News Roundup 03 May 2020
May 03, 2020 • 2 min Read
Drilon: Targeting Taiwan OFW over social media posts not labor official’s job | PHILSTAR.COM – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon over the weekend slammed the supposed request by labor attaché Fidel Macauyag to have a Filipina OFW in Taiwan “deported,” saying it violated all norms of decency. The Manila Economic and Cultural Office, which represents the Philippines in Taiwan, has said there was no official request and Macauyag had acted on his own. Speaking in a radio interview with DWIZ on Saturday evening, Drilon highlighted that Macauyag’s actions were not part of his job. “First and foremost, I was a former labor secretary myself, and the labor attaché has one duty: to protect our fellow countrymen in other countries,” he said in Filipino.
POGOs face new Senate probe, disowned by BPO industry | INQUIRER.NET – Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Saturday said he would move to resume the blue ribbon committee inquiry into the Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) as more questions were raised on the reopening of online gambling companies despite the national health emergency. Drilon said that, among the things, he wanted to pinpoint, when sessions resume, the people behind POGO operations and “why do we love them so much.” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he wanted the administration to explain the reason for resuming Pogo operations and how much the government earned from them to be considered an “essential” industry allowed to operate during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
OVP reminds gov’t officials to be careful with giving information about COVID-19 | Mania Bulletin – Vice Presidential spokesman Barry Gutierrez on May 3, Sunday, warned government officials against giving out “false” statements that may endanger the lives of the public amid the coronavirus pandemic. Gutierrez said there is no evidence supporting the claim that the poor are more immune to contracting COVID-19. The Robredo camp was reacting to Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion’s statement that coronavirus infection was minimal in poor communities because they are used to “so much more exposure.” Gutierrez, who is also a legal adviser to Robredo, said he was surprised over these remarks. He said that government officials should be careful with their statements as these could be taken seriously by the people once made public.
