or forms of identification, making services and applications faster.
Gives a unique, randomly generated number to each person registered in the system.
Various government agencies can review the individual’s data to verify their identity.
Authenticating a person’s identity would ideally be faster, making it easier to apply or register for services like opening a bank account.
The agency will prioritize the heads of households in the registration and is hoping to have majority of the Filipinos to have an ID by 2022.
Update
October 9, 2020: National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said 9 million Filipinos — 5 million household heads and other adult household members — in 32 provinces will be registered under the Philippine identification system (PhilSys) from October to December.
The 32 provinces are Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Tarlac, Bulacan, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Masbate, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental, Compostela Valley and Tawi-Tawi.
PSA said that the first step of registration will include collection demographic data and then scheduling an appointment for the capture of biometric information will be on October 12 to December 30. About 5,000 personnel were hired to conduct house-to-house visits for the registration.
After securing appointment, ID applicants will need to visit the PhilSys registration centers for the second step, which includes biometrics capture, comprised of a front-facing photograph, fingerprints as well as iris scan on November 25 to December 30, 2020.
The third step will then be the issuance of a PhilSys number and the actual National ID starting 2021.
On Tuesday morning, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has issued a Cease and Desist Order against ABS-CBN Corporation, the biggest broadcast network in the Philippines, due to the expiration of its congressional franchise yesterday, May 4.
The shutdown order came while Filipinos, like the rest of the world, are in the midst of a crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has already infected at least 9,600 people with more than 600 deaths in the Philippines.
“This is terrible. I find this really worrisome because it comes at a time when the media, in particular, ABS-CBN, have been stepping up in its role in the face of this pandemic,”
– Vergel Santos, former chairman of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility.
“We are being blindsided here. We’ve been locked down and therefore focused on our own well-being, and this government is taking advantage of all of this incapacity.”
Calida warns NTC
On May 3, Solicitor General Jose Calida issues statement warning NTC against issuing provisional authority to ABS-CBN and affiliates. ABS-CBN Corp’s franchise expires May 4.
Efforts to renew ABS-CBN and Convergence’s franchise have stalled as Congress sought to hold hearings on alleged abuses by the media giant.
In fact, the Senate has done a hearing and concluded to pass a resolution expressing the sense of the chamber that it wants NTC to issue a provisional authority to ABS-CBN.
Solicitor General Jose Calida earlier sought the high court to invalidate franchises of ABS-CBN Corp. and ABS-CBN Convergence citing alleged abuses, including supposed violations of restrictions on foreign ownership.
ABS-CBN’s ELJ building shines in red, green, blue | Photo from ABS-CBNNews.com
“We did not violate the law”
The Lopez-led network, which reaches millions of Filipinos through its television, radio and online platforms, said it had not broken the law in its 65-year service.
“We did not violate the law. This case appears to be an attempt to deprive Filipinos of the services of ABS-CBN,” the company said in a statement.
ABS-CBN and its subsidiaries have more than 11,000 employees.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has recently announced that opening of classes for School Year 2020-2021 has been set on August 24, 2020.
Last March 2020, classes were suspended and early ended due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Ang napili nating school opening date ay August 24,” – Leonor Briones, Education Secretary
The school opening date was selected based on consultations with various stakeholders and on a survey involving 700,000 respondents.
Physical or virtual? This is the most common question now but unlike the starting date of classes which is fixed, the physical or virtual arrangement highly depends on the situation and areas.
Looking for more ways to upskill yourself while on lockdown? Good news to everyone as Teleperformance launches its free training webinars for those interested in improving and leveling up their conversational English skills.
Spearheaded by the TP Training department, this webinar series was created to offer learning sessions to everyone interested in studying the English language, expand their speaking abilities and confidently converse in English.
You can choose from a menu of topics and courses within three categories: Pronunciation and Accent, Grammar and Vocabulary, and Thought Organization and Coherence. The webinar series is open to all.
On May 5, Apple launched a new 13-inch MacBook Pro, equipped with faster performance with up to 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, up to 1TB of storage, and the new ‘Magic Keyboard’ for the better typing experience, as the laptop line encountered several complaints on the keyboard of its previous models.
The new keyboard follows the “scissor” mechanism more commonly found in the industry.
Features
The refreshed MacBook Pro now also comes with Intel Iris Graphics for faster rendering, 4K video editing, and smoother gameplay.
The MacBook Pro 2020 has the same Retina display as before, but it’s a good one as the panel now has Apple’s True Tone technology that changes the color temperature of the display based on ambient lighting conditions.
Aside from the the brilliant 13-inch Retina display, the new MacBook Pro also packs Touch Bar and Touch ID, immersive stereo speakers, all-day battery life, and the power of macOS, all in an incredibly portable design
Battery Life
Apple rates the MacBook Pro 2020 with 10 hours of wireless web surfing and up to 10 hours of Apple TV app movie playback. That’s really good endurance on paper. We’ll be putting the new MacBook Pro 13-inch through our own web surfing battery test to see how it fares.
