News Roundup 30 April 2021
Apr 30, 2021 • 3 min Read
Philippines sees 8,748 new coronavirus infections | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Friday recorded 8,748 additional COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of infections to 1,037,460.
- Active cases: 73,908 or 7.1% of the total
- Recoveries: 4,143, pushing total to 946,318
- Deaths: 89, bringing total to 17,234
Carpio to ‘sleeping’ Duterte: China is not in possession of West Philippine Sea | PHILSTAR.COM – Once again calling out President Rodrigo Duterte for “setting aside” the country’s arbitral award in 2016, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Carpio said the president himself is a challenge to enforcing the landmark ruling. Speaking at an online forum on Friday organized by the Philippine Bar Association, Carpio said the challenges to the enforcement of the arbitral come from China and Duterte. Almost five years since the arbitral ruling was issued, Beijing still rejects the award while Duterte refuses to assert it. “Shout out to President Duterte that China is not in possession of the WPS. Shout out loud so that President Duterte will wake up from his deep sleep under the kulambo and admit to the nation the truth — that China is not in possession of the WPS,” Carpio said. The retired magistrate listed instances wherein Duterte became a challenge for the enforcement of the arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea, part of which is the West Philippine Sea.
Bohol capitol building shut down after 91 employees get COVID-19 | INQUIRER.NET – The Bohol provincial administration closed its Capitol building starting Thursday, April 29, after at least 91 employees turned positive for COVID-19. Dr. Cesar Tomas Lopez, spokesperson of the Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force, said in a radio program that the majority of infected employees came from the Provincial General Services Office, the Provincial Treasurer’s Office, and Provincial Budget Office. He said the number of infected employees may go up as the Provincial Health Office awaits the release of additional swab test results. The infected employees were quarantined at the Central Isolation Facility in Barangay Dao, except for one, who was admitted to the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, after experiencing shortness of breath.
VP Leni’s office sets online concert for healthcare frontliners on May 1 | Manila Bulletin – The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has partnered with Filipino musicians and other artists to stage an online concert for healthcare workers leading the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a statement, the OVP said the online concert dubbed “Harana: Musical Tribute to Filipino Frontliners” will be held on May 1, Labor Day, at 7 p.m. The OVP said that the online concert aims to offer a breather for medical frontliners leading the fight against COVID-19. The online concert is under the OVP’s Istorya ng Pag-asa program and will feature artists who volunteered to participate in the musical in support of frontliners. Artists slated to perform in the concert include The Company, Noel Cabangon, Cooky Chua, Nonoy Zuñiga, Agot Isidro, Buboy Garrovillo, Jim Paredes, Joana Ampil, Renato Lucas, Skarlet Brown, Ivy Violan, Joey Ayala, Noli Aurillo, Bayang Barrios, Amp Big Band, Nona Galan, and Arman Ferrer. Viewing stations in participating hospitals, such as the National Kidney Transplant Institute and the Quirino Memorial Medical Center, and other provincial hospitals will be set up to allow on-duty frontliners and even patients to enjoy the musical.
