Media giant GMA Network’s news channel is temporarily signing off “until further notice” amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon and state of calamity in the country. “Due to the current state of calamity, GMA News TV is temporarily signing off,” read GMA News’ statement in its Facebook page on Thursday. The statement further said: “Please stay tuned to GMA 7 and www.gmanews.tv for all news updates. Follow our official accounts on Facebook and Twitter: @gmanews.” Kapuso radio and TV newscaster Arnold Clavio announced via an Instagram post that there will be changes in the airing time of GMA’s morning…
Author: Lyka Nicart
“Covid Bryant” trended online as a Filipino mom allegedly named her newborn baby after the coronavirus disease 2019’s acronym and the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant. A screenshot of a message revealing that their househelp’s daughter gave birth to a baby boy named Covid Bryant during the first day of the implementation of the community quarantine in Metro Manila made the rounds on Twitter on Wednesday. The text read: “Anak ng teteng! I just found out through FB that the daughter of our kasambahay gave birth this morning, March 15, Day 1 of Metro Manila Quarantine, and named the baby…
Bela Padilla’s crowdfunding efforts to aid and feed street vendors affected by the ongoing community quarantine have raised P3.3 million. The Kapamilya actress initially set the target of the campaign she called “Pagkain para sa Pinoy” at P1 million through GoGetFunding last Sunday, but it went above and beyond the target when someone donated P2 million on Wednesday morning. Bela set up the account for “Filipinos who won’t be able to rely on their normal sources of income.” “Our favorite taho, dirty ice cream and banana cue vendors won’t be able to secure enough money to guarantee food for their…
NBA star Kevin Durant and three other Brooklyn Nets players have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Three of the four players are asymptomatic, while one is exhibiting symptoms, as announced by Brooklyn Nets on Twitter. The basketball team also announced that “all four players are presently isolated and under the care of team physicians.” Durant told sports journalism website The Athletic that he is fine and not showing any symptoms at all. “Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine. We’re going to get through this,” he said. According to the statement of the team, “The…
Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte is undergoing a two-week home-quarantine after manifesting flu-like symptoms in the past days. The Presidential son made the announcement on his Facebook page on Tuesday. “I am subjecting myself to a 14-day self-quarantine immediately after experiencing flu-like symptoms in the past days and considering my travel to Metro Manila four weeks ago,” he said. A Dobol B sa News TV reported that the vice mayor apparently had such symptoms as fever, cough and sore throat. As of Tuesday, the 32-year-old Baste said he is “feeling a lot better.” “I am currently isolated at…
Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has dispelled rumors about him being tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and even being dead. The 96-year-old politico has responded to netizens who kept asking about his whereabouts through a statement published in his personal account on Facebook. “Some people are asking if I am dead, or if I have COVID 19. Well, I am sorry to disappoint the rumormongers. I am still alive, and I do not have COVID 19. Thank God!!” he said. He went on to say: “Enjoy your silliness, rumormongers. You might get what you are wishing…
A motorcycle driver who registered a temperature of 38 degrees celsius at a police checkpoint got ticketed for driving under the influence of alcohol after drinking vodka as a “protection” from the coronavirus (COVID-19). In a video posted by ABS-News on Monday, the rider was questioned about his body condition after showing signs of fever due to his high body temperature while getting thermal-scanned at the Marikina-Cainta border. “Sir kamusta pakiramdam?” the on-duty health worker asked the rider. “Okay naman Ma’am,” answered the rider. The rider later revealed he drank three shots of vodka before driving. “Aminin ko na Ma’am…
Twitter has created a new emoji to help promote the importance of washing hands in the time of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The COVID-inspired handwashing emoji designed by a Filipina shows two hands lathering soap under drops of water. Twitter users can generate the emoji by using the following hashtags: #WashYourHands #HandWashing, #HandWashChallenge and #SafeHands. Washing your hands regularly with soap and water is the simplest and best way to protect yourself from any infection. UNICEF East Asia & Pacific launched the campaign for handwashing emoji through lemiwashmyhands.org to “persuade tech giants to create a handwashing emoji and help…
Chinese billionaire Jack Ma and Senator Manny Pacquaio have teamed up to donate 50,000 coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) testing kits to the Philippines in a bid to fight the coronavirus outbreak in the country. “We’re excited to announce the Jack Ma Foundation, in partnership with @PacquiaoFoundation is pledging 50,000 test kits to combat COVID-19 in the Philippines,” announced Senator Pacquiao in an Instagram post on Tuesday. The boxer-politician added: “With everything that’s happening around the world today, there is no better time to unite and do whatever we can to help each other. He also thanked the Jack Ma Foundation for…
Pokwang is spreading smiles among coronavirus (COVID-19) frontliners as Metro Manila undergoes community quarantine. The actress-comedian personally prepared tuna sandwiches for the police and military officers and medical workers. “Goodmorning…. pa tuna sandwich po para sa ating mga pulis, sundalo sa checkpoint next naman sa mga doctors and nurses,” Pokwang said in an Instagram post on Monday. In a separate post on Tuesday, smiles can be seen from the police officers at the checkpoints as they receive snacks from Pokwang. Pokwang also reminded everyone to not lose hope in this time of crisis. “Wag mawalan ng pag asa matatapos din…