As the number of Fiji’s covid-19 positive cases continues to rise, there is obvious discomfort and great concern among many Fijians.

This is to be expected. When you consider the recent easing of border restrictions in strategic areas around the country, there will be some sense of trepidation.

We may fall back on the advice and reassurance of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, however, it is still difficult for many people to accept the recent turn of events. The rising numbers are worrying.

• READ MORE: More Fiji covid crisis articles
• Fiji’s covid navy cluster still rises as nation records 28 new cases

They are a major concern. Interestingly, in the face of the rising numbers sits questions on adherence to physical distancing rules, and common sense.

There will be issues hovering around public transportation for instance, social gatherings, and funerals.

We learn that public service vehicle (PSV) operators are saying people need to adhere to covid-19 restrictions and social distancing requirements.

This reaction comes in the wake of concerns raised about crowding on PSVs in the Lami, Suva and Nausori containment zone.

It is frightening to note the rise in numbers. However, we can be buoyed by the fact that we know what to do to keep the virus away.

Fiji Bus Operators Association president Nisar Ali said information on social distancing protocols has been widely disseminated and people should follow them.

It was everybody’s responsibility, he pointed out, to ensure that when travelling on public service vehicles, they maintained social distancing.

Drivers, he said, could only tell the travelling public to distance themselves and enforcement was done by the Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.

Fiji Taxi Association president Raben Singh said the same protocols introduced when covid-19 first came applied to taxis.

He said no one would be allowed into taxis without a mask and passenger numbers were now limited.

“Drivers are even selling masks to help facilitate their travel, but people should not be moving around unnecessarily.”

In the face of all these rules, police spokeswoman Savaira Tabua said they would continue to restrict movements of people despite the uplifting of borders.

“Our officers are manning checkpoints to ensure restrictions are followed,” she said.

“We would also like to encourage the public to be responsible. We will not be everywhere, therefore, their support is needed.”

The onus really is on us as individuals to make sound decisions daily. It is unfortunate that many people are not adhering to physical distancing rules when they board buses and cabs. The question is how do we ensure this is done though!

This certainly isn’t the time to be living dangerously. It’s clear that the cluster that attended a funeral recently came off as a major spreader of the virus.

It is a tough ask, but we can only hope that Fijians consider this when farewelling loved ones moving forward.

It is frightening to note the rise in numbers. However, we can be buoyed by the fact that we know what to do to keep the virus away.

The challenge is to be vigilant. Thousands of Fijians depend on us all making the right decisions daily.

The Fiji Times editorial, 3 June 2021. Republished with permission.

New Zealand has 13 new cases of covid-19 in the community in Auckland today and one in managed isolation.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the 13 new cases were all linked to one Auckland cluster – the four people who were reported as confirmed cases yesterday and the day before.

He said the one new case in managed isolation was a woman in her 30s who arrived from the Philippines.

READ MORE: National’s election day delay call ‘purely political’, says Greens co-leader

• Robertson rejects National call for PM to ‘step back’ over covid calls

There are now a total of 36 active cases in New Zealand.

Dr Bloomfield said 17 of these were linked to the new outbreak: “Given that all these cases are linked, we are treating them as a cluster.”

He said that one of the new cases was a student at Auckland’s Mt Albert Grammar School, as was made public this morning.

“The student was not symptomatic while at school and has not been at school since they became unwell and got tested so the chance of exposure … is low at this point.”

Americold workers
Dr Bloomfield has confirmed that three of the people who have tested positive are workers at Americold, and seven are family members of the initial cases.

Today’s media briefing. Video: RNZ News

One person who has tested positive is an employee of Finance Now, and another person who has tested positive is their family member. There is also one new probable case in the community, which is also linked to the outbreak.

One of the people who tested positive visited an aged care facility in Waikato. Anyone who has visited recently would be notified.

Dr Bloomfield is not naming the facility yet as residents there are still being notified.

Discussing the family who had covid-19 and went to Rotorua, he said the family checked in to Wai Ora Lakeside hotel at 3.30pm on 8 August. They visited the Herbs and Spice Thai restaurant at 7.30pm that day.

