The Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public against counterfeit anti-rabies vaccines possibly sold in drugstores. The advisory came after the death of an eight-year-old patient from rabies in Baler, Aurora on February 2. The patient received an anti-rabies vaccine bought from a drugstore near Aurora Memorial Hospital. It was later confirmed that …

An ongoing Nipah virus outbreak has been reported in West Bengal in India, with two confirmed cases as of publication date. India’s health ministry noted that 196 close contacts of the infected tested negative for the virus, and disease surveillance and prevention measures are in place to manage the spread of the disease. So far, …

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officially declared the onset of the 2025 rainy season on June 2 due to Southwest Monsoon or locally called as “habagat.” Businesses operating in the Philippines must anticipate extended periods of heavy rainfall, localized flooding, and storm activity over the next coming months. These environmental changes …

Southeast Asia is seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases, though Philippine health officials say local numbers remain stable. At home, the Department of Health (DOH) is addressing confirmed cases of rare diseases, Glanders and Melioidosis, in Siquijor, where containment measures are in place. Meanwhile, new mpox cases in parts of Visayas and Mindanao have led …

A surge in extreme heat across the Philippines has forced widespread school closures, strained local government resources, and triggered nationwide health warnings since the country entered the dry season in March. With temperatures in Metro Manila hitting “danger level” heat indices of up to 46 degrees Celsius (114.8 degrees Fahrenheit), education officials have shifted millions …

On Monday, August 19, some classes in Metro Manila and Region IV-A were suspended, or shifted to online learning, amid reports of volcanic smog released from Taal Volcano. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology had been noting the presence ...

The Department of Health (DOH) recently issued a memo directing the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) to implement a ‘thorough screening’ of incoming travelers against the new COVID-19 variants. Analysts note that this ‘thorough screening’ has not translated to any changes to the travel requirements or additional steps for arriving passengers in the country so far.   …

The Department of Health (DOH) reported today an increase of COVID-19 cases while Singapore experiences a new wave of infections. According to the Philippine health department, the country saw 877 new cases from May 7 to 13, which amounts to an average of 125 cases per day. From the time period of April 30 to …

The largest labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) urged all employers to come up with a Comprehensive Heat Risk Action Plan to protect workers from heat-related illnesses amid rising temperatures brought by El Niño. In a statement released on April 7, TUCP has emphasized the need to prioritize the following measures as …

The Department of Health (DOH) recently alerted the public about a slight increase in COVID-19 cases in some parts of Metro Manila. From the week of December 12 to 18, the DOH recorded a total of 2,725 new cases, of which the daily average number of new cases is at 389 cases. The average number of …

Small but restive Taal Volcano in Batangas City, Batangas, emitted above-average sulfur dioxide and volcanic smog last week. At the same time, parts of Metro Manila experienced poor quality due to thermal inversion and heavy pollution, prompting authorities to suspend ...

On July 21, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. formally withdrew the state of Public Health Emergency. Following the issuance of Proclamation No. 297, “All prior Orders, Memoranda, and issuances that are effective only during the State of Public Health Emergency shall be deemed withdrawn, revoked or canceled and shall no longer be in effect.” Those withdrawn …

In a statement on May 05, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a public health emergency. The announcement came after an emergency committee meeting on May 04, wherein the WHO Director-General “concurs with the advice offered by the Committee,” determining that “[the] COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing …

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank (WB) are seeking a special audit of the loans extended to the Philippine government to procure COVID-19 vaccines, according to Commission on Audit (COA) chairman Gamaliel Cordoba last November 29. Cordoba committed to ...

PSA issues the following news and updates on COVID-19, Monkeypox, and Dengue cases in the Philippines.   COVID-19 Updates  COVID-19 cases across the Philippines are now decreasing, according to the national health department and an independent research group.   On August 26, Department of Health Office-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire reported in a news conference that the “daily decline …

The DOH announced on Monday evening that a 4th Monkeypox case had been detected. According to the Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, the detected patient has no travel history to any countries with confirmed cases of Monkeypox. The ...

Cases in Metro Manila may have peaked and appear to be plateauing nationwide. The two-week growth rate nationwide (26.25 percent) and in Metro Manila (20.36) is still positive. However, the one-week growth rate in Metro Manila is now negative at negative 0.71 percent. The highest cases in Metro Manila over the last several months were …

COVID-19 cases continue to go up nationwide. The DOH is reporting over 2,000 cases per day, with the two-week growth rate of over 100 percent. Metro Manila on its own is reporting about 800 cases per day. Many cases are not being detected through testing as anti-gen testing is now widespread and the two-week positivity …

Former Philippine Medical Association (PMA) President Benito Atienza warned the general public of rising dengue cases this year. Around 45,416 dengue cases have been recorded from January 1 to June 11 of this year, which is a 45 percent increase compared to the 31,320 cases reported from January 1 to June 11 of 2021. Atienza disclosed …

The Department of Labor and Employment-Central Visayas (DOLE-7) is looking into a complaint against a public official who allegedly committed irregularities in the implementation of the agency’s emergency cash-for-work program.

The Department of Labor and Employment-Central Visayas (DOLE-7) is looking into a complaint against a public official who allegedly committed irregularities in the implementation of the agency’s emergency cash-for-work program.

Two weeks after the implementation of Alert Level 1 in much of the country, cases are still low and falling in the Philippines. Meanwhile, several other locations in Asia and Europe are experiencing surges in cases and deaths, none more so than Hong Kong. What is happening in Hong Kong continues to highlight that Omicron can …

PSA sat down with Derek Gallimore’s Outsource Accelerator on February 14 to discuss COVID-19 and the future of the BPO Industry in the Philippines.