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The Philippines is planning to take the lead in the global “solidarity trials” for virgin coconut oil (VCO) as a possible cure for COVID-19, revealed a scientist involved in the VCO study. 

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is considering purchasing another 16 Sikorsky S70i Black Hawk helicopters from Lockheed Martin even if delivery of the initial six from the first batch of 16 orders have yet to be completed. 

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “vaccine nationalism” was moving “at full speed,” leaving poor people around the globe watching preparations for COVID-19 inoculations in several rich nations while wondering if and when they will also get the vaccines. 

A committee of scientists, experts, specialists and researchers put together by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has voted recommending approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVI-19 vaccine for emergency use. 

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a $9 billion vaccine initiative—the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX)— offering rapid and equitable support to its developing members as they procure and deliver effective and safe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines.  “As ADB’s developing members prepare to vaccinate their people as soon as possible, they need financing to procure vaccines as well …

The Philippines ranked lowest among 58 countries in an international assessment for mathematics and science for Grade 4 students. 

The Monetary Board approved the recognition of digital bank as a new bank category that is separate and distinct from the existing bank classifications.  Digital bank is defined as a bank that offers financial products and services that are processed end-to-end through a digital platform and/or electronic channels with no physical branches.

The Czech Republic supports strengthening of capacities of evacuation centers and mitigating the spread of COVID-19 across the Philippines. With financial aid from the Czech Humanitarian Aid programme, alternative shelters and WASH facilities were provided to four Filipino cities of Navotas, Malabon, Cebu City, and Cagayan de Oro.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Rural Agro-enterprise Partnership for Inclusive Development and Growth (RAPID Growth) Project, in partnership with the Puentespina Farms, conducted a five-day intensive training on cacao processing, bean trading, and cacao economics among the seven cacao farmer organizations from Davao Oriental on November 16 to20.  

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana recently discussed with US Embassy Charge d’Affaires John Law, among others, the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) that had been extended for another six months after President Rodrigo Duterte junked it earlier this year.