The national police this week began rolling out its  "PNP Barangayanihan", a police version of community pantries that sociologists and scholars said may distort the original narrative behind the pantries.

The Philippines on Wednesday recorded 6,895 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 1,020,495.

"If cases surge again, it will be more difficult to deal with as our hospitals are still full," said OCTA fellow Ranjit Rye in Filipino.

In a briefing Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire also emphasized there is a “low quality of evidence” to support the use of ivermectin to prevent or treat COVID-19.

"They can say what they want from the Chinese mainland; we continue to assert from our waters by right of international law what we won in The Hague," Locsin posted on Twitter.

"Rather than collecting variants, the IATF should have long ago established protocols and guidelines on imposing automatic travel bans based on the findings of other countries that are available to the public."

“The MMC just recommends to the IATF. Hence, it is within the purview of President Rodrigo Duterte to decide on the next NCR status,” Abalos said.

Logistical challenges again hampered the delivery of the first 15,000 doses of the Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V, which were supposed to arrive in the Philippines Wednesday evening.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) reported continued illegal presence of three CCG ships in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, one in the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan and another one in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

The Supreme Court has approved financial aid to court judges and employees who were hospitalized and died due to COVID-19, the Office of the Court Administrator said.