News Roundup 15 October 2020
Oct 15, 2020 • 3 min Read
Philippines records 2,261 new COVID-19 cases; total hits 348,698 | PHILSTAR.COM – The country’s coronavirus case tally climbed to 348,698 Thursday after 2,261 new infections were reported. The department also registered 50 additional deaths due to the severe respiratory illness, bringing the death toll to 6,497. Meanwhile, the number of recoveries rose to 294,161 after DOH reported 385 additional recovered patients. Excluding deaths and recoveries, the country’s active cases stood at 48,040.
Red Cross halts PhilHealth-funded COVID tests over unpaid balance | PHILSTAR.COM – The private organization conducting the most coronavirus tests in the country is halting its screenings funded by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. over the agency’s failure to settle its overdue balance of over P930 million. The Philippine Red Cross’ decision on October 14 is seen to affect many, including returning Overseas Filipino Workers and frontline medical and government workers, with the organization saying it will no longer receive specimens from them. Screening for those in mega swabbing and local government facilities, as well as individuals covered under the health department’s expanded testing guidelines will also be suspended. “The PRC does not have unlimited resources to replenish the testing kits for its laboratories unless PhilHealth, its major creditor, settles its unlawful obligations,” Red Cross said in a statement.
Sacrifices needed to avert COVID-19 case surge, says DOH | INQUIRER.NET – With Europe seeing a rapid spike in new coronavirus cases partly due to “pandemic fatigue,” the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday advised the public to accept that “little sacrifices” have to be made to avoid a surge in infections. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH understood the fatigue everyone was going through these days because of the restrictions put in place to control the spread of the virus. But people, she said, must also understand that they can no longer return to life as they knew it prior to the pandemic. “That’s why we have the new normal. We have to remember that this new normal comes with little sacrifices like always wearing a mask, face shield, practicing distancing and washing hands,” Vergeire said.
Lacson hits mangling of DPWH budget | The Manila Times – Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Wednesday deplored the mangling of the proposed P667-billion budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for 2021. n his interpellation of the proposed DPWH budget, the senator noted that the entire appropriations of the agency had been changed. “Hindi na natin makilala (We cannot recognize it anymore)!” he quipped. Lacson noted a “pattern” where the proposed budgets for national projects were decreased and the proposed budgets for local projects were increased. He said the DPWH’s total appropriation, the budget for general administration and support went down by P477.138 million (from P15.238 billion to 14.761 billion); while support to operations ballooned by P22.791 billion, from P38.133 billion to P60.925 billion. “In general, we saw the [allocation for] local projects ballooned. The national projects suffered heavy [budget] cuts,” Lacson said.
Alan allies lose posts to Lord supporters | Malaya Business Insight – Speaker Lord Alan Velasco is now working on repairing his relationship with political parties that backed former speaker Alan Peter Representatives. To restore the supermajority coalition and ensure the stability of his leadership, Velasco yesterday met with members of the Nacionalista Party (NP), Cayetano’s own party, to accept their support for his leadership which was signified through a manifesto signed by its more than 40 members. While this was happening, the new House leadership removed as deputy speaker Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte and replaced him with 1-PACMAN party-list Rep. Michael Romero, who was earlier booted out of the post by the former leadership for being a Velasco supporter. In a statement, Villafuerte said that if the intention behind removing him was to “intimidate all those who remain loyal to former Speaker Cayetano, then they have miscalculated badly.”
