Calvin Abueva hits winning basket as Magnolia survives NorthPort

With the clock winding down, Calvin Abueva drained a winning basket to lift the Magnolia Hotshots past NorthPort, 90-89, in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup Friday at the DHVSU Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

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Trailing by a point with two seconds to go in the game, Rome dela Rosa launched a timely assist to Calvin Abueva, who beat the buzzer with a layup just before the time expired.

Ian Sangalang paced his squad with a double-double performance of 26 markers and 10 boards, while Abueva finished with 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

The Hotshots improved to 7-3 to formally book a quarterfinal ticket along with TNT.

The Batang Pier, meanwhile, now have back-to-back losses but still got solid output from Paolo Taha and Jamie Malonzo who each had 14 points. NorthPort now holds a 4-5 win-loss card.

Leisure travel allowed from NCR to GCQ, MGCQ areas —DOT

Some residents in the National Capital Region, which is under new COVID-19 alert level classification system, are allowed to do leisure travel to general community quarantine (GCQ) or modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) areas, the Department of Tourism said Friday.

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"Under Alert Level 4, puwede nang mag-travel ang taga-NCR as long as 'yung pupuntahan nila ay MGCQ or GCQ or 'yung mga tumatanggap ng turista," Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said in a Dobol B sa News TV interview.

(NCR residents under Alert Level 4 could travel to areas that are under MGCQ or GCQ, or are accepting visitors.)

However, Puyat said there are tourist destinations that implement restrictions, including Baguio City, which only allow fully-vaccinated individuals.

"Mas mainam na i-check talaga sa LGUs kung bukas sila" (It's better to check with the LGUs if they are open to all visitors)" Puyat said.

Neri Miranda completes COVID-19 vaccination amid pregnancy: 'Sa doctor natin tayo makinig. Mas alam nila yan'

A very pregnant Neri Miranda just completed her COVID-19 vaccination two days ago, and on Instagram, she shared how so many people have been messaging her out of concern for her decision.

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She coolly addressed this, saying they actually consulted her OB Gyne about it. "Mas gusto nyang may bakuna ako para hindi lang ako ang protected pati na rin si Cash," Neri wrote. "Binigyan ako ng doktora ko ng medical certificate/clearance na pwede ako magpabakuna."

[My doctor wanted me vaccinated so both me and Cash are protected. She gave me a medical certificate/clearance saying I can get vaccinated.]

Neri not only shared the brand she was inoculated with — Sinovac, as it is the brand that her LGU, Alfonso in Cavite, has — but very clearly shared the side effects she's experienced.

"Hindi naman ako nilagnat nung 1st dose ko. Inantok lang ako, bagsak ako agad, hehe! Pero naligo muna ako bago matulog. Second dose, hindi pa rin ako nilagnat o nanghina. Medyo mabigat lang sa arm ko, parang nabangga sa door, ganun lang. Tapos may pasa ako. Pero pasain naman kase ako. So far, ok naman ako. Ayun din, sobrang inantok lang din ako after," she wrote.

Stockholder of alleged Pharmally sister company denies link: Hindi po ako ang susi

A stockholder of a company being linked to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation denied Friday that she is involved with the firm being questioned over the procurement of COVID-19 supplies, which are claimed to be overpriced.

Rose Nono Lin, shareholder of the Pharmally Biological Inc., faced the Senate blue ribbon committee and stressed that the firm is not a sister company of the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation.

"Hindi rin po ako susi ng imbestigasyon na ito at wala po akong koneksyon sa gobyerno. Ang Pharmally Biological ay hindi po sister company ng Pharmally Pharmaceutical," Nono Lin said.

(I am not the key to this investigation and I have no connection in the government. Pharmally Biological is not the sister company of Pharmally Pharmaceutical.)

"Wala po akong kinalaman sa pagpapatakbo o operasyon ng negosyo ng Pharmally Pharmaceutical. Wala pong pagmamay-aring shares o stock ang Pharmally Biological sa Pharmally Pharmaceutical," she added.

(I have no involvement in the operations of Pharmally Pharmaceutical. Pharmally Biological has no shares or stock with Pharmally Pharmaceutical.)

During a previous Senate inquiry, Senator Risa Hontiveros said Nono Lin was an incorporator of Pharmally Biological Inc., which she said is a sister company of Pharmally Pharmaceutical.