On August 9, they visited Fat Dog Cafe at 1.30pm and Pak’nSave at 3.30pm. At 3pm they went to the Heritage Farm and 3D Art Gallery, then Skyline Gondola and Luge about 4pm.

On Monday, the 10th, they made a day trip to Taupō and made a boat trip. All the people on the boat trip have been identified and contacted.

Quarantine facilities
Then they returned to the Heritage Farm and Art gallery, before visiting Burger Fuel at the Redwood Centre, and Don Kebab, about 7pm.

He says all new positive cases would now be treated in quarantine facilities.

“It will help us avoid any further inadvertent spread.”

Dr Bloomfield reminded people that “there is no blame or shame in having Covid-19. The virus is the problem, not the people”.

Laboratories processed 6006 tests yesterday. Dr Bloomfield said the total swabs collected yesterday were well over 10,000 but because the cutoff time for reporting was midnight not all of the results have been included.

Two more pop-up testing sites had been stood up in Henderson and Airport Oaks.

The testing centres in Rotorua and Taupō have extended their hours.

Business testing available
Dr Bloomfield said testing was available to any businesses that requested it.

He said for the first time this morning the Ministry of Health had used the alert function on the NZ Covid Tracer app.

He said another 338,000 people had registered on the app.

GSR is continuing to lead efforts on genome sequencing.

“What we do know is that the pattern of the genome sequencing of the new cases most closely resembles the cases in the UK and Australia,” he said.

‘We have a plan’ – PM
Auckland has entered its second day of alert level 3 lockdown, with a decision imminent on whether or not to extend it before Friday midnight, when the order is due to end. The rest of New Zealand is at level 2, and aged care facilities are in lockdown nationwide.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there was more information needed to find the source of the covid-19 outbreak.

“If you live in Auckland, work from home if you can. If you go out, of course it’s for essential items,” she said.

“When you leave your home we encourage you to wear a face covering.”

Ardern said people could go to their local GP for a free test.

“If you are symptomatic you should call ahead so they can prepare for you.”

She is asking people who live in Auckland to stay put – there are reports from police of some people trying to travel to their holiday home.

By 7am today 17,000 vehicles had been stopped, 312 were turned back.

‘Going hard and early’
“Going hard and early is still the best course of action … remember things will get worse before they get better.”

“We have a plan, we have acted quickly, and we will continue to roll out that plan.”

There will be another briefing at 1pm tomorrow, followed by a further extra briefing at a time yet to be confirmed where the prime minister will announce the decision on alert levels.

Dr Bloomfield said at this stage it is not thought necessary to expand restrictions, despite the movements of positive cases to Waikato, Rotorua and Taupō.

“At this point in time it seems very very clear that the locus of the outbreak is in Auckland.” he said.

He said all the new confirmed cases came through last night and he found out about them this morning. Any pertinent information about travel of positive cases would be made public, he says.

Positive swab negative
Dr Bloomfield said he was notified about a positive swab result yesterday in Wellington, but it was unusual and further testing came back negative.

Asked about moving positive cases to quarantine, Dr Bloomfield said it differed from last time because at that time the facilities were still being set up part way through the lockdown.

Dr Bloomfield said there was some reservation from those in the community with covid moving into managed isolation but he said those concerns have been alleviated.

Speaking on the demonstration by residents in Whangārei this morning, Ardern said any form of misinformation being spread about covid-19 was concerning but she thought most New Zealanders would see through it.

This article is republished by the Pacific Media Centre under a partnership agreement with RNZ.

• All RNZ coverage of Covid-19
• If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP – don’t show up at a medical centre.

A bus driver in Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby says it is hard to force passengers to wear masks when they walk in.

It is one of the measures put in place after the lifting of the country’s 14-day restrictions.

Driver Mark Duma, of Nebilyer in Western Highlands, told The National daily newspaper that they were doing their best to comply with the orders given but it was up to the people to cooperate and follow the rules as well.

READ MORE: PNG announces record number of covid cases

Duma described the challenge as the Papua New Guinea government announced a record 55 new covid-19 cases, taking the national total to 287.

He said they could only do so much in ensuring that passengers complied but they could not force them to wear masks.