Cheers to more recovered cases today and in the weeks to come.
A 7-year-old-boy from Lapu-Lapu City won the combat against COVID-19. The disaster officials applauded and cheered him on while he was being sent home.
He was discharged last Sunday, May 3, from the hospital and will be taken cared of by his relatives while his mother and sibling are recovering, said the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head, Nagiel Bañacia.
“He is the hero because he survived the battle against COVID. Welcoming him back to the community is part of the total healing,” said Banacia.
Photo from Lapu-Lapu City PIO
Photo from Lapu-Lapu City PIO
Photo from Lapu-Lapu City PIO
The boy’s mother and his 2-year-old sibling also caught the virus from their grandmother. They’re all living in the same compound in Brgy. Gun-ob, the epicenter of the city’s outbreak. His relatives were also infected with the virus and have recovered.
May more and more recoveries be reported instead of new cases. We need this silverlining every single day.
You have probably been so stressed with being stuck at home because of quarantine. Or, you’re probably itching for this COVID-19 pandemic to end. Either way, one thing is for sure, you have been craving for some sweets in this trying time.
Your sweet cravings will surely be satisfied because J. Co Donuts & Coffee has reopened its branches at SM City Cebu and Ayala Center Cebu starting today, May 4, for pre-orders for pick-up and delivery.
J.CO Donuts Price List (SRP):
Each: ₱45 per piece
1/2 dozen: ₱255 per box (save ₱15)
1 dozen: ₱405 per box (save ₱125)
2 dozens: ₱660 (save ₱420)
How to order?
The options to order is via call ortext or through Grab app (depending on location). Note, this is on pre-order basis; once order has been placed and confirmed, you can get the ordered items the next day.
To order, call your preferred/ nearest branch:
SM City Cebu: (032) 234-3308 / 0943-077-6053
Ayala Center Cebu: (032) 401-2709
Prepare your order, your preferred donuts (see list below). Or you may opt for a quick, pre-assorted order.
Wait for the order confirmation and delivery/pick-up details.
Delivery/ Pick-up time is 10AM to 5PM, Mondays to Saturdays (closed on Sundays).
We’ve all been occupying ourselves with poductive things during the quarantine.
A day goes by fast and the quarantine isn’t getting lifted sooner so why don’t we make the most of it and learn something instead.
Let’s go back in time and venture Cebu in the olden days. A look back into the rich and historical past. The streets, churches and the gone train stations will help you better understand our city.
With the rising cases of CoVID-19 in Cebu, more practices have been implemented to help flatten the curve.
For one to know about his/her state in this pandemic, one has to undergo COVID-19 swab testing and/or rapid testing; there are things you need to know about these testing kits and even to do’s. Because of the constant plea of mass testing, Cebu will start conducting its targeted mass testing on May 6, 2020.
The results of this test will serve as basis of the city’s policies, programs and actions after the expiration of the extended Enhanced Community Quarantine in May 15, 2020.
However, because this pandemic is alien to us, you prolly do not know what to prepare yet, yes? Hence, keep your eyes locked on this page and continue scrolling to read through.
Frequently Asked Questions
IS THERE A TEST FOR NOVEL CORONAVIRUS?
Yes, there is a COVID-19 test. It is becoming more widely available as more laboratories, both public and commercial, become certified and FDA-approved.
HOW IS TESTING FOR COVID-19 DONE?
There are two (2) types of testing:
RT-PCR Testing / Swab testing (swabbing)
Rapid Antibody-based Test (by blood sample)
According to the Cebu City Government (and also the same as Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City), blood samples will be taken during the rapid testing. Initial test results will be ready in 15 minutes.
Those who tested positive on the rapid tests will be subjected to confirmatory PCR swab testing. If the repeat test is still positive, the resident will be taken to a quarantine facility.
1: Rapid Testing (blood sample) will be performed.2: If rapid test result is positive, individual will be subjected to confirmatory PCR swab testing.
Recent photo from Cebu City PIO
Recent photo from Cebu City PIO
Recent photo from Cebu City PIO
WHAT SHOULD I PREPARE BEFORE GETTING TESTED?
These are only optional; the health workers will always make sure they sanitize everything and dispose when necessary. But should you want to be extra careful, you can do these:
– Bring your own gloves. Inform the frontliner assigned you have yours and humbly ask them to change their gloves with the ones you brought.
– Prepare a pale of water with chlorine or a drop of zonrox and soap. Ask your healthcare worker nicely to wash their hands before they touch anyone and anything.
WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER GETTING TESTED?
– Always remember to isolate yourself. Also, after testing, make sure to take a bath more than washing your face and hands with soap and water.
Guidelines
Always remember that our frontliners are doing the best that they can to lead this combat against the virus. Therefore, little details might often be forgotten. Hence, always make sure to be prepared and informed should the need arise.
It pays to be informed. Make sure to spread this article for you to help save one life at a time.
