News Roundup 24 January 2021
Jan 24, 2021 • 5 min Read
COVID-19 cases in the Philippines breach 513,000 | PHILSTAR.COM – The Department of Health on Sunday afternoon reported 1,949 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, bringing the number of total cases to 513,619. Of the total, 27,765 or 5.4% are still classified as active cases, or patients who have neither recovered nor passed away and are recovering in hospitals or quarantine facilities. DOH in its latest case bulletin also reported 53 new deaths, bringing the pathogen’s death toll in the country to 10,242. A total of 475,612 have so far recovered—good for a 92.6% recovery rate—after the DOH also added 7,729 recoveries in Sunday’s update.
Philippines shouldn’t be intimidated over Chinese law letting coast guard to fire on foreign ships — Pangilinan | PHILSTAR.COM – A senator on Sunday said Manila must not be cowed to Beijing’s recent move, authorizing the Chinese Coast Guard manning its claimed territories in South China Sea to fire on foreign vessels. China’s National People’s Congress on January 22 had reportedly passed a law allowing its coast guard to use “all necessary means” in the event of threats from foreign ships in the disputed waters, per international news wire Reuters. The measure also gives the go signal for the Chinese coast guard to demolish structures built by other countries in its reefs, as well as “to board and inspect foreign vessels in waters claimed by China.” To which, Sen. Francis Pangilinan said in a statement: “We reject and do not recognize foreign laws that encroach on our territorial seas and exclusive economic zone.” “Indonesia and Vietnam refuse to be intimidated,” he said. “I adamantly refuse to believe that they are braver than we are, and I firmly believe that ours is not a nation of cowards.” Beijing has long been stuck in maritime disputes not only with the Philippines but with other Asian countries as well, with Manila securing a significant victory in the Hague in 2016 which ruled against China’s nine-dash line in the waters. Relations between the two countries have soured from the previous administration over the international protest, but it had seen a return to normal, even closer ties with President Rodrigo Duterte’s four years so far in office. Duterte has repeatedly made remarks that undermined the Philippines’ victory, despite in his presidential run vowing to take a hard stance including planting the country’s flag in the disputed territory riding a jet ski, which later on his officials said was only a joke.
Policy shift, COVID-19 vaccine transparency to spur economic recovery — Robredo | INQUIRER.NET – Tweaking the government’s current policies and a more transparent approach to the COVID-19 vaccines would kick-start the country’s economic recovery, Vice President Leni Robredo claimed on Sunday. According to Robredo, these two things would go hand-in-hand as a better and evolved response to the pandemic and being clear about the vaccine procurement would boost the public’s confidence on both the economy and the national immunization program — especially as a lot are skeptical about the vaccines. The Vice President said in her weekly Sunday radio program at DZXL that the national government can overturn projections of the Philippine economy falling behind its Asean neighbors if they address these issues. “For example, Vietnam has now registered a positive growth, while others predict that they would recover within this year. But we appear to be on lagging behind, based on the projection. Their basis has been how we respond to the threat of the coronavirus, and our vaccination plan,” Robredo said in Filipino. “I hope our policies, our COVID-19 response improves so that their initial projection of our economy would change,” she added. In a December 2020 economic outlook by Japanese investment house Nomura, it detailed why the Philippines is likely to lag behind its fellow Asean members in terms of economic recovery in 2021, due to vulnerability from the pandemic.
Leni says she has already volunteered to take COVID jab in public | Manila Bulletin – Vice President Leni Robredo disputed Sunday Sen. Bong Go who had challenged her to publicly receive anti-COVID vaccine, telling him that this is “unnecessary” since she has already stated her willingness to do so late last year. “Ang hinahamon ‘yung hindi klaro ang tayo pagdating sa mga bagay, pero ako hindi ako kailangang hamunin kasi ako nga ‘yung nag-vovolunteer (The people who should be challenged are those who don’t have a clear stance on things, but as for me, you don’t need to challenge me because I’ve been volunteering for it),” Robredo said in her weekly radio program “BISErbisyong Leni” on DZXL. She said it was early December in the same radio program that she declared that she would be willing to have herself inoculated in public for the sake of increasing Filipinos’ confidence in vaccines. Last week, Go dared the lady official to get the jabs either after or alongside President Duterte as the government contended with survey results that nearly 50 percent of Filipinos are unwilling to get vaccinated for COVID-19. “Mahalaga kasi na ‘yung Pangulo talaga ‘yung manguna. Kung ayaw niya, willing talaga akong manguna (It’s really important for the President to be the first to get vaccinated. If he doesn’t want to, I’m really willing to be the first),” Robredo said. The opposition leader said it’s “alarming” that almost half of Filipinos would rather not have themselves vaccinated despite the threat of COVID-19. Robredo blamed the “controversies” and lack of public knowledge on the various anti-COVID vaccines as reason for the survey results.