“We are providing a service, and with covid-19 here, they must also wear masks for their safety, as well other people’s safety,” he said.

Bus driver Gordon Wilimbu, also of Tambul-Nebilyer, said he was wearing a mask himself to set an example.

No sign of traffic officers
Bus stop wardens from the Pacific Corporate Security at Tabari bus stop said there was no sign of the Road Traffic Authority enforcement officers yesterday.

They were present there only to ensure public safety and stop petty crimes.

RTA chief executive officer Nelson Terema said enforcement units had been sent out to make sure bus operators were following the new rules.

Rebecca Kuku of The National reports that a further 55 covid-19 cases have been confirmed, taking the national total to 287, according to acting Health Secretary Dr Paison Dakulala.

He said the country was well over the 200 mark and nearing the level four alert stage.

Dr Dakulala, the Deputy National Pandemic Response Controller, said 17 cases were confirmed on Tuesday and 88 yesterday.

17 cases across Port Moresby
“All the 17 cases on Tuesday are from all over the city and shows that there is a community transmission,” he said.

They were from June Valley, ATS, Tokarara, Badili, Erima, Kaugere, Sabama, Boroko, two in Hohola and six in Wanigela-Koki.

“One is a staff of the Department of Health, another is a NCDC staff and one is a Filipino,” he said.

Dr Dakulala said there were 19 beds still available at the Rita Flynn isolation center.

“We have 49 beds there. So far there has been 30 patients isolated there – 27 were mild and only three were severe.

“Ten were discharged and three new patients were admitted there [yesterday]. So there are 19 beds available.”

He said there were six confirmed cases at the Port Moresby General Hospital.

Dr Dakulala said from the 287 cases, 212 were active cases.

“So far, the virus has been found in NCD which has 224 cases, Central with five, Western with 47, Morobe with four, East New Britain with two, and one each in New Ireland, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Eastern Highlands, Southern Highlands and West Sepik.”

The Pacific Media Centre republishes The National articles with permission.

Senior Labour MP Grant Robertson has rejected opposition National’s suggestion that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern step back from announcements on covid-19 alert levels so close to a New Zealand election.

National Party leader Judith Collins says it should be health officials, not the Labour leader, announcing changes to alert levels.

Collins is calling the election to be postponed to November, or next year, and has said there should be more transparency from the government.

READ MORE: Al Jazeera coronavirus live updates – Russia to roll out vaccine within two weeks

• PNG announces record number of new covid-19 cases

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said that if Jacinda Ardern did not front up to answer questions at media conferences there would be the opposite reaction and she would be accused of hiding away.

“It comes back to the point that we are still the government, we have an important job to do in making sure we get on top of this outbreak,” he said.

“It’s [Ardern’s ] job to lead the country through this. Dr Bloomfield is there as the lead health official, she’s doing her job as prime minister and I feel that’s what New Zealanders expect of us.”

‘Ridiculous nonsense,’ says Robertson
Any suggestion that the government had known there was community transmission before this week’s events were “ridiculous nonsense” he told RNZ Morning Report.

Yesterday Collins stated that her health spokesperson wasn’t getting all the information he needed while deputy leader Gerry Brownlee seemed to imply that the government was hiding information.

Brownlee has questioned the timing of official messaging on masks and testing.

“What makes me really annoyed about this, it’s not about us as politicians,” Robertson said.

“Mr Brownlee and Judith Collins are effectively accusing Ashley Bloomfield of being involved in some kind of collusion or cover-up with the government. He’s an independent public servant who actually can’t fight back so it’s complete nonsense and also incredibly irresponsible.”

“We are all here committed to keeping New Zealanders safe and well – why on earth would we do that.”

National Party leader Judith Collins told Morning Report that she was not suggesting that officials knew something more about the latest Covid-19 earlier and didn’t tell the public.

‘Simply pointing to the fact’
“I have not accused Dr Bloomfield of anything, and as for Ms Ardern I’m simply pointing to the fact … it contemplates the fact that successive governments have been very careful in the way they exercise their power [prior to] an election given the fact there is an election coming.”

On Brownlee’s comments yesterday, she said: “He was simply stating some of the information that’s been provided to us.”

