News Roundup 27 January 2021
Jan 27, 2021 • 4 min Read
Coronavirus cases in the Philippines climb to 518,407 with 2,245 new infections | PHILSTAR.COM – The Department of Health on Wednesday logged 2,245 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload to 518,407. Of the total number of cases recorded, the DOH has marked 32,384— or 6.2% — as active. Another 140 people were reported to have beat the virus, bringing total recoveries to 476,542. But the death toll hit 10,481 after 95 more fatalities were logged by the DOH.
Constitution Framer: Don’t change charter ‘for power and money’ | PHILSTAR.COM – The 1987 Constitution should not be changed for selfish reasons, a Framer of the Constitution told senators on Wednesday, claiming that a current move for charter change is motivated by power and money. Lawyer Christian Monsod, also a former commissioner of the Commission on Elections, said this as the Senate committees on constitutional amendments and economic opened hearings on proposed economic amendments to the 1987 Constitution. “There have been five previous attempts to change the Constitution….all of these past attempts were unsuccessful because the people perceived the articulated purposes as a smokescreen for self-serving ends,” Monsod said. “The real motive of [Resolution of Both Houses No. 2], just like previous attempts, is power and money,” he added, referring to the motion filed by House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco seeking to convene Congress as the constituent assembly to amend Articles XII, XIV, and XVI of the Constitution. Those articles deal with National Economy and Patrimony; Education, Science and Technology, Arts, Culture and Sports; and General Provisions respectively. “RBH 2 is dangerous and devious because it is a wholesale transfer of power from the constitution to the congress in determining the limitations of foreign ownership of land, natural resources, public utilities, media, advertising, educational institutions,” Monsod said. He also addressed the support shored up for charter change among members of the business community, saying: “The motive of the businessman is not the motive of the country either, that’s just the rhetoric. The real motive is profit.” He also cautioned that adding the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law,” as proposed by Velasco, to the provisions listed above will render them meaningless and will blow open the door “for corruption or transactional legislation which corrupt politicians…are very adept at doing.” Former Supreme Court Justice Adolfo Azcuna also told senators that upon reviewing the resolutions of both houses, there were several instances where he found the phrase “unless otherwise provided by law” to be misplaced.
Privacy body warns: SIM registration bid may lead to ‘heightened risk’ in personal data breach | INQUIRER.NET – The proposed registration of pre-paid SIM cards may lead to a heightened risk of a personal data breach, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) said Wednesday. During a Senate public services committee hearing, NPC OIC Director IV Atty. Ivy Grace Villasotto said that while the agency recognizes the clamor for SIM card registration as a means to address national security, she emphasized that such a move would entail a “massive collection” of personal data nationwide. “This may result in a heightened risk of personal data breaches, unauthorized processing, intrusion into the privacy of the privacy of the people and the restriction of other rights and freedoms,” Villasoto said.
Hontiveros defends fisherman from China’s alleged bullying | Manila Bulletin – Malacañang should denounce “China’s bullying” after a Filipino fisherman was reportedly harassed by a Chinese Coast Guard ship near the Pagasa Island, Senator Risa Hontiveros said. Hontiveros said the Palace should exert effort to condemn the action of the Chinese Coast Guard especially in light of the recent passage of the Coast Guard law that gave them the authority to fire against foreign vessels operating in the West Philippine Sea. “Kaka-anunsyo palang ng bagong Coast Guard Law, napaka wala sa lugar agad nilang mang-harass ng mga Pilipino sa sarili nating teritoryo (They had just passed this new Coast Guard law, and they’re already harassing Filipinos in our own territory). Malacanang should denounce China’s bullying immediately,” Hontiveros said in a statement.“This is the arrogance of a country that still considers itself the Middle Kingdom and an empire. This is an unacceptable encounter,” the opposition senator added. The Philippine government, she further said, should take the side of the Filipino fisherman who was bullied. The fisherman alleged that the Chinese Coast Guard tried to block his way to one of the sandbars near the Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.
