News Roundup 30 July 2020
Jul 30, 2020 • 3 min Read
Philippines sees biggest rise in COVID-19 cases, recoveries as tally reaches 89,374 | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines registered record-high additional coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases and recoveries, sending the country’s total number of infections to 89,374. The Department of Health reported 3,954 additional COVID-19 infections—the highest number of cases in a single day since the outbreak began in the country. The DOH also logged a staggering 38,075 new recoveries. This raised the total number of COVID-19 survivors to 65,064. DOH said the massive jumps in the number of new cases and recoveries were attributed to the department’s data reconciliation efforts with local government units. But the death toll reached 1,983 with 23 more people succumbing to the illness.
UN report: ‘Weak’ Philippine healthcare system lacks nurses, hospital beds | PHILSTAR.COM – While other Southeast Asian countries have good health care capacity, the Philippines’ health care system is “particularly concerning,” the United Nations said in a report on the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the region. “More than half of the subregion’s countries are vulnerable because of weak health systems, including Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines and Timor Leste,” the UN policy brief said. “Among the 11 countries covered in this brief, the situation is particularly concerning for Myanmar and the Philippines, which have pre-existing humanitarian caseloads, and have therefore been incorporated in the recently launched Global Humanitarian Response Plan,” it added. Global Humanitarian Response Plan aims to help countries to suppress coronavirus transmission.
COVID-19 casualty: 4,500 jobs erased in Northern Mindanao | INQUIRER.COM – More than 4,500 workers in Northern Mindanao permanently lost their jobs as the coronavirus health crisis forced many businesses in the region to either close or downsize operations. Data from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) showed that as of July 20, 35 establishments have closed shop and terminated the services of at least 663 workers. Nine companies are in the tourism industry. Of the 35 firms, 23 are located in Cagayan de Oro, the region’s main economic hub. At least 272 other companies have downsized and retrenched a total of 3,872 workers.
Increase salaries of state health workers, Recto urges | Manila Bulletin – Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Thursday appealed to the government to promote and increase the salaries of state health workers as a reward for their service amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “How can government reward medical frontliners? Let us count some of the ways. Release of hazard pay, now na (right now). Regularization. Promotion,” Recto said in a statement. “As to promotion, kung di pa kaya ng mass testing sa tao, mass promotion muna sa mga nagta-trabaho (if they cannot implement mass testing yet, maybe a mass promotion of these workers will do for now),” he added.
PCSO official shot dead in Mandaluyong | The Manila Times – The Board Secretary of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) was gunned down in Mandaluyong City, police reported on Thursday. Wesley Barayuga was shot inside his car in front of the PCSO office along Calbayog Street. Mandaluyong City Police Chief Hector Grajaldo, in a television interview, said the lone gunman was riding a motorcycle. Meanwhile, the driver was still conscious, and rushed to a hospital, police said. “Katatapos lang po ata magtrabaho galing opisina on the way na siguro pauwi, sinundan siguro ng suspect natin [Probably he came from work, from the office. He was on his way home but was followed by the suspect],” the police official said.