She said Robertson’s accusations were “outrageous”, and her call for transparency was about National’s health spokesperson, Dr Shane Reti, to be involved in Cabinet discussions on Covid-19 and for him to get the latest information as soon as possible.

“He has been asking for a briefing on the health situation since early yesterday morning, promised it by Minister Chris Hipkins before noon, we are still waiting for that.

“It is important in opposition to be able to ask questions without being browbeaten when we ask those questions and it’s also important for us to come in behind – where we can – the government, but it’s difficult to do it if we don’t have that information.”

Collins said it was Ardern’s call whether or not to delay the election, but the Electoral Commission has indicated it was doable.

Robertson said the government would be making a decision on Friday afternoon on whether or not there are further alert level restrictions or whether they can be eased.

“At that point in terms of issues like the election date and so on we will be able to resolve those.”

National’s response disheartening – Greens
Greens co-leader James Shaw said he was “disheartened” to see National casting doubt about the government’s covid-19 response.

He said New Zealand was able to stamp out community transmission before because of an absolute commitment and trust in good science and good government, and “now is not the time to abandon either”.

“To create confusion and suspicion quite frankly could result in reduced trust from our communities in the very institutions we rely on most to keep us all safe.

“This could lead to less willingness to pitch in to stamp out the virus. This puts us all at risk.

“I would urge New Zealanders to continue to do what we do best: work together as a community, and use our common sense”, Shaw said.

Economic response
If restrictions continue the government will look at what economic support package can be provided and decisions would be made on Friday, Robertson said.

The government might potentially tap into the $14 billion it had put aside, he said.

Robertson said the wage subsidy had been a very successful way of “getting money out the door” but the government is working with officials on other options as well.

“Our focus will immediately be as it always has been on keeping people in work, making sure there is some confidence and some cash flow for businesses.”

The wage subsidy extension, small business cash flow scheme, the covid-led support scheme and income relief scheme were still in place.

Robertson said there was no indication at the moment from the health minister that further resources required for testing.

This article is republished by the Pacific Media Centre under a partnership agreement with RNZ.

• All RNZ coverage of Covid-19
• If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP – don’t show up at a medical centre.

COMMENT: By Sue Bradford for Pundit and RNZ News

In the age of covid-19 we are Jacinda’s team of five million, except for some.

There has rarely been a more blatant case of discrimination against beneficiaries than Grant Robertson’s announcement yesterday that people who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus will receive weekly payments of $490 per week for 12 weeks and $250 per week for part time workers.

This is great news for those who qualify. Fabulous. That $490 per week is almost double the $250 per week you get on the standard 25+ Jobseeker Allowance and much closer to anything approaching a liveable minimal income.

READ MORE: Al Jazeera coronavirus live updates – WHO sounds warning on covid second peak

On top of that, the new benefit also allows people in relationships to access support if they meet the criteria and their partner earns less than $2000 per week before tax.

And unlike the usual system, the new payments do not appear to be age dependent. So the historically ridiculous assumption that the younger you are, the less money you need to live on does not apply to this new category of claimants.

In extending this support to one group of unemployed people – those losing their jobs because of covid-19 between 1 March and 30 October 2020 – the Labour-led government has, inadvertently or otherwise, made even more apparent the urgency of the recommendations made in 2018 by its very own Welfare Expert Advisory Group (WEAG).

These include lifting benefit levels, introducing individual entitlement to Jobseeker Support while retaining a couple-based income test, and removing youth rates for main benefits.

Why not all?
If some people deserve higher benefits, to be treated as individuals when they lose their jobs, and to not have lower benefits because they are under 25, why not all?

Labour has revealed once again its decades-long predilection for categorising people into the “deserving” and “undeserving” poor, an ideology straight out of the 19th century England from which many Pākehā settler forebears came.

It is also impossible not to speculate that this is a rather unsubtle way of shoring up support for the government in the months leading up to the election. For the newly unemployed, a higher benefit for the period ending October 30 fits nicely with the September 19 election date.

Many of us who have been spent decades fighting out here in the community for the rights of unemployed workers and beneficiaries were hoping that the covid-19 crisis would mean a transformational shift in how political parties viewed the welfare system.

