News Roundup 20 May 2021
May 20, 2021 • 3 min Read
Active COVID-19 cases hit 51,912 after Philippines logs 6,100 new infections | PHILSTAR.COM – Health authorities on Thursday recorded 6,100 additional COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload 1,165,155.
- Active cases: 51,912 or 4.5% of the total
- Recoveries: 4,071, pushing total to 1,093,602
- Deaths: 13, bringing total to 19,641
‘Counterproductive’ to conceal vaccine brands at inoculation sites — Hontiveros | PHILSTAR.COM – It would be “counterproductive” not to announce the brands of COVID-19 vaccines available at inoculation sites, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Thursday as she warned that enforcing such a policy might erode people’s trust in the national vaccination program. She was referring to a suggestion made the day before by Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje who expresses concern at the huge crowds, many of them walk-ins, turning up at sites offering vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech. “We cannot increase the confidence of our countrymen when our policies are in doubt,” Hontiveros said in Filipino. “It is also a sign that the DOH has fallen short of convincing people that approved vaccines are guaranteed safe and effective, regardless of its brand name.” Hontiveros called on the Department of Health to reconsider the policy, saying that patients must be properly informed before they consent to inoculation. The senator said overcrowding in certain facilities could have been avoided had people been properly educated on vaccines by the government. She also called on the government to partner with local government units in expanding its vaccine education program and in incentivizing more people to get COVID-19 jabs.
‘Too many generals’: Lorenzana seeks to reduce number of star-rank AFP officers |INQUIRER.NET – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is pushing for the reduction of the general-to-personnel ratio in the military, which, he said, would be “healthier” for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Lorenzana made the proposal during Thursday’s Senate National Defense Committee hearing tackling bills to prescribe fixed terms for AFP officials, among others. “I say the bill is already, I think [it’s] OK as far as I’m concerned,” Lorenzana said. He was referring to the measure filed by Senator Richard Gordon on the fixed terms for the chief-of-staff and other key officers of the AFP. “Except for one thing, I would like to include the percentage of generals as compared to the number of troops of men in the AFP,” Lorenzana said. “As it stands today, by virtue of passed legislation, the percentage is .125 and in fact, we have already exceeded that percentage. As of today, we have 190 generals in the Armed Forces of the Philippines when it should have been only 170 as per the percentage,” he added. Lorenzana proposed lowering the percentage to only 0.1.
Ex-AFP chief Biazon: ‘Convene National Security Council to discuss WPS dispute’ | Manila Bulletin – Former Senator Rodolfo Biazon has strongly suggested that President Duterte convene the National Security Council (NSC) for the Duterte administration to form a united stand on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) territorial dispute with China. Biazon made the call as Philippine leaders have divergent views on how the country should deal with China which carry a mighty military and economic stick. Biazon, a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and former chairman of the Senate national defense and security committee, said there is danger in the conflicting and divergent views on the WPS issue of the President himself, Cabinet members, lawmakers, former lawmakers, and experts on the WPS issue. He said this cauldron of different opinions might push China into adopting an aggressive stance against the Philippines. Biazon said even allies of the Philippines might get confused and might not support the country should China becomes aggressive. He stressed that President Duterte should not be left alone in adopting policies on the WPS issue because the WPS factor involves Philippine national and food security. The NSC is composed of the President as chairman, members of the Cabinet such as the secretaries of the Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), leaders of Congress, police and military. The President may also invite former Philippine Presidents and those in the academe.
