News Roundup 24 August 2020
Aug 24, 2020 • 5 min Read
Robredo urges more aid for businesses, laid-off workers in pandemic response | PHILSTAR.COM – Vice President Leni Robredo urged the Duterte administration on Monday to ramp up government spending to help cushion the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on Filipinos, who are still under the world’s longest quarantine. She also called for assistance to businesses so more Filipinos can stay employed. Speaking in a taped video address, the vice president outlined what she said were the recommendations of academics, economists, and other experts whose sentiments were also largely ignored by the national government over the past 160 days of community quarantines. She said that the budget provisions outlined in the Bayanihan 2 bill are not enough. “The longer it goes on, the worse the situation gets…nobody can give our economy a life jacket now besides the government. Government must spend more, spend efficiently, and spend quickly, and with the utmost sense of urgency, as if our economic survival depends on it—because it does,” Robredo said in Filipino. The vice president also reiterated that waiting for a vaccine will do little to halt the spread of the coronavirus, which has claimed over 3,000 lives and 194,252 cases as of the health department’s latest update earlier that day. In the face of what she said was 2.6 million Filipinos left jobless amid the pandemic, Robredo recommended setting up wage subsidies for businesses who commit not to lay off workers, expediting the aid for small businesses, and securing ease in opening bank accounts. Robredo also broached the option of forming a system for unemployment insurance, such as that outlined in the proposed unemployment insurance bill of Rep. Stella Quimbo (Marikina, 2nd District). She also called on the social welfare department to align cash-for-work programs with potential needs for COVID such as the production of personal protective equipment, saying: “With over 15 million on the DSWD list, many of them can be hired through LGUs to help with contact tracing.” For online businesses and students taking online classes, the vice president also suggested boosting the country’s digital infrastructure, such as putting up shared cell sites in places with a weak signal. “How can we be confident in our economy with allegations of corruption and overpriced PPEs? If we’re not even sure where our money goes? It’s not hard to understand the sentiments of many, that we don’t know where we’re going against this pandemic, that there is no horizon to look forward to,” she said “We don’t know how long the situation will last, [and] we’re even blamed for the deaths, for being pasaway…this is our reality. It’s our right to expect and demand more from our leaders. But in the past months, we’ve been left to understand and fend for ourselves.”
Twin explosions rock Jolo | PHILSTAR.COM – Two separate explosion rocked the downtown area of Jolo, Sulu on Monday and left nine people, including five soldiers, dead and 18 others injured, according to authorities. Police and military authorities said 20 civilians were also injured in the powerful initial blast that authorities believe to be the handiwork of the Abu Sayyaf group. Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police, said that the first explosion occurred at the vicinity of Paradise Food located at Barangay Walled, Jolo, Sulu, at the opposite road at around 11:53 a.m. and later again at 1 p.m. respectively on Monday. Speaking in an interview with DZBB Super Radyo, Banac also said that the police still did not have a definite number as to the casualties caused by the explosions. “As of now, number of victims were still unidentified while investigations are underway to possibly identify the suspect/s behind this incident,” he said. Maj. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, confirmed four soldiers died on the spot from the first explosion while 18 others were injured. He said they have no immediate account on the number of civilian casualties at the moment. But Lt. Col. Ronaldo Mateo, 11th Infantry Division spokesperson, reported that at least 20 civilians were reported injured in the blast. Sulu Police Province Office (SPPO), meanwhile, initially reported five civilians dead and an undetermined number of others injured during the first explosion. Initial police investigation disclosed that an unidentified rider left the motorcycle rigged with an IED near the military truck parked in front of the restaurant. The explosion happened moments later. Sonny Abbing, provincial public information officer of Sulu, said Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan Sr. was meeting with Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, the new Joint Task Force Sulu (JTFS) and 11th Infantry Division chief, when the first explosion occurred. The meeting was cut short as Gonzales had to respond to the incident. “I was at the blast site when the second explosion occurred. I saw victims falling on the ground, most of them were responding police and military personnel,” Abbing said. Vinluan confirmed the second explosion that occurred across a gas station on the same street of the first blast.
Jolo bishop calls for prayers | Manila Bulletin – Jolo Bishop Charlie Inzon on Monday sought for prayers following the twin blasts there. Inzon asked the faithful to pray for an end to such violent activities which often victimizes innocent people. He also asked the faithful to “pray for the victims.” The Jolo prelate advised everyone to remain calm.
Oil firms to raise gas prices | The Manila Times – Oil companies will raise the cost of gasoline by 15 centavos per liter this week but the prices of diesel and kerosene will drop by 20 centavos per liter and 25 centavos per liter, respectively. Cleanfuel, Chevron, Petro Gazz, Pilipinas Shell, Seaoil, and Total said that they will adjust their fuel prices on Tuesday.
