News Roundup 13 January 2021
Jan 13, 2021 • 3 min Read
1,453 new cases push Philippines’ COVID-19 tally to 492,700 | PHILSTAR.COM – The Department of Health reported that 1,453 more people got infected with COVID-19, pushing the country’s caseload to 492,700 Wednesday. The latest figures showed that of the total cases, 24,478 or 5% are active. At least 458,523 individuals have recovered from COVID-19 in the Philippines after the DOH recorded 397 additional recoveries. Meanwhile, the fatality count hit 9,699 with 146 more patients succumbing to the respiratory illness. The number of additional deaths recorded Wednesday was the highest since September 14, when the DOH registered record-high 259 fatalities. The day before, 139 COVID-19 fatalities were logged. The DOH told reporters that the increase in deaths was due to the late reporting of fatalities from the previous months. Of the deaths logged today, 36% happened in December, while others were from the months before.
Gov’t urged to call off Sinovac purchase after vaccine shows 50% efficacy in Brazil | PHILSTAR.COM – Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Wednesday called on the government to cancel its procurement of 25 million doses of coronavirus vaccines from China’s Sinovac after it demonstrated an efficacy of 50% in Brazil, a figure much lower than those initially announced by the South American country’s authorities. “Sinovac, with just over 50% efficacy is 6 times more expensive than Aztra[Z]eneca which in contrast shows 70% efficacy. Sinovac is more expensive yet having almost 20% lower efficacy,” Sen. Francis Pangilinan wrote on Twitter. “Given these latest findings, we call on the [Department of Health] to cancel the purchase of Sinovac vaccines,” he added.
Solon slams Roque’s ‘public cannot be choosy’ remarks | INQUIRER.NET – ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro denounced presidential spokesperson Harry Roque for his pronouncement that the public cannot choose what brand of COVID-19 vaccine they may opt to receive. Castro, the House assistant minority leader, added that the public definitely has the right to choose since it’s the citizens’ fund that the government will use in this matter of public health. “The gall of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to say to the people they’ve forced to put on lockdown for almost a year that they cannot choose which vaccine brand they might opt to receive,” said Castro. “The people have every right to choose and demand for the most effective and cost efficient vaccine that the government will provide the people that it swore to serve.”
Majority, minority solons hit ‘bad timing’ argument vs. Cha-Cha | Manila Bulletin – Congressmen from either side of the fence dispelled on Wednesday the notion that the timing of the renewed Charter Change (Cha-Cha) talks was questionable, if not downright bad. “We were already in a bad position pre-pandemic, and the pandemic has placed us in even worse position right now,” Deputy Speaker for trade, Valenzuela City Rep. Weslie Gatchalian said during the mixed live and virtual hearing of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments. The Committee tackled Resolution of Both Houses 2 (RBH 2), which proposes amendments to certain economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution, particularly on Articles II, XIV and XVI. Gatchalian, who belongs to the House majority bloc, noted that there have been past efforts to pursue this so-called “economic Cha-Cha.” “I remember back in the 16th Congress under the leadership of former Speaker Sonny Belmonte, one of the issues that came out is the timing and ngayon pong 2021, timing muli ang issue (and now in 2021, timing is again an issue) regarding these economic provisions,” he said.
Piecemeal amendments violate Charter: Lagman | Malaya Business Insight – The move of the House of Representatives to amend the economic provisions of the Constitution by treating it as an ordinary piece of legislation is unconstitutional, a leader of the opposition at the House said yesterday. “Resolution of Both Houses No. 2 proposing amendments to the economic provisions of the Constitution provides for a mongrelized process because it effectively authorizes the Congress to make amendments by legislation in violation of the limited amendatory procedure prescribed in Article XVII of the 1987 Constitution,” said Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman. Lagman said the two chambers of Congress will have to jointly convene a constituent assembly if lawmakers are serious about exercising their constituent powers to introduce amendments to the 34-year-old Constitution.