With so many people likely to become newly jobless, surely the pressure on Labour and its partners would be enough to jolt this government into, for example, implementing the WEAG recommendations, and/or establishing an equitable and sufficient basic income.

Instead, Labour seems to believe that the rightful admiration they’ve earned with their effective action on the health aspects of the virus allows them to carry on as usual when it comes to the fate of the most vulnerable people in the country, including a disproportionate number of Māori, Pasifika and stranded migrant workers.

With the September election in sight, Labour is declaring that people who are on benefits not related to covid-19-related unemployment or are stranded migrants simply don’t matter; that their votes – if they do vote – don’t count.

Flawed, punitive welfare system
For over three decades, we’ve had governments who politically and through the administration of a flawed, punitive welfare system have blamed unemployed people and beneficiaries for their situation, rather than treating “them” as “us”.

Yesterday, Labour brought this two-class system into stark focus once again, as it did when it introduced the discriminatory “In Work” payment as part of Working for Families back in the mid-2000s.

During his Budget speech on May 14, Grant Robertson evoked the “great traditions of the First Labour government who rebuilt New Zealand after the Great Depression”.

I reckon the employed and unemployed workers and their families who brought the first Labour government to power in 1935 would be scandalised by Robertson’s evocation of that era at a time when his government is entrenching a brutal divide between the worthy and unworthy poor.

With a hefty lead in the polls, a support party in the Greens who back welfare reform and a population which faces the gravity of high and rising unemployment daily, now is the time for the transformation of our welfare system.

Labour – you could do it, if you only listened to the calls of your true political ancestors and to the voices of all those who most need help now – not just some of them.

Dr Sue Bradford was a Green MP for 10 years 1999-2009, with a focus on employment, social services, economic development and childrens’ issues. Prior to that she worked for 16 years in the unemployed workers’ movement. She continues to be active on community and political issues.This article was first published by Pundit and RNZ today and the Pacific Media Centre/Asia Pacific Report has a partnership agreement with RNZ. This article is republished with the permission of the author.

By EMTV News

Papua New Guinea expects a spike of covid-19 cases this month – but no new cases have been detected in the country beyond the eight previously reported.

State of Emergency Controller David Manning said an anticipated 947 test results were pending from laboratories in Brisbane, Australia.

About security operations, the Controller said the police, defence force and correctional services were continuing to support the health authorities response over the coronavirus pandemic in trying to stop the spread.

The Pacifiic Media Centre republishes EMTV News items with permission.

The Covid-19 coronavirus is “exacerbating tensions” in Indonesia’s West Papua region and exposing the “shortcomings” of Jakarta government policy, warns a conflict watchdog group.

The Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) says President Joko Widodo’s government needs to urgently appoint a senior official to “focus exclusively on Papua” province to ensure that immediate humanitarian needs and longer term issues are effectively addressed.

It has appealed for greater transparency and more support for the local Papuan administrations in coping with the spread of the virus.

READ MORE: Al Jazeera coronavirus live updates – New York state virus death toll surpasses 10,000

• French Polynesia Covid-19 cases up to 55
• Cyclone Harold has already cost Fiji millions of dollars on damage

In a policy briefing released last night, IPAC said:

“The virus arrived in Papua as tensions left over from deadly communal violence in August-September 2019 remained high, and pro-independence guerrillas from the Free Papua Organisation (Organisasi Papua Merdeka, OPM) were intensifying attacks in the central highlands.

“Papua’s major faultlines – indigenous vs migrant, central control vs local autonomy, independence movement vs the state – affected both how Papuans interpreted the pandemic and the central government’s response.”

The pandemic has also added new complications to the already formidable obstacles to addressing the virus in Indonesia’s most remote province, says IPAC.

‘Hostility and suspicion’
“Many Papuans already are portraying the virus as being brought in by non-Papuan migrants and the military, adding to accumulated hostility and suspicion toward both,” says the briefing report.

“Papua is supposed to enjoy ‘special autonomy’ but Jakarta’s attempt to overrule a provincial ban on travel into the province in the wake of the virus showed the limitations of that status.

“It also convinced many Papuans that the central government had little concern for their welfare.

