Thread by @cnnphilippines

THREAD: Acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles holds a media briefing. DOH Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire is expected to join him | LIVE bit.ly/3GVpOpr

Updates by our digital producers @laratyan and @pplmanuel

Nograles says the PH now accepts as inoculation status proof the COVID-19 vaccine certificates of Argentina, Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, Denmark, Ecuador, Indonesia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Azerbaijan, Macau and Syria

Nograles says over 62 million have completed their COVID-19 shots, but only 9.4M have received their booster shot

Nograles reports over 329,200 kids aged 5-11 have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose as of Feb. 17

Nograles announces the appointment of Rizalina Noval Justol as the new chairperson of the Commission on Audit

Nograles welcomes Fitch Ratings' affirmation of the country's 'BBB' credit rating.

However, the debt watcher kept its negative outlook for the country amid uncertainty of recovery, debt concerns.

cnnphilippines.com/business/2022/…

Nograles reports ₱133.47 billion in foreign investment pledges were approved in the fourth quarter, more than triple Q4 2020's ₱36.49 billion

Approved FIs totaled P192.34 billion in 2021, up annually by 71.5%

cnnphilippines.com/business/2022/…

DTI Sec. Ramon Lopez provides updates on PH's participation in Expo 2020 Dubai: While we were there, we were also able to sign 'yung beginning ng negotiation para sa isang FTA. Pero we call it a comprehensive economic partnership agreement

DOH Usec. Vergeire: Atin pong nalampasan ang hamon buhat ng Omicron. Kasalukuyan na tayong nasa low risk classification.

cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/2/14…

DOH Usec. Vergeire says all island groups are showing decreasing new COVID-19 cases. Except for CAR and Region 11, all regions are under low risk.

DOH Usec. Vergeire: Iwasan ang malawakang campaign sorties na maaaring maging COVID-19 superspreader events

DOH Usec. Vergeire reports over 3M Filipinos received their primary and booster shots under the current 'Bayanihan, Bakunahan' round, which lasts until today

cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/2/17…

DOH Usec. Vergeire recaps guidelines on receiving booster shots. Fully vaccinated adults may get boosted at least 3 months after their inoculation, except for Janssen vaccinees which may do so after 3 months.

Nograles on Cebu province allowing entry of unvaxxed foreigners: We will await the results of the dialogue between DILG and the governor

DTI Sec. Lopez: Even with the status quo, we have high operating capacity. Parang Alert Level 1 na din tayo in many offices and businesses.

Nograles on 'new normal' roadmap: Patuloy pa rin ang pagsasa-pinal ng dokumentong iyon... As of the IATF meeting yesterday, di pa completed iyan.

cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/2/15…

Nograles: Hindi pa completed ang roadmap at COVID-19 national action plan stage 5. Maaaring sa next IATF meeting ipepresenta.

Nograles: Ang pagconduct ng election-related activities, strictly and legally speaking nasa jurisdiction ng Comelec. We know it's a constitutional body. It's really their rules and regulations na mai-implement.

DOH Usec. Vergeire on One COVID-19 Allowance: Kung dati kailangan namin i-validate per specific allowance, ngayon nasa isang lump na siyang ibibigay namin sa HCWs based on risk classification.

cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/2/17…

Nograles: Pag fully vaccinated ka at lalo na pag boosted ka, mas mabisa 'yun na protection against Omicron. Kaya sinasabi natin full vaccination plus booster, mas mataas effectiveness niya.

Will there be a fourth round of 'Bayanihan, Bakunahan'? DOH Usec. Vergeire: The possibility is there, yes.

DOH Usec. Vergeire: For the succeeding 'Bayanihan, Bakunahan' mas palalawigin natin ang pagsuyod sa mga areas na di masyado pa natin napupuntahan para mabigyan ng bakuna

Will Duterte physically campaign for his senatorial candidates? Nograles: Walang official entries in his calendar

Nograles on vacancies in Comelec: The president is still selecting from the list of candidates. May vetting iyan. Lalabas na din iyan. Soon the president will make the appointment.

Nograles: All appointed officials are based on experience, credentials, achievements. For positions like sa COA Chair and many high positions, dadaan pa rin naman ng proseso ng confirmation.

DOH Usec. Vergeire: Definitely when we deescalate to Alert Level 1, contact tracing will be very important so we can do surveillance, see which clusters nagkaka-impeksyon so we can cut transmission

DOH Usec. Vergeire: Sa ngayon magttransition tayo, we will still do contract tracing, isolation, quarantine among the general population and eventually shift to just focusing on the vulnerable population