News Roundup 03 August 2021
Aug 03, 2021 • 4 min Read
DOH logs 6,879 new COVID-19 cases, 9 labs without data | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Tuesday reported 6,879 new coronavirus cases, pushing the country’s total to 1,612,541. Today’s numbers saw active cases up by 522 from August 2’s 62,615. The Department of Health said nine laboratories did not submit testing results.
- Active cases: 63,137 or 3.9% of the total
- Recoveries: 6,337, bringing the number to 1,521,263
- Deaths: 48, or now 28,141 in total
Philippines receives 3 million donated Moderna doses from US | PHILSTAR.COM – The Philippines on Tuesday got more donated supply of COVID-19 vaccines, this time of some 3,000,060 doses of Moderna’s jabs from the United States. Washington’s donation was coursed through the COVAX Facility, the global initiative co-led by the World Health Organization. President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the arrival of the jabs at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay on the afternoon of August 3. This marks the latest additonal vaccine supply from the US, after it sent over 3.2 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot jab last month. Its arrival comes as authorities race against time to vaccinate more people, with infections up across the country that experts said the Delta variant may be playing a factor. “Recent COVID-19 outbreaks in the region remind us all that this pandemic is not yet over,” said US embassy chargé d’affaires John Law. “But the science is clear: the best way to stay healthy, keep your loved ones safe, and bring this pandemic to an end is to get vaccinated.”
Robredo tells Filipino Olympians: We’re proud of you, thank you for bringing us together | INQUIRER.NET – Aside from making the country proud for their gallant stand in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Vice President Leni Robredo also thanked Filipino athletes for bringing the nation together in a time of a pandemic. Robredo in a short video message on Tuesday acknowledged the athletes’ efforts as it provides a huge inspiration for the country trying to shake off problems brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Sa gitna ng matinding pagsubok na dala ng pandemya, salamat sa pag-asa at inspirasyon. Thank you for bringing us together, lalo na sa panahong ito. Buong bansa, isang pamilyang nae-excite, nagchi-cheer, at nagse-celebrate sa bawat laban ninyo,” Robredo said. (In the midst of challenges brought by the pandemic, thank you for giving us hope and inspiration. Thank you for bringing us together, especially during these times. The whole country is excited, cheering, and celebrating every battle you take.) “Congratulations ulit sa inyong lahat. Mabuhay ang atletang Pilipino! Laban Pilipinas!” she added. (Again, congratulations to all of you. Long live the Filipino athlete! Laban Pilipinas!) Robredo mentioned the several athletes who fought it out in the Olympics, including recent medalists like Nesthy Petecio who bagged the silver medal for the country in boxing. Two other boxers too in Carlo Paalam and Eumir Marcial have already secured at least a bronze medal finish in the 2020 games. “Sa bawat laban ng Pilipino sa Olympics nitong mga nakaraang araw, naghahalo ang saya, kaba, pati ang gigil. Pero higit dito, araw-araw nangingibabaw sa atin ang pagiging proud. Today is no exception,” Robredo said. (For each fight of Filipinos in the Olympics these past few days, we have exhibited mixed emotions. But above these, each they the feeling of being proud exudes all other emotions. Today is no exception.)
Drilon: VP Leni not giving up on presidential bid, wants opposition to win in 2022 | Manila Bulletin – Senate Minority Leader and Liberal Party vice chairman Franklin Drilon on Tuesday, August 3 rejected assumptions that Vice President Leni Robredo has given up a possible presidential bid in the upcoming May 2022 national elections. Drilon reiterated that the Liberal Party’s objective is for the opposition candidate to win the 2022 elections by uniting “all the opposition” to create a broadest coalition possible and be able to present an alternative to the administration. Because of this, Robredo, who is now the LP chairman, is still considering the possibility of running for the highest government post. “That is not a fair assessment. That is not a correct assessment of the intention of the Vice President. At this point, the Vice President is still looking at a possible presidential run next year. But the first objective is to make sure that an opposition candidate wins,” Drilon said in an online press briefing. “Therefore, step one is to unite everybody. If she becomes the most viable candidate, she will ask the others to come around and support her because the objective is to have a united front. So, the assessment that she has given up is totally wrong and baseless,” the minority leader stressed. “The objective is to have the strongest candidate against the administration. That is why she has been conducting these meetings. Needless to state the effort to look for a strongest opposition candidate includes the Vice President. That assessment that she has given up is totally without basis and unfounded,” he reiterated.
