Metro

WHEN heavy rain exceeds half an hour, residents at Valencia Apartment in Shah Alam become anxious. Drains on both sides of Jalan Jujur 25/30 and Jalan Tokoh 25/28 in Taman Sri Muda, Section 25, would overflow. Student Muhd Azin Ismail, 17, said many times cars stalled and their drivers would have to call a mechanic. University lecturer Manan Ngah 65, said flash floods in the area were a three-decade-old problem. “The matter has been brought to the attention of Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and elected representatives, but no solution has been found,” he said. Manan added that during continuous rain, there was backflow from the roundabout at Persiaran Budiman into the monsoon drains along Jalan Gemilang 25/1 that caused water to flow into Jalan Tokoh 25/28. Rajes Ramalingam, 37, said the close proximity of Sungai Klang at Jambatan Taman Sri Muda did not help. “This is also a low-lying area,” he added. Ravi Jeyaram, 55, said ... » Learn More about Flooded roads a fact of life for apartment folk in Shah Alam

ONE way of solving the flood problem in Taman Melawis, Klang is to build a retention pond along Sungai Klang next to Sluice Gate 38, says civil engineer Md Noor Mahmud. The gate is located in Jalan Lembaga Bandaran, off Jalan Tepi Sungai, Klang. “Building a retention pond outside Taman Melawis is to ensure that surface runoff within the neighbourhood is swiftly channelled out and away from the area. “It is logical in this case to have a retention pond sited next to Sluice Gate 38, where the pump house can manage the water basin,” said Md Noor. He said that with intense rain becoming the norm due to climate change, urban floods would become inevitable because of impervious surfaces caused by construction in low-lying areas, inadequate drainage size, bottlenecks that caused backflow and rubbish not removed from drains. He highlighted that the earth-cut drain behind Lintang Besi must be widened and converted to a concrete drain culvert. He also suggested that Klang Drainage ... » Learn More about Build retention pond and upgrade drains, says engineer

PHOTO FROM DOST MANILA, Philippines — Vice President and presidential aspirant Leni Robredo has said that any reintroduction of the mandatory use of face shields should be based on science. “Ano ba iyong sinasabi? Sinabi ng WHO (World Health Organization) na hindi ni-rerecommend na gawing mandatory siya, so sa akin, anuman iyong desisyon, kailangan naka-base sa ano ba iyong pagtingin ng experts tungkol dito,” Robredo told reporters. (The WHO has said that it does not recommend making it mandatory, so to me, whatever their decision is, it should be based on what the experts think about it.) National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said during a taped briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday that mandatory face shield policy would be implemented again once the Omicron variant of COVID-19 enters the Philippines. Meanwhile, the WHO has maintained that face shields are not yet recommended despite the threat posed by the ... » Learn More about Make face shield decisions based on science, Robredo says

Dr. Glenn Mathew Baggao, chief of the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC), gets his booster shot of Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 on Wednesday, Nov. 17. (Photo courtesy of CVMC photo) MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sonny Angara on Wednesday backed the private sector’s call to provide booster shots for employees, noting the country’s steady supply of  COVID-19 vaccines. Citing the government’s own pronouncement that there is no longer shortage of COVID-19 vaccines supply, 26 business groups have earlier requested that they be allowed access to their “large stockpile” of vaccines which they can use as booster shots for their employees and their families. Angara said the appeal is “reasonable” especially in light of various reports that there are already vaccines expiring supposedly due to logistical issues, slow administration, and vaccine hesitancy particularly in areas outside of Metro Manila. “The country now has a steady supply of vaccines and the volume will continue to ... » Learn More about Angara to gov’t: Consider call of business groups on booster shots

Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (Photo by EDWIN BACASMAS / Philippine Daily Inquirer) MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has approved a recommendation by the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) to give booster shots and additional jabs against COVID-19 for priority groups, provided there is sufficient vaccine supply and inoculation targets are reached. According to its Oct. 13 letter to Duque, the council recommended that the first in line to get booster shots will be the healthcare workers and this will be done during the last three months of the year. They will be followed by seniors and “eligible priority groups” next year. An additional, or third dose, will be administered starting this year to immunocompromised individuals, but only after 28 days from completion of the initial COVID-19 vaccine series. A note from a source close to HTAC seen by the Inquirer on Saturday indicated that Duque approved and signed the ... » Learn More about DOH approves COVID-19 booster shots for health workers, seniors