(PAGASA 24-HOUR PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST as of Friday, 02 June 2023) Southwest Monsoon affecting the country. ACTIVE TROPICAL CYCLONE AS OF 3:00 AM TODAY SEVERE TROPICAL STORM MAWAR {2302} (FORMERLY "BETTY") LOCATION: 945 KM NORTHEAST OF EXTREME NORTHERN LUZON (26.9°N, 128.3°E) MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS: 95 KM/H GUSTINESS: UP TO 145 KM/H MOVEMENT: NORTHEASTWARD AT 25 KM/H FOR. Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due Southwest Monsoon. Possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. Moderate to Strong winds coming from South to Southwest will prevail with Moderate to Rough seas (1.2 to 2.8 meters).


TOP STORIES - Wednesday, December 21, 2022

TODAY’S TOP STORIES (from online news monitoring)

21 December 2022, Wednesday, as of 9AM

1. Chinese embassy hits US for 'driving a wedge' between China, PHL

[ABS-CBN News, CNN PHL, Inquirer, GMA News, PhilStar, Manila Bulletin] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/855054/chinese-embassy-says-us-trying-to-drive-a-wedge-between-china-philippines/story/

2. COVID-19 vaccination

-DOH awaits experts' advice on 2nd COVID-19 booster shot for general population

-Monovalent COVID-19 vaccine implementation to continue despite arrival of bivalent type–DOH

-Don't panic, DOH says on 600,000 health workers without 2nd booster

[CNN PHL, Inquirer, ABS-CBN News, GMA News, Manila Bulletin, PhilStar] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/12/20/2232098/dont-panic-doh-says-600000-health-workers-without-2nd-booster

3. COVID-19 infection

-DOH records 626 new COVID-19 cases; active tally drops to 17,263

-Philippines reports 121 new cases of omicron subvariants

-Philippines prepared for entry of other COVID-19 subvariants

[ABS-CBN News, GMA News, Inquirer, CNN PHL] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/855031/doh-records-626-new-covid-19-cases-active-tally-drops-to-17-263/story/

4. Possible extension of COVID-19 state of calamity under discussion between DOH, Malacañang

[CNN PHL, Manila Bulletin, Malaya, ABS-CBN News] ©PIA-PMU

https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/21/possible-extension-of-covid-19-state-of-calamity-under-discussion-between-doh-malacanang/

5. 39th Air Force chief Parreño assumes post

Marcos confident PAF would continue to be responsive under Parreño leadership

[CNN PHL, PhilStar, GMA News, Manila Bulletin, ABS-CBN News] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/855026/marcos-confident-paf-would-continue-to-be-responsive-under-parreno-leadership/story/

6. DOJ: Bantag, Zulueta on immigration lookout bulletin since Dec. 7

[Inquirer, ABS-CBN News, Manila Bulletin] ©PIA-PMU

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1707183/lookout-bulletin-for-bantag-zulueta-issued

7. Pasig government opens mega dialysis center

[Manila Bulletin, PhilStar, ABS-CBN News] ©PIA-PMU

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/12/21/2232250/pasig-government-opens-mega-dialysis-center

—Philippine Information Agency | PIA Monitoring Unit—