“All this was taking place as the OPM was stepping up its low-intensity conflict with the Indonesian state in the area around the giant Freeport mine.

“Thousands of additional security forces sent to Papua in 2018 and 2019 have not made any visible dent in OPM’s activities or provided effective protection for the Freeport mine that has become the OPM’s main target.”

The report says that the Jakarta government may be “underestimating the security threat” from the guerrillas, whom it has traditionally seen as less dangerous than the non-armed political movement for independence and its foreign supporters.

‘OPM appears stronger’
“There is certainly no acknowledgment that the OPM appears to have grown stronger during the Jokowi’s government’s tenure.

“The OPM attacks and the added police and military presence have produced more displacement in poor conditions, creating new vulnerabilities to contagion in a province that already has the country’s highest poverty, worst health care and most poorly educated populace.”

IPAC says the reported Covid-19 cases are now concentrated in Papua’s major cities – “but when the virus hits remote areas of the highlands and spreads like wildfire, few will ever know its true impact.”

The report says that in the short-term the Jakarta government needs to ensure that the handling of the pandemic in Papua does the conflicts.

IPAC’s recommendations include:

• • Supporting the provincial government in its lockdown efforts, while ensuring unimpeded delivery of humanitarian supplies;
  • Assisting provincial and kabupaten (local) goverments in developing better procedures for documenting the spread of the virus;
  • Ensuring that every deployment of security forces on short-term rotations is thoroughly tested before leaving for Papua and before returning to the rest of Indonesia to ensure that security forces do not become a vector of transmission;
  • Urgently finding ways to improve the conditions of the displaced, with the goal of trying to return them to their home communities as soon as possible; and
  • Ensuring full transparency in covering the response to Covid-19, including equipment and medical personnel made available, funds allocated and security forces deployed or reassigned.

• The full report

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff General Felimon Santos Jr has tested positive for the Covid-19 novel coronavirus.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana shared the information today with reporters covering defence issues.

General Santos said yesterday that he was on home quarantine after coming into contact with another senior AFP officer who later tested positive for the new virus.

Secretary Lorenzana said he had been in close proximity twice with Santos – on March 21 and 22 – so he was putting himself on self-quarantine.

The Philippines has 707 infected people with 48 deaths while 25 have recovered.

JC Gotinga is a Rappler journalist.

The Philippines Senate and the House of Representatives have passed identical bills granting extra powers to the president to deal with the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, such as the takeover of medical and transport facilities and flexibility in disbursing the national budget.

Normally both chambers pass their own versions and then hold a bicameral conference to reconcile conflicting provisions, but during Monday’s special session, the House agreed to adopt the 10-page Senate Bill 1418 instead of its own House Bill 6616, to speed up the legislative mill.

Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told House members the Malacañang Palace took note of concerns over wide-ranging emergency powers and said the Executive Branch would settle for “standby powers”.

READ MORE: House, Senate dissenters: ‘Emergency actions, not powers’ needed vs coronavirus

Dissenting lawmakers yesterday condemned the bill, saying what was needed was “emergency action” not “emergency powers”.

The approved bill narrowed the establishments that may be subject to a takeover, to only those needed to house health workers, serve as quarantine areas, quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution locations, or other temporary medical facilities; and to transport health, emergency, and frontline personnel and other persons.

The draft earlier sent by Medialdea to Congress sought a two-month state of national emergency requiring the temporary takeover of “any privately owned public utility or business affected with public interest”.

The bill, now titled “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act”, declares a state of national emergency to last for three months, and grants President Rodrigo Duterte “powers that are necessary and proper” to carry out a list of 24 emergency measures and “other measures as may be reasonable and necessary”.

Emergency measures
The emergency measures include:

• faster accreditation of testing kits;
• ensure that all local government units are acting in line with the rules, regulations and directives issued by the national government;
• direct the operation of any privately owned hospital and medical and health facility and other establishments to house health workers, serve as quarantine areas, quarantine centers, medical relief and aid distribution locations, or other temporary medical facilities; and public transportation to ferry health, emergency, and frontline personnel and other persons;
• enforce measures to protect the people from hoarding, profiteering, injurious speculations, manipulation of prices and others;
• use savings generated from discontinued programmes to augment funds needed to address the Covid-19 emergency;
• allocate cash, funds, investments, including unutilized or unreleased subsidies and transfers, held by any government corporation or national government agency;
• move deadlines and timelines for the filing and submission of any document, as well as the payment of taxes, fees, and other charges;
• direct all banks, quasi-banks, financing companies, lending companies, and other financial institutions, public and private, including the Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System and Pag-IBIG Fund, to implement a minimum of a 30-day grace period for the payment of all loans;
• provide for a 30-day grace period on residential rents falling due within the period from March 16 to April 15, 2020; and
• implement an “expanded and enhanced” cash transfer programme.

The president was required to submit a report every Monday to Congress on the implementation of the act.

Violators will be subject to imprisonment of two months or a fine of not less than P10,000 (NZ$340) but not more than P1 million (NZ$34,000), or both.

Three month emergency
The bill clarified that no provision “shall be construed as an impairment, restriction or modification of the provisions of the Constitution.”

The state of emergency ends in three months unless extended by Congress unless withdrawn by a concurrent resolution of Congress or ended by presidential proclamation.

Voting at the House was 284-9, with no abstentions. Most of those who voted against the bill belonged to party-list groups Gabriela, Bayan Muna, ACT Teachers and Kabataan. Albay Representative Edcel Lagman also voted against the bill.

At the Senate, it was 19-1, with no abstentions, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said. Twelve members were present on the floor and the rest voted remotely.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said “Congress has responded to the call of the times”.

Opposition senator Risa Hontiveros said she voted “no” because the bill granted the president “unchecked powers that are open to abuse and corruption. It also gives him a virtual blank check with no clear plan or strategy to defeat Covid-19″.

“In the measure, the president has near-absolute control over public funds in national government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations. His new powers would authorise him to altogether stop important government projects and divert their funding to other uses, with little checks and balances in place,” she added.

• The Philippines has 552 case of Covid-19 infections and 35 deaths, according to the John Hopkins University tracking map.

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared a state of calamity in the Philippines as cases of the novel coronavirus in the country continue to rise.

Duterte signed Proclamation No. 929 on Monday placing the country under a state of calamity for 6 months, “unless earlier lifted or extended as circumstances may warrant”.

The copy of the proclamation was only sent to the media yesterday.

READ MORE: Coronavirus global latest updates – Italy death toll surges past 2500

The proclamation also officially declared enhanced community quarantine over the entire island of Luzon.

Duterte also directed all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to “render full assistance and cooperation” with each other, and mobilise resources to battle Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

‘Ensuring peace and order’
The President ordered law enforcement agencies, with the support of the military, to undertake all necessary measures to “ensure peace and order in the affected areas.”

The declaration of a state of calamity allows local governments to tap into their quick response funds for relief efforts.

Before the President’s proclamation, at least 8 LGUs in Luzon have already declared a state of calamity in their respective jurisdictions.

As of writing, there are 187 coronavirus cases in the Philippines, majority of which are in Manila. Four people have already recovered from the virus, while 12 have died.

Globally, there are more than 198,000 cases, with at least 7,948 deaths across 145 countries. Almost 82,000 people have recovered.

The Philippines has a population of about 110 million.

Aika Rey is a reporter for the independent news website Rappler.

• LUZON: Provinces, cities, towns under lockdown, state of calamity
• Earlier Philippines coronavirus reports

Air Tahiti Nui has decided to reroute its flights to France via the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe.

The change was announced after the US banned travellers from Europe for a month.

The usual stopover point between Paris and Pape’ete had been Los Angeles.

The airline had earlier planned to maintain its France flights by routing its planes via Vancouver in Canada.

Air Tahiti Nui is, however, maintaining its Tahiti to Los Angeles return service.

The airline has also scheduled a one-off direct flight from Pape’ete to Paris but said because of the jetstream the distance is too great for a direct return flight.

The airline French Bee was first to announce that it was flying via Guadeloupe.

The coronavirus outbreak has reached French Polynesia, where three people have tested positive.

The first case was diagnosed after a French Polynesian politician flew back from Paris.

This article is republished under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.