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1. SECURITY UPDATE – PHILIPPINES – March 31, 2021
COVID-19
DATE NEW CASES/TOTAL DEATHS/TOTAL RECOVERY/TOTAL ACTIVE CASES
MAR 26 9,838/702,856 54/13,149 663/580,689 109,018
MAR 27 9,595/712,442 10/13,159 481/581,161 118,122
MAR 28 9,475/721,892 11/13,170 22,000/603,154 105,568
MAR 29 10,016/731,894 16/13,186 78/603,213 115,495
MAR 30 9,296/741,181 5/13,191 103/603,310 124,680
MEDICAL UPDATES
PHILHEALTH MEMBERSHIP NOT REQUIRED FOR VACCINATION - The Department
of Health (DOH) clarified that a PhilHealth Identification Number (PIN) is not a
requirement to register for and to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. DOH issued the
statement to correct an earlier announcement of the Philippine Health Insurance
Corporation (PhilHealth) that a PIN is required for Covid-19 vaccination.
ANTIGEN TEST TO AUGMENT COVID-19 SCREENING IN ‘NCR PLUS’ - The
government will ramp up the detection of individuals with Covid-19 in NCR Plus—
National Capital Region (NCR), Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal—through
deploying antigen testing, testing czar Vivencio Dizon said on March 30. Dizon, also
the National Task ForceAgainstCovid-19 (NTF) deputy chief implementer, said the
Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases
(IATF) has decided to add 30,000 antigen testing per day in NCR Plus.
NATIONAL NEWS
CAUTIOUS APPROACH ON STIMULUS MEASURETO ADDRESS BUDGET GAP RISE -
The government reported an annual jump in the February 2021 budget gap to
PHP116billion butan economistsaid prudentimplementation ofpandemic-related
spending would address the expected rise in the budget deficit. Data released by
the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed a 208.47 percent increase in the budget
deficit from year-ago’s PHP37.6 billion.

2. PASSAGE OF BAYANIHAN 3 PUSHED ANEW TO CURB UNEMPLOYMENT - A
lawmaker on Tuesday said Congress must swiftly pass the proposed Bayanihan to
AriseAs OneActor the Bayanihan 3 in order to providerelief to Filipinos,especially
the working class and the most vulnerable. This was after Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA) reported that the unemployment rate for February 2021 rose to
8.8 percent. High unemployment has persisted throughout the pandemic, noting
that the reimposed enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) puts workers at even
greater risk and takes away the pay of the 5.25 million no work, no pay workers in
affected areas.
50-50 CHANCEFOR ECQ EXTENSION IN ‘NCR PLUS’ - Malacañang on Tuesday said
there is a “50-50”chancethat the enhanced community quarantine(ECQ) imposed
in the National Capital Region and four nearby provinces (NCR Plus) to curb the
spike in Covid-19 cases will be extended beyond April 4. In a Palace press briefing,
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the decision will depend on whether
new infections have slowed down.
1.5K COPS TAPPED FOR ECQ - patrol About 1,501 more police officers will be
deployed to areas in Metro Manila wherepeople convergeto ensurethatminimum
health protocols are observed during the week-long enhanced community
quarantine (ECQ), which coincided with the Holy Week. Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao
Jr., National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, said the personnel would
patrol places of worship, malls, markets, commercial areas, and community
centers.
SAFETY AND SECURITY
ARMED CONFLICT
SURRENDER-Thirteen moremembersof New People’s Army(NPA)units operating
in the hinterlands of South Cotabato and the neighboring provinces surrendered
on Monday to government authorities and local officials.The rebels formally
renewed their allegiance to the government and laid down their firearms in a
simple ceremony held at the South Cotabato gymnasium and cultural center in
Koronadal City on March 29, 2021.
MASSSURRENDER - Atleast304 supporters and militiamen of the communistNew
People’s Army (NPA) surrendered in the Agusan del Norte town of Las Nieves

3. Friday,dismantling the rebels'key supportin the area. Ina statement on March 27,
the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB) said the 19 surrenderers weremembers
of the NPA's Milisya ng Bayan (MB) while 285 were "mass supporters." “Barangay
Ibuanin LasNieves is a knownmassbaseof the CommunistPartyof the Philippines
(CPP) and its armed wing, the NPA, for more than 50 years.
CRIMINALIZING RED-TAGGING WILL EMPOWER ENEMIES: EX-REBEL - A former
high-ranking New People’s Army (NPA) officer who has since joined the
governmentcampaign to end insurgency is urging an opposition lawmaker to look
into the nature of red-tagging before pushing for a law that will criminalize it.
Sambayanan national coordinator Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celis said complaints against
red-tagging have become diversionary tactics of the communist movement to
avoid legal implications.
TERRORISM
APPREHENSION - An Abu Sayyaf Group supporter identified as @Nasalun was
apprehended by joint AFP-PNP personnel in Muti, Zamboanga City on Monday
morning, March 29, 2021. @Nasalun, a known ASG supporter, was apprehended
by virtue of a search warrant for violation of RA 10591, the Act providing for
ComprehensiveLaw on Firearms and ammunition and providing penalties thereof.
TRAVEL
STAYCATION IN 'NCR PLUS' SUSPENDED - Staycations are temporarily suspended
in Metro Manila and nearby provinces following the declaration of enhanced
community quarantine, the Department of Tourism(DOT) said Saturday night. The
agency said only accredited accommodation establishments that serve as
quarantinefacilities are allowed to operatein the National Capital Region, Bulacan,
Cavite, Laguna and Rizal from March 29 to April 4, 2021.
GLOBAL
VIRUS HITS POVERTYREDUCTIONPROGRESSINASIA-PACIFIC-TheUnited Nations
(UN) on March 30 said the Covid-19 pandemic has erased years of progress in
povertyreduction in theAsia-Pacific region.The Economic and SocialSurveyof Asia
and the Pacific 2021, released by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia
and the Pacific (ESCAP), suggested that the Asia-Pacific region needs large, yet

4. attainable, investments in resilience to protect development gains amid a fragile
and inequitable post-Covid-19 economic recovery.
WORLD LEADERS URGEFOR TREATY TO PROTECTCOUNTRIES FROM PANDEMIC -
The world needs a global settlement, similar to the one that forged World War II,
to protect countries in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, world leaders said in a
joint letter on Tuesday. The letter that came after a G7 health ministers meeting
on Monday, saying the pandemic had been “a stark and painful reminder that
nobody is safe until everyone is safe." The call came from 24 world leaders,
alongside the head of the World Health Organization Tedros Ghebreyesus.