MONDAY BLUES On the first day of work after the holidays, thousands of passengers queue to board buses at the Q-Mart Bus Station on Edsa, Quezon City, their line snaking from one side of the major thoroughfare over the flyover to the other side. NINO JESUS ORBETA

World

Shot vs African variant doubted

LONDON—Scientists are not fully confident that COVID-19 vaccines will work on a new variant of the coronavirus found in South Africa, ITV’s political editor said on Monday, citing an unidentified scientific adviser to the British government. —STORY BY REUTERS

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Business

Gov’t slaps new tax on vehicle imports

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez has decided to further tax imported cars to protect workers in assembly and manufacturing plants, a well-intentioned measure that might be overshadowed by its bad timing as it adds another burden on an already struggling industry. —STORY BY Roy Stephen C. Canivel

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100,000 Chinese in PH vaccinated, says Tsinoy leader

By Jodee A. Agoncillo

Some 100,000 Chinese nationals based in the Philippines were inoculated with a COVID-19 vaccine in December, according to a prominent Chinese-Filipino civic leader.

Teresita Ang See made the disclosure on Monday, amid a controversy over the vaccination of troops from the Presidential Security Group (PSG) although there is no approved COVID-19 vaccine in the country yet.

“We brought it to the attention of authorities because, for me, it’s OK that they get vaccinated, because we do not have much control with them,” Ang See said at the Tapatan sa Aristocrat forum held online.

“We do not have ... basis to catch ... them, especially the Pogo (Philippine offshore gaming operator) workers,” she said.

Ang See, who is also an academic, writer and activist, gained renown in the 1990s when she championed the rights and welfare of Chinese-Filipinos amid threats to their lives at the time. She is the founding president of Kaisa Heritage Center, which operates the Bahay Tsinoy Museum of Chinese in Philippine Life.

Same source

According to Ang See, the Chinese, mostly Pogo workers, were inoculated starting November last year.

She also claimed that the source of the vaccines was the same the one for the PSG.

“The vaccines given them were legitimate, legitimate sources, it came from official channel so I think it’s good,” Ang See said. “This should not have been blown out of proportion if this were not kept secret, because we ... all understand why it is needed.”

“Why make it a secret this way especially if it’s official channel?” she said, without explaining what is an official channel. —WITH A REPORT FROM LEILA B. SALAVERRIA INQ

Editorial

Who's in charge?

Yet another embarrassing gaffe by officials in charge of facilitating the quarantine of passengers arriving in the country happened when more than 100 Filipino and foreign passengers who arrived from the United States and South Korea on Dec. 29 were brought to a hotel where they were to spend their 14-day quarantine.

Read full story: opinion.inquirer.net