News Roundup 11 August 2020
Aug 11, 2020 • 3 min Read
2,987 new COVID-19 cases push Philippines’ total to 139,538 | PHILSTAR.COM – The country’s coronavirus case tally went up to 139,538 Tuesday after the Department of Health reported nearly 3,000 additional infections. The Department of Health logged 2,987 new cases—the first time in nearly two weeks that the country did not report at least 3,000 additional cases. The day before, record-high 6,985 infections were recorded. The Philippines has the most number of coronavirus infections in Southeast Asia and has more cases that mainland China, where the pathogen first emerged late last year. The DOH also registered 280 additional recoveries, raising the total number of COVID-19 survivors to 68,432. But the death toll also rose to 2,312 after 19 more patients died from the respiratory illness.
Hontiveros on PhilHealth controversy: Where is Duque in all this? | PHILSTAR.COM – As the Senate on Tuesday resumed its probe into allegations of corruption, irregularities, and mismanagement within PhilHealth, Sen. Risa Hontiveros questioned Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s role in the controversies surrounding the state-run agency. “To what degree is Secretary Duque involved? Why is the secretary unscathed in all of this? [Since] 2001, Secretary Duque has always had some connection to PhilHealth,” Hontiveros said in a mix of English and Filipino. “With his long history in the institution, Duque cannot feign ignorance of this systemic corruption,” she added. Hontiveros further listed Duque’s positions at the state-run agency throughout the years as its president, chairman of the board, member of the board and the current chairman of the board, again, at present.
Over 100 workers of LRT-1 to lose jobs | INQUIRER.NET – More than 100 employees of the Light Rail Transit-1 (LRT-1) will lose their jobs as the train line’s ridership declined amid the coronavirus lockdown in Metro Manila. This was affirmed Tuesday by the Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC), and its spokesman, Jackie Gorospe, told reporters that the number of employees that would be retrenched represents 20 percent of the company’s total workforce. “It is with great regret that LRMC confirms a reduction of its workforce due to a significant 90% drop in ridership brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,” LRMC said in a statement. Amid the imposition of strict community quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, LRMC said it scaled down its operations and suspended some projects. LRMC said its staff reduction will take effect next month.
COA reports rampant financial violations of Philhealth | Manila Bulletin – Officials from the Commission on Audit (COA) on Tuesday said the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) violated audit regulations when it liquidated only P1-billion of the P14.7-billion advance payment under its Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM). Responding to Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon’s question, Cleotilde Tuazon, COA’s Director 4, said the P14.7-billion of advance payment under the IRM should have been liquidated a long time ago since it was released to them on April 6. Tuazon said they informed PhilHealth President Ricardo Morales that the P14.7-billion should be liquidated already as much as possible so they would know the actual balance of the fund given to the regions. “But as it is, around P1-billion pa lang ang nali-liquidate…But this does not mean that only P1 billion has been expended. There is no liquidation yet so they do not know how much of the amount has been actually spent,” Tuazon told senators during the Senate hearing on PhilHealth anomalies.
NDFP peace consultant killed in QC | The Manila Times – A peace consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) was killed in Quezon City on Monday, August 10. Randall “Randy” Echanis, 72, chairman of Anakpawis and deputy secretary-general of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), was stabbed dead inside his apartment in Novaliches, Quezon City on Monday. “Our anger is beyond words. This is a culture of extrajudicial killings with impunity under the Duterte regime. This is a declaratory act that national leaders of legal-democratic movement are now targeted to be killed by the Duterte regime,” former Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao said in a statement sent to The Manila Times.
