News Roundup 10 September 2020
Sep 10, 2020 • 3 min Read
Philippines’ COVID-19 cases hit 248,947 as deaths breach 4,000 | PHILSTAR.COM – Coronavirus cases in the Philippines reached 248,947 Thursday as data from the DOH showed that 3,821 more people have contracted the novel coronavirus. Deaths related to COVID-19 hit 4,066 after 80 more people succumbed to the severe respiratory illness. Meanwhile, the DOH logged 563 more recovered patients, pushing the number of recoveries to 186,058.
Recto on Dito cell sites: Military camps should be no-go zones for possible ‘electronic Trojan horse’ | PHILSTAR.COM – A senator on Thursday questioned the Department of National Defense’s decision to allow China-backed Dito Telecommunity Corp. to build cell towers inside the country’s military camps. “Dito can build their sites anywhere in this wide expanse of land —and government should help them — except in the 25 Navy bases and stations, 53 Army bases, and 17 air bases and stations, which should be declared as no-go zones for this company,” Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. According to Recto, the company should instead consider building cell towers in the country’s almost 50,000 public schools and state universities. In addition to this, the senator said they ought to “pay rent in cash and in kind, the latter in free broadband for the students.” This comes after Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday confirmed to the appropriations committee of the House of Representatives that he recently signed a contract submitted to him by Dito Telecommunity Corp.
Lacson flags P469 billion in repeat funding for DPWH projects | INQUIRER.NET – Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday raised the red flag on P469 billion worth of infrastructure projects that had already been financed by the government for implementation this year but were again funded in the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021, saying this contravened the 1987 Constitution. Lacson asked Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado to remove the questionable items from the 2021 National Expenditure Program (NEP), which was presented by President Duterte’s economic managers to the Senate finance committee, chaired by Sen. Sonny Angara. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Sen. Risa Hontiveros also questioned the government’s priorities, noting that the budget for the anti-insurgency campaign was bigger than the allotment for departments tasked with leading the recovery from the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to the economy.
US embassy extends interview waiver for Filipino nonimmigrant visa renewal applicants | Manila Bulletin – The expiration of interview waiver for Filipinos renewing their US nonimmigrant visa (B1/B2) has been temporarily extended from within 12 months to 24 months, the US Department of State said in a statement on Thursday. According to the State Department, the policy will remain in effect until December 31, 2020 and applicable for applicants renewing their nonimmigrant visa in the same classification. “From now through December 31, 2020, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines may waive the visa interview requirement for a nonimmigrant visa applicant applying to renew his/her visa who has previously been issued a nonimmigrant visa in the same classification within 24 months of that visa’s expiration,” the State Department said. Under the US visa interview waiver, certain repeat travelers do not need to appear for an in-person interview at the US Consulate or Embassy, as long as certain conditions are met such as persons who have been previously issued with B1/B2 visa; those whose visa was issued after July 1, 2007; those with prior visa valid for at least five years, among others.
DoJ reopens Covid probe vs Sen. Pimentel | The Manila Times – The Department of Justice (DoJ) on Thursday ordered the reopening of its investigation against Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd for violating government quarantine protocols that were enforced to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The DoJ will hear the account of the Makati Medical Center where Pimentel went to accompany his then pregnant wife, Kathryna, on March 24, even after he was tagged as a Person Under Investigation because he was exposed to an individual who was positive for Covid-19.