Hontiveros also said Nono Lin was an incorporator of the Full Win or Fu De Sheng Group in the Philippines, which was allegedly chaired by Michael Yang, who is being linked in the controversial purchase as he supposedly linked Pharmally to suppliers.

Nono Lin mentioned that Yang is not the chairperson of Full Win.

"Hindi rin po totoo na si Michael Yang ay chairman ng Full Win, wala po siyang kinalaman sa kumpanyang Full Win at sa mga dokumento po. Bakit naman po kailangan akong magpaliwanag sa publiko kung kilala ko man si Michael Yang?" Lin said.

(It is not true that Michael Yang is the chairman of Full Win, he has nothing to do with Full Win and the documents. Why do I have to explain to the public even if I know Michael Yang.)

Yang, former economic adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte, is being linked to Allan Lim who was allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

Senator Richard Gordon earlier presented a document showing that Allan Lim, also reportedly known as Wen Li Chen and Lin Wei Xiong, had been allegedly profiled as a drug personality.

Yang denied knowing Allan Lim, but he said he had known Lin Wei Xiong since 2013.

Nono Lin said her husband Lin Wei Xiong is not involved in illegal drugs.

"Mismong hepe na po ng PDEA na si Director General (Wilkins) Villanueva na isang Wen Li Chen ang may kinalaman sa droga at ang mukha po nito ay iba po sa mukha ng aking asawa at pinangalanan pa po itong Allan Lim," she said.

(No less than PDEA Director General Wilkins Villanueva said that Wen Li Chen is involved in illegal drugs and his face is very different from my husband.)

During a taped meeting aired Tuesday, Villanueva cleared Yang of drug links in Davao City. He also cleared Allan Lim saying it was Wen Li Chen who was arrested in an operation in Cavite.

Nono Lin further expressed confidence that her husband is only engaged in legitimate business transactions.

"Nasa kultura po ng mga Chinese na ang kanilang pinapasok na negosyo ay batay po ito sa trust and confidence at saka po 'yung word of honor sa mga ka-sosyo nila na kapwa Chinese. Malaki po ang tiwala ko sa aking asawa, kay Michael Yang po ay wala naman po kaming alam na masama tungkol po sa kanya," she said.

(It is in the culture of Chinese that they enter into business based on trust and confidence and word of honor of their partners. I trust my husband and regarding Michael Yang, we were not aware of anything bad about him.)

1M Sputnik Light doses to arrive within September —Galvez

The Philippines will receive within this month the first batch of single-shot Sputnik Light vaccine doses, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Friday.

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Galvez said one million doses, which were procured by the government, would be delivered to the country.

“The Sputnik V Light is more efficient because we will be able to protect more people faster. This would eliminate the problem wherein people fail to return for their second dose,” he said in a statement.

The Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for Sputnik Light on August 20.

According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), Sputnik Light demonstrated 79.4% efficacy compared with 91.6% for the two-shot Sputnik V.

Senators question P33M worth of donations made by Pharmally to gov't in 2020

Several senators on Friday questioned the P33 million worth of donations made by Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation, the small firm that bagged over P8 billion worth of contracts for the procurement of medical supplies, to various government institutions in 2020.

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During the continuation of the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on the alleged irregularity, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon noticed the P33 million worth of donations in the firm's audited financial statements as presented by resource person, Raymond Abrea, a certified public accountant.

“Doon sa financial statements mayroon din pong nakalagay na P33 million na donation doon po sa pagtingin ng financial statements. Sinabi ba kung saan napunta ito o kung saan nanggaling?” Drilon asked.


(In the financial statements, it is indicated that there is a P33 million donation. Was the beneficiary or the source of the donation stated there?)

Abrea told the panel that Pharmally did not disclose the details of the donations in their financial statement.

20,336 new infections push Philippines’ active COVID-19 cases over 188k

The Philippines on Friday reported 20,336 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, marking the second consecutive day where more than 20,000 daily infections were recorded.

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According to the Department of Health, this brought the nationwide tally to 2,324,475 and active cases to 188,108, the highest since April 18.

Of the active cases, 87.6% are mild, 8.1% are asymptomatic, 1.3% are severe, and 0.6% are in critical condition